Iran

Tehran, Oct 3, IRNA – Head of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that the force has arrested a group of terrorist intending to assassinate Major-General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of IRGC Quds Force.

The Hebrew-Arab services had planned to assassinate General Soleimani, which failed with the assassination group being arrested by the IRGC intelligence service, said Hossein Taeb.

TEHRAN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that the United States should not use oil market for its political ends, Financial Tribune daily reported on Thursday.

The energy industry should remain apolitical to prevent unwanted and unhelpful interference by "hostile regimes" like the administration in Washington, Zanganeh made the remarks in Moscow of Russia on Wednesday.

2 Oct 2019; MEMO: Iran’s judiciary sentenced Hossein Fereydoun, brother and adviser of President Hassan Rouhani, to five years in prison, Tuesday.

Fars News Agency quoted judicial spokesman Gholam Hossein Ismaili as saying: “the judiciary has sentenced Rouhani’s brother, Hossein Fereydoun, to five years in prison.”

Ismaili said in a press conference that the Court of Appeal issued the final verdict of five years commuted from seven years against Fereydoun.

TEHRAN, Oct 2 (NNN-TASNIM) – Iranian Parliament Speaker, Ali Larijani, welcomed Saudi Arabia’s proposal to hold talks to resolve mutual issues.

“We welcome (Saudi Crown Prince) Mohammed bin Salman, being quoted as saying he wants to resolve issues through talks with Tehran,” Larijani said.

Any dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia could help solve many security and political issues, he said.

On Sunday, Crown Prince Mohammed reportedly said that he would prefer a political and peaceful solution to a military one, to resolve its disputes with Iran.

TEHRAN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Monday announced that it welcomes dialogue with Saudi Arabia to settle mutual issues and talks with regional states to set up a coalition for the security of the region.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that "there has always been a chance to solve these problems (with Saudi Arabia) through dialogue."

Iran welcomes any mediatory attempt to calm tensions with Saudi Arabia, Mousavi said, expressing hope that the Saudi side is also "ready" for alleviating tensions.

30 Sep 2019; MEMO: Iran’s oil minister, Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, has ordered his country’s energy sector to raise its alert levels against cyber and military attacks that could target the oil industry.

Zanganeh’s remarks came in a statement yesterday on the occasion of the National Day of Fire Safety.

TEHRAN, Iran, Sept 30 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s defence minister, said Sunday, that, Iran will give strong response to any “act of aggression” against the country, Press TV reported.

“We will deal severely with the slightest act of aggression on the country,” Amir Hatami was quoted as saying.

Iran is currently capable of meeting all its defence requirements, Hatami said, adding that, the fight against terrorists and the downing of an “intruding” U.S. drone, are proof of Iran’s defence might.

TEHRAN, Sept 30 (NNN-TASNIM) – Iran and Turkey are in talks, to set up an automotive joint venture, Eghtesadonline news website quoted an Iranian deputy minister of the industry ministry as saying.

The two sides are working on a deal that envisages the joint production of passenger vehicles, Hossein Modarres said.

“As soon as the terms and conditions of the agreement are finalised, the project will be launched,” Modarres said.

28 Sep 2019; MEMO: On Friday, the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani revealed via his official website, that the US have offered to lift all sanctions imposed on Tehran, in return for holding discussions.

TEHRAN, Sept 26 (NNN-TASNIM) – Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), Abdolnaser Hemmati, announced that, Iran is using national currencies and euro, in bilateral trade with Russia and Turkey.

Hemmati said that, Iran currently does not use U.S. dollar in its trade with Russia and Turkey, and “this trend is gradually removing the U.S. dollar from (Iran’s) trade cycle.”