WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 16 Pages Price 20,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13362 Thursday APRIL 11, 2019 Farvardin 22, 1398 Sha’aban 5, 1440 Iran to pursue case Tehran slams S. Arabia, Bagheri Motamed Filmmaker Morteza against U.S. over Bahrain for backing announces retirement Avini remembered at IRGC decision 2 anti-IRGC move 2 from taekwondo 15 Iranian Artists Forum 16 Zarif, his deputies meet top IRGC commanders TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Moham- ISNA reported. The meeting took place mad Javad Zarif and his deputies met on two days after U.S. government labeled the IRGC in forefront of Wednesday with the Islamic Revolution IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. Guards Corps (IRGC) Chief Major General The move was widely condemned by top Mohammad Ali Jafari. political and military officials. Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sar- Speaking after the meeting, Gener- See page 2 madi and Abbas Araqchi as well as Major al Jafari said the Americans would not General Qassem Soleimani, commander of dare to take military action against Iran war on terror the IRGC Quds Force, and other top IRGC as they know their forces in the region commanders were present at the meeting, would suffer the consequences. 2 Iran’s 2-month crude steel output rises 7.6% yr/yr: WSA TEHRAN — Production of crude steel indicating 3.7 percent growth from the in Iran stood at 4.245 million tons during same time span of the past year. the first two months of 2019, indicating World Steel Association also put Iran’s 7.6 percent rise from 3.945 million tons in crude steel output at 2.015 million tons in the same period of time in 2018, according February of this year, with a 9.6-percent to the latest data released by the World fall from February of 2018. Steel Association (WSA). As the global organization has previ- The WSA data put the world’s steel ously announced, Iran was ranked the producers’ output at 287.609 million tons 11th among the world’s largest crude steel during the two-month period of this year, producers in the first half of 2018. 4 UNICEF slams Saudi killing of Yemeni schoolchildren The United Nations International Chil- Yemeni Ministry of Public Health and dren’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has Population said in the aftermath of the condemned the killing of more than a gruesome crime. dozen schoolchildren in Yemen, where The huge explosion, which occurred Saudi-led warplanes keep pounding an close to two elementary schools at lunch- impoverished nation in an imposed war. time, “shattered the windows and un- At least 14 people were killed and 95 leashed a burst of shrapnel and broken others, mostly students, sustained injuries glass into the classrooms,” said Geert after Saudi-led warplanes launched aerial Cappelaere, the UNICEF regional director assaults against an area in Sa’wan district for the Middle East and North Africa, in president.ir in Sana’a province on Sunday evening, a statement released on Tuesday. PERSPECTIVE Naming IRGC terrorist group will contribute to regional tensions: Entessar ARTICLE Hanif Ghaffari IRGC as a terrorist group.” this policy for many months now. It appears that these Abdul Mumin Giwa Political analyst EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Journalist from Nigeria By Javad Heirannia Entessar says “This is the first time in the history elements, especially John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, of international relations when the government finally managed to convince Trump to designate the TEHRAN — Nader Entessar, Professor Emeri- of one nation-state single-handedly has desig- IRGC as a terrorist group. This is the first time in the tus of Political Science from university of South nated a military segment of another recognized history of international relations when the government Biden worried about Alabama says that the neocon and regime change nation-state as a terrorist organization.” of one nation-state single-handedly has designated a Revelation: Why operatives in Trump’s foreign policy circles have Following is the full text of the interview: military segment of another recognized nation-state rising Sanders’ been advocating this policy for many months now. What was the goal of the designation of as a terrorist organization. The IRGC has already been Buhari is illegally votes He adds that “It appears that these elements, IRGC as a foreign terrorist group? under total and complete US sanctions. The main goal detaining Sheikh especially John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, finally A: The neocon and regime change operatives in of Washington’s latest move is to further bludgeon ormer Vice President Joe Biden has managed to convince Trump to designate the Trump’s foreign policy circles have been advocating Iran and force it into submission. 7 Zakzaky not yet made his final decision to run for the presidency of the year 2020. he revered leader of the Islamic Move- However,F polls among Democrat supporters Oman is important nodal point in Iran’s strategic orbit: Adib-Moghaddam ment in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem suggest Biden has a good relationship with Zakzaky (H) has been in illegal de- By Javad Heirannia Here is the full text of the interview: still have to rely on the Strait of Hormuz. There T other party candidates. Biden’s main con- tention under the Muhammadu Buhari The United States clinched a strategic port are two causes for this decision: First, it is an cern, however, is for Barney Sanders. One TEHRAN —Professor Arshin Adib-Moghadd- regime since its inception. deal with Oman which U.S. officials say will allow admission that Iranian military capabilities are that could prevent Biden from attending am, Chair of the Centre for Iranian Studies at The brutal clampdown on the move- the U.S. military better access the Persian Gulf sophisticated enough to control access to the the final presidential election. the London Middle East Institute believes that ment by the Nigerian Army in December region and reduce the need to send ships through Strait of Hormuz, if necessary. And secondly, it As” The Hill” reported, Democrats are “Oman is certainly an important nodal point in 2015, a few months after the regime was the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime choke point off indicates Washington’s increasing nervousness most confident that former Vice President Iran’s strategic orbit.” sworn-in, attracted world’s attention Iran. What is the importance of this deal for U.S. about the global reach of China, in particular Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders can de- Professor in Global Thought and Comparative and was condemned as a massacre and from strategic aspects? with reference to their first overseas military feat President Trump in a general election, Philosophies and Chair of the Centre for Iranian Stud- genocide by major reputable global rights A: The Trump administration is overselling and base at Bab al-Mandeb in Djibouti. China is also according to a new Hill-HarrisX poll.In the ies at the London Middle East Institute, also adds groups. overmarketing this deal. In any serious conflict, the major investor in Oman, even next to the survey, 75 percent of Democratic respon- that “Oman has played an intermediate role in many Over 1000 followers of the revered their contingencies in the Persian Gulf would proposed base in Duqm/Oman. 7 dents said that they believed that Biden had conflicts of the region and it will continue to do so.” leader were butchered between 12th a strong or some chance of beating Trump to 14th of December 2015 in Zaria in- in the general election next year, while 64 cluding men, women, and children. percent said the same of Sanders. None of Trump’s recognition of Golan Heights as Israeli flouts intl. law: Aoun Some were burned alive, some killed the other potential and declared Democratic Lebanese President Michel Aoun has strongly possesses land gradually annexed by Israel, par- a ceasefire in the war of aggression Israel at close ranges and others buried alive candidates were rated by more than half of condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s rec- ticularly in the Shebaa Farms, Kafrshuba hills launched against Lebanon in 2006 and calls by the team of murderers that were the party’s voters as having at least some ognition of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights as and the northern section of Ghajar [village],” on Tel Aviv to respect Beirut’s sovereignty commanded by Buhari, Burutai, and chance of defeating Trump. sovereign Israeli territory, describing the measure Aoun said at a joint press conference with his and territorial integrity. Elrufai. This is not talking about hun- Forty-five percent of Democrats in the as in blatant violation of international law and Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev in Beirut Aoun also urged Bulgaria to stand by Lebanon dreds that were subsequently killed survey said that they believed former Rep. conventions. on Tuesday. in the face of repeated Israeli attacks, and support in street protests across the northern Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) had at least some “This threatens not only the sovereignty of The Lebanese president then urged the the Arab country’s right to extract crude oil and states and the Federal Capital Terri- chance of defeating the president, while 43 a brotherly country and brotherly nation, but Israeli regime to fully comply with UN Secu- natural gas within its territory and territorial tory, Abuja. percent said the same about Sen. Kamala also the sovereignty of the Lebanese state, which rity Council Resolution 1701, which brokered waters. 13 All known laws were violated in the Harris .Forty-two percent of Democrats treatment meted on the movement, said that Sen.