I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 23, 2019 IN FOCUS 3

Failure to join FATF would New envoy to Moscow meets Zarif before departure benefit enemies: ex-ambassador POLITICAL — Iran’s new ambassador to Mos- deskcow, Kazem Jalali, met with Foreign Minister POLITICAL TEHRAN — Ali Majedi, they will not be able to work with the Iranian on Sunday. deskIran’s former ambassador banks if Iran refuses to join the FATF and it The meeting came ahead of Jalali’s departure to start his to Germany, has said that a failure to join will not be beneficial for us,” Mousavi said, the mission in the Russian Federation. the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will Hamshahri newspaper reported on Tuesday. The two sides discussed various aspects of bilateral relations limit Iran’s economic interaction and this is In an interview with ISNA published on with Russia and Jalali’s mission in Moscow, Iran Press reported. what the enemies want. Tuesday, political analyst Mehdi Motahar- During the meeting, Zarif referred to the long-standing and “Failure to join the FATF or any other nia said if Iran refuses to join the FATF, an strategic relations between the two countries and made the nec- international agreement and group will international consensus would be formed essary recommendations to further develop and deepen the ties. increase limitations on our country’s econ- against it. He also wished Jalali success. omy and is somehow in line with what the “Currently, North Korea has been black- enemies seek,” he told ISNA in an interview listed and Iran will be the second country if it published on Sunday. is also blacklisted. If so, the first consequence He noted that refusing to join the FATF will be an international consensus against Iran will isolate the country. in the area of economic activities,” he said. “I believe, under the current situation, we Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas should join the FATF, otherwise, countries Araghchi said on December 16 that the Ex- such as Turkey and China will not continue pediency Council takes the final decision on economic interaction with Iran,” he said. the FATF, expressing hope its decision would In October 2018, the parliament voted be in line with the country’s “expediency”. to join the FATF. However, the Guardian Majid Ansari, a member of the Expedien- Council rejected it. Now the ball is in the cy Council, told IRNA on December 16 that Expediency Council’s court. the council is still studying the CFT and the When there is a dispute between parlia- Palermo bill. ment and the Guardian Council the issue is “Now the Expediency Council, by as- to join the FATF will limit Iran’s economic He declined to comment about wheth- Jalali is set to replace Mehdi Sanaei, Iran’s former ambas- referred to the Expediency Council for final sessing the country’s expediency, should interaction with the outside world. er the two bills would be finally rejected or sador to Moscow. arbitration. make decision in this regard and accept He said that intensification of pressure approved by the council. Jalali was named Tehran’s new ambassador to Moscow last MP Seyed Abolfazl Mousavi also told ISNA the consequences of its decision,” Mousavi against the country will do no good. The Expediency Council issued a state- month. He was a lawmaker at the time. on Sunday that both parliament and admin- pointed out.| Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousa- ment on Saturday announcing that the two Lawmakers voted last month to accept his resignation with istration favor joining the FATA and now In an interview with ISNA published on vi has said that joining the FATF will serve FATF-related bills of Palermo and CFT have 146 in favor and 58 against. Nine MPs also abstained from voting. the Expediency Council should decide about Wednesday, Ali Ebrahimi, a member of the the country’s interests. not yet received green light, saying that the Jalali has served as a lawmaker for five four-year terms. He it by assessing the country’s “expediency”. Hope parliamentary faction, said that a failure “Our friendly countries have announced that bills are under accurate assessment. was the chair of the Iran-Russia parliamentary friendship group in the seventh Parliament and the head of Iran-EU parliamen- tary friendship group in the eighth, ninth, and tenth terms. He also served as the head of the Parliament Research Centre from Time for filing election disqualification complaints ends Sunday 2012 to 2019. they were deemed eligible to run for parliament. said on Saturday that the council would not dismiss as Ambassador Sanaei had taken the post in 2013 at the beginning Disqualified candidates had four days to object. It ended ineligible the candidates who have criticized the Leader of President ’s first term in office. on December 22. of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Interior Ministry announced on December 18 “We have a free country and merely criticizing an that 91 percent of those registering have been confirmed individual or body would not lead to disqualification,” as eligible. Kadkhodaei told a press conference. Larijani: Iranians able The next parliamentary elections will be held on However, he added, insult, defamation and inflamma- February 21. tory remarks, which are clearly different from criticism, to turn hardships into To be able to run for parliament, the candidates must will be probed into when vetting candidates. opportunities be finally confirmed by the Guardian Council. Earlier this month, Kadkhodaei said that the council The candidates will have 8 days to spend on the cam- is the only body responsible to supervise the elections. paign trail, ending on February 19. “Sometimes questions arise over whether we are the POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranians have the talent and The Iranian parliament has 290 members who are only supervisor of the elections or not,” Kadkhodaei said, deskability to turn hardships into opportunities, elected by the people for four-year terms. adding, “I emphasize that the Guardian Council is the only Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has said, referring to the United States’ The parliamentary elections will be held in over 200 supervisor of the elections.” unilateral sanctions against Iran. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Sunday marked the last day constituencies across the country’s 31 provinces. He said the Judiciary is tasked with investigating offenses “This is an important point which the Americans should pay deskdisqualified parliamentary candidates The midterm elections of the will and the Interior Ministry has an executive responsibility. attention to,” Larijani said, according to IRNA. could object to their ineligibility. also be held on the same date in Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, “This separation of supervision and execution is very He made the remarks during the inauguration ceremony of Parliamentary hopefuls had until December 7 to register. North Khorasan, Fars and Qom provinces. important,” the spokesman remarked. “We should be able the first exhibition of Iran’s sport and equipment industry in On December 18, candidates were informed of whether Guardian Council spokesman Abbasali Kadkhodaei to implement our legal responsibilities properly.” Tehran On Sunday. Larijani also said the U.S. sanctions have activated Iran’s industry.U.S. President Donald Trump has adopted a maximum pressure policy against Iran since he walked away from the JCPOA. Anti-Iran human rights resolution politically-tainted: minority MPs The policy includes sanctions on Iran’s economy, especially its oil exports, and bans on top Iranian figures and organizations. At the 1 The representatives strongly con- Mousavi said an obvious reason proving standards’ on the status of human rights in media propaganda, and the disregard for same time, the U.S. president has pushed for talks with Tehran. demned the resolution for its instrumental illegitimacy of the resolution was that it had the countries and referral of the issue to the and silence on the widespread violation of Iranian leaders have openly rejected the notion of talks with use of fundamental human rights concepts been endorsed by the front of Zionism and international circles, particularly to the United the Iranian nation’s human rights as a result the U.S. as long as its illegal sanctions against Tehran are in place. and described it as a “one-sided” and “biased” the reactionary regional regimes, who ignore Nations. Accordingly, we deplore the fact of the cruel and illegal sanctions. Tehran has described the U.S. sanctions as “economic war” approach with double standards aimed at all kinds of human rights norms, sponsor that the UN mechanisms have been subject “The Islamic Republic of Iran is a demo- and “economic terrorism”. isolating Iran in the international arena. terrorism and extremism, and violate the to such abuses,” he added. cratic religious administration that has taken Iranian officials have also described the sanctions as an op- Also in a statement on Thursday, For- basic human rights. Mousavi also said the destructive approach steps to promote and advance human rights portunity to become self-sufficient. eign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi “The political and instrumental use of that supporters of the resolution have adopted at the national, regional and international Under the JCPOA, the official name for the 2015 nuclear agree- denounced the resolution as “political- human rights and the employment of double against Iran contains multiple errors and levels within the framework of the religious ment, Iran had agreed to put limits on its nuclear activities in ly-motivated”. standards in this area are in contravention of flaws, such as the instrumental and political and moral commitments and in conform- exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions. Mousavi said the resolution was par- the sustainable promotion of human rights,” employment of human rights, ignoring the ity with its Constitution, normal regulations Since the U.S. withdrawal, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, tial, confrontational, based upon selective the spokesman said. values, the creeds, and the distinguishing and the international treaties, and also feels China, and Iran have been trying to salvage the pact, defying approaches, and meant to severe political “Despite this fact, the attitude of support- cultural features of various societies, ignoring practically obligated to observe them,” the Washington’s economic and political pressure. objectives. ers of the resolution is adoption of ‘double the facts under the influence of an anti-Iran spokesman added. The United States’ coercive unilateral measures against Iran have led to heightened tensions in the Middle East, especially in the Persian Gulf. Unilateralism and the U.S. hegemonic approach: Main reason for long-standing chaos in ME region By Chang Hua, the Chinese Ambassador to Iran history and national values. Today, this is the U.S. nature person is upper than the other. All civilizations should that makes these countries its political, economic and avoid bloodshed and narcissism, and through mutual Qom clerics slam Zakzaky’s TEHRAN (IRNA) — The Middle East is suffering from ideological subordinates by depriving them of the path respect should accept this principle that understanding unilateralism and the U.S. hegemonic approach which of self-development. beauty starts from seeing one’s own beauty, is completed imprisonment in Nigeria are the main reason for long-term chaos in the region. The theory of “War of Civilisations” is a basis to create by seeing the other’s beauty and finally through the in- Facing the U.S. unilateralism and its self-centered ap- divisions between religions and nations. Since the sitting teraction of these beauties. In this framework, emphasis POLITICAL TEHRAN — The Qom Seminary Teachers proach, all countries ask themselves if they keep silent U.S. government came into force, it has reiterated its on reconciliation, learning from each other, development deskSociety on Saturday denounced the illegal and sit still and leave the U.S. to continue doing what it is, “Islamophobic” policies and has errantly linked Muslims as the time goes by as well as creative progress are all on imprisonment of Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky, a top Shiite cleric will I be the next in line? The fact is that all Middle East and Islam with terrorism, barring Muslim countries’ from agenda. In this path, terrorism and radicalism are the and leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). countries have been suffering from U.S. dominance. The entering the U.S. and has created rifts between nations common enemies of humanity and fighting terrorism and In a statement, the society pointed to reports that Zakzaky regional nations have been the biggest victims of the U.S. and religions. All these show the U.S. arrogance. eradicating radicalism is the international community’s was being transferred to prison despite the deterioration of his irresponsible policies towards the Mideast. The U.S. double standards have made it difficult to joint responsibility. physical condition, expressing grave concern over his health, In fact, the U.S. naked unilateralism that is on its agenda eradicate terrorism. The U.S. uses the issue as a tool to Today, the international community should confront Iran Press reported. suffices for the destruction of one country. In 2003, the serve its own purposes to interfere in other countries’ terrorism hand in hand taking actions against double “The responsibility for the consequences of the delay in the U.S. illogically invaded an independent country under the internal affairs. Serving its own purposes, the U.S. shows standards and confront those actions that undermine treatment of the Sheikh and his unlawful detention lies with the excuse that there are weapons of mass destruction (WMD) leniency towards some terrorist groups and sometimes anti-radicalism and anti-terrorism efforts. Recently, a Nigerian government,” the statement read. in Iraq. The U.S. has failed to find those WMDs but that supports them. On the other hand, it takes a very vague group of U.S. officials have alleged claims about China’s It also underlined that the Nigerian government must provide country’s people’s lives have been destroyed, its economy approach towards other terrorist groups and uses them relations with Middle East countries and have clearly made the necessary medical services to Sheikh Zakzaky by ending the has collapsed, its social system has gone, hundreds of as its agents and supports them behind curtains. The U.S. claims about One Belt, One Road initiative, 5G systems current situation. thousands of civilians have been killed, 3,400,000 people double standards towards terrorism and its self-centered of Huawei, Xinjiang regional issues and other cases are “It is not appropriate for a government that claims to defend have left their homes and are homeless and two million approach have posed big dangers towards the region and posing pressure on the regional countries. Such illogical freedom and the rights of its citizens, to persecute someone who others have sought refuge in other countries. What is the the international community. behavior will not only destroy China’s relations with the pursues nothing but a suitable life for the Nigerian state and U.S. seeking really? Today’s world isn’t a place for conflict and conflict, it’s a world countries but also put a brake on the global growth people,” it added. Today, the U.S. bullying means that humans’ primary space to emphasize multilateralism, a world in which global that regional countries will be part of and China vehemently Sheikh Zakzaky, who is in his mid-sixties, lost his left eyesight ethics and rights. The Palestinian issue is one of those management policies based on common consultations, opposes such positions and behavior. when Nigerian government forces raided the northern town of issues that are related to human ethics and rights, it’s joint construction and usage is stressed, a world in which Practical cooperation between China and the Mid- Zaria more than three years ago. His wife also sustained serious also important for the rights and sentiments of Muslims all affairs needs to be organized by all, a world in which dle East countries has a strong basis and a vast vision wounds while more than 300 of his followers and three of his all around the world. However, it’s seen that the U.S. international norms are the basis for all affairs and the ahead. Regional countries are completely aware that who sons were killed in the violence. unilaterally recognizes Quds as Israel’s capital, deviating necessity for a multi-polar world should be reiterated. In is their friend and companion and who is sowing discord. The cleric has been kept in custody along with his wife and a clearly from the global consensus on the issue. Then, the international affairs, we can’t say that the one with a bigger Mideast states have never changed their will to deepen large number of his followers ever since. U.S. is moving its embassy to Quds and okays settlement fist has the final say, on the contrary, we should agree on their ties with China due to the U.S. pressures. China’s Back in 2016, Nigeria’s federal high court ordered his uncon- construction in the West Bank of the Jordan River and and stress international norms and the correct path to cooperation with regional countries means taking a step ditional release from jail following a trial but the government has pushes its agenda of New Middle East Plan in a bid to resolve problems is through peaceful talks, consultations towards a shiny and vast path and it’s not possible to put so far refused to set him free. trade the legal rights of the Palestinians. This business-like and negotiations. There isn’t any model for similar devel- a stick in the wheel through lies, deceit, and embezzle- Earlier this month, Nigerian authorities transferred Zakzaky approach of the U.S. means clearly that it is violating opment in the world. The fact that which shoe fits what ment. Apart from the fact that international affairs are and his wife to a dilapidated prison, where many detainees have international, Palestinian and all Muslim rights. foot should be thought about by the people themselves. moving towards which direction, China is firm in its will so far died due to lack of medical attention. The U.S. constant interference in the internal affairs Today, all sides should respect all the paths that re- to develop cooperation with Middle East countries and A high court ordered the Department of State Services to of the regional countries has led to the catastrophes that gional states have adopted, mutual cooperation should be nothing will impede its movement. Also, China’s actions in transfer the two to the Correctional Center in Kaduna state, we are seeing today. The U.S. has long been using the tool used for economic prosperity and the new path towards this regard won’t be undermined and Beijing will always northwest of the country. of “color revolutions” under the name of “promoting de- the resolution of issues is based on the idea of “peace hope that regional and Chinese nations will achieve their Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) say any mocracy in the Middle East” and has shown deceitful and through development”. The difference between civilizations prosperity through deepening their practical cooperation attempt to take the couple anywhere other than a hospital will colonial policies ignoring and denying all these countries’ is a clear fact, but such differences don’t mean that one and useful interactions. put them in further jeopardy.