News Roundup
– 1000 billion Tomans financial misconduct in the Iranian Mellat bank.
– 12 armed members killed in Battles with the revolutionary guards.
– Salehi denies running the upcoming elections.
♦ French investment delegation visits chabahar free zone
Chabahar Trade and Industrial Free Zone Public Relations Manager, Tahirah Shaharki said that an investment delegation from the French “Air Liquide” company has visited Chabahar free zone yesterday to discuss economic and trade ties and get information about the investment environment in the province. The French Delegation will hold meetings with the Free Zone Commission Directors and the General Administration of ports in Sistan and Baluchistan, Shaharki added.
Source: Abrar Eghtisadi Newspaper
♦Three major programs for the Iranian customs department in the framework of Resistant Economy
Chief of Iran’s Customs Mesut Kriasian said that Iran’s customs department is working on three major programs in the framework of the resistant economy; the electronic customs, supporting the non-oil exports and supporting the production process.
Source: Mizan Agency
♦ Isaac Jahangiri: Iran’s water shortages are alarming
Isaac Jahangiri, the First Deputy of Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, has stressed the need to seek numerous water sources for the country and to utilize them in the best possible way. He stressed that no resource is more important or more valuable than water, asserting that all writers, artists, and influential individuals should raise awareness of this critical issue so that people pay serious attention to the subject.
Iran faces limited water resources and should utilize these scarce resources properly, he stated, indicating that Iran is facing drought and increasing problems caused by water shortages, which are worsening by the year and have now reached an alarming stage.
Source: Etilaat newspaper
♦ Reaction of German Chancellor’s Assistant to Iranian parliament speaker’s actions
Germany’s Minister of Economy and Vice-Chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, said on Tuesday that the cancellation of his meeting with the head of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, is linked to partisan rivalries. Speaking after his return from a diplomatic visit to Iran, Gabriel said that while the Iranian First Vice-President, Isaac Jahangiri, had welcomed him warmly on his arrival in the country, the head of the Iranian Shura Council refrained from meeting him, asserting that this was due to the electoral race currently taking place there. He continued: “I do think I have been welcomed with open arms, especially in my meeting with the Vice President of the Republic.”
Following the cancellation of a meeting with the speaker of parliament, Ali Larijani, and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Gabriel instead met with the first vice-president of the Islamic Republic.
According to the Reuters news agency: “It seems that the cancellation of the meetings between these Iranian officials with the Minister of Economy and the Vice Chancellor of Germany, was due to his statements before and during his visit to Tehran , where he spoke about the human rights situation in Iran and criticized the regional activities carried out by Iran, insisting that Germany’s friendly relations with Iran are conditional upon Iran’s recognizing the existence of Israel.”
Source: Aleph Website
♦ 1000 billion Tomans irregularities in the Iranian Mellat bank
Tehran’s Attorney General, Ja’fari Davlat Abadi announced the arrest of five persons after the release of 1000 billion Tomans from Milt bank in illegal channels. Earlier, Watan Amroz newspaper reported and criticized the astronomical salary of the bank manager, Ali Ristkar that amounted to 37 million Tomans per month, which led to his resignation.
Source: Watan Amroz Newspaper
♦ Iran sells heavy water to Russia and America
Member of the Parliamentary National Security Commission, Mujtaba Zoalnorain said that Tehran has sold 28 tons of heavy water to Russia and 32 to the United States in cash. He added that selling heavy water is not limited to a certain country but the door is open to all countries, asserting that Iran sells it for lower prices than the international prices.
Source: Arman Amroz Newspaper
♦ Unemployment severed during Rouhani’s era
Statistics of the International Monetary Fund stated that Iran has stepped 7 ranks back on the international list of unemployment rates during the years 2013-2016. In 2013 unemployment rate was 10.4%, in 2014 and 2015 it became 10, 8 % while in 2016 it jumped to 11.28%. It is noticed that the Iranian government has failed to improve or regain its rank it had three years ago before the inauguration of the current government; on the contrary, the situation severed during Rouhani’s presidency.
Iran is now ranked 22 in the unemployment rate in the world while it was 25 in 2015, which means unemployment is getting worse in Iran.
Source: Fares Agency
♦ Dhergami: Do not stop Rouhani from participating in the electoral debates
Chief of the Iranian radio and TV, Izatoallah Dhergami hopes that president Hassan Rouhani participates in the electoral debates, asserting that these debates play a major role in more participation of people in the elections. Dhergami added that Rouhani’s awareness and performance in the former debates of 2013 led to an increase in his popularity and more people voted for him. No doubt that the good planning and the electoral administration of the elections of 2017 will help people make their choice and participate actively in the upcoming elections.
Source: Watan Amroz Newspaper
♦ Salehi denies running the upcoming elections
Chief of the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Akbar Salehi has stopped all fuss about his candidacy in the presidential votes of 2017 saying, “I am no rival to Rouhani; running the elections against him is immoral and I do not go beyond limits.”
Source: Etilaat Newspaper
