- — Iran president warmly welcomes Sultan of Oman
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at 5/28/23 9:24amIrans President Ebrahim Raisi has warmly welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said of Oman, who is making his inaugural two-day visit to Tehran. The grand reception took place at the Saadabad Palace in northern Tehran on Sunday evening hours after Sultan Haitham arrived at the Mehrabad Airport at the head of a high-ranking delegation. The ceremony commenced with the national anthems of both countries. President Raisi and the Sultan of Oman then proceeded to review the guard of honor present at the venue, while introducing their respective entourage. Following the reception, President Raisi and Sultan Haitham will engage in private talks, during which the two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral matters of mutual interest, including regional stability, economic and political interactions, as well as cultural exchanges. Subsequently, a joint session between the high-level delegations of both countries will be held. Sultan Haitham’s visit to Tehran, which comes at the invitation of President Raisi, marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two regional allies. As many as four cooperation agreements in the fields of economy, investment, and energy are expected to be signed during the landmark visit. The agreements are set to further strengthen the economic ties between Iran and Oman, paving the way for more joint ventures and strategic partnerships. Officials from both countries have said the visit will also open new avenues for diplomatic cooperation and set the stage for increased dialogue and engagement at the highest levels. By IRNA- — Oman’s Sultan arrives in Tehran for 2-day state visit
- at 5/28/23 7:54amOmans Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said has arrived in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Sunday afternoon. The visit to Iran by the Omani Sultan is taking place upon an official invitation by President Ebrahim Raisi. The Omani Sultan and his accompanying delegation were accorded a warm welcome by vice president Mohammad Mokhber upon arrival at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport. Omans Sultan Haitham bin Tariq is visiting Tehran at the head of a large delegation that includes the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, economy and investment. President Raisi will also shortly welcome the Sultan of Oman and his accompanying delegation during a formal reception ceremony at the Saadabad Palace in northern Tehran. The two leaders will hold private discussions afterward. The talks are expected to cover a wide range of issues, including regional stability, economic and political interactions, as well as cultural exchanges. The two-day visit has been hailed by both sides as marking “a new chapter” in relations between Iran and Oman. The invitation was extended as part of the Raeisi administration’s policy of deepening relations with regional countries, and with the aim of exploring new avenues to elevate bilateral relations to new highs. The Iranian president had traveled to Oman last May for talks over a wide range of issues including, trade, transportation, energy and tourism.
- — Iranian official says calm returns to border area with Afghanistan
- at 5/28/23 6:30amCalm has returned to the border area between Iran and Afghanistan after clashes that took place earlier on Saturday, an official in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province stated. Alireza Marhamati, who is the deputy governor of Sistan and Baluchistan for security and law enforcement affairs, made the announcement on Saturday night. He said that the situation is under the control of forces deployed at the border area between Iran and Afghanistan. He also said that local Iranian and Afghan officials have held negotiations on the cause of the clashes, and agreed to continue their talks. The clashes took place between Iranian border guards and Taliban forces on Saturday morning at the Sasuli border post, located in Irans Zabol county. Two Iranian border guards were martyred as a result. A spokesman for the Taliban-run interior ministry, Abdul Nafi Takor, also said one Taliban guard was killed in the clashes with Iranian forces in the Afghan province of Nimroz. Tensions have escalated between the two neighbors in recent months over the Taliban government’s failure to honor a 1973 water-sharing treaty, with Iranian authorities saying that the Taliban are restricting the flow of water from the Helmand River to Irans arid eastern regions. By IRNA
- — Iran closes major trade route with Afghanistan after deadly clashes
- at 5/28/23 3:30amIran closes the Milak border crossing with Afghanistan, a major trade route, “until further notice,” following an exchange of heavy gunfire between Iranian border guards and Taliban forces. Ayoub Kord, the director of the Department of Roads and Transport in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, said on Saturday that economic exchanges through the crossing would be suspended due to the deadly fighting. On Saturday, the Taliban opened fire on the Iranian side at the Sasouli border post, promoting the Iranian forces to respond, IRNA reported. Two Iranian border guards lost their lives in the clashes, which inflicted heavy damage on the Taliban, according to the officials. Tensions have been on the rise between Tehran and Kabul over Afghanistan’s violations of a 1973 treaty on sharing water from the Helmand River with Iran. In 1939, the Iranian and Afghan governments signed a treaty on sharing the river’s water, but the Afghans failed to ratify it. In 1973, the two sides signed an accord that accepted the flow of water into Iran at 22 cubic meters per second or 820 million cubic meters of water a year with an option for Iran to purchase an additional four cubic meters per second in “normal” water years. However, the agreement was neither ratified nor fully implemented due to political developments, including a 1973 coup in Afghanistan, the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan that same year, and finally the rise of the Taliban in 1995. With Afghanistan at war for the past 40 years, the supply has been erratic. Severe drought across much of Afghanistan is spurring plans to build new dams, aggravating tensions with Iran. Tehran had already voiced concern that the huge Indian-financed Salma Dam in western Herat province, inaugurated in 2016, would see its water supplies reduced. At the center of the dispute, however, is the Helmand River, which runs through much of Afghanistan from its source in the mountains north of Kabul, feeding the Sistan wetlands in the border regions of the two countries. By Iran Front Page
- — Iran rejects remarks by Ukraine Zelensky as ‘worthless & baseless’
- at 5/27/23 1:30pmTehran has slammed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “worthless” allegations against the Islamic Republic, saying they were intended to divert public attention. Zelensky on Wednesday once again accused Iran of supplying drones to Russia to be used in the war against Ukraine, claiming, “the people of Iran are being driven deeper and deeper into the dark side of history.” In a statement on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said the remarks were a “political show” featuring “baseless allegations” against Tehran. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly declared that it is against the war in Ukraine and its continuation, is deeply saddened by the suffering of the people of Ukraine, underscores the need to find a political solution to end it as soon as possible, and is ready to assist in its realization,” Kanaani said. He said Zelensky’s charge against Iran is intended to attract as much arms and financial aid as possible from Western countries. “The Ukrainian side’s avoidance of expert talks with the Iranian side in order to investigate the claims confirms their baselessness and the existence of specific political goals and motives behind such accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Iranian spokesman concluded. By IRNA
- — Iran warns of Western plots against OPEC members
- at 5/27/23 11:30amIranian president has called for closer unity among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member states in order to thwart divisive plots hatched by a number of Western governments. In a meeting with Secretary General of OPEC Haitham al-Ghais, held in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned that a number of Western governments seek to sow division and discord among the OPEC members in order to achieve their own interests. “In the face of those (Western) measures, the OPEC members must prevent the fulfillment of these objectives by strengthening their unity,” the president stated. Describing constructive interaction among the OPEC members as a crucial factor in the organization’s success, Raisi added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always maintained constructive cooperation with the organization and we plan to continue, strengthen and promote such cooperation.” OPEC’s raison dêtre is to protect the rights of oil producers and prevent discrimination against them, the Iranian president underlined, expressing hope that OPEC would be able to control fluctuations and bring about calm to the oil market. For his part, al-Ghais praised Iran as a founder member of OPEC that has always had fruitful, effective and constructive cooperation with the other members. The Kuwaiti oil executive noted that Iran has always contributed to closer unity of the OPEC members, both at the ministerial and the technical level. Expounding on the latest situation in the oil market, al-Ghais expressed hope that consensus among the OPEC member states as well as Iran’s constructive support and cooperation would help restore calm to the global oil market. By Tasnim
- — Two Iranian border guards killed in clashes with Taliban
- at 5/27/23 10:56amTwo Iranian border guards have been killed and two civilians wounded during clashes with armed members of Taliban in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan. Irans deputy police chief said on Saturday the Taliban started shooting at a border post in violation of international law and the principles of good neighborliness. “Around 10:00 a.m. (local time) today, Taliban forces from Afghanistan started shooting with all kinds of weapons at Sasoli police station located in Zabol border regiment,” IRNA quoted the deputy head of the national police force, Qassem Rezaei, as saying on Saturday. He said the brave Iranian border guards responded decisively to the shooting. Following the attack, the official said, the Iranian side gave the necessary warnings to the Taliban attackers in accordance with border protocols but unfortunately, the shooting started again hours ago and the clashes continue. Rezaei said Irans police chief Ahmad Reza Radan gave all the necessary firm orders to the border guards to bravely and resolutely defend the borders and not allow anyone to trespass or approach. In his order, Radan said the “current rulers of Afghanistan must be held accountable for their ill-considered actions that are contrary to international principles.” Meanwhile, the information center of Sistan and Baluchestan border guard command said in a statement the Iranian forces at Zabol regiment engaged in clashes with unknown armed individuals who sought to enter the Islamic Republic of Iran. It said the border guards inflicted heavy damage on Taliban forces and are safeguarding the region now. Tasnim news agency rejected as completely false reports about the use of missiles by the Iranian forces and said light and semi-light weapons and artillery have been used in the clashes. It said reports that Zaranj Airport in Afghanistan was targeted by Iranian forces is unreal and false. Tensions have spiked between Iran and Afghanistan in recent months over the Taliban government’s failure to honor a 1973 water-sharing treaty, and restricting the flow of water from the Helmand River to Irans arid eastern regions. By Press TV
- — Clashes reported btw Iran border guards, Taliban amid water row
- at 5/27/23 9:30amClashes have occurred between Iranian border guards and Afghanistan’s Taliban forces on the joint border between the two countries, media reports said. On Saturday, footage emerged online of exchanges of fire between Iranian border guards and Taliban forces on the border of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province and the Afghan Province of Nimroz, Fars News Agency reported. There have been no immediate reports on the exact cause of the skirmishes or possible casualties. The incident comes amid rising tensions between Tehran and Kabul over the latter’s blocking of Iran’s access to its share of water from the Helmand River in violation of a 1973 treaty. In 1939, the Iranian and Afghan governments signed a treaty on sharing the river’s water, but the Afghans failed to ratify it. In 1973, the two sides signed an accord that accepted the flow of water into Iran at 22 cubic meters per second or 820 million cubic meters of water a year with an option for Iran to purchase an additional four cubic meters per second in “normal” water years. However, the agreement was neither ratified nor fully implemented due to political developments, including a 1973 coup in Afghanistan, the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan that same year, and finally the rise of the Taliban in 1995. With Afghanistan at war for the past 40 years, the supply has been erratic. Severe drought across much of Afghanistan is spurring plans to build new dams, aggravating tensions with Iran. Tehran had already voiced concern that the huge Indian-financed Salma Dam in western Herat province, inaugurated in 2016, would see its water supplies reduced. At the center of the dispute, however, is the Helmand River, which runs through much of Afghanistan from its source in the mountains north of Kabul, feeding the Sistan wetlands in the border regions of the two countries. Iranian officials and the interim Taliban rulers have been locked in a war of words over the dispute over the past few days. By Iran Front Page
- — Clashes reported btwn Iran border guards, Taliban amid water row
- at 5/27/23 9:30amClashes have occurred between Iranian border guards and Afghanistan’s Taliban forces on the joint border between the two countries, media reports said. On Saturday, footage emerged online of exchanges of fire between Iranian border guards and Taliban forces on the border of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province and the Afghan Province of Nimroz, Fars News Agency reported. There have been no immediate reports on the exact cause of the skirmishes or possible casualties. The incident comes amid rising tensions between Tehran and Kabul over the latter’s blocking of Iran’s access to its share of water from the Helmand River in violation of a 1973 treaty. In 1939, the Iranian and Afghan governments signed a treaty on sharing the river’s water, but the Afghans failed to ratify it. In 1973, the two sides signed an accord that accepted the flow of water into Iran at 22 cubic meters per second or 820 million cubic meters of water a year with an option for Iran to purchase an additional four cubic meters per second in “normal” water years. However, the agreement was neither ratified nor fully implemented due to political developments, including a 1973 coup in Afghanistan, the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan that same year, and finally the rise of the Taliban in 1995. With Afghanistan at war for the past 40 years, the supply has been erratic. Severe drought across much of Afghanistan is spurring plans to build new dams, aggravating tensions with Iran. Tehran had already voiced concern that the huge Indian-financed Salma Dam in western Herat province, inaugurated in 2016, would see its water supplies reduced. At the center of the dispute, however, is the Helmand River, which runs through much of Afghanistan from its source in the mountains north of Kabul, feeding the Sistan wetlands in the border regions of the two countries. Iranian officials and the interim Taliban rulers have been locked in a war of words over the dispute over the past few days. By Iran Front Page
- — IRGC Navy chief warns US military over its presence in region
- at 5/27/23 7:41amThe commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has categorically dismissed the US military’s presence in the Persian Gulf under the pretext of securing the strategic maritime region. Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said on Friday that only Iran and other regional countries will ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and there is no need for the US and other countries to be present in the strategic waterway. “You are damn wrong to be present in our region,” Tangsiri asserted. “If we back down against the enemy, it will definitely dominate us and we have no choice but to stand and resist, which is the path to the victory of our nation,” he said. The IRGC Navy chief made the remarks in an official ceremony in the city of Dezful in Iran’s southwestern province of Khuzestan, where he lauded the city’s remarkable resistance during the Iraqi aggression imposed on the country in the 1980s. Describing Dezful as the symbol of resistance and invincibility, Tangsiri said, “During eight years of the Sacred Defense (Iran-Iraq war), we showed the world that we did not and would not surrender to duress.” He also highlighted the role of the country’s media in countering the enemy’s propaganda. “We resolutely secure the Persian Gulf, and the media must participate in this security and reflect the capabilities of the IRGC Navy and the Army so that the world understands that the security of the Persian Gulf does not need foreigners,” Tangsiri said. “We stand firmly against the enemy and will defend the honor and dignity of the Iranian nation,” he added. By Mehr
- — Iran, Oman foreign ministers discuss mutual relations
- at 5/26/23 3:47pmIranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a phone conversation with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi conferred on the upcoming visit of Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik to Tehran. The two Iranian and Omani foreign ministers also discussed bilateral relations between the two countries. Amir-Abdollahian, during the phone call, stressed that the meetings and contacts between the leaders of the two countries are very critical. The Sultanate of Oman announced in a recent statement that Haitham bin Tariq will travel to Iran next Sunday. The statement said that the Sultan of Oman will pay a two-day visit to Iran in order to strengthen the friendship between the two countries and to consolidate the important relations and good neighborliness. The statement further stated that the Sultan of Omans visit to Tehran comes in response to the previous invitation extended to him by Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi. This trip is in line with the continuation of consultation and coordination between the two sides in order to review regional developments and the international situation. Moreover, today, Iran’s foreign minister had announced that Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat imprisoned in Belgium on false terror-related charges, has been released after an Omani-brokered deal and is on his way back to his home country By Mehr
- — Defending missile launch, Iran rejects Western Concerns
- at 5/26/23 12:30pmThe Iranian Foreign Ministry lashed out at the US and France for voicing concern about Iran’s new precision-guided ballistic missile. In a post on his Twitter account on Friday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani lashed out at the US and France for their concern about Iran’s Kheibar (Khoramshahr 4) missile which was unveiled on Thursday. “The very same Western governments, specifically the US and France, that had a major role in provoking and arming Saddam’s Ba’ath regime in its military aggression against and the bombing of Iran’s cities and defenseless people and are among the top exporters of arms to the region are now expressing concern about Iran’s progress and defense might,” the spokesman said. Kanaani noted that the Western governments are opposed to a “strong Iran”. The medium-range precision-guided projectile named Kheibar (Khoramshahr 4) was unveiled in the presence of Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani during the ceremony marking the 41st anniversary of the liberation of the southwestern city of Khorramshahr on Thursday. Kheibar is a liquid-fueled missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers and a warhead weighing 1,500 kilograms with impressive strategic and tactical capabilities. Later on Thursday, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Iran’s development and proliferation of ballistic missiles poses a serious threat to regional and international security. France also claimed that the move was in violation of the UN resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal. Iranian officials have long asserted that the country’s military capabilities are entirely meant for defense, and that its missile program will never be up for negotiations. The unveiling of Kheibar marks a significant advancement in Irans ballistic missile capabilities and demonstrates the countrys commitment to enhancing its defense and deterrent power. By Tasnim
- — Iran’s FM calls for bolstering Iran-Iraq banking ties
- at 5/26/23 9:40amIranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a telephone conversation with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein urged boosting banking cooperation between Iran and Iraq. During a telephone call early on Friday, Amirabdollahian and Fuad Hussein has discussed the latest issues of mutual ties. They stressed the implementation of the signed security agreement between the two countries. The two sides also reviewed the necessity of strengthening Irans gas pipeline to Iraq as well as regional cooperation. Thanking the Iraqi side for the financial and banking transfers related to the Iranian hajj pilgrims from Irans financial sources, Amirabdollahian called for strengthening banking cooperation between the two neighboring states. Meanwhile, in April, the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) denied reports it suffered any losses because of converting its dollar debts from Iraq to the currency of the Arab country. “There has been absolutely no conversion of resources outside of the official mechanisms and on irregular rates,” the CBI said in a Saturday statement covered by the official IRNA news agency. The statement came after reports suggested Iran had to forfeit some 40% of the debts it is owed for the supply of energy to Iraq because it was forced to receive payments in Iraqi dinar.
- — Iran, Belgium exchanged prisoners following Omani-brokered deal
- at 5/26/23 7:30amIran’s foreign minister has announced that Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat imprisoned in Belgium on false terror-related charges, has been released after an Omani-brokered deal and is on his way back to his home country. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the statement in a Persian-language post on his Twitter account on Friday after Oman’s foreign ministry officially announced that Muscat had mediated a deal between Iran and Belgium to swap their prisoners. “Mr. Assadollah Assadi, the innocent diplomat of our country, who was illegally detained in Germany and Belgium for more than two years against international law, is now on his way back to his homeland and will soon enter our beloved Iran,” Amir-Abdollahian said. “I thank the Sultanate of Oman for its positive efforts in this direction.” Assadi’s case, according to legal experts, was based on sham and unsubstantiated charges and smacks of political propaganda against the Islamic Republic. Belgian authorities in June 2018 said the country’s police had intercepted a car carrying homemade explosives, claiming that the Iranian diplomat handed the material to two people in Belgium. He was accused of plotting an attack against the anti-Iran Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MKO) terrorist outfit, a claim that has been strongly rejected by Iranian authorities. A Belgian court then sentenced the diplomat, who serves as the third counselor at Irans Embassy in Vienna, to 20 years in prison. By Press TV
- — Iran launches new airport in remote east
- at 5/26/23 6:15amIran has launched a new airport in the countrys remote east amid efforts to develop transportation infrastructure in the region. A Thursday flight carrying Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf and other top government officials was the first to land in the airport in Gonabad, a city of nearly 50,000 people located some 230 kilometers from the Iranian border with Afghanistan. The airport has been launched to boost economic activity in the region, according to a report by the official IRNA news agency which said that businesspeople in Gonabad and other cities in the region had to travel some 300 kilometers to reach the nearest airports in Irans east. The project started some 30 years ago, said the report, adding that it accelerated in recent years amid Iran’s plans to complete a north-south transit corridor that passes through its east. Gonabad is one of the key cities in Khorasan Razavi, an Iranian province where Iran’s second-largest city of Mashhad is located. Business activity in the region is expected to grow with the construction of a key railway from Mashhad to Zahedan near the border with Pakistan that passes via Gonabad. The railway will continue from Zahedan to Iran’s only ocean port of Chabahar on the Sea of Oman. The government has spent some 35 trillion rials ($75 million) on the construction of the first phase of the airport in Gonabad, said the report by the IRNA which added that investors had agreed to pay for charter flights to and from the airport in the next 10 months to help boost its traffic.
- — Khorramshahr-4 missile brings message of peace to region: Iran
- at 5/25/23 5:30pmThe Iranian defense minister said the message of the Khorramashahr-4 long-range missile for Irans friends is to help peace and stability in the region and provide all-out support to them. Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani made the remarks at the unveiling ceremony of Irans latest Ballistic missile Khorramshahr-4 long-range strategic missile. Ashtiani emphasized that this missile is the result of many years of efforts of Irans scientists in the Aerospace Industries Organization of the Ministry of Defense, and added that one of the prominent features of this missile is being invisible to radar and infiltrating the enemys air defenses due to its low radar cross-section. The message of the defense ministry in order to improve the defense capabilities for the enemies is that we are determined to defend the country and the achievements of the Islamic Revolution, he said adding that we have shown the enemy that they cannot stop our young experts from following the path of progress and growth. The message of this action for our friends is to help peace and stability in the region and provide comprehensive support to our friends and countries that are on the path of fighting against the domination system and their stances are considered to be full of awareness, he further pointed out. Stating that the unveiling missiles will continue in the future, Brigadier General Ashtiani said, We are taking steps to equip the armed forces with various areas of missiles, drones, air defense, and so on, and the unveilings will definitely continue in the future. On the occasion of the third of Khordad (May 24), the anniversary of the liberation of Khorramshahr, the Khorramshahr 4 missile named Khaiber, the latest missile product of the Defense Ministrys Aerospace Industries Organization, was unveiled on Thursday morning in the presence of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani. By Mehr
- — Iran unveils advanced 2,000 km Kheibar ballistic missile
- at 5/25/23 12:30pmTehran successfully test-launched its most advanced Khorramshahr-class ballistic missile called Kheibar, a medium-range precision-guided missile that can carry a 1,500 kg warhead. The medium-range precision-guided projectile named Kheibar (Khoramshahr 4) was unveiled in the presence of Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani during the ceremony marking the 41st anniversary of the liberation of the southwestern city of Khorramshahr. The missile’s extended range, advanced guidance and control system, and improved structural features further solidify Iran’s status as a formidable missile power. Kheibar ballistic missile is one of the most advanced missiles designed by the experts of the Ministry of Defenses Aerospace Industries Organization. It is a liquid-fueled missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers and a warhead weighing 1,500 kilograms with impressive strategic and tactical capabilities. The Khorramshahr class of missiles is known for its unique guidance and control system during the mid-flight phase. This feature allows the missile to control and adjust its trajectory outside the Earth’s atmosphere, and to deactivate its guidance system upon entering the atmosphere, giving it complete immunity against electronic warfare attacks. Thanks to this advanced control system, the Kheibar missiles warhead does not require the typical thin-wing arrangement, which in turn allows the missile to pack up a heavier explosive load. By Tasnim
- — Oman Sultan’s Iran visit to further boost bilateral cooperation
- at 5/25/23 10:30amThe Iranian ambassador to Muscat says the upcoming visit by Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said to Tehran will further strengthen cooperation between the two countries. Speaking to the official Oman News Agency (ONA) on Wednesday, Ali Najafi said that Iran and Oman have enjoyed brotherly and continuous coordination and consultation regarding bilateral, regional and international relations. “In addition to the historical, cultural and religious ties and commonalities, there is a broad prospect for promoting political, economic, international and regional cooperation between the two countries,” he added. “Sultan Haitham’s trip to Tehran and his meeting with our high-ranking officials will further enhance the partnership and cooperation between Iran and Oman.” Referring to growing Iran-Oman economic relations, the envoy said that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries has tripled over the past two years and reached $2 billion. He also noted that there are great opportunities for the development of bilateral cooperation and trade given existing capacities in air and sea transport. A visa waiver, he emphasized, has helped promote tourism and trade exchange, and increased the number of daily flights between various Iranian and Omani cities. Najafi further said that Iran has always welcomed Oman’s balanced and influential role in regional and global arenas. “There is mutual trust at the highest levels of the two countries and we have always welcomed Oman’s wise and benevolent initiatives,” he asserted. By Press TV
- — Asian Clearing Union to launch banking system to rival SWIFT
- at 5/25/23 8:32amMembers of the Asian Clearing Union (ACU), a regional banking bloc that seeks easier clearing of payments between its member states, have agreed to launch a system that will rival the SWIFT international payment network. ACU members agreed in a summit in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday to launch their own banking messaging system within a month, according to a deputy governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). “The (ACU) countries decided to have a customized system for themselves considering that SWIFT is not available to all countries and given that it has its own costs,” said Mohsen Karimi, CBI’s deputy for international affairs. Karimi said the messaging system will cover all demands for clearing monetary transactions among nine members of the ACU. The move is in line with statements by ACU members in recent months suggesting they are eager to join regional and international efforts to reduce the weight of the US dollar in global trade, a process which has become known as de-dollarization. Countries like India and Iran, who are key members of the ACU, have accelerated efforts to de-dollarize their foreign trade, especially since a war broke out in Ukraine in early 2022, leading to Russia’s exclusion from SWIFT. CBI governor Mohammad Reza Farzin, who became ACU’s rotating chair on Wednesday, said the bloc will seek to admit new members and will diversify the basket of currencies it accepts for payment settlements to help the de-dollarization campaign. Belarus and Mauritius applied for ACU membership during the Wednesday summit in Tehran where top bankers from non-member states like Russia were also present. By Press TV
- — Iran not recognize incumbent ruling body in Afghanistan: FM
- at 5/25/23 6:32amIrans Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has stated Tehran does not recognize the incumbent ruling body in Afghanistan, urging the Taliban to form an inclusive government. Amirabdollahian made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting between Foreign Ministries officials and Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Imam Khomeini, at the mausoleum of the late founder of the Islamic Republic. “We do not recognize the incumbent ruling body of Afghanistan and we emphasize the necessity of forming an inclusive government in the country because the Taliban is one part of the reality of Afghanistan, not all of it,” he said. He also explained that Tehran has held talks with Afghan authorities regarding Iran’s share of water from the Hirmand River, saying Iran believes that the issue must be resolved according to the 1973 treaty. “We have told Afghan authorities that the issue of [Iran’s] share of water cannot be resolved through a mere political statement and should be pursued within the framework of legal measures,” he added. The Helmand Treaty signed between Iran and Afghanistan, dated February 20, 1973, has clearly and unambiguously specified the Iranian side’s water rights from the Helmand River, Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported. This is a legal, objective and definite right, and Afghanistan is committed to providing the aforementioned right and not taking any action, which fully or partly strips Iran of its water rights, under Article 5 of the Treaty, the source added. By IRNA
- — Khorramshahr liberation ‘a miraculous event’: Ayatollah Khamenei
- at 5/24/23 11:30amSupreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stated on Wednesday that the liberation of Khorramshahr was a miraculous event. He made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian lawmakers, marking the beginning of the last year of the current parliament’s term as well as the anniversary of the liberation of Khorramshahr in the midst of Iraq’s war of aggression against Iran in the 1980s. “The conquest of Khorramshahr was a miraculous event,” he said, recalling that several presidents and their representatives told him at the time that the event was a game-changer for Iran. In another comment, Ayatollah Khamenei said the strategic law adopted by the Iranian Parliament in 2020 to counter sanctions saved the country from “bewilderment in nuclear issue”. In a meeting with lawmakers in Tehran on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei hailed the strategic laws passed by the parliament, including the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions. “The strategic action law saved the country from bewilderment in the nuclear issue,” the Leader said. “This law clearly defined what we should do and we are witnessing its manifestations in the world.” Under the legislation, which was approved in December 2020, the Iranian administration is required to restrict the inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and accelerate the development of the country’s nuclear program beyond the limits set under the 2015 nuclear agreement. It was adopted in a bid to counter illegal sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States and its Western allies.
As of 5/28/23 9:06pm. Last new 5/28/23 9:03am.
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