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French Envoy Summoned
France’s Military Plans Unhelpful
TEHRAN, Feb. 3--Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned on Sunday France’s Ambassador in Tehran Bernard Pollite to protest his country’s stands on regional developments.
Since France has chosen to provide one-sided support to the Zionist Israeli regime and French officials have made unreal, illogical and hasty remarks on the Iranian president, the Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador to hand over its protest note to him, IRNA reported.
Director General for Western Europe at the Foreign Ministry Mostafa Dolatyar delivered Iran’s protest to the French ambassador.
Iran voiced its protest against and dissatisfaction with the recent stands taken by France and the country’s change of tone, simultaneous with the recent fruitful talks between Iran and European officials.
Since international organizations and French officials have closed their eyes on the crimes and atrocities of the Zionist Israeli regime in Gaza Strip and since they cannot tolerate to hear the views of the Iranian president on the heinous crimes of the Zionist regime and on Holocaust, Dolatyar deeply expressed its regret over the issue.
Criticizing the double standards of France regarding Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, he strongly refuted recent French allegations against Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities.
The French ambassador, for his part, said France does not approve of the atrocities of the Zionist regime in Gaza and the country has summoned the Zionist ambassador to Paris many times to inform him of its complaint.
“France regards Iran as its friend and calls for expansion of all-out relations with the country,“ he said.
Also on Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry declared that a French military base in the Persian Gulf would not help security and peace in the oil-rich region.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said in his weekly press conference, “We are against any kind of increase in the military presence of foreign forces in the region.“
Paris signed a deal with the United Arab Emirates in January to build France’s first permanent military base in the Persian Gulf, just across the water from Iran.
Hosseini said, “We believe that such a presence is not conducive to security and peace in the region...but on the other hand it could be a contributing factor to...any insecurity in the region.“
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Turkiey Favors Enhanced Ties
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 3--Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his Turkish counterpart, Ali Babacan, here on Sunday reviewed issues of mutual interest.
According to IRNA, the meeting was held on the sidelines of the foreign ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
The two foreign ministers discussed the latest regional and international developments, particularly the recent brutality of the Zionist Israeli regime in Gaza.
They also underscored the need for further expansion of bilateral relations in all areas.
The OIC foreign ministers opened an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The meeting is being held upon Iran’s call and at the level of the OIC Executive Committee.
Participants of the meeting are to deliberate on the latest developments in Palestine, particularly in Gaza Strip, following the recent savage attacks of the Zionist regime against the defenseless civilians in Gaza in January.
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Haddad: Time for New Round of Sudan Ties
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Gholamali Haddad Adel
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KHARTOUM, Sudan, Feb. 3--Majlis Speaker Gholamali Haddad Adel said on Sunday the time is ripe for Iran and Sudan to initiate a new round of cooperation.
According to IRNA, the Iranian Majlis speaker made the remark in a meeting with Sudanese National Assembly’s vice speaker Abdullah Al-Hardalou.
“Over the past 30 years, the two countries have had very sound relations and Sudan has always enjoyed Iran’s support,“ he said.
“Mutual cooperation should expand in all parliamentary, political, economic and cultural fields.“
The Sudanese official, for his part, welcomed expansion of parliamentary cooperation between the two countries and lauded Iran’s endeavor to this end.
Haddad arrived in Khartoum Saturday evening from Egypt on the second leg of his two-nation African tour. The speaker’s two-day visit to Sudan is taking place at the official invitation of his Sudanese counterpart. He is to confer with Sudan’s President Hassan Omar Ahmad Al-Bashir and other senior officials of the country as well as other cultural figures and academics.
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Bourqani Passes Away
TEHRAN, Feb. 3--Ahmad Bourqani Farahani, a former deputy minister and lawmaker, passed away on Saturday in a hospital in Tehran. Bourqani, 48, died of a heart attack.
He started his work at IRNA in 1980 as a reporter and rose to become the chief editor of IRNA’s Political Desk. With a bachelor’s degree in geography from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Bourqani became IRNA’s news chief in 1986. He was also the spokesman of War Propagation Headquarters during the Iraq-imposed war (1980-88).
Bourqani also worked as IRNA’s bureau chief at the United Nations, New York, in 1989.
He was appointed as deputy minister of culture and Islamic guidance in 1997 and later became a member of parliament in Tehran constituency in 1999.
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Address of H.E. Mr. M.M. Zuhair,
Ambassador of Sri Lanka
In Iran,
On the 60th National Day
Of Sri Lanka
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H.E. Mr. M.M. Zuhair
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Sri Lanka celebrates its 60th National Day, today.
As we celebrate the National Day of our island republic, permit me to convey to His Eminence the Leader of the Revolution, His Excellency the President, the government and the friendly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and to the small but dedicated Sri Lankan community in this country, the heartiest best wishes of the President of Sri Lanka as well as the best wishes of the members of the Sri Lanka Mission in Iran and my own good wishes.
It is 60 years since we regained independence, as a free democratic socialist republic.
Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in South Asia, with a long record of active democracy. Our people have elected and changed governments at regular intervals by their free exercise of the ballot.
The Constitution of this Republic guarantees equal rights to all its citizens and prohibits discrimination among citizens on the ground of race, religion, ethnicity, sex, etc.
The country has also a dynamic media, with nearly 12 dailies, 15 weeklies, 10 TV channels and 15 radio channels.
Indeed, the people of Sri Lanka have the advantage of free education from kindergarten to the university in their mother tongue, Sinhala or Tamil.
Our people also enjoy free health and medical services with a network of hospitals and clinics spanning the whole island.
The quality of life of the people of Sri Lanka as a whole is being continuously enhanced to greater heights.
I must now refer to the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Sri Lanka have always had close and cordial relations. Both countries have a long and rich history, spanning over 2,500 to 6,000 years.
Let me wish His Eminence the Supreme Leader, H.E. the President, the government and friendly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, our heartiest congratulations, good wishes and warm greetings on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the Great Islamic Revolution falling on 11th February 2008.
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Revolution
QODS: The Ten-Day Dawn (marking the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution) celebrations mark an important political event--a unique revolution inspired by the late Imam Khomeini who spearheaded the revolution. Khomeini’s Islamic teachings led to the ouster of the tyrannical regime of the last Pahlavi king, Mohammad Reza Shah. The Islamic Revolution put an end to 2,500 years of monarchy in Iran and ended the interference of foreign powers in Iran’s internal affairs. The charismatic personality of Imam Khomeini distinguished him from other world leaders in the sense that he promoted divine notions in contrast to materialist views. The 1979 Islamic Revolution astounded the western politicians who could not imagine that a religious government can rule a country. These leaders gave no credence to religion in political and social developments. The Islamic Revolution did not belong only to the people of Iran, but to the entire oppressed people of the world.
Pressures
HAMSHAHRI: Turkey has rejected US calls for cutting cooperation with an Iranian bank. The Turkish government has said it will only abide by the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and not of the United States Congress. The US had asked Turkey to cut cooperation with Bank Mellat which has several branches in Turkey. However, Turkey rejected the US call on the grounds that it is not stipulated in the resolutions of the UN Security Council. Iran has been at the center of conflict between Turkey and the US in recent months. Tehran and Ankara have sealed several cooperation agreements, particularly in the energy sector. This has angered the US, but did not compel Turkey to succumb to US pressures.
Mismanagement
IRAN: According to the latest reports on the war in Afghanistan, prepared by European entities in consultation with defense officials and war veterans, more combat troops are needed to provide Afghans with security. Calls by NATO and the United States for reinforcements in Afghanistan have been either ignored or downgraded. Canada has threatened to pull out its troops from Afghanistan while Germany has rejected an urgent call for combat troops in battle-ravaged southern Afghanistan. At the moment, many Americans believe the continuation of Afghan war is unjustified. US presidential hopefuls say threats portrayed by George W. Bush and his administration about terrorism are not real and there is no need to increase the war budget. Despite the opposition of Democrats in the US Senate, Bush has decided to dispatch 3,200 more troops to Afghanistan. This is while many military analysts believe the war in Afghanistan is suffering from mismanagement.
Winograd Report
TEHRAN-E EMROUZ: The final report of the so-called Winograd inquiry into the 33-day Israeli war against Hezbollah was eventually published after 18 months. Former Israeli justice, Eliyahu Winograd, who headed a five-member investigation team, declared that Israel was the big loser of the war against Hezbollah. Two lessons can be learnt from the 33-day war. First, any popular resistance backed by a nation will emerge victorious even against a formidable enemy. Secondly, the Winograd report has made Ehud Olmert’s government face serious problems with regard to remaining in office till the next election. The report will weaken the Israeli regime, making its future prospects vulnerable.
US Doctrine
RESALAT: In the United States, each president pursues a particular doctrine. Americans have been witness to various doctrines by Republican and Democrat presidents since 1945 when Harry S. Truman presented his doctrine to contain communism. All these doctrines have one thing in common: ambiguity and incompatibility with the world order. In this context, the doctrine of the incumbent US President George W. Bush is not an exception. The Bush administration has waged destructive wars in the Middle East. The goals of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are ambiguous while their occupation is against international law.Ê
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