NOURNEWS- The following headlines appeared in English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Wednesday, August 30, 2023

IRAN DAILY

-- BRICS, SCO opportunity for Iran’s economy:

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi said alliances like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are a very good opportunity for Iran to increase its economic capacities and confront the West’s unilateralism.
Speaking during a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday, Raeisi said that relations with the alliances’ great economies will surely help the economy’s growth in Iran.
Back in July, Iran gained full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which is a political organization with eight members, namely, Russia, India, Pakistan, and the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
The BRICS group of emerging economies also approved Iran’s full membership in the organization last week.
President Ebrahim Raeisi said that efforts by the enemies to isolate Iran and drive the Iranian people to despair have failed, whereas all indicators attest to growth and progress in the country.
Enemy’s failed policy
“Relations with Latin America, Africa and many Asian countries, becoming active in the Eurasian Economic Union and membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and, recently, in BRICS all show that the enemy did not succeed in its policy to isolate Islamic Iran, and our political, commercial and economic situation shows the failure of the enemy in this strategy.”
Raeisi added that Iran has also forged strong relations with Islamic and like-minded countries, its enemies are also knocking on the door after initially trying to ditch the country when riots broke out following the death of Iranian girl Mahsa Amini last September.
“The enemy tried to follow two strategies of isolating Iran in the world and disappointing the people inside, and it failed in both.
Raeisi was referring to sanctions imposed on Iran since the United States torpedoed the nuclear deal in 2018, as well as protests that erupted in September 2022 over the death of Mahsa Amini in custody.
“That is because we follow numerous agendas in our foreign policy all at the same time, one of which is the JCPOA,” the president said, referring to the 2015 nuclear deal, which is on life support after the US withdrawal.
“We’ve followed relations with neighboring countries as well as Islamic and aligned states, and improved the level of political, economic and commercial relations, where commercial ties have grown 14 percent over the previous government,” he said.  
Economic ties
“In the area of regional trade ties and business measures, in which some believed little can be done, the government broke the record and it turned out that there are many capacities in the country,” Raeisi added.
The president said the people’s efforts and hope have increased day by day, as shown by production, science and technology indicators and knowledge-based initiatives of Iranian youths.
“Today is the day Islamic Iran is known as an advanced and technological country,” he said.
US media reports have said the Biden administration has been negotiating quietly to open diplomatic channels with Iran. The indirect talks, they say, reflect a resumption of diplomacy between the United States and Iran after the collapse of more than a year of negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear deal.      
The Iranian side has not commented on such claims, but President Raeisi said on Tuesday, “We have not abandoned the negotiating table for removing the sanctions”.
“The other side left the negotiation table, and now they regret it, stating that they are ready to negotiate.”
But, he added, “We are not tying the country’s economy to the wishes of Western countries”.

-- Unveiled Motives Behind Azerbaijan’s Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh:

The situation further deteriorated after April 23, 2023. Violating the international commitments made by the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan in the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, the Azerbaijani authorities escalated matters by establishing an unauthorized checkpoint in the Lachin corridor within the jurisdiction of the Russian peacekeeping forces.
By subjecting Nagorno-Karabakh to an extended blockade, the Azerbaijani authorities continue to violate not only the aforementioned trilateral statement but also the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights issued on December 21, 2022, as well as the decisions of the International Court of Justice issued on February 22 and July 6, 2023. These rulings mandate that Baku immediately undertake all measures at its disposal to guarantee unhindered movement of people, vehicles, and cargo in both directions along the Lachin Corridor.
Having forsaken its international obligations and under the pretext of “combating the illegal flow of weaponry” into Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan initially restricted and subsequently prohibited the transport of essential items such as food, medicines, and energy resources to Artsakh. Electricity and natural gas supplies were completely halted. Furthermore, from July 26 until the moment of writing this report, a convoy consisting of 22 trucks carrying humanitarian aid for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh has remained stranded at Kornidzor in the Syunik region of Armenia, situated at the threshold of the Lachin Corridor. In effect, the Azerbaijani authorities have obstructed the transport of humanitarian provisions to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, which includes 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly people, and 9,000 disabled individuals. Consequently, limited internal reserves of food and medicines are swiftly diminishing, plunging Nagorno-Karabakh into a man-made humanitarian catastrophe. The international efforts to avert this crisis are becoming increasingly urgent, but they are delayed as the regime that deprived the Armenians of Artsakh of energy resources continues to be considered a “reliable energy partner” and a “strategic partner” of both the West and Russia.
Azerbaijan initially conditioned the unimpeded functioning of the Lachin Corridor with the establishment of what they refer to as the “Zangezur Corridor”. The term was introduced by Baku soon after the 44-day war in 2020, with a deliberate misinterpretation of paragraph 9 of the statement of the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan issued on November 9, 2020. This distortion aimed to equate the Lachin Corridor, linking Armenia with Artsakh, to a road intended to connect the western part of Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan through Armenian territory. It is important to note that according to the mentioned document, all economic transport links in the region should be unblocked and transport links between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan should be ensured. However, nowhere in the document is there any reference to a “Zangezur Corridor,” particularly not within the framework of the extraterritorial logic that Azerbaijan seeks to convey to the international community through vague statements concerning the road.
Armenia has consistently rejected the possibility of establishing an extraterritorial corridor to link Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, asserting that it will not grant passage for such a route through its sovereign territory under any circumstances. This stance is a “red line” for Armenia, a violation of which could potentially trigger extremely dangerous outcomes not only for Armenia itself but also for the entire region.
Such a “corridor” is aimed not only at connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, it also seeks to forge ties across the Turkic world, establishing a connection between Turkey and Central Asian countries. It is worth noting that Azerbaijani and Turkish high-ranking officials have articulated this sentiment multiple times.
Moreover, the objective of the “Zangezur Corridor” is to disrupt the link between Iran and Armenia, to prevent Iran’s land access to the Europe and the Eurasian Economic Union market that goes through Armenia. In addition, the establishment of such a passage would inevitably change the balance of power in the Caucasus, increasing the influence of Turkey and Azerbaijan while diminishing the sway of Iran and Armenia.
Confronted by resistance from both Armenia and Iran in connection with the “Zangezur corridor,” Azerbaijan escalated its blockade of Artsakh. The blockade appears to be part of a strategy aimed at advancing a pseudo-policy of “integrating the population of Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan”. The aim is the complete expulsion of the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh through forced emigration or deportation.
The humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh proves that the peaceful and secure coexistence of Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan is not realistic. The international community should clearly address that the rights and security of the Armenians of Artsakh can be ensured exclusively outside of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty. Armenia envisions the resolution of this crisis through the implementation of an international mechanism that bolsters fostering a dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert (the de facto capital of Artsakh).
However, by avoiding direct dialogue with Nagorno-Karabakh and periodically raising the demands in negotiations, Azerbaijan potentially paves the way for future aggression against both Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, with the military support of some regional countries, as was witnessed during the 44-day war. The lingering presence of mercenaries who were deployed during that conflict in 2020 further compounds the uncertainty and instability within the region.

-- Hard times for historic mosque in the heart of Tehran:

Recent Iranian kings, up until the Qajar era, had a person nicknamed Moayyer-bashi, who was highly trusted by the king. One such person was Hassan-Ali-Beyg Bastami, who served under Nader Shah. Due to his excellence, the Bastami family had control over the mint until the end of the Qajar era, and thus became known as the Moayyer ol-Mamalek family.
Aside from their influence, the Moayyer ol-Mamalek family was also known for their generosity in creating endowments. They built various structures like mosques, schools, water reservoirs, drinking fountains, zoorkhaneh (gymnasiums), and bazaars, which still exist today. Notable landmarks such as “Takyeh Dowlat” and “Shams ol-Emareh” were constructed under their supervision – the former upon Nasser al-Din Shah’s orders.
One of their famous endowments is the Moayyer ol-Mamalek Mosque that used to function as a school as well. If you visit Tehran’s Sangelaj neighborhood on Mahdavian Ahadi Street today, you can see its historic brick building.
However, recent news has circulated about its destruction despite being nationally registered and protected by law, Fars news agency reported.
Sadly, this mosque has lost its original purpose. Even during prayer times, either it remains closed or only a small part becomes accessible temporarily through one door. In earlier days, though, it held great importance due to its central location in the city alongside beautiful architecture and spaciousness.
Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Falsafi used to deliver sermons at this mosque for many years when it was one of the busiest places of worship in town. It also served as a gathering place for children who would come for religious education or engage in games during leisure hours—a safe haven appreciated by families.
Until recently, grand Muharram ceremonies took place here with extensive distribution of Imam Hussein’s (PBUH) votive offerings among locals nearby. Additionally, the water reservoir attached to this mosque provided relief to residents of Sangelaj neighborhood facing water shortages. Sadly, the reservoir has now been abandoned, and many are unaware that a drinking fountain and zoorkhaneh within the mosque complex have been completely destroyed.
It is worth noting that when a building is nationally registered, only authorized individuals appointed by Tehran’s cultural heritage department should be involved in its restoration or reconstruction—never for destruction or change of use. What raises concern is the fact that those responsible for safeguarding the Moayyer ol-Mamalek Mosque have not only damaged its historical value, but also prevented public access at times of prayer.
Authorities must address this negligence towards the law. The mere act of opposing will not suffice to halt further demolition. Those responsible for violating regulations regarding national heritage buildings must be held accountable, with orders issued to restore these structures according to preservation principles. Such disregard for our historical heritage encourages others to harm other cultural treasures if enforcement remains weak.

-- Taremi eager to seal last-gasp Milan move: Report:

Porto striker Mehdi Taremi has made his desire known to the Portuguese club that he wants to join Serie A giant Milan before the summer transfer window deadline on Friday, according to Relevo journalist Matteo Moretto.
The Italian club representatives are in talks with Porto over a deal for the Iranian talisman, whose contract at the Primeira Liga side runs until July next year.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola, meanwhile, wrote that Monday’s 2-1 away victory against Rio Ave was likely the last appearance in the Dragons’ outfit for the prolific frontman.
Porto is believed to be asking 25-30 million euros for their Iranian asset, who turned 31 last month, though Milan is reluctant to meet the price tag.
Yet to get off the mark in the new season, Taremi bagged 31 goals, while providing his teammates with 14 assists, in 51 appearances across all competitions for Porto in the previous campaign – including 22 strikes in the league which saw him finish as the leading marksman in the Portuguese top flight.
Porto still had to settle for a runner-up finish behind Benfica in the league but went on to lift the Taça de Portugal trophy for a second year in a row.
The Iranian also netted five to help Porto win the group in the UEFA Champions League before being knocked out by Inter in the round of 16.
Should the deal eventually go through, Taremi will become the second Iranian international to move to the Serie A this summer, following Sardar Azmoun.
AS Roma signed the Leverkusen forward, who had four goals and assists apiece in 33 outings for the Bundesliga side, on a season-long loan contract with the option to make the deal permanent.

KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL

-- France Convicts 2,000 People Over June Protests:

Nearly 2,000 people have been convicted in France over nationwide protests sparked in late June by the fatal police shooting of a teenager during a traffic stop near Paris, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti says.
The minister had called for a “rapid, firm and systematic” response from magistrates to the worst unrest in the country since 2005, with many courts holding fast-track trials for suspects.
Speaking to RTL radio, Dupond-Moretti says that out of 2,107 people tried, 1,989 had been found guilty and 1,789 had received prison sentences.
“I called on magistrates to be firm and they responded,” Dupond-Moretti adds. “It was a question of restoring law and order.”
The unrest began on June 27 after a police officer shot dead a 17-year-old boy with North African roots, named Nahel Merzouk, during a traffic stop west of Paris.
The protests were brutally suppressed after the deployment of around 45,000 security forces on successive evenings, including elite police special forces and armored vehicles.
Just earlier this month, five police officers in Marseille were taken into custody for questioning over the death of 27-year-old Muhammad Bendriss, merely two months after Merzouk’s murder.
Bendriss was reportedly riding his scooter in the city at the time of the protests. His lifeless body was discovered outside his mother’s residence after he fallen ill.
A subsequent postmortem examination revealed signs of chest trauma believed to have been inflicted by the French police’s rubber bullet-firing weapon.
The killing of Merzouk and subsequent protests again exposed racism and police brutality experienced by many Muslims and immigrants in the European society.
The controversy surrounding racial profiling by the French police is not new, with critics decrying the use of generalizations based on race, ethnicity, religion and national origin as a discriminatory practice. Despite being illegal in France and facing legal challenges, the practice has persisted through a lack of executive action, according to human rights groups.
In addition to deploying massive police forces to control the situation, the French government reportedly considered banning access to social media to prevent organized protests.
“We have to think about the social networks, about the bans we’ll have to put in place. When things get out of control, we might need to be able to regulate or cut them off,” French President Emmanuel
 Macron was quoted saying in a meeting then.
The French government’s response has also been criticized by some as both heavy-handed and ineffective.
While human rights groups called for addressing systemic and institutional racism, some French politicians demanded tougher actions against the protesters.
The Pew Research Center says France is about 9% Muslim; Islam is the second largest religion in the country. The majority are of Arab ancestry. Rough estimates put the Black population from as low as under 1% to as high as 5%.
Fear of police was at the root of a 2005 incident in Clichy-sous-Bois outside Paris in which three teens — of Mauritanian, Tunisian and Turkish descent — ran when they saw a patrol car. Police were not looking for the teens but chased them anyway. Two were electrocuted to death while hiding in a high-voltage transformer. Their deaths triggered a massive uprising.
French secular policy bars religion from public life, which has led to bans on wearing religious symbols in schools and government jobs.

-- 15 Iranian Pilgrims Killed in Road Accidents in Iraq:

Seven Iranian pilgrims were killed and eight others injured after their vehicle overturned in Iraq, the Iranian Red Crescent in Iraq said Tuesday.
The incident happened when the van carrying Iranian pilgrims overturned on the road between Zurbatiyah to Badra, Iraq on Tuesday afternoon. On Monday, four Iranian pilgrims died and 16 others were injured after the bus carrying them overturned in Iraq’s Wasit province. 

-- All Indicators Show Growth, Progress:

President Ebrahim Raisi said here Tuesday that efforts by the enemies to isolate Iran and drive the Iranian people to despair have failed, whereas all indicators attest to growth and progress in the country.
Raisi told a news conference in Tehran that while Iran has forged strong relations with Islamic and like-minded countries, its enemies are also knocking on the door after initially trying to ditch the country when riots broke out following the death of a young woman last September.
“The enemy tried to follow two strategies of isolating Iran in the world and disappointing the people inside, which it failed in both.
“That is because we follow numerous agendas in our foreign policy all at the same time, one of which is the JCPOA,” the president said, referring to the 2015 nuclear deal which is on life support after the U.S. withdrawal.
“We’ve followed relations with the neighboring countries as well as Islamic and aligned states, and improved the level of political, economic and commercial relations where commercial ties have grown 14 percent compared to the previous government,” he said.
“In the area of regional trade ties and business measures which some believed little can be done, the government broke the record and it turned out that there are many capacities in the country,” Raisi added.
“Relations with Latin America, Africa and many Asian countries and becoming active in the Eurasian Economic Union and membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and recently in BRICS all show that … the enemy did not succeed in its policy to isolate Islamic Iran and our political, commercial and economic situation shows the failure of the enemy in this strategy.”
President Raisi also touched on the enemies’ project to disappoint the Iranian people.
“Not a few months had passed when a nationwide cyber attack was launched on gas stations,” he said.
“Throughout the country, they tried to anger the people by creating problems, but the people carried on vigilantly and with insight and disappointed the enemy.”
When the enemy realized that the people are with the government and the country is progressing, it turned to stoking unrest, the president said.
“The enemy thought that it could follow through by stirring agitation. Even the Westerners left the negotiation table and pinned their hope on riots,” he said.
“They thought that they could achieve their goals in riots, but the people let them down, after
which, they immediately messaged that they wanted to go back to the negotiating table and start negotiations,” Raisi added.
“They sought to disappoint the people in various sectors, and the Iranian people disappointed them, instead.”
The president said the people’s effort and hope has increased day by day, as shown by production, science and technology indicators and knowledge-based initiates of the Iranian youth.
“Today is the day when Islamic Iran is known as an advanced and technological country,” he said. “All indicators show growth, effort and progress.”
U.S. media reports have said the Biden administration has been negotiating quietly to open diplomatic channels with Iran. The indirect talks, they say, reflect a resumption of diplomacy between the United States and Iran after the collapse of more than a year of negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear deal.
The Iranian side has not commented on such claims, but President Raisi said on Tuesday that “We have not abandoned the negotiating table for removing the sanctions”.
“The other sides left the negotiation table and now they regret it, stating that they are ready to negotiate.”
Apart from pushing the envelope on the removal of sanctions through reviving the nuclear agreement, the president said, the Islamic Republic is “pursuing other files”, such as Iran’s membership in regional and extra-regional alliances, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
“Alliances like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS are definitely effective against U.S. unilateralism,” the president said.
“The connection with the Shanghai infrastructure is important for us. My response to those who say the way out of our problems is the smile of America or some European countries is that we will not wait for their smile.”
Along with SCO members, Iran can be influential with its high capacities, President Raisi addd.
“This influence is a two-way street, so we will take the necessary measures and not wait for them [the West] to make a decision for us.”

-- Iran to Display Nuclear Achievements in Vienna Exhibition:

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Teusady that Iran plans to display five achievements of the country’s nuclear sector in an upcoming exhibition in Vienna.
The exhibition, slated to be held in the Austrian capital in October, is an opportunity to demonstrate the broader benefits of the nuclear achievements to the people, Kamalvandi made the remarks in an exhibition titled Narration of Service in Tehran.
He explained that the AEOI is meeting the needs of many domestic industries and has been able to help those industries move forward.
“In the fields of (uranium) enrichment, radiopharmaceuticals, heavy water derivatives, lasers and other (nuclear) fields, the organization has achieved important successes, and by using the capacity of such exhibitions, these achievements, which can be seen in all aspects of people’s lives, should be explained,” the spokesman said.
He also argued that the exhibition is an opportunity to bring happiness to the people in the face of relentless smear campaigns of foreign media outlets against the performance of the Iranian administration.
AEOI Unveils New Gamma Irradiation Machine
On Tuesday in East Azarbaijan, AEOI chief Muhammad Eslami unveiled a new homegrown self-protection gamma irradiation system.
The new technology is a “self-protection two-layered gamma irradiation” system with a daily capacity of 100 tons.
The new machine is used for irradiation of cereals and grains for various processes such as disinfection, germination control, and reduction of storage pest infestation.
By reducing the microbial load of food and eliminating pollutant. microorganisms, the irradiation machine can be applied to various products like wheat, barley, garbanzo, split pea, lentil, bean, rice, walnut, pistachio, almond, and hazelnut.

Food irradiation is the process of exposing foodstuffs to gamma rays to kill bacteria that can cause food-borne disease and to increase shelf-life. It has the same benefits as when food is heated, refrigerated, frozen, or treated with chemicals, but does not change the temperature or leave residues.
In all parts of the world, there is growing use of irradiation technology to preserve food. More than 60 countries worldwide have introduced regulations allowing the use of irradiation for food products including spices, grains, fruit, vegetables, and meat.
It can replace potentially harmful chemical fumigants used to eliminate insects from dried fruit and grain.
According to FAO, nuclear techniques help national authorities in over 50 countries to improve food safety by addressing the problem of harmful residues and contaminants in food products and to improve their traceability systems with stable isotope analysis.

-- Government: UK Flight Chaos May Last for Days:

The British government was working with airlines on Tuesday to help ensure passengers stranded in airports across Europe can get home after an air traffic control glitch caused widespread disruption to flights that is expected to last for days.
More than 1,500 flights were cancelled on Monday - a public holiday in parts of Britain, and one of the busiest travel days as the school holidays draw to close - when air traffic controllers were forced to switch to manual systems due to a technical problem.
That left thousands of passengers stuck at airports in Europe and further afield.
Mark Harper, the transport secretary, warned it would take days to resolve the issues after cancellations hit airline schedules meaning planes and crews were out of place.
Ryanair, Europe’s biggest airline, would be operating a normal schedule by Wednesday, said boss Michael O’Leary, as he criticized how Britain’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) had handled the situation.
“We still haven’t had an explanation from them, what exactly caused this failure yesterday and where were their back-up systems,” O’Leary said in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he understood people were frustrated.
“The transport secretary is in constant dialogue with all the industry participants. He will be talking to airlines specifically later today and making sure that they support passengers to get home as quickly as possible,” Sunak said.
Harper said government officials did not believe the technical problem, the first on this scale for a decade, was the result of a cyber attack.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium said 790 flights departing British airports were cancelled and 785 flights due to arrive were cancelled on Monday.
British Airways said it was working hard “to get back on track” and had offered passengers flying short-haul routes to change their flight dates free of charge.
EasyJet said that the knock-on impact meant some flights were cancelled on Tuesday morning.
Heathrow Airport, Britain’s busiest hub, told passengers to contact their airline before travelling to the airport on Tuesday.

TEHRAN TIMES
 

-- Iran has no nuclear weapons: IAEA chief:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday that “Iran does not possess nuclear weapons.” “Iran does not have nuclear weapons. A distinction must be made between having nuclear weapons and being able to create them,” Grossi said at a meeting of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. Grossi went on to say that in 2015 Iran and world powers reached an agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but the United States withdrew from it in 2018. Grossi also noted that “the American move triggered Iran to abandon obligations over time. Although this agreement has not been declared dead, it has become an empty shell.” The UN nuclear chief added that “Iran has the nuclear materials necessary for several nuclear weapons, but I must emphasize that Iran currently does not have any nuclear weapons.” “We must distinguish between having nuclear weapons and having the ability to make them. This is a very important issue. It is important to get to a point where this program is stable and the diplomatic and system conditions are in place to ensure it,” Grossi remarked.

-- Argentina’s unexpected political earthquake:

The results of Argentina’s August 14 primary presidential election offer insight into the accumulated social dissolution of the voters. In their hopes of creating a positive change, they abandoned the two traditional political forces of Peronism and the center-right and risked chaos by boosting the chances of a far-right victory. In what was quite a shock, the far-right movement ended up defying the odds and celebrated the night of Argentina’s primary election. The radical libertarian economist Javier Milei won the most votes with 30 percent of the ballot boxes, and the center-right opposition coalition “Together for Change” came in second with 28.1 percent of the vote. 

-- The day terrorism shook Iran:

Iranians commemorate National Day of Fight against Terrorism on August 30, which is considered a dark day in their country’s history. On a Sunday afternoon in 1981, only three years after the Islamic Revolution and amidst a full-scale war against Iran by its neighbor Iraq, a terrorist attack sent shockwaves throughout Iran. The country’s President Mohammad Ali Rajai and Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar were assassinated in an attack on a high-ranking meeting. The two figures who had dedicated their lives to serving their country were attending a council meeting at the Islamic Republic Party’s building, discussing the pressing issues facing the country. Little did they know that a security personnel, entrusted with protecting them, would betray that trust and proceed to assassinate them. The security man, named Massoud Kashmiri, entered the room with a briefcase that contained a bomb. In an instant, lives were lost, and the two senior officials were killed. The explosion also took the lives of two servicemen and a woman who happened to be passing by the building. Mujahedin-e-Khalq, a terrorist organization, proudly claimed responsibility for the cowardly attack. They admitted to giving Kashmiri the mission to assassinate the two top officials. The news of the loss quickly spread across the country. The Tehran Times was one of the outlets that covered the tragedy and the countless reactions to it. According to a report published by the Tehran Times on September 1, hundreds of thousands of people attended the funeral ceremony of Bahonar and Rajai to bid farewell to the two beloved officials. Iran’s parliament released a statement after the attack urging people to not lose.