July 9, The Iran Project – Holding of int’l conference on combating sand and dust storms kin Tehran, Iran signing $5 billion natural gas deal with France’s Total and Chinese firm, Head of the National Iraqi Alliance (NIA) Ammar Hakim visit to Iran and meeting with senior officials, remembering victims of passenger plane downed by US in 1988, closing ceremony of IRTVU General Assembly in Mashhad and ending naval drill in Caspian Sea dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (July 03–July 09).


Politics




Iran remembers US downing of passenger plane


Iran is commemorating the 29th anniversary of the downing of its passenger plane by a US Navy guided-missile cruiser in Persian Gulf waters in 1988.




Iran navy stages guerrilla wargame in Caspian Sea


Iran’s Navy commandos staged guerrilla and anti-guerrilla operations on Tue. during a massive military maneuver codenamed ‘Power and Sustainable Security 96’ in the Caspian Sea.




Rouhani: Iran supports Iraq stability, unity


President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Mosul liberation should reinforce Iraq’s integrity, adding that Iran supports Iraqi stability and unity.





S.Arabia accepts Iran conditions for Hajj: Iranian minister


The Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Reza Salehi-Amiri said on Wednesday that all the conditions of Iran in order to provide security for Iranian Hajj pilgrims and safeguarding their honor were accepted and inked by the Saudi officials.




Iran to give crushing response to aggressors: General Soleimani


Major General Qassem Soleimani, the Commander of the IRGC Quds Force, says any aggressor who crosses Iran’s red lines will receive its devastating response.




Iran wraps up naval drill in Caspian Sea


Iran’s massive naval drill in Caspian Sea, dubbed ‘Sustainable Security and Naval Power 96’, and led by Damavand Destroyer, ended on Thursday after five days.




Iraqi president dismisses Iran’s interference in Baghdad’s affairs


Iraqi President Fouad Massoum categorically dismissed the accusations that Iran interferes in his country’s internal affairs.




Iran’s IRGC seizes trespassing Saudi vessel in Persian Gulf


The Navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has seized a Saudi vessel after trespassing on the Islamic Republic’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.




Iran voices strong support for NPT


Iran’s representative at UN Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons has voiced Islamic Republic’s strong support for international efforts toward total elimination of these weapons.




Iranian version of Phalanx CIWS in testing phases: Commander


The Iranian Navy’s indigenized version of the Phalanx, a close-in weapon system (CIWS) on military vessels used for defense against anti-ship missiles, is undergoing tests, a top Navy commander said.




Public visits to Iran’s Parliament to be cancelled


Iran’s lawmakers have decided to cancel public visits to the parliament building in central Tehran and transfer people’s meetings with their representatives to their constituencies with the aim of ensuring the parliament’s security, a legislator said.


Economy




South Pars deal facilitates transfer of technology: Rouhani


Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says a multi-billion-dollar gas deal signed between Iran and French energy giant, Total, will facilitate the “transfer of technological, scientific and managerial experience” between Iran and France.




Iran needs $200b for developing oil projects: Min.


Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh says Iran will need 200 billion dollars for financing oil and gas projects under the 6th development plan of the country.




Iran, Italy to sign €1.2b railroad deal


Iran’s national rail company, the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, will sign a €1.2 billion deal with its Italian counterpart on July 11 to build a high-speed railroad between the cities of Qom and Arak.




Volkswagen re-enters Iranian market after 17 years


German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) said Tuesday it would resume exports to Iran as soon as next month, marking a return to the resurgent market of the Islamic Republic after a 17-year absence.




Total to joint Iran petchem sector: Official


A senior petrochemical official said French energy major Total will return to Iran’s petrochemical sector in a bid to complete the industry’s value-chain.


Regional Affairs




Iran, France call for resolving Syrian crisis through dialogue


Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari met on Wednesday with French special representative to Syria Frank Jillette on the latest developments in the country.






Russia, Turkey, Iran fail to agree on Syria de-escalation zones


Russia, Turkey and Iran failed in talks on Wednesday to finalize an agreement on creating four de-escalation zones in Syria after Ankara raised objections, diplomats said.




Putin, Trump talk various issues in 1st first face-to-face meeting


Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump have held their first meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany, and reportedly exchanged viewpoints on a host of international problems and bilateral issues.




US, Israel fuel Mideast crises in Mideast to sell more arms: Iran official


The United States and Israel seek the protraction of crises in the Middle East in order to be able to sell more weapons to regional countries, Iranian Parliament speaker’s special advisor on international affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, says.




Iraqi government forces fully recapture Mosul’s Old City


Iraqi government forces have wrested complete control over the Old City of Mosul, which served as the last bastion of Daesh Takfiri terrorists in the Arab country’s second largest city.


Society




Iran holds international ‘Trumpism’ cartoon contest


Iran is holding an international cartoon contest with the theme of US President Donald Trump and what is viewed as his racist and interventionist policies both at home and abroad.




Ebtekar, UN officials visit dust centers in Ahvaz


Head of Iran’s Department of Environment (DoE) Masoumeh Ebtekar and UN Resident Coordinator in Iran Gary Lewis visited the dust centers in the east and northeast of Ahvaz in this southeastern province.




Plan on reviving Qeshm water structures nominated for UNESCO prize


The plan to revive Qeshm water structures has been nominated for UNESCO Prize on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in 2017, said the executive manager of the plan.




Negotiations underway with Italy to reclaim Mesbah satellite


Iranian ICT Minister Mahmoud Vaezi announced that bilateral talks are underway with Italy over the returning of the Mesbah satellite to home.




Iran’s Hossein Keyhani wins gold medal in 22nd Asian Athletics Championship


Iranian athlete Hossein Keyhani won gold medal of men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in Asian Athletics Championship 2017.