May 21, The Iran Project – Opening ceremony of 5th Iran Rail Expo, 4 ATR aircrafts landing in Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, Massive turnout of Iranian people in the elections and re-election of Rouhani as president of Iran dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (May 15–May21). 


 

Politics

John Kerry among Obama-era officials reuniting to defend Iran nuclear deal from Trump


Former Secretary of State John Kerry and other top national security experts are backing an organisation aimed at defending the Iran nuclear deal, as Donald Trump determines for the first time whether to temporarily alleviate some restrictions on the country.




US extends Iran nuke sanctions relief, adds other sanctions


The Trump administration said Wednesday it will continue granting nuclear sanctions relief to Iran, keeping the Obama-era nuclear deal intact for now. But the U.S. also announced new unrelated sanctions in a bid to show it wasn’t letting Tehran off the hook.




Calm, secure Iran preparing for polls: Ayatollah Khamenei


Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Iran is preparing for its presidential elections in a secure and calm environment at the heart of a region rife with unrest.




Senior Iranian official tenders resignation ahead of presidential election


Head of the Inspection Bureau at the Office of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has resigned his post ahead of the Friday presidential election.




Polls open in ‘important’ Iran presidential election


Iranians are heading to the polls at home and abroad on Friday in closely-contested elections to choose the country’s 12th president.




Supreme Leader casts vote in presidential, local elections


Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei arrived in polling station No. 110 Friday morning and cast his vote in the 12th presidential and fifth city and village council elections.




Iran security forces bust several terrorist cells prior to elections: Minister


The Iranian intelligence minister announced that the country’s security forces have managed to smash a number of terrorist cells that intended to disrupt the process of the elections on Friday.




Final results of Iran’s Presidential Election declared


Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli officially declared the results of Iran’s presidential elections, where Hassan Rouhani was re-elected by a wide margin.




Supreme Leader: Iranian nation, Islamic Republic winner of elections


Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a message on Saturday praised Iranians’ massive turnout in May 19 presidential and said Iranian nation is the real winner of the country’s presidential elections.




Iran strikes back at US with more reciprocal sanctions


Iran has sanctioned nine more U.S.-linked businesses, organizations and people over America’s sanctions over its ballistic missile program.




Raeisi: Nation main winner of election


Defeated presidential candidate Ebrahim Raeisi in a statement late on Saturday said that the Iranian nation is the first and main winner of the May 19 presidential election.





Tillerson says he’ll talk to Iran’s Zarif ‘at the right time’


Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he’ll talk with his Iranian counterpart “at the right time” after elections in Iran saw moderate President Hassan Rouhani returned to power.









Economy




Iran, China highlight significant role of Iran in Silk Road


Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayebnia conferred on Monday with Chinese Finance Minister Xiao Jie on the expansion of economic cooperation and removal of existing barriers between the two countries.




First ATRs land in Tehran


The four out of twenty purchased ATR 72-600 airplanes have just landed at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran on Wednesday.The ATR 72-600 turboprops with registration numbers EP-ITA, EP-ITB, EP-ITC, and EP-ITC which was scheduled for landing at Mehrabad Airport late April, finally arrived in Tehran today May 17, 2017.




Iran’s extraction from joint field with Qatar equals in 11th gov’t: Minister


Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh said on Wednesday that Iran’s gas extraction from the joint field with Qatar equaled with Qatar in the 11th government after the 11 phases of South Pars came into stream, each costing $5 billion.




Talks between EAEU, Iran on free trade zone may end by October – Ministry


Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzya said that negotiations between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran on a temporary free trade zone agreement could be finished by the next EAEU summit.




Italy biggest EU trade partner of Iran


Bilateral trade between Iran and Italy in the first three months of 2017 stood at €1.2 billion, making Italy the biggest trading partner of Iran in the European Union over the period, IRNA reported, citing the EU’s statistical service Eurostat. France and Germany followed Italy.

















 

Regional Affairs

Labour govt. will ‘immediately recognize a state of Palestine’


Britain’s opposition Labour Party has announced in its General Election manifesto that a Labour government will “immediately recognize” a state of Palestine if the party wins the June 8 vote.





Trump not to relocate US embassy in Israel visit: Official


US President Donald Trump does not plan to announce relocation of the American embassy to Jerusalem-al-Quds in the upcoming visit, says a senior administration official.




Mattis: Militia hit by US strike in Syria Iran-directed offensive force


US Defense Secretary James Mattis stated that the US-led coalition strike on Thursday targeted Iranian-directed forces near Syria’s al-Tanf.




Trump lands in Saudi Arabia to reset relations


US President Donald Trump has landed in Saudi Arabia, making his debut on the world stage in a country that is home to two holiest Muslim sites in an apparent effort to publicly appeal to Muslims worldwide to view him as a partner and not an enemy.




Full liberation of Mosul in next few days: Iraqi president


Iraqi President Fuad Masum has voiced hopes that west Mosul will be freed over the next few days as the country’s special forces announce the end of their mission in the city.


Society




Iran marks National Ferdowsi Day


Iranians paid tribute to Hakim Abul-Qasim Ferdowsi, a renowned literary figure whose “Shahnameh” is considered as the world’s longest epic poetry written by a single poet.





Harvard Art Museums to show Persian paintings


An exhibition of Persian classic paintings will be held at the Harvard Art Museums, part of Harvard University in Massachusetts, the US, May 20-August 13.





Asghar Farhadi to open Cannes Film Festival


The two-time Oscar winning filmmaker Asghar Farhadi will open the 70th edition of prestigious Cannes Film Festival later on Wednesday.




Islamic Solidarity Games: Iran’s Weightlifter Barari bags gold medal


Iran’s Mohammadreza Barari took a gold medal in the men’s 105 kg weightlifting competition at the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku on Wednesday.




Iran’s Asghar Farhadi collects Oscar at Cannes after boycott


Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has finally received his Oscar for best foreign language film, nearly three months after boycotting the Academy Awards ceremony.