Zarif welcomes India’s India to boost European Commission Iran plans to block 21012call for defense 4 investment in Iranian ready to assist Iran with websites offering NATION cooperation with Iran ECONOMY oil and gas sectors SOCIETY green economy ART& CULTURE “1979“1979 Revolution” WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y Iran’s Alizadeh books Olympic quota place 11 12 Pages Price 10,000 Rials 37th year No.12531 Monday APRIL 18, 2016 Farvardin 30, 1395 Rajab 10, 1437 Soil erosion costs EU and Tehran discuss mechanisms Iran $56 billion annually: official for nuclear cooperation: Salehi EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW POLITICAL TEHRAN — Ali Akbar industry. ca Mogherini, whose team of seven com- ventures. By Parvin Telli deskSalehi, chief of Atomic Salehi let slip the news after a meeting missioners was the biggest to visit Tehran The official expressed hope for expe- TEHRAN — Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said with the European Energy Union Com- in more than a decade. ditious and comprehensive ties in differ- Soil erosion in Iran is so high that it is costing in a press conference on Sunday that missioner Miguel Arias Canete. During the talks, the two sides ex- ent nuclear industries “which can start in the country $56 billion every year, says Mohammad Dar- Iran and the European Union have held The talks were held during the visit to changed ideas on future cooperation the Fordow site particularly in the labora- vish, an official at the Department of Environment. positive talks for cooperation in nuclear Tehran by EU foreign policy Chief Federi- mechanisms, including starting nuclear tory sector.” 2 On average, soil erosion in Iran is three times more than other Asian countries, and it is one of the highest in the world, Darvish tells the Tehran Times in an exclusive inter- view. Darvish, known as Iran’s green gladiator, also says Security is Iran has “lost 18 million oak trees in Zagros Mountains”. Darvish who is in charge of education and environ- common concern mental contribution is not satisfied with the number of NGOs active in protecting environment in a country as of armed forces big as Iran with about 78 million population. and diplomats: What comes below is the text of the interview with Darvish who has been working hard to raise public aware- Rouhani ness about human-caused environmental threats: What is your evaluation of the current status of POLITICAL TEHRAN — environment in Iran? Pres- deskident Rouhani said A: The current condition of Iran’s environment could on Sunday that a mighty Iran does be studied in terms of five fields: soil, water, biodiversity, not pose any threat to the region, weather and a newly added field which is people’s contri- noting that the country’s diplomats butionstions to protect the environmentenvironment.. and armed forces are both concerned TheThe estimated priceprice foforr about national security. eachch ton of soil is now $28.$28. Rouhani made the remarks in a Twoo bbillionillion ttonsons ooff sosoilil aarere speech on the occasion of National erodedded in Iran evereveryy yyear,ear, Army Day, an annual event held to costingting the countrcountryy $$5656 mark Army Day named by the late billionon annually. SorrSorryy Imam Khomeini back in 1980. to sasayy that, on aver- “A mighty Iran militarily, political- age,e, soil erosion in Iran ly, and economically won’t mount a is threehree timtimeses ththatat of threat to neighbors and other Islamic Asiaa aandnd oonene ooff ththee Samadi Faraj countries. The strength of other Islamic highesthest figuresfigures on countries is ours and vice versa,” the the globeglobe.. president remarked. See page 2 IRNA/ SeeSee pagepage 1010 Neurological specialist center Iran, EU set the roadmap for cooperation PERSPECTIVE to open in 6 months: Samii By Mahmood Khaghani Iran and the European Union issued a posted on eeas.europa.eu website: ta Bulc (Transport), Carlos Moedas Oil expert SOCIETY TEHRAN — Professor Majid Samii has said joint statement in Tehran on Saturday On 16 April 2016, the EU High (Research, Science and Innovation), deska neurological specialist center being fund- setting the roadmap for cooperation. Representative and Vice-President Karmenu Vella (Environment, Mar- ed by him will be open in six months, the IRIB reported. The statement was released by Irani- of the European Commission (HRVP) itime Affairs and Fisheries) and Ti- Addressing the 5th symposium of an Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Federica Mogherini met Iranian bor Navracsics (Education, Culture, ECO-Caspian World Federation of Neurosurgery Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Fed- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Youth and Sport). They met with in Tehran on Sunday, Samii said the erica Mogherini who visited Iran along Zarif in Tehran. European Commis- their Iranian counterparts. energy transition center will be four times the Inter- with seven European commissioners. sion representatives present includ- The two sides taking stock of their national Neuroscience Institute in The roadmap for cooperation fol- ed EU Commissioners Elzbieta Bi- long standing relations, based upon through gas Hannover, Germany, in terms of the lows conclusion of the landmark nuclear enkowska (Internal Market, Industry, mutual respect and interests, reiterated number of people that it could serve deal between Iran and great powers in Entrepreneurship and SMEs), Arias their intention to develop a broad and ormer Director of Energy, Miner- at a time. July 215. The deal went into effect on Cañete (Climate Action and Energy), comprehensive agenda for bilateral co- Fals and Environment-ECO Secre- January 16, 2016. Christos Stylianides (Humanitarian operation. tariat Following is the text of the statement Aid and Crisis Management), Viole- 9 The oil price slide since mid-2014 has severely constrained economic Wedding loans more growth and investment in the Eco- U.S. will regret if it fails to honor JCPOA: senior MP nomic Cooperation Organization than tripled (ECO) & Caspian region. Despite this, POLITICAL TEHRAN – The Ma- havior,” Alaeddin Boroujerdi told, Tasnim regional governments nevertheless SOCIETY TEHRAN — Majlis approved a bill on Sun- deskjlis National Security reported on Sunday. expect an improved market climate desk day, based on which wedding loans will be and Foreign Policy Committee chairman Boroujerdi added that the U.S. has & are continuing to draw down their more than tripled to 100 million rials (nearly $2,800) for each has said that Washington will regret if it no choice but honoring its obligations significant currency reserves in order of the spouses, IRIB reported. does not fulfill its commitments under under the JCPOA. to keep their economies and projects Wedding loan which used to be 30 million rials (nearly the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, In July 2015, Iran and the 5+1 group afloat. $850) for each of the spouses has now risen by more than commonly called the nuclear deal. (the United States, Britain, France, China The Republics of Azerbaijan, Ka- three times. Additionally, the 3-year payback period has now “If the U.S. does not meet its com- and Russia plus Germany) finalized the zakhstan and Turkmenistan have suf- increased to 4 years. mitments towards Iran, we will take text of the JCPOA in Vienna which went fered significantly, according to energy The law states that in order to support young couples and actions that the U.S. will regret its be- into effect in January 2016. economics analysts. Petroleum pro- encourage marriage all banks are due to give top priority to ducers and exporters all seem to be the wedding loans so that by the end of each month less than on the same boat around the world as 50,000 applicants remain in the waiting lists for the loans. CCCACD holds first meeting with envoys from 13 states they face revenue shortfalls and eco- Meanwhile, the central bank has been tasked with mon- The center for promoting was held in Tehran. festival will be held from nomic crisis. itoring the implementation of the law. Violation of the law is cultural cooperation be- Reza Mirkarimi, secre- April 20 to April 25 in Char- International Oil Companies (IOCs) punishable by a fine levied by the central bank. tween Asian nations, officially tary of the 34th Fajr Inter- sou Cineplex. This year in the & National Oil Companies (NOCs) called CCCACD, held its first national Film Festival, told Eastern Panorama Section have had no option other than to cut meeting on Thursday in Teh- the participants that the (Eastern Vista), 12 foreign billions of dollars in spending and in- Rosneft interested ran with embassy represent- event is Iran’s largest annual films from Afghanistan, Pa- vestment programs. This has caused in Iran projects: Russian atives from 13 countries. film festival. kistan, china, India, Turkey, thousands in the industry to lose their The representatives, ei- Mirkarimi said it is an the Fajr festival has played a Japan, Tajikistan, and three jobs and forced many contractors to energy minister ther cultural councilor or event that celebrates cultural vital role in development of Iranian films will be screened. declare bankruptcy. deputy head of mission, were exchange, displays creative the Iranian cinema, he said, The Asian films in the Cine- In the meantime, the Sau- Russian oil producer Rosneft is interested in oil and gas pro- from Afghanistan, China, Ja- achievements of highly ac- adding every year, veteran ma Salvation section will also di Arabian government’s brutal jects in Iran, the RIA news agency quoted Russian energy pan, Indonesia, Malaysia, claimed cineastes and pays directors and new filmmak- be judged. The section will message for high-cost petrole- minister Alexander Novak as saying on Saturday. Russia, the Republic of Ko- tribute to highly qualified ers devotedly present their grant one award to the best um producers & exporters such It is too early to talk about any concrete plans as Iran has rea, India, Tajikistan, the Phil- local and international films.