Spokesman of the Iranian Armed Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, Reacting Forces Brigadier General Abolfazl to the U.S. Decision, Said on Shekarchi Said That Islamic Republic Saturday That Iran Will Continue of Iran Has Achieved 90 Percent Heavy Water Production and Self-Sufficiency in the Military Field Uranium Enrichment Under JCPOA VOL. XXV, No. 6667 TEHRAN Price 20,000 Rials www.irannewsdaily.com SUNDAY, MAY 5, - ORDIBEHESHT 15, 1398 2 4 8 DOMESTIC 3 DOMESTIC INTERNATIONAL SPORTS U.S. Trying to Get North Korea Fires Zverev Shocked Its Hands on Iran Tourism Short-Range Venezuela’s Oil Revenues Hit $11.8b Projectiles Into Sea By Garin in Munich > SEE PAGE 2 > SEE PAGE 3 > SEE PAGE 4 > SEE PAGE 8 Bahrain Must Know Its Place U.S. After Devaluating Iran-U.S. War Not Imminent, Before Threatening Iran Iranian Currency But “Accidents” Possible TEHRAN (IFP) - Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas TEHRAN (IFP) - Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Mousavi has downplayed the Bahraini foreign minister’s Zarif dismisses the likelihood of a war between Iran seemingly threatening remarks that Iran will not be allowed and the United States but says certain “accidents” to close the Strait of Hormuz even for a single day. might ignite a military confrontation. “The Islamic Republic of Iran underlines [the In a recent interview with the British online newspaper significance of] the security of the Strait of Hormuz as Independent at Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United a lifeline for the supply and transit of global energy Nations in New York, Zarif said although he did not think [demands], as long as the Iranian nation’s interests are a war between Iran and the US was imminent, “accidents secured through this important and vital strait,” can happen” that then spiral into a “military conflict.” Mousavi said. In response to a question about the nature of such “However, out of benevolence and neighbourliness, accidents, Zarif gave the example of a recent move by Iran advises the officials of this tiny dependent country U.S. President Donald Trump to put Iran’s Islamic [Bahrain] to know their place when threatening those Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on its blacklist of bigger than themselves,” he added. foreign “terrorist” organizations. According to a centuries-old Persian saying, Mousavi A lack of “vital communication” between the IRGC noted, a fly can never hunt down an eagle. forces and ships going through the Persian Gulf and Besides the sarcastic response, Mousavi said that “the the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway where Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the security of the most of the world’s oil exporters pass through, can Strait of Hormuz as a strategic waterway as long as easily lead to conflict. Iran’s interests are secured.” The United States in April officially registered the He added: “We suggest that this micro-state and IRGC as a “foreign terrorist organization,” according dependent country should mind its small size and not to a notice published on the website of the U.S. threaten a bigger country.” See Page 7 Federal Register. See Page 7 IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani says the United States wants to have the Iranian currency devalued in Envoy Urges Int’l Community order to achieve its illegitimate objectives. S. Korea Halts Imports of President Rouhani said the devaluation happens only when demand for the currency drops because its value rises otherwise. “The Americans also seek to disrupt our forex-based transactions,” he said in a Saturday meeting in Tehran. Iranian Condensate on May 2 To Oppose U.S. Unilateralism “We need to increase our forex revenues and reduce forex expenses,” the president noted. ANKARA (Dispatches) - Washington is not only He underlined Iran is no longer importing wheat, which means its forex expenses have dropped. SEOUL (Dispatches) - Imports of Iranian condensate punishing Iran but every country that has commercial ties “We have been self-sufficient in wheat for four years now while we used to import 6 million tons of wheat at a certain by South Korean refining companies were halted as of with it by violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of point a time,” he said. President Rouhani said Iran used to import 12 million litres of diesel and 6 million litres of gasoline. midnight on May 2 (EST) amid intensified U.S. Action (JCPOA), Iranian Ambassador to Turkey “We have now joined countries which export diesel, and we have reached self-sufficiency in gasoline sanctions against Iran. Mohammed Farazmand said, adding that the international production, and if people economize [on gasoline], we will become an exporter of the product as well, which will While South Korea, China, and Japan were among eight community should stand against this unilateral move. save the country’s foreign currency,” said the president. As for increasing the nation’s forex income, President countries granted a six-month grace period on Iranian “The U.S. made some unfair arrangements and Rouani recalled that non-oil revenues hovered around some $43 million last year. crude oil import ban measures initiated by the US last reintroduced sanctions, which are unlawful according “Almost the same amount of forex income was earned from oil exports,” he added. November, South Korea was forced to halt its Iranian to international law and U.N. resolutions. These actions “They seek to decrease these two rates (Iran’s oil and non-oil earnings), and we should continue to sell petroleum and condensate imports when the U.S. refused to brook any are not only against Iran, but also against Europe, increase our production and exports in a bid to stand up to U.S. conspiracies to prevent our oil sales,” President Rouhani exceptions in its heavy push for “zero Iranian oil exports.” neighboring countries and the international community,” said. Elsewhere in his remarks, the president noted that the United States seeks to bring the Islamic Republic of Iran Since the U.S.’ move to scrap its nuclear agreement with Farazmand said in an exclusive interview with Daily down by sowing discord in the country and pitting different groups against one another. “Now, the situation in the Iran and restore sanctions, South Korea had been Sabah. Last May, the U.S. withdrew from the landmark country has rather improved with regards to this issue, but we have yet to go to reach the desired point,” he said. importing only condensate as a material for petrochemical nuclear deal, which was signed in 2015 between Iran “Unfortunately, some people don’t believe that we are engaged in political, economic and psychological wars products, without any imports of Iranian crude oil. In the and the P5+1 group of nations – the five permanent with the U.S.,” he said, adding everyone should come to realize that. late stages, the South Korean government attempted to members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany. He went on to say that teachers are guardians of the culture and ethical boundaries. Nothing can be considered as a negotiate an arrangement with the US in which it would The Donald Trump administration also said last week reward for the teachers’ valuable work, President Rouhani said during the ceremony held in Tehran to commemorate the continue imports through the same kind of “special that it will no longer exempt eight countries from U.S. hundredth anniversary of training teachers in Iran and the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on May 6. license” used by the US with Iraq, but was reportedly sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil, stepping At the ceremony, the president urged the youth to acquire the professional skills which the society needs. notified by the US on the morning of May 2 that this up pressure on Iran in a move that primarily affects the He further stressed the importance of adopting reform in ‘methodology of teaching.’ would not be possible. See Page 7 five remaining major importers: China, India, Japan, South Korea and Turkey. See Page 7 U.S. to Extend Key Waivers Linked Iran Continues Talks With Pergas To Iran’s Nuclear Program International Consortium WASHINGTON (Dispatches) - The Trump administration will renew several key waivers that TEHRAN (Dispatches) - Iran continues its negotiations allow Iran to keep operating a limited civilian nuclear with the UK’s Pergas International Consortium on the Invitation to Tender program, a move that heads off a clash with European Karanj oil field, located in Iran’s southwestern allies and Tehran over the fate of a 2015 deal that Khuzestan Province, said Ahmad Mohammadi, CEO of Trump abandoned last year. National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC). Persian Gulf Star Oil Company (PGSOC) is going to sell part of its products ( Heavy The U.S. is extending five waivers the administration According to Mohammadi, hopefully, these End ) through running a public tender in two different terms of delivery Ex-work(80,000 had previously granted allowing nations that remain in discussions will result in an agreement. the deal to engage in nonproliferation activities and Mohammadi added that production is, of course, currently Mt ton) and FOB Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas(120,000 Mt ton). Therefore all nuclear research at three sites -- Fordow, Bushehr and underway in this field, and it is even provided with gas for interested individuals and legal entities are invited to referred PGSOC’s legal and Arak -- without facing sanctions, Assistant Secretary of oil extraction. “With the participation of the Pergas contracts department ( address: PGSOR - 13th kilometer of Bandar Abbas highway To State Christopher Ford said Friday. Instead of granting consortium, the development will accelerate,” he said. the waivers for 180 days, the administration will Noting that the annual natural gas production in the Bandar Khamir- Bandar abbas , Iran and the Site Address www.pgsoc.ir for receiving shorten their term to 90 days.