Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Biden extends the state of emergency against Iran

    Thursday, March 14, 2024   No comments

US President Joe Biden ordered the extension of the “national emergency” related to Iran for another year, stressing the maintenance of comprehensive sanctions against Tehran to respond to the threat it poses to American national security.

Biden sent a message to Congress regarding the continuation of the law signed by the administration of former President Bill Clinton on March 15, 1995.

He said in his letter that “the actions and policies of the Iranian government continue to pose an unusual and exceptional threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”

Biden stressed that “it is necessary to continue the (national emergency) declared in Executive Order No. (12957) with respect to Iran and to maintain comprehensive sanctions against Iran to respond to this threat.”

The “national emergency” was first declared by former President Bill Clinton in an executive order on March 15, 1995, based on “the extraordinary threats created by the actions and policies of the Iranian government against the national interests and U.S. foreign policy; Including missile development, support for terrorist groups, malign activities by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, regional destabilization, and possession of weapons of mass destruction.

Sunday, December 24, 2023

Iran Summons Russian Envoy Over Statement on Disputed Gulf Islands

    Sunday, December 24, 2023   No comments

Those familair with Iranian culture would say that Iran's leaders do not do "ta`aruf" when it comes to their sovereignty. That is, “no kidding allowed” on the matter. In a move similar to its reaction to China putting its name on an Arab-Chinese joint statement when the Chinese president visit the Gulf region, Iran foreign ministry summoned the Russian diplomat to protest a similar event that took place in Morocco earlier this month. 

Iran has summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires to Tehran in protest at a recent statement issued by Russia and several Arab countries on Iran’s three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb.

The Russian diplomat was summoned by the assistant to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's director general for the Persian Gulf affairs on Saturday.

The development came after the final statement of the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum, which was held in Morocco on December 20, reiterated the United Arab Emirates' baseless claims about the three Iranian islands.


Iran has summoned Russia's envoy to protest a recent statement by Moscow and Arab countries calling for talks over three islands controlled by Tehran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates.


The summoning of Moscow's charge d'affaires came days after Iran's key ally Russia signed a joint declaration with Arab countries which "supported peaceful solutions and initiatives" to resolve the dispute over the islands.

Iran's foreign ministry said on Saturday it summoned Moscow's charge d'affaires in Tehran, in the absence of its ambassador, to submit a "note of protest" on the contents of the joint statement.


"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers any claim from any side in this regard as rejected and unacceptable," Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement.


Iran's top diplomat Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also called the islands "an integral part of Iran's territorial integrity" in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Friday.


"Tehran will not compromise with any side on the issue of respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty," he added.


Iran in July summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a similar joint statement signed by Moscow and Arab countries on the islands.


Located in the Gulf, the three strategic islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa are located near the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of world oil output passes.

  

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Media Review; ToI: Iranian Leader does not believe in throwing the Jews into the sea and a general referendum must be held in Palestine

    Wednesday, November 29, 2023   No comments

An Israeli media outlet, The Times of Israel, reported today that Iran's leader wants a referendum, not in throwing the Jews into the sea."

In a video released on his official website, Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei stated that “a general referendum must be held in Palestine, and Iran does not believe in the slogan of throwing the Jews into the sea.”

Iranian Leader, Ali Khamenei, said that the crimes of the Zionist entity in Gaza exposed the West and tarnished the reputation of Western culture and civilization.

Khamenei received a large gathering of mobilizers today, Wednesday, in Tehran. He said during the meeting that the Al-Aqsa Flood operation led to changing the American policy agenda in the region, and God willing, if it continues, it will erase the agenda.

He added: The Al-Aqsa flood was a historical event that was carried out against the Zionist entity, but in reality it is considered “de-Americanization.”

Khamenei said that the brutal crimes committed by the Zionist entity against the people of Gaza exposed the entity, America, European countries, and Western civilization and culture.

He added that the culture and civilization of the West is the same civilization that when five thousand children are martyred by a phosphorus bomb, the regime of a Western country says that Israel is defending itself. Is this self defense? This is Western culture; In this case, it exposed Western culture and tarnished its reputation.

He added that the tragedies of Gaza are the summary of the crimes of the Zionist entity in Palestine for 75 years.

He asked: Where did they build the Zionist settlements? They destroyed Palestinian homes and farms, built Zionist settlements in their place, and killed any woman or child who stood against settlement. They have been doing this for 75 years.

Khamenei stressed that the flood of Al-Aqsa cannot be extinguished, and this situation will not continue under divine power.

He referred to the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards the Palestinian issue and said: Some people in the world talk about the Islamic Republic’s views on the region and falsely say that Iran believes that the Jews and Zionists should be thrown into the sea. Some Arabs used to say that the Jews should be thrown into the sea, but we never said this. We do not throw anyone into the sea.

We say that the opinion is the opinion of the Palestinian people and the government that is formed by the votes of the Palestinian people will make its decisions regarding those who are there; This government could say that everyone who came from other countries can stay in Palestine.

Khamenei added: Some of the African countries that I visited during my presidency struggled and won. The indigenous people were able to defeat the British, but they allowed the British to remain based on their interests.

The guide explained that the Palestinians could do the same thing. They may allow some to remain on their land, and they may tell others that they must leave. The Palestinians are the decision-makers, and we do not comment on this.







Friday, October 06, 2023

Media reports: Ukraine's allies proposed striking “Iranian drone production factories in Iran, Syria and Russia”

    Friday, October 06, 2023   No comments

Days after the British newspaper published in a report, details obtained from a secret document submitted by Ukraine to its Western allies in the Group of Seven, which included a proposal to target "Iranian drone production factories in Iran, Syria and Russia", a drone attack hit Syria killed more than 80 people and injured hundreds more.

The British newspaper "The Guardian" revealed a secret document that indicated that Ukraine's Western allies had proposed launching missile strikes on drone production factories in Iran, Syria, and Russia.

In the context of a newspaper report on “European components in Iranian drones,” The Guardian revealed a 47-page document that the Ukrainian government submitted to the G7 governments last August.

As part of the discussion to take measures against Iranian drones, the newspaper revealed, citing the document, that among the proposals presented by Ukraine’s Western allies “launch missile strikes on the production factories of these drones in Iran and Syria, as well as on a potential production site located on the territory of the Russian Federation.” ".

The newspaper indicated in its report that such a measure “is likely to be refrained from by Western powers,” quoting from the document that “the Ukrainian Defense Forces can implement what was mentioned above, if the partners provide the necessary means of destruction.”

According to the secret document that Kiev sent to its Western allies, it called for “the use of long-range missiles to attack production sites in Iran, Syria, and Russia.”

It is noteworthy that, in mid-February, “The Guardian” had quoted American officials as saying that Iran had become a “global superpower in the field of drones.”


Analysts at the US Intelligence Agency also said that Iran “has emerged as a global leader in producing effective drones at an affordable price.”


Dozens dead in a drone attack on a military college in Homs

The Syrian Minister of Health, Hassan Al-Ghobash, announced Thursday that the initial toll was not final, amounting to 80 martyrs, including 6 women and 6 children, and about 240 injuries as a result of the terrorist attack on the Military College in Homs.

On Friday morning, Syrian official media counted the deaths of 89 people and the wounding of 277 others.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-government organization, reported on Friday that the death toll had risen to 123, including 54 civilians, including 39 children and a woman related to officers. It was also estimated that 150 others were injured.

After the incident, the Syrian Foreign Ministry announced its condemnation of the "heinous crime" committed by "terrorist organizations." It stressed that it expresses the perpetrators’ persistence in their “brutal terrorist approach,” due to which the Syrian people have suffered over the past years.


It added, in her statement, that this attack “will not deter” Syria from moving forward in its effort to “eradicate the scourge of terrorism and its sponsors.”


The Syrian government declared three days of official mourning for the souls of the martyrs of the terrorist attack.


Media reports: the technology used in the attack originated in France; and Syria's army responds


The Syrian army launched artillery and missile bombardment, mainly targeting the headquarters of the Turkestan Party and the Migrant Brigade, in Jericho, Jisr al-Shughur, Idlib, Binnish, and Sarmin, in response to the terrorist attack that targeted the Military College in Homs.


According to media reports, the Turkestan Party and the Muhajireen Brigade "are the two factions that possess drone technology."


The information also indicated that parts of advanced drones “were transferred to the two factions three months ago, and France was the one that provided them with this technology.”


According to media sources, the information confirmed that a drone had been launched from areas under the control of the Turkestan Party, prior to targeting the Military College in Homs.

Early Warning

It hsould be noted that on October 4, Deputy Head of the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria, Admiral Vadim Collet, reported that “terrorist groups are preparing to launch attacks on military sites belonging to both Moscow and Damascus.”

According to Collet, these groups are active in the provinces of Idlib, Aleppo, and Latakia.

Collet explained that the data the center received from Syrian intelligence agencies showed that the groups “Turkistan Islamic Party” and “Ansar al-Tawhid” were preparing to carry out “attacks on Russian and Syrian military bases using locally made drones.”

The two groups will use "long-range multiple missile launch systems," according to Collett.

The Deputy Head of the Russian Reconciliation Center added that the leadership of the Russian group and the Syrian Armed Forces "will take the necessary proactive measures in order to prevent armed provocations by terrorists."

The center's announcement comes after statements made by the head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, Sergei Naryshkin, to the effect that the United States of America is "preparing to assist militants to carry out terrorist attacks in Syria."

According to Naryshkin, these attacks affect "crowded public places and Syrian government institutions."





Over time, the conenctions among many of the otherwise seemingly isolated armed conflicts or coups, in Ukraine, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Niger, Mali, and other places,  become more evident.

For instance, it has been reported that Ukrainian special forces have been conducting operations outside Ukraine, including in Africa.

Since the start of the armed conflict in that country, Ukraine used drones very well, first to stop Russian troops advances toward Kyiv, using Turkish made drone, and there after using drone for attacks beyond the frontline, including attacks on Moscow. Ukrainian drone in Sudan last month reveals that Ukraine is now operating beyond its borders.



  

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Iran and Saudi Arabia are discussing canceling the visa and developing tourism relations

    Saturday, September 30, 2023   No comments

The Iranian government announced today, Saturday, the continuation of Iranian and Saudi efforts to develop tourism relations.

Iranian Deputy Minister


of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Maryam Jalali Dehkerdi, who is currently in Riyadh to participate in World Tourism Day activities, said, “Ideas were exchanged with the Saudi Deputy Minister of Tourism for International Relations and Foreign Tourism, Sultan Al-Musallam, about ways to remove obstacles to the development of... Tourism relations between the two countries, and the cancellation of the visa between the two countries,” according to what the Iranian “ISNA” agency reported.

Jalali invited the Saudi Minister of Tourism to visit Iran.

On September 23, the Iranian President congratulated Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Crown Prince on the occasion of the Kingdom’s Saudi National Day, in two separate telegrams.

Raisi expressed his hope that “relations will witness further expansion in all fields, in light of the efforts between the two countries.”

It is noteworthy that the Iranian President had confirmed during his meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan, on June 17 that there is no reason to prevent the development of relations with Islamic countries, pointing out the importance of developing relations with Riyadh and that the interest of the two peoples requires dealing between the two countries.

On June 6, Tehran officially opened the Iranian Embassy in Riyadh, the Iranian Consulate General in Jeddah, and the Permanent Representation of Iran to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Last March, Riyadh and Tehran announced their agreement to resume diplomatic relations, after years of estrangement.



Monday, September 04, 2023

The aftermath of BRICS expansion: The West will warn its Arab Allies who joined the Bloc

    Monday, September 04, 2023   No comments

BRICS membership expanded, and with that expansion comes benefits and responsibilities. Among them is closer economic cooperation among member states. This would mean that Russia, the hardest hit country by Western sanctions, and Iran, the second longest hit country by Western sanctions will be able to trade without fear of Western limits. Tow of the Arab nations that joined BRICS recently, Saudi Arabia and UAE, will feel the heat from their Western allies. It already started.

Officials from the US, UK, and EU are planning to “jointly press” the UAE into halting shipments of goods to Russia that "could help Moscow in its war against Ukraine,' according to western officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Several US and European officials started a trip to the Gulf monarchy on 4 September “as part of a collective global push to keep computer chips, electronic components, and other so-called dual-use products” away from Russia.

Western envoys also traveled “jointly and separately” to countries such as Turkiye and Kazakhstan to pressure authorities into preventing western dual-use products from reaching Russia.


Despite ongoing pressure from the west, Abu Dhabi has not enforced sanctions imposed on Russia, instead deepening cooperation with the Kremlin. Nonetheless, the Gulf nation has condemned the invasion of Ukraine at the UN several times, and an Emirati official told the WSJ that the country enforces UN-imposed sanctions on Russia.


The official added the Gulf state is monitoring the export of dual-use products and is committed to protecting “the integrity of the global financial system.”


In response to the position taken by the UAE, US officials publicly labeled the UAE "a country of focus" earlier this year as they look to clamp down on Russia's ties with independent nations.


Dubai, in particular, has reaped the benefits of the Emirati government's neutrality, as Russian nationals have become the largest buying group of real estate in the luxurious Emirate, which has also become a hub for Russian oil traders.


The new pressure campaign from the west comes less than two weeks after the UAE was officially invited to join the Russian and Chinese-led BRICS+ group of nations. The expanded bloc also pledged to help Africa develop its local economy through investments by member states who have the cash and loans from the New Development Bank (BRICS bank). UAE, a country with cash that need to be invested, is taking advantage of this new opportunity.


The UAE pledged $4.5 billion in clean energy investments for the African continent on 5 September during the second day of the three-day African Climate Summit held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.


“We will deploy $4.5 billion … to jumpstart a pipeline of bankable clean energy projects in this very important continent,” Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the head of state-owned renewable energy firm Masdar and the Emirati national oil company ADNOC, told attendees on Tuesday.


“If Africa loses, we all lose,” warned Jaber, adding that the investment aims “to develop 15 GW (gigawatts) of clean power by 2030” and “catalyze at least an additional $12.5 billion from multilateral, public and private sources.”


Jaber, who is also president of the upcoming COP28 climate summit to be hosted by the UAE, said a consortium including Masdar would help achieve the clean power goals and stressed that a “surgical intervention of the global financial architecture that was built for a different era” is needed, urging institutions to lower debt burdens.


According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA), Africa’s renewable generation capacity was 56 GW in 2022. Despite possessing an abundance of natural resources, just 3 percent of energy investments worldwide are made in Africa.


The three-day climate summit in Nairobi has attracted heads of state, government, and industry, including UN head Antonio Guterres, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, and US climate envoy John Kerry.


“Renewable energy could be the African miracle, but we must make it happen,” Guterres told the summit on Monday. He also addressed the member states of the G20 to “assume your responsibilities” in the battle to combat climate catastrophe.


Kenyan President William Ruto said trillions of dollars in “green investment opportunities” would be needed as the climate crisis accelerates.


“Africa holds the key to accelerating decarbonization of the global economy. We are not just a continent rich in resources. We are a powerhouse of untapped potential, eager to engage and fairly compete in the global markets,” Ruto said.


Abu Dhabi sealed a deal with Egypt in June to build Africa's largest wind farm as the nation looks to rapidly expand the use of clean energy abroad and at home, where it operates three nuclear power reactors. The UAE also has three of the world's largest and lowest-cost solar plants. 


This focus on clean energy is part of the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.


The development of renewable energy sources has recently become a priority for Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, which plans to source 50 percent of its energy requirements from renewables by 2030.



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Sunday, September 03, 2023

Amir Abdollahian receives Hakan Fidan: Research on bilateral and regional issues, preparation for a trilateral summit of Iran-Saudi Arabia-Turkiye is underway

    Sunday, September 03, 2023   No comments

Today, Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian received his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, who is on his first visit to Tehran since taking office.

The two ministers, well versed in security backgrounds, met in a private meeting that lasted about an hour and a half, before extensive discussions were held between the two delegations.

Fidan is scheduled to hold talks with several Iranian officials as well. The Fars news agency reported yesterday that Fidan will hold talks in Tehran with Iranian officials on regional and international issues of common concern.

A statement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Amir Abdollahian had previously invited Fidan to visit Iran, noting that the important visit comes to discuss more bilateral cooperation in various fields, as well as to discuss regional and international developments.

It pointed out that Fidan's visit to Tehran comes two days after his visit to Moscow and his meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, and another visit to Iraq.

Iran and Turkey have economic and political relations, despite their differing positions on a number of files, especially on the conflict in Syria and relations with Azerbaijan, Iran's neighbor.


Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed today, Sunday, that he had discussed with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan the agreements signed between Tehran and Ankara, confirming their implementation.

During a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Tehran, Amir Abdollahian hoped to reach an agreement with Ankara regarding the exchange of prisoners (between Tehran and the United States of America via Turkey).

He indicated that he discussed with Fidan the issue of water scarcity (after the dam crisis between Turkey and Iran), and the two parties agreed that the Joint Technical Committee would visit Tehran for a new round of talks.


Amir Abdullahian stressed that the Israeli entity in the region will only bring strife and division among Islamic countries and destabilize the region.


On the issue of the Caucasus, the Iranian foreign minister said that Tehran would not accept any geographical change of the borders in the transit region in the Caucasus, and he appreciated Turkey's constructive positions in the field of borders with Syria and the return of refugees to their countries.


Amir Abdollahian added that Iran and Turkey planned for trade exchange between the two countries at a value of 30 billion euros, considering the corridors in the field of transport and transit in the region as complementary to cooperation between the two countries.


Amir Abdullahian revealed that work is underway to hold a tripartite meeting between Ankara, Riyadh and Tehran, to support economic relations, pointing out that the meeting comes at the request of Saudi Arabia.


For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the Turkish-Iranian relations as "historic", thanking Iran for what it provided to Turkey after the catastrophe of the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey last February.

Fidan said that he had exchanged views with the Iranian side on combating terrorist organizations.

Today, Sunday, Amir Abdollahian received, at the Foreign Ministry's headquarters, his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, who is making his first visit to Tehran since taking office.


The two ministers met in a private meeting that lasted about an hour and a half, before extensive discussions were held between the two delegations.

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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Russia activates its alternative routes to replace transit and shipping through the Black Sea, while Iran Saudi Arabia upgrade their newly revived relations

    Tuesday, August 29, 2023   No comments

The chief executive of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI) announced on 27 August the transit of Russian cargo to Saudi Arabia via the Iran transport corridor for the first time.

A transit train hauling 36 containers entered Iran for the first time from Russia through Iran’s Incheh Borun rail border near Turkmenistan, Miad Salehi stated.

The deputy roads minister added that this cargo transit train was dispatched to the port city of Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz and will be transferred from there to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah by sea.

Russia seeks to develop the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to connect India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, and other countries via railways and sea.

Russia says the INSTC will rival the Suez Canal as a major global trade route.

In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi signed a deal to finance and build an additional Iranian railway line between the cities of Rasht and Astara.

“The unique North-South transport artery, of which the Rasht-Astara railway will become a part, will help to significantly diversify global traffic flows,” Putin said.

He also said the 162-kilometer railway along the Caspian Sea coast would help to connect Russian ports on the Baltic Sea with Iranian ports in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf.

“Without a doubt, this agreement is an important and strategic step in the direction of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow,” Raisi said.

Iran hopes the successful development of Russian-financed railway links comprising the NSTC will increase transit revenues and reinforce Iran’s “Look to the east” policy of strengthening ties with neighboring countries and eastern powers in response to western economic sanctions.

Raisi’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Political Affairs, Mohammad Jamshidi, claimed that the INTSC earnings would rival Iran’s oil revenue. In this vein, the semi-official ISNA on May 17 estimated annual revenue of $20 billion from the corridor.

State broadcaster-run Jam-e Jam newspaper described Iran as the “golden path of trade” in an article highlighting the potential benefits of the railway.

Iran and Russia have developed closer economic, diplomatic, and military ties in recent years, as both countries have been subject to US economic sanctions and have resisted US foreign policy in West Asia, including Syria, and the former Soviet states, including Ukraine.


Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Days after Iranian officials unveiled new weapons systems, Military officials visit Russia

    Wednesday, August 23, 2023   No comments

Ten years ago, Russia cancelled many deals with Iran to honor Western sanctions on Iran. Today, Russia is more eager than Iran to expand military cooperation. These are signs of dramatic changes around the world not all of the consequences of which will be experienced immediately, but will change the world in the long run.


Russian Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation Aleksandr Fomin meets with Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Kioumars Heydari

 


Today, on 23 August 2023, Russian Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation Colonel General Aleksandr Fomin has met with Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari.

 

The sides discussed bilateral military and military-technical cooperation.

 They also exchanged views on bilateral security issues and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening dialogue and increasing the level of development of contacts in the defense sphere. 



Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Brigadier General Reza Talaei Nik pointed to the increase in Iran's exports of military weapons to other countries, and said that Iran was an importer of military weapons, but now it is among the 10 largest countries in the world in defense industries.



In a statement to the Defense Industries Day on August 22, a spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Defense explained, “Before the revolution, 90% of our weapons and equipment were imported and we were dependent on several major countries, but now more than 90% of the weapons are more advanced than they were.” In the past, it was made in Iran. And 90% of dependence on the outside turned into 90% of self-reliance.

He added: We have now been able to achieve great leaps in the industry despite the sanctions, and he said, 80 defense systems are being produced by local defense industries.



He continued: Before the revolution, we had 31 local military products, but now more than 80 defense systems are produced by local defense industries, and each defense system has sub-systems.


He referred to the ability to export military equipment to other countries, and said: We were once the main importer of military products, but in the past year, the export of military products tripled, and more than 28 talks and visits were held by foreign delegations.


He said: Although these countries are not involved in any war, they buy because they are likely to be threatened and believe that the most advanced weapons are available to certain countries, and Iran is among the top ten countries in the world in defense industries.


He continued: We are heading towards producing hypersonic cruise missiles, and this step is very new and will increase our operational and defensive strength.



Friday, August 18, 2023

Amir Abdullahian after meeting Ibn Salman in Jeddah: Our talks were frank and fruitful--The Saudi Crown Prince after the meeting: a review of ways to develop relations

    Friday, August 18, 2023   No comments

Today, the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, received the Iranian Foreign Minister, Hussein Amir Abdullahian, in the city of Jeddah, in the first meeting of the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia with Iranian officials since the resumption of relations between the two regional powers last March.

Abdullahian began a one-day visit to Saudi Arabia, before Saudi and Iranian officials confirmed that he would meet the crown prince on Friday. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the crown prince and the Iranian minister reviewed relations "and future opportunities for cooperation between the two countries and ways to develop them." They also discussed "developments in the situation on the regional and international arenas, and the efforts exerted towards them." The Iranian News Agency (IRNA) said that it was the first time that a high-ranking Iranian official had met the Saudi crown prince. Amir Abdullahian is accompanied on his visit to Riyadh by the new Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ali Reza Enayati, according to the same agency.


The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdullahian, met the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

And the Saudi Press Agency, "SPA", stated that Prince Abdullahian and Ibn Salman discussed future opportunities for cooperation between their two countries and ways to develop them, adding that they "discussed developments in regional and international situations, and efforts made towards them."

After the meeting, the Iranian foreign minister said that the meeting was "frank, fruitful and useful," in which "it was stressed that security and development are everyone's right."


Amir Abd Allahian stressed that "the issue of Palestine and Jerusalem is the focus of issues in the Islamic world," noting that "relations must be developed to serve the region."


He added, "The Saudi Crown Prince sent his greetings to the Leader of the Revolution and the Islamic Republic, Sayyed Ali Khamenei."


Likewise, the Iranian Foreign Ministry quoted, in a statement, the Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman: "These meetings have a fundamental impact on developing and consolidating bilateral and multilateral relations."


She added that the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia "considered the meeting of the leaders of the two countries very important," pointing out that he confirmed his invitation to President Ibrahim Raisi to visit the Kingdom.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also stated that bin Salman stressed that relations with Tehran are "strategic," noting that the kingdom "enjoys serious determination in this context."

 The meeting was attended by the Iranian ambassador to Riyadh, Ali Reza Enayati. As for the Saudi side, the Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan, attended.


Yesterday, Thursday, Amir Abdollahian arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the visit focused on bilateral relations, and regional and international issues, according to what was reported by the Iranian state TV, "Irib".


The Iranian Foreign Minister held a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, and Amir Abdullahian said that the two sides affirmed "the determination to strengthen and develop relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in all fields."


Amir Abdollahian added that the idea of holding a regional dialogue at the level of the Gulf region had been proposed, "in continuation of the previous talks with Saudi Arabia."


The Iranian minister said, "We are extending a hand of cooperation to neighboring countries, and we are now pursuing a correct path in improving relations with these countries," expressing his hope that "the idea of achieving security and development in the region cannot be divided."


For his part, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said that he had assured his Iranian counterpart "the kingdom's keenness to activate previous agreements between the two countries, especially those related to security and economic aspects."


The Saudi foreign minister also stressed the importance of "raising the level of cooperation and coordination between the two countries."


Amir Abdullahian's visit, the first by an Iranian foreign minister in more than 10 years, comes two months after Ibn Farhan's visit to Tehran, which was the first by a Saudi foreign minister since 2006, where they held talks on security, economy, tourism and transportation issues.


And last week, the Saudi embassy in Tehran resumed its activities, according to Iranian official media, while Riyadh did not confirm this, or name an ambassador to Tehran.


Iranian media attributed the delay in reopening the Saudi embassy to the poor condition of the building, which was damaged during the 2016 demonstrations, after the Saudi authorities executed the Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr Nimr.


After the two countries agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies, with Chinese mediation, Iran reopened its embassy in Riyadh on June 6.


Tehran appointed its former ambassador to Kuwait, Ali Reza Enayati, as its new ambassador to Riyadh. This week, Amir Abdollahian told reporters that Enayati would accompany him on his trip to Saudi Arabia, "to officially begin his duties."


Two days ago, Enayati confirmed that Tehran is looking forward to consolidating the economic component in bilateral relations with Riyadh, noting that the normalization of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia "will open many horizons" for the two countries and the region.

Amir Abdullahian: Ibn Salman accepted Iran's invitation to visit her...and the region entered a new phase


Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, during his return to Tehran from Riyadh, that Iran had invited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit it, "and he accepted the invitation, and he will plan it at the appropriate time."

He also pointed out that King Salman bin Abdulaziz also invited President Ibrahim Raisi to visit Riyadh, "and the latter accepted the invitation and will fulfill it at the appropriate time."

The Iranian minister also added that Saudi Arabia affirmed its different vision from the past, and expressed "its willingness to open a new page in relations between Tehran and Riyadh."

He added, "The region has entered a new phase of cooperation, because there is a consensus that the region can progress and develop by relying on itself."

He stated that it was agreed with the Saudis "to enhance cooperation in various economic, commercial and tourism fields in the private and public sectors."

He stated that bin Salman had taken a decision according to which he asked Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, "to take initial steps to prepare a framework for a document for long-term cooperation between the two countries, so that it can be signed during the visits of senior officials."

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Media Review: The Guardian says Britain must acknowledge its role in the 1953 coup in Iran

    Tuesday, August 15, 2023   No comments

A report in the British newspaper, The Guardian, spoke today, Tuesday, about "the need for the United Kingdom to recognize its role in the coup that took place in Iran in 1953, which toppled the democratically elected government of Muhammad Mossadeq, and replaced it with a military government that allowed the Shah to restore his dictatorial powers on a large scale in the country." for two and a half decades, before the Islamic Revolution overthrew him in 1979.

In the context, former British Foreign Secretary David Owen said, "The United Kingdom must finally acknowledge its role in the coup, for the sake of the credibility of Britain and the Iranian reform movement."


The United States officially acknowledged its primary role in the coup 10 years ago, after declassifying a large number of intelligence documents, which made it clear that the overthrow of the elected Prime Minister, Muhammad Mosaddegh, 70 years ago this week, was a joint endeavor between the British and American intelligence services. The CIA and MI6.

So far, the UK government's official position has been to "refuse to comment on this intelligence matter".


According to the report, the original plot, codenamed "Operation Bout" or "Ajax", was formulated by the British Secret Service after Mossadegh became prime minister and the dominant British oil company in Iran was nationalized.


The report states that "the administration of Harry Truman, the US president, did not want to have anything to do with this process, and considered Mossadegh as a bulwark against communism, but Winston Churchill, the UK prime minister at the time, was able to convince his successor Dwight Eisenhower of the importance of carrying it out."


In the spring of 1953, the CIA began joint planning with British intelligence, and the operation was renamed Ajax.


On the 70th anniversary of the start of the coup, on Tuesday, David Owen, who was foreign secretary from 1977 to 1979, told the Guardian newspaper, "There are good reasons today to recognize the UK's role with the US in 1953 in overthrowing democratic developments in Iran."


And he stressed that this must happen "by recognizing that we were wrong in doing so, and we damaged the steps that were developing towards a democratic Iran, and through this we can make reforms now more bearable," he said.


During Lord Owen's tenure at the Foreign Office, the Islamic Revolution in Iran overthrew the Shah's regime, and Owen said, commenting on that period: "I made it clear to the Shah that his style of government should give way to democratic reforms, but I wish I had known about his serious illness, and I could have The pressure was on him much earlier, in 1978, to stay in Switzerland for medical treatment."


He added, "Today, the British government will help the cause of the dissidents in Iran, and make it more likely to succeed without neglecting it, if we admit our previous mistakes in 1953, as well as the mistakes we committed in the period from 1977 to 1979."


Documentary film about the coup suppressed by Britain

The report in the "Guardian" touched on a new film entitled "Coup 53", which traces the history of the coup in Iran, and focuses on a young British spy who played a pivotal role in it, named Norman Darbyshire.


Despite receiving rave reviews and ratings, director Taghi Amirani and veteran Hollywood editor Walter Murch were unable to find a distributor for the film, a fact they attribute to the UK's continued cloak of official secrecy on the subject.


Amirani said they were subjected to “the most bizarre and sinister attempts to suppress both the contents of the film and its chances of distribution, through so many twisted turns,” while Richard Norton Taylor, author of The Secret State, a book on British intelligence and the media, said it was “sad.” It is absurd, even counterproductive, for the British government to continue to hide behind its old motto of "neither confirm nor deny" and to continue refusing to acknowledge its leading role in the overthrow of Mosaddegh.


Despite the insistence of British politicians to present the British role in Iran as a supportive role for democracy, many Western reports and books on the history of politics in the region and intelligence operations confirmed that the main goals that constituted Britain's motive in Iran are economic ambitions for Iran's oil, and political ambitions due to its strategic location in Iran. confront the Soviet Union.


Last January, Iranian intelligence arrested a high-ranking British agent, Ali Reza Akbari (61 years), former assistant to the Minister of Defense, on the grounds of his conviction of spying for Britain, of which he holds nationality, and the Iranian judiciary later announced the execution of the death sentence issued against him.

Tuesday, August 08, 2023

Kazakhstan, and soon Russia, increase export of agricultural goods through Iran via the INSTC

    Tuesday, August 08, 2023   No comments

In another sign of activating alternative paths for global trade with the uncertainty in the Black Sea due to the conflict in in Ukraine, Kazakhstan decided to export its agricultural goods across the Persian Gulf through the Islamic Republic of Iran to open a new direct route to free waters, which starts from the port of Korik in Kazakhstan, then the Iranian port of Amirabad overlooking the Caspian Sea, and then to the port of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf.

The Iran route reduces the duration of the transfer of goods through presence in the ports of the Emirates, India, Pakistan, the Far East and the coasts of East Africa, in addition to that this route can export Kazakh goods to the European Union.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Srik Jumangarin, held talks with the head of an Emirati shipping and transport company, to employ joint investments for this goal.

This is a major development, which practically, could allow Russia to export its goods and services through this route directly or through Kazakhstan, bypassing the risk associated with the Black Sea trade route. However, this North-South route has been in the making for over two decades, and only now it is showing its potential in a new geopolitical climate.

What is the International North–South Transport Corridor—INSTC?

It was first conceived in the early 2000’s. The idea was to build a transport corridor linking Russia’s Baltic Sea coast to India’s western ports in the Arabian Sea via Iran. Russia, India and Iran signed preliminary agreements to develop the 7,200-km-long International North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC) in 2002. NSTC consists of sea, road, and rail transportation systems with investments for building the railroads and truck highways coming mostly from India, Russia, and Iran. 

The INSTC's western route passes through Russia, South Caucasus, and Iran. The middle axis reaches India through Saint Petersburg – Astrakhan – Caspian Sea – North and South ports of Iran (Amirabad, Anzali, Chabahar, and Astara ports). The eastern axis passes through Russia-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan-Iran.

Three years later, Azerbaijan signed up for the project. This agreement was eventually ratified by 13 countries — India, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Tajikistan, Turkey and Ukraine.

Now the NSTC is allowing states close to its main path to benefit from this increased North-South activities created by the sanctions imposed on Russia and the new sanctions imposed on Iran after the collapse of the Nuclear Deal. Iran stands to benefit most from this initiative, which, together with China’s BRI project will create new networks I the region and east Africa.




A racist group hostile to Islam in Denmark burns the Holy Qur’an in front of the embassies of Islamic countries in Copenhagen and raises slogans against Muslims

    Tuesday, August 08, 2023   No comments

On Tuesday, the Danish capital, Copenhagen, witnessed new attacks against the Noble Qur’an.

The Anadolu Agency correspondent said that members of a group called “Danish Patriots” burned copies of the Qur’an in front of the embassies of Turkey, Algeria, Pakistan, Indonesia and Iran in Copenhagen.

He pointed out that the provocative actions took place under the protection of the Danish police, and that members of the racist and anti-Islam group chanted slogans against Muslims.

The members of the group also published the moments of the assault on the Noble Qur’an through live scenes from their pages on social networking sites.

Facebook had imposed restrictions on some of the group's videos.

Recently, in Sweden and Denmark, incidents of insulting the Qur’an by extreme rightists in front of the embassies of Islamic countries have been repeated, which sparked angry Arab and Islamic reactions, officially and popularly, in addition to official summons for the diplomats of the two countries in more than one Arab country.

On July 26, the United Nations adopted a consensus resolution, drafted by Morocco, condemning all acts of violence against the holy books as a violation of international law.

  

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