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Iran official urges pressure on Turkey, “dust storms” draining Tigris and Euphrates rivers over building dams

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Iran turkey dust stormsAn Iranian official has urged active diplomacy with Turkey towards tackling the problem of dust storms, which chronically blight regional states as a result of Ankara’s massive dam building projects.

As part of its Southeastern Anatolia Project known as GAP, Turkey has built 22 dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which also run across Syria, Iraq and Iran.

The project has reportedly reduced water flow in the rivers’ basin by 34 percent and caused 94 percent of the Mesopotamia to dry up, kicking up dust storms in Syria and Iraq which head to Iran and cripple life in its southwestern and western provinces.

Hedayat Fahmi of Iran’s Energy Ministry said on Sunday Turkey was exacerbating the situation by continuing to build more dams, leaving more parched river basins which become new breeding grounds for dust storms.

This becomes more palpable if we consider that the dams hold back as much as 100 billion cubic meters of water, half of which is harnessed in the country’s Ataturk Dam.

The project, which is executed by US, German and Israeli firms among others, is due to provide water for up to two million hectares of arable lands in Turkey and boost the country’s electricity production by 7,500 megawatts.

‘Water wars likely’

Expert projections, Fahmi said, hold that the Middle East would be losing as much as 10 percent of its water resources by 2045. Over the same period, the demand for water in the region would increase by 60 percent, he said, adding this could even lead to regional wars.

“To tackle the problem of fine particles in the country, the four countries are needed to interact and engage in water diplomacy toward ensuring their entitlement to joint water resources,” Fahmi said.

The official said given that Iraq and Syria are faced with security and social predicaments, Iran should take a more active role in diplomatic efforts.

Regional cooperation on the matter stalled in 2011 when terrorism and conflicts began to blight the two Arab countries.

Back in March, Iran sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling for the creation of a regional task force to address the pressing issue of dust storms in the region.

​In February, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Khuzestan after the province was hit by dust storms and power blackouts.

Social networks were filled with images of the suffering along the Iraqi border, prompting Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamanei to say that “what has happened in Khuzestan province has caused heartache for any human being”.

Armenian FM Nalbandian strongly condemns attacks in Iran

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Armenian,fm,conemnsArmenian FM Edward Nalbandian strongly condemns attacks on Iranian parliament and the Mausoleum of late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

As the message posted on the Foreign Ministry’s Twitter account read, Nalbandian expresses solidarity with people of Iran.

As Press TV reported, Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) and the Mausoleum of the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in the capital Tehran came under terrorist attack in the early morning of June 7.
At least four gunmen reportedly intruded into the premises of the Majlis, opening fire on the security guards there. The assailants were all killed by security forces following the attack. According to Tasnim news agency, at least eight people have been injured in the shooting attack on Wednesday. Two people are said to have lost their lives in the firefight.

Iran’s parliament and Khomeini shrine attacked by gunmen

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Iran’s parliament and Khomeini shrine attacked by gunmenArmed men have opened fire at the Iranian parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Khomeini in the capital, Tehran, causing a number of casualties, the BBC reports.

Heavy gunfire could be heard on an audio recording from inside the parliament chamber, and there are reports that a security guard has died.

Several people were injured at the shrine, dedicated to the founder of the modern Islamic republic.

One attacker blew himself up and there were two or three other gunmen.

Ali Khalili from the mausoleum’s public relations office told IRNA news agency that one of the armed men detonated himself in front of a bank outside the mausoleum.

The Iranian Labour News Agency reported that two attackers had been arrested.

Five people were wounded at the shrine, and one person confirmed dead, it said.

It was unclear whether the attack at the parliament was ongoing.

MP Seyyed Hossein Naqavi-Hosseini told the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) that three gunmen were still in the building, in MPs’ offices.

Hassan Rouhani re-elected as Iran president

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Hassan Rouhani has been re-elected as president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Rouhani overwhelmingly won the majority of votes cast on Friday by Iranians and was re-elected as the new president of the country, IRNA reported.

According to Iranian Internal Ministry, he got 59% or 22 million 800 thousands votes.

The voter turnout exceeded 70 percent.

Exhibition dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence in Tehran

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Photo exhibition entitled “The Newly Independent State of the Centuries-Old Armenia” opened on Thursday at Ararat Culture Center in Tehran, Iran. As the “Menq” Foundation for popularization of state and national values reported in a statement, the exhibition was opened on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia.

The 160 photos portray the major events that have taken place in the public, cultural, economic, political and scientific sectors of Armenia between the years 1990 and 2016.

Earlier in 2016 the exhibition was displayed in Yerevan, Los-Angeles, and Paris.

Iran’s election campaign heats up as presidential poll nears

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Iran’s election campaign heats up with the six presidential hopefuls vying for the position of the country’s chief executive.

In an address to his female supporters in a stadium in the capital Tehran on Tuesday, President Hassan Rouhani, who is seeking reelection, said his performance obviously reflects his opposition to “gender discrimination” and “gender oppression.”

“The [1979 Islamic] Revolution was a success because women entered the scene. Today, if women step on the election scene, if all go to the polls, we will definitely be successful,” he said.

The Iranian people have chosen the path of social and political freedom as well as freedom of thought and expression, Rouhani said, adding that he is seeking “genuine security” along with unity.

‘Revolutionary management key to progress’

Addressing his supporters in the city of Kerman, another candidate Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi highlighted the economic woes gripping Iranians and said the resource-rich nation of Iran does not deserve to be held back by such problems as absolute poverty, youth unemployment and corruption.

He furthered underlined the importance of “self-esteem,” stressing that “revolutionary management” could produce “great honors” for the nation.

Raeisi, a senior judicial official and head of Astan Qods Razavi, also noted that the “main problem in our country is not lack of liquidity, equipment and resources, but rather weak executive and economic management.”

Qalibaf to go for national welfare

Another rival, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, told his supporters in the southwestern city of Ahvaz that he will strive to create “welfare, peace and security” for all people, if elected president.

He also highlighted his achievements as the mayor of Tehran and said poverty has no place in the society, blaming poor management for the high poverty rate in a resource-rich country.

Aqa-Mirsalim urges focus on human resources

Presidential contender Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim also told students in the city of Isfahan that human resources have fallen into oblivion in Iran, saying progress would be achieved only with the help of educated, dedicated and clean-handed lecturers and students.

The former culture minister also accused the current government of failing to adhere to the principles of resistance economy.

Inflation was lowered under Rouhani’s administration, but it still exists, he pointed out.

Hashemi-Taba wants enhanced investment

Mostafa Hashemi-Taba also said in a televised speech that the main task facing the next administration is to use domestic capital and boost investment.

The former vice president also criticized the distribution of monthly cash subsidies among people and called for moving in the direction of implementing the resistance economy.

Jahangiri stresses ‘justice’

First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri, who is also running for presidency, said all Iranians should enjoy social and economic justice.

He defended the Rouhani administration’s policies and highlighted the importance of social and economic justice. He also said that the private sector should be assured that it is “the basis for Iran’s economic development.”

“Today people trust the government and this trust serves as a huge resource for the government,” he said.

Iranians will go to the polls on May 19 to elect the country’s next president. Over 56 million people are eligible to vote.

The six presidential candidates have outlined their plans in two live TV debates so far, with the third televised program scheduled for May 12.

Iran slams Turkey’s atrocities on sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq

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Turkey’s actions in Iraq are a violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country, and Tehran supports Baghdad on the matter, spokesperson for Iranian MFA Bahram Qassemi said.

On Tuesday Iraq said at least 70 members of Kurdish self-defense units and PKK were killed in an air strike by Turkey, RIA Novosti reported. The Iraqi authorities slammed the attack.

Turkish armed forces said they carried out an air operation against PKK in the north of Iraq killing six Kurdish rebels.

Iran: Armenian Protesters in Tehran demand Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide (video)

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Protesters gathered around Tehran‘s St. Sarkis Cathedral on Monday, April 24 to mark the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Ruptly TV reports.

In the capital, the demonstrators called on Turkey to recognize the mass killings of 1,5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide.

102 years have passed since the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.

 

https://youtu.be/BFGB8LYNpvc

Iran’s MFA reacts to another anti-Iranian statement by Turkish authorities

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The Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of Iran has reacted to another anti-Iranian statement made by the Turkish authorities, Panorama.am reports citing Tasnim Iranian news agency.

As the Iranian source reports, the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey has announced that a new flow of over three million refugees of other countries in Iran is moving from Iran to Turkey and from there to Europe.

Responding to the above-mentioned statement of the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, as well as to the Turkish President Erdoğan’s speech in Istanbul, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi in particular noted: “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues making baseless statements against Iran. As for the refugees, Iran has been hosting millions of refugees from its neighboring countries for more than 30 years. Turkey should learn how Iran has treated refugees having never misused this humanitarian issue for special pre-planned political purposes against any country.”

To note, turning to the regular anti-Iranian statements made by Turkey’s President and Foreign Minister, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif noted that “Turkey is an ungrateful neighbour.”

Earlier, during the visit paid to Bahrain, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan touched upon the regional developments noting that religious and national differences are observed in Iraq. Iranian nationalism, as well as separatist movements have also been formed there which must be stopped.

In that regard, Turkey’s Ambassador to Iran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry.

GDCA: Large passenger flow to Armenia is expected during Nowruz holidays

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YEREVAN. – Several Iranian airlines are considerably increasing the number of flights to Armenia, ahead of the Nowruz (New Year) holidays, during which a large passenger flow is expected from Iran to Armenia.

From March 15 to April 4, Iranian airlines will conduct 67 regular and non-regular flights from Iran to Armenia, the General Department of Civil Aviation (GDCA) of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

During this period, Iranian airlines will carry out an average of 22 such flights per week. The expected passenger flow will have a positive impact on tourism and economic development in Armenia.