Iran staunching Banking barriers to be Iranian footballer Tehran Symphony 21112flow of narcotics 4 removed soon between Iran, Mehrdad Oladi dies of Orchestra to take “Neynava”

NATION into U.S., Europe ECONOMY Russia: TCCIMA chairman SPORTS cardiac arrest ART& CULTURE to Shanghai festival

WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y Congratulations on birth anniversary of Imam Ali(PBUH) and Father Day in Iran

12 Pages Price 10,000 Rials 37th year No.12533 Wednesday APRIL 20, 2016 Ordibehesht 1, 1395 Rajab 12, 1437 “Breath” tells of Iran’s crude output to reach Fajr festival children’s hopes, showcasing dreams shattered in war pre-sanctions level by June bright lineup EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Iran’s crude oil production will reach State news agency IRNA quoted was slightly below 4 million barrels a day of world By Seyyed Mostafa Mousavi Sabet pre-sanctions levels within two months, Rokneddin Javadi as saying that the before sanctions were imposed on the oil a deputy oil minister was quoted as pre-sanctions level would be attained by industry in 2011 and 2012. Last week Ja- cinema TEHRAN — Iranian director/writer Narges Abyar’s latest saying on Tuesday, reaffirming Tehran’s the end of the Iranian month of Khordad, vadi said output had already surpassed 3.5 By Afshin Majlesi movie “Breath” shows how hopes and dreams of many commitment to boosting production. which falls on June 20. Iran’s oil production million barrels a day. (Source: Reuters) Iranian children were shattered by the flames of the war TEHRAN — A vibrant lineup of mov- that Iraq lit in 1980. ies, documentaries and shorts by di- The story of the film begins in the late 1970s rectors from around the globe will be in Valadabad, a poor suburb of Karaj, where Ba- U.S. unipolar system has ended in failure, Iran says screened during the 34th Fajr Interna- har, Nader, Kamal and Maryam, live with numerous tional Film Festival, which opens today colorful dreams of their childhood along with their See page 2 at Tehran’s Charsu Cineplex. father and granny, but their mother has died a few Fifteen movies, including “1944” di- years before. rected by Elmo Nuganen from Estonia, Their father, who suffers from asthma, works for a “El Clásico” by Halkawt Mustafa from shoemaking company. In her dreams, Bahar, who narrates Iraq, “Norfolk” by Martin Radich from the story of the film, wishes to treat him when she be- the UK and “Guaraní” by Luis Zorraquín comes a doctor. from Argentine, will compete in the of- Iraq attacks Iran in September 1980, and the father de- ficial section -- Cinema Salvation. cides to join the Iranian volunteers on the warfront. Thus, Also among the highlights is Roma- granny and the children have to leave their home to live nian filmmaker Corneliu Porumboiu’s with their relatives in Yazd.Ya z d . “The Treasure”, the winner of the Prix Bahar tellste of her dreams, all of Un Certain Talent prize at the Cannes which aarer suddenly buried with Film Festival in 2015. herher ununder rubble when their The adventure drama starring Toma home is hit by Iraqi rockets. Cuzin and Adrian Purcarescu tells the “I“I wwanted to show the sto- story of two young men who are in ry in an atmosphere, which search of a lost treasure. wawas very close to the real A jury composed of Oscar-nomi- life,”lif Abyar told the Teh- nated director Majid Majidi and several ranr Times. other cineastes will judge the movies. “I wanted to illustrate Director Nasser Taqvai from Iran, howh many dreams and Chinese filmmaker and producer Tian childhoodc innocence Zhuangzhuang, Spanish director José Luis

area destroyed because Zarandoosh Mohammadreza Guerín, producers Ivo Felt from Estonia and ofo wars and certain ag- Zeynep Ozbatur Atakan from Turkey, and gressors,”g she added. Canadian writer Emmanuel Prevost are See page 1 2 ICANA/ other members of the jury. 12

Employing ‘U-Turn’ secures NATO and Russia want to PERSPECTIVE JCPOA implementation By M.A. Saki Deputy chief editor Three months after the implementation of the Joint Com- repair damage to relations: expert prehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - the nuclear agreement INTERVIEW invasion of Ukraine and annexation of signed between Iran and P5+1 in mid-January, President By Javad Heirannia Crimea brought that cooperation to a Hassan Rouhani’s administration could eventually persuade virtual halt for a while. Threats can’t its dubious critics that Iran is reconnected to the Society for TEHRAN — Gautam Adhikari, a senior In a statement issued in Brus- Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT). fellow at the Center for American Pro- sels on April 8, NATO Secretary Gen- whitewash Saudi However, the gate to international trade is not opened to gress in Washington DC, tells the Tehran eral Jens Stoltenberg announced Iranians yet due to some reasons, the fact that has becloud- Times that both NATO and the Kremlin that “following consultations with support for terrorism ed the business perspective of Iranian tradesmen for some seek to repair the relations which have Russia, we have agreed to hold a major reasons. been damaged since Russia annexed meeting of the NATO-Russia Coun- he New York Times said in First of all, Iranian businessmen cannot make SWIFT trans- Crimea in March 2014. cil at the ambassadorial level.” a report on April 15 that actions by themselves yet. As the Central Bank of Iran’s direc- “NATO and Russia both, it seems, Why does NATO seek to resume di- T Saudi Arabia has warned tor general for international affairs Hossein Yaqoubi says, “The want to repair at least some of the dam- ers had assumed, a bit prematurely in alogue with Moscow? the U.S. Congress that it will sell applicant businessmen should register their orders in bank age to mutual relations,” says Adhikari, my opinion, that Russia would advance A: NATO and Russia both, it seems, off hundreds of billions of dollars’ branches that offer foreign exchange services and ask for who also served as a senior consultant on the democratic path and develop its want to repair at least some of the dam- worth of American assets held by opening credit lines.” According to him, the story of making to the World Bank. Following is the full economy away from the earlier milita- age to mutual relations. The Russian for- the kingdom if it passes a bill that brokerage relations and opening credit lines is totally different text of the interview: ristic and centralized planning pattern eign minister has said his country does would allow the Saudi government from that of getting relinked to SWIFT and the issues should When and for what reasons did to a market oriented success. For a not want “a senseless confrontation” to be held responsible in American not be got mistaken for one another. 4 NATO decide to expand a political di- while, it seemed that might be possible with the West and called for all-Euro- courts for any role in the Sept. 11, alogue with Russia in the format of despite the complexity of the problem pean security cooperation. It’s possible 2001, attacks. the NATO-Russia Council? of liberalizing a society and economy of that the recent instances of terrorism in If Riyadh claims that 9/11 Commis- Pakistani flotilla A: The NATO-Russia Council was that magnitude after seven decades of Europe have led to a concern for over- sion found “no evidence that the Saudi leaves Bandar Abbas established in 2002, during the NATO communist rule. But Putin’s rise to su- all security coordination and a need for government as an institution or senior Summit in Rome, to facilitate exchang- preme power quickly brought a series expanded cooperation on counter-ter- Saudi officials individually funded” hi- es on security issues as well as con- of disappointments to the West’s vision rorism among all powers. Also, some The Pakistani flotilla headed home on April 19 by leaving jackers there was no reasons to make tinue dialogue, cooperation as well as for Russia. Nevertheless, dialogue con- European economies depend to a sig- such a threat. Bandar Abbas, a port city located in southern Iran, the Pa- joint action on a range of other areas, tinued, even positive cooperation for a nificant extent on Russian supply of oil kistan embassy said in a press release a copy which was re- In February, Zacarias Moussaoui, including joint military exercises. With while -- on fighting terrorism, Afghan- and would like to continue trade with the so-called “20th hijacker” who ceived by the Tehran Times. the end of the Cold War, western pow- istan and other areas -- but Russia’s Russia. 9 In keeping with the highest naval traditions the Iranian pleaded guilty to participating in an Navy ships accompanied Pakistani ships to a distance and al Qaeda conspiracy in connection to relayed messages of good wishes for the Pakistani Navy and Aiming at Iran, Saudi Arabia mixes oil policy with politics the 9/11 attacks, alleged members of the people of Pakistan. the Saudi royal family supported al The Pakistani Navy ships also reciprocated the age old tradi- By Javier Blas and Wael Mahdi worst diplomatic crises since the Islam- from outside the royal family -- span- Qaeda. tion, what has become to be known as PASSEX or Passage Exer- ic revolution in Iran in 1979, and both ning from Sheikh Yamani in the 1980s to It is not a coincidence that 15 of 19 cise in the modern days. A group of IRIN cadets were afforded After taking over defense and economic countries taking opposite sides in civil Al-Naimi for the last two decades -- en- hijackers were Saudi nationals. There an opportunity learn the art of operating sail ship in the harbor planning, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown wars in Syria and Yemen, the oil market joyed significant room for maneuver. is absolutely something wrong with and at sea. A day earlier a reception was hosted by the visiting Prince Mohammed bin Salman has now should brace for a wild ride. Al-Naimi -- and his number two, the kingdom either ideologically, re- Pakistani ships on April 18 in Bandar Abbas. The chief guest at stamped his authority over oil policy. “The fact that Saudi Arabia seems Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, an older ligiously, politically, or culturally that the feast was Commander of IRIN 1st Naval District Commo- In so doing, the 30-year-old son to have blocked the deal is an indicator half-brother of the deputy crown prince raises such extremely dangerous per- dore Hussain Azad. The reception beside other local dignitaries of King Salman upended the Saudis’ of how much its oil policy is being driv- -- cooperated with Iran in the past to cut sonalities. was also attended by the ambassador of Pakistan in Iran. decades-long approach of separating en by the ongoing geopolitical conflict production to boost prices. Oil policy was Saudi royals know that top offi- Defense attaches from China, Germany, Azerbaijan, commercial from political considera- with Iran,” said Jason Bordoff, director of an unusual oasis of stability in the convul- cials in the U.S. are well aware that Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kuwait, tions. Over the weekend, Saudi officials the Center on Global Energy Policy at sive politics of the Middle East. Saudi Arabia was directly or indi- and Turkey along with the defense and naval attaches of Pa- quashed an agreement among major oil Columbia University in New York and a That approach drove talks among rectly involved in the September kistan also attended the auspicious event. producers in Doha to freeze output due former White House oil official. Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and 11 attacks. Officials in Riyadh also Welcoming the guests, the PN contingent Commander to Iran’s refusal to participate, a sign the The pragmatist Qatar to agree to freeze oil production know that it has been due to po- hoped such visits would further strengthen brotherly ties be- regional rivalry is infecting the market. Ali Al-Naimi, the Saudi oil minister, in recent weeks. As late as Saturday, of- litical and economic considerations tween Pakistan and Iran. “Everything at Doha was about pol- has been the pragmatist who separat- ficials from the four countries prepared that the Bush and Obama admin- In his remarks the ambassador of Pakistan stated that the itics,” said Yasser Elguindi, an oil analyst ed oil policy from foreign policy for the a draft that they expected to be rub- istrations have held the public in goodwill visit by Pakistani ships would supplement his efforts at Medley Global Advisors, a consultant past two decades, insisting that pricing ber stamped hours later by oil ministers dark about the Saudi role about to enhance bilateral cooperation. He added that the two that advises large hedge funds. considerations such as supply, demand in Doha. The deal would have marked the tragedy. governments aimed at strengthening relations and that it The change means that everyone and inventories were the main drivers of the first collaboration between the Or- Former Sen. Bob Graham, the co- provided the impetus to further cement the ties between the exposed to energy prices, from oil ma- his decisions. The technocratic strategy ganization of the Petroleum Exporting chair of the 9/11 congressional inquiry, two countries and people. jors such as Exxon Mobil Corp. to trad- was built on the experience of the 1973 Countries and Russia in 15 years, open- told CNN, “The Saudis have known The purpose of the visit of PN ships was to enhance the ers like Vitol Group BV, will have to heed oil embargo, which largely backfired as ing the door to the end of a glut that what they did in 9/11, and they knew goodwill and bring the two countries closer. Commander 1st the opaque politics of the Middle East it led to weaker demand. has driven oil prices from $100 a barrel that we knew what they did, at least at Naval Zone also said the closeness of the two nations and their -- and the House of Saud. With Saudi While the House of Saud has always to as low as $26. the highest levels of the U.S. govern- common religion provides a great platform to work together. Arabia and Iran weathering one of their kept control of oil policy, ministers drawn 9 ment.” 9 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y NATION 2 AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 20162016 http://www.tehrantimes.com/international

MEDIA MONITOR Rouhani calls JCPOA a ‘political Holding cabinet meeting in occupied Golan Heights is against and legal honor’ international law: Iran POLITICAL TEHRAN — TEHRAN — President The UN Security Council endorsed Iran has categorically condemned the deskHassan Rouhani said the nuclear deal between Iran and great move by the Zionist regime which has held cabinet on Tuesday that the Joint Comprehen- powers by approving Resolution 2231. It meeting in the occupied Golan Heights. sive Plan of Action is a “political and legal rescinded all sanctions resolution against “Golan Heights are occupied lands which belong honor for the Iranian people”. Iran. ISNA to Syria and will be taken back by Syria sooner or “Those who ask what the JCPOA has “Who could imagine that six Security later,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hos- done should know that JCPOA has re- Council resolutions and 12 (IAEA) Board sein Jaberi-Ansari, ISNA reported on Tuesday. corded a political and legal honor for the of Governors resolutions against Iran be He said it is a blatant breach of international law, call- Iranian people,” the president told a large canceled and put into dustbin of history?” ing for serious response by the international community gathering of well-wishers in Semnan, the the president asked. against such provocative acts of the Zionist regime. capital of Semnan Province. Rouhani called the JCPOA a product Kerry, Zarif to meet He added, “Only three months have of the people’s efforts and the guidelines passed” since the implementation of the set by the Leader of the Islamic Revolu- amid Iranian JCPOA “but some think that 30 months tion. sanctions have passed.” He also urged the media outlets to “The Iranian people decided to criticize the government but avoid “im- complaints remove pressure of sanctions and moral” propaganda. TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad resolve regional and international Elsewhere, The JCPAO has been ap- Javad Zarif planned to meet U.S. Secretary of State problems one after the other,” he re- sion, unemployment and turbulence in States, Britain, France, China and Russia proved by the Leader, the Parliament and AP John Kerry in New York on Tuesday amid Iranian marked. the market” has irritated the mind of the plus Germany - finalized the text of the the Supreme National Security Council complaints that it’s not getting the sanctions relief He said when he took presidential of- people, the president added. JCPOA in Vienna in July 2015. The deal and it is the time to use opportunities it deserves under last year’s landmark nuclear deal, fice in the summer of 2009 “Iranophobia” Then Iranians took a “historic decision” went into effect in January 2016. created after the implementation of the the State Department said on Monday. has reached its climax. and decided to defeat Iranophobia, he He added the Iranian people succeed- deal and a consequent lifting of the sanc- The two were to meet before Kerry flies to Saudi Arabia “We started our work when sanctions remarked. ed to remove all the UN sanctions resolu- tions, he said, adding rivalries should also to join President Barack Obama at a summit with Persian have reached its zenith. Inflation, reces- Iran and the 5+1 group - the United tions issued against the country. come to an end. Gulf Arab leaders, department spokesman John Kirby was quoted by AP as saying.Meanwhile, Kirby said the depart- ment had sent letters to U.S. state and local officials advising them of changes to federal sanctions policy. U.S. unipolar system has ended in failure, Iran says “We’re obviously aware of these concerns that POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali national system, saying sanctions are the U.S. tool and its they have expressed about the status of sanctions desk relief,” Kirby said. “And the secretary is very mindful Larijani said on Tuesday that the U.S. un- application against Iran was a “big mistake”. that that topic will come up tomorrow, that that is ipolar system in managing the world has failed, noting and Commenting on terrorism, he said that the phenom- very much on Foreign Minister Zarif’s mind.” its failure is obvious given the current crises and wars. enon is not limited to one country and the entire world Larijani who addressing a summit of Eurasian parlia- should cooperate in countering it. Majlis passes mentary speakers in Moscow, also said, “Terrorism is Wash- Larijani also called on the countries in the Eurasian ington’s instrument that uses against other countries.” region to draw up a strategy to counter terrorism. national budget of The U.S. policies are based on “adventurism” and no The summit of Eurasian parliamentary speakers was $323 billion country can rely on Washington, he said. attended by Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, He also called on the countries in the region to form an Belarus, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, China, alliance in order to use capacities for expanding cooperation. Mongolia, Pakistan, South Korea, Russia, Thailand, Phil- TEHRAN — The Majlis passed national budget bill Larijani also slammed applying sanctions at the inter- ippines and the Czech Republic. of $323 billion on Tuesday. The bill was passed by 152 approvals, 24 objec- tions, and five abstentions from 195 MPs present in

IRIB the parliamentary session, the IRIB reported. Iran staunching flow of narcotics into U.S., Europe The budget relates to the current Iranian fiscal year that started on March 20. The dollar was rated Tehran to host first anti-drug summit of 30 countries across the Balkan route POLITICAL at 30,293 rials (Iran’s national currency) at the time TEHRAN — Iranian In- “Any effective measure to cut down the bill was passed.The budget is set based on rev- deskterior Minister Abodol- narcotics trafficking via the Balkan route enues from 2.25 mbpd crude oil export, meanwhile reza Rahmani Fazli said on Tuesday that is contingent upon their serious, practical every barrel of oil will be sold at 40 dollars. Iran staunches unbridled flow of narcotics cooperation in sectors such as delivery into the U.S. and Europe thanks to in- control, money laundering, financial re- Iranian FM visit creasing drugs seizures and stricter an- source tracking, drugs discovery, confis- Azerbaijan late April ti-drugs measures. cation of international traffickers’ proper- “Hundreds of tons of narcotic types ties and identifying drug dealers as well have been seized by our country (Iran), as sharing information on traffickers.” much more than that over the same pe- The Balkan and northern routes are riod last year.” the main heroin trafficking corridors link- TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Rahmani Fazli, who also acts as the ing Afghanistan to the huge markets of Javad Zarif will visit Azerbaijan in late April, the Ira- secretary general of Iran’s Drugs Control the Russian Federation and Western Eu- nian Embassy in Baku told Trend on Tuesday. Headquarters, highlighted the statement rope. He is to take part in the 7th Global Forum of the during an appearance with the Executive The Balkan route traverses Iran (often UN Alliance of Civilizations. Director of the United Nations Office on through Pakistan), Turkey, Greece and TREND The forum will be held on April 25-27 in Baku. Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov. Bulgaria across South-East Europe to the global community in the drug fight. from illicit drugs trade, Fedotov showed During the visit, Zarif is also expected to hold The meeting happened in New York Western European market. Also, Fedotov expressed his gratitude readiness to back the plan, agreeing with bilateral meetings with the Azeri officials. on the first day of the 2016 United Na- The minister called for UNDOC en- to Iran for taking the helm of the tripartite Iran’s proposal to host the first anti-drug About 30 sessions will be held during the forum. tions General Assembly Special Session gagement with all countries to explore anti-drugs coalition with Afghanistan and summit of 30 countries across the Balkan on the World Drug Problem (April 19-21). more effective ways for ex-addicts not to Pakistan, saying UNDOC will be unfailing route. IRGC Ground Force Rahmani Fazli also said European bounce back to their bad habits. in throwing its weight behind its mem- Over the past 10 years, Iran has been Aviation countries have been uncooperative with Finally, as a practical step, Rahmani bers, particularly the Islamic Republic of fighting the battle against smuggling un- commander Iran in the anti-drugs battle, which could Fazli proposed that Afghan farmers be Iran. aided, spending hundreds of millions of help ease the burden logistically and fi- encouraged to cultivate other seeds but Elsewhere, in his remarks, the an- dollars and deploying tens of thousands inaugurated nancially. poppy on their farms. ti-drug figure called on Iran to share its of troops, many of whom martyred in this A more cooperative Europe could For his part, Fedotov praised Iran’s TEHRAN — The commander of the IRGC Ground experience with regional countries as the way. lend Iran a hand with the hardware de- commitment to drug seizure and con- Force Aviation was inaugurated into office on Tues- country has come a long way in battling While there have been great break- manded by anti-drugs missions, the offi- tribution to 40 percent of all such con- day, Nasim reported. narcotics trafficking. throughs, uprooting drug trafficking goes cial noted, calling for more serious policy fiscations around the world, naming Iran Mohammad Rahmani had been appointed as Appreciating Iran’s recent measures well beyond the potential of one single on the European side. the strategic partner of UNDOC and the the first commander of the newly formed unit by to keep an eye on money laundering country. NASIM IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafari last week. I will pursue Gov. says cannot cut cash subsidies to 24 million citizens murder of ‘little POLITICAL TEHRAN — Government spokesman cut back the system of giving monthly cash payments as deskMohammad Baqer Nobakht has thrown much as it is possible or risk running huge deficits. guest’: Judiciary into question the feasibility of cutting cash subsidies to 24 According to new criteria outlined by the Majlis, the million people, saying it is “unfair” to delist Tehran residents Rouhani administration will have to abandon monthly TEHRAN — The Judiciary deputy chief for social with monthly incomes as high as almost $900. cash payments of around $12 to every Iranian for many affairs has said he will pursue the case of the mur- The parliamentary legislation could be a blow to people with monthly incomes beyond a $900, ISNA re- der of a six-year-old Afghan girl in Iran. Rouhani’s popularity, people familiar with the matter say, ported. Preventive measures should be put top on agenda because if the government avoids enforcing the ratifica- Originally, it was envisaged the surplus from the sub- at the provincial branches of the Judiciary to reduce tion, it will be subject to legal questioning. sidy reform plan, which went into effect in 2010, would ILNA the possibility of such bitter happenings as what hap- Already a cause of worry for the incumbent gov- go into other sectors such as healthcare, public trans- pened to this “little guest”, Mohammad Baqer Olfat ernment, Nobakht complained of the legal conundrum portation, job generation, etc. was quoted by ILNA as saying on Tuesday. which is a drag on the government. Now, the plan has been a bone of contention, “This move is unfair and will create problems for most However, with sagging oil prices cutting Iran’s nation- forming new divisions among decision makers of Majlis okays two of the people,” Nobakht was quoted as saying. al income, analysts have warned that Tehran will have to the country. rates for gasoline UN Security Council unable to settle Palestine crisis: Iran POLITICAL TEHRAN — The Palestinian people. Now, the embattled Middle East has desk TEHRAN — The Majlis on Tuesday obliged the gov- Iranian deputy per- He cited attacks on civilians, con- given a rare moment of relief from the ernment for the current calendar year, which started manent representative to the UN has tinuation of the Gaza Strip blockade, Islamic world, emboldening the regime to on March 20, to render two prices for gasoline sold at said the Security Council is unable to destruction of Palestinians’ houses be at liberty with surge of air and ground stations across the country, ICANA reported. resolve the decades-old Palestinian and more settlements as instances of assaults against the defenseless people of crisis. the crimes committed by the Israeli Palestine.

ICANS Accordingly, gasoline bought through individual smart cards up to a certain amount per month will During his speech at the UN on behalf regime. It is Iran that has always been unfail- be charged at last year’s rate (10,000 rials or about of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), He also noted NAM condemns Israel’s ingly vociferous of the regime’s savagery 30 cents), while gasoline bought beyond that quota Gholam-Hossein Dehqani said the Zionist aggression against Lebanon’s territorial and brutality. or via public smart cards available at stations will be regime is continuing its “colonial” policies integrity. itant about mounting attacks on Pales- Meanwhile the international commu- priced according to the production cost. without fear of any punishment. Prior to the outbreak of war in Syria, tinians, mindful of Muslim outcries and nity has almost turned a blind eye to the He stressed NAM’s solidarity with the Iraq, and Yemen, Israel was almost hes- sympathy. atrocities of the regime. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

http://www.tehrantimes.com/international AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 22016016 INTERNATIONAL 3

Syria: ‘Assad’s future is not up NEWS Netanyahu moving Israel in for negotiation’ ‘wrong direction,’ Biden says

The Syrian government’s chief nego- for a political transition in Syria, but the United States Vice President Joe Biden has criticized Israeli tiator has said his side is pushing for government does not want a political Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his regime’s illegal an expanded administration led by solution because it knows such a solution settlement activities in the Palestinian occupied territories, President Bashar al-Assad, and that is the end of the regime.” saying Netanyahu is moving Israel in “wrong direction.” Assad’s own future was not up for ne- The ceasefire has been strained to In a speech to the gotiation. breaking point, particularly around the Israel advocacy group The Western-backed Syrian opposi- divided city of Aleppo, with each side J Street on Monday, tion said on Monday that it was taking blaming the other for an escalation that Biden called the set- what it called a pause from United Na- has underlined the huge challenge fac- tlements an obstacle tions-sponsored talks in Geneva aimed ing peace talks that are currently being to a two-state solution, at ending the five-year-old conflict. held in Geneva. and denounced Israeli The opposition wants some form of The ceasefire, which was supposed moves under Netan- transitional governing body with full ex- to buttress the talks, had reduced vi- yahu as “counterpro- ecutive powers - but without Assad. olence despite alleged violations on ductive” to the Tel Aviv But Bashar Jaafari told Lebanese TV both sides. regime’s security. news channel al-Maydeen on Tuesday The truce has held in most of Syria, “Settlement policies that a bigger government was needed except in the north, where it has practi- are hurting support to preserve the country’s existing insti- cally collapsed. Al-Nusra Front (Jabhat for Israel and moving tutions. al-Nusra), excluded from the agree- us further away from “In Geneva, we have one mandate ment, is deeply rooted in the parts of a two-state solution,” only: to arrive at an expanded national alogue between Syrians - they want to The main opposition bloc in Geneva, northern Syria controlled by opposition Biden said. government. This is our mandate this is make the Geneva negotiations fail.” the so-called High Negotiations Com- forces, complicating the oversight of “I firmly believe that the goal we strive to achieve,” Jaafari said Jaafari said the opposition and the mittee (HNC), accused the government the truce. the action Israel’s government has taken over the past sev- on Tuesday. countries that support it were “annoyed of sending a message that it did not want But United Nations peace envoy eral years – the steady and systematic expansion of settle- On Monday, Jaafari accused the because of the progress being made by a political solution, but a military solution Staffan de Mistura insisted the ongoing ments, the legalization of outposts, land seizures – they’re House of Saud regime, Turkey and Qatar the Syrian army on the ground”. that the opposition said would destroy round of indirect discussions, which be- moving us, and more important, they’re moving Israel, in the - all opposition backers - of trying to de- A strained ceasefire the country. gan on April 13, would continue through wrong direction,” Biden said. rail the talks after the rebels suspended The UN struggled on Monday to keep HNC coordinator, Riad Hijjab, said the week as planned. “They’re moving us toward a one-state reality, and that their participation. the troubled talks on track, as the oppo- during a press conference in Geneva that According to the UN, more than reality is dangerous,” he continued. “There has been a decision ... in Saudi sition suspended “formal participation”, there is no solution in Syria as long as 250,000 people have been killed and The presence and continued expansion of Israeli settle- Arabia, in Turkey and in Qatar to derail accusing the government of repeated Assad is in power. millions have fled the country since Syr- ments in occupied Palestine has created a major obstacle for inter-Syrian decision-making,” he said. violations of a fragile ceasefire that has “There is no solution in Syria if Bashar ia’s conflict erupted in 2011. the efforts to establish peace in the Middle East. “They do not want there to be a di- been in place since February. al-Assad is present. We came to Geneva (Source: agencies) More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal set- tlement colonies built since Israel’s occupation of the Pales- tinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds. The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli Israeli settlement activities hamper peace Sweden minister resigns under settlements as illegal because the territories were captured process: UN pressure over anti-Israel remarks by Israel in a war in 1967 and are hence subject to the Ge- neva Conventions, which forbids construction on occupied United Nations Secretary General Sweden’s Minister of Housing Mehmet lands. Ban Ki-moon has slammed Israel’s Kaplan has resigned under mounting (Source: AP) illegal settlement construction in the pressure over remarks he reportedly occupied Palestinian lands and said made seven years ago comparing the Tel Aviv’s land grab polices are an ob- Israeli regime to the former Nazi re- stacle to peace. gime in Germany. “I once again reiterate that settle- Sweden’s Prime Minster Stefan Suicide car bomber attacks ments are illegal under international Lofven said on Monday that Kaplan heart of Afghanistan’s Kabul law and undermine” efforts to find a had submitted his resignation and that solution to the Israeli-Palestinian con- he had accepted it. At least 28 people were killed and more than 300 wounded flict, Ban told the Security Council in a He said the minister’s decision to when a suicide bomber blew up a bus full of explosives near regular briefing on Monday. Israel’s expansionist policy was step down had been deemed correct. what I have done,” Kaplan said. He also a government security building in the heart of Kabul. The UN chief further expressed among the major sticking points that “Mehmet Kaplan’s overall assess- acknowledged that “on several occa- After the initial blast, which was described as huge by wit- concerns over demolitions of Pales- led to a freeze in negotiations with Pal- ment of the situation is that he will not sions [he] severely criticized” the Israeli nesses, armed men and more suicide bombers stormed the tinian homes by Israel as well as on- estinians in 2014. Currently, efforts are be able to act as a minister and I share regime’s treatment of the Palestinians. heavily-guarded compound, police said. going violence in the occupied West underway to revive the stalled process. that assessment,” Lofven said. Israel’s ambassador to Sweden, Al Jazeera’s Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said Tues- Bank and said peace seems “more Ban further called on both Israelis The premier described Kaplan as Isaac Bachman, roundly denounced day’s attack, which was quickly claimed by the Taliban, was distant” than ever under the current and Palestinians to engage in construc- “a man with humanist and democratic the remarks and described them as likely the biggest such incident to hit the capital since 2001. circumstances. tive dialogue and said the Middle East values.” “deeply anti-Semitic.” With the attack happening during morning rush-hour in “The creation of new facts on the Quartet – the United States, the UN, The 44-year-old Turkish born-minis- Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Margot a crowded area, the number of deaths was likely to rise, ac- ground through demolitions and set- the European Union and Russia – is ter has come under increasing pressure Wallström, also described Kaplan’s re- cording to police. tlement building raises questions about preparing a report on the current sit- since last week, when a Swedish daily marks as “terrible.” “Our sources are telling us that at the time of explosion whether Israel’s ultimate goal is in fact uation as well as the threats to the so- published the comments he had made Relations between Sweden and Is- there was a graduation ceremony going on for new recruits to drive Palestinians out of certain parts called peace process. seven years ago about Israel. rael hit the lowest ebb when the gov- when the suicide bomber detonated himself,” Azimy said. of the West Bank, thereby undermining He underlined the significance of The Svenska Dagbladet daily quot- ernment in Stockholm recognized the The security agency attacked is responsible for protecting any prospect of transition to a viable unity among the Palestinian factions, ed Kaplan as saying in March 2009 State of Palestine in 2014. It was the first government ministers and VIPs. Palestinian state,” Ban said. urging all sides to commit to reconcil- that, “Israelis treat Palestinians in a way member of the European Union (EU) in A police spokesman, Basir Mujahid, told Al Jazeera that Ban also slammed the ongoing pu- iation. that is very like that in which Jews were Western Europe that made the recog- the gunfight was ongoing, as Afghan Special Forces rushed nitive demolitions of homes belonging “The path out of the current political treated during Germany in the 1930s.” nition. to the scene. to families of Palestinians, who alleg- deadlock requires commitment, com- Kaplan, however, was not a minister Palestinians want to establish an “The Taliban are still fighting with the security forces,” Mu- edly attack Israelis, as an internation- promise, mutual respect and leader- when he made the remarks. independent state on the territories jahid said. ally-banned form of collective punish- ship on both sides. It also requires the Kaplan confirmed that he was step- of the West Bank, including East In a statement, the Presidential Palace condemned the ment. acceptance – demonstrated by deeds ping down because of increasing criti- al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the Gaza attack “in the strongest possible terms”. Since last October, about 210 Pal- as well as words,” Ban said. cism by the public and media, which he Strip. “The explosion has caused a lot of damage to the gov- estinians have been killed in what is Over half a million Israelis live in said had made it impossible for him to Earlier this month, Palestinian Prime ernment,” Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, told Al regarded as the third Palestinian Intifa- more than 230 illegal settlements built do his job. He made vague comments Minister Rami Hamdallah called on all Jazeera. da (uprising) that erupted over Israeli since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the on the media reports about him. EU members to recognize the state of The United States embassy said it was not affected by the plans to change the status quo of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank “Let me be clear; this is not a confir- Palestine and establish full diplomatic blast. The NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) military al-Aqsa Mosque, a highly revered Mus- including East al-Quds. mation of reports about me that I con- relations with it. coalition also said it was unaffected. lim site. (Source: agencies) sider wrongful. I know who I am and (Source: Press TV) The Taliban last week announced the start of their “spring offensive” even as the government in Kabul tried to talk them back to the negotiating table in a bid to end the country’s Obama to veto 9/11 bill against Saudi Arabia: White House drawn-out conflict. In a statement, the group warned it would “employ large- The White House has indicated that United States Pres- global financial market and neither would the United scale attacks on enemy positions across the country”, dub- ident Barack Obama would veto legislation allowing States,” he said. bing the offensive Operation Omari after the movement’s Americans to hold the Saudi ruling family accountable If the Republican-dominated Congress passed the late founder Mullah Omar. in U.S. courts for any role in the September 11, 2001, bill, American courts could order freezing the assets Since then, fighting has raged around the symbolical- terrorist attacks. held by Saudi Arabia in the United States. ly-important northern city of Kunduz, which fell briefly to the “Given the long list of concerns I have expressed ... President Obama is expected to land in Riyadh on Taliban last September. it’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which the president Wednesday. It’s not clear whether the issue will be dis- (Source: agencies) would sign the bill as it’s currently drafted,” White House cussed during the visit. spokesman Josh Earnest said on Monday. Earnest also said he is not sure if Obama will raise the The bill, proposed by Democratic senator Chuck issue during a meeting with Saudi Arabian King Salman. Schumer and Republican John Cornyn, if passed, would ‘Declassify 9/11 report on Saudi role’ take away immunity from foreign governments in cases Meantime, a number of U.S. lawmakers have called the redacted pages, which could implicate Saudi Arabia Trump mistakenly refers to “arising from a terrorist attack that kills an American on on the White House to declassify documents that shed in the attacks and prove that there existed “some sup- 9/11 as 7-11 American soil.” light on the House of Saud regime’s possible complicity port from within the United States.” Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Monday Earnest said the legislation could put Americans at in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Graham said on Sunday that Saudi officials are op- mistakenly referred to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks as “7-11.” legal risk overseas if other nations were to pass recip- The former congressmen say the 28-page classified posing the legislation because they are worried the “I was down there and I watched our police and our fire- rocal laws that remove foreign immunity in their courts. document proves two Saudi nationals who were behind kingdom’s ties to al-Qaeda terrorists would be revealed men, down on 7-11, down at the World Trade Center, right “It could put the United States and our taxpayers the 9/11 attacks received support and assistance from during a possible trial. after it came down, and I saw the greatest people I’ve ever and our service members and our diplomats at signifi- Riyadh while in the United States. In addition, he said Saudi Arabia’s threat to pull hun- seen in action,” he said during a rally on Monday. cant risk if other countries were to adopt a similar law,” The 28-page report is part of a larger Congressional dreds of billions of dollars from the U.S. economy “says “I saw the bravest people I’ve ever seen, including the he said. “The whole notion of sovereign immunity is at report on 9/11 released in 2002 and called the Joint In- something about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in 9/11.” construction workers, including every person down there,” stake.” quiry into Intelligence Community Activities, which was The September, 11, 2001 attacks, also known as the he continued. The House of Saud regime has threatened to sell off conducted by the Senate Select Committee on Intelli- 9/11 attacks, were a series of strikes in the U.S. which “That’s what New York values are about.” some $750 billion of American assets held by the king- gence and the House Permanent Select Committee on killed nearly 3,000 people and caused about $10 billion Trump was campaigning in Buffalo, ahead of the Empire dom if Congress passes the bill, according to The New Intelligence. worth of property and infrastructure damage. State’s primary on Tuesday. York Times. Reports say the Obama administration and intelli- U.S. officials assert that the attacks were carried out 7-Eleven is an international chain of convenience stores Earnest warned the Saudi government against taking gence officials are now weighing whether to declassify by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists – 15 of them were Saudi citi- that operates franchises and licenses some 58,300 stores in such a step. the remaining 28 pages. zens -- but many independent researchers have raised 17 countries. 7-Eleven Inc. is headquartered in the American “A country with a modern and large economy like Former U.S. senator and governor of Florida, Bob questions about the official account. city of Dallas, Texas. Saudi Arabia would not benefit from a destabilized Graham, said last week that the U.S. should declassify (Source: agencies) (Source: The Hill) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 22016016 http://www.tehrantimes.com/economy

JUMP Banking barriers to be removed soon Employing ‘U-Turn’ secures JCPOA implementation between Iran, Russia: TCCIMA chairman 1 ECONOMY TEHRAN — The Chairman of Tehran Besides, this can also be explained via Iranians’ un- deskChamber of Commerce, Industries, familiarity with new SWIFT rules, because it has been Mines, and Agriculture (TCCIMA) said that legal barriers around four years since the European sanctions were to banking relations between Iran and Russia would be levied against Iran’s financial transactions and left lifted soon, the Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday. Iranian tradesmen in exile. So, they should start new As reported, Masoud Khansari made the remarks on brokerage relations and regain their reputation in in- the sidelines of the economic conference on improve- ternational business environment. ment of trade cooperation between Iran and Russia in Moreover, dollar-based SWIFT transactions are still Tehran on Tuesday, where a Russian delegation comprised inaccessible due to the U.S.-led sanctions imposed on of Russian tradesmen, headed by the Minister of Invest- Iran in early 1980s for issues other than the country’s ment and Development of the Sverdlovsk region of the nuclear program and the fiscal exchanges are pres- Russian Federation Alexei Orlov, participated in. ently done via other currencies. According to the TTCIMA head, Tehran-Moscow trade Abbas Araqchi, who is the head of Iran Foreign volume stood at $1.2 billion seven years ago but the fig- Ministry’s committee for following up on the imple- ure has fallen recently. mentation of the JCPOA, says “the legacy of primary “The recent sharp drop of the Russian Ruble against sanctions still impacts our economy and impedes us the dollar has negatively affected mutual trade between from doing trade in dollar, the factor that significantly the two sides and Iranian traders are not interested in ex- decreases Iran’s leverage in economic terms.” porting their products to that destination accordingly,” he On April 14, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said he said, “Measures are being taken to improve the situation opposed any effort to give Iran access to the U.S. dol- and to increase bilateral trade volume with Russia via re- lar, citing concerns about what Tehran would do with moving banking obstacles as well as easing the process of any financial access gained in the wake of the Iran opening credit lines.” nuclear deal, Reuters reported. “This is one of the rea- In past November, Iran and Russia held their 12th joint sons I adamantly oppose any steps this administration Minister of Investment and Development of the Sverdlovsk region of the Russian Federation Alexei Orlov (2nd R) and Chairman economic committee meeting in Moscow, discussing may take to give Iran access to the dollar,” he said at a of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (TCCIMA) Masoud Khansari (2nd L) in the economic ways to give a boost to the bilateral trade. press conference. conference on improvement of trade cooperation between Iran and Russia, which was held in Tehran on Tuesday Iranian Communications and Information Technology Furthermore, as of the removal of sanctions against Minister Mahmoud Va’ezi and Russian Energy Minister plored opportunities for cooperation in the fields of en- the lifting of sanctions against Iran as a positive measure Iran, several foreign banks are craving for the renewal Alexander Novak co-chaired the meeting, in which the ergy, oil, electricity, commerce, and science. which will notably improve economic relations between of their relations with Iran to benefit from the coun- two sides drafted a roadmap for increasing the volume of Va’ezi also held a meeting with Russian First Deputy the two countries. try’s bonanza in the near future. However, they are transactions, the IRNA news agency reported. Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov at the time. Russia will definitely pay attention to establishing long- startled to cooperate with Iran for the reason of the Officials from private sectors of the two countries ex- On the sidelines of the meeting, Shuvalov referred to term trade ties with Iran, he added. billion-dollar fines that U.S. regulators had frequently imposed on them for circumventing anti-Iranian sanc- tions in past years. For example, France bank BNP Par- ibas agreed to pay $8.9 billion in July 2014 for violat- ing U.S. sanctions against Sudan, Cuba and Iran. As a Iran supports UN’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development: Khazaee result, while brokerage relations are the prerequisites Mohammad Khazaee, Vice-Minister for Given Iran’s support for 2030 Agenda, focused on coordinated and systematic velopment programs well beyond 2030. to opening LCs and making SWIFT transactions, such Economic Affairs and Finance of Iran, relevant policies and actions had been management of resources and develop- Obstacles to sustainable development, interbank ties are strictly confined due to obstructive said that his Government attached great taken at the national level, Khazaee ment of green economy. Reducing pov- particularly in Africa, included inadequate measures of the U.S. which make the process of sanc- importance to the realization of the UN’s said, adding that the Government had erty and inequality, and ensuring risk re- resources exacerbated by illicit financial tions removal as well as Iran’s reconnecting to global 2030 agenda for sustainable develop- strengthened the mobilization of domes- ductions were among national priorities, flows and unmet ODA commitments, un- financial system sluggish. ment based on national priorities, the tic resources, further improved the tax as well. fair trade rules, debts and debt sustain- As Reuters reported on April 3, “there is grow- United Nation’s official website reported. collection system and provided more ef- The forum was a cornerstone in the ability, systemic issues in the international ing political pressure on European banks to support Khazaee made the remarks at the ficient public services. process of implementation and follow- financial institutions, too little transfer of corporate clients seeking to do business in Iran.” For inaugural forum of the United Nations Among other things, Khazaee said, up both of the Addis Agenda and the technology and lack of capacity. example, in February, British Prime Minister David Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) the Government had improved the tax 2030 Agenda. While the former would In forum’s general debate, representa- Cameron wrote to Barclays and required the bank to on Financing for Development Follow-Up policy, which would improve efficiency support the means of implementation tives of the European Union, Guatemala, explain its refusal to handle a payment on behalf of which is being held at the United Nations and effectiveness of the system. In addi- of the latter, the Addis Agenda would Panama, Netherlands and Iran partici- Molyslip Atlantic, a British lubricant maker arranging Headquarters in New York from April 19 tion, the Government had recently issued nevertheless outlive the 2030 Agenda pated. sales in Iran. “The policy of Barclays Bank is in direct to 20. its long-term environmental policy, which and continue supporting sustainable de- (Source: un.org) opposition to the policy of the EU and UN, as well as in opposition to the policy of the UK government,” Cameron wrote in a letter first reported by the Times. Barclays Chief Executive Jes Staley, wrote in his reply Iran-India deal on Farzad-B gas field to be concluded this year to the prime minister: “As we offer banking services ECONOMY TEHRAN — “In case undergoing shall Holding GMBH, and the company will commence through our U.S. operations we are required to con- desktechnical negotiations with Indians its studies on four oil fields in west of Iran within a month. tinue to restrict business activity with Iran.” bear fruit, the agreement on development of Farzad-B About a month ago, Iran and India agreed to sign a Another example for the U.S. dominance on inter- gas field will be signed by the end of 2016,” said Na- contract to develop Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf national financial and trade relations with Iran after tional Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Managing Director by October. the implementation of JCPOA was reported by the Rokneddin Javadi. Companies involved in the deal were given deadlines Japan Times when it wrote on March 16, “Japanese The official said that a group of Indian companies are to complete negotiations. firms are still taking a wait-and-see approach because currently assessing different projects in Farzad-B and will Farzad-B, with estimated reserves of 12.8 trillion cu- U.S. restrictions remain against financing businesses present their findings to NIOC for final decisions, the bic feet of gas, was opened in 2008 by a consortium in Iran.” “Even though Washington lifted sanctions on Shana news agency reported on Tuesday. of three Indian companies: ONGC Videsh, Oil India and non-U.S. banks, experts say banks will still face chal- Endorsing oil contracts is usually a time-consuming Indian Oil. lenges in financing big projects unless the U.S. lifts process, Javadi noted. The field has been left undeveloped due to interna- sanctions entirely.” According to the NIOC’s managing director, Iran has tional anti-Iran sanctions that have gradually begun to While Obama administration officials have repeat- recently made a deal with a German company, Winter- be lifted this year. edly said they aren’t blocking access to Iran’s overseas deposits, what the U.S. authorities are doing towards Iranian business and trade seems an implicit breach and a distraction from the direct text of the accorded nuclear deal which permits: Iran’s economy bustling, IMF says > Transfers of funds between EU persons and enti- WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Iranian growth in Iran, because of the effect of leave Iran since mid-2012, left for the like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, should ties, including financial institutions, and Iranian per- economy is outperforming the region lifting sanctions and the higher oil pro- European market last month. see economic growth slow from 3.75 sons and entities, including financial institutions; as a whole mainly because of higher oil duction that comes from it," he said in Though sanctions relief means more percent last year. > Banking activities, including the establishment production and the lifting of sanctions, his remarks. "In Iran this year, we are ex- Iranian oil on the market, the Iranian "Economic growth in the PGCC of new correspondent banking relationships and the the IMF said. pecting an extra 600,000 barrels or so government has tried to make its econ- countries this year is expected to be be- opening of new branches and subsidiaries of Iranian In transcripts published Sunday, per year of oil production." omy less dependent on oil for revenue. low 2 percent in part as these countries banks in the territories of EU member states; Masood Ahmed, the director of Middle Sanctions pressures eased in early Ali Larijani, the speaker of the Iranian are tightening their public spending in > Supply of specialized financial messaging servic- East and Central Asia programs at the 2016 following a nuclear deal signed in parliament, said the economy exports response to the oil price drop," Ahmed es, including SWIFT, for persons and entities including International Monetary Fund, said the July between Iran, the five permanent around $50 billion worth of non-petro- said. the Central Bank of Iran and Iranian financial institu- Iranian economy is expected to grow members of the U.N. Security Council, leum products, "which is not sufficient." Iranian representatives were not on tions; by about 4 percent this year. That ex- plus Germany. Full trade in Iranian crude Iran is outperforming its peer econo- hand for a weekend meeting in Doha > Financial support for trade with Iran (export cred- pansion should help lift the net growth oil remains restricted because some fi- mies. The IMF said members of the Per- to consider oil production levels. Sau- it, guarantees or insurance); for oil exporting nations by about 2 to 3 nancial maneuvers are still blocked by sian Gulf Cooperation Council, a group di Arabia said no deal to keep output > Commitments for grants, financial assistance and percent, he said from Washington. U.S. sanctions. that includes members of the Organiza- steady was possible without Iran's par- concessional loans to the Government of Iran; and, "This is mainly due to the increased A tanker of crude oil, the first to tion of Petroleum Exporting Countries ticipation. > Transactions in public or public-guaranteed bonds. U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew — with whom Central Bank of Iran Governor Valiollah Iran boosts crude oil Iran's petrochemical Founder of China's Seif met on April 14 — have ruled out reinstituting the giant seeks billions of Tencent to give $2 U-turn (transactions that must be cleared through a exports in April U.S. financial institution even though the money does dollars investment billion in shares to not stay in the U.S. bank) for Iran even though the charity procedure was allowed from 1995, when the United States ended direct banking relations with Iran and Iran has boosted its crude oil exports so Iran’s Persian Gulf Holding Company (PGHC) is seeking The founder of China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd, imposed a wide trade embargo, until 2008. far in April to around 1.75 million barrels per financial contributions to its petrochemical projects in the Pony Ma, said he plans to donate 100 million Seif, addressing the Council on Foreign Relations day, according to an industry source and ship- current Iranian calendar year which began on March 20. company shares, worth more than $2 billion, to in Washington on April 15, called for “effective imple- ping data, as OPEC's No. 3 producer works to PGHC, Iran’s major petrochemical firm, has devised the firm’s charity foundation in one of China’s big- mentation of the agreement in such a way that Iran’s recover market share following the lifting of a 5-year master plan based on which it seeks a certain gest philanthropic pledges ever. economic and business activities will be facilitated.” sanctions. goal every year, its CEO Adel Salimnejad told Shana Ma, whose fortune is estimated to be about This includes the U-turn, as well. That volume, if sustained for the rest of April, news agency. $18.8 billion, said the donation would go towards Seif clarified that the JCPOA was predicated on the would be up from average March exports of “For this year, we are planning to carry out a num- supporting medical, educational and environ- lifting of all nuclear-related sanctions and that in Iran’s about 1.60 million bpd. Iran says it is exporting ber of multi-billion-dollar projects across Iran and we mental causes in China. opinion, the U-turn waiver was included, Al-Monitor more than the figures suggest. need contributions to financing the projects,” Salimne- China has overtaken the United States as the wrote. Iran, once OPEC’s second-largest producer jad was quoted as saying. country with the most billionaires, according to In practice, no specific step has been taken by U.S. after Saudi Arabia, is seeking to clear space for “In the first step, we will renovate the holding’s plants an October survey of the super-rich, but philan- officials to ease Iran’s financial transactions yet and the its gradual return to the market now that the as much as possible and then will move on to carry out thropy has been slow to take off with wealthy Asian country’s economic transactions are under the sanctions are being lifted against the country. new projects to supply the domestic and international people preferring to keep a low profile. high impact of political issues. In case the circumstanc- NEWS IN BRIEF markets,” he said. es remain unchanged, JCPOA may be jeopardized. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y http://www.tehrantimes.com AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 22016016 HISTORY & HERITAGE 5

Reasons you should A CLOSER LOOK Awesome road trip hacks book a trip to Bulgaria for the whole family Road trip! What childhood memory comes to mind when Ask a novice traveler to describe the Bal- you hear those words? Chances are your memories are either kan Peninsula, and you’ll likely encounter about great fun, or hours of misery fighting with your sibling blank stares, quizzical looks and the ever- in the back seat of the car. For me, it’s a little bit of both! echoing “Waaait... where?” But just because this land of lush mountains, sparkling seas and fluffy AF bread knots isn’t popular does NOT mean it should be tossed from your bucket list. Bulgaria, in particular, is the perfect place to start your Balkan ad- venture. The coastline is prime! Speaking of beaches, Sunny Beach is the summer getaway you’ll want to re-live forever. Dance all night at a bar in the sand, and lay on a lounge chair as the sun comes up, drink still Now that I’m older and have learned a lot about traveling in hand. with kids of all ages, I realize as long as you take the time to And the greatest “meatballs” of plan ahead on some things, and are wide open to change on your life others, a road trip can be a fun part of the whole adventure. Some call them burgers, and some say Here are some great road trip hacks for the whole family. they look more like meatballs. We simply Make behavior expectations clear before leaving refer to kufteh as the best darn meat pat- This often overlooked hack sets the tone for the whole ties of all time. trip. Talk to your family about trip rules and expectations be- Two words: Fried bread fore you leave. Print them out so you can refer back to the You know how funnel cake gets all rules if necessary. The last thing you want to hear is, “You warm and slightly gooey in the center? didn’t tell me that!” Well mekitsa is fried bread that tastes just The rules should include things like, “Everyone uses the re- like that... only the warm, gooey center is stroom when we stop, even if you don’t have to go,” and “When the whole darn piece of bread. Yum! we stop, everyone stays together.” Also relay expectations about Nature is both abundant and how often you will be stopping, when you will eat, what reward marvelous will be given for good behavior, and what is taken away if be- Try hiking a mountain of never-ending havior is not up to par. By going over these simple rules and waterfalls, or plunging into a cave known expectations beforehand, your family will know what to do. as “The Eyes of God.” Streaked with lush Try looking over the edge of Kopitoto, you’ll be rollin’ in the dough (both literal will recommend sights that are near to Hang a backpack full of activities over the headrest Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria is the perfect scaling the seven hills of Plovdiv or riding and figurative) at every meal. your current city or town, ensuring you’ll of the front seat place to have a natural adventure that’s a chairlift to a high-altitude trek around Locals are chill never have to go out of your way to see This hack works for all ages and there’s nothing to buy off the beaten path. The Seven Rila Lakes. These views are As in much of Europe (or anywhere something awesome. since just about everyone owns a backpack. Items inside the And most of the best sights are enough to cure anyone from a fear of that’s not the U.S., really), Bulgarian Old mixes with new, for a scene pack can be customized based on age. free heights, or at least give a compelling rea- locals have mastered the art of sit- that’s always cool Hang a backpack over the head rest of the front seat, then Whether it’s a daring cliff-side hike, a son to try and conquer them. ting back, relaxing and simply savor- For example, Sofia’s Roman ruins roll the flap of the backpack down and secure it with a binder cafe-filled Arts district or the interior of an ...because even churches come ing each other’s company. Instead are juxtaposed with modern buildings clip. Once secure, fill the bag and mesh compartment inside elegant medieval church, you’ll see a LOT with dazzling views of robot-like humans plugged into that would make any architecture junkie with age-appropriate activities and snacks. This hack can be of culture for almost no coin at all. Bulgaria is dotted with dozens of pic- their laptops, a typical coffee shop swoon. A city tour is never boring when super simple or very creative. For little ones, you might want ...with some of the friendliest turesque monasteries. Make the trip to scene includes large groups of friends so many styles converge in one place. to wrap up a few dollar store toys and put them in the bag folks you’ll ever meet one with an especially panoramic view, laughing and hanging out. THIS, peo- Almost NOBODY will know where as a special surprise. Passing travelers tend to agree: Bul- and prepare to be amazed. ple, is what life’s all about. you went Fill Fido’s Kong toy with peanut butter garians are incredibly friendly and ea- And life is all cheese, ALL the time Bulgarians take holidays seriously If for no other reason, visit Bulgar- Dogs get bored just like kids. When traveling with your ger to make sure you experience the After a week in Bulgaria, feta will be Following one of many public holi- ia just for the stunned stares, dazzled four-legged kid, fill a Kong toy with a tasty treat such as pea- best of their culture, of which they’re your new middle name. Pair it with toma- days, Bulgarians don’t hesitate to take an comments and “You went WHERE?” nut butter. I know, it sounds gross but it really does work! He hugely proud. Expect grandmothers, toes, meat or fluffy white pastry for the extra day off, too. Visit on Liberation Day questions that come after a visit to this will be able to smell the treat even after licking all he can out shopkeepers, college students and typical Bulgarian meal of your dreams. or Saint George’s Day, and expect to join amazing nation. You’ll be able to edu- of the center. This keeps him busier than a normal toy would waiters to greet you with a smile and a Meals often come cheap a party in the streets. cate your fellow Americans on a very and it doesn’t splinter all over your car like a bone. heaping second helping of the nearest Expect to eat a luxurious dinner — There’s no such thing as commuting important place... one they should visit Once you reach your destination, just rinse the toy thorough- food item. plates of goodies, drinks, the works — Bulgaria’s chilled-out culture reflects a as well! ly inside and out to remove any leftover treat still inside. Most of You’ll certainly conquer your fear for about $10 USD. Of course prices vary love for people and pleasures in the im- Happy travels! the Kong toys have a larger opening that makes cleaning easy. of heights... from place to place. But on the whole, mediate proximity. When you visit, locals (Source: Huffington Post) Play games that promote working as a team and avoid games with one winner Face it! Kids are competitive at all ages, and they will fight if given the chance. A game that requires everyone to work as a Tourism body claims world’s first ‘selfie bench’ to hide blunder team will help everyone get along better. You can play a game of scavenger hunt and offer a prize for everyone once all of the A pair of benches in Porthcawl with their Somerset and Devon across the Bristol Murray, a director at the Bridgend Tour- He argued that the group had cam- items are collected, say, “If you get everything on the list, we will backs to one of the most scenic views in Channel. ism Association. paigned for the refurbishment of the two stop and have ice cream!” That would work for me! Wales have been christened Britain’s first “It’s just daft isn’t it,” said Porthcawl The two benches were installed ear- century-old Victorian design benches but It may be best to avoid some of the more traditional games dedicated ‘selfie benches’ by tourism of- mayor David Newton-Williams, reported lier this year following a request from “had nothing to do with the siting of the like license plate bingo if you are traveling with competitive kids. ficials, after the local council came under WalesOnline. members of Porthcawl Shout in 2009 to benches”. Games like these can backfire and cause fights when someone heavy criticism for ignoring the coastal “Everybody’s having a bit of fun with replace the original poorly-conditioned “They [the council] decided that was doesn’t believe you actually saw that license plate from Ohio. vista for a pavement. it, but it’s a bit stupid,” he said. seats. The elderly voluntary group had where they were going to be put,” he Create a moving scrapbook Bridgend County officials baffled lo- In an effort, to save face, the Bridgend asked that the benches face the road to added. Assign everyone a different task. Someone can be in cals with the recent “daft” placement of Tourism Association has since declared offer an alternative view for pedestrians, The counterintuitive positioning of charge of pictures, someone items for the scrapbook, and the benches that face the promenade the seats the UK’s first “selfie benches”. according to a spokesperson for Brid- the seafront benches might have made someone keeps a journal. The idea is that each person works and Seabank Hotel, rather than the pic- “We are inviting anyone visiting Porth- gend County Borough Council. sense previously, when a hedge was in on their part while on the trip so that when you return home turesque Welsh seaside, from where, on cawl’s esplanade to take their own bench But Gary Victor, chairman of Porth- place behind the benches, blocking the from your destination, you have everything for a scrapbook. a clear day, visitors are said to be able to selfie and share it on social media using cawl Shout, said: “This is totally refuted by sea views, but the council should have The collaborative work becomes a meaningful souvenir eve- enjoy uninterrupted views of the coast of the hashtag #SelfieBench” said Hugh Porthcawl Shout.” thought “one step ahead” to its removal, ryone will appreciate. Mr Victor said. Stay connected while on the road “The hedge behind the seats has since An easy solution for staying connected to the internet PICTURE OF THE DAY Mehr/Amir Ali Razzaqi been removed, but there currently are no on larger devices such as a tablet is use your smartphone’s plans to change the direction in which hot spot or tethering capabilities. This hack comes in handy these seats are pointed,” a spokesperson for the whole family. Full views usually offer more informa- for the county said. tion than a mobile view so it’s easier to find maps and other “The pair of benches, which face needed information faster. Porthcawl’s busy esplanade and not the Remember, if you don’t have unlimited data you will want stunning coastline, have caused some to either purchase more data before you leave, or monitor confusion in the press with many quick the usage closely while on the road to avoid overage charges. to point fingers at a council mishap,” the Schedule pit stops where everyone can burn off Bridgend Tourism Association said in a excess energy statement. Bring action items such as a football or Frisbee so that you “It has since been claimed, however, can encourage everyone to burn off excess energy during pit that whilst one will be turned, the other stops. If you forget to bring something family members can could be a blessing in disguise, catering chase, no worries, foot races or tag will get you the same result. for an influx of social media savvy travel- This is a great family activity so Mom and Dad should be ers,” it said. running too. Exercise helps release endorphins and that re- The latest dispute in the seaside town duces stress. If you are less stressed, you will be better able to follows another controversial bench scan- handle the hiccups that may happen along the way. dal back in 2014 when railings were built Go old school and bring a real map and a sharpie over a bench at Pink Bay, making it nearly There is just something about a traditional map that brings impossible to sit on it. excitement to a trip. You can tell the kids this is how Mom and “The positioning of this safety rail obvi- Dad traveled when we were your age. You will sound ancient ously looks unusual, but it was to try and but the kids usually think its cool! stop people from sitting on the bench, Allow the kids to trace the route as you go. They will ap- and walking in front of it too, as this is an preciate the visual of how far they have gone and how much area of the path that is particularly unsta- further they have to travel to reach the destination. It adds a ble and likely to collapse, causing further fun element that is missing in today’s travel. damage,” a spokesperson for Bridgend Go off the beaten path Council said at the time. Another fun activity for all ages is to follow a couple of Bridgend County, which last year hosted those really weird billboards you see along the way or Goog- the television series The Only Way is Essex le, “World’s Largest (you fill in the blank).” These little side ad- for a one-off Wales based special, has seen ventures not only take you off the beaten path, but they add The Veresk arch bridge in Savadkuh County, northern Iran, is 110 meters high and 66 meters long. The bridge was built in 1936 during a surge in interest following the show. unexpected fun and memories to your trip. World War II by leadership of an Austrian engineer named Walter Inger. (Source: The Telegraph) (Source: lifehack.org) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

6 INTERNATIONAL AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 22016016 http://www.tehrantimes.com/International Muslims for Bernie Sanders punishingly boring - except for the grassroots changing color depending on which way the time, and helps to create monstrosities like ISIL. ARTICLE mobilization it has triggered and that may one political wind blows but consistently represent- Today’s New York primary, like millions of By Hamid Dabashi day change the shape of politics in this country. ing mega-donors, big banks, and Super PACs other New Yorkers, I intend to exercise my very Analyst Today, I think of the possibility of “democ- without any moral scruples, while feigning she fragile rights as a U.S. citizen and go and vote racy” in the U.S. exactly the way Gandhi is re- cares about the poor and the disenfranchised. for Bernie Sanders, doing my share and hop- ported to have thought of “Western Civiliza- Closest candidate ing he will beat Clinton and win the Democratic The dramatic debate between Senator tion”: It would be a great idea. In this presidential campaign, Bernie Sand- nomination. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton in Brook- On the Republican front, Ted Cruz and Don- ers is the closest candidate to the aspirations I do so without any illusion that Bernie lyn on April 14, in anticipation of the New York ald Trump are clean-shaven prehistoric cave of millions of decent Americans dreaming of Sanders can alter the imperial DNA of this primaries today, notwithstanding the national dwellers in business suits, while Hillary Clinton a better future for their children while refusing country, or that I am particularly enamored by conversations about the U.S. presidential cam- on the Democratic front is the dictionary defi- to lend their name to an imperial republic that world, supports Israel stealing Palestine and this liberal Zionist beating on the dead horse of paign has become positively predictable, if not nition of a chameleon - like a corrupt politician systematically arms the rich tyrants around the murdering Palestinians one settlement at a a “two-state” delusion. 9

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'The New Normal': Why U.S.-Saudi COMMENT Egypt's hollowed-out Geopolitical 'Honeymoon' Ended society

Riyadh should give up its illusions and By Gamal Eid adopt a more realistic approach toward U.S.-Saudi relations, American scholars n Wednesday, three judges in Cairo will decide wheth- Perry Cammack and Richard Sokolsky Oer to allow prosecutors to pursue their case against note, stressing that the partnership be- me and my co-defendant, the journalist and human tween the two states “is experiencing rights advocate Hossam Bahgat, in the government’s contin- deep structural changes.” uing attack on nongovernmental organizations in Egypt. The The U.S.-Saudi partnership is under- case against me has centered going deep structural changes, according on my role in founding the to Perry Cammack and Richard Sokolsky Arabic Network for Human of the Carnegie Endowment for Interna- Rights Information, which tional Peace. aims to educate the Egyptian “Shifting U.S. regional and global pri- public about their civil and orities, fundamental changes in the glob- human rights. al energy market, and America's response As for Mr. Bahgat, it is to the convulsions sweeping the Middle widely known that his inves- East since 2011 have engendered mutu- tigative reporting has rattled al mistrust and exposed deep fault lines,” the government. But the case the U.S. scholars write in their analysis against him has focused on for The National Interest. the activities of the organiza- Cammack and Sokolsky refer to Ba- tion he founded, the Egyptian rack Obama's concerns, voiced by the Initiative for Personal Rights. U.S. President in his interview with Jeffrey Human rights abuses Goldberg of the Atlantic. Obama called We have been targeted the Saudi regime “free riders” who could because our groups provide critical resources to those facing drag the United States into trouble in the human rights abuses in Egypt. We have represented victims region. of torture from across the spectrum: Muslim Brotherhood Obama's remark has prompted re- members, liberals, leftists, victims of arbitrary arrest and even government supporters. We have stood for the ideas that sentment in Riyadh. in the eyes of the Obama administra- jing. security issues, but will seek accommoda- human rights belong to all, no matter their ideology, and that “No, Mr. Obama. We are not 'free rid- tion, according to the U.S. scholars. And here is the rub: both Russia and tions when their interests overlap,” Cam- civil rights belong to all citizens, no matter their wealth or ers',” Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal wrote Saudi Arabia's overreliance China maintain a friendly relationship mack and Sokolsky explain. power. in his open letter to Obama published upon American protection has played a with Tehran, Riyadh's longstanding geo- “They will have a more realistic and This week, the judges will also decide whether to allow pros- in the Arab News. nasty trick on Riyadh. political rival. sustainable relationship that, shorn of its ecutors to impose on me, Mr. Bahgat and our organizations “You accuse us of fomenting sectar- At the same time, Washington has What is the way out for Saudi Arabia? illusions and misperceptions, could pro- office closings, travel bans, asset freezes and criminal charges. ian strife in Syria, Yemen and Iraq." the become less dependent on the Persian According to the U.S. scholars, Ri- duce fewer disappointments and even If the court so rules, it will be tantamount to the Egyptian gov- Saudi Prince noted. Gulf oil. yadh and Washington should adopt “the allow ad hoc cooperation,” the scholars ernment shutting down not only the organizations named in Whether Riyadh likes it or not, it is Furthermore, the U.S. has emerged new normal approach.” stress. the case, but all nonstate institutions that are independent of time for Saudi Arabia and Iran to learn as Saudi Arabia's competitor in the oil “The new normal will be a more diffi- The two allies still have a lot of shared the security agencies and criticize violations of rights. to “share the neighborhood” in the Mid- market. The House of Saud does not dent U.S.-Saudi relationship. Both sides interests in the region and they really The accusations against us are that our activities harm dle East, the U.S. President believes. conceal its discontent with the White will harbor lower expectations of each need to begin “a candid, frank and con- Egypt’s reputation, that our groups were formed outside the It is becoming clear that King Sal- House and is even taking steps to bol- other and continue to disagree, some- structive dialogue” over their expecta- framework of the law regulating nongovernmental organiza- man's assertive military doctrine does ster its relations with Moscow and Bei- times sharply, over important regional tions and simmering controversies. tions and that we received foreign funding to support terror- not add to stability in the region. “Next week's US-GCC summit in Ri- ism. These charges are baseless, and if our trial is legal rather Though Washington supported Ri- yadh is the last opportunity for the Saudi Arabia's overreliance upon American than political, we will prove this. yadh's war in Yemen “to reassure the Obama administration to recalibrate the Murky as this case is, the underlying message is clear: This Saudis that the United States was a reli- protection has played a nasty trick U.S.-Saudi relationship,” the American is how the military-backed regime of President Abdel Fattah able partner,” Saudi Arabia's military ac- on Riyadh. scholars underscore. tions look “impulsive and ill conceived” (Source: Sputnik) el-Sisi intends to eliminate the last independent civic organi- zations in the country. Authoritarian regimes are, in general, averse to a strong civil society. Egypt is no exception. Yet under president Hosni Palestinian President Abbas: 'The world must not forget us' Mubarak, and despite routine government harassment, we did INTERVIEW ternational conference and an international support group build a critical, independent civil society. During that era, the to be established to reach peace. We will talk with the Euro- police could shut groups down, but it was rare for organiza- By Nicola Abé peans, the Americans, partners in Asia and moderate Arab tions to be closed for long and almost unheard-of for staff n Tuesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Ab- states. We would also like Israel to join, but they are refusing members to be jailed. Obas was scheduled to meet with Angela Merkel this international approach. Five years after Mubarak’s ouster, things couldn’t be more in Berlin, where he will ask for support in pushing What is the Palestinian side offering for such different. If Mubarak was confident enough to tolerate inde- the peace process forward. In an interview, he says the talks? pendent groups operating outside state control, Sisi lacks such issue has been on the back burner for far too long. A: We will reaffirm our recognition of the State of Israel self-assurance. With war waging in Syria and in Yemen as well as the living side by side with the State of Palestine in peace and Mediators role perpetual threat of violence by the terrorist organization security. I am asking Netanyahu to sit with me at the table Civil society matters in a country like Egypt because these Islamic State (IS), the myriad trouble spots in the Middle and negotiate. I do not have any preconditions. We only groups can play an important role as mediators in situations East have eclipsed the ongoing conflict between the Israelis want a temporary building stop in the settlements while of tension and conflict. In 2011, when millions took to the and the Palestinians for close to two years now. Mahmoud these talks are taking place. The Israelis are telling us it is streets to protest the Mubarak regime, it was groups like ours, Abbas, head of the Palestinian Autonomous Authority, is not the right time for a two-state solution. But when is this along with labor unions, professional associations and chari- hoping to place the enduring crisis back on the agenda moment? The right time is now and not tomorrow or any ties, that made a crucial difference to the outcome — giving during his planned visit with German Chancellor Angela and over again. time in the future. We want to coexist with them. But the structure to the demonstrations that kept them nonviolent Merkel on Tuesday. So you do not have influence on the younger Israelis don't want that. They want to separate themselves and constructive. Our counterparts in Syria and Libya were In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, he calls on the generation? from us and prefer not to see us. not so fortunate, and the protests there quickly dissolved into German leader to invoke her good friendship with Israel as A: If a young person loses hope, then he or she doesn't Are you prepared to recognize Israel as a Jew- armed conflict. part of an effort to push the peace process forward again. care if I condemn their deeds. ish State? After Mubarak was deposed, groups like ours also worked Abbas also condemns the recent wave of knife attacks by But you meet with relatives of attackers and A: We recognized the State of Israel in 1993, and we are overtime to translate chronic problems and longstanding Palestinians against Israelis, while at the same time lodging send condolence letters. Are you not sending the prepared to reaffirm our recognition of the State of Israel needs into workable demands that were included in political serious allegations against the government of Benjamin wrong signal by doing this? based on the two-state solution. But they have to recipro- negotiations. In 2011, for instance, my organization led an in- Netanyahu. A: If a Palestinian dies, we support their family socially. It cate as well. itiative involving hundreds of judges, lawyers, police officers, Mr. President, the peace process is dead. Many does not mean that we support what they did. Israel is very concerned that radical groups journalists and others to reform the then-feared Ministry of members of Netanyahu's right-wing government You call attackers who have been killed "mar- could gain more influence in the West Bank. Hamas Interior. We held training sessions with police officers and con- openly oppose a two-state solution. Should Germa- tyrs." Doesn't that imply some sort of heroism? is popular, especially among younger people, as sulted with ministry officials. ny change its policies in the Middle East? A: We are not encouraging our youth to commit vio- elections at universities showed. Sadly, our project with the Interior Ministry was even- A: We know history. We will not demand that Germa- lence. But if someone dies at the hands of Israeli security A: These results were individual cases. tually blocked by factions that did not want reform. Indeed, ny put more pressure on Israel. But we know that Germany forces, we call that person a martyr. This is our tradition. According to the polls, you aren't very popular everything changed with Sisi’s accession to power in 2013, supports a Palestinian state. This is why Chancellor Merkel You have repeatedly accused the Israeli gov- among your people at all. Your government lacks which ushered in a new, more repressive era. should use her good friendship with Israel to promote ernment of planning to change the status quo on legitimacy. There haven't been any elections in the First, there was an assault on Muslim Brotherhood charities, peace. the Temple Mount. This is a very sensitive issue that West Bank for the past 10 years. Do you fear that then came the trials and closings of independent cultural or- In light of the civil war in Syria and the terror triggers strong religious emotions. Aren't you heat- Hamas could win a possible election? ganizations. The Sisi regime went on to close and prosecute attacks taking place in Europe, many politicians feel ing up the conflict with such statements? A: I am willing to have elections at any time, but Hamas nongovernmental organizations that were promoting health there are more urgent foreign policy issues at the A: This is not about religion. The problem is that Israel refuses it. Currently, we are negotiating the creation of a care, education, press freedom, democratic reform and good moment than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Do you is occupying our land and attacking our holy sites. The Al unity government with Hamas in Qatar. We can conduct governance. While some, like mine, were frank critics of offi- fear you are being forgotten? Aqsa Mosque is ours. It is part of our capital city East Je- elections as soon as we have a unity government. cial policy, most stayed out of politics, dedicating themselves A: Of course we notice that the instability of the whole rusalem, which has been occupied since 1967. The Israelis Will you seek another term as president? instead to delivering basic services that the government ne- region is having an effect on interest in the Palestinian is- should stay away from Al Aqsa. Instead, they are provoking A: I do not want to run again. glected to provide. sue. But the world must not forget us. The Israeli-Palestin- us on a daily basis with their visits and violating the status In the West Bank, an increasing number of mil- Today, there are very few of us left. We know that without ian conflict should be solved first. Many terrorists use the quo by praying there. itant Hamas cells are active -- with some planning the mediating role of independent civic institutions, ordinary conflict as a cover. They claim that they are supporting our But what we are dealing with here are extrem- terror attacks against Israel. Do you still have con- social tension can easily escalate into nationwide conflict. The struggle. But this is not true. We condemn their deeds. But ists and not the Israeli government. trol of the situation? powerful can manipulate routine differences between commu- if we don't find a solution to the conflict soon, I fear the A: Among the visitors are members of the Knesset. And A: Our security forces are working very efficiently to nities, ethnic groups and social classes into a politics of brute violence of these terrorists groups will spread and affect us the Israeli government has the responsibility: They have to prevent terror. Just a couple of days ago, three young men force. When that happens in a country under authoritarian in our territories and in Israel. stop the extremists. They have to respect their obligations were tracked down and arrested. They were planning an rule, the entire public sphere is transformed into a zero-sum It is in fact true that Israel has been haunted regarding the status quo. attack. In this context, our security cooperation with Israel game between those wielding near-absolute power and those for months by a wave of Palestinian violence. The Many chances for peace have been missed is functioning well. Hamas is trying to sabotage things, but whose basic rights are in jeopardy. perpetrators are mostly very young and act spon- over the past 20 years. Can you only see failures on we have the situation under control. With a crumbling economy, a vicious counterinsurgency taneously. Many are speaking of a "knife intifada." the Israeli side, or did you also make mistakes? You recently stated that the Palestinian Au- in Sinai and widespread public dissatisfaction, the Sisi regime A: This is not an intifada. We have to understand why A: I am constantly asking the Americans and Europe- thority is on the brink of collapse. faces difficulties far larger than those confronting Mubarak in these young people are committing such attacks. This ans: What are my mistakes? They confirm that I made no A:It is a matter of fact: If the Israeli Defense Forces are the final days of his rule. It is hard to imagine the current gov- generation experiences the violence and humiliation of mistakes. It is the Israeli side which misses all the chances operating in our cities in Area A, this is bothering us and ernment weathering these crises without the bedrock of civic the occupation on a daily basis. And they experience for peace. violating the agreements. This area is supposed to be con- organizations, which is whySisi’s attacks on civil society seem how more and more settlers are coming to occupy their Instead of negotiating with the Israeli govern- trolled by the Palestinian Authority alone. If Israel will not so shortsighted. land. If Israel stops this, no child will take a knife to attack ment, you are now taking unilateral steps as well as end these incursions, then it should take over the respon- If we lose this week’s round of our legal fight, my personal Israelis. addressing the international community directly. sibility. But then there will not be a Palestinian Authority an- life may take a painful turn. But it will be the Egyptian people The Netanyahu government has accused you Do you think this is a good strategy? ymore. If Netanyahu sits in this chair, I will not be needed who bear the brunt of the consequences, since they will soon of incitement. How do you respond to this? A: We support the French initiative, which calls for a anymore. be left with nothing between them and a crumbling state. A: I am against these attacks and I have said this over multilateral instead of a bilateral approach. We want an in- (Source: Spiegel) (Source: The NYT) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

8 MED & SCI AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 22016016 http://www.tehrantimes.com

NEWS IN BRIEF Oil Industry knew of fossil fuel dangers Iranian physiotherapy conference to kick off in May of climate in 1960's: report SCIENCE TEHRAN — Iranian Physiotherapy Associa- Oil Industry officials knew fossil fuels were on its website. desktion has announced the opening of the 27th capable of producing dramatic climate Environmental regulations annual conference, held under the motto ‘Move for Life’, on May change during the 1960's, according to the Air pollution in the form of smog over 4-6, 2016. Center for International Environmental Law. Los Angeles in the 1940's led to the es- The Olympic Hotel in Teh- A new report claims some people in the in- tablishment of the Smoke and Fumes ran, the meeting venue, is dustry even joked with one another about Committee. where professors, research- their ability to melt polar ice caps. The express goal of this group, made up ers and representatives of 15 According to the group, fossil fuels of representatives of the nation's largest oil world countries will come to- executives have been working since the companies, was to present environmental gether for the event. 1940's in an effort to spin the propaganda regulations as costly and unwarranted. Ahmad Moazenzadeh, narrative over the environmental conse- Stanford Research Institute scientists re- executive secretariat of the quences of their industry. leased a report to the American Petroleum conference, said the congre- The role of fossil fuels in driving up con- Institute in 1968, highlighting the potential gation launched with aid of centrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide dangers of fossil fuels to the environment. Iran Medical Council, welfare has been discussed by scientists since the The team put out a stark warning that organization and some medi- end of the 19th century. rising levels of carbon dioxide in the at- cal universities not to mention During the first half of the 20th Cen- mosphere would lead to warmer oceans, the help of business firms. tury, most researchers believed green- rising sea levels and thinning ice caps. The Around 2,000 participants house gases would largely be absorbed by Robinson Report placed the blame for ris- from Australia, U.S., Ireland, England, Canada, Pakistan, India, oceans around the globe. stitute upturned that conventional wisdom, assumed, potentially accelerating the im- ing sea levels on the use of fossil fuels by Lebanon, Tajikistan and some more countries will be attend- "In 1957, a landmark paper by Roger demonstrating that far more CO2 would pact of global climate change," The Center human civilization. ing the conference, Moazenzadeh enumerated. Revelle and Hans Suess of the Scripps In- remain in the atmosphere than previously for International Environmental Law stated (Source: Tech Times) Mainly, foreign physiotherapists will deliver the lectures, the secretariat noted while various round tables are held for scientific discussions. Dinosaurs in decline long before asteroid catastrophe, study reveals Dinosaurs were in decline long before the asteroid struck them to explore the rise and fall of species as time marched on. SPF 30 sunscreen may cut that spelt their doom, new research suggests. The study looked at the three major groups of dinosaur: the or- Dinosaurs were on the up and up from the late Triassic nithischians (beaked herbivores such as tegosaurus), theropods cancer risk by 80% about 220m years ago, with new species arising faster than (flesh-eating beasts such as Tyrannosaurus rex) and sauropods others went extinct. But the study reveals their fortunes had (long-necked plant-eaters that included diplodocus). If you aren’t a regular sunscreen user, you may want to think twice begun to change long before the catastrophic six-mile-wide Dinosaurs flourished and lather up when you go outside this summer; a new study found asteroid hit what is now the Gulf of Mexico, 66m years ago. The results showed that while dinosaurs flourished from that applying sunscreen drastically reduces the risk of skin cancer. The research, the authors believe, could resolve a long- about 220m years ago, with species arising faster than they The latest research out of Ohio State University, which was standing controversy among paleontologists. went extinct, about 140m years ago their success started done on mice, showed that when SPF 30 sunscreen was applied “One of the things that has been long debated about to stall. Eventually, about 90m years ago, 24m years before prior to UVB exposure, it significantly reduced the risk of mela- dinosaur evolution is whether they were reigning strong the asteroid hit, the dinosaurs entered a long-term decline, noma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer. right up until the time of the meteorite impact, or whether with species going extinct faster than new ones emerged. “We have developed a mouse model that allows us to test the there was a slow, gradual decrease in (the emergence of That, the authors reveal, could have left the dinosaurs more ability of a sunscreen to not only prevent burns but also to prevent new species) or an increase in extinction before that time,” vulnerable to extinction when the six-mile-wide disaster struck. melanoma … we hope that this model will lead to breakthroughs in said Chris Venditti, an evolutionary biologist at the Univer- ences, researchers from the University of Bristol and the Universi- “Because diversity was lacking, because species were going ex- melanoma prevention,” Christin Burd, assistant professor of molecu- sity of Reading and an author of the paper. ty of Reading describe how they carried out a new kind of statis- tinct and not being replaced, it might have made them more lar genetics at Ohio State University, said in a statement. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sci- tical analysis based on large “family trees” of dinosaurs, allowing susceptible,” said Venditti. (Source: The Guardian) The study tested multiple different sun protection factor (SPF) 30 sunscreens, and found that they all delayed the onset of mel- anoma and reduced the incidence of tumors. Loon deaths from malaria tied to New study examines the effect of The study had some limitations. Besides the fact that it was done on animals, it also looked only at a short but intense dose of UVB climate change ecstasy on the brain rays — UV rays across the spectrum can contribute to cancer risk, and the average person is not exposed to that much UVB in one sitting. The lead researcher says that she is currently seeking funding to conduct more studies to explore additional scenarios. (Source: Time)

A robot to teach kids coding

A robot named Root has been developed to expose kids of all ages to coding in a way that brings the often daunting world of computer science to life. Root looks like a smoke detector but is actually a sophisticat- ed robot. A magnetic surface, wheels, and an impressive arsenal of sensors allow it to navigate For decades, researcher Mark Pokras and Crowdfunding campaign Researchers from the University of Liver- including mood, emotions, aggression, sleep, a classroom whiteboard. But his colleagues have been trying to under- Groups like the Loon Preservation pool have conducted a study examining appetite, anxiety, memory, and perceptions. Root isn't actually programed stand what is killing loons. Committee — whose offices are on the the effect ecstasy has on different parts Emotional reactions to do anything. Its tasks and Through thousands of blood samples loon-populated Lake Winnipesaukee in of the brain. They found that ecstasy users showed functionality hinge on a child's taken over the past 30 years, they found New Hampshire — have advised their Dr. Carl Roberts and Dr. Andrew significant reductions in the way serotonin imagination. these birds — a relatively common sight volunteers to step up surveillance on Jones, from the University's Institute of is transported in the brain. This can have a The robot is capable of on many New England lakes — were suf- lakes across the state. The Maine-based Psychology, Health and Society, and Dr. particular impact on regulating appropriate driving and drawing as well as fering from lead and mercury poisoning Biodiversity Research Institute has also Cathy Montgomery from Liverpool John emotional reactions to situations. playing music, but Root needs as well as other pollutants. started a crowdfunding campaign to raise Moores University conducted an analysis The paper, entitled 'Meta-analysis of instructions to operate, a line But the researchers took some solace funds to further investigate the extent of of seven independent studies that used molecular imaging of serotonin trans- of code. Zivthan Dubrovsky of in knowing that loons, unlike birds that the problem. molecular imaging to examine the neu- porters in ecstasy / polydrug users', has Harvard's Wyss Institute recalls frequent more tropical climates, weren’t “I wouldn’t call it alarm bells but it cer- ropsychological effect of ecstasy on peo- been published in the journal of Neuro- testing out Root with kids for being sickened by avian malaria. tainly is raising eyebrows and emphasiz- ple that use the drug regularly. Science and Biobehavioral Reviews. the first time. Pokras and Ellen Martinsen, a Ver- ing the need to look more,” said Pokras, A number of studies have compared Dr. Roberts, said: The "research team "If you ask kids can you make mont-based research associate with the an emeritus associate professor at Tufts ecstasy users to control groups on various conducted the analysis on seven papers that a text based java script line fol- Smithsonian Conservation Biology In- University who is writing a book on loons. measures of neuropsychological function fitted our inclusion criteria which provided us lower? They go 'no that's hard, can't do that', but we can put level one stitute, started finding several different “It may certainly be this bird that died was in order to determine whether ecstasy use with data from 157 ecstasy users and 148 in front of them and they can do it in minutes," he said. malaria parasites in loon blood samples unlucky or maybe it had some immune results in lasting cognitive deficits. controls. 11 out of the 14 brain regions in- Using a tablet wirelessly connected to the robot, level one in- a few years back. The latest data shows deficiency that made it more susceptible It is common, however, for ecstasy us- cluded in analysis showed serotonin trans- troduces kids to the principles of programing using an interface as many as 12 percent testing positive, to the parasite. I doubt it but we don’t ers to use other drugs alongside the sub- porter (SERT) reductions in ecstasy users of simple commands and pictures. As they become more adept, though not all are expected be infected know that yet.” stance, and therefore the Liverpool team compared to those who took other drugs. they jump to levels 2 and 3, at which point writing computer with malaria. Martinsen, who used molecular meth- aimed to discover whether this had any "We conclude that, in line with animal code becomes second nature, according to Dubrovsky. Then last summer, the research- ods to screen the loon population for ma- bearing on the impact of the drug. data, the nerve fibers, or axons, furthest (Source: Reuters) ers found the first ever case of a loon laria parasites, said the concern is that the The nerve pathway that is predominantly away from where serotonin neurons are — on Umbagog Lake located in Maine birds may not have defenses to protect affected by ecstasy is called the serotonin produced (in the raphe nuclei) are most and New Hampshire — that died of the them against an infection — much like pathway. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that susceptible to the effects of MDMA. That disease. Biologists and fans of the loons humans with Ebola or West Nile “which is synthesized, stored, and released by specific is to say that these areas show the great- haven’t found another case yet, but they wreaks havoc on our system.” neurons in this pathway. It is involved in the est changes following MDMA use. Hope for reversing Type 2 are looking for other dead birds. (Source: BurlingtonFreePress) regulation of several processes within the brain, (Source: Medicalxpress.com) diabetes Many experts believe Type 2 diabetes is an incurable disease NASA finds cosmic dust speeding through our Solar System that gets worse with time. But new research raises the tantalizing possibility that drastic changes in diet may reverse the disease NASA just discovered some special particles floating in our ladus. The moon has a global ocean beneath its icy surface to detect these interstellar interlopers at Saturn with Cassini. in some people. cosmic neighborhood. and it has active jets that spray water vapor and other par- We knew that if we looked in the right direction, we should Recently, a small clinical trial in England studied the effects The Cassini spacecraft, which has been orbiting Saturn ticles into space. find them," said Nicolas Altobelli, Cassini project scientist at of a strict liquid diet on 30 people who had lived with Type 2 since 2004, has detected alien dust that came from outside Out of the millions of cosmic particles the spacecraft the European Space Agency and lead author of the study. diabetes for up to 23 years. Nearly half of those studied had a our Solar System. collected, 36 were special. These were alien dust grains. These microscopic dust particles were traveling at high remission that lasted six months after the diet was over. While Scientists suspect that this dust is interstellar in origin Scientists concluded that the dust came from interstellar speed through space when Cassini detected them. They the study was small, the finding offers hope to millions who have because it moves fast and in different directions, compared space -- the void that exists between stars. were moving at a rate of 45,000 mph, a speed so fast the been told they must live with the intractable disease. to the dust found on Saturn, according to a recently pub- Alien dust dust can essentially avoid being trapped by our sun's gravi- “This is a radical change in our understanding of Type 2 diabe- lished report in the journal of Science. And although this Scientists have come across alien dust in our solar sys- tational forces. tes,” said Dr. Roy Taylor, a professor at Newcastle University in England alien dust was faint, it had a distinct signature. tem before, so the discovery is not unprecedented. In the Unlike previous missions, Cassini was able to analyze the and the study’s senior author. “If we can get across the message that Cassini has been studying the gas giant and its moons. 1990s, international researchers from the ESA/NASA Ul- alien dust, which revealed the dust grains were made of min- ‘yes, this is a reversible disease — that you will have no more diabetes During its tenure, the spacecraft used its cosmic dust ana- ysses mission made an observation of foreign dust, which erals, not ice. The composition was primarily rock-forming ele- medications, no more sitting in doctors’ rooms, no more excess health lyzer to sample millions of ice-rich dust grains. was traced back to an interstellar cloud. ments such has magnesium, silicon, iron and calcium. charges’ — that is enormously motivating.” (Source: The NYT) Most of the dust grains came from Saturn's moon Ence- "From that discovery, we always hoped we would be able (Source: The CNN) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y http://www.tehrantimes.com/international APRIL 20, 2016 WORLD IN FOCUS 9

Rescuers are in a race against time to find The leftist leader on Monday boarded survivors from a powerful 7.8-magnitude Rescuers race to find survivors a military helicopter to deliver water, food earthquake as the death toll from Ecua- and other supplies to devastated areas. dor’s strongest earthquake in decades He urged Ecuadoreans to remain unit- JUMP has risen above 400. from Ecuador’s big quake ed in what is likely to be a long rebuilding On Monday, teams from Ecuador and process that could cost billions of dollars. Muslims for Bernie Sanders neighboring countries fanned out across “The priority is to direct resources where the country’s Pacific coastline to look for there are signs of life,” Correa said. 6 I intend to vote for Bernie Sanders conscious of a crucial the dozens of people still missing. After a deadly earthquake in Chile in development in the U.S. Muslim community. This year is the first In the port city of Manta, a group of 2010, that South American country was time that I will vote in a presidential election conscious of being a about 50 rescuers working with sniffer able to get back on its feet quickly thanks Muslim and that consciousness is a significant event in the make-up dogs, hydraulic jacks and a drill managed to a commodities boom that was energiz- of the U.S. Muslim community at a time of intense Islamophobia. to free eight people trapped for more ing its economy. But Ecuador must rebuild I will not be the first nor the only Muslim voting for Sanders in than 32 hours in the rubble of a shop- amid a deep recession that has forced aus- the U.S. The fact that U.S. Muslims are significantly siding with Sen- ping center that was flattened by Satur- terity on the OPEC (Organization of the ator Sanders has already made major headlines in the U.S. day night’s quake. Petroleum Exporting Countries) nation’s There is, in fact, an entire Facebook page dedicated to “Muslims The first rescue took place before finances. To assist in the recovery effort, Ec- for Bernie Sanders 2016”. Leading Muslim scholars and intellectuals dawn, when a woman was pulled head uador plans to draw down on some $600 like Zareena Grewal and Donna Auston have also written eloquently first from a nearly 2½-foot (70-centime- million in credit lines from the World Bank, as to “Why Muslim Americans should vote for Bernie Sanders”. ter) hole cut through concrete and steel. Inter-American Development Bank and Reports indicate that “in less than three weeks, Bernie Sand- Firefighters applauded as she emerged other multilateral lenders. ers being a friend of the Arab and Muslim American communities, from the debris, disoriented, caked in Manta, a thriving port city, is among has become legendary, and the support from this community of dust and complaining of pain but other- center in Manta, authorities were working might be trapped beneath rubble. the areas hit hardest by the earthquake. Sanders voters has been growing online since his March 8 victory wise in good health. to free a woman they had found buried Christian Rivera, the head of emer- Power cables lie in city streets and elec- in Michigan”. Another uplifting scene played out alive with a heavy concrete slab pinning gency services for the capital, Quito, said tricity remains out in many neighbor- The significance of U.S. Muslims rallying behind Sanders as the in nearby Portoviejo, where a cellphone her legs when an aftershock forced them that depending on the circumstances a hoods. Among the many building flat- “only Jewish candidate” should neither be exaggerated nor misin- call to a relative from under the debris of to abandon the effort. When they re- person without serious injuries can sur- tened by the shaking was a control tower terpreted. This is a crucial development, but we need to know why. a collapsed hotel led searchers to Pablo turned the debris pile had moved and vive up to a week in such conditions. at the airport that was home to U.S. an- Rise of Muslims Cordova, the hotel’s administrator. Once the woman was dead, said Angel Morei- “After that, there’s a quick decline ... ti-narcotics missions in South America Above all, this vote signifies the rise of Muslims as a self-con- he was gingerly removed, he was immo- ra, a firefighter coordinating the effort. and the rescuers’ work becomes very dif- until Correa kicked the Americans out. scious, engaged, and assertive community with pronounced politi- bilized and hauled away on a stretcher, The government reported late Mon- ficult,” he said. Foreign Minister Guillaume As humanitarian aid begun trickling cal views. To be sure, this does not mean all Muslims are for Sand- his hands waving in the air in a sign of day that the official death count had in- Long tweeted that 654 search experts in, long lines formed as people sought ers. There are plenty of rich and powerful Muslims of all sorts, no appreciation to cheering onlookers. creased to 413 and said they expected from other nations were on the ground to buy bottled water. Many residents are doubt, rooting for Hillary Clinton or even voting Republican. The “Since Saturday, when this country the toll to rise further in the days ahead. late Monday and that more were expect- sleeping outdoors in makeshift camps or very idea of a “Muslim vote” is as flawed and misleading as that of started shaking, I’ve slept only two hours Among the dead were an American and ed to arrive onTuesday — bringing to 13 in the street cuddled next to neighbors. the “Jewish vote”, or “Christian vote”. and haven’t stopped working,” said Juan two Canadians. the nationalities involved in the rescue. Spain’s Red Cross said as many as Many Muslims would have sided with and voted for Bernie Carranza, one of the firefighters leading Complicating rescue efforts is the lack The United States has offered assis- 5,000 people might need temporary Sanders even if he were not Jewish. That he is a proud and pro- the rescue effort in Portoviejo. of electricity in many areas, meaning tance but so far President Rafael Correa, housing because of destroyed homes gressive Jew from a poor immigrant background links him to the Despite such cheering moments, trag- noisy power generators must be used, a strong critic of U.S. foreign policy in Lat- and 100,000 need some sort of aid. deepest layers of Jewish prophetic voices throughout the ages as edy continued to mount. At the shopping making it harder to hear anyone who in America, has yet to respond publicly. (Source: AP) well as to the Jewish intellectuals and activists vastly involved with the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. as he, in fact, exemplifies - a particularly proud moment for Jewish Americans that Muslims must Threats can’t whitewash Saudi support for terrorism learn and update. The formation of this crucial political consciousness signals a his- toric formation that could and should bring Muslims into the fore- 1 It is obvious to the world that the Saudi king- man Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel publicly ac- Just by condemning terrorism and extremism front of a national awakening in active alliance with such crucial seg- dom has been financing and fueling the ideology of ex- cused Saudi Arabia of financing extremism in the does not whitewash the name of the Saudi king- ments of U.S. society as the budding Jewish liberation theology of tremism and terrorism for long years. Its recognition of West. “We have to make clear to the Saudis that dom which has almost become synonymous with a post-Zionist era, the Occupy Wall Street uprising, the Black Lives the Taliban as Afghanistan’s government in 1997 to its the time of looking away is over,” Gabriel told extremism and terrorism. The Saudi regime’s hon- Matter movement, and even the nascent Democracy Spring rallies. support to extremists in Iraq and Syria are examples of Bild am Sonntag newspaper. He said, “Wahhabi eymoon with the West, which had been unfairly Sanders is a significant catalyst in this historic moment, bringing this. mosques all over the world are financed by Saudi covering up its backing for extremism over these significant layers of political consciousness in the U.S. to the fore- It is not also a secret that last December Ger- Arabia.” years, is also coming to an end. front of the U.S. presidential election. His supporters are putting up a heroic effort to promote their preferred presidential candidate. These forces, however, must begin to think of the day after a dread- NATO and Russia want to repair damage to relations: expert ful Clinton nomination, and what would happen to the significant 1 German Foreign Minister Frank Walter the global power architecture. Internally, he has actively How does NATO want to tackle certain prob- momentum that Sanders’ campaign has generated. Steinmeier also said recently that the world powers promoted conservative values. Externally, Putin seems lems such as cultural roots of terrorism, migrant cri- In the formation of that momentum, I believe, Muslims have a will consider Russia’s return to the G7. What are the to want to restore Russia’s greatness as the superpower sis, etc.? Has NATO been adapted to deal with such significant role to play, not just as Muslims, but more importantly as reasons for such a remark? it was in the Cold War days. He seems to want to de- threats? a momentous gathering integral to progressive fronts joining ranks A: Once again, the co-dependence of major Euro- velop alternatives to cooperation with Western powers, A: I’m not sure NATO would be the correct platform with equally committed segments of society determined to change pean economies and Russia is a factor that might by which he also sees as upholding values that go counter to tackle cultural roots of terrorism or sociopolitical di- the landscape of U.S. politics with wide-ranging global consequences. driving moves towards reducing tension. Germany is to his vision for Russia. He actively promotes anti-West- mensions of the migrant crisis. That doesn’t come within (Source: Aljazeera) Europe’s biggest economy and is also a sort of de fac- ern propaganda. its authority or responsibilities. The EU must deal with to leader of the EU. Europe lives next door to Russia Viewed from the outside, and given the declining that. In fact, each nation within the EU might need to and an easing of strained relations is desirable for both. state of Russia’s economy, static demographics and develop a distinct locally adjusted approach to dealing Obama: Top Intel official Whether Russia should be welcomed back into a G-8 restlessness within its regions, any harking back to with such issues. NATO may one day be called upon to reviewing secret 9/11 material is, however, not entirely up to EU nations. The U.S. will past Russian glory would appear unrealistic. Perhaps manage any international conflict situation that might have a deciding voice in such a move. It’s unlikely to deep in his near-inscrutable mind Putin recognizes emerge from the migrant flow or a significantly height- United States President Barack Obama says the top-ranking happen, however, without significant change in Vladimir the problem, or at least soon will, and come round ened level of terrorism in Europe. But, as things stand, U.S. intelligence official is reviewing classified material in a Putin’s approach to foreign relations, international coop- to a more realistic and cooperative relationship with European nations will have to tackle their socio-cultural Sept. 11 report that families of attack victims and some law- eration and view of Russia’s position in and relations with the West. problems. makers are demanding be made public. Several members of the House and Senate, including Aiming at Iran, Saudi Arabia mixes oil policy with politics House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, have joined 9/11 families in pressuring for declassification of 28 pages that are 1 It didn’t go according to plan. dom, said in two interviews with Bloomb- chairs the top economic planning body need high oil prices.” part of government documents compiled on the 9/11 attack Instead, by Sunday morning, the Saudis erg News that the participation of Iran and the council that has authority over Bad cop amid speculation of a possible role by the House of Saud insisted on the inclusion of Iran in any was necessary for any deal. the kingdom’s giant state-owned oil The unanswered question is: Why did regime. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attack. deal. Final word company. Saudi oil officials negotiate for weeks on In an interview with CBS’s Charlie Rose, Obama was asked “Some countries from OPEC changed The oil market took the warning more Market share a draft accord for Doha, giving the im- if had read the 28 pages. “I have a sense of what’s in there,” their positions in the morning -- right be- as a rhetorical warning intended for do- Although oil officials and OPEC watch- pression that a deal was possible even he replied. fore the meeting began,” Russian Energy mestic consumption than a threat to the ers almost unanimously point towards without Iran? Obama also revealed that James Clapper, director of Na- Minister Alexander Novak said after the Doha talks. Since the four countries start- the politicization of Saudi oil policy, there One suggestion is that Riyadh tried tional Intelligence, “has been going through this” to ensure talks in Doha broke apart. ed the process to freeze output, oil prices could be other reasons behind Prince to use the Doha meeting to force Rus- that whatever is made public does not damage U.S. national Venezuela’s oil minister, Eulogio del rallied more than 35 percent. Mohammed’s stance on Iran. sia, an ally of Iran, to choose between security interests. Pino, said that Saudi representatives in “One thing we’ve learned in the oil mar- One is protecting Saudi Arabia’s higher oil prices and supporting Tehran. “My understanding is that he’s about to complete that the meeting didn’t have the authority to kets: regarding the Saudis, we now have to oil-market share, which could be eroded In that thesis, Al-Naimi played the role process,” the president said. negotiate and the summit had strained listen to MbS,” said Michael Wittner, oil ana- if it froze production as Iran increased ex- of good cop, with Prince Mohammed Former U.S. Sen. Robert Graham, who helped write the relationships within OPEC. lyst at Societe Generale SA in New York and ports following the removal of sanction acting as the bad cop. Another theory is report that includes the 28 redacted pages, recently told “We are going to try and recover the a former official at the Central Intelligence in January. The other is avoiding a sharp that Prince Mohammed made an elev- CBS’s “60 Minutes” the secret material could reveal possible trust,” he told reporters during a visit to Agency. “He clearly had the final word on increase in oil prices, which could throw enth-hour intervention, forcing his team, Saudi backing for the men who hijacked airplanes, flying two Moscow. Saudi policy and on their stance in these a lifeline to rival suppliers in the U.S. and led by Al-Naimi, into an U-turn, with the into the World Trade Center in New York and another into In fact, the U-turn was telegraphed talks, not Ali Naimi,” he added. also slow down the kingdom’s agenda of same objective: hurt Iran. the Pentagon. A third hijacked plane crashed on Sept. 11, weeks before the gathering. Prince Mo- Prince Mohammed has accumulat- domestic reforms. “Ultimately, Saudi oil policy has be- 2001, in western Pennsylvania. hammed bin Salman, known in diplo- ed power since his father’s ascension “We don’t care about oil prices,” Prince come extremely politicized,” said Amrita (Source: AP) matic circles as “MbS” and the emerging to the throne last year. He became de- Mohammed told Bloomberg last week. Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects force in economic policy within the king- fense minister and soon after launched “$30 or $70, they are all the same to us. Ltd., a London-based consultant. a military campaign in Yemen. He also We have our own programs that don’t (Source: Bloomberg) Czech to Support Mining Post-sanctions Era: A Golden Fourth IKCO Car to Projects in Iran Opportunity for Refah Bank Enter Iran’s Market ECONOMY TEHRAN — Czech Republic mining sector deskannounced their readiness for banking and ECONOMY TEHRAN — With the siderably. ECONOMY TEHRAN — The 4th CIS and Persian Gulf countries, Azerbaijan insurance support of Iran’s Mines and mining industries pro- deskEU sanctions against According to statistics, Refah Bank’s deskIKCO brand car is go- and Armenia. jects, IMIDRO office of Public Relations reported. Iran’s banking system lifted, Iran’s Refah transactions with more than 120 for- ing to enter the market by the end of In the meantime, he claimed that A business delegation from the Czech Republic, mainly Bank is now re-connected to Society for eign correspondent bank with SWIFT this Iranian year (Mach 20, 2017), IKCO this car meets all the required safety, the representatives of the country’s mining sector headed Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecom- code (RMA) is now active and the office of public relations reported. pollution, fuel consumption and qual- by Czech’s Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Tlapa met with munication (SWIFT) and consequently bank uses this worldwide network Referring to car production as a goal ity standards and also covers Europe’s Mehdi Karbasian, chairman of the executive board of Iranian the bank’s brokerage relations are ex- for sending and receiving encrypted to supply both domestic and international compulsory safety standard. Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation (IMI- panded, Refah Bank’s office of public SWIFT messages. markets, Keyvan Vaziri, IKCO Deputy CEO “This sunroof with a new style and DRO) to explore potential avenues of cooperation. relations reported. Refah Bank is also exchanging var- Assistant in New Product Development appearance, designed by IKCO engi- In this meeting, Tlapa announced his country’s readiness According to this report, in the ious currencies through its active bro- said, “The production target for the car to neers enjoys a turbocharged engine to cooperate with Iran’s mining sector. In this regard he noted new atmosphere, the bank’s of- kerage accounts in countries such as be produced based on “X409TC” project and an automatic gearbox,” he said and that Czech’s industry players are ready to strike deals with fice of international affairs has at- Turkey, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, will be 100,000 sets annually.” added, “considering safety and perfor- their Iranian counterparts with the full support of Czech cen- tempted to stablish new brokerage Oman, Germany, Japan, Russia, UAE, “The car is already designed and mance criteria this car is being tested tral bank and Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation. relations, resume its previous rela- China, India, Korea, etc. The bank is the body stamping dies are prepared; under the supervision of IKCO NPD in Karbasian, for his part, underlined the capabilities of tions with broker banks, opening able to see to the needs of its clients the mass production for this car which Spain, Germany and South Korea.” Czech firms in power plant and mining machineries construc- new broker accounts and re-acti- providing different international bank- would be the 4th IKCO car will start by Vaziri also emphasized that this new tion sectors as a beginning for cooperation between the two vating its banned broker accounts, ing services in accordance with ex- February 2017,” he asserted. IKCO product, to be produced this year, countries and noted, “Financing the projects is very impor- as a result the number of Refah isting regulations and in the shortest According to Vaziri, the main export could compete with some of the Korean tant for us, so Czech firms should consider project financing Bank’s brokers have increased con- possible time. markets for this car will primarily be the and even European cars. methods in order to broaden the ties”. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 SOCIETY AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 22016016 http://www.tehrantimes.com/society

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Iran sets out on bidding farewell to plastic waste

SOCIETY TEHRAN — Saying organizations need to participate and we deskgoodbye to plastic bags must make some amendments to the law.” is one of the primary objectives of the De- Earth Day 2016: Trees for the Earth partment of Environment (DoE) for this year, Mentioning to the Earth Day 2016 which Sa’eed Motesaddi, the deputy director of DoE, will be observed on April 22 and its slogan, told a press conference here on Monday. “Trees for the Erath”, Motesaddi regretted “Soon we will reveal the details on the the fact that “in our country we plant plas- incentive, deterrent and punitive measures tics instead of trees.” to promote plastic bags elimination in the Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated country,” he added. on April 22, on which day events worldwide He went on to say that “60 percent of are held to demonstrate support for envi- We do not remember days, we remember moments. the plastic bags we use are unnecessary, ronmental protection. It was first celebrated Cesare Pavese besides these plastics sometimes, because in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by of the components plastics are made up of, the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in they turn into carcinogenic materials when more than 193 countries each year. we put freshly baked bread into them.” 13 million hectares of forests are being ru- Sadly, 50 percent of the plastic bags are ined annually and on this very day “we have LEARN ENGLISH used only once worldwide and 40 percent to do our best to not let the future generation of the marine species are discovered to to see these disasters,” he added. Learning Fire Safety swallow the plastic debris, he lamented. “We are using plastics at an alarming Today using plastic bags is rate, however, decreasing plastic waste is The apartment manager asked all of the tenants to come to a banned in Paris and some international possible and the key is participation of the short meeting to learn about *fire safety*. I didn’t want to go, chain stores, he said, adding, “We’d bet- public and both governing and decision but the manager said that there would be free food, and who ter go back to our long-established and making bodies,” he said. am I to *turn down* free pizza? time-honored tradition of using cloth bags.” into plastic bags usage, especially in Teh- bags deletion in the country,” he said, stat- What is required is a firm plan for waste ... “We have conducted in depth research ran, which confirms the possibility of plastic ing “in order to implement this plan many management, he highlighted. Apartment manager: Thank you all for coming to this meeting about fire safety. With the *rash* of fires in this neighborhood recently, it seemed like a good idea to talk about fire safety with all of you. I want to make sure we *comply* with the *fire code*, so Iranian dentist examines people on the street I’ve installed new *smoke alarms* or replaced the batteries in the older ones in each apartment and in the hallways. The *fire SOCIETY TEHRAN — Shafi Ja’fari is a young den- experience that neither the patients nor the doctors take escapes* are in good condition and there are *fire extinguish- desktist who visited and examined people prevention into account,” he lamented. ers* in each hallway. around Enqelab square, central Tehran, for three hours on Ignoring dental problems at the early stages would in- Your job is to keep the inside of your apartments safe. Thursday, ISNA news agency reported. tensify the disease as well as the expenses, Ja’fari warned, Keep *flammable* items away from the fireplace and What Ja’fari, a Tehran University graduate, did, was a adding, periodical checkups can both prevent serious don’t *overload* your *electrical outlets*. Any questions? If symbolic act of criticism centered on the widespread igno- problems and cut the expenses. not, we’re ready for a *fire drill*. rance of prevention. “I chose Enqelab square so I could visit people of differ- ... He explained that “Iranian people often overlook the ent classes and I got a great feedback,” he added. Nobody told me there would be fire drill. I’m guess I’m ready *to importance of prevention and regular checkup, so I took He expressed hope that insurance companies and stop, drop, and roll* – as long as I can take the pizza with me. my unit to the street to encourage the public to take dental healthcare providers strive to reconcile people with (Source: eslpod.com) problems serious.” the concept of prevention particularly in the field of Words & phrases “I usually visit 40 to 50 patients per day and I know from dental care. fire safety: set of practices intended to reduce the destruction caused by fire turn down: to refuse an offer, request, or invitation rash: a large number of unpleasant events, changes etc. within Cops: Dad’s stranger-danger test scares teens into 911 call a short time comply: to do what you have to do or are asked to do WESTLAKE, Ohio (AP) — A suburban had caused” and described his 14- and said. Once inside, the man told the boys phone with the father during the charade, fire code: set of rules prescribing minimum requirements to Cleveland man had a friend pose as a 16-year-old sons’ actions as an “epic fail.” that their father owed him money, and he and when the friend thought things had prevent fire and explosion hazards arising from storage, han- threatening ex-convict during a test to see But officers commended them for barri- threatened them. gone too far and wanted to stop, the father dling, or use of dangerous materials, or from other specific haz- whether his teenagers would let a stranger cading themselves in a bedroom, jumping “This guy was crazy. This guy wanted to insisted it play out, police said. ardous conditions into their home, prompting them to flee out a second-floor window onto a garage kill us,” the elder son told a dispatcher on One son said in the 911 call that he’d smoke alarm: a piece of electronic equipment which warns you and call 911, police said Friday. roof and then running to a neighbor’s the 911 call. “He said, ‘If I start chopping spotted his father’s car parked in the when there is smoke or fire in a building; smoke detector A prosecutor will consider potential home to call for help. up bodies in here, then I’m going to be street but didn’t see him in it. The teen fire escape: metal stairs or a metal ladder on the outside of a tall child-endangering charges against the The stranger showed up at their door the bad guy. I just got out of jail two weeks said he thought his father was around the building, that people can use to escape if there is a fire adults. Thursday afternoon and was let in by the ago.’” house but wasn’t certain, so their instinct fire extinguisher: a metal container with water or chemicals in Westlake police said the father “refused younger teen, breaking the family rule The fake convict, a 45-year-old man was to run away. it, used for stopping small fires to acknowledge the emotional upset he on admitting only known relatives, police from Cleveland Heights, was in contact by (Source: gulfnews.com) flammable: something that is flammable burns easily overload: to put too much electricity through an electrical sys- tem or piece of equipment IN FOCUS ISNA/ Hamid Amlashi electrical outlet: receptacle providing a place in a wiring system where current can be taken to run electrical devices 3D printer fire drill: an occasion when people pretend that a building is burning and practice leaving it, so that they learn what to do if used to create there is a real fire stop, drop, and roll: a simple fire safety technique taught to new feet for children, emergency services personnel and industrial workers as a component of health and safety training duck CEDARBURG, Wis. (AP) — A duck who lost its feet to frostbite is wad- dling again thanks to a Wisconsin QUIZ OF THE DAY middle school teacher and a 3D printer. 142) One word is missing in the sentence below. Find this word. Vicki Rabe-Harrison rescued Phil- Young boy finally plucked up courage to invite his beautiful lip the duck and, after watching a classmate to dinner. video of a 3D printer online, turned (Quiz No. 141 missing word is: was *a little* late) to South Park Middle School teacher Jason Jischke in Oshkosh for help. Rabe-Harrison tells WBAY-TV that she planning to put Phillip down when Jischke called to say his class PHRASAL VERB was working on the project. It took them six weeks to get the prosthetic Set up feet just right. Phillip was a bit wobbly when he Meaning: start a business first tested his new feet, but he has For example: She set up her own company 10 years ago. now joined other birds and animals at a sanctuary north of Milwaukee. On the sidelines of the 5th Symposium of World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies which was held on April 17-22 in Autumn Farm Sanctuary co-founder Tehran, the statue of Professor Majid Samii was unveiled. Samii is a world renowned neurosurgeon who has been celebrat- Alyssa Herbst says Phillip is getting ENGLISH PROVERB ed for his accomplishments on countless occasions. used to his new feet. A closed mouth catches no LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION flies ﺷﺮﻛﺖ ﺍﺗﺮﻳﺸﻰ ﺩﻭ ﺑﻴﻤﺎﺭﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﺩﺭ ﺍﻳﺮﺍﻥ ﻣﻴﺴﺎﺯﺩ Austrian company to build two hospitals in Iran Explanation: if you learn when to keep silent you will ﺑﺎ ﺍﻣﻀﺎﻯ ﺗﻔﺎﻫﻢ ﻧﺎﻣﻪ ﻣﻴﺎﻥ ﺷﺮﻛﺖ ﺍﺗﺮﻳﺸﻰ VAMED ﻭ ﺷﺮﻛﺖ ﺳﺮﻣﺎﻳﻪ ﮔﺬﺍﺭﻯ ﺧﺎﻧﻪ ﺳﺎﺯﻯ ﺍﻳﺮﺍﻥ avoid trouble Austrian VAMED Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with ﺩﻭ ﺑﻴﻤﺎﺭﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﺩﺭ ﺷﻬﺮﻫﺎﻯ ﺷﻴﺮﺍﺯ ﻭ ﺗﺒﺮﻳﺰ ﺍﺣﺪﺍﺙ ﻣﻰ ﺷﻮﺩ Iran Housing Investment Company to build two hospitals in the cities of Tabriz and Shiraz. ﺑﻪ ﮔﺰﺍﺭﺵ ﺧﺒﺮﮔﺰﺍﺭﻯ ﻣﻬﺮ، ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻘﺪﺱ ﺯﺍﺩﻩ ﻣﺪﻳﺮﻋﺎﻣﻞ ﺷﺮﻛﺖ ﺳﺮﻣﺎﻳﻪ ﮔﺬﺍﺭﻯ ﺧﺎﻧﻪ ﺳﺎﺯﻯ ﺍﻳﺮﺍﻥ Ali Moqaddaszadeh, the director of Iran Housing Investment Company which is ﺑﻪ ﻋﻨﻮﺍﻥ ﻳﻜﻰ ﺍﺯ ﺷﺮﻛﺖ ﻫﺎﻯ ﻭﺍﺑﺴﺘﻪ ﺑﺎ ﺳﺎﺯﻣﺎﻥ ﺗﺄﻣﻴﻦ ﺍﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻰ ﻫﻤﺮﺍﻩ ﺑﺎ ﻫﻴﺎﺗﻰ ﻣﺘﺸﻜﻞ ﺍﺯ ﻓﻌﺎﻻﻥ affiliated with Social Security Organization, leading a delegation comprising of ﺍﻗﺘﺼﺎﺩﻯ ﻭ ﺑﺨﺶ ﺧﺼﻮﺻﻰ ﻛﺸﻮﺭ ﺍﻳﻦ ﺗﻔﺎﻫﻢ ﻧﺎﻣﻪ ﺭﺍ ﺩﺭ ﻭﻳﻦ ﺍﻣﻀﺎ ﻛﺮﺩ. .Be kind to me! business owners of the private sector, signed the MOU in Vienna, Mehr reported ﻣﻘﺪﺱ ﺯﺍﺩﻩ ﮔﻔﺖ: ﺷﺮﻛﺖ VAMED ﻣﺘﻌﻬﺪ ﺷﺪﻩ ﺗﺎ ﺩﻭ ﺑﻴﻤﺎﺭﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﺩﻭﻟﺘﻰ 320 ﺗﺨﺘﺨﻮﺍﺑﻰ ﺩﺭ Moqaddaszadeh said that VAMED group (with health services being the field of operation of all its enterprises) committed to build two 320-bed public hospitals ﺍﻳﺮﺍﻥ ﺑﻪ ﺍﺭﺯﺵ ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒﻰ ﺩﻭﻳﺴﺖ ﻣﻴﻠﻴﻮﻥ ﻳﻮﺭﻭ ﺑﺴﺎﺯﺩ. .in Iran worth 200 million euros I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

http://www.tehrantimes.com/sports AAPRILPRIL 220,0, 22016016 SPORTS 11

IIranianranian ffootballerootballer MehrdadMehrdad OladiOladi FOOTBALL We’ll still win the title, says Barca coach ddiesies ooff cardiaccardiac aarrestrrest Barcelona coach Luis Enrique remains convinced his falter- ing team will end their winless run and retain the La Liga title after seeing their treble dreams dashed. They have surrendered a nine-point lead over sec- ond-placed Atletico Madrid after losing their last three games and are now above them only due to a superior head-to-head record. Barca, whose defence of their European crown was end- ed by Atletico in the Cham- pions League quarter-finals last week, are also just one point ahead of Real Madrid. However, Luis Enrique remained positive before the trip to Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday, SPORTS FFormerormer PPersepolisersepolis aandnd EEsteghlalsteghlal sstrik-trik- HHisis ffuneraluneral willwill bbee hheldeld oonn TThursdayhursday andand hehe willwill bebe after which they will have deskeerr MMehrdadehrdad OladiOladi passedpassed awayaway atat thethe bburieduried inin hishis hometown,hometown, QadiQadi KolaKola villagevillage atat QaemQaem just four games left in the aagege ooff 3300 ddueue ttoo ccardiacardiac aarrestrrest iinn SShohadayehohadaye TTajrishajrish SShahr,hahr, NNorthorth ooff IIran.ran. title race. hhospitalospital inin TehranTehran onon Tuesday.Tuesday. OOladiladi startedstarted hishis careercareer atat PersepolisPersepolis beforebefore movingmoving “I’m convinced we’re RReportseports ssuggestuggest thatthat OladiOladi hadhad nono signsign ofof lifelife whenwhen ttoo DDubaiubai ooutfitutfit Al-ShababAl-Shabab forfor oneone season.season. going to win the league, if hhee wwasas rrushedushed ttoo hhospital.ospital. HHee sscoredcored tthehe wwinninginning ggoaloal inin 61st61st matchmatch ofof TehranTehran I wasn’t I wouldn’t be sat PPersepolisersepolis managermanager BrankoBranko IvankovicIvankovic describesdescribes thethe dderbyerby oonn 3 NNovemberovember 22006006 aagainstgainst EEsteghlal,steghlal, aarchrch rrivalival here,” he told a news con- nnewsews aass uunlivablenlivable whilewhile ootherther IIranianranian footballfootball characterscharacters ooff Persepolis.Persepolis. ference on Tuesday. iincludingncluding AliAli Karimi,Karimi, ParvizParviz Mazloumi,Mazloumi, KarimKarim Bagheri,Bagheri, HHee jjoinedoined EEsteghlalsteghlal inin 20132013 withwith a oneone andand halfhalf yearyear “I like adversity, that’s how I am. I want to turn this HHamidamid DDerakhshanerakhshan andand AmirAmir GGhalenoeihalenoei paidpaid tributestributes toto ccontract.ontract. EsteghlalEsteghlal releasedreleased himhim atat thethe endend ofof hishis con-con- around, win tomorrow and put on a show. I want to delight llateate OOladiladi aandnd hhisis ffamilyamily iinn theirtheir messages.messages. ttractract andand hehe joinedjoined Malavan.Malavan. the fans who are behind us and can’t explain this situation.” Luis Enrique did not give any reasons for the dramatic loss of form, which has seen his side go from 39 games unbeaten in all competitions to losing four of their last five games. “We are on a negative run but we don’t need to ex- Parviz Mazloumi to stay Esteghlal coach aggerate. If it’s due to psychology, then we have the best SPORTS Parviz Mazloumi will continue his work behind Persepolis at top of IPL. psychologist around (at the club),” he added. deskwith Esteghlal coach until the end of “We still has chance to win the title. I apologize to all “We’re clinging on to our players and their attitude and the seaso. Esteghlal fans but I think if we win all our games we have a their way of competing. We have had moments like this It's been rumored that Mazloumi is on the verge of chance at title,” Mazloumi said. before, we know how to cope with pressure. But we’re the sack as Esteghlal coach after suffering defeat in Teh- “I believe that the referee’s decision went against us. Es- playing against teams that can punish us with few chances.” ran derby. teghlal could have won the match,” he added. Luis Enrique was also unapologetic for deriding a Esteghlal lost to bitter rival Persepolis 4-2 on Friday in Esteghlal will host Foolad in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on reporter who had asked him about the team’s fitness Iranian Professional League. Friday while Persepolis meet struggling Esteghlal Ahvaz in levels at a news conference after Sunday’s 2-1 home With four weeks remaining, Esteghlal is third three points an away match. defeat by Valencia. “I have nothing to apologise for. I didn’t show anyone a lack of respect,” he said. “Journalists have also shown me a lack of respect. This is my style, I don’t care if you don’t like it.” Claudio Ranieri: Leicester City boosted by big clubs’ failures Barcelona, who had hoped to repeat the treble they won last season, will be without influential centre back Claudio Ranieri believes Leicester City are Premier League Ranieri said he has been working seven days a week Gerard Pique at Deportivo through suspension. He is set leaders because the top clubs have not played to their po- during his time at Leicester but that doing something he to be replaced by Marc Bartra, who has made just three tential this season. loved so much did not feel like a chore. league starts this season. Leicester’s lead has been cut to five points with four He also played down the significance of potentially win- (Source: Reuters) games to go after Tottenham sent out a strong statement ning a league title after a near miss with Roma and further with a 4-0 win at Stoke on Monday. second-place finishes with Chelsea and Monaco. The focus will now return to Ranieri’s side, who will take “I’m very happy with what I’ve done,” the Italian said. on Swansea at home next Sunday without top scorer Jamie “In fact, two people co-exist inside me. One who says, ‘You Vardy after he was sent off in the 2-2 draw against West have to win, you have to win!’ And the other that says, ‘but Zidane: Barca and Ham and then charged with improper conduct. look at what you’ve accomplished!’ In an interview with France Football published this “I’ve been a manager for 30 years now... I’ve won third Atletico still in the week, Ranieri acknowledged that Leicester are still in with and second division titles, cups. I’m missing the title in the driving seat a chance of winning the league only because other teams first division of a league. have underperformed. “Will it happen? I don’t know. I’m ambitious. I want this “I think that if Leicester are there, it’s also because the “Our goal was to stay in the Premier League -- that’s title, but inside me there’s this thought that says, ‘Claudio, Zinedine Zidane insists Real Madrid are capable of claim- big clubs have not given 100 percent until now, for one done. And now we’re fighting for the title. We honestly what you’ve accomplished is no mean feat.’” ing a Liga and Champions League double, but warned the reason or another,” the Foxes manager said. couldn’t have contemplated more than that.” (Source: ESPN) capital club still have it all to do in a thrilling title race. Liga champions Barcelona were cantering towards the defence of their title, but a shock loss of form has seen Luis Enrique’s men lose three consecutive league matches to Jose Mourinho still wants Man United London announces ‘world record’ blow the race wide open. job despite PSG reports - sources ticket prices Second-placed Atletico Madrid are now only behind Barca courtesy of an inferior head-to-head record, while Zidane’s men - who, like their city rivals, also have a Champions League semi-fi- nal to prepare for - are just a point adrift. After losing the derby 1-0 to Atleti in February, Zi- dane claimed that it was not possible for Madrid to win the title, but since then they have won seven straight league matches. Zidane believes Barca and Atleti are still in the driving seat, but challenged his team to win their remaining five matches to give themselves the best possible chance of a first league title since 2012. Jose Mourinho is still targeting the Man- comment” to -- are wide of the mark. Usain Bolt’s 100m world record of 9.58 with passionate crowds” and that “It’s being said that we are going to win everything, and chester United job this summer, sources Indeed, sources close to PSG say the seconds time will be reflected in the more than 250,000 tickets, a third of I don’t like it at all. We haven’t won any title at all yet,” Zi- close to both manager and club have situation has moved on since then, and price of some children’s tickets at next the total, would cost 35 pounds or dane said ahead of Wednesday’s contest against Villarreal told ESPN FC, despite reports on Tues- there is a willingness to give Laurent year’s IAAF World Championships in less. at the Santiago Bernabeu. day that Paris Saint-Germain had made Blanc, who signed a new two-year con- London, organizers said on Tuesday. “We want prices to be accessible “We are capable of winning both titles, but it doesn’t an official approach. tract in January, at least another season to Announcing its “world record” tick- to the athletics family, all sports fans mean anything. We will fight until the last minute and I Mourinho would only consider a win the Champions League, despite last et prices and the race schedule for the and new spectators; and we wanted assure you we will work until the end. move to another club if the Old Trafford week’s quarterfinal elimination to Man- Olympic Stadium event from August the timetable to allow as many peo- “I think that Barcelona and Atletico can win every game. job was 100 percent off the table, but chester City. 4-13, London 2017 chiefs said chil- ple as possible to attend the biggest If we win every game, but Barcelona do it too, we won’t be many connected to the situation believe There has been another link be- dren’s tickets for some sessions will be sporting event since London 2012,” the champions. it is increasingly likely the former Chel- tween PSG and Mourinho, however, as available for nine pounds 58 pence. she said. “I have always said that we must first move ahead of sea manager will be appointed at Unit- the Portuguese has expressed approval Others will cost 12.91, 18.29 and “I really believe we have achieved Atletico. They [Barca] are now tied with Atletico.” ed to replace Louis van Gaal. towards the idea of United signing Zla- 52.74 pounds -- reflecting world re- this and it is going to be an incredible Zidane had little interest in discussing Barca’s slump, There have already been extensive tan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer in the cords set at previous world champion- summer of world athletics.” which also included a Champions League quarter-final exit discussions, while sources told ESPN FC summer. ships by Britons Colin Jackson (110m Organizers said more evening and to Atleti, choosing instead to focus on Madrid’s ambitions. that Mourinho has started reaching out to The Sweden international would be hurdles), Jonathan Edwards (triple weekend sessions would make it easi- “I’m not thinking about that. I think more about what we potential members of his backroom staff, one of five main first-team signings Mour- jump) and Sally Gunnell (400m hur- er for the public to attend. have to do,” he said. although no contract has been signed yet inho would plan for the Old Trafford club, dles). “Most sessions during the IAAF “There are always difficult moments in the season, but and the situation remains open. including two defenders, a commanding Jamaican Bolt’s time, which has World Championships include a final that does not mean anything because they are still first. We Mourinho’s camp reached out to PSG midfielder -- with Benfica’s Renato Sanch- never been lowered, was achieved at and where possible, medal ceremo- must continue with the belief we can do something. -- and Inter Milan -- in October when es hugely admired -- and a fast winger. the 2009 championships in Berlin. nies have been scheduled together “I do not know when I changed my perception [on the the prospect of him getting sacked by The 53-year-old is also a huge admirer of London 2017 managing director to enhance spectator experience,” a title race], but when we lost to Atleti that day it became Chelsea first arose, but the latest reports Tottenham’s Harry Kane. Cherry Alexander said ticket prices statement said. more complicated.” -- which the French club have said “no (Source: ESPN) had been set to ensure “full venues (Source: Reuters) (Source: Goal) b

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NEWS Fajr festival showcasing bright Tehran Symphony Orchestra to take “Neynava” to Shanghai festival lineup of world cinema

ARTTEHRAN — The Tehran Symphony Or- 1 desk Eastern Vista highlighting films from Asian, chestra under the baton of maestro Ali Muslim nations Rahbari will perform Hossein Alizadeh’s 1983 hit “Neynava” at the closing ceremony of Shanghai Spring International This year’s Eastern Vista, a section dedicated to films Music Festival. from Asian and Muslim nations, will screen fifteen mov- The orchestra will also be ies, including “Solomon” by Zaza Khalvashi from Geor- performing Russian com- gia and “My Sister, the Pig Lady” by Jang Moon-il from poser Igor Stravinsky’s “Fire- South Korea. bird” and French composer The organizers will also screen a variety of films, Hector Berlioz’s “Symphony namely “The Assassin”, a martial arts drama by Taiwan- Fantastique” at the closing ese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien and “Lamb” by Ameri- concert, Rahbari told the can director Ross Partridge, in some none-competitive sections. Persian service of ISNA on Review of Iranian New Wave cinema Tuesday. The Shanghai Spring In- Iran’s New Wave cinema will be reviewed by screen- ternational Music Festival ing a restored version of veteran director Dariush Mehr- will be held from April 28 to jui’s 1969 highly acclaimed drama “The Cow” today. A poster May 18, hosting musicians The film starring Ezzatollah Entezami won the In- for the from 10 different countries ternational Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Prize 34th Fajr including the United States, of the Venice Film Festival in 1971. It was the first award International Film Germany, Britain, Switzer- the Iranian motion picture industry ever received in an international event. Festival Conductor Ali Rahbari acknowledges land and South Korea. French cinema under spotlight the audience after the Tehran The Tehran Symphony series of workshops on the sidelines of the festival. dozens of animated movies are on display by various Symphony Orchestra performed Orchestra opened the 31st As one of its side section programs, the festival plans Workshops will also be set up by cinematographer Iranian distributers at the Iranian Film Market, which is Hossein Alizadeh’s 1983 hit “Neynava” Fajr International Music to organize a review of the French motion picture in- Mahmud Kalari, and directors Fereidun Jeirani, Farzad underway on the sidelines of the event. during the 31st Fajr International Festival with a performance dustry, screening six movies by the country’s prominent Motamen, Puran Derakhshandeh, Alireza Davudnejad Among the highlights of the market are “Life+1 Music Festival at Tehran’s Vahdat of Alizadeh’s “Neynava” in filmmakers. Hall on February 11, 2016. and Majid Barzegar. Day” directed by Saeid Rustai, “Standing in the Dust” February 2016. The biographical drama “Anton Tchekhov 1890” by Over 100 students from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Iraq, by Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian, “Fury and Furor” Ali Rahbari had resigned as the conductor and music di- Rene Feret, the crime thriller film “Rabid Dogs” by Éric Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, Azerbaijan by Hooman Seyyedi, “Breath” by Narges Abyar and rector of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra over some differ- Hannezo and the computer animated fantasy film “The and Iran have registered for the six-day workshop pro- “Muhammad (S), the Messenger of God” by Majid ences in March; however, he returned to his job after reach- Little Prince” by Mark Osborne are among the films. Workshops by top Iranian cineastes gram entitled “Dar ul-Funun”, the name of the Iranian Majidi. ing an agreement with Iranian cultural officials in early April. polytechnic established in 1851. About 150 international distributers, directors, ac- According to Rahbari, the support offered by the Min- A number of top Iranian cineastes such as Os- Iranian films for sale tors and critics from around the globe have been in- istry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has given a spiritual car-winning director Asghar Farhadi and Oscar-nomi- Over 30 films from latest Iranian productions and vited to attend the event, which will run until April 25. boost to the orchestra. nated filmmaker Majid Majidi are scheduled to hold a

Musicians from seven “Breath” tells of children’s hopes, dreams shattered in war 1 The “Breath” production crew spent countries to perform at “Breath” is competing in the 34th Fajr months looking for the children starring International Film Festival, which opens to- the film and finally, Sareh Nur-Musavi, Tehran festival day at Tehran’s Charsu Cineplex. It is also who portrays Bahar, and three other chil- scheduled to be screened today at the dren were selected from among about ARTTEHRAN — Musicians from seven coun- Iranian Film Market on the sidelines of the 2000 people who did auditions for the desktries will be giving performances during event. project. the 1st Tehran Contemporary Music Festival (TCMF), which Bahar in the film represents about 3000 Abyar described working with children will be held from April 22 to 29. children killed during the 1980-1988 Iran- as “a difficult and simultaneously sweet The musicians are coming from Norway, Georgia, Po- Iraq, which is called the Sacred Defense in experience” and said that she is satisfied land, Switzerland, Romania, Belgium and the Netherlands, Iran. with her choice. the festivals’ advisor in international affairs, Hossein Sadri, Abyar, who wrote the screenplay based “Children have certain abilities, which said in a press conference held Tuesday at the Tehran Mu- on her novel of the same title, called the may help a filmmaker get brilliant acting seum of Contemporary Art. film unique in subject and said that Iranian from them,” she said. He added that a number of Iranian and foreign scholars cinema has been silent on the subject of To picture Bahar’s imagination and will be delivering lectures at the Iranian Artists Forum, call- the children killed in the war so far. dreams, Abyar used 2D animations direct- ing it a good program for music students and researchers. “Many innocent children were killed in ed by Hossein Jamshidi-Gohari and Amin Rezo Kiknadze, Rector of Tbilisi State Conservatoire is the war, but our films have not dealt with Haqshenas. among the musicians who will be delivering lectures along the subject,” she stated. “We used simple animated pictures to with some of the Iranian musicians including Nader Mash- Certain people have accused Abyar get really close to children’s imaginations, ayekhi and Mohammad Sarir. and producer Mohammad-Hossein Qase- their world, and the paintings they draw,” Established by the Contemporary Music Circle, the fes- mi, who is also her husband, of undermin- Abyar said. tival aims to introduce works by Iranian composers that ing the Sacred Defense by this film and “Breath” won the Golden Simorgh for are being performed in international festivals by world Sareh Nur-Musavi acts in a scene from “Breath”. their previous movie “Track 143”, which is Best Film with National View at the 34the musicians, Navid Gohari, the artistic director of the festival about the great maternal sacrifice in the the war on us at that time, and we defend- a victim of others’ warmongering attitudes Fajr Film Festival held in Tehran during said. war. ed ourselves. Now, we should show the and my film expresses this fact,” she noted. February. He explained that the participating musicians from Iran Abyar said that she does not under- trauma and the upshot of that aggression.” She said that the objections will never The film also brought Shabnam Moqa- and other countries will be performing works by world stand the reasons behind their objections “Our country has always been accused make her cautious about selecting sub- ddami the Crystal Simorgh for best sup- composers, that is, Iranian musicians will be performing and added, “A country, a dictator imposed of warmongering, while we ourselves are jects for her next films. porting actress. works by Iranian and foreign composers, and the foreign ensembles will also be performing works from the Iranian and world composers. PICTURE OF THE DAY Fars/Soheil Sahranavard Rudaki Hall, the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art “Buried Secret” and the Iranian Artists Forum will be hosting the event, he added. revealed in Tehran ARTTEHRAN — “The Buried deskSecret”, an Iranian-Leb- anese joint production featuring the struggle NEWS IN BRIEF of a mother during the Israeli occupation of Lebanon, was reviewed at a meeting in Tehran TMCA to spotlight on Monday. French New Wave The meeting was held after a screening of the movie at the former United States em- cinema bassy in Tehran, the Persian service of ISNA reported on Tuesday. Iranian director Ali Ghaffari, producer ARTTEHRAN — The Tehran Mu- Morteza Shoeibi and a number of film critics deskseum of Contemporary Art attended the meeting. (TMCA) in collaboration with the French Em- “The film, with an entire cast of Leba- bassy plans to discuss the French New Wave nese, was shot in Lebanon with the aim to be cinema during a four-day program, which will screened in the Arab-speaking countries of open on April 23. Lebanon, Egypt and Syria,” Ghaffari said. TMCA Director Majid Mollanoruzi, French Shoeibi also noted that the film has been Ambassador M. Bernard Poletti and some Ira- made based on a true story, aiming to depict nian cineastes are scheduled to attend the the pain of those mothers who suffered over opening ceremony. the loss of their sons. The lineup composed of six movies includes The film is due to have a public screening Leos Carax’s crime drama “Mauvais Sang” (Bad within the next few months, he added. Blood), which is about Alex, a young Simian Amer Kalakish, also known of Abu Zeinab, card hustler who is coaxed into a heist after was a resistance fighter who died during an his father is murdered. operation against an Israeli convoy in 1985. His The movies will go on screen with Persian operation killed 12 troopers in the Israeli occu- subtitles, and review sessions will also be or- pation forces and wounded 14 others. Members of director Sorush Taheri’s troupe perform a new adaptation of Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables” at the Nazerzadeh Kermani Hall of the Carmen Lebbos, Ammar Chalak and Yussef ganized. Iranshahr Theater Complex in Tehran on April 17, 2016. The play will run until May 4. Haddad are among the main cast members.