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Iran to Reimpose Stadium Ban on Women

Observers believe that a female pitch invader at a match last week is a reason for the latest decision by the FA…reports Asian Lite News

A stadium ban for women is to be reintroduced in Iran, multiple local news reports said on Wednesday.

The reports said that the Iranian FA has ordered the ban to be imposed in the north-western city of Tabriz in the wake of “repulsive incidents” at a home game of local top flight club Tractor-Sazi.

It was not clear whether the stadium ban only applies in Tabriz or for all matches. Tractor-Sazi is one of the most popular clubs in Iran, with a large fan base including many women.

Observers believe that a female pitch invader at a match last week is a reason for the latest decision by the FA.

A woman ran onto the pitch during the Pro League match between Tehran club Esteghal and Aluminium Arak and embraced Esteghlal and national team goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini.

Hosseini was fined around $7,500 and suspended for one match after he reportedly briefly held her. In Iran, it is forbidden to touch women who are not a part of the close family.

Iran’s arch-conservative clergy has argued that women had no business in stadiums with fanatical male fans.

Under pressure from the world governing body FIFA, the ban was relaxed somewhat in recent years, with a certain number of women allowed to attend matches.

ALSO READ: Iranian President Raisi Continues Tour in Sri Lanka

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Iranian President Raisi Continues Tour in Sri Lanka

Visiting on the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe, President Raisi is scheduled to inaugurate the much-delayed Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project…reports Susitha Fernando

 Amid the tension in the Middle East, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Sri Lanka following his three-day visit to Pakistan.

Tight security was imposed across the country, especially closing all roads where the Iranian President is scheduled to travel during the one-day visit to the island nation.

Police spokesman and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nihal Thalduwa said that additional security personnel from Army, Navy, Air Force and the police elite force, Police Special Task Force (STF) have been deployed to provide extra security for the visiting dignitary.

“The security programme will cover areas where the Iranian President is due to travel to,” Thalduwa said, adding that multiple roads would be closed to provide special security to the Iranian President.

Visiting on the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe, President Raisi is scheduled to inaugurate the much-delayed Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP), one of the largest irrigation and hydro-electricity projects in Sri Lanka.

“A highlight of President Raisi’s visit will be the signing of five memorandums of understanding (MoUs), aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between Iran and Sri Lanka,” the President Media Division (PMD) announced.

Originally started in 2008, the project is aimed to provide irrigation water to about 4,500 hectares of new land and 1,500 hectares of existing agricultural land in the Monaragala district and three districts getting 39 million cubic meters (MCM) of water for drinking and industrial purposes and also to generate 290 GWh of electrical energy annually to the National Grid.

The total $514 million contract became effective on March 15, 2010. Initially, the Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI) was to fund USD 50 million until 2013, but due to international sanctions against Iran, funds could not be provided. However, the project was continued with Sri Lankan funds and with the Iranian contractor Farab Company.

Due to financial challenges, disruptions caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic and protests due to environmental damages, the completion date was changed to March 2024 from March 2015.

The historical ties between Sri Lanka and Iran date back centuries with interactions between the two nations being primarily centered on the Strait of Hormuz during the Persian era. Formal diplomatic relations were officially established in 1962 and Iran established its mission in Colombo in 1975, while Sri Lanka established its mission in Tehran in January 1990.

Iran has provided development assistance to Sri Lanka with loans focusing on enhancing infrastructure, irrigation, and power sectors. Sri Lanka has already repaid over $19 million to Iran, with a remaining gross payable amount of around $35 million.

The PMD stated that the two countries have collaborated closely with the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, offering mutual support on matters of shared concern. Both nations are active members of various international and regional organisations, including the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

To facilitate much-needed tourists from Iran, Sri Lanka has approved Mahan Air flights between the two countries. In 2022, Iran ranked 27th among countries with the highest international tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka. By June 2023, Sri Lanka had welcomed 5,973 Iranian tourists.

Following tensions in West Asia, where Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel on April 14 in a tit-for-tat to a suspected Israeli airstrike on April 1 that targeted a compound at its Consulate in Damascus, Syria, there were doubts about the visit of Iranian President to Sri Lanka, but an Iranian official had confirmed his visit.

ALSO READ: UN braces for US-Russia showdown on nukes in space

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Iran condemns planned EU sanctions as unlawful

These should make it possible to impose further trade restrictions on Iran in order to make it more difficult for the country to build and develop drones and missiles…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian has condemned “planned” sanctions against his country over the major drone and missile attack on Israel earlier this month as “unlawful” and “regrettable.”

Iran had exercised its right to self-defence with the attack, Amirabdollahian wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. He called for sanctions to be imposed against Israel.

At a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, the foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states instructed EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell to submit concrete proposals for sanctions.

These should make it possible to impose further trade restrictions on Iran in order to make it more difficult for the country to build and develop drones and missiles.

There are also plans to impose sanctions on individuals, organisations and companies involved in the production of drones and missiles and their delivery to Iran’s allies in the Middle East.

The moves are in response to Iran’s unprecedented direct missile attack on Israel 10 days ago. It followed a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus at the beginning of the month.

In the latter incident, two generals and five other members of the powerful Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) were among those killed.

Israel carried out a retaliatory strike in the province of Isfahan on Friday, reportedly hitting an air base.

Meanwhile, Kanaani warned that his country will make a “harsher and more decisive” response should Israel make another mistake.

He made the remarks at a weekly press conference in the capital Tehran while commenting on Iran’s recent massive retaliatory military operation against Israel, which was carried out in response to a deadly Israeli strike on April 1 against the Iranian consulate in Syria, Xinhua news agency reported.

Kanaani said the Israeli attack on Iran’s diplomatic premises constituted an aggressive violation of international laws and regulations.

He stressed that Tehran deemed its retaliatory operation concluded and its objectives achieved, but “if Israel makes another mistake, Iran’s response will be harsher and more decisive”.

Turning to the explosions heard early Friday near the Iranian city of Isfahan in an apparent Israeli strike, Kanaani denounced the attack as “vexatious and malicious,” adding no party has yet claimed responsibility for it.

He noted that Iran’s air defence had carried out its duty and foiled the attack conducted by “a small flying object and micro air vehicle,” stressing the perpetrators did not achieve anything.

Commenting on Iran’s potential countermeasures in response to the incident, Kanaani said necessary actions had been taken and the incident did not warrant any follow-up.

ALSO READ-EU ministers discuss Ukraine support and Iran sanctions

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Iran Denounces ‘Planned’ EU Sanctions as ‘Unlawful

The foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states instructed EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell to submit concrete proposals for sanctions…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian has condemned “planned” sanctions against his country over the major drone and missile attack on Israel earlier this month as “unlawful” and “regrettable.”

Iran had exercised its right to self-defence with the attack, Amirabdollahian wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. He called for sanctions to be imposed against Israel.

At a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, the foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states instructed EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell to submit concrete proposals for sanctions.

These should make it possible to impose further trade restrictions on Iran in order to make it more difficult for the country to build and develop drones and missiles.

There are also plans to impose sanctions on individuals, organisations and companies involved in the production of drones and missiles and their delivery to Iran’s allies in the Middle East.

The moves are in response to Iran’s unprecedented direct missile attack on Israel 10 days ago. It followed a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus at the beginning of the month.

In the latter incident, two generals and five other members of the powerful Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) were among those killed.

Israel carried out a retaliatory strike in the province of Isfahan on Friday, reportedly hitting an air base.

ALSO READ: EU ministers discuss Ukraine support and Iran sanctions

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Pakistan Fails to Rally Iran on Kashmir Issue

The Iranian President’s comments are being seen as a clear snub to Islamabad on its repeated efforts to garner support on the Kashmir …reports Hamza Ameer

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday thwarted Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s attempt to raise the Kashmir issue as he kicked off his crucial three-day visit to Islamabad.

While making his opening statement during the joint presser, Sharif thanked the Iranian President for taking Pakistan’s side on the Kashmir dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi.

“We are thankful to Iran for its support for the Kashmir cause,” said Sharif adding that the both sides have identified and agreed to cooperate on matters of mutual interest and regional concern.

However, he failed to get any word of support from the Iranian President as he refrained from giving any comment on the issue and remained focused on addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“It is now established how the United Nations has failed to live up to its mandate and stop the ongoing genocide of innocent Palestinians in Gaza by Israel,” he said during his opening statement at the joint presser at the Prime Minister’s house.

The Iranian President’s comments are being seen as a clear snub to Islamabad on its repeated efforts to garner support on the Kashmir dispute from regional and global players.

“Pakistan should know better about the relationship between Iran and India. Our Prime Minister should have been careful in mentioning Kashmir during the presser, knowing that Iran’s main focus is on its current conflict with Israel,” said Abdullah Momand, a political analyst.

“Kashmir issue and Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to gather support have not been strong enough to get a supportive statement out of a country’s supreme leader like Raisi. It was rather embarrassing to see that our premier thanked the Iranian President for a supportive stance on the Kashmir dispute, a stance that was neither established nor reciprocated by Raisi,” he added.

However, while Pakistan failed to get any word on Kashmir from the Iranian President, both sides agreed to increase the volume of trade and business ties to at least $10 billion.

“We are committed to strengthening relations to high levels. Economic and trade volume between Iran and Pakistan is not acceptable. We have decided as a first step to increase trade volume between our two countries to $10 billion,” Raisi said during the presser.

At least 10 MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) were signed between the two countries that aim at enhancing mutual cooperation towards trade and development.

ALSO READ: Russia warns Pakistan it might ban rice imports over safety concerns

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Calls for Peace in New York Talks

Amirabdollahian stated that Israel needed to halt what he described as “acts of war crimes” in the region….reports Asian Lite News

 Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian has come out in favour of easing tensions in the Middle East in remarks to Iranian media in New York on Saturday, following tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Iran.

“War and military tensions are of no benefit to any party in the region, and so fundamental solutions must be found,” Amirabdollahian said. All sides needed to focus on a political solution, he said.

Israel had to cease “its war crimes” in the region, Amirabdollahian said. Humanitarian aid and an exchange of hostages for prisoners in the Gaza conflict would then become possible, he said at the end of a trip to the US.

While in New York, where he joined several sessions of the United Nations, Amirabdollahian emphasized that Iran would not react to attacks on military targets in Iran’s central Isfahan Province on Friday that have been attributed to Israel.

“Neither damage nor victims were caused by the small drones shot down near Isfahan,” Amirabdollahian was quoted as saying. The foreign minister described the attacks as an attempt by pro-Israeli media to show Israel’s military dominance.

“The small downed drones were rather like the toys that our kids play with,” he is reported to have said. But he warned that Iran would respond “vehemently and firmly” to a real Israeli attack.

Friday’s attacks on Isfahan, where Iran maintains key aspects of its nuclear arms industry, have widely been seen as a response to last weekend’s mass attack by Iranian drones and missiles on Israeli territory.

That attack was in turn seen as a response to an attack on the Iranian embassy compound on April 1, which has been attributed to Israel.

ALSO READ: Blinken Denies US Role in Israeli Strike on Iran

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Blinken Denies US Role in Israeli Strike on Iran

Blinken declined to comment on whether the White House assessed the end of Israeli strikes and potential Iranian retaliation…reports Asian Lite News

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that he can’t speak to media reports about the details of an Israeli attack against Iran Friday overnight, stressing that the US was not involved in any offensive operations by Israel.

“The reports that you’ve seen, I’m not going to speak to that, except to say that the US has not been involved in any offensive operations,” Blinken told a press conference on Friday in Italy as he concluded a meeting with Foreign Ministers of the G7 countries.

He was responding to a reporter’s question seeking confirmation of media reports, saying Washington received advance warning from Israel on Thursday of an imminent strike against Iran in retaliation for Tehran’s assault on Israel last week, Xinhua news agency reported.

“What we’re focused on, what the G7 is focused on, and again, it’s reflected in our statement and in our conversation, is our work to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from any potential conflict,” Blinken said in what were first public remarks on the Israeli attack by a cabinet member of US President Joe Biden’s administration.

What Blinken also refused to address during that round of questions and answers was the White House’s assessment of whether the Israeli strikes were over and if Iran would retaliate.

Earlier on Friday, Iran’s air defence systems shot down several “flying objects” near the central city of Isfahan, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

The Israeli side has not yet made any announcement regarding the attack.

ALSO READ: At UN, Iran warns of ‘decisive response’ to Israel

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Iranians Rally in Support of Strikes on Israel

The procession demonstrated solidarity with the Palestinians, asserting that Palestine would be “liberated”…reports Asian Lite News

Iranians have staged nationwide rallies to express support for the country’s retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets last week, media reported.

In Tehran, demonstrators marched almost 1 km from the University of Tehran to Enghelab Square. They carried placards featuring slogans against Israel and the US, expressing support for the strikes launched on the night of April 13, Xinhua news agency reported.

The procession also demonstrated solidarity with the Palestinians, asserting that Palestine would be “liberated”.

Similar rallies were also held in other cities, including Tabriz, Mashhad, and Isfahan, where participants called Iran’s drone and missile attacks “legitimate defence”.

Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones toward Israel last Saturday, in response to the Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital city of Damascus on April 1, which killed seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders.

ALSO READ: At UN, Iran warns of ‘decisive response’ to Israel

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At UN, Iran warns of ‘decisive response’ to Israel

Iran’s Foreign Minister accused Israel of carrying out a missile attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus on April 1…reports Asian Lite News

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, warned Israel against taking any military actions targeting Iranian interests. He stated Iran has concluded its “defense and counteroffensive measures” and urged the international community to stop Israel from carrying out any military operations against Iran.

During discussions on the Middle East situation at the UNSC, Amir-Abdollahian said, “Iran’s legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded. Therefore, the Israeli regime must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our centres, assets and interests. Certainly, in case of any illegal use of force by the Israeli regime and violating our sovereignty, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent right to give a decisive and proper response to it to make the regime regret its actions.”

He accused Israel of carrying out a missile attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus on April 1. He said that Israel’s action was a “clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations international law and the Vienna Convention.”

He said, “The missile attack on the 1st of April on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus showed yet again that this regime does not hesitate to violate the fundamental principle of the immunity of such places and people as well as the known and well recognised Vienna Conventions. As the majority of the members of the Security Council declared at the April 2 meeting here, the attack was a clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations international law and the Vienna Convention, and thus is strongly condemned.”

He criticised the US, UK, and France for not issuing a statement over the attack on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus. He even expressed regret that the UNSC did not take action on Iran’s repeated requests to prevent further attacks by Israel on Iran’s interests. He accused the White House of giving a green signal to Israel’s action.

He said, “Regrettably, the Security Council, had not taken any action during the past months to our official and repeated requests to prevent further attacks by the Israeli regime on Iran’s interests, centres and official military advisors who were there to fight terrorism and due to the unfortunate and completely irresponsible behaviour of the United States, the UK and France, in response to this illegal attack, failed even to issue a mere statement containing a simple condemnation.”

“No will remain silent in the face of such a brazen and serious military attack on its Embassy, which is considered a symbol of its sovereignty, as well as the killing of its legal, official and diplomatic agents. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which until recently had shown considerable restraint against other terrorist missile attacks bearing in mind the dire situation in the region and willing to give the role of the United Nations a chance to prevent the escalation of the conflict, was faced with the continuation of the White House’s green light granted to the Israeli regime as well as the continued inaction of the Security Council in preventing the attacks by the Israeli regime,” he added.

Justifying Iran’s attack on Israel, he said, “Iran’s military attack on April 13th, was first and foremost, necessary because Iran had no other option. Secondly, it was carried out in response to a series of attacks and recurring aggressions by the Israeli regime on Iran’s interests, especially on our Embassy in Syria.”

“Thirdly, it took place in the fulfilment of Iran’s right to legitimate defence under international law. Fourthly, it was conducted by observing the criterion of non-aggression to civilian people and places. And fifthly, it focused solely on the two military bases of the Israeli regime that had been used in the attack on our Embassy, and therefore it was completely limited and proportionate in terms of scope and military requirements,” he added.

On Saturday, Iran launched several drones and missiles towards Israel in retaliation for an alleged Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria, resulting in the killing of three top Iranian generals.

On Sunday morning, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that about 99 per cent of the 300 or so projectiles fired by Iran at Israel overnight were intercepted by air defences, as reported by The Times of Israel.

“The Iranian threat met the aerial and technological superiority of the IDF, combined with a strong fighting coalition, which together intercepted the vast majority of the threats,” Hagari said.

On April 17, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed at a cabinet meeting that Israel will make its own decisions and do whatever is necessary to protect itself, even if it contradicts the advice given by its allies, as reported by The Times of Israel.

Netanyahu made the statement at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday after meeting with the foreign ministers of the UK and Germany. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Israel on Wednesday.

In his remarks at the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that the two leaders had “all kinds of suggestions and advice.” He noted that while it was appreciated, Israel would nevertheless “make our own decisions, and Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself.” (ANI)

ALSO READ: Washington ‘eager’ to deepen ties with partners in India

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Oil, gold prices rise amid Iran-Israel tensions

The benchmark Brent crude price rose to around $90 a barrel U.S. West Texas hovered at around $85 a barrel…reports Asian Lite News

Oil and gold prices have jumped amid reports of Israel launching a missile attack against Iran raising fears of escalating geopolitical tensions that could disrupt crude shipments. Oil prices surged by $3 a barrel in the international market on Friday.

The benchmark Brent crude price rose to around $90 a barrel U.S. West Texas hovered at around $85 a barrel. The price of Brent crude had fallen to around $87 per barrel on Wednesday following higher US inventories and the decline in Chinese demand due to a slowing economy. The gold price often rises at times of uncertainty as it is seen as a safe investment, BBC reported. US media reports on Friday said that Israeli missiles had hit sites in Iran.

The attack was reported to be in retaliation to Iranian drone attacks on Israel carried out earlier. However, Iran denied reports of the Israeli missile attack and claimed that the explosions heard were from the firing of its air defence systems. Since India imports over 85 per cent of its crude oil requirement, a sharp increase in global oil prices could lead to an increase in the country’s oil import bill and weaken the rupee due to the larger outgo of foreign exchange.

The cheaper purchase of oil from Russia has helped India to reduce its oil import bill by 16 per cent to $132.4 billion for the fiscal year 2023-24 from $157.5 billion spent in the previous year. The total quantity of oil imported in 2023-24 was 232.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) compared with 232.7 MMT in 2022-23 which is more or less the same level. Xxx UK sanctions Iran’s military figures, entities The UK has announced sanctions on a further seven individuals and six entities who it said “enabled Iran to conduct destabilizing regional activity, including its direct attack on Israel”.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday that the UK has sanctioned the ringleaders of the Iranian military and forces responsible for the April 14 attack, Xinhua news agency reported. Iran has said the attack was in retaliation for Israel’s strike on Iran’s consulate building in Damascus, Syria, on April 1. The sanctioned individuals and entities are subjected to asset freeze, with a concurrent imposition of a travel ban targeting the individuals under sanction. This adds to the 400-plus sanctions already imposed on Iran, the UK government said in a statement. Previous sanctions include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety and many of those allegedly responsible for the attack on Israel. The decision by UK follows European Union decision on new sanctions targeting Iran for the direct attack on Israel. The EU has decided “to put in place sanctions against Iran”, European Council President Charles Michel told reporters in the early hours of Thursday morning after the first day of a two-day summit. “The idea is to target the companies that are needed for the drones, for the missiles,” he said. Further details are to be finalized, he added. “The European Union will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles,” the EU leaders’ statement said.

The EU summit on Wednesday and Thursday was originally meant to focus on the bloc’s economy and its competitiveness. But rising tensions in the Middle East pushed the economic discussion into the second day’s agenda. EU leaders appealed for calm as Israel weighed a response to the drone and missile attack from Iran on Saturday. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had urged Israel not to retaliate against Iran with a “massive attack of its own” on his arrival. Scholz called on Israel to now use the successful defence against Iran’s missile and drone attack “to strengthen its own position in the entire region.” On this basis, “a corresponding military response would certainly not be appropriate,” he said. Iran said the drone and missile attacks were retaliation for the killing of high-ranking Iranian officers in a missile strike on Iran’s embassy in Syria at the start of the month. Sanctions may be imposed through a regime set up after Iran began supporting the Russian war on Ukraine by supplying Moscow with drones. These sanctions banned the export of components used for the construction and production of unmanned aerial vehicles to Iran, and may be expanded to make it harder for Iran to produce missiles. Calls from Israel to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite unit of the Iranian armed forces, as a terrorist organization are more difficult to meet.

The IRGC would first have to be prosecuted by a national authority for terrorist activities under EU law to prompt this sanction. Scholz said however a recent court ruling in the EU, concerning the activities of the IRGC, is being examined by EU officials. This could open the way to a terrorist designation for the IRGC, Scholz said. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said his country would support sanctions on the IRGC.

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