Iran, Russia determined to reach a long-term deal: diplomat

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali has said that Iran and Russia are determined to reach a deal for long-term comprehensive cooperation, ISNA reported on Friday.

U.S. warplanes harass Iranian airliner, put lives in danger

TEHRAN– Two U.S. warplanes have conducted dangerous and aggressive maneuvering closed to an Iranian airliner, putting lives of tens of civilian passengers on board in danger.

Rouhani: Iran after stronger ties with friends

TEHRAN — President Hassan Rouhani says Iran is seeking to broaden its relations with its neighbors as well as other friendly countries.

Zarif rejects as lie Bolton’s quote from Putin

TEHRAN — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has rejected claims made by former U.S. presidential advisor John Bolton who has said Russia was not interested in Iran’s presence in Syria.

Iran interested in buying new Russian weapons: ambassador

TEHRAN – Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow has said Iran is interested in buying new Russian weapons to enhance its defense capacities, TASS reported on Tuesday.

Enrichment activities continue unabated at Natanz nuclear facility, MP says

TEHRAN – Spokesman for the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has said enrichment activities in the Natanz nuclear facility continues unabated at the previous level.

Analysis of downed plane’s black boxes underway in France: embassy

TEHRAN – The Iranian embassy in France announced on Tuesday that the preliminary analysis of the recovered data from the downed Ukrainian plane’s black boxes is underway in the BEA laboratory in France.

Iraq says Tehran and Baghdad to sue U.S. for assassinating Soleimani, Muhandis

TEHRAN – Iraq has announced that Baghdad and Tehran will sue the United States for assassinating top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and deputy head of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Iran and Iraq need each other: PUK politician

TEHRAN- Mahmoud Khoshnaw, a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party, has attached “great importance” to the latest visits between officials of Iran and Iraq, saying the two neighboring countries need each other, according to an Iraqi news agency.

Iran says the main policy is to strengthen ties with neighbors

TEHRAN - Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Tuesday that the Iranian administration’s main policy is expanding ties with neighbors.

Iranian delegation to visit Ukraine over plane incident on July 29-30

TEHRAN - Deputy Foreign Minister for International and Legal Affairs Mohsen Baharvand said on Tuesday that an Iranian delegation is scheduled to visit Kiev on July 29-30 to hold talks over the Ukrainian plane incident in early January.

By staff and agency

Iran has final say over who analyzes black boxes of Ukrainian plane

Kathy Fox, the head of Canada’s Transportation Safety Board, has said that Iran has the final say over who gets to analyze the flight data recorders from the Ukrainian passenger jet accidentally shot down in January.

IRGC chief lauds progress in modernizing military equipment

TEHRAN — Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has lauded the progress made by the IRGC Ground Force’s Airborne Division in overhauling and modernizing military equipment.

Iraqi Kurdistan no staging ground for anti-Iran attacks: Barzani

Senior Kurdish political leader Masoud Barzani has given Iran an assurance that the Iraqi Kurdistan region will never be used to threaten the Islamic Republic’s interests, according to Press TV.

Even U.S. allies are frustrated by sanctions, says Iranian presidential chief of staff

TEHRAN - Presidential chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi said on Monday that EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s criticism of Washington’s policy of sanctions shows that even the United States’ allies have become frustrated by sanctions.

General urges Supreme National Security Council to respond to U.S. threat

TEHRAN — Head of Iran's Civil Defense Organization Brigadier General Gholamreza Jalali has called on the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) to respond to the threat of the U.S. Army against the Islamic Republic.

Tehran hails Syria's successful parliamentary elections

TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has expressed Tehran’s happiness with the successful holding of parliamentary elections in Syria.

Taliban has no office in Iran: Araghchi

TEHRAN - Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi has said that the Taliban has no office in Iran.

Diplomat says Iran has moved with wisdom toward U.S. irrationality

TEHRAN - Iran’s Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, has said that Iran has clear stance against the United States’ actions, noting that Tehran has moved with wisdom in regard to U.S. irrational behaviors.

Rouhani says Iran able to pass the current difficult situation

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Iran is capable of passing this difficult situation.

Iran denounces Bloomberg article for promoting violence, terrorism

TEHRAN — Iran’s UN Mission has denounced a Bloomberg article for encouraging violence, terror and sabotage against Iran, saying the article promotes violence and terrorism.

Envoy calls Iran-China long term cooperation a wise decision

TEHRAN - Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador to the Vienna-based international organizations, has said that a long term cooperation plan between Iran and China is a “right” and “wise” decision.

Foreign Ministry strongly dismisses claim by an MP on Iran-China agreement

TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected claims made by an MP about the possible transfer of Iran’s islands to China, saying such claims deliver a “severe blow” to the national interests of Iran.

Inclusion of Iran in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to benefit region: Qureshi

TEHRAN — Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that the inclusion of Iran in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will benefit the entire region.

Iran-China deal shows Washington’s ‘massive failure’: Chicago Tribune

TEHRAN — A U.S. newspaper has underlined the importance of the 25-year strategic partnership deal between Iran and China, saying the deal is a “massive failure” of the U.S. maximum pressure policy against Tehran.

Zarif set to visit Baghdad on Sunday

TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is scheduled to depart Tehran to Baghdad on Sunday.

Iran prioritizes expansion of ties with Asian countries: Vaezi

TEHRAN — Iranian presidential chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi has said the inclination toward the East, including expansion of ties with Asian countries, is a priority of the Islamic Republic.

Zarif says Iran won’t give an inch of its soil to China in the 25-year partnership

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that Iran will not give even a “handspan of its soil” to China within the framework of the 25-year partnership which has not yet been finalized.

Tehran warns Seoul over freezing its oil money

TEHRAN — Iran has warned South Korea over its “unacceptable” move to block the Islamic Republic’s oil revenue.