NOURNEWS- The following headlines appeared in English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Saturday, August 26, 2023
IRAN DAILY:
-- Kremlin calls accusations it killed Wagner boss ‘absolute lie’:
The Kremlin said that Western suggestions Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had been killed on its orders were an “absolute lie”.
Russia’s aviation authority has said that Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group, was on board a private jet which crashed on Wednesday evening northwest of Moscow with no survivors, Reuters reported.
However, the Kremlin has declined to definitively confirm his death, citing the need to wait for test results.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to the families of those killed in the crash on Thursday and spoke of Prigozhin in the past tense, breaking his silence after the incident which occurred exactly two months to the day after Prigozhin led a failed mutiny against army chiefs.
Putin cited “preliminary information” as indicating that Prigozhin and his top associates in the Wagner mercenary group had all been killed and, while praising Prigozhin, said he had also made some “serious mistakes.”
Western politicians and commentators have suggested, without presenting evidence, that Putin ordered Prigozhin to be killed in order to punish him for launching the June 23-34 mutiny against the army’s leadership which also represented the biggest challenge to Putin’s own rule since he came to power in 1999.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the accusation and many others like it were false.
“There is now a great deal of speculation surrounding this plane crash and the tragic deaths of the plane’s passengers, including Yevgeny Prigozhin. Of course, in the West, all this speculation is presented from a well-known angle,” Peskov told reporters.
“All of this is an absolute lie, and here, when covering this issue, it is necessary to base yourself on facts. There are not many facts yet. They need to be established in the course of investigative actions,” he said.
Speaking after Wagner vowed revenge over the death of its leader, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky denied Ukrainian involvement in the reported death of the Wagner boss in the plane crash near Moscow.
Zelensky denied that his nation was responsible adding that “everyone is aware of who is involved.”
Diplomatic norms disregarded
Earlier on Friday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had scolded US President Joe Biden for expressing his lack of surprise that Prigozhin had been killed in a plane crash, accusing Biden of disregarding diplomatic norms.
Russian investigators have opened a probe into what happened, but have not yet said what they suspect caused the plane to suddenly fall from the sky northwest of Moscow.
Nor have they officially confirmed the identities of the 10 bodies recovered from the wreckage.
British military intelligence said on Friday there was not yet definitive proof that Prigozhin had been onboard but that it was “highly likely” he was dead.
The Pentagon has said its own initial assessment is that Prigozhin was killed.
Russia’s Baza news outlet, which has good sources among law enforcement agencies, has reported that investigators are focusing on a theory that one or two bombs may have been planted on board the plane.
-- Trump released from Georgia jail on $200k bond:
Former US president Donald Trump was released on $200,000 bond and returned to the airport for the trip back to New Jersey.
According to jail records, Trump was freed on bond after undergoing the booking procedure at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, republicworld.com reported.
The former US president was arrested and booked at the Fulton County jail on Thursday night in connection with the Georgia election subversion case.
He was in jail for roughly 20 minutes. His quick 20-minute booking resulted in a historic first: A mug shot of a former US president. Authorities issued a booking photo of Trump, dressed in a navy suit and crimson tie, aggressively scowling at the cameraman, with his eyebrows furrowed as he gazed into the lens.
He was unrepentant following his brief jail visit, insisting that he “did nothing wrong” and calling the case charging him of tampering with election results a “travesty of justice.”
Trump’s fourth surrender to authorities this year has grown into a familiar election-season routine, belying the rare spectacle of a former president, and present candidate, being arrested on criminal charges. But, unlike the other three surrenders, his trip to Atlanta took place at nighttime and required him to attend a troubled jail instead of a courtroom. It happened not in a liberal stronghold like New York or Washington, but in the heart of a battleground state viewed as crucial to the 2024 presidential election, AP reported.
According to a person acquainted with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the procedures, unlike in other cities where he was not required to appear for a mug picture, a booking picture of him was taken.
His jail visit generated a stunning split-screen graphic during a 2024 Republican primary race in which he remains the front-runner, arriving one day after a debate in Milwaukee in which eight of his key contenders attempted to capitalise on the former president’s absence by standing out from the pack.
-- BRICS membership to spur Iran’s growth:
Iran’s membership in BRICS will pave the ground for improving the country’s economic growth and exports, Nima Mirzaei, an economic expert said Friday.
“BRICS stands as a powerful framework for economic advancement and serves as a huge market. Every nation, upon entering, can foresee positive prospects for its economy, as well as enhanced trade and political relations,” Mirzaei told IRNA.
He said following the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers in 2018, the Islamic Republic was hit by a series of new sanctions that hampered its international interactions.
Mirzaei, a capital market analyst, noted, however, that recent government initiatives aimed at fostering political and economic relations with regional countries, particularly southern neighbors, had sparked “waves of renewed optimism”.
He added that Iran’s capacity for interactions and its vision of Eastern economies as emerging markets could “potentially challenge Western dominance,” led by the United States.
Mirzaei emphasized the significance of the cooperative efforts under BRICS, labeling it “the most robust platform and market,” with the potential to yield positive economic and diplomatic outcomes for every country, and “Iran is no exception”.
While he acknowledged that short-term leaps in Western interactions were not expected under current sanctions, he highlighted that the situation presented an “unparalleled opportunity” for Iran to engage in new paradigms.
Mirzaei predicted that Iran’s economic prospects would improve after joining the ranks of rising economies under BRICS.
“Various opportunities arising from Iran’s membership in BRICS would undeniably affect the macro-economic issues of the country in a positive way…, help bring down inflation and revalue the national currency.”
The expert added that Iran’s BRICS accession would “significantly bolster exports and help offset US sanctions,” as the extensive markets of fellow BRICS nations could provide a “major path” for the revival of Iranian exports.
Mirzaei projected that the new development could “unlock Iran’s potential for international investors,” eventually leading to renewed foreign investment in the country, which had seen ups and downs since the 1990s.
Amir-Ali Abolfat’h, an international affairs expert, also shared his views with ISNA on Friday, saying Iran’s membership in BRICS and its alignment with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization were major steps in advancing the country’s foreign policy.
Farshid Baqerian, another foreign affairs expert, urged the private sector to share responsibilities with the government for Iran’s better engagement with BRICS.
He suggested that a “BRICS council” be set up in Iran, involving the private sector, to assist the government in addressing possible challenges and shortcomings hindering the country’s interactions with the organization.
-- Asylum seekers say Bibby Stockholm conditions caused suicide attempt:
Thirty-nine asylum seekers who were briefly accommodated on the Home Office’s controversial Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset have said conditions onboard were so bad that one was driven to attempt suicide.
A three-page letter sent to the home secretary, Suella Braverman, also sets out the asylum seekers’ fear and despair at being trapped on the barge and appeals to her to help them in their search for safety and freedom in the UK, according to The Guardian.
They describe the barge as “an unsafe, frightening and isolated place” but said that as law-abiding people they were fearful of not obeying Home Office instructions. The asylum seekers described the barge as “a place of exile” and said the conditions were “small rooms and a terrifying residence”.
Some of the asylum seekers have told The Guardian they are too traumatized to return to the barge in Portland.
According to the letter some people fell ill on the barge.
The letter says: “Also in a tragic incident one of the asylum seekers attempted suicide but we acted promptly and prevented this unfortunate event. Considering the ongoing difficulties it’s not unexpected that we might face a repeat of such situations in the future.
“Some friends said they even wished they had courage to commit suicide. Our personal belief is that many of these individuals might resort to this foolishness to escape problems in the future.”
They said they were the last people to be informed about the legionella bacteria found on the barge and announced by the Home Office on 11 August.
They said their brief stay on the barge had led to a deterioration in their mental health. “Currently we are staying in an old and abandoned hotel. The sense of isolation and loneliness has taken over us and psychological and emotional pressures have increased significantly.”
The letter to Braverman concludes with a plea to consider their situation as a priority. “We are individuals who are tired of the challenges that have arisen and no longer have the strength to face them.”
KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL:
-- Policeman Martyred in Terrorist Attack:
A police officer, Ali Bizhani Ziba, was martyred in a terrorist attack in southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan where he was on patrol, the provincial military headquarters announced in a statement.
Two other officers were injured after the terrorists’ shooting in Sib and Suran county, the statement added. They were on patrol when they were attacked and killed by armed terrorist individuals, according to the statement.
-- FMs of Iran, Belarus Meet in Johannesburg:
Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Aleinik met with his Iranian counterpart Hussein Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg and discussed bilateral ties and issues of mutual interests.
Talks included the implementation of a cooperation roadmap signed during Belarusian President Lukashenko’s visit to Tehran in March, the press service of the Belarusian ministry of foreign affairs said.
-- Rise of Emerging Powers:
BRICS leaders announced on Thursday the “historic” admission of six new countries, as the bloc seeks to reshape the Western-led global order.
BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- agreed at their annual summit to make Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates full members from January 1.
“This membership expansion is historic,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose nation is the most powerful in the group of large and populous economies.
“The expansion is also a new starting point for BRICS cooperation. It will bring new vigor to the BRICS cooperation mechanism and further strengthen the force for world peace and development.”
Beijing has campaigned to rapidly expand and strengthen the BRICS as a counterweight to U.S. and Western dominance of world affairs, and the push to extend membership headlined the summit agenda in Johannesburg.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed hailed what he called “a great moment” for his country, the second most populous in Africa.
“The benefits of Iran’s membership to BRICS will make history, and open a new chapter and a stronger step towards fairness... and lasting peace on the international stage,” said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
Egypt and the UAE also broadcast their readiness to work with the loosely defined group, which represents billions of people on four continents and a quarter of the world’s wealth.
BRICS makes decisions by consensus and agreed on the six nations after approving rules for admission during three days of bilateral talks and closed-door meetings.
Officials said months of pre-negotiations were needed to reach the breakthrough. It paves the way for future expansion of the group of big and small economies.
More than 20 countries had formally applied to join and about the same number from non-Western nations across the so-called Global South have expressed interest.
Some 50 world leaders attended the summit, underscoring what BRICS leaders say is the attractiveness of its message and growing relevance on the world stage.
BRICS has risen to prominence at a time of intense geopolitical rivalry and analysts foreshadowed that its 15th summit could be pivotal.
“Our diversity strengthens the fight for a new international order,” said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who supported Argentina’s membership.
Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, said the summit had given BRICS “a shot in the arm”.
“In reality, BRICS does have something approximating a common vision, and that is providing alternatives to the West,” he said.
“I think it’s a goal that’s gained momentum amid greatly intensifying power competition.”
BRICS leaders championed its New Development Bank as a fairer lender for emerging markets than U.S.-based institutions like the World Bank.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said an overhaul of the world’s “outdated, dysfunctional and unfair global financial architecture” was necessary “but it won’t happen overnight”.
“In the absence of such reform, fragmentation is inevitable,” he told leaders in Johannesburg.
The admission of oil-producing giants Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE would boost the BRICS economic heft, with some observers says Tehran’s inclusion colors the bloc with an anti-American hue.
President Raisi says Iran’s accession will boost the country’s political clout and economy.
“Although imperialism seeks to hamper our economic growth, this
growth lies in linking with independent economies in the region that can help realize resistance economy in the country,” he told reporters in Tehran on his return from the summit.
In Johannesburg, he met with world leaders including President Xi who said China is willing to boost cooperation with Iran on BRICS and other platforms.
“China is ready to consolidate friendship and deepen mutual trust with the Iranian side and to continue to support each other on issues of mutual core interests,” the Chinese president said.
Raisi said Iran is ready to give a boost to its bilateral cooperation with China and help enhance multilateralism, stressing that Iran’s membership in BRICS would also strengthen the core approaches of the group, including opposition to the U.S. unilateralism.
Referring to the agreements already signed between Tehran and Beijing, the Iranian president stressed the need for the enforcement of a 25-year comprehensive deal between the two countries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held wide-ranging talks with President Raisi, during which they reviewed bilateral ties including in areas of trade and investment, energy, connectivity, counter-terrorism, and Afghanistan.
“Had a wonderful meeting with President Ebrahim Raeisi. I am glad that Iran will be joining BRICS. Discussed ways to deepen trade and cultural cooperation between India and Iran,” Modi said in a post on platform X.
The prime minister’s office said that Modi and Raisi held wide-ranging talks during which they discussed ways to boost ties in sectors like energy, connectivity, and trade.
They had spoken over the phone on Friday and discussed strengthening of bilateral and regional cooperation, including realizing the full potential of Chabahar Port.
In a separate meeting with Raeisi, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva congratulated the Islamic Republic on joining the BRICS group.
He said there are many opportunities in the fields of scientific, technological and academic exchanges and culture to expand cooperation between the two countries.
The president of Brazil denounced sanctions as a “criminal weapon” against world nations that targets the people of the embargoed country.
He said the current UN structure is incapable of preventing the encroachment of the powers against the rights of other nations, which requires the current structures to be redesigned.
BRICS, President Lula said, should be able to establish a new economic logic and order in the world.
President Raisi touched on the American officials’ acknowledgement of the scandalous failure of the “maximum pressure” policy against Iran.
He said despite the cruel sanctions, Iran’s advances in science and technology have been going in leaps and bounds.
TEHRAN TIMES:
-- Iran producing 90 percent of its military needs:
General Reza Talaeinik, the spokesman for the Iranian defense ministry, has said Iran has made significant progress in meeting its military needs. Talking to the Beirut-based al-Maydeen TV, General Talaeinik said Iran is now producing most of its military needs. “In recent years, Iran has been among the top 10 countries in the world in the field of defense industry technology,” he said, according to IRNA. He pointed out that in 45 years, Iran was able to transform from an importing country to a country that produces about 90% of its military needs. The spokesman also said that Iran has never started a war but will not hesitate to defend itself. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never initiated any war. Nevertheless, Iran will not spare any efforts in decisive defense of its independence and security,” he noted. Iran on Tuesday marked its Defense Industry Day in which it unveiled a new advanced droned called Mohajer-10. President Ebrahim Raisi attended the unveiling ceremony.
-- Another sign of ‘new order’:
Iran’s membership in BRICS can be viewed from various perspectives. The first and most important point about Tehran’s membership is that it shows that the United States is no longer the undisputed global superpower that determines where anyone should sit or that anyone has no right to sit at all. The United States has been openly seeking Iran’s diplomatic isolation for years. Iran’s membership in BRICS, following its membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is a lifeline to this hostile US policy against Tehran. This very point is a piece of a larger puzzle called the “new world order”. While some BRICS members such as China and India do not openly talk about efforts to disrupt the existing order, the path they are on is clearly this. Just over half a century ago, with the agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia, the dollar gradually became one of the main tools of US hegemony in the global arena.
NOURNEWS