Tag: Tehran

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Berlin, Tehran Confer on Islamic Centres Ban

Baerbock responded by stating that under German law, the Islamic centres could pursue their rights through legal mechanisms…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have exchanged views on Germany’s closure of Islamic centres in the European country in a phone call.

Bagheri Kani on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction with the German government’s decision, condemning it as a “completely political” move, including the shutdown of the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

He described the action as part of a strategy to “spread Islamophobia and safeguard Israel’s interests”, and warned that Germany should accept the consequences of its actions.

Baerbock responded by stating that under German law, the Islamic centres could pursue their rights through legal mechanisms. She highlighted the necessity of efforts in resolving the differences that had arisen, expressing hope that the obstacles to bilateral relations would be removed through dialogue and diplomatic channels.

The two ministers also discussed the latest developments in West Asia, the talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, the removal of sanctions, and bilateral consular issues, according to the statement.

On Wednesday, the German Interior Ministry said in a statement that it had banned the Hamburg-based IZH and its affiliated organisations throughout Germany, claiming the centre was “an Islamist extremist organisation pursuing anti-constitutional objectives”.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday summoned German Ambassador to Tehran Hans-udo Muzel and protested the country’s move, which it described as a “hostile action contrary to the fundamental principles of human rights.”

ALSO READ: Harmony Urged in Iran’s Govt

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New Parliament Convenes in Tehran Post-Helicopter Crash

A new Parliamentary Speaker is set to be elected in the coming days….reports Asian Lite News

A new Parliament convened in Iran’s capital Tehran for the first time on Monday, days after a deadly helicopter crash that killed the country’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The State radio reported that lawmakers in the Islamic Consultative Assembly opened the first session of the legislative period with a recitation from the Quran.

A new Parliamentary Speaker is set to be elected in the coming days.

Incumbent Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is running for re-election against religious hardliner Mojtaba Zonnour and former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

Elections in Iran are widely seen as neither free nor fair, as the country’s Guardian Council, a supervisory body of Islamic clerics and lawyers, must approve all candidates before they can run.

Hardliners won this year’s parliamentary elections, which were held over two rounds in March and May amid a historically low turnout of under 40 per cent.

Many Iranian citizens have become disillusioned in the face of political repression, an economic crisis and failed attempts to reform the country’s political system.

A wave of protests in September 2022 following the death of a young Kurdish woman, Masha Amini, was violently suppressed by authorities.

Political power in Iran is concentrated in the hands of the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were killed in a helicopter crash near the border to Azerbaijan more than a week ago.

The state news agency IRNA said more than three million people attended Raisi’s funeral in the north-eastern city of Mashhad on Thursday after days of national mourning.

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Tehran warned against attack on Americans over consulate strike

Ershadi urged the Security Council to condemn the attack, emphasising its violation of diplomatic premises’ inviolability…reports Asian Lite News

Tehran’s deputy permanent representative to the UN Zahra Ershadi asserted that Israel bears the full responsibility for the repercussions of its attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

During a Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Ershadi warned of Iran’s right to deliver a decisive response to such actions. The attack, which occurred on Monday, resulted in the destruction of Iran’s consulate and the loss of lives, including Iranian generals and civilians.

Ershadi urged the Security Council to condemn the attack, emphasising its violation of diplomatic premises’ inviolability.

Ershadi accused Israel of escalating the conflict in Gaza and criticized its actions as advancing apartheid policies and ethnic cleansing. She lamented the Security Council’s inaction, which she believed emboldened Israel’s violations. Additionally, Ershadi held the US accountable for Israel’s actions, alleging its complicity in the crimes committed by the Israeli regime.

Meanwhile, US ambassador Robert Wood refuted Iran’s allegations, stating that Washington had no involvement in the strike on the consulate and urged Iran to avoid escalating tensions in the region. Wood warned Iran against exploiting the situation to resume attacks against US personnel and emphasised the need to defend against such actions.

Vasily Nebenzia, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, condemned Israel’s strike on the Iranian consulate and called for an end to its aggressive actions in Syrian territory. He warned of the dangerous consequences of such actions for the region and urged Israel to abandon provocative acts of force.

Slovenia’s permanent representative to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, denounced attacks on diplomatic premises and expressed concern about the spillover effects of the conflict in Gaza. He emphasized the importance of restraint and compliance with Resolution 2728, which calls for a ceasefire.

China’s deputy ambassador, Geng Shuang, strongly condemned the attack on Iran’s consulate and reiterated the inviolability of diplomatic institutions. He called for an immediate end to the repeated breaches of international law and norms, emphasizing the need to halt the ongoing tragedy in the region.

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Philippine Delegation Heads to Tehran for Urgent Talks

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sworn in as Philippines' 17th President.(photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbidV2368058591112&set=pb.100044537672013.-2207520000 )

The 17 Filipino seafarers were among the crew members of a cargo vessel taken hostage by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in the Red Sea…reports Asian Lite News

The Philippines will send a high-level delegation to Iran for assisting the release of 17 Filipino seafarers who were taken hostage last week by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos said on Thursday.

In a post on X, the President said: “In light of important developments in the hostage situation involving 17 Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea, I have made the decision not to attend COP28 in Dubai tomorrow (Friday).

“Today, I will be convening a meeting to facilitate the dispatch of a high-level delegation to Tehran, Iran, with the aim of providing necessary assistance to our seafarers.”

The 17 Filipino seafarers were among the crew members of a cargo vessel taken hostage by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in the Red Sea.

The Houthis confirmed on November 19 their hijacking of the “Israeli cargo ship”.

Citing “government sources”, Teresita Daza, spokesperson for the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, said that “the hostages are in good condition and will eventually be released”.

“Efforts are ongoing for this to happen as soon as possible,” Daza added.

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‘Tehran Serious About Returning to N-Deal If Other Parties Ready’

Iran and the US conducted a prisoner swap on Monday, with each side releasing five detainees under a Qatar-brokered agreement…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

During the meeting, Amir-Abdollahian said on Sunday that Tehran is serious about returning to a 2015 nuclear deal should the other parties be ready, adding the exchange of indirect messages with the US continues.

He praised the UN Chief for the good consultations Guterres has always had with Iran regarding the revival of the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Xinhua news agency reported.

Turning to the cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Amir-Abdollahian noted that affairs proceed in the right direction whenever the agency acts within the technical framework.

He stressed that producing nuclear weapons has no place in Iran’s defence doctrine.

For his part, Guterres appreciated Iran’s diplomatic initiatives in helping resolve problems, remove obstacles and develop relations among countries.

Iran and the US conducted a prisoner swap on Monday, with each side releasing five detainees under a Qatar-brokered agreement.

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. 

The US, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed its unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments under the deal.

The talks on the revival of the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna, Austria. Despite several rounds of talks, no significant breakthrough has been achieved since the end of the last round in August 2022.

ALSO READ-Pak Army Chief Gen Asim Munir in Tehran

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Pak Army Chief Gen Asim Munir in Tehran

Gen Munir, who reached Iran on a two-day visit on Saturday…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir met Iran’s top military leaders to discuss bilateral matters relating to defence and security cooperation and stressed that his country was ready to solidify the ties and use the most suitable solutions to address security challenges and the presence and activities of terrorist elements at the border, local media reported.

Gen Munir, who reached Iran on a two-day visit on Saturday with a high-ranking military delegation, met Iran’s top general, Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, in Tehran and discussed ways to improve bilateral interactions “to develop the level of cooperation in different fields, including defence, security, military and training”, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported.

On his arrival in Tehran, Gen Munir was received by Maj Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, Mehr said.

In the meeting, both sides discussed and examined avenues for an increase in bilateral interactions, strengthening of the security on shared borders and an increase in educational interactions and defence and security relations at the regional level.

Gen Munir also met Major General Hossein Salami, the chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), who said Iran gave utmost importance to Pakistan’s security, Dawn reported.

“We consider Pakistan’s security as our security and by expanding interactions, cooperation and joint actions, we will end the existence of terrorist groups and establish stable security in the shared border areas,” Gen Salami was quoted as saying by the Mehr News Agency

The IRGC commander-in-chief said his forces were ready to turn the two countries’ borders into economic borders for economic and trade activities.

ALSO READ: IMF expresses concerns over Pakistan’s poor track record

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Tehran, Moscow cement economic ties

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Moscow on Aug. 31, 2022. (Russian Foreign Ministry photo/IANS)

Iran and Russia, both under sanctions imposed by the US, have been expanding their political and economic relations to counter the US moves….reports Asian Lite News

Iran and Russia have exchanged views on ways to further expand all-out relations, particularly in the fields of trade and economy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday discussed the issue on the sidelines of a quadrilateral meeting on the Syria issue in Moscow, which were also presented by Syrian and Turkish foreign ministers, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website.

Amir-Abdollahian called for greater efforts to accelerate the already improving bilateral relations between Iran and Russia along their current “right” path, saying Wednesday’s high-level quadrilateral meeting was a positive outcome of such cooperation, Xinhua news agency reported.

For his part, Lavrov said the imminent holding of the Russia-Iran joint economic commission in Tehran will play an important role in the deepening of the bilateral relations, expressing his hope that the trade and economic sectors of Iran would have an active presence in the 14th edition of the International Economic Forum “Russia-Islamic world: Kazan Forum” during May 18-19.

The two foreign ministers also highlighted the positive impacts of cooperation in developing the International North-South Transport Corridor as well as the financial and banking sectors on improving and deepening the bilateral economic and trade relations, calling for facilitating mutual activities in private sectors and trips between the two countries.

Iran and Russia, both under sanctions imposed by the US, have been expanding their political and economic relations to counter the US moves.

ALSO READ: Iran is like 50 North Koreas, Netanyahu tells US lawmakers

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Tehran an exciting learning experience for Manushi

Manushi signs third film.

She is glad that she got to dabble in very different types of films. “With a historical (Samrat Prithviraj) and now this, I have got to taste two very different genres. More to look forward to,” she said…reports Asian Lite News

Former Miss World and Bollywood actress Manushi Chhillar, who made her debut with ‘Samrat Prithviraj’, has been signed with John Abraham for ‘Tehran’, a film inspired by true events. The project is proving to be a great learning experience for the actress.

Talking about her experience on the project so far, Manushi said: “‘Tehran’ has been an exciting learning experience for me. I love how differently I get to showcase myself as an actor.”

She is living every moment of her journey as a growing actress, adding further: “Since my career in cinema has just begun, every day feels like my first day on set. There is so much to absorb and take mental notes of.”

She is glad that she got to dabble in very different types of films. “With a historical (Samrat Prithviraj) and now this, I have got to taste two very different genres. More to look forward to,” she said.

A Maddock Films production in association with Bake My Cake Films, ‘Tehran’ is directed by Arun Gopalan, written by Ritesh Shah and Ashish Prakash Verma, produced by Dinesh Vijan, Shobhna Yadav and Sandeep Leyzell.

ALSO READ-Manushi joins team ‘Tehran’

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Manushi joins team ‘Tehran’

Based on true events, ‘Tehran’ is reportedly a geo-political thriller revolving around the Russian-Ukrainian War…reports Asian Lite News

Former beauty queen Manushi Chhillar, who made her Bollywood debut with the Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Prithviraj’, will be seen in an action avatar in the upcoming film ‘Tehran’ featuring John Abraham.

Manushi has joined John on location for the action thriller’s shoot.

Based on true events, ‘Tehran’ is reportedly a geo-political thriller revolving around the Russian-Ukrainian War.

A Maddock Films production in association with Bake My Cake Films, Tehran is directed by Arun Gopalan, written by Ritesh Shah and Ashish Prakash Verma, produced by Dinesh Vijan, Shobhna Yadav and Sandeep Leyzell.

John will also be seen sharing screen space with Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan in the upcoming movie ‘Pathaan’. Manushi has a film with Vicky Kaushal in the pipeline.

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Iran FM says UK’s debt settlement unrelated to dual nationals’ release

Iran's Foreign Minister

The Iranian Foreign Minister has said that London has paid off its debt owed to Tehran, noting the settlement was unrelated to the release of the two dual British-Iranian nationals imprisoned in Iran…reports Asian Lite News

Hossein Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in an address to foreign ambassadors and heads of missions to Iran ahead of the Nowruz, the Iranian new year which begins on March 21, 2022, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Iran’s official news agency IRNA.

ALSO READ: Iran says ball in US court for conclusion of Vienna talks

The two British-Iranians, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anousheh Ashouri, were released on humanitarian grounds, he said, adding they had been “arrested and tried on espionage and security charges in Iran.”

Abdollahian noted that during the past four months, he had been in intense contact with his British counterpart Liz Truss to ensure the payment to the Central Bank of Iran.

The UK owed millions of US dollars to Iran for an unfulfilled military contract dating back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. The UK had delayed the payment for many years citing sanctions against Iran as the reason.