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.13333 Wednesday FEBRUARY 20, 2019 Esfand 1, 1397 Jumada Al thani 14, 1440 Soldier killer Saudi Arabia is Para shooter Gunther Uecker’s was a Pakistani godfather of Javanmardi wins gold “Tribute to Hafez” national 2 terrorism 2 at Al Ain 2019 15 to travel to Isfahan 16 Japan to continue oil imports Zarif lauds ‘comprehensive from Iran: envoy ECONOMY TEHRAN — Japan’s imports from Iran. desknew ambassador to Cementing economic ties between Tehran has said his country will contin- the two countries is Japan’s first pri- strategic partnership’ with China ue importing oil from Iran, the portal of ority regarding its relations with Iran, Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, the ambassador noted and said that Majlis speaker pushes for strong ties with Beijing Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) said in presence of Japanese companies in a report published on Tuesday. Iran despite the U.S. re-imposition of Dismissing rumors that Japan would sanctions against the Islamic Republic See page 2 stop buying Iran’s oil, Mitsugu Saito said highlights the significance of Tokyo’s his country’s policy is to continue oil relationship with Tehran. 4 22,700 inmates freed under Leader’s mass pardon POLITICS TEHRAN — Head of the coming days all prisoners who can deskIran’s Prisons Organi- benefit from the Islamic Republic’s mass zation said on Tuesday that so far 22,700 pardon will be released or their sentences prisoners have been released and the pris- be reduced, ILNA reported. on sentences of 13,400 others have been Earlier this month, Judiciary chief commuted under an amnesty granted by Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani said Aya- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah tollah Khamenei has granted pardon or Ali Khamenei. commuted prison terms of fifty thousand Asghar Jahangir thanked judicial au- inmates on the fortieth anniversary of the thorities and expressed the hope that in Islamic Revolution. Assad adviser rejects idea of granting Syrian Kurds autonomy A senior adviser to Syrian President Bashar tonomous region inside a decentralized Assad on Tuesday flatly rejected the idea state when U.S. troops currently backing of giving Syrian Kurds a measure of au- them pull out. They also hope a deal with tonomy, saying such a move would open Damascus would dissuade neighboring the door to the partition of the country. Turkey from attacking them. The Kurdish-led authority that runs But when asked Tuesday if Damascus much of north and east Syria has presented was willing to do a deal that would hand the a road map for a deal with Assad in recent Kurds some measure of autonomy, Bouthaina Reuters meetings with his key ally Russia. Shaaban, a senior adviser to Assad, flatly Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif(L) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi shake hands during their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. The Kurds want to safeguard their au- rejected the suggestion. 13 ARTICLE Ambassador: Iran to close cases of Jordanian nationals PERSPECTIVE Saeed Ghaffari POLITICS TEHRAN – The Iranian Am- saying that the nationals went missing while on Heshmatollah Rahnama Political analyst deskbassador to Jordan, Mojtaba a fishing trip in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Latin American expert Ferdosipour, has said that the issues related to and entered the Iranian waters by mistake. three Jordanian nationals held in Iran will be Commenting on relations, Ferdosipour at- closed in coming days. tached great importance to expansion of par- Russia’s view During a meeting with Jordanian Lower House liamentary relations. U.S. gradual plan Speaker Atef Tarawneh, Ferdosipour said that the Tarawneh attached great importance to expan- on Syria’s detainees have been treated respectfully, ISNA sion of parliamentary cooperation among Islamic to intervene in reported on Tuesday. countries in line with supporting priorities of the reconstruction Three Jordanian nationals were detained in world of Islam, especially the Palestine issue. Venezuelan affairs Iranian waters on December 27, 2018. He also said that Jordan supports Syria’s n the way to reconstruction, Syria he U.S. imposed sanctions on Ven- Jordan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement stability and integrity. needs connection to the world ezuela following the Venezuelan Ofinancial market to increase Tpresidential election of 2013 that Bashar al-Assad’s governance over the led to Nicolas Madura presidency. country and to earn the $400 billion for According to the Economic Debates rebuilding the state. U.S. states sue Trump administration in showdown over border wall funds Unit of the Latin American Geopolitical If Moscow succeeds in attracting A coalition of 16 U.S. states led by California sued For most of us, the office of the presidency is not a The states said Trump’s order would cause Strategic Center (CELAG)’s report, the European partners in reconstruction President Donald Trump and top members of his place for theater,” added Becerra, a Democrat. The them to lose millions of dollars in federal fund- main reason behind Venezuela’s economic projects of Syria, the Kremlin will have administration on Monday to block his decision White House declined to comment on the filing. ing for national guard units dealing with count- crisis is the international financial block- the chance to compensate its foreign cur- to declare a national emergency to obtain funds In a budget deal passed by Congress to avert a er-drug activities and redirection of funds from ade on Caracas. rency deficit through foreign investment. for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. second government shutdown, nearly $1.4 billion authorized military construction projects would The financial and economic blockade Although, so far Russia has failed The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for was allocated toward border fencing. Trump’s damage their economies. that was mainly promoted by Washington to attract Europeans and Saudis in- the Northern District of California came after emergency order would give him an additional In television interviews on Sunday and Mon- and enforced by its allies, cost Venezuela vestment in Syria, it counts on China Trump invoked emergency powers on Friday to $6.7 billion beyond what lawmakers authorized. day, Becerra said the lawsuit would use Trump’s around $350 billion in the production of to get involved. help build the wall that was his signature 2016 Three Texas landowners and an environmental own words against him as evidence that there goods and services between 2013 and 2017. Chinese officials believe al-Assad campaign promise. group filed the first lawsuit against Trump’s move was no national emergency to declare. After this 5-year period, the spark prevents the spread of radical Islamists, Trump’s order would allow him to spend on the on Friday, saying it violated the Constitution and Trump said on Friday he did not need to make of a parallel government in Venezuela a belief that has perhaps encouraged wall money that Congress appropriated for other would infringe on their property rights. the emergency declaration but wanted to speed came about in 2017 with the assistance the Chinese government to pledge $2 purposes. Congress declined to fulfill his request The legal challenges could slow Trump’s ef- the process of building the wall. That comment of the Attorney General. billion to invest in Syrian industry. But for $5.7 billion to help build the wall this year. forts to build the wall, which he says is needed to could undercut the government’s legal argument. However, after the seizure of power at the same time, the U.S. retreat from “Today, on Presidents Day, we take President curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The “By the president’s own admission, an emer- by Juan Guidou on January 23, 2019, Syria and their quest for a balance of Trump to court to block his misuse of presiden- lawsuits could end up at the conservative-leaning gency declaration is not necessary,” the states and the realization of a virtual govern- power in the Indian Ocean and Pacific tial power,” California Attorney General Xavier U.S. Supreme Court. said in the lawsuit. “The federal government’s ment orchestrated by the United States Region have made China reluctant to Becerra said in a statement. Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illi- own data prove there is no national emergency and its allies, it was time to introduce invest further in Damascus. “We’re suing President Trump to stop him nois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New at the southern border that warrants construc- diplomatic representatives and the se- Saudi Arabia will, too, be willing to from unilaterally robbing taxpayer funds lawfully Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Virginia, tion of a wall.” lection of Citgo executives in the United invest in Syria only if Riyadh is certain set aside by Congress for the people of our states. and Michigan joined California in the lawsuit. (Source: Reuters) States. Ironically, the majority of Citogo al-Assad won’t prefer Iran over Saudi shares belongs to the National Petroleum Arabia and Riyadh can limit Iran’s dom- Corporation of Venezuela. inance in Damascus. Clearly, this virtual government According to reports, Russia’s priority cannot continue on operating on social is allocation of funds in reconstruction Fajr street media and should seek a state of govern- of Syria and Russian businessmen will ment on Venezuelan soil. Undoubtedly, be focusing more on energy sector and performers the U.S. military has a special plan for construction of Damascus.