» Trump’s Prearranged Insanity
The editorial stated that the engineers of Trump’s Economic isolation policy believe that the reliance of the American economy on other countries and the big financial aids the US grants to its Western allies have led to the American bankruptcy.
According to Mardom Salary, Trump’s foreign policy is mainly based on Henry Kissinger’s beliefs for foreign policy. His travel ban and the US-Mexico border wall are only to distract the attention from big events. Trump knows that China is expanding its ambitions in the Southern China Sea that might lead to a sudden war; however, he has pulled out of the Transpacific Joint Venture as a settling of accounts with the US Western allies. Moreover, this new American administration believes that the European Union and NATO have to perish, which is evident in its support for the British Withdrawal from the European Union and its efforts in supporting the French withdrawal as well through Marin Lopen.
The editorial added that the Kremlin is the smartest of all players in dealing with Trump’s administration. It has warmly welcomed Trump who is willing to give Ukraine to Putin as a gift to earn favor with him. Nevertheless, Putin knows that the Northern Pole and central Asia will soon turn into zones of conflict between Russia and the United States.
Finally, the editorial raises its fears on Tehran’s interests because of Trump’s untrustworthy administration based on Kissinger’s strategy and the Russian’s unpredictable policies.
Editorial in Mardom Salary Newspaper Feb. 6th, 2017
» Consequences of Trump America’s Hostile Trend
It seems that Washington has a bipolar policy; diplomacy and reform, and hostility. The Obama administration tended to solve problems through diplomatic channels; however, it changed this trend during the last year of Obama’s presidency through the travel ban on Iranian citizens that was taken a year ahead of Trump’s announcement of these restrictions.
This change in the American policy has led to new sanctions imposed on Iran, which are expected to increase as a result of the Iranian practices such as the latest missile tests. “These sanctions will be imposed by the United States solely but not by the United Nations,” the editorial added and focused on the importance of the international community’s position toward the United States policies.
“We have to wait and see the countries that will take the United States side concerning the sanctions and those that will veto them,” the editorial said. “No doubt that all countries are going after their interests and will determine their positions based on who is more important to them, the United States or Iran.”
The editorial believes that the only way to solve problems and disputes is through diplomacy and negotiations; but since this door is closed now, the international organizations have to play a major role in this concern.
Finally, the editorial urges Iran to comply with the UN resolutions concerning the Arab Questions such as the Palestinian Question and stick to the UN resolutions until the Palestinian people restore their rights.
Editorial in Arman Amroz Sat. 4th, 2017
» Iran must not be the Escape Goat to Solve Trump’s Internal Problems
This editorial stated that one of the most important goals for the Russian foreign policy is to recover the protocol crisis with the United States. With Trump’s arrival in the white house, Russia has become more willing to build more logical relations with the US by all means, taking into consideration the annexation of Crimea and the Ukrainian crisis. Based on that assumption, Iran is nothing for Russia except a tool with limited capabilities rather than an investment.
The editorial also believes that Russia is leaning toward turkey more than toward Iran. Russia hopes to cut off the Turkish ties with the West and the NATO and take it as a partner, which makes Syria a tool and an investment for Russia to achieve this goal. What encourages Russia to adopt this policy is the unstable and weak relations between Turkey and the West. Indeed, Russia sees Turkey as a strategic partner, while it looks at Iran as a peculiar and vague one.
On the other hand, the editorial believes that the United States is confronting Iran from several frontiers such as the nuclear deal, the missile program, the Syrian crisis, and the Israeli issue. In such situation, Iran has two choices; to resist the campaign against it and avoid the propaganda that aims to distract the American people’s attention from the internal crises to an external enemy that would unify Democrats and Republicans, and the second is to prevent any rapprochement between Russia and the United States.
Editorial in Waqaie’ Itifaqiyah Newspaper Sun. 5th, 2017
♦ Rouhani’s government faces significant budget deficit
According to a report by Iran’s Court of Audit, President Rouhani’s government has had 57 trillion tomans of the budget deficit this year. The report also said that Rouhani’s government has disregarded 55 percent of mandates related to the annual budget. The targeted subsidy plan is the major reason for the government’s budget deficit. Court of audit also reports that Rouhani has failed in attracting foreign investment as well as selling public companies.
Radio Zamaneh
♦ The Iranian parliament: 200 billion Tomans credit for the return of Iranians residing in U.S.
With the ratification of parliament’s Combined Budget Committee, 200 billion Tomans credit was assigned for the possible return of Iranians who reside in the U.S. Gholamali Ja’farzadeh Imanabadi, a member of Combined Budget Committee, said that the parliament has considered this budget for “preventing a crisis in case these immigrants return to Iran.”
Imanabadi added that this credit would be allocated to students, professors, doctors, artists and all Iranian immigrants who live in the U.S. Iranian parliament’s news agency called this decision the “parliament’s first step in response to Trump’s anti-Iranian executive order.”
VOA Persian
♦ Iranian scholar sentenced to death in Tehran
Ahmad Reza Jalali, the Iranian physician, and scholar has been sentenced to death, his wife told Radio Farda. Jalali’s wife, Vida Mehrannia, said that Tehran’s head of a 15th branch of the revolutionary court issued the death penalty for her husband. Jalali, a Swedish resident, was arrested on a charge of “collaboration with enemy” when visiting Iran last April. He launched a hunger strike in Tehran’s Evin prison 40 days ago. The holder of a post-doctorate degree in emergency and disaster medicine, Jalali had been invited to Iran several times in recent years to participate in educational and research programs.
Radio Farda
♦ Iran Foreign Minister: ‘We’ll never initiate war’
In response to U.S. President’s recent tweets, Iran FM Mohammad Java Zarif tweeted on February 3, “Iran unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. We’ll never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defense.” Zarif also tweeted, “We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense.” Following Iran’s missile test, Donald Trump wrote on Twitter that Iran was “playing with fire”.
Radio Farda
♦ Drop in Iran-China trade
Recent statistics of world trades show that China’s export dropped more than 7% in 2016. Meanwhile, Iran’s trades with this country which is one of the most important trade partners of Iran had a downward trend as well.
ISNA
♦ Former Norway Prime Minister held in U.S. for traveling to Iran
Kjell Magne Bondevik, who served as Norway PM from 1997-2000 and 2001-2005, was traveling from Europe to America last week, but upon entering Dulles Airport at Virginia, was not allowed to exit the airport by customs officers. A Norwegian daily wrote that Bondevik was actually detained at the airport for an hour because of “entry stamp to Iran at his passport.” He had traveled to Iran about a year ago in relation to a conference on violence and extremism.
BBC Persian
♦ Trump: All options against Iran on table
U.S. president said that all options are on the table against Iran’s ballistic missile program. In his meeting with Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s CEOs in the White House, Donald Trump responded to the question of a military option against Iran, shortly saying, “No option is off the table.” Trump’s administration sees Iran’s missile test as a violation of 2231 UN resolution.
ILNA
♦ Iran embassy reacts to atmosphere in Baku against Iran
Press section of Iran’s embassy in Azerbaijan issued a statement in reaction to media atmosphere against the two countries’ relationship. The statement reads, “once again we are witnessing activities of those who are against the developing relationships between the two countries and of Iran-phobia current in local and Azerbaijan’s media that on any excuses try to the taint-friendly relationship between Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan.” This time, a meeting between one of Iranian embassy staffs with a party official in Baku has become an issue in some media.
Tabnak
♦ Iran-France cooperation in oil sector
Gholamreza Manouchehri, deputy director of developing and engineering in National Iranian Oil Company, said that Iran is negotiating with French Total Company concerning upstream oil project, manufacturing equipment, extracting services, offshore services, and engineering services. Manouchehri pointed out to signing HOA with Total in November, urging that this company has in actuality started working on developing Phase 11 of South Pars.
Abrar Eghtesadi
♦ Request for stopping execution sentence
A number of UN Human Rights Experts have asked Iranian officials to immediately stop the execution of Hamid Ahmadi, a youth charged with murder. Hamid Ahmadi had been 17 years old at the time of committing murder. UN Human Rights Experts have demanded that according to Iran’s international commitments, execution of Mr. Ahmadi and all other minors be stopped forever. Ahmadi who is now 26 years old has been imprisoned since 2007, and his executions have been twice stopped following the protests. Hamid Ahmadi is reported to have confessed to murder under severe tortures.
VOA Persian
♦ ‘Iran’s missile test not helping de-escalation policies’, says political expert
Speculations over U.S. threatening reactions to Iran’s mid-range ballistic missile test continue. Ali Fatollahnejad, the political expert in German Association for Examining Foreign Policies in MENA, believes that among critics of the missile test, White House advisor Michael Flynn’s tone is harsher than the rest of U.S. officials. Referring to Flynn’s decisive position in response to Tehran, Fatollahnejad said that his threatening reaction was predictable, as for him, “power change” in Iran is the only solution to Iran’s nuclear problem.
Deutsche Welle
♦ Iranian lawmaker: 3000 containers of smuggled goods enter Iran daily
Head of Parliament’s Combatting Economic Corruption Fraction warned Headquarters of Combating Smuggling Goods that every day 3,000 containers of smuggled goods enter the country. Amir Khojasteh accused that Headquarters of being “in sleep” and openly told the head of that organization: “you betray the country.”
Iran’s Economic Minister Ali Tayebnia had previously cited statistics of Headquarters of Combating Smuggling Goods and Currency, saying that goods smuggling is decreasing. He had emphasized that 70% of smuggled goods enter Iran through unofficial corridors.
Radio Farda
♦ German newspaper: Iran tested nuclear-capable cruise missile
Iran has tested “Sumar” cruise missile, which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, according to German newspaper Die Welt. The missile that is built in Iran traveled around 600 km in its first known successful test, Die Welt added. “Sumar” cruise missile is believed to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads and may have a range of 2,000 to 3,000 km, the newspaper said.
Mizan Online
♦ 40 Iranians entered U.S. after halting Trump’s order
According to Washington Post, more than 40 Iranian people who entered Boston Logan International Airport were ecstatic. This was the first big wave of travelers who could enter the U.S. after U.S. president Donald Trump signed an executive order banning citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering this country.
A federal judge’s decision to temporarily halt Trump’s denial of entry had created an opening, and in frantic race, thousands of people on the other side of the globe rushed to book flights to the U.S. Becca Heller of International Refugee Assistance Project in New York said that there are still problems for Citizens of Libya, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somali, Sudan, and Syria to enter the United states.
Tabnak
♦ War veteran killed in Iraq
Kheirollah Ahmadifar, a member of Hanin Battalion from Kermanshah Province, was killed in an engagement with ISIS in the city of Tal Afar, Iraq. Ahmadifar was the first one killed from the so-called “defenders of the shrine” from the city of Islamabad, and the twelfth one from Kermanshah Province.
Tabnak
♦ Iran: 87 executions in January 2017
In January 2017, at least 87 people were executed in Iran. Six executions were implemented in the public, and two of those who were hanged had committed crimes before reaching the age of 18. According to statistics collected and published by Iran’s Human Rights Organization, there was an execution every 9 hours. This organization has said that they have managed to document 87 cases of executions in different places in Iran, while only 19 cases were officially announced.
Radio Zamaneh
♦ Zarif’s approves issuing visa for U.S. wrestlers
Iran’s FM Mohammad Javad Zarif announced in a Twitter message, “Following the court ruling and suspending Muslim Ban and the request from Iranian Wrestling Federation and FILA, US Wrestlers’ visa will be granted.” U.S. wrestling team is going to Iran for taking part in world competition that will be held in Kermanshah.
Following U.S. president Donald Trump’s executive order banning citizens of Iran and 6 other countries from traveling to the United States, Iranian officials had disagreed with issuing a visa for members of U.S. wrestling team for traveling to Iran.
ISNA
♦ Iran’s reaction to U.S. sanctions, holding missile drill
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) responded to U.S. new sanctions by holding a large military drill. New sanctions are imposed against 25 companies and individuals affiliated with IRGC. In this drill, different types of the missile will be tested.
IRGC public relation announced that the main stage of this air defense drill by IRGC Aerospace forces started on Saturday, February 4 in the city of Semnan.
IRGC public relation also said that the goal of this drill is “humiliating sanctions and threats”, referring to recent U.S. officials’ position towards Iran and adding that 25 companies and individuals to the list of U.S. sanctions.
DW
♦ Two Iranian news agencies ‘found guilty’
Iran press court found Student News agency and Saba daily guilty of “libel” and “publishing lies” today. The news was announced by Ali Akbar Kasaeian, the court’s jury secretary.
Mehr News
♦ ‘JCPOA Implementation must stop’, says Iranian official
Chairperson of parliament’s nuclear committee Mojtaba Zolnour has said that the U.S. new sanctions violate JCPOA. Therefore, according to the second clause in the Supreme Leader’s decree, JCPOA implementation must stop, he added. Zolnour told Mehr news; one of the nine conditions of accepting JCPOA was that imposing any new sanctions “under the pretext of arbitrary subjects such as terrorism and human rights is deemed as a violation of JCPOA.”
He also pointed out the issue would be reviewed in the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, “but I do not see a serious determination in lawmakers to oblige the government to enforce the law…neither a serious determination in government to enforce the law; that is, our government’s method in diplomatic arena is currently passivity and submission.”
Mehr News
♦ ‘Hassan Rouhani will not be disqualified for upcoming elections’
Mohammad Reza Tabesh, Deputy Head of the parliament’s Omid Fraction, said that the “disqualification problem” of Hassan Rouhani for the upcoming presidential election has been resolved. Tabesh told ILNA that reformists would unanimously support Hassan Rouhani for Iran’s presidential election while “taking caution.”
Previously, Guardian Council spokesperson Abbasali Kadkhodaei had said that the council always reviews qualification of presidents for their second terms and that “there is no guarantee” the “sitting” president will be qualified again.
Radio Farda
♦ Iran DCHQ: Stop the bill on modifying death penalty for drug offenders
Iran’s Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) official said that the parliament’s bill to modify death penalty for drug offenders needs to be stopped. Ali Alizadeh, DCHQ legal director, added that Iran’s parliament previously passed a single-priority bill, signed by 140 MPs, to modify death penalty for drug-related crimes. Our priority is to stop the bill, said Alizadeh, but if lawmakers insist on it, the judiciary’s view in this regard needs to be asked.
Tasnim
♦ University professors invited to Iran are ‘spies’
Head of Iran’s Civil Defense Organization, Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali, has stated that some foreign university professors in Iran who are “members of espionage organizations” can be involved in espionage under cover of academic interaction. Iran’s academic network is under the enemy’s influence, said Brigadier General. “In fact, they want to decide what articles we present so that they can obtain our scientific information plot,” Jalali added that infiltration in the scientific domain is one of the enemy’s significant goals.
Tabnak
♦ Intelligence Minister: We monitored 180 thousand Telegram channels
Iran’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi pointed out to his ministry’s overseeing social media, saying that 180 thousand Telegram channels have been monitored in Iran. He said, “Currently 180 thousand Telegram channels are active [in Iran], 90% of which are related to social issues and belong to families and friends, 7% to politics, and 3% to corrupt, unethical and anti-religious issues.” Intelligence Minister emphasized that so far many managers of anti-religion channels have been identified and arrested, adding, “We will not bother people unless for cases that harm the regime.”
Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi did not explain more about the manner of monitoring Telegram channels and identifying managers of unethical websites, but his remarks strengthened doubt as to Iran’s security organizations controlling the social media.
VOA Persian
♦ Tehran’s Mayor: Crisis management in Iran is in crisis
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Tehran’s mayor, apologized to people for “inefficiency in crisis management.” Ghalibaf who had gone to Tehran’s City Council to present a report regarding Plasco accident said, “I am saying as crisis manager of Tehran that crisis management in the country is itself in crisis.” Tehran’s mayor added, “We should apologize to people for these inefficiencies and not for Plasco.” Ghalibaf also said that according to law, only judiciary system can judge about Plasco building, and no other organization is competent in this regard.
Iranian government’s spokesperson, Mohammad Bagher Nobakht had previously said that the law sees [Tehran’s] municipality responsible for the disaster in Plasco building. In the collapse of Plasco building due to fire, 16 men and 4 citizens reportedly lost their lives.
BBC Persian
♦ Salehi: 149 tons of yellow cake entered Iran
Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi said that 149 tons of yellow cake have entered the country. He added that along with the implementation of JCPOA, Iran has imported 210 tons of uranium. Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization highlighted that with the arrival of a new transport, 359 tons of yellow cake has entered the country in a one-year period, resulting in 60% increase in Iran’s yellowcake resources.
Mashregh News
