Asia Cooperation Dialogue meeting opens in Hamedan

TEHRAN – Amid hopes to provide ample opportunities for development of tourism in Hamedan, the conference of Asia Cooperation Dialogue, titled “ACD Tourism Capital, 2018”, opened in this ancient city in western Iran on Monday.

Envoy: Iran paying huge price in drug fight

TEHRAN – Kazem Gharib Abadi, Iran’s representative to the Vienna-based international organizations, says Iran has been paying a huge price for the fight against drug trafficking, the main part of which is to prevent the transit of narcotics to other countries.

Japanese minister calls for close ties with Tehran

TEHRAN – The Japanese minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology on Sunday described Tehran-Tokyo as “historical” and called for the development of bilateral relations in all fields.

F-5 fighter jet crashes in southern Iran

TEHRAN – An F-5 fighter jet operated by the Air Force crashed in the southern province of Khuzestan on Sunday afternoon, leaving the pilot dead.

Traffic-related deaths up 2.5% yr/yr

TEHRAN — Some 5,497 lost their lives in traffic-related accidents over the first 4 months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-July 22) which indicates a 2.5-percent increase compared to the same period last year, Fars reported on Sunday.

Book City Institute to host Iran-Ukraine Cultural Dialogue Days

TEHRAN – The Fereshteh branch of the Book City Institute in Tehran will be playing host the Iran-Ukraine Cultural Dialogue Days this week.

Iranians spend 13 minutes a day reading: culture minister 

TEHRAN – The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance has said that the average Iranian spends 13 minutes a day reading.

4 killed in western Iran while trying to put out wildfire

TEHRAN — Two rangers and two enviornmtal activists were killed while trying to extinguish the wildfire raging in forests in Marivan, western province of Kordestan, on Saturday.

Economy minister voted out over handling economy

TEHRAN – Economy Minister Massoud Karbasian failed to secure the parliament’s vote of confidence on Sunday following an impeachment in the wake of skyrocketing prices in the country and devaluation of the local currency.

By Alireza Mohammadi

U.S. economic sanction affects European security

TEHRAN - The U.S. is pursuing its unilateral and oppressive sanctions against Russia, Iran, and more recently, Turkey, with specific and insidious objectives. These sanctions can have a number of significant economic consequences on the countries affected as well as the region.

Magnitude-5.9 quake in western Iran: 3 dead, 243 injured

TEHRAN — An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck the western city of Tazeh-Abad in Kermanshah province in the small hours on Sunday, claiming 3 lives and leaving 243 injured.

Iran’s human rights council criticizes Riyadh’s executions

TEHRAN – Iranian Judiciary’s High Council of Human Rights on Saturday voiced deep concern about a possible move by Saudi Arabia to execute five political activists, describing as “unacceptable” Riyadh’s policy to crack down on the “truth-seeking” activists.

Armed forces under Leader’s command: general

TEHRAN – Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri said on Saturday that under the Islamic Republic’s constitution, the armed forces are under the command of Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

MBS urged Assad to cut ties with Iran, Hezbollah: Lebanese MP

TEHRAN – A Lebanese lawmaker affiliated to Hezbollah says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has recently offered Syrian President Bashar al-Assad huge sums of money for the reconstruction of his war-torn country provided that Damascus severs ties with Tehran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, ISNA reported on Saturday.

By Mohammad Ghaderi

European troika with France's basic role keeps to buy time

The European Commission recently adopted a first package of €18 million for projects in support of sustainable economic and social development in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including €8 million assistance to the private sector.

Iran awaiting European guarantees on oil sales, banking: Zarif

TEHRAN - Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said “We are still waiting for Europe to take action on the sale of Iranian oil and the preservation of banking channels,” according to ISNA.

Azerbaijani tourist arrivals in Iran up 31.2% in Jan.-Oct.

TEHRAN – Over 600 thousand Azerbaijani nationals visited Iran during the first seven months of the year, increasing 31.2 percent from a year ago, IRNA reported.

Iran will have a lasting presence in region: IRGC

TEHRAN - Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Deputy Commander for Political Affairs Brigadier General Yadollah Javani has said that the era of the U.S. in the region has come to an end and it is Iran who will have a lasting presence in the region.

United Iran will get past problems, Rouhani says

TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that the country will pass through problems with unity and resistance.

Iran exports nuclear medicine to 14 countries: AEOI spokesman

TEHRAN – Behrooz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), has said that Iran exports nuclear medicine to 14 countries, including two European states.

Russia says respects Iran’s presence in Syria

TEHRAN – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that his country treats Iran’s steps to furnish its own security and activities with great respect, “specifically in Syria at the invitation of this country’s legitimate government.”

UN invites Iran, Russia, Turkey to talks on Syria

TEHRAN – UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura has invited Iran, Russia and Turkey to negotiations on Syria’s Constitutional Committee, a UN spokeswoman said on Friday. 

By Ali Rajabi

Shameful history of the Munafiqeen

From claiming responsibility for assassination of 17,000 Iranians to threatening to assassinate General Soleimani

TEHRAN - “Our mission was to attack the buses and set them on fire. The unit I was responsible for carried out four operations. One of these buses got blocked on the street. Our armed men poured gasoline all over the bus, lit it with passengers still inside and quickly escaped the scene.”

‘U.S. using SPR means Iranian oil cannot be replaced by others'

TEHRAN – Iran’s OPEC governor said a U.S. sale of crude stockpiles from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) shows that other producers can’t raise output enough to replace Iranian crude, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

‘EU’s 18 million euro aid not related to package to save nuclear deal’

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Thursday that the European Union’s 18 million euro aid for Iran has nothing to do with a package supposed to be offered to save the 2015 nuclear deal.

Japan to strengthen trade ties with Iran: Keidanren chairman

TEHRAN- Hiroaki Nakanishi, the chairman of Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), voiced his country’s readiness for boosting trade ties with Iran, IRNA reported on Thursday.

By Mohammad Ghaderi

Never humiliate an Iranian!

Over the past days we heard news about the European Union’s 18million euro aid to Iran (the JCPOA). The EU in an announcement said this was part of a greater package of 50 million euros. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini explained: “This new package will widen economic and sectoral relations in areas that are of direct benefit to our citizens.”