Swedish PM Arvand Free Zone Iran’s Abdolhosseini Donya Fannizadeh, puppeteer 41516to lead trade delegation 10 to host culinary named China of Iran’s most popular puppet to Iran festival karate coach Kola-Qermezi, dies at 49 WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y Iran tests new surface-to-air missile 2 16 Pages Price 10,000 Rials 38th year No.12730 Thursday DECEMBER 29, 2016 Dey 9, 1395 Rabi’ Al Awwal 29, 1438 ‘Militarily Asia’s weak Britain Rouhani links ‘grave November can’t affect imports of power sleeping’ to corruption Iranian oil more equation in than double from year ago region’ See page 2 INTERVIEW Imports of crude oil by Iran’s four ma- By Javad Heirannia jor buyers in Asia in November more than doubled for a second straight TEHRAN — A professor of the State month from a year ago, with purchas- University of Minnesota says Britain is es by India and South Korea more than so economically and militarily weak four times higher. that its renewed military presence in Iran’s top four Asian buyers - China, the Persian Gulf cannot change pow- India, South Korea and Japan - import- er equation in the region. ed 1.94 million barrels per day (bpd) “The British are really quite weak last month, up 117 percent on a year economically and militarily… (that) are earlier, government and ship-tracking not likely to be a major force in the data showed. Middle East for the near future,” William That was just short of the 2016 O. Beeman tells the Tehran Times. peak of 1.99 million bpd hit in the Following is the text of the inter- previous month, which was the view: highest since at least 2010, accord- What are the reasons for ing to data by International Energy a renewed British military pres- Agency. ence in the Persian Gulf? The volumes were in line with the A: The British announced the de- OPEC member’s crude oil and con- velopment of a new naval base in densate export plans. Bahrain at Mina Salman. The port was Iran was exempted from last offered to the British in 2012 by the month’s OPEC deal to reduce output Al-Khalifa government, and the British by 1.2 million bpd starting Jan. 1, a took them up on this. The ostensible victory for Tehran which has argued it reason is to have a British presence in needs to regain the market share it lost the Persian Gulf to protect transport under Western sanctions targeting its of oil through the Straits of Hormuz. It nuclear program. is also a savings for the British for their Industry sources have said Iran naval operations in the Indian Ocean has been offering discounts to buy- region. 13 President.ir ers in return for increasing their pur- chases. 13 ARTICLE Germany, China opens up credit line for two plans of IMIDRO Ankara: Turkey By Seyyed Mohammad Eslami Deputy Industry Minister Mehdi Karbasian a contract was signed with Chinese company Karbasian said that since 10 to 12 years and Russia have Political expert said on Wednesday that Germany and China providing 46 million euro for two years credit ago a technological gap was created in the ceasefire plan for opened up credit line for two joint venture with interest rate of zero. sector of Iran’s mine, when international com- investment in graphite electrode in Ardakan A German company has supplied equip- panies disconnected their ties with Iran, and Syria city and aluminum plant in Jajarm city, north- ment with 40 million euro credit to implement now are gradually coming back to Iran. Trump’s nuclear ern Khorasan province, IRNA reported on graphite electrode projects and it is for three He stressed that in Mehdiabad Zink Turkey and Russia have prepared an Wednesday. years period. Mine, Yazd province, and Zarshouran Gold agreement for a ceasefire in Syria, dark age? Karbasian, also the head of Iranian Mines Mine in West Azarbaijan province, foreign Turkey’s foreign minister said, adding and Mining Industries Development and A German company has advisors are being allowed and in the field Ankara would not budge on its oppo- “Let it be an arms race!” This is the Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), said that supplied equipment with of environment, the Norwegian advisor is sition to Syrian President Bashar al-As- following implementation of JCPOA, the in- hired. message of the new American presi- 40 million euro credit sad staying in power. dent to the world. This was while the ternational reputable companies have wel- Karbasian said that value of projects un- The comments by Mevlut Cavu- international community was dream- comed to develop partnership with Iranian to implement graphite derway between Iran and China over the past soglu on Wednesday appeared to sig- ing about a world without nuclear partners to carry out joint venture investment electrode projects and it three years, was more than 20 billion euro nal a tentative advance in talks aimed arms. projects in Iran’s mine sector. is for three years period. from which 4 billion was in the sector of mine at reaching a truce, but the insistence Donald Trump’s harsh reaction to He said that for Jajarm aluminum project and mine industries. that Assad must go will do little to Vladimir Putin, puts the dream under smooth negotiations with Russia, his the shadow of doubt and ambiguity. biggest backer. The two presidents are both calling for Air defense drill highlights Iran’s capability to counter all threats: commander Russia, Iran and Turkey said last strengthening nuclear arsenals. Lieutenant Commander of the Armed Forces are fully prepared threat in the air, land and sea,” ly the provinces of Hormozgan, week they were ready to help broker a At an annual end-of-year meet- Iranian Army Brigadier General to counter threats. Pourdastan added. Bushehr and Khuzestan. peace deal after holding talks in Mos- ing with defense chiefs, Putin said Ahmad Reza Pourdastan hailed He reminded “the enemies He noted, however, that Iran’s More than 17,000 armed forc- cow where they adopted a declaration Russia’s military can overpower any a war game staged this week by and those who nurture wishful message for the region is one of es took part in the drill, which setting out the principles any agree- potential foe, but it should build up the Air Defense, saying the drill thinking” against the country of peace and friendship and that came to an end on Wednesday ment should adhere to. its nuclear capability. “We need to conveyed the message that Iran the power of the Iranian Armed “we can provide security for the with a military parade. “There are two texts ready on a strengthen the military potential of is powerful enough to foil any Forces, saying the Air Defense region and there is no need for The main purpose of the solution in Syria. One is about a po- strategic nuclear forces, especially threat. forces easily hit and destroyed aliens and trans-regional coun- exercise was improving coordi- litical resolution and the other is about with missile complexes that can reli- Speaking at the end of small flying objects during the tries.” nation between various air de- a ceasefire. They can be implemented ably penetrate any existing and pro- the large-scale maneuver on drill and, therefore, are well ca- The drill, codenamed Defend- fense units of the armed forces, any time,” Cavusoglu told reporters on spective missile defense systems,” the Wednesday, the senior com- pable of targeting invading air- ers of Velayat Skies 7, had start- serving either in the Army or the sidelines of an awards ceremony at Russian leader said. mander said the message of the craft as well. ed on Monday covering an area the Islamic Revolution Guards the presidential palace in Ankara. Trump, meanwhile, tweeted U.S. war game for the Iranian na- “Today, our Armed Forces are of 496,000 square kilometers Corps (IRGC). He said Syria’s opposition would must “greatly strengthen and expand tion and for enemies is that the able to respond to any type of in Iran’s southern areas, main- (Source: Tasnim) never back Assad. its nuclear capability”. Then in a phone “The whole world knows it is not conversation with MSNBC, he warned possible for there to be a political tran- nuclear adversaries that the United sition with Assad, and we also all know States “will outmatch them at every that it is impossible for these people to pass and outlast them all.” unite around Assad.” The president-elect fantasized that Last week, Russia’s foreign minis- the nation must do so until the rest of ter said Russia, Iran and Turkey had the world - as he put it - “comes to its agreed that the priority in Syria was to senses” regarding nuclear weapons. fight terrorism and not to remove As- A return to Cold War? sad’s government. The recent remarks by the two Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agen- world leaders raise the very pre- cy said earlier on Wednesday Moscow dictable question. Are Russia and and Ankara had agreed on a proposal the U.S. entering a new Cold War? toward a general ceasefire. The Kremlin At least it could be a sign that the said it could not comment on the report. bilateral treaties between the U.S. A Syrian rebel official said meetings and Russia are under serious and between Ankara and rebel forces were increasing stress. These include the expected to continue this week, but 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction could not confirm whether a final cease- fire agreement had been reached.