Tag: IRAN

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Iran, China step up trade ties

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi signed the deal which aimed at expanding ties in the next 25 years…reports Asian Lite News

Iran and China have inked a long-term cooperation agreement in Tehran, the state television reported.

The comprehensive agreement signed on Saturday by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, aims to expand bilateral cooperation in various fields in the next 25 years, DPA news agency reported.

The agreement paves the way for billions in Chinese investment in Tehran, and in return, Iran wants to supply oil to Beijing at favourable prices. Military cooperation is also part of the plans.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described cooperation with China as strategic and said that the new agreement will deepen this partnership even further. “We want China to be a major trading partner,” he said during his meeting with Wang Yi on Saturday.

Iran is facing a crippling economic crisis due to sanctions imposed by the US in 2018, which have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. With US President Joe Biden seemingly unwilling to lift sanctions in the short term, the government in Tehran has been aligning itself more closely with Russia and China.

Also read:Iran-Iraq border to be closed till April

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Iran-Iraq border to be closed till April

On February 20, Iran closed several crossing points with Iraq to stem the spread of a new coronavirus variant…reports Asian Lite News.

While the coronavirus pandemic has continued to impact people of  all strata, as earlier borders are about to shut down. The border points between Iran and Iraq will be closed for passengers until April 4 in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, a top government official said here

The announcement was made on Wednesday by Hossein Qasemi, Director-General of Border Affairs of Iranian Interior Ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.

The decision was taken by the National Headquarters for Fighting Coronavirus following the request of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Qasemi told the media.

However, if there are Iranian nationals in Iraq who want to return, or if Iraqi nationals in Iran want to go back to their country, they can cross the border, he said.

Also, border crossing for traders, contractors and engineering activities would be possible after necessary evaluations, he added.

On February 20, Iran closed several crossing points with Iraq to stem the spread of a new coronavirus variant.

Also Read-No recent contact with US: Iran

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No recent contact with US: Iran

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

Iran claimed that US policy of maximum pressure, adopted by former President Donald Trump’s administration, has failed and the recession in Iran is over….reports Asian Lite News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnSMe6qLrJ8

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied that there has been either a direct or indirect exchange of messages between Tehran and Washington over mutual disputes, a top official said here.

“Until now, Iran hasn’t received any message, either direct or indirect, from the US administration,” Xinhua news agency quoted Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying.

The problem is that Washington is not willing to change the course, said Khatibzadeh, adding that the US has not taken steps to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Sanctions imposed by the former US government are still in place, and Iranian diplomats in New York City remain restricted in their movements, he noted.

US President Joe Biden

Khatibzadeh dismissed the continuation of pressure on Iran, saying that the US policy of maximum pressure, adopted by former President Donald Trump’s administration, has failed and the recession in Iran is over.

The US needs to stick to its own obligations, return to the JCPOA and lift sanctions that have been costly to the Islamic Republic, he said.

In response to the .S withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and the re-imposition of sanctions, Iran has suspended implementing parts of its obligations under the deal.

The incumbent US administration under President Joe Biden has said that if Iran returns to full compliance with the nuclear deal, Washington would do the same.

But Iran insisted its compliance would only take place once US sanctions were removed.

Also read:Iran’s vaccine enters final trial