Iran, Russia, China Stage Joint Naval Drill
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WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 16 Pages Price 40,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13565 Saturday DECEMBER 28, 2019 Dey 7, 1398 Jumada Al Awwal 1, 1441 Cleric warns Iran considering to Khajavi sets Fajr Film Festival to against accession give Russian tourists new record for not unveil “Made in Iran” to FATF 13 visa-free entry 10 conceding a goal 15 Crystal Simorghs 16 Iran-Russia trade through national currencies exceeds 50% TEHRAN — Trade transactions in countries’ trade], in 2019 this quota has Iran, Russia, China stage national currencies between Iran and already exceeded 50 percent,” Zhiganshin Russia have exceeded 50 percent of told sputnik. the two countries’ total bilateral trade The official stressed that the use of this year, said Moscow’s commercial the Russian ruble and the Iranian rial is See page 2 representative in Tehran, Rustam crucial in trade between the two countries. Zhiganshin. Russia and Iran agreed last Septem- joint naval drill “If in 2018 payments in national cur- ber to continue promoting payments in rencies comprised 40 percent [of the two national currencies. 4 Members of a terrorist group arrested in Ahwaz TEHRAN — Iranian security forces have cap- The commander said the group played tured members of a terrorist group in south- a role in instigating violent riots in Ahwaz western city of Ahwaz in Khuzestan Province. during protests against fuel price hikes in Khuzestan Police Chief Heidar Abbasza- November. It came a month after protests deh said on Friday that two key members erupted in some cities in Iran against in- of the terrorist group were captured, Press creasing gasoline price. In certain cases, TV reported. The arrested terrorists have the protests turned violent as some rioters admitted to their crimes during police clashed with police, using knives and guns. investigations, Abbaszadeh said. Rioters damaged public and private prop- He did not elaborate which group the erty and put banks and state buildings on fire. detained individuals belonged to. The protests ended after a few days. Iraqi president submits resignation Iraqi President Barham Salih has sub- of the Arab country did not give him the mitted his resignation to parliament after right to reject a nomination, he would refusing to designate the nominee for rather resign than pick a new premier premiership, Assad al-Eidani, arguing rejected by demonstrators. that he would rather step down than “I apologize for nominating Assad al-Ei- appoint the position to a figure strongly dani for the role of prime minister,” he rejected by protesters. wrote in his letter to parliament, adding, “I Erfan Khoshkhoo Salih handed his resignation to the prefer to resign than to nominate another Council of Representatives of Iraq on candidate and this is for the interest of ISNA/ Thursday, saying since the constitution the public.” 13 REPORT Israel to reinstitute ‘assassination policy’ against Palestinians: Katz U.S. approves Fatemeh Salehi Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz says the Tel Katz’s remarks came only hours after Israeli his wife Sara rushed off from the stage amid air new military Mehr News Agency Aviv regime would return to “the policy of as- military aircraft carried out a string of strikes red sirens. journalist sassinations” against distinguished figures of against the Gaza Strip. A similar incident happened back on Sep- training deal with Palestinian resistance groups in the Gaza Strip, as The Israeli army said in a statement on Thurs- tember 10, when Netanyahu was forced to flee Pakistan as it its acts of aggression against the besieged coastal day that “combat jets and helicopters struck sev- and seek shelter during a event in the port city of Riyadh scenario enclave continue unabated. eral … targets belonging to Hamas [resistance Ashdod campaigning for snap legislative elections. seeks to bolster Speaking in an interview with Israel’s army movement] in the Gaza Strip, including military The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli siege for closing a radio on Thursday, Katz said Israeli agents compounds.” since June 2007. The blockade has caused a de- its weakening were working to identify Palestinian fighters The army added that the strike was carried cline in living standards as well as unprecedented foothold criminal case responsible for rocket attacks on the occupied out in response to the rocket that was launched unemployment and poverty of Palestinians living territories from the Gaza Strip, and then respond at the port city of Ashkelon in the occupied ter- in the enclave. he Saudi judiciary has triggered a Barely a year after the Trump administra- with targeted killings. ritories on Wednesday evening. Israel has also launched several wars on the controversy by issuing verdicts for tion suspended military training for Paki- “Intelligence efforts are currently focused The rocket fire forced caretaker Prime Min- coastal sliver, the last of which began in early July the culprits in the assassination of stan, the U.S. government has approved T on determining who is responsible for ordering ister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt a campaign 2014 and ended in late August the same year. The the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and resumption of Pakistan’s participation in missile launch instructions in order to work to rally ahead of the primaries of his Likud party. Israeli military aggression killed nearly 2,200 Pal- acquitting the former consul-general in its International Military Education and eliminate him,” he commented. Television footage showed Netanyahu and estinians and injured over 11,100 others. Istanbul. 13 Training Program, or IMET. The Saudi public prosecutor has sen- In 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump tenced five people to death and three other signaled his decision, blindsiding the State to jail terms totaling 24 years over the Trump searching for next secretary of state to replace Pompeo Department, in a tweet squarely blaming killing of Khashoggi. The verdicts were U.S. President Trump is searching for his next diplomatic responsibilities since he became the The speculations have led to a competition Pakistan for failing to crackdown on terror- issued while Saudi Crown Prince Moham- Secretary of State, indicating that America’s top president’s fourth national security adviser in within the administration over who might replace ist groups in their country and providing med bin Salman is the main defendant diplomat Mike Pompeo will run for the Senate September. him as the nation’s top diplomat. Trump has fueled “nothing but lies and deceit.” in the case. next year, according to an article in the Wash- O’Brien accompanied U.S. Vice President the fire by requesting opinions from lawmakers That decision was rolled back by the end However, the Saudi prosecutor said ington Post. Pence and Pompeo to Turkey to negotiate end- and officials as he considers his options. of the year – as Pakistan’s strengthening that there are no charges against a former The opinion piece published in the newspaper ing Turkey’s military offensive in northern Syria. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- relations with Russia and China threatened high-profile Saudi royal adviser Saud al-Qa- doesn’t confirm any new information from any- Many national security officials are concerned Connell, a Republican from Kentucky, has to sideline American influence. htani in the killing, announcing the re-lease one in the Trump Administration. Rumors that that Mnuchin’s dovish position on China and his urged Pompeo to run for the Kansas Senate Defense training as a policy of Saudi Arabia’s former consul-general Pompeo could step down have been circulating Wall Street focus could undermine his fitness to seat being vacated by Republican Senator Pat instrument in Istanbul, Mohammad al-Otaibi. The for months. lead U.S. diplomacy. He has consistently resisted Roberts in 2020. Defense training is a useful policy in the former consul-general in Istanbul, who The article lists several potential replacements the more hawkish China strategy supported by The former Republican lawmaker from long term that helps to cultivate potential had been charged with participation in as Secretary of State, including National Security Pompeo, Pence, O’Brien and most of the admin- Kansas gave up his House of Representatives military leaders and influencers, particu- the murder of Khashoggi, was acquitted. Advisor Robert O’Brien, Treasury Secretary Steve istration. seat in 2017 after Trump nominated him to be larly in military dominated states such Jamal Khashoggi, former editor-in-chief Mnucchin, and even State Department envoy to Pompeo has sent mixed signals about his inten- director of the Central Intelligence Agency. as Pakistan. Trump’s decision to cut-off of the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al Watan Iran Brian Hook. tions, and those close to him say he hasn’t made Trump then appointed him as Secretary of military training assistance for Pakistan and a columnist for the Washington post, The person most often mentioned to succeed a final decision yet. Pompeo is also considering State in March 2018. appears to have raised concerns in the entered the consulate on October 2, 2018, Pompeo is O’Brien. Trump has given him increased to run for U.S. president in 2024. (Source: Washington Post) State Department over loss of influence in to carry out some official affairs and did the country, carefully cultivated through not leave there. On October 20, Riyadh years of defense cooperation and train- affirmed the killing of Khashoggi inside ing provided to a generation of military the consulate. The prosecutor said that officers who trained at various defense Khashoggi died after a clash with several establishments in the United States. This people inside the consulate, and 18 Saudi move to resume the IMET is clearly an citizens were detained regarding the case.