NOURNEWS- The following headlines appeared in English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
IRAN DAILY:
-- Raeisi, Putin outline Iran’s full participation in BRICS activities
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed steps to ensure that Tehran fully takes part in BRICS activities as well as the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.
The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that the Russian and Iranian presidents held a telephone conversation on Tuesday at the initiative of the Iranian side, IFP reported.
Ebrahim Raeisi expressed his gratitude for Putin’s “support of the Iranian application to join BRICS.” Moreover, “steps were discussed to ensure that Iran smoothly joins the full-fledged activities of this association, taking into account the chairmanship of Russia in 2024,” the Kremlin said.
The presidents also stressed their intention to strengthen trade and economic ties as well as to promote joint energy and transport projects, it added.
Calling Iran a “strategic partner,” Vladimir Putin expressed hope that by launching the Rasht-Astara railway and linking the railways of Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan, the trade between the two countries would significantly increase. Putin and Raeisi also expressed interest in intensifying the work of the 3+3 regional consultative platform [Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, plus Russia, Iran, Turkey].
The Kremlin also announced that Putin and Raeisi had a detailed exchange of views on the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and the normalization of Yerevan-Baku relations.
Putin also briefed Raeisi about the work of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians and the protection of the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The two presidents also stressed the importance of resolving all issues on Nagoro-Karabakh only by peaceful, political, and diplomatic means.
-- Iran plastic expo key factor in boosting exports to Pakistan
Iran Daily’s correspondent in Pakistan
The 17th IranPlast International Exhibition recently held in Tehran has played a crucial role in introducing Iran’s plastic industry to countries in the region.
According to businesspeople from around the world and neighboring countries, Iran’s plastic industry has made significant progress in the last years in terms of raw material production.
Setting up a plastic production industry in Iran is seen as a profitable investment. As Iran produces various raw materials for the plastic industry, Iranian policymakers have restricted the export of raw materials but are encouraging the export of value-added products.
Any mechanism adopted to remove barriers to imports and exports in dollar terms, due to Western sanctions against Iran, will increase the value of commodities. Therefore, Iranian authorities should consider removing the restrictions on the export of raw materials to neighboring countries.
Under the leadership of Syed Ali Hassan, director of Artman Atlas Group of Companies, the participation of Pakistani businessmen in the IranPlast expo has opened avenues for mutual trade. According to Imran Chenyuti, a reliable Pakistani businessman in Iran, if the Iranian government lifts restrictions on the export of raw materials, the exports of plastic-related raw materials from Iran to Pakistan alone may increase to $2 billion.
Farid Ahmed Bengali, a leading investor associated with Pakistan’s plastic industry, highlights that the industry, along with other sectors, is declining in Pakistan. This is primarily due to the significant increase in electricity and petroleum prices, as well as the non-supply of raw materials.
The lack of open letters of credit in Pakistan for the past 18 months has resulted in a shortage of dollars in the country. The controlled value of the dollar has artificially affected the economy over the last 12 years. If general elections are held and the elected government takes appropriate policies while military intervention is halted, Pakistan’s economy is likely to recover in 20 years.
Farid Ahmed Bengali believes that by relocating his factory to Iran, he can benefit both nations. He has chosen Iran’s Chabahar Free Zone, which is only eight hours away from Pakistan’s most populous commercial and port city of Karachi. To successfully move the factory, the Iranian government is requested to provide concessions such as a credit line for raw materials and construction support.
Similarly, another manufacturer participating in the Iran plastic fair, Mohammad Khalid, also expresses interest in setting up industries in Chabahar.
In a joint meeting with investors from Iran’s private sector and Iranian exhibition hosts, a consensus was reached regarding investment in Iran’s free zones, and a memorandum of understanding is expected to be drafted soon.
Imran Chenyoti, a reliable businessman from Pakistan, mentions that he already imports plastic products from Iran. However, due to the absence of a direct purchasing system from plastic product factories in Iran, the prices of valuable raw materials increase, which leads to higher export prices.
-- Iraq-Iran railway link ready in 18 months: Iraqi adviser
Iraq hopes to complete its first railway link with neighbouring Iran within 18 months, largely to help facilitate the transport of millions of pilgrims that visit Shia Muslim shrines in Iraq each year, a senior transport adviser said.
The roughly 30-kilometre (18.64 miles) line will run between Iraq’s southern city of Basra and the Iranian border town of Shalamja, linking nations with ties that have deepened since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, after which pro-Tehran Shia Muslim parties enhanced their influence in Baghdad, Reuters wrote.
“We should see the trains moving in about 18 months because it’s a small distance,” Nasser Al-Asadi, transport advisor to the Iraqi prime minister, told Reuters. Asadi said work was underway to clear the area before ground work could begin on the rail link.
Regularly, the world’s largest annual religious gathering of up to 20 million mostly Shia Muslims takes part in the ‘Arbaeen’ pilgrimage to Iraq’s holy city of Karbala to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH), grandson of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
Many pilgrims walk hundreds of kilometres from the Iran-Iraq border to Karbala or drive there in overcrowded cars and buses, and deadly accidents have been frequent.
Asadi said the rail link would reduce the risk of such accidents and allow Iraq to benefit financially from ticket sales.
-- Iran, US come to third way to manage tensions
On October 18, another part of Iran’s sanctions on arms and missiles is set to expire, as per the JCPOA. The European Troika – Britain, Germany, and France – reportedly intend to uphold them. Can Europe, with the backing of the United States, prevent the lifting of these sanctions against Iran?
NASRI: Europe’s latest decision will keep in place the sanctions imposed by the European Union in this specific area. However, it won’t affect the lifting of international sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council. This means that other UN member-states, who were previously called upon by the Security Council not to engage in missile-related cooperation with Iran, will no longer be bound by those restrictions as of October 18.
To maintain these sanctions, the three European countries behind this decision (France, the UK and Germany) would have to incorporate the provisions of this Security Council resolution concerning Iran’s missile activities into their domestic legal order; and these domestic laws would naturally only be binding within their jurisdiction. These laws would have an extraterritorial effect only if, during the drafting process, these countries choose to add “secondary sanctions” into the mix, which is a highly improbable scenario.
From a legal standpoint, what will the Europeans and possibly Americans rely on to enforce their decision? Do their references have legal justification?
Europe’s argument in this context lacks solid legal foundations. They assert that their action is a response to Iran’s non-performance or blatant violation of the JCPOA. However, Iran’s decision to resume its nuclear activities is actually consistent with “remedial measures” granted to Iran under JCPOA’s Articles 26 and 36. Evidently, agreed-upon “remedial measures” cannot logically be construed as unlawful or outside the framework of the agreement, warranting Europeans to take countermeasures. Put simply, the JCPOA equips Iran with the option to suspend “in whole or in part” its commitments if the other party fails to fulfill its obligations in a significant manner. This mechanism was meant to provide Iran – currently the aggrieved party - the tool to “compel” a non-compliant counterpart to fulfill its side of the bargain.
Therefore, it is legally untenable for non-compliant parties to interpret the execution of these “remedial measures” as “significant non-performance” or a violation of the JCPOA, when Iran decides to resort to them. This mechanism is specifically meant to lead them to fulfill their obligations, not to use it as a pretext to violate them even further.
From a political perspective, it appears that Iran and the United States are currently adopting a strategy of managing tensions, and the recent agreement on prisoner exchange and the release of Iranian assets is seen as a positive sign for the resumption of nuclear negotiations. Given this context, what is the underlying message or implication of Europe’s decision to maintain missile sanctions? Does this negatively affect the approach to contain tensions?
Politically, European authorities are grappling with concerns stemming from campaigns and allegations that have circulated over the past two years regarding “Iran’s military involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.” They fear that lifting military sanctions on Iran could trigger a strong backlash in their domestic political scene and upset public opinion. So, there is a strong “domestic politics” component to their decision, which has little to do with “international security” or “non-proliferation,” as they claim. In any case, past experience shows that engaging in a “tit-for-tat” cycle is never a good idea, as it always carries the risk of escalating tensions and potentially hampering negotiations and the conflict resolution process.
So far, there is no clear indication – at least not publicly – that the showdown between Iran and Europe has had a serious effect on Tehran and Washington’s bilateral efforts to manage tensions.
Of course, Iran’s latest decision to revoke the authorization of certain European inspectors of the IAEA - seemingly in response to Europe’s recent measures – could potentially, if not handled carefully, complicate the de-escalation process with the United States. So, it should be approached thoughtfully.
We should bear in mind that for every “tension” that arises in the course of a conflict-resolution process, there is always the possibility for parties to sway into a broader escalation and lose control. So, it’s always wise to avoid disproportionate responses, and always foresee an off-ramp strategy if the genuine intention is indeed to peacefully resolve the underlying dispute.
What do you think will be the impact of Europe’s resistance to implementing the terms of the JCPOA, specifically the lifting of some sanctions on October 18, on the future of nuclear talks? Are we likely to see a resumption of the nuclear talks, or are the parties considering new approaches beyond the JCPOA?
It seems that the parties involved have concluded that the revival of the JCPOA – in its current form – would not occur until after the upcoming US presidential elections. Iran is unwilling to settle for a lesser deal that does not deliver meaningful economic benefits, and President Biden seems unwilling to restore the JCPOA at the cost of having to endure considerable pressure from the Israeli lobby, Congress and his political rivals throughout the election season.
Now, assuming Mr. Biden is re-elected, the period spanning from the start of his second term (January 2025) until the expiration of Resolution 2231 (October 2025) is merely nine months, within which Iran will also hold its own presidential elections. This means that the practical window for reviving the JCPOA in its former configuration would be only about three or four months. At that time, it seems unlikely that the US administration would agree to revive an agreement whose main restrictions would sunset with the expiration of Resolution 2231 shortly thereafter.
As a result, it seems that the parties are exploring a third approach which involves engaging in piecemeal “mutual de-escalation measures” (away from legal formalities) in diverse areas of concern, in order to create the political foundation for a more comprehensive agreement after the US presidential elections. At least, this would be the logical solution, which recent developments - including the release of prisoners on both sides, the release of certain Iranian frozen assets, the reduction of military tensions in the region, and the deceleration of Iran’s nuclear activities – seem to corroborate.
KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL:
-- China, Iran Discuss Construction of Nuclear Plants
Senior nuclear officials from Iran and China weighed plans for closer cooperation between the two countries, including on construction of atomic power plants.
In a meeting on the sidelines of the first day of the International Atomic Energy Agency conference in Vienna, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami and deputy head of China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) talked about the course of cooperation between Tehran and Beijing.
-- IRGC Chief: Enemies Headed to ‘Political ICU’
The enemies of Iran are on the wane and heading towards a political intensive care unit, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Hussein Salami said Tuesday.
The enemies of the Islamic Republic confess that they are falling into decline, the IRGC commander said at a conference at the University of Tehran. He said the enemies are impotent and moving to the “political ICU”.
-- Herzog Warns of ‘Depth of Abyss’ Facing Israel
Israel’s president Isaac Herzog sounded the alarm Tuesday over events this week in Tel Aviv in which secular and religious Israelis scuffled during public Yom Kippur prayer services, warning that the societal chasm poses a “true danger” to the occupying regime.
A religious group, defying a municipality order backed up by the supreme court, had set up an improvised gender divider for Yom Kippur prayers in a central Tel Aviv square, prompting angry protests from liberal residents that ended up thwarting the entire prayer service.
Similar events, and similar protests, took place in public spaces across the occupied territories. .
Herzog spoke Tuesday alongside prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, war minister Yoav Gallant and army chief of staff Herzi Halevi at a ceremony at Al-Quds’ Mount Herzl military cemetery marking 50 years since the Yom Kippur War, which began with a surprise attack by Egypt and Syria that Israel’s intelligence and leadership infamously failed to anticipate.
“We must learn the lessons and truly understand that the internal threat within Israel is the most acute and dangerous threat of all,” he said.
He referred to this year’s events in Tel Aviv as “a shocking and painful example of how the internal struggle within us is escalating and becoming extreme.”
“I know that I speak for the absolute majority of Israeli citizens when I express deep sorrow and shock at the sight of our own people fighting one another,” he said.
“How did we get to this terrible situation, in which 50 years after that bitter war, sisters and brothers stand on opposite sides of the divide? Those who pour fuel onto this fire are a real threat to Israeli unity. It has to stop here and now. The division, the polarization, the never-ending disputes — they are a true danger to Israeli society and to the security of Israel,” Herzog warned.
“The enemies of Israel are commenting about this repeatedly and referring to the internal crisis within us as the beginning of the crumbling of Israel,” he warned.
“These are not just empty words... So that, heaven forbid, historians and leaders [won’t] look at these days 50 years from now, and see the terrible price this rupture exacted from us, and ask: ‘How did they not understand the magnitude of the danger and the depth of the abyss? After all, it was right in front of their eyes.’”
The comments came after Netanyahu on Monday evening accused the secular activists of “rioting against Jews”.
At Sunday’s event opening the Yom Kippur
services, activists from the Rosh Yehudi religious group strung up flags as a makeshift barrier, or mechitzah, between the male and female worshipers in Dizengoff Square. Protesters then pulled down the flags and removed the chairs that organizers had set up, effectively preventing the service.
The incident sparked angry exchanges of words between activists on both sides and one secular demonstrator was detained by police for some three hours before being released.
Hundreds of demonstrators could be seen standing next to the area of the prayer service and chanting “shame, shame,” at the participants. Most of the worshipers left shortly afterward.
Similar scenes played out again in Dizengoff Square and in a number of Tel Aviv neighborhoods and elsewhere as the fast day ended Monday evening, when groups attempted to erect gender dividers at public events and activists intervened.
The conflict around the prayer service comes amid a growing debate over the role of religion in public spaces that has become exacerbated as part of the protests against the regime’s judicial overhaul.
-- Thousands of Britons Face Premature Deaths in UK
Some of the most deprived parts of the UK may see nearly 70 more annual premature deaths per 100,000 due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, according to a new study.
The proportion of people dying before their time (under the age of 75) could rise by nearly 6.5 per cent or 30 extra deaths per 100,000 of the population annually, found the study, published recently in the journal BMJ Public Health.
Some of the most deprived households could experience a rate of such premature deaths four times that of the least deprived, said researchers, including those from Public Health Scotland in Edinburgh.
Owing to Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine as well as the government fiscal policy, the UK is witnessing levels of inflation not seen since the 1970s.
Poorer households are bearing the brunt as they spend a larger proportion of their income on energy, the cost of which has soared.
Previous long-term studies have clearly established a link between falls in income and adverse health effects on populations.
To help some of the poorest households, the UK government introduced a universal Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and a series of more targeted Cost of Living Support payments.
In the new study, researchers assessed the impact of inflation on death rates in Scotland in 2022-23, with and without mitigating measures.
Scientists used mathematical modeling to predict how recent high inflation would affect household incomes, mitigation measures that would modify them, changes in death rates/life expectancy as well as inequalities in these as a result.
Researchers modeled three scenarios – one without any mitigating measures, one with the inclusion of the EPG and one scenario with the inclusion of the EPG and cost of living support payments.
They then compared these measures against “business as usual” to estimate the health effects of each one.
The simulation revealed that without mitigating measures, inflation in October 2022 would have ranged from just under 15 percent in the wealthiest households to just under 23 percent in the poorest.
The EPG scenario, according to the mathematical model, reduced the inflation to between 11.7 per cent and 15.7 percent respectively.
Researchers found that households in the poorest areas, even with government support, were likely £1,400 worse off in 2022-23.
Inflation, the study suggested, could increase deaths by 23 percent in the poorest areas and by 5 percent in the least deprived areas.
The EPG scenario was found to lower these to between 3 percent and 16 percent, and the addition of the cost-of-living support to between 2 and 8 percent respectively.
For the unmitigated scenario, the average increase in premature deaths would be 192 more annual premature deaths per 100,000 of the population compared with 11 more in the least deprived, research indicated.
While both mitigation measures were found to reduce these numbers, the poorest areas were still predicted to experience an increase around four times that of the least deprived.
Researchers said this could result in about 70 more premature deaths per 100,000 population among the poorest neighborhoods even with both the mitigation measures.
“Evidence suggests that since 2012, economic conditions in the UK have caused a stalling of life expectancy and widened health inequalities, as austerity led to weaker social security and reduced income for the poorest households,” researchers wrote in the study.
While the latest study is conducted in Scotland, they said “similar effects are likely across the UK as we have modeled the impact of UK government measures”.
“The mortality impacts of inflation and real-terms income reduction are likely to be large and negative, with marked inequalities in how these are experienced,” researchers noted.
“Implemented public policy responses are not sufficient to protect health and prevent widening inequalities,” they said.
-- Volleyballers Win First Gold for Iran in Asian Games
Iranian men’s volleyball team gained first Iran’s gold medal in the Asian Games by victory in the final against the hosts, China on Tuesday.
The Iranian national team defeated the Chinese team 3-1 (19:25; 25;14;2522;26;24) in the final of Asian Games underway in Hangzhou, China from Sep. 23-October 8.
This was Iran’s first gold medal in the competitions.
Iran had previously defeated Nepal 3-0, Bahrain 3-1, Thailand 3-0 and Qatar 3-0.
Earlier in the day, Japan defeated Qatar 3-1 to win the bronze medal.
With more than 12,000 competitors from 45 nations and territories, the 2022 Asian Games has more participants than the Olympics.
Iran has sent 289 male and female athletes to the Games in 34 sports events.
TEHRAN TIMES:
-- Iran disputes rumors of impending direct talks with U.S. in Oman
The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday firmly dismissed media reports claiming that Iran and the United States are set to hold direct talks in Oman in the coming weeks. The ministry said such media rumors are intended to sway the political climate around the talks to relieve the sanctions on Iran. The Amwaj Media news outlet claimed on Tuesday that Iran intends to enter direct talks with the U.S. in Oman and that high-ranking Iranian officials have been given essential permissions in advance of the anticipated meetings. Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Iran’s Foreign Minister, has previously stated that Tehran is serious about entering the 2015 nuclear deal if the talks lead to a complete lifting of sanctions and all parties fully return to their obligations. Iran “affirms its commitment to the Joint Comprehensive.
-- Iran breaks U.S. monopoly on brain stroke medication
Despite sanctions, an Iranian company has managed to indigenize the production of alteplase - a vital drug for brain stroke, which was exclusively supplied by an American company. Alteplase is the only drug for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The inauguration of the alteplase production line has made Iran the world’s second producer of medication. Alteplase (t-PA), a biosynthetic form of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), is a thrombolytic medication, used to treat AIS, acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (a type of heart attack), pulmonary embolism associated with low blood pressure, and blocked central venous catheter. It is given by injection into a vein or artery. Alteplase is the same as the normal human plasminogen activator produced in vascular endothelial cells and is synthesized via recombinant DNA technology in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO). Alteplase causes the breakdown of a clot by inducing fibrinolysis. Alteplase is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of AIS. The vice president for science and technology, Ruhollah Dehqani-Firouzabadi, attended a ceremony to launch the alteplase production line on September 23. He highlighted the country’s special status in the field of health, medicine, and treatment, and in particular, the field of biotechnology, Mehr reported. “During the past years, we have mainly witnessed the growth and development of knowledge-based companies toward technological production and development, but the new generation of knowledge-based companies is also playing a key role in different sectors of the domestic economy, including food, health, and energy.” The technology used by the Iranian knowledge-based company has made this product available at a competitive price to both national and international markets.
-- China lambasts U.S. sanctions on Chinese firms over cooperation with Iran
China has criticized the United States for imposing sanctions on a number of Chinese companies and individuals over cooperation with Iran. China firmly opposes the U.S. Department of the Treasury adding Chinese companies and individuals to the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List” for so-called connections to Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle and military aircraft development, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has said, according to Chinese media. The United States has abused unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, undermined international trade order and rules, obstructed normal international.
-- Iranian and Russian presidents discuss the Caucasus region
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi received a phone call from President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Tuesday in which they discussed many issues of mutual interest, including the situation in the South Caucasus region. In the call, President Raisi assessed the progress of the relations between the two countries as favorable and stressed the need for accelerating the implementation of agreements and joint projects between Tehran and Moscow, including in the fields of transit, transportation, energy swap and completion of the International North– South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Raisi also appreciated Russian support of Iran’s membership in BRICS, according to a readout by the official website of the Iranian presidency. “BRICS is one of the emerging organizations effective in shaping the multipolar world and a suitable field.
NOURNEWS