WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 16 Pages Price 10,000 Rials 39th year No.13198 Tuesday SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 Shahrivar 13, 1397 Dhul Hijjah 23, 1439 Iran will cooperate ‘Armenians enjoy Esteghlal, Persepolis Art for Peace Festival with any bloc taking full religious learn fate at Iran’s to open in Tehran power in Iraq 2 freedom in Iran’ 2 Hazfi Cup 15 on Sept. 14 16 UK minister: We seek no covert operation in Iran, plan to build ties Terrorists should be the UK, along with the European Union, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW are doing all they can to provide the mech- By Mohammad Ghaderi & anism by which they can continue trade Payman Yazdani transactions with Iran. TEHRAN — UK’s Minister of State for He also stressed that the UK is prepared the Middle East, Alistair Burt, in an ex- to pay the costs of maintaining economic cleaned out of Idlib: Zarif clusive interview with the Tehran Times, relations with Iran in the face of U.S. extra- reaffirms his country’s support to the 2015 territorial sanctions, noting the importance See page 2 nuclear deal following the U.S. unilateral of having an independent foreign policy withdrawal from the agreement, saying from that of Washington. 13 2 large aluminum, copper plants to be put into operation by Mar. 2019 ECONOMY TEHRAN— Head 300,000-ton capacity aluminum plant in deskof Iranian Mines and the south of the country will be the largest Mining Industries Development and and most modern aluminum production Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) plant in Iran, IMIDRO Public Relations announced that two large plants for Department reported. production of aluminum and copper This plant will need aluminum oxide will be put into operation in the country and aluminum powder to be imported by the end of current Iranian calendar from other countries because there is year (March 20, 2019). not enough raw material in Iran, he Mehdi Karbasian also said that the mentioned. ‘Army, IRGC air forces able to foil possible adventures’ POLITICS TEHRAN — The Is- marks during a meeting with Amir Ali desklamic Republic of Iran Hajizadeh, commander of the aerospace Air Force (IRIAF) and the aerospace di- division of the IRGC, Mehr reported vision of the Islamic Revolution Guards on Monday. Corps (IRGC) can together deal with Nasirzadeh also lauded the IRGC’s any kind of threat posed by the enemies, aerospace division for its achievements IRIAF Commander Aziz Nasirzadeh said in the field of aerospace, and called for on Monday. cooperation among all military and civilian File photo General Nasirzadeh made the re- bodies for national progress. ARTICLE EU help to Iran is not serious: Hunter ARTICLE Hanif Ghaffari impact of U.S. sanctions. In other words, the law Mudasir Sheikh Political analyst EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Researcher and writer By Javad Heirannia is a new version of the “Blocking Statute” that the European Union approved in 1996 to protect from Kashmir TEHRAN — Shireen Tahmaasb Hunter, a profes- Cuba against U.S. sanctions. In your opinion, sor of political science at Georgetown University, how much this law is effectiveness to protect Is Europe’s tells the Tehran Times that that “Europe wants to Iran against U.S. sanctions? Iran’s key role keep Iran committed to JCPOA, and thus makes A: The current laws are not very effective opposition to some vague promises, but it is not willing to give in countering American sanctions. Moreover, in fight against Iran serious help.” the real issue is that Europe does not want to America real? “It was recently reported that the EU will offer escalate confrontation with America for the America’s economic 18million euros for some projects in Iran. This sake of Iran. Economic relations between U.S. estern media has recently pub- is not serious,” Hunter tells the Tehran Times. Following is the text the interview: and Europe are very extensive and any gain terrorism lished reports on the new ap- She adds the Europe does not want to escalate Some argue that the European Union laws with Iran cannot compensate for the loss of he America’s economic terrorism proach of European authorities confrontation with America for the sake of Iran. does not have an effect to protect Iran against the U.S. markets. 13 W against the Islamic Republic of Iran over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). German Chancellor, Thas assumed alarming proportions Angela Merkel, has officially opposed to lately. But Iran stands unfazed. On August her Democrat Foreign Minister, Heiko Pakistan continues to rebuff U.S., supports Iran’s stand on JCPOA 20, 2018, Iran’s central bank-affiliated Mass. Maas recently mentioned that Eu- By Syed Zafar Mehdi wide-ranging deliberations with the top political its nuclear deal with major world powers. website took off U.S. dollar as a standard of rope and the U.S. “have been drifting TEHRAN — Much to the chagrin of hawks in and military leadership of Pakistan, including “Pakistan stands with Iran in this hour of measuring the average rate of Iran’s most apart for years” and urged Europe to Washington and Riyadh, neighbors Iran and prime minister, foreign minister, army chief and need,” Qureshi said, joining the growing tradable currencies. In February, Iran had “assume our equal share of responsibil- Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to parliament speaker. league of countries that have backed Iran’s switched from US dollar to Euro as the ity” in order to “form a counterweight bolster bilateral ties and open a new chapter in In a tweet, the social media-savvy foreign peaceful nuclear energy program and refused official reporting currency of the nation. when the U.S. crosses the line,” pull “our their relationship. minister termed the meetings “fruitful”, in which to buckle under the U.S. pressure to cut trade Recently President Hassan Rouhani weight when America retreats … [and] The ties between the two countries, although the two sides laid emphasis on “expanding bilat- ties with Tehran. announced a ‘secondary currency market’ start a new conversation.” historic, have been marked by ambiguity in eral, regional, and global partnership”, adding An official statement issued by Khan’s office and other comprehensive measures to Among his bolder suggestions on how recent years, especially during the previous that neighbors were Iran’s “priority”. Zarif’s vis- said the prime minister received the Iranian for- tackle the devaluation of Rial. According to do this, he came with the suggestion government led by Nawaz Sharif, who was it to Pakistan came at a crucial time when the eign minister for a meeting, who conveyed to him to experts, Trump’s hostile stance towards of an independent system of financial seen heavily tilted towards Riyadh. With the relations between Islamabad and Washington the greetings and best wishes of the people and Iran is a major contributing factor for the transactions that would protect European new government in Islamabad now, led by are undergoing a tectonic shift, and Pakistan leadership of Iran on assuming office. devaluation of Rial, but President Rou- companies seeking to do business with the charismatic cricketer-turned-politician is finally coming out of the ominous shadow of Zarif stated that Iran wished continued pro- hani’s recently announced policies are Iran. In response, Merkel stated that Imran Khan, Iran-Pakistan ties are expected U.S. and Saudi Arabia. gress and prosperity to the people of Pakistan going to effectively counter this economic there are many barriers to the formation to become stronger. Imran Khan led government has made a and delivered a message of Iranian President warfare. of such a system, and in the meantime, As a sign of growing proximity between the great start by outlining its foreign policies Hassan Rouhani, inviting Khan for the upcoming The monopoly of US dollar in global U.S. and Europe’s security cooperation two countries, Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif very clearly. On Friday, following the meeting Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit in trade has been effectively exploited by can’t be ignored. Many analysts believe became the first foreign official to visit Pakistan between Zarif and his Pakistani counterpart Iran in October 2018. Both Pakistan and Iran Washington to unleash its terror on that the U.S. and EU’s opposition over this week since the change of guard in Islamabad. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan said it sup- are members of ACD and Iran currently holds sovereign states and to feed its unlim- the JCPOA remains strong, although Zarif, who has been to Pakistan eight times, held ported Iran’s “principled stance” regarding the chair of the organisation. 6 ited deficits as beautifully explained there’s no guarantee that Europe would by F. William Engdahl in his book ‘A remain committed to the nuclear deal Century of War: Anglo-American Oil in the future. Politics.’ Accordingly, a review on the At- It is easy to picture that Iran is not alone lantic’s recent article is worth noting. OANA holds in this battle against American economic Emphasizing that Donald Trump and terrorism but it is on the forefront. China’s his advisers have a consistent record objective is also to push the global economy of confronting and threatening Iran, meeting in away from the slavery of petrodollar into most prominently by withdrawing from the levers of real influence. This century the nuclear deal, the article reads that has witnessed a ten-fold growth in Chi- Trump expanded the threats against Tehran nese economy thus claiming the status of Iran to all those who do business with world’s second-largest economy but Beijing Executive Board Meeting of the Organization the country, declaring on Twitter they is highly annoyed by dollar’s hegemony of Asia-Pacific (OANA) News Agencies started “will NOT be doing business with the in the global financial system.