Amoli Larijani appreciates Leader’s support amid allegations

TEHRAN — Former Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani has expressed gratitude to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for his support in the midst of the Judiciary’s fight against corruption that has brought his former deputy and himself under the spotlight.

Sanctions, Gen. Soleimani assassination won’t demoralize nation: Zarif

TEHRAN — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said the U.S. sanctions on Iran and its assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani will not demoralize the Iranian nation, Mehr reported.

Trump’s nuclear deal exit costly for U.S.: university professor

TEHRAN - Robin Ramcharan, a lecturer at the Webster University of Thailand and executive director of the Bangkok-based Asia Centre, has said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, has been costly for the U.S.

Iran has a balanced approach to fighting narcotics, says envoy

TEHRAN — Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador to the Vienna-based international organizations, says Iran has a balanced approach in fighting narcotics, which prioritizes preventive measures.

Iran rebukes Washington for horrible human rights violations

TEHRAN — Iran has rebuked the United States for its history of horrible, deadly violations of human rights both at home and in other countries.

By staff and agency

Saudi Arabia lost the war to Iran: ex-Yemeni minister

Former Yemeni Minister of Transportation Saleh Algabwani said on Thursday that Saudi Arabia has lost the war in Yemen to Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

‘Iran, Venezuela remain steadfast in countering unlawful U.S. sanctions’

TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday that Iran and Venezuela remain steadfast in countering unlawful sanctions of the United States.

Political independence of countries not a ‘plaything’ for U.S. unilateralism: Vaezi

TEHRAN - Presidential chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi has said that the countries’ political independence and sovereignty are not a plaything for the United States’ unilateralism.

‘An international organization like IAEA must not rely on spying information’

TEHRAN - Diako Hosseini, director of the World Studies Program at the Presidential Centre for Strategic Studies, has said that an international organization such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must not rely on spying information.

By Hamid Bayati

Pompeo has vowed to annihilate all of Iran’s JCPOA benefits: former French envoy

“Technically this should be feasible” to block U.S. move to extend arms embargo on Iran, Nicoullaud says

TEHRAN — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has vowed to annihilate all the benefits that Iran could draw from the JCPOA, says a former French ambassador to Tehran.

‘EU’s Borrell to spare no efforts to preserve nuclear deal’

TEHRAN - European External Action Service spokesman Peter Stano has said that European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will spare no efforts to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.

Iraqi FM says his first foreign tours will be to Tehran and Riyadh

TEHRAN – Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has said that his first foreign visits will be to Tehran and Riyadh.

U.S. unilateralism a serious threat to intl. peace: Ghalibaf

TEHRAN - Majlis Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that the United States’ unilateral behavior is a serious threat to the international peace and security.

Iran, China agree to deepen strategic ties, Zarif says

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced on Wednesday that he held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi through a videoconference, saying they agreed to deepen their strategic ties.

Economy is parliament’s priority, Ghalibaf says

TEHRAN - Majlis Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that solving economic problems and reforming budget structure are parliament’s priorities.

Cooperating with Trump ‘unconstructive’, Iran tells Australia

TEHRAN — Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian Parliament speaker, has said Australia’s cooperation with U.S. President Donald Trump’s “illogical policies” will not be conducive to regional security. 

Russia rebukes Europe for escalating tensions against Iran

TEHRAN — Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has rebuked the UK, France, and Germany for introducing an anti-Iran resolution, saying such measures are rooted in “destructive” measures adopted by the United States against the Iran nuclear deal.

IRGC says ready to help Judiciary in corruption fight

TEHRAN — Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has voiced his forces’ readiness to help the Judiciary in ensuring security, fighting corruption, and punishing criminals.

Iran views Trump as a ‘culprit’ not a president to negotiate with: advisor

TEHRAN - Hossein Dehghan, a military advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said that Iran considers U.S. President Donald Trump as a “culprit” and not a president to negotiate with.

Putin doubted Israel could attack Iran: Bolton

TEHRAN — Russian President Vladimir Putin doubted that Israel could attack Iran, according to former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Iranian prosecutor general asks Romania to seriously investigate death of fugitive judge

TEHRAN — Iran’s Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri has asked his Romanian counterpart to launch a serious investigation into the death of fugitive Iranian judge Gholamreza Mansouri in that country.

Iran, Afghanistan sign document for comprehensive cooperation

TEHRAN - Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks with Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister, in Tehran on Sunday during which they signed a document for comprehensive cooperation.

By staff and agency

EU says its arms embargo on Iran to remain in force until 2023

France, Germany and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement published on Friday that the European Union’s embargoes on conventional arms exports and missile technology to Iran will remain in force until 2023.

Sanaei says General Soleimani convinced Putin to enter Syria

Russia considers U.S. attempts to extend Iran’s arms embargo ‘totally unacceptable’: ex-diplomat

TEHRAN - Mehdi Sanaei, Iran’s former ambassador to Russia, has said that Russia considers the United States’ attempt to extend arms embargo on Iran “totally unacceptable”.

Afghanistan does not seek to weaken ties with Iran: expert

TEHRAN - Iranian analyst Pir Mohammad Molazehi has said that Afghanistan’s government does not seek to weaken ties with Iran.

Quds Force says to stand by Palestinian resistance

TEHRAN — General Esmail Ghaani has said his IRGC Quds Force will stand by the Palestinian resistance movement the same way that martyr Qassem Soleimani did.  

Tehran criticizes the world’s ‘deafening silence’ over U.S. crackdown on protesters

TEHRAN — Tehran has slammed the “deafening silence” of the self-proclaimed champions of human rights with regard to the U.S. brutality against peaceful protests. 

Zionist regime in worst possible condition, says adviser

TEHRAN — The Zionist regime is currently in its worst possible condition, says Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian parliament speaker.

Iran calls IAEA resolution ‘counterproductive’

TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Friday that the anti-Iran resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors is “unacceptable” and “counterproductive”.

By staff and agency

Iraqi PM to visit Iran

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi is planning his first foreign tour with visits to the United States, Iran and Saudi Arabia.