Iran Daily

Iran’s annual steel production up 21%
Iran produced 21.7 million tons of crude steel last year, indicating a rise of 21 percent compared to the figure for 2016, which was 17.9 million tons.

Russian FM calls US defense strategy ‘confrontational’
Russia’s foreign minister on Friday described a new US national defense strategy as “confrontational” after Washington singled out China and Russia as growing threats.

US government shuts down;Dems, GOP blame each other
The US government shut down at the stroke of midnight Friday, halting all but the most essential operations and marring the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration in a striking display of Washington dysfunction.

Erdogan:Turkey has launched ground operation on Syria’s Afrin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Ankara has launched an operation on the ground to oust Kurdish militia from the Syrian town of Afrin.

French president warns UK can’t keep full access to EU
French President Emmanuel Macron suggested that Britain is likely to negotiate a unique relationship with the European Union before it leaves the bloc next year, while stressing that any agreement must be consistent with EU rules.

Iraq’s Kurdistan PM due in Tehran today
The Prime Minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani is scheduled to arrive in Tehran today on a two-day visit to hold talks with Iranian officials.

President, new ambassadors stress better ties
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani held meetings with new ambassadors of Cuba, Cyprus, Ghana, Chile and Poland, during which both sides stressed expansion of relations.

Iran: US invasion deteriorated Afghan security situation
Iranian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Es’haq Al-e Habib said the US invasion of Afghanistan has merely led to the deterioration of the security situation in the Asian country, urging enhanced economic ties with Kabul to pave the way for an international fight against terrorism there.

Tehran prosecutor: 54 indictments issued following riots
Tehran’s prosecutor said 54 indictments have been issued against those arrested in the capital for rioting and destroying public property during the recent unrest.

Tehran Times

No sense to stay in JCPOA if new conditions set: Takht-Ravanchi
Majid Takht-Ravanchi, deputy director of the presidential chief of staff for political affairs, has said that it would be “nonsense” for Iran to stay in the 2015 nuclear agreement if the U.S. links the survival of the deal to new conditions.

Golestan Palace, source of inspiration at Fajr festival
Tehran’s architectural treasure, the lavish Golestan Palace, will provide Iranian fashion designers with inspiration at the coming edition of Fajr International Fashion and Clothing Festival.

Iraqi PM meets Kurdistan PM Barzani: official
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi met on Saturday in Baghdad with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region’s Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, a Kurdish official said.

TOD may be a way round air pollution, traffic jam
While air pollution and torturous traffic jam are plaguing city dwellers, especially people residing in the Iranian capital, the government is mulling over implementing transit-oriented development (TOD) programs.

Fallen firefighters commemorated on Plasco anniversary
People commemorated the brave firefighters who lost their lives trying to save people from the Plasco building, a shopping center which caught on fire and collapsed on January 19, 2017.

Rouhani receives credentials of four ambassadors
President Hassan Rouhani received credentials of new ambassadors of Cuba, Ghana, Chile and Cyprus in separate meetings on Saturday.

Tehran blames U.S. for deteriorating Afghan security
A senior Iranian diplomat has blamed the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan as the main cause for the
deterioration of security situation in the central Asian country.

Germany weighs new sanctions against Iran: report
Germany is lobbying among European allies to agree new sanctions against Iran in an attempt to prevent U.S. President Donald Trump from terminating an international deal curbing Tehran’s nuclear program, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Saturday.