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.13224 Sunday OCTOBER 7, 2018 Mehr 15, 1397 Muharram 27, 1440 Israeli president’s ‘Hidden hands’ Iran A win General Qassem remarks are at work to cause rift FIVB Beach Volleyball Soleimani attends ‘thoughtless’, ‘rude’ 2 between Iran, Iraq 2 World Tour 15 war epic launch 16 Iran, Afghanistan discuss EXCLUSIVE Idlib is no exception and its fate INTERVIEW refugee issues See page 7 POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian reported on Saturday. deskDeputy Interior Minis- Zolfaqari also said if it were not for ter for Security Affairs, Hossein Zolfaqari, Iran’s efforts, the Iraqi government would will be a defeat for terrorists has held talks with Afghan Minister of have not agreed to the visit of Afghan refu- Refugees and Repatriations Hussain Alami gees living in Iran to visit Iraq as pilgrims Balkhi on the sidelines of the 69th session the Arba’een ritual. of the Executive Committee of the High Iran has been hosting hundreds of thou- Commissioner’s Programme. sands of Afghan refugees for about four During the meeting, Zolfaqari stressed decades, since the Soviet Union invaded that the Iranian government would spare Afghanistan. Some estimates put the number no effort in facilitating the return of Af- of documented an undocumented Afghans ghan refugees to their homeland, Mehr living in Iran at about three millions. 2 Iran expecting 7m foreign travelers by yearend TOURISM TEHRAN – Iran’s arrivals by the yearend,” said Ali-Asghar desktourism chief on Mounesan who presides over the Cultural Wednesday estimated that international Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Or- arrivals in the country will be reaching seven ganization, CHTN reported. million during the current Iranian calendar The number of inbound passengers year (to be ended on March 20, 2019). showed 51 percent year-on-year growth “With regard to the rising numbers of during the first six months of the year, foreign travelers to the country, we will the official said, without mentioning a reach the figure of seven million in foreign number. 10 ‘Saudis looting of Yemeni oil resources blatant violation of international law’ Yemen’s Oil and Mineral Ministry has Rub’ al Khali desert to Hadhramaut and Mohammad Ghaderi denounced the looting of the country’s oil al-Mahrah provinces south of the country. resources by Saudi Arabia, saying the move It said that Riyadh’s move to plunder Yem- is a blatant violation of international law. en’s wealth is done with the complicity of the The ministry said in a statement on country’s former Saudi-allied government. Saturday that the House of Saud regime Stating that the Saudi regime recent transports Yemeni oil to the Arabian Sea move has sparked protests by the residents Tehran Times/ Tehran Times/ through a pipeline which extends from the of al-Mahrah and other provinces, 13 PERSPECTIVE ‘Delivery of S-300 to Syria prevents Israel from assisting terrorists’ ARTICLE Masoud Hossein Martin Love By Mohammad Fatemizadeh be for Tel Aviv. After the incident, the Russians Head of the Sport Desk of Political analyst from TEHRAN (MNA) – Syrian Deputy Parliament were reluctant to announce the S-300 system the TehranTimes North Carolina Speaker Najdat Anzour told Mehr News that to Damascus. Russia’s delivery of S-300 to Syria is a “huge Syrian Deputy Parliament Speaker Najdat transformation that greatly weakens the Zionist Anzour sat with the Mehr News Agency to discuss Ivankovic, a true regime’s ability to cooperate directly with the some of the country’s the recent issues. Those who terrorist groups in Syria.” Following the downing of the Russian dedicated coach to Russia’s Ilyushin-20 military aircraft was shot plane in Syria, caused indirectly by the Zionist temporarily are losing down in western Syria with Russian S-200 by regime, Russia announced the delivery of the football Syrian air defense forces and all 15 crew of the S-300 system to Syria. What are the reasons badly often do win plane were killed. The Russians pointed finger behind this shipment? ersepolis took a massive step y the time this column is printed it’s at Tel Aviv, after which the Zionist authorities A: This is a natural change, within the frame- towards the 2018 AFC Cham- more than likely Brett Kavanaugh handle the incident in any form they had. In work of a solid and historic relationship be- pions League final after de- will have won a seat on the U.S. Su- P this connection, the prime minister of Israel, the incident, and after meeting with a number tween the allies fighting terrorism, especially B feating Al Sadd of Qatar 1-0 in the preme Court, voted in by the slight majority Benjamin Netanyahu, sent the Russian Army of Russian officials, last Friday returned to Tel between Syria and Russia. Such actions, which first leg of the semifinals. It came of GOP senators in the U.S Congress… to Air Force commander, Major Nurkin, to Russia Aviv. The Zionists, for whatever purpose they are among the most important collaborations, as no surprise to us, however, as the dismay and consternation of most all to provide the “documentation” to Tel Aviv on did, did not know what the consequences would must be taken. 7 Branko Ivankovic has built his team thoughtful Americans, including (nota- the right way. bly) many hundreds of professors at law Ivankovic, known as Professor in ‘India-Pakistan relationship held hostage by structural impediments’ schools across the country. Iran, knows his players very well. In Kavanaugh will have won despite the the past three years, he has selected By Syed Zafar Mehdi In an interview to Tehran Times, Mr. Saran tural reasons. Issues of Identity and a shared fact that he is a proven liar, that he treated his players according to plans. TEHRAN — India and Pakistan, the two estranged talks about the fragile India-Pakistan relations, sense of historical animosity have hardcoded at least a few young women badly as a Persepolis were handed the neighbors, made some significant overtures since political sensitivity of these talks, the role of Pa- themselves into both countries’ politics. And in young man, and in interrogation before two-transfer-window ban due to the formation of new government in Islamabad, kistani Army in it, intermittent border flare-ups, today’s polarized media environment, opinions Congress he did not display the kind of breaking transfer rules. BUT Persep- which rekindled hopes of peaceniks in both the the importance of political will in the success of on these issues are sharper and more amplified temperament that one ought to expect from olis are favorites to win Iran Profes- countries. But the parleys proved short-lived. The peace negotiations and India’s relations with than ever before. These factors make any true a future Supreme Court justice. Moreover, sional League for a third successive battle lines are drawn again as accusations and Russia and Iran. reconciliation very difficult. as a judge and government advisor in years time and the Reds are on the verge counter-accusations fly thick and fast. This week, Following are the excerpts: Imran Khan in his victory speech said he past, his record is shabby if one considers of advancing to the AFC Champions the foreign ministers of the two countries took The formation of a new government in will take two steps if India took one. And Naren- civil rights important, if one considers League final. their war of words to the UN General Assembly. Islamabad had rekindled hopes of peace and dra Modi had called to congratulate him on his checks and balances against overweening Ivankovic has dedicated himself Samir Saran is the President of Observer Re- reconciliation between India and Pakistan, af- thumping victory in Pakistan general elections. power by the President and the executive to football. He has put his heart search Foundation (ORF), one of Asia’s most ter the two sides made a series of overtures and Do you think the two leaders were really sincere as well as business interests important. and his vast years of experience influential think tanks, based in New Delhi. He looked interested in opening a new chapter in in improving bilateral ties? Kavanaugh appears to be anathema to keep his teams in the highest curates the Raisina Dialogue, India’s annual flag- their bilateral ties. But, now it has again been A. No, it is unlikely that they were. This welcoming to the concerns of the common man, the standard. ship platform on geopolitics and go-economics. He put on the backburner. What makes this rela- rhetoric is often visible when new administrations least powerful among the citizenry. His He had previously helped Iran has authored four books and is featured regularly tionship so fragile? take office, but rarely lasts very long for the reasons appointment has been so divisive that win 2002 Asian Games in Busan, in Indian and international media. A. The relationship remains fragile for struc- outlined in my first response. 6 it’s hard to imagine the split in the U.S. South Korea, headed Team Melli between the haves and the have nots has to a third-placed position in 2004 ever been so caustic and disappointing, AFC Asian Cup in China, and last but Iran team suggesting that “democracy” is nearly a not least, led Iran national football thing of the past. team to the 2006 World Cup Finals Kavanaugh is part and parcel of Trump’s in Germany.