Iran Daily
 

 
Iran extends Christmas greetings
Iranian officials congratulated Christians around the globe on the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ (PBUH) and Christmas.

 
UN chief for Iran involvement in Syria talks
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Iran should be invited to the long-awaited international conference aimed at achieving a political solution to the crisis in Syria.

 
AEOI chief: IAEA to inspect Gachin mine soon
Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said that inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are to visit Gachin uranium mine in the south of the country in the near future.

 
Prospects for Iran gas exports improve
A new oil minister and an easing of international sanctions have raised prospects for new pipeline exports of natural gas by Iran, according to Facts Global Energy (FGE), London.

 
Qatar offers help to exploit joint gas field
Qatar offered to help Iran develop its share of the world’s biggest gas field so both countries can reap the maximum long-term rewards, sources at state-run Qatar Petroleum (QP) said.

 
Majlis approves changing capital
The Majlis on Tuesday approved the draft bill paving the ground to pick another city as the nation’s capital and move the seat of the government from Tehran.

 
Gold tycoon has no links with government
Deputy foreign minister for Asia-Pacific affairs said Tuesday that an Iranian-Azeri businessman, Reza Zarrab, who was arrested in Turkey last week, has no links with the government.

 
WAVE act, first step toward global anti-extremism drive
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations described a UN resolution based on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s World Against Violence and Extremism (WAVE) proposal as the first step towards global fight against violence and extremism.

 
Former diplomat allays nuclear worries
The slow pace of nuclear negotiations between Iranian and P5+1 experts is not worrying, said an international affairs expert.

 
10 illegal Pakistani nationals arrested
Iranian border guards arrested 10 Pakistani nationals who tried to cross the eastern borders illegally, media reports said.

 

 
Tehran Times
 
MPs want to move the capital, govt. says no
The Iranian parliament has approved the outlines of a controversial proposal to select another city as the country’s capital and move the seat of the government from Tehran.

 
Israel launches airstrike on Gaza Strip, kills one little girl
Israeli warplanes on Tuesday carried out an airstrike in the Gaza Strip in which at least one Palestinian has been reportedly killed in the strike.

 
China more than doubles Iran crude oil imports
China more than doubled its crude oil imports from Iran in November month-on-month amid hopes for sanctions relief on the Islamic Republic, new customs data shows.

 
Iran to build specialized radiotherapy hospital
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran plans to build a specialized radiotherapy hospital through a joint venture with Pasargad Bank, a private bank, AEOI director Ali Akbar Salehi announced on Tuesday.

 
Yemen promises “some” autonomy to southern secessionists
Yemeni political parties have signed a document pledging a “just solution” that would grant some autonomy to the south in the face of secessionist demands, state news agency Saba reported.

 
Egypt rejects anti-Assad nominee for U.S. ambassador: report
The U.S. government has decided to change its initial pick for U.S. ambassador to Egypt after the country’s military-backed government signaled the pick would not be welcomed.

 
Ukraine receives first tranche of Russian bailout
Russia told Ukraine on Tuesday it had transferred the first $3 billion tranche of a $15 billion bailout, part of plans to keep Kiev firmly within Moscow’s orbit and out of the European Union’s embrace.

 
Iran wants nuclear negotiations to continue: Leader’s advisor
Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, has said that Iran is keen to continue negotiations with world powers over its nuclear program provided that its rights are respected.

 
Iran’s support for Syria is ‘logical’: Russian MP
Iran’s support for the Syrian government is logical given the ongoing interference of other countries in the two-year conflict in the country, according to the chairman of the Russian parliament foreign affairs committee.

 
Iran should participate in Syria talks: UN chief
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki moon said on Monday invitations to the next round of Syria peace talks would be sent by the end of year as he launched a fresh appeal for Iran to participate.

 
Jack Straw, British parliamentary team to visit Iran in January
Former British foreign secretary Jack Straw is scheduled to visit Iran in the coming weeks along with a British parliamentary delegation, an Iranian MP announced on Tuesday.

 
Aide denies Rouhani wrote op-ed for German paper
A presidential aide has denied that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani wrote an editorial for a German newspaper in which he called to strengthen ties with the West.

 
Iranian minorities will be appointed to key posts soon: presidential advisor
An Iranian presidential aide said on Saturday that the government will soon assign people from ethnic and religious minorities to key administrative posts.

 
Ebrahim Rahimpour appointed Iran’s envoy for Caspian Sea affairs
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif appointed his deputy for Asia and Pacific affairs, Ebrahim Rahimpour, as the country’s special envoy for Caspian Sea affairs.