EU nations set to snub Washington’s latest anti-Iran push

BRUSSELS — A U.S. effort to enlist Europe in its pressure campaign against Iran faced a setback after officials said ministers from several European Union members will likely skip a summit organized by Washington on Iran and the Middle East.

Iran to keep defeating Israel through intelligence supremacy: Alavi

TEHRAN – Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi on Thursday reminded the Zionist regime of the blows it has received from Iran, saying the Islamic Republic will continue to inflict defeats on Israel in the intelligence arena.

Jannati advises officials not to trust Europe

TEHRAN – Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, chief of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, says the Europeans are worse than the Americans in trying to deprive Iran of the benefits of the 2015 nuclear deal, aka the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), advising officials not to fall for them.

Nuclear negotiator: Thank you President Trump for bringing ‘shame’ to U.S.

TEHRAN – A top Iranian nuclear negotiator said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement showed how “untrustworthy” the United States is. 

BuzzFeed: Sources say Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about proposed Moscow project

President Donald Trump personally directed his longtime former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the Moscow Trump Tower project, two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter told BuzzFeed.

What’s in Tehran art galleries

* Seyhun Gallery is hosting an exhibition of cartoons by Kambiz Derambakhsh.

Iranian documentary “Beloved” to compete in Berlinale

TEHRAN – “Beloved” (“Delband”), a documentary by Yaser Talebi has been selected to go on screen in the Culinary Cinema section of the 69th Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale, the organizers have announced.

Fajr festival to pay tribute to Ezzatollah Entezami

TEHRAN – The 37th Fajr Film Festival plans to pay tribute to legendary actor Ezzatollah Entezami by organizing a special program during the opening ceremony of the event on January 30, the organizers announced on Friday. 

New Persian translation of Kitab al-Kafi published

TEHRAN – Five volumes of a new Persian translation of the Kitab al-Kafi, a hadith collection compiled by Shia scholar Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Kulayni who lived during the third and fourth centuries AH, has been published.

Iran celebrates centenary of Academy of Music 

TEHRAN – A celebration to mark the centenary of the establishment of Iran’s Academy of Music was held at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Wednesday.

Iran football President Taj warns coach Queiroz to refrain from controversies

TEHRAN - Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj has warned Team Melli Coach Carlos Queiroz to only discuss technical issues of the team after the Portuguese coach accused Iran's Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Massoud Soltanifar of ordering the federation not to extend his contract at the end of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

China offers Iran $3bn oilfield deal despite U.S. sanctions: Wall Street Journal 

State-run Chinese energy giant Sinopec has offered Iran a $3-billion deal on further development of an Iranian oilfield the two countries are already working on, the Wall Street Journal has reported. 

Trump cancels Nancy Pelosi foreign trip, citing shutdown

U.S. President Donald Trump has postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's upcoming trip to Brussels and Afghanistan, asking her to stay to negotiate an end to the partial U.S. government shutdown, BBC reported.

By Payman Yazdani

EU failure to implement SPV could worsen current situation: Italian expert

TEHRAN - Dr. Pastori Gianluca says U.S. secondary sanctions are jeopardizing the JCPOA and the EU failure to offer a meaningful implementation of the SPV could only worsen this state of things.

By Hanif Ghaffari

Nancy Pelosi and her dual approaches

TEHRAN - In her remarks, the United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asserted that Trump's border wall campaign has nothing to do with border security. She said it's one of the U.S. President's plans for energizing his conservative base, and in this way, he aims to distract the country from the various scandals dogging his administration.

By Mohammad Ghaderi& Javad Heirannia

Lack of any documentary evidence of Russian penetration in U.S. electoral system: Entessar

TEHRAN - Nader Entessar, professor emeritus of political science from university of South Alabama says that “I agree with the notion that the US hegemony as a global superpower has been, and will continue to be, challenged by developments in the international arena.”

Iran to meet Oman in AFC Asian Cup Round of 16

TEHRAN – Iran national football team will meet Oman in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Round of 16 underway in the UAE.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh unhappy with Iraqis players’ performance

TEHRAN – Iran star Alireza Jahanbakhsh criticized the way that Iraqi players performed against Iran in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

‘Zaghari-Ratcliffe provided with best conditions’

TEHRAN – Responding to recent allegations by the British government against the Islamic Republic, Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi has said Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other convicts being held in Iranian prisons for security offenses are provided with the best conditions, including using phone calls, meeting with families and medical care.

Qom seminary elites warn against joining FATF

TEHRAN – A number of Qom seminary elites wrote a letter to Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, the chairman of the Expediency Council, warning that Iran’s accession to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will lead to the enemies’ complete dominance over Iran’s banking system.

General Baqeri meets Azeri president

TEHRAN – Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri met with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday.

Iran says it will keep what it has in Syria

TEHRAN – Iran will keep what it has in Syria, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday, defying Israeli threats that Iranian forces might be targeted if they do not leave the country.

No date set for establishing SPV: Qassemi

TEHRAN – The Europeans so far have not announced a date for establishing the special purpose vehicle (SPV), Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Tuesday, Mehr reported.

Ambassador holds talks with Russian official on bilateral ties

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Mehdi Sanaei met on Wednesday with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Grigory Karasin, to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation, especially in the Central Asian and Caucasian regions.

‘Thalassemia patients complain over expensive medicine’ 

TEHRAN- Thalassemia patients are having a hard time as the price of their medicine has quadrupled; whereas, last year the same medicines were free of charge, said head of the Iranian Thalassemia Society. 

Tobacco use in Iran up sevenfold in decade

TEHRAN- Tobacco use in Iran has increased by seven times over the past decade, growing from 2,000 tons to 15,000 tons, said Tehran University of Medical Science vice chancellor for social affairs.  

Tehran-Parand metro completion requires $165m

TEHRAN – Parand metro line, linking Tehran to southwestern suburb areas, needs a total budget of 7 trillion rials (nearly $165 million) to be completed by the end of the current Iranian calendar year 1398 (March 2019-March 2020), head of Tehran Urban And Suburban Railway Operation Company has said.

Achaemenid relief goes on show in Mashhad

TEHRAN – A piece of Achaemenid-era (550-330 BC) bas-relief has been put on show at Mashhad’s Khorasan Great Museum, northeast Iran.

Works by female crafters on show in Ardebil

TEHRAN – An exhibit of handicrafts, featuring works by female crafters and entrepreneurs, is currently underway in Ardebil, northwestern Iran.

Over 700 crafters in Yazd engage in traditional ornamentation

TEHRAN – Over 700 artisans are currently working as goldsmiths, crafting traditional ornamentation in Yazd province, central Iran.