By staff and agency

Iran’s Hoveyzeh missile can reach Israel undetected: Israeli report

DEBKAfile, an Israeli military intelligence website, has said that Iran’s new Hoveyzeh cruise missile can reach Israel without being detected.

Military spokesman: ‘Iran bears message of peace and friendship’

TEHRAN - Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, a senior spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, said on Sunday that Iran bears “message of peace and friendship and not war or bloodshed”.

Route to amend the constitution is open, ex-lawmaker says

TEHRAN – A former senior lawmaker believes the route to amend the constitution is open, but the central tenets of Islamic principles and republicanism cannot be changed.

‘Zarif has said INSTEX is not related to FATF’

TEHRAN – An MP said on Monday that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that INSTEX (Instrument for Supporting Trade Exchanges) is not related to the Financial Action Task Force, ISNA reported.

Iran to pardon 50,000 prisoners on Revolution anniversary

TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic will pardon or commute prison terms of fifty thousand inmates on the fortieth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Iran’s top judge announced on Monday.

Rouhani’s pick for health minister gets vote of confidence

TEHRAN – Iranian Lawmakers on Monday gave their vote of confidence to President Hassan Rouhani’s health minister nominee, Saeed Namaki.

Iraqi president takes aim at Trump over using country to watch Iran

Iraqi President Barham Salih said on Monday that Donald Trump did not ask permission to station U.S. troops in Iraq to "watch Iran".

Russian diplomats discuss Syria, Yemen with Jaberi Ansari

TEHRAN – A delegation of ranking Russian diplomats visited Tehran on Saturday to hold talks with Hossein Jaberi Ansari, a senior advisor to the Iranian foreign minister for political affairs, about the latest developments in Syria and Yemen.

Iran was hit hard whenever it trusted Americans: ex-diplomat

TEHRAN – Sadeq Kharrazi, a former Iranian diplomat, believes whenever Iran trusted the Americans it suffered a severe blow, ISNA reported on Sunday.

Defense Ministry to produce 44 modern civil vessels

TEHRAN – Under a contract with the Transport Ministry, the Defense Ministry is going to manufacture 44 advanced vessels for civil purposes.

Economy minister hails Basij’s efforts to bypass sanctions

TEHRAN – Economy Minister Farhad Dejpasand said on Sunday that Basij is tasked with a heavy responsibility to bypass the enemies’ economic sanctions and thwart their anti-Iran plots.

MPs praise Air Force war games

TEHRAN – 223 members of the Iranian parliament have lauded the Air Force for holding Fadaian-e Harim-e Velayat (Defenders of Velayat Sanctuary) drills in central Iran.

Three arrested for disrupting petrochemical market

TEHRAN – The Intelligence Ministry announced on Sunday that its forces have dismantled a major group of dealers in the central province of Yazd for disrupting the petrochemical market, Mehr reported.

Minister: Iran’s satellite launches not linked to missile program

TEHRAN – Information and Communication Technology Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said on Sunday that Iran’s satellite launches have never been meant for military purposes or linked to the Islamic Republic’s missile program.

Zionists will get close to death if they start war: Iranian general

U.S. will fail to save Israel if Zionists start new war: Iranian general

TEHRAN - Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps second-in-command, has warned that the Zionists in the occupied territories will make themselves close to death if they start a new war.

All should laud IRGC efforts: Larijani

TEHRAN – Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday called on the people and authorities to appreciate the efforts made by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), saying the IRGC has played an “effective role” in countering threats and protecting Iran’s border areas.

Youths are Iran’s greatest asset, scholar says

TEHRAN - Modjtaba Sadria, a prominent scholar, has said that the people between ages of 25 to 40 are the main social group in the Iranian society which form the main wealth of the country.

Military threats against Iran have always backfired: IRGC chief

TEHRAN - Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Saturday that posing military threats against Iran has always backfired.

Iran, Iraq to conduct joint research projects

TEHRAN – Tehran and Baghdad will increase academic and scientific cooperation with programs to exchange university professors and conduct joint research projects, Science Minister Mansour Gholami said in a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Qusai Soheil on Saturday.

Iranian, Russian diplomats hold talks over Syria

TEHRAN – Russia's special envoy on Syria Alexander Lavrentiev met in Tehran on Saturday with Hossein Jaberi Ansari, the Iranian foreign minister’s special aide in political affairs, who acts as Iran’s point man for Arab affairs.

MP advises Europe against linking FATF to INSTEX

TEHRAN – Chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has advised Europe against linking the FATF and similar issues to INSTEX, a new transaction channel that will allow European companies to continue trading with Iran despite U.S. sanctions.

U.S. will end up in wheelchair if it attacks Iran, Larijani warns

TEHRAN – Reacting to U.S. military threats against Iran, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said the Americans won’t dare attack Iran as they know they will “wind up in a wheelchair” afterwards.

Iran reiterates support for govt.-led Afghan peace talks  

TEHRAN – Iran’s envoy to a meeting of the International Contact Group on Afghanistan has voiced Tehran’s support for the Afghan peace process.

INSTEX is a disgrace: Iranian MP

TEHRAN – A member of the Majlis presiding board said on Saturday that INSTEX is in fact a disgrace on the Iranian nation and “it is not clear until when the administration wants to continue this disgrace.”

Leader, thinkers discuss new Islamic civilization

TEHRAN – Thirty Iranian thinkers held in-depth discussions about a new Islamic civilization with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday, Mehr reported on Saturday.

Seven foreign ambassadors submit credentials to Rouhani

Rouhani says unity in Venezuela will foil U.S. plots

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday separately received credentials of the new ambassadors of Venezuela, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Tunisia, Mali and Sierra Leone.

Pakistan’s new ambassador presents her credential to Rouhani

TEHRAN- Ambassador Riffat Masood after formally presenting her credentials to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday, February 2, 2019 became Pakistan’s first woman envoy to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran may resume sending pilgrims to Syria

TEHRAN – Ali Qazi Askar, the Leader’s representative in Hajj affairs, says Iran and Syria have reached an initial agreement to resume sending Iranian pilgrims to Syria.

Huge turnout at upcoming rallies to disappoint enemy: cleric

TEHRAN – The interim Friday prayer leader of Tehran says huge turnout at the Bahman 22nd (Feb. 11th) rallies marking the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution will disappoint the enemy more than before.

Zarif tweets out his support for INSTEX

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday tweeted out his support for INSTEX, a new transaction channel that will allow companies to continue trading with Iran despite U.S. sanctions, and voiced Iran’s openness for “constructive engagement” with Europe.