Rouhani Lauds Erdogan's Stance Against Sanctions
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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 20,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13283 Thursday DECEMBER 20, 2018 Azar 29, 1397 Rabi’ Al thani 12, 1440 Powerful Iran ‘Expenses reduced Infantino offer “Sheeple” wins big at resists pressure in next year’s condolence over death Celebration of Iranian Cinema 2 budget bill’ 4 of Iraj Danaeifard 15 Critics and Screenwriters 16 Zarif: West finally compelled to accept Iran’s political solution to Syrian crisis Rouhani lauds Erdogan’s POLITICS TEHRAN — Irani- the makeup of the Syrian constitutional deskan Foreign Minister committee. Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday Zarif suggested that in this political that “the West has now been compelled process the West should help “facilitate” to accept” Iran’s political solution to the rather than “dictate” its views. stance against sanctions Syrian crisis. “In Geneva alongside Russian & Turkish Zarif made the remarks after he and counterparts to move fwd on a constitu- See page 2 his Russian and Turkish counterparts met tional committee to resolve #Syria crisis. with outgoing UN Special Envoy Staffan de We always insisted on a political solution Mistura in Geneva on Tuesday to discuss led and owned by Syrians. 2 India plans to pay 5 Iranian banks for oil purchases India will use escrow accounts of five said, asking not to be identified because the Iranian banks held with UCO Bank Ltd. information isn’t public. All spending will to deposit money for oil purchases from be in Indian rupees. the Middle East producer to overcome Continued supplies is crucial for India, U.S. sanctions, according to people with a country that imports nearly 80 percent knowledge of the matter. of its annual crude requirement, as Teh- Iran will use part of the deposits for pur- ran offers better credit terms than other chasing essential goods from India and to Middle East oil producers and, in the past, meet expenditure incurred by its diplomatic has accepted payments in Indian rupees, missions in the South Asian nation, the people rather than U.S. dollars. 4 U.S. preparing for ‘full’ and ‘rapid’ withdrawal from Syria Planning is underway for a “full” and tweeted, “we have defeated ISIS (ISIL/ “rapid” withdrawal of the United States Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Daesh) troops from Syria, a U.S. defense official in Syria, my only reason for being there told CNN on Wednesday. during the Trump Presidency. The decision, which would be a reversal Even though the U.S. will continue to from previously stated U.S. policy, was maintain troops in Iraq with the capability of made by the U.S. President Donald Trump, launching strikes into Syria, a U.S. withdrawal president.ir who has long signaled his desire to get of ground forces would fulfill a major goal of out of Syria, the official added. Syria, Iran and Russia and risks diminishing President Hassan Rouhani is welcomed at Ankara airport in Turkey, on Wednesday, December 19, 2018. On Wednesday morning, the President the U.S. influence in the region. 13 EDITORIAL Saudi-led coalition makes mockery of Yemen truce ARTICLE Mohammad Ghaderi By Syed Zafar Mehdi war-mongers feel anxious and threatened every have landed in Hodeida`s residential areas, sending Martin Love Tehran Times editor-in-chief TEHRAN — After week-long marathon peace time peaceniks come together. They are averse to clear message to the peace negotiators that the ‘deal’ Political analyst from @ghaderi62 talks in Sweden, facilitated by the United Na- peace and stability because they have vested interest reached in Sweden is not acceptable to Saudi royals. North Carolina tions, Yemen’s warring parties agreed to an in chaos and mayhem. They want to see Yemen On Saturday, fierce clashes broke out on the Merkel’s ultimatum immediate ceasefire in Hodeidah city and the burning and the people of Yemen starving. outskirts of Hodeida, after attempts by Saudi-led ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Saleef, in a bid Soon after the peace agreement was inked and coalition troops to advance into the city, using At bottom, what to British prime to resolve the country’s humanitarian crisis and negotiators walked back to their hotels smiling, the cover of airstrikes. Residents had to run for scale down fighting. deafening sounds of coalition jets echoed through cover as airstrikes pounded the battered and ails the U.S. looks minister The landmark agreement was announced by the war-ravaged province of Hodeida. It seems bruised city. UN chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday. Pictures the news about the ‘deal’ had reached Riyadh and A day later, Saudi-led coalition warplanes, like mental illness the ‘merchants of death and destruction’ decided according to reports, targeted residential areas he Chancellor of Germany is still of Yemen’s foreign minister Khaled al-Yamani to welcome it in their own characteristic manner. in Dreihimi district, 15 miles south of Hodeida, trying to play the role of a senior and rebel negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam requently, if a person in America has According to reports, since Thursday when dropping deadly cluster bombs, which resulted official in the Europe’s foreign shaking hands with Guterres looking on made friends in Iran, one must address T it to front pages of newspapers across the world. the truce was announced, Saudi-led coalition has in dozens of civilian casualties. The message was policy. Currently, Angela Merkel is those friends with empathy when violated the ceasefire at least 50 times, launching loud and clear: war will continue, no matter what F trying to end the negotiations with the It certainly was an extraordinary moment that they write directly or on social media 50 deadly airstrikes. More than 300 mortar shells the stakeholders decide. 6 British side over the Brexit. “With less rekindled hopes of a peaceful future for Yemen. But, about their dismay and even fear of U.S. than four months left until the United policies and actions in the Middle East. It Kingdom is due to leave the EU on March hardly warrants repeating what the dis- 29, May’s premiership and her deal to “Afghanistan deadliest country in world for journalists in 2018” may consists of and why it exists because stave off a disorderly departure or a bid By Syed Zafar Mehdi drone strikes, and IED blasts. targeted attacks on journalists in the run-up to almost everyone knows already. It’s been to stop Brexit are hanging by a thread”, TEHRAN — Journalists in Afghanistan, where They are sometimes caught between the elections had threatened “the Afghan people’s obvious for years, especially after Bush announced Reuters. the foreign-imposed war has now stretched into devil and deep sea, facing threats from armed sovereignty and democratic choice.” invaded Iraq. Now, with the British Parliament its 18th year, continue to walk a tightrope, liv- insurgents, foreign forces, government officials, The war imposed by the Taliban and ISIS, and One response that ought to provide postponing the vote on the Brexit, and ing dangerously while trying to report the daily warlords and criminals. Journalists in Afghani- facilitated by Western powers led by U.S., have some balm, if not real relief, for Ira- the possibility of the parliament’s neg- incidents. stan are soft target. had ominous consequences for media freedom nians is the fact that while Iran has ative vote to the final plan presented by Reporting in the war-ravaged country can According to a latest report by Reporters in Afghanistan. been the prime focus of U.S. hostility Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, be a daunting task. Over the years, many lo- Without Borders (RSF), Afghanistan has been Afghan government led by President Ashraf under Trump (so far in Iran’s case the Europe and London are both stuck in a cal and foreign journalists have been killed the world’s deadliest country for journalists in Ghani has come under severe censure for failing hostilities have been mostly economic) political dead end. Despite these con- or wounded in various incidents of violence 2018, where it says 13 journalists and 2 media to protect journalists from violence. is that it seems NO country, not even flicts, it’s not really difficult to formulate across the country. workers were killed, all before the October par- In October this year, at the re-launch of European ones that want to continue the existing crisis between Europe and But, despite ominous threats and heavy odds, liamentary elections. Journalists Support Fund in Kabul – a fund trade with Iran and some other coun- Britain! they have upheld the principles of free and fair- Nine of them, including senior photojournalist meant to help members of the Afghan media tries, and augment trade with Russia, The fact is that Theresa May has claimed less journalism under extremely challenging Shah Marai, were killed in twin blasts in April fraternity including families of those killed have escaped threats of sanctions or that there is no better plan than the deal circumstances. this year, the most deadly attack on the media while covering war President Ghani said his some other kind of attack by the U.S. which was previously made between Britain Security is the biggest challenge for journalists in Afghanistan since 2001. government was not at odds with the media The U.S. is throwing “sanctions” around and Europe. And “Exiting the EU with in Afghanistan who have to report from highly Reza Moini, the head of RSF’s Afghanistan and the two should work together because they like confetti at a wedding.