Iran

Tehran, Nov 18, AFP/GANASHAKTI:  Iran condemned the United States' support for "rioters" in a statement issued late Sunday, after two days of violent protests in the Islamic republic against a petrol price hike.

The foreign ministry said that it was reacting to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's "expression of support... for a group of rioters in some cities of Iran and condemned such support and interventionist remarks".

18 November 2019; AFP: Iran has slammed a US show of support for "rioters," after violent protests sparked by a decision to impose petrol price hikes and rationing in the sanctions-hit country.

Major roads have been blocked, banks torched and public buildings attacked in the nationwide unrest that has left at least two dead -- a civilian and a policeman.

16 Nov 2019; MEMO: Iran is not calling for the elimination of the Jewish people, but believes people of all religions should decide Israel’s future, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday, reported Reuters.

Since its Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has refused to recognise Israel and has backed militant Palestinian groups. Israel has long accused Iran of seeking its destruction and regards Tehran as its main enemy in the Middle East.

Tehran, Nov 15, IRNA - President Hassan Rouhani on Friday said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is seeking unity and fraternity among the regional states as well as following the teachings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

The president was addressing a meeting between the country's officials along with participants of the International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran with Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

12 Nov 2019; MEMO: President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday Iran would regain access to the international arms market later next year if it stuck to its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and this would prove “a huge political success”, reports Reuters.

However, while a United Nations-imposed arms embargo on Iran is supposed to be lifted in October 2020, five years after the nuclear deal took effect, it is questionable whether that will transpire given the recent unravelling of the accord.

11 Nov 2019; MEMO: In the presence of the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation Ali Akbar Salehi Russian officials and contractors, Iran laid down the cornerstone of the second Bushehr Nuclear Plant, the New Khaleej reported yesterday.

Salehi had previously announced that construction of the second Bushehr Nuclear Plant would start yesterday and work on the third facility would begin soon.

TEHRAN, November 10. /TASS/: The construction of the second stage of the Bushehr nuclear power plant jointly with Russia has started in Iran, IRIB broadcaster has reported.

The ceremony is attended by Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran has discovered a new oil field in the country’s south with over 50 billion barrels of crude oil, its president said Sunday, a find that could boost the country’s proven reserves by a third as it struggles to sell energy abroad over U.S. sanctions.

The announcement by Hassan Rouhani comes as Iran faces crushing American sanctions after the U.S. pulled out of its nuclear deal with world powers last year.

9 Nov 2019; MEMO: On Friday Iranian authorities confirmed reports that Iranian defence forces have downed a foreign drone in the early morning, over the port city of Mahshahr, IRNA reported.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck northwestern Iran early Friday, killing at least five people and injuring over 300 others, officials said.

The temblor struck Tark county in Iran’s Eastern Azerbaijan province at 2:17 a.m., Iran’s seismological center said. The area is some 400 kilometers (250 miles) northwest of Iran’s capital, Tehran.