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.13542 Sunday DECEMBER 1, 2019 Azar 10, 1398 Rabi’ Al thani 4, 1441 Iran views IAEA Intelligence Ministry says Esteghlal left frustrated Turkey picked as guest inspector’s act as arsonists backed by Iran as IPL tie with Sepahan of honor at Tehran ‘industrial sabotage’ 2 International TV arrested 3 ends in stalemate 15 Intl. Book Fair 16 Tehran, Rome explore ways World should not remain silent of boosting trade TEHRAN – Officials, businessmen and forum which was held following the visit entrepreneurs from Iran and Italy gathered of an Iranian trade delegation to the Eu- together in Milan on Friday to discuss ropean country. on inhumane conduct of the U.S. ways of expanding economic cooperation, Addressing the forum, the Iranian am- IRNA reported. bassador underlined the two countries’ See page 12 As reported, Iranian Ambassador to positive economic and political relations Italy Hamid Bayat and representatives of and emphasized the need for further ex- Iran-Italy Joint Chamber of Commerce pansion of cooperation between the two were among the attendees of the business sides’ private sectors. 4 Foreign institutions exaggerating death toll in Iran unrest TEHRAN — The Iranian deputy inte- Jamal Orf said the figures released by rior minister for political affairs said on these bodies are invalid. Saturday that international bodies have “Such statistics are not valid,” Orf said been exaggerating the death toll that fol- when asked about the international in- lowed the protests over increase in gas stitutions’ statistics. price, noting that the national prosecutor’s He added, “These bodies are exag- office will announce the exact statistics gerating death toll of the recent unrest in this regard. across the country.” 3 Shadow of strife looms over Iraq’s political crisis Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi did not do so, it would be “the beginning said he would step down after two months of the end of Iraq”. of street protests across the country’s south Over the past week, an escalation of and center. violence took the lives of more than 60 The announcement came hours after people, with many victims shot dead with Iraq’s top Shia religious leader, Ayatollah live ammunition. Since the start of the pro- Ali al-Sistani, released a statement calling tests in early October, some 400 people for a change in leadership in Iraq. On have died. Demonstrators have demanded Thursday, powerful Shia leader Moqtada the resignation of the government and a al-Sadr, who leads the largest bloc in par- complete overhaul of the political system. liament, Sairoon, had also demanded that They have also called for an end to foreign Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki (L) and UN Secretary-General António Guterres the government resign and said that if it interference in Iraqi political affairs. 13 PERSPECTIVE Maduro says U.S., Colombia prepare provocation, mobilizes Venezuelan army ARTICLE Hanif Ghaffari Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he served to incite a military conflict on the Ven- claimed himself “interim president” and called Ramin Hossein Abadian Head of the Tehran Times had information that Colombia and the United ezuela-Colombia border in order to draw at- on citizens to help him take power in the country. Mehr News Agency Politics Desk States were planning a provocation on the Bo- tention away from the protests taking place Guaido immediately received support from the journalist livarian Republic’s Western border and called in Colombia. United States and some Latin American countries, on all staff of the country’s armed forces to be Earlier in September, Maduro announced including Colombia, while Maduro accused him Wrong French address prepared for battle. large-scale military exercises on the country’s of trying to stage a coup in Venezuela with the What scenario has “I have information that Colombia, together Western border with Colombia, saying its help of the U.S. to public opinion with the U.S. Southern Command are planning neighbour presented a level orange security He also accused Bogota of being behind the infiltrators started to launch another provocation at the Venezuelan threat. plot to overthrow and assassinate him. he French foreign minister has called border with Colombia. All staff of Venezuela’s The two neighbouring nations regularly accuse While Guaido was endorsed as “president” by in Iraq? the accession of Norway, Sweden, Den- armed forces must be combat ready,” Maduro each other of supporting anti-government forces. the U.S. and Colombia, a number of countries, Tmark, the Netherlands, Finland and stated on Friday during his meeting with the The political crisis in Venezuela intensified including Russia and China, have said they only raq has recently witnessed many in- Belgium to the European Special Financial country’s transportation employees broadcast earlier in January when merely two weeks af- recognise Maduro as the legitimate president cidents, one of which is attack on the Mechanism(INSTEX) an indication of “Eu- via Twitter, RIA Novosti reported. ter Maduro’s inauguration for his second term, of Venezuela. IIranian consulate in Najaf by rioters. rope’s commitment to a nuclear deal with Iran”! The president added that the provocations opposition lawmaker Juan Guaido illegally pro- (Source: FNA) The latest reports indicate that the rioters These ridiculous statements indicate that the were not natives of Najaf. French still intend to continue their joint According to Iraqi police, more than 50 game with the United States of America Turkey repatriates 2 foreign ISIL terrorists to Belgium security forces were killed in the attack on the against the Islamic Republic of Iran. This Islamic Republic of Iran’s consulate in Najaf. dangerous, albeit unpredictable, game was Turkey repatriated two foreign terrorist fighters Belgium and Ireland on Friday and Saturday,” of the terrorist group were sent back on Monday. The Governor of Najaf, Luay al-Yassiry, started and continued by U.S. and French to Belgium on Friday, said the Interior Ministry. Soylu had said. “Efforts to identify the nationalities of foreign condemned the attack on Iran’s consulate Presidents (Trump and Emmanuel Macron) On Twitter, the Turkish ministry said the Bel- Several European countries have resisted fighters captured in Syria have been completed, in Najaf, saying that Iraq will foil the plot in in year 2017. gian nationals were sent back to their countries Turkey’s efforts to repatriate Daesh/ISIL ter- with their interrogations 90% finished and the the country. At the same time, Baghdad’s The fact is that the only reason for the of origin as part of Turkey’s ramped-up efforts rorists, but Turkey has vowed to press forward. relevant countries notified,” Catakli was cited as government also reacted officially to the crisis has been the departure of the United to repatriate foreign terrorist fighters. Since recognizing Daesh/ISIL as a terror group saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. attack by the rioters. States from an international agreement. The two terrorists, Fatima B. and Rahma B., in 2013, Turkey has been attacked by terrorists “The process of repatriating foreign fighters to The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also issued On the other hand, Donald Trump’s gov- were jailed in Antwerp upon their arrival in Bel- numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, their countries will continue with determination.” a statement condemning the attack on ernment has imposed sanctions against gium on late Friday, the Office of Belgian Federal seven bombings and four armed attacks which Turkish sources say about two dozen other Iran’s consulate and said that the rioters Iran, which has shown little commitment Prosecutor said in a statement. killed 315 people and injured hundreds. members to be deported in the coming days aim to undermine the historic ties between to international treaties. In such a situa- The statement added that the authorities had In response to the attacks, Turkey launched were all European, including a Dane expected the two countries. The statement urged tion, the White House must return to the issued arrest warrant in default for Fatima B. anti-terror operations at home and abroad, to be sent abroad later on Monday, as well as Iraqi protesters to be aware of those who nuclear deal in the direction of the exit on May 18, 2015 and for Rahma B. on June 27, neutralizing 3,500 Daesh/ISIL terrorists and two Irish nationals, nine other Germans and 11 intend to exploit the demonstrations. from the swamp, and the United States 2019, over terror ties. arresting 5,500. French citizens. As the Iraqi government has stated, must also lift its sanctions against Iran Meanwhile, Turkey’s Interior Minister Su- Previously on November Turkey deported Last week, Turkish Interior Minister Suley- the main goal of agitators who provoked and offset the damage that has occurred leyman Soylu announced on Thursday that 11 two captured Western members of the Daesh man Soylu reiterated that Turkey would surely attack on the consulate is to undermine in the last year. The Trump government French national members of the Daesh/ISIL Takfiri terrorist group despite unwillingness of send captured members of Daesh back to their the strategic Baghdad-Tehran ties. should also apologize to the international terror group will be sent back to their countries the countries of origin. countries of origin even if those countries have However, the position of Iraq’s gov- community on leaving the JCPOA. of origin early December. Turkish Interior Ministry spokesman Ismail stripped them of citizenship. ernment shows that rioters’ action did not The Islamic Republic now sends a firm “This week we will carry out repatriations to Catakli said one American and one German member (Source: Anadolu) have the slightest impact on the relations and clear message to the west, exactly 18 between the two countries.