E-voting helps Fire in Iran’s gas Iran’s wrestler Art elites 21112prevent vote buying: 4 pipeline blast detained Reza Yazdani confirmed pypay tribute to NATION Guardian Council ECONOMY after 5 hours SPORTS for Olympics ART& CULTURE ParParvizviz KalanKalantaritari WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y Supporting resistance is our ‘honor’ 2 12 Pages Price 10,000 Rials 38th year No.12617 Sunday AUGUST 7, 2016 Mordad 17, 1395 Dhi Al Qaeda 4, 1437 Rouhani-Putin-Azerbaijan Iran, Afghanistan exchange views Mitsubishi to meeting to set in motion hold aircraft regional convergence: on water, security, border control sale talks ambassador POLITICAL TEHRAN — Talks and drug smuggling were the main mad Hanif Atmar, national security with Iran in EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW deskon a wide range of themes of a session between Iranian advisor to the Afghan president, on By Ali Kushki mutual concerns, particularly water Supreme National Security Council Saturday. December TEHRAN — Iranian Ambassador to Baku Mohsen Pa- shortage, terrorism, border control, Secretary Ali Shamkhani and Moham- 2 ECONOMY TEHRAN — A dele- ka’ein asserts that the tripartite meeting between presi- deskgation from Mitsub- dents of Iran, Russia, and Azerbaijan in Baku on August 8 ishi Aircraft Corporation will arrive in will open a new chapter in regional cooperation between Tehran in December to continue talks the three countries. Olympic Games begin with spectacular opening ceremony on selling MRJ 100 (Mitsubishi Region- During the two-day visit, both bilateral and tripartite al Jet) aircrafts to Iran, Iran’s deputy meetings have been scheduled, where issues such as en- transport minister Asghar Fakhrieh- ergy, fight on terrorism, and economy are high on agen- Kashan said on Saturday. da, the ambassador told the Tehran Times in an exclusive “We offered purchasing 20 aircrafts interview. under a finance lease agreement,” IRNA In what follows, a transcript of the interview has been quoted Fakhrieh-Kashan as saying. given: The Japanese side is to announce its In a recent interview with the Islamic Republic final decision in this regard after study- News Agency (IRNA), your Excellency had hailed bi- ing our offer in the second joint work- lateral ties between Tehran and Baku as “strategic”. ing group which is going to be formed How do you support your stance? in Tehran in December, he explained. A: I reiterate my comment to describe relations between “Aseman Airline would be an appro- the two neighboring countries as strategic. The stance can priate choice for buying the MRJ 100 be supported at least from three perspectives. Initially, the aircrafts,” he added. As reported earlier, two countries share numerous cultural,, religious,g , and his- the unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries torical bonds, not breakable easileasily.y. began market surveys into Iran last Also, the two countries offeroffe great September, four months before the U.S. ccapacitiesapacities in the transportatitransportationo sec- lifted sanctions. The Japanese company tor in all four areas of mmaritime,a has been touching base with flag carri- land, rail, and air. In the eenergy er Iran Air and Aseman Airlines, as well sesectorctor aalsolso thethe twtwoo cacann have as the country’s aviation authorities. closest ties particulparticularlya in Mitsubishi Aircraft is partnering with swapswappingping Baku’s ggas to the Japanese government in this en- NNakhchivanakhchivan aandnd ooilil to the deavor, aiming to make use of state- PePersianrsian GuGulflf aandn co- backed financing. Because Mitsubishi opoperationeration in jojoint oil Aircraft is developing the 90-seat model fifieldselds in the Caspi- first, the company plans to deliver the aann SeaSea.. Khabar online Khabar 70-seater in 2019 at the earliest. See page 2 Because of economic sanctions, Iran had been unable to replace aging aircraft. Tehran is planning to expand Sports competition an opportunity to its airports and transform the city into Armenia-Iran visa-free travel a Mideast hub. deal enters into effect satisfy ‘national pride’: anthropologist ‘Meeting between The agreement lifting the visa requirements between Arme- INTERVIEW ly important political factor “black power” salute to pro- nia and Iran entered into effect on August 6 to allow Arme- By Javad Heirannia in government. A great test unfair treatment of Af- Iranian and nian citizens to travel to the Islamic Republic without entry deal of government mon- rican Americans. They were Russian presidents permits, Tert.am reported. TEHRAN — An anthropolo- ey is spent on training ath- stripped of their medals for All border checkpoints across the country have already gist believes that many peo- letes, since the state views having politicized their po- will open new been notified of the measure, Iranian Ambassador to Arme- ple consider sports competi- athletic victory as proof of sition. nia Seyed Kazem Sadjadi has said as he met with Armenian tions as good opportunities national superiority. Under One other area where chapter in ties’ Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan for private talks, the Arme- for countries to show their the old Communist Ger- sports and politics are in- nian government’s press service reported. “national pride” and “con- man Democratic Repub- tertwined has to do with POLITICAL TEHRAN — Mehdi desk Both sides have agreed the deal will promote tourism de- front each other”. lic, the East Germans used building sports stadiums. In Sanai, Iran’s ambas- velopment, facilitating mutual visits. “Sports competitions are athletics as a way of prov- the United States no nation- sador to Moscow, said on Saturday that (Source: PanARMENIAN.Net) far better than war, and can ing that they were better al money is spent on sports the meeting between the Iranian and be just as satisfying for na- than the West Germans. stadiums. However, local Russian presidents in Baku on Monday tional pride,” Prof. William O. In the United States sports ical meaning. When the So- money from cities or even will be a new chapter in relations. Sadi Foundation reviews Beeman, head of the anthro- are very important for na- viet Union invaded Afghan- states may be used to sup- Farsi learning in Persian pology department at the tional and local pride, but istan and had the Olympic port stadiums. This is a big State University of Minneso- no government money is Games in Moscow, the controversy in some parts Gulf region ta, tells the Tehran Times as spent on athletic training, United States boycotted the of the United States, since the Rio de Janeiro Olympics or in sending athletes to games to protest the Soviet these are tax monies, and lo- CULTURE TEHRAN — Tehran-based Sadi Founda- began on Friday. the Olympics. All money action, and to deny the So- cal taxpayers are sometimes desktion’s Strategic Council for the Persian Gulf Following is the text of the spent is raised from private viets a possible propaganda very upset at the amount of Region convened on Saturday to explore ways to develop interview: donations. victory. In Atlanta, African money being spent, and at Persian learning in the region. Is there any relation- It is possible for sports American athletes who won the fact that these stadiums Islamic Culture and Relations Organization Deputy Direc- ship between politics and participation to have a polit- their contests exhibited a benefit team owners who The meeting between Hassan Rou- tor Abbas Khameyar, several university professors and oth- sports? make millions and millions of hani and Vladimir Putin will promote er individuals who formerly served as cultural attaches and A: This varies from coun- “Many people (many dollars from sports events. the two countries’ international role that ambassadors in the region are the members of the council, try to country. Some coun- In Europe and Australia could play an important part in helping which is headed by Seyyed Mohammadreza Darbandi, the tries actually have a sports anthropologists!) point out that stadiums are usually sup- settle the Syrian crisis, he told IRNA. deputy director of the Sadi Foundation. ministry, so the minister of sports competitions are healthy ported through a combi- Rouhani is scheduled to leave Teh- The council is commissioned to monitor the status sports is a government of- ways for countries to confront nation of public and private ran for Baku on Sunday to attend a quo of Persian studies in the neighboring countries in ficial. In Communist coun- funding. tripartite summit with Putin and Azeri order to enrich cultural relations, in particular educa- tries sports are an extreme- each other.” 9 President Ilham Aliyev. tional courses, with the countries. The Sadi Founda- The Iranian president plans to meet tion, tasked with promoting the Persian language and with the Russian president on the side- literature overseas, is currently hosting a select group Iran to reduce gas export to Armenia from September lines of the summit. Rouhani will also hold a bilater- of 200 Persian literature aficionados from around the Iran will reduce gas export to Armenia Iran: “This will be realized by a pri- al meeting with Aliyev on Sunday to globe during its 83rd Persian Language and Literature from next month, Iranian Deputy Oil vate Iranian company. This company discuss the implementation of agree- Refresher Course that started on Thursday. Minister Hamidreza Araqi said while is not linked with Azerbaijani and ments previously signed between Teh- commenting on Iran-Armenia new gas Iranian governments. The company ran and Baku. The Iranian and Azeri discussions and reports by several me- will buy gas from Turkmenistan and presidents will also exchange views dia outlets. deliver to us. And we plan to sell it ISIL almost completely’ ousted about cooperation in different fields, According to him, Armenia needed to Azerbaijan. We are now discuss- including commerce, industry, energy from Syria’s Manbij city more gas last month: “We accepted ing this issue”.