Saudi Arabia is in Dire Straits

Viktor Mikhin

Iran’s government spokesman, Ali Rabiei announced Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had sent a series of letters to the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in an effort to promote peace and stability in the region. Ali Rabiei emphasized all the Gulf states have their interests in the region. “Transregional countries, even a superpower like the US, act only on the basis of their interests in the region, and they will abandon the region if their interests are not respected,” he said.

Iran has repeatedly underlined its willingness to negotiate with Saudi Arabia in order to eliminate any misunderstandings between both countries. “The Islamic Republic has announced that it is always open to negotiations with its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, with or without an intermediary. So if there are any misunderstandings, they can be removed,” the Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said last month. He added that regional countries should not allow for any events which would enable “third parties and transregional states to profit of this situation.”

Of course, the Western media, which are well-known for their bias, immediately declared that all these proposals were untrue and that Riyadh, despite its deep and bitter disappointment with Western policies, stands firmly alongside the West. However, the ongoing secret negotiations were confirmed by none other than the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, Khaled Al-Jarallah. In particular, he stated his country had transferred certain messages from Iran to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain regarding the situation in the Persian Gulf region. It is also noteworthy that the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who recently turned 90 but still firmly rules his Emirate, has always supported and still stands for a peaceful solution to all points of frictions, especially between his neighbor states. Regarding any contentious and difficult issues, the Emir still acts as the initiator of peace talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran, especially considering the fact that there is a large Shia population in Kuwait.

So far, according to Saudi media sources, Riyadh has been carefully studying Tehran’s proposals, which are aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries. And that could serve to improve the situation in the region in general. But even this vague prospect of mending relations between the two neighbors caused hysteria and fear in Western and pro-Western countries, especially the United States and Israel. On the one hand, upgraded air defense equipment was immediately flown to Saudi Arabia with US personnel, and on the other, countless negotiations were held at various levels, including between Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Rather demagogically, the US Secretary of State reminded his Saudi counterpart of the far-reaching history of the development of strategic relations between the Kingdom and the USA, and that the latter plays an important role in protecting Saudi interests in their relations with all its neighbors in the Gulf.

And finally, CIA Director Gina Haspel arrived in Riyadh; her ‘hints’, however, were instantly understood by the Crown Prince, who had evaded such a high-level meeting. The King had to be lectured by Mrs. Haspel instead—one is ready to go to any lengths for one’s beloved son. It is true that for all his endurance, the King felt great discomfort. After all, he is a descendant of the Bedu, who are used to seeing a woman busy cooking in her part of the tent, but now he had to listen to a female lecture him with an overbearing overseas undertone. According to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the parties discussed ‘a number of topics of mutual interest.’ And what about the details? What did all knowledgeable journalists write about?

Gina Haspel, with her vast experience as director of US correctional institutions, clearly explained the consequences of 9/11 to the proud Bedouin descendant. It is alleged that Saudi subjects played the main part in the terrorist attacks, and then their fellow countryman Osama bin Laden took the blame. And what if the current administration grants the opportunity to the relatives of the victims of these events to take legal action? In that case, it won’t just be the royal family who will go broke, but all of Saudi Arabia will be bankrupt, and all the trillions dollars of Saudi investments into the US will have to be forgotten.

Gina Haspel hinted to the King, rather straightforwardly, that the recent successful drone and missile attack had been still carried out from the country’s western border, making obvious the reason why at that moment, the entire radar system of numerous American bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and, indeed, Saudi Arabia itself had been disabled. Another hint followed—that without American help, such a raid could happen again, causing considerable damage not only to the oil industry, but also to the Crown Prince’s ambitious plans to arrange a profitable IPO for the gigantic ARAMCO, whose shares have went down. After all, the poor Yemenites, who took the blame for the successful raid, are certainly not going to buy a part of the shares of the very profitable Saudi company. It will be very interesting to find out, who will end up becoming the main buyer of Saudi shares. And now, applying the tried and tested Cui bono method of the ancients, we can draw the correct conclusion about the initiators of the recent raid on Saudi oil enterprises.

Indeed, President Trump didn’t send Haspel so far to Riyadh on a whim; the CIA Director is used to speaking bluntly with her ‘clients.’ Gina Haspel also intimidated the elderly King by insinuating that the International Court was just waiting for the US’ go-ahead to deal with his son’s presumed role in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It is interesting that the Saudi media limited their coverage of this meeting to catch phrases such as ‘talks about the mutual interests of the two countries.’ Apparently, they were denied any further information.

But a sharp turn in the foreign policy of Riyadh occurred at once. Foreign Minister Adele Al-Jubair promptly and firmly stated that the appeasement policy won’t work with Iran and that the only way to force Tehran to enter negotiations is to exert maximum pressure on it. Then again, the Saudi Minister should be reminded that the messages from the leadership of Iran to the Saudi King are aimed precisely at active steps and negotiations. As the facts show, however, the King is not free to make independent decisions without consulting Washington.

Israel, as always, added fuel to the Middle Eastern fire. The country’s foreign intelligence agency Mossad and the Israeli Military Intelligence (Aman) believe that Iran is capable of creating nuclear weapons not in a few months, as was previously thought, but in a few weeks or even days. As for an atomic bomb, the Islamic Republic may produce one ‘in no less than in a year.’ This information was provided by an ‘informed source’ in an interview with the Israeli radio station KAN Reshet Bet, the Ynet news website reports. The signal from the Israeli intelligence community came as a reaction to the words of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who expressed concerns about the ‘Iran’s escalation in the nuclear field’ and the risk of Tehran’s ‘rapid nuclear breakthrough,’ calling for increased international pressure on Iranian authorities. Washington reacted most seriously to the information that during the night of November 7, Iran had resumed the enrichment of uranium to a level necessary for weapon production. Works are being conducted at the facility in Fordo, where 1,044 centrifuges are located.

Such statements caused confusion and fear in Riyadh, where it is believed that this turn of events, regardless of Western allies, will bring the Kingdom onto the verge of defeat and collapse. Moreover, Iran seems to be on the winning side in its battle against Saudi Arabia for regional leadership, the BBC writes with reference to an analysis conducted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

Although Tehran’s opponents have spent a lot of money on the purchase of Western weapons (which turned out to be fake and unable to protect the Kingdom), the Islamic Republic only strengthened. The network of Iranian influence covers Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries. To maintain it, Iran uses a system of alliances—the ‘proxy militia.’ According to the report, the Quds Force—an elite unit of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps—played a prominent role in expanding the country’s influence.

The trigger for Iran’s rapid growth in power was, ironically, the overturning of Saddam Hussein’s regime in the neighboring Republic of Iraq in 2003, which had been carried out by a US-led coalition. There is no contradiction here: Iraqi statehood, previously ruled by Sunni Arabs, served as a reliable barrier against Iran. The American army, under the leadership of its ‘wise’ Presidents, crushed this buffer, uncaring about the harmful consequences they themselves would suffer.

Saudi Arabia is now headed for difficult times. Given the King is very old, a change of power may occur at any time. The big question is whether his son, the Crown Prince, will be able to ascend the throne and escape the snares of the complex issues plaguing the state both domestically and in matters of foreign policy.

Viktor Mikhin, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.”

Iran standing at forefront of anti-Israel battles: Rouhani

The 33rd International Islamic Unity Conference begins in Tehran, Iran, on November 14, 2019. (Photo by Tasnim)

President Hassan Rouhani says the US and its allies have failed in their attempts to portray Israel as a “normal country” just like others in the region thanks to the vigilance in the Muslim world, praising Iran as the flag-bearer of struggles against the occupying entity.

“We should not doubt that the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation are on the front line of the battle against the arrogance and the Zionist regime,” Rouhani told the 33rd International Islamic Unity Conference, which opened in Tehran on Thursday morning.

“This, of course, does not mean that the nations of Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Yemen are not on the front line, but Islamic Iran is the establishment that has paid the highest price for resistance and standing up to the US and Zionism over the past 41 years.”

PressTV-Leader: Palestine will eventually be liberated

Ayatollah Khamenei says Palestine will finally be freed from the grip of enemies with Jerusalem al-Quds with its capital.

Rouhani also said enemies have in recent years tried to consign to oblivion the issue of Palestine and Jerusalem al-Quds as the main problem facing the Muslim world, but Muslim scholars have not allowed and will not allow such a thing to happen.

The enemies, he added, have also sought to make Muslims forget the crimes committed by the West — led by the US — against the Islamic world.

“They wanted Israel to be accepted by all Muslim people in the region, even by the Palestinians, as a normal and typical country,” he said.

“Today, no one in the region and the Islamic world has any doubt that ... the US and the Zionist regime have been the root cause of all war, massacre, bloodshed and division in our region at least over the past three decades,” he said.

Rouhani also cited the massacre of people in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen as well as disputes among Muslim countries as examples of “ominous” US plots in the region.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (C) delivers a speech at the 33rd International Islamic Unity Conference, Tehran, November 14, 2019. (Photo by Tasnim)

Addressing the conference, Bahrain’s top Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim urged the Muslim nations to tighten their ranks and not to abandon the Palestinians in the face of the Zionist regime’s oppression.

He further enumerated Palestine, Jerusalem al-Quds and the al-Aqsa Mosque as the ideals of the Muslim Ummah, adding that some Arabic establishments have turned their back to Palestine by submitting to the already-failed US deal.

Naim Qassem, the deputy secretary general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement, also delivered a speech at the event, saying it is a “collective responsibility” to work towards liberating Palestine.

He highlighted the need for the Muslim world to put up resistance in the face of Israel, saying it was “resistance that saved us from tribal and sectarian rifts.”

The conference marks the birth anniversary of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Themed “Ummah unity in defending the al-Aqsa Mosque,” the event will run until November 16, with 350 personalities from 93 countries in attendance.

 The International Islamic Unity Conference is held annually in an effort to lay the ground for stronger unity and solidarity among Muslims and provide solutions for their problems.

Would the U.S. Allow Imran Khan’s Goodwill Mission to Succeed?

By: Kayhan Int’l 

The peaceful policies of the Islamic Republic; its insistence on diplomacy to resolve misunderstandings and conflicts; its endeavours to promote trade, cultural, scientific and all other bilateral and multilateral ties; and its staunch support for the denied rights of the oppressed, is known to the whole world, which also very well knows that Iran neither imposes itself upon others nor has attacked any country, but at the same time it resolutely defends itself in the face of any aggression.
This clear cut stance of Iran was among the reasons that brought Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan Niyazi to Tehran on a goodwill mission, which in his own words is his personal initiative and not any kind of mediation to make the region tension-free through exploring the prospects of a dialogue with Saudi Arabia.
The former Cricket Captain’s sporting spirit is highly appreciative, and during his press conference with his host, President Hassan Rouhani, he was assured that any good gesture will indeed be reciprocated in like manner by Islamic Iran, which expects sincere and concrete measures – and not empty words – to end the crises in the region.
Imran Khan’s hopes, however, of starting a dialogue between Iran and the U.S. for ending sanctions, or more properly America’s economic terrorism, seemed far- fetched, given the untrustworthy, if not criminal nature of President Donald Trump, and Iran’s principled stand that any talks depend on Washington’s rejoining the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action) regarding Iran’s inalienable right to peaceful nuclear energy, which the American president had blatantly breached.   

The honourable guest, also heard the remarks of the Iranian President during the joint press conference that those who made the big blunder of targeting the Iranian oil tanker, SABITI, with missiles off the Red Sea port of Jeddah, will be receive due punishment once the investigations are complete regarding their identity.
Imran Khan, who is on his second official visit to Iran since becoming Prime Minister – the previous one was in last April when he directly landed in holy Mashhad from Islamabad to pay respects at the blessed shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Infallible Heir of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) – seems to have chosen the appropriate time for the present trip when scores of thousands of Pakistani pilgrims on their way to Karbala for commemorating the Arb’aeen anniversary of the Chief of Martyrs, Imam Husain (AS), are being accorded the best of hospitality, as an indication of the fraternal bonds between the two friendly Muslim neighbours.
These ties could be further enhanced, if Pakistan were to shrug off pressures by the meddling Americans and their regional clients, to increase the volume of bilateral trade with Iran from the present 2 billion dollars per annum to 5 billion dollars.
Islamabad should take the courageous step of connecting its side of the joint border with Iran’s natural gas pipeline which will indeed greatly benefit the Pakistani economy and the Pakistani people, more than the few million dollars that the regime in Riyadh doles out to prevent any such link.
In the words of Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmoud Qureshi, who is accompanying his Prime Minister: "Saudi Arabia is our strategic partner, whereas Iran is a friend and neighbour. We are seeking that misunderstandings between the two Muslim countries will be cleared through talks.”
Sweet words indeed, but goodwill requires real change of heart, coupled with practical measures, and not any fruitless rounds of diplomacy, which will neither stop the war in Yemen nor end the unwanted American presence in the region.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who cordially received the Chief Guest from Pakistan, was frank and forthright in this regard when he pointed out to the mischief wrought by Riyadh in destabilizing Syria and Iraq, and said: "We presented a four-point plan long ag for end of the war in Yemen that could have restored stability, but unfortunately certain countries seem to be acting as per the dictates of the US.
He also made it clear to Imran Khan that Iran has never aggressed any country, but those looking for a fight will deeply regret it.
The Pakistani Prime Minister said he intends to travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to apprise Riyadh of Tehran’s principled position.
All the best for his sincere endeavours, which seems to be a gargantuan task to succeed, in view of the presence of CENTCOM terrorists all over the region and the subservience of regional states to the U.S.

THE UK MUST RELEASE THE IRANIAN TANKER; THE UAE’S MISSION TO TEHRAN

By Elijah J. Magnier

Before Emmanuel Bonne, the special envoy of the French President Emmanuel Macron to Iran, visited President Hassan Rouhani, he promised to deal with the “Grace I” crisis between Iran and the UK. Iran considered the UK confiscation of its supertanker, loaded with two million barrels of oil, an act of unlawful piracy and threatened to retaliate for the British Navy attack on the Iranian tanker that had received permission to enter Gibraltar’s waters for provisions and spare parts. The French intervention led to the release of the captain and sailors. In exchange, Iranian diplomacy promised “not to attack any UK ship sailing in the waters of the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman” pending release of the super tanker “Grace I” with permission to continue to its destination, as high-ranking sources in Tehran confirmed; if release and permission is not forthcoming, the UK can expect consequences. 

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy patrols the waters of the Persian Gulf and carries out routine inspections of ships, without necessarily aiming to stop any ship or tanker. This routine activity was seen by the British as an attempt to kidnap a British ship and raised further concerns for the safety of free navigation in the Persian Gulf.

Sources within the IRGC said: “If Iran were willing to hit British targets or ships, it would not take the form of a direct confrontation; the message would be conveyed in a more implicit way. This could happen if the UK doesn’t release our supertanker, detained in Gibraltar. The supertanker has the legal right to go anywhere. Europe has no leverage over Iran to dictate the destination of its oil production to any country in the world. We have the power to intercept and block any UK ship sailing and force an inspection. This sort of procedure could trigger a military confrontation that both countries would wish to avoid. It is time for the UK to behave as a European country and not as an American colony”.

Iranian officials are convinced that the US wanted to send a message to Iran when Trump’s administration prevailed on the UK government to detain “Grace I”. The US message is a response to Iran’s downing of the most sophisticated US drone over Iran. London may be better off not wedding itself to the unilateral, belligerent and unlawful US policy towards the Middle East, and in particular vis-à-vis Iran, and thus avoid vengeful retaliation from Iran. Already European officials are complaining to their Iranian counterparts about the independent and autarchic policy of the UK, which nevertheless remains part of the European Union.

“Iran has already directed many hits to the US: President Rouhani rejected 12 US requests to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump. Also, Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei insulted Trump when he refused to open Trump’s letter conveyed by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Moreover, the IRGC, now on the US terrorism list, downed a US drone over the Gulf and the Americans were incapable of retaliating. Trump wanted to hit several Iranian unoccupied targets to save face. He was confronted by the Iranian determination to hit back by targeting US and Middle Eastern objectives, in particular, the countries hosting US bases”, said the source. 

“In addition, the sabotage of oil tankers at al-Fujairah and another hit in the Gulf of Oman, may trigger a concentration of US and coalition naval forces in the Gulf. If this takes place, it means US, EU and other naval forces will be patrolling the Gulf waters. That will be, for us, a blessing: instead of us targeting objectives that are far away from us, we shall have these naval targets a short distance from our missiles. For example, if a jet carrier is dispatched to our waters, it is in our view a floating coffin with thousands of men onboard. The missiles made in Iran can destroy any target in case of war waged on our country. Therefore, we do not fear the US coalition naval force because any mistake will trigger larger and more profound consequences”, confirm the sources.

During recent weeks, high ranking officials from the United Arab Emirates visited Tehran to discuss with Iranian officials a new policy towards the Middle East. The Emirates have decided to alter their belligerent policy towards Yemen and Iran, and wish like to avoid to seeing their country targeted.

“The UAE would like to avoid seeing their country transformed into a battlefield between the US and Iran in case of war, particularly if Trump is re-elected. The Emirates officials noted that the US did not respond to Iran’s retaliation in the Gulf and in particularly when the US drone was downed. This indicates that Iran is prepared for confrontation and will implement its explicit menace, to hit any country from which the US carries out their attacks on Iran. We want to be out of all this”, an Emirates official told his Iranian counterpart in Tehran.

Iran promised to talk to the Yemeni officials to avoid hitting targets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as long as the UAE pulls out its forces from the Yemen and stops this useless war. Saudi Crown Prime Mohammad Bin Salman is finding himself without his main Emirates ally, caught in a war that is unwinnable for the Saudi regime. The Yemeni Houthis have taken the initiative, hitting several Saudi strategic targets. Saudi Arabia has no realistic objectives and seems to have lost the appetite to continue the war in Yemen.

But the Saudis are not the only ones struggling: Europe is itself divided on the best policy to adopt towards Iran. The British government claims to oppose the US unilateral and unlawful withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal, but is acting as a US vassal in the case of the Grace I super tanker. The French and the Germans are against this British behaviour and would like to see Iran comply with the nuclear deal; they want to offer an effective financial channel “INSTEX” which will particularly distance themselves from the US.

Iran is exporting its oil, unworried by US threats and sanctions. Russia has promised to step in if Europe fails to satisfy Iran with its INSTEX system. China is buying oil from Iran, kicking US sanctions in the teeth. Emirates are now asking for Iran’s protection, or at least for a no-war deal. Trump will have to face up to exactly what Obama’s administration realised: sanctions never worked, Iran survived regardless of them. Even if Trump’s motive is to challenge any deal signed by Obama, he will soon find out that his “maximum pressure” is unworkable, it won’t bring Iran to the table. It is a very hurtful and damaging outcome that will definitely be used against Trump by his political opponents in the 2020 electoral campaign. Trump has committed himself to a lost war, and will not come out of this situation undamaged even if re-elected.

Lebanese Paper: Iran-Iraq Alliance Able to Control Israel's Expansionism

TEHRAN (FNA)- A leading Lebanese newspaper hailed the growing ties between Iran and Iraq, saying that alliance between the two countries could block Israel's expansionist policies.

"A free and successful Iraq will establish bonds among its different tribes and can undoubtedly take the leadership of the Arabian Peninsula to Yemen in coordination with Syria and it can create a strong Arab order to stop Israel's occupation and expansionism and prevent collapse of the Arab countries in alliance with Iran," the Arabic-language al-Bana reported on Monday.

The paper underlined that such an alliance would definitely benefit the Middle-East which wants to free itself from the yoke of the US hegemony.

The article also underscored the importance of President Hassan Rouhani's trip to Iraq and reciprocal visit by Iraqi Prime MinisterAdel Abdul Mahdi to Tehran, noting that attempts made by the US and certain regional states to undermine and disrupt the alliance between the two countries have all failed so far.

Abdul Mahdi arrived in Tehran on Saturday to meet the high-ranking Iranian officials, specially Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.

In a meeting with Abdul Mahdi, Ayatollah Khamenei said that Baghdad government should pave the way for the expulsion of the US troops from Iraq without any further delay.

"The presence of the US troops in the region, including Iraq, could harm the interests of any country where they had established a long pres ence, while at the same time the US and its stooges in the region oppose the current democratic process in Iraq and believe that it would be against their interests," Ayatollah Khamenei said while calling on the Iraqi prime minister to expedite the exit of the American troops from that country. 

Iran's Supreme Leader further said that the Iraqi government, parliament and current political activists are not favored by the US and therefore Washington is hatching plots to eliminate them from Iraq's political scene.

"Despite their remarks, the Americans regard democracy and Iraq's current political activists to their detriment and based on this, the Iraqi government should do something to ensure that American military troops will leave Iraq as soon as possible," Ayatollah Khamenei added.

The Supreme Leader, meantime, pointed to the status quo of Iran-Iraq relations, and said, "Relations between Tehran and Baghdad are beyond (normal) relations between two neighboring countries and the Iranian government and nation regard progress and prosperity of Iraq as beneficial to themselves."

Ayatollah Khamenei, meantime, reiterated that Iraq could turn into the Arab world’s most influential country thanks to its human capacities and rich resources.

The Supreme Leader also pointed to contradictory remarks and intentions of American and Saudi officials, and said, "They funneled money, weapons and equipment to Daesh (the ISIL) at a time that the terrorists had occupied Mosul, and now that Iraq has overcome Daesh, they are uttering friendly words."

Ayatollah Khamenei lauded Abdul-Mahdi's wise and prudent stance on regional issues, particularly the developments in Iraq, and said, "The Iraqi youth were among the country's human capacities that had passed the exam of the fight against Daesh terrorists in a good and admirable way and marked a historical event."

The Supreme Leader recalled that scientists and elites were among Iraq's other human capacities, and said, "The US had killed many Iraqi scientists because it was aware of the significance of this important asset."

Ayatollah Khamenei, meantime, reiterated the importance of maintaining full vigilance against the ISIL remnants because they will once again embark on their crimes, if they feel a moment of weakness among the Iraqi government and nation.

The Supreme Leader further said that the Iranian and Iraqi nations had common beliefs and cultural and historic bonds.

During the meeting, which was also attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the Iraqi prime minister said the Iranian government and nation had always supported the Iraqis in difficult times, particularly in their fight against the ISIL.

The Iraqi Prime Minister, for his part, voiced his satisfaction in his country's relations with Iran, emphasizing that Iraq would never be part of the US sanctions against Tehran.

Earlier on Saturday in a joint press conference with President Rouhani, Abdul Mahdi, reiterated that Baghdad owes its peace and security to Tehran.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran helped us in the fight against terrorism and we managed to achieve many victories that contributed to the current peace and stability in Iraq," the Iraqi Prime Minister said at the presser.

"We believe that it was due to Iran’s support that Iraq succeeded in reaching this point, he added," he added.

The Iraqi prime minister also stressed that his country is resolved to prevent any group from using its soil to launch threats against Iran.

In a relevant development in early March, President Rouhani visited Iraq and the two countries sealed many agreements during the first visit of Rouhani to the Arab country.

During a meeting between a high-ranking delegation from Iran and senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad on March 11, the Iranian president said that Tehran was ready to increase the volume of its energy exports to Iraq.

Iran opens 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference with a harsh attack on U.S.

by Abdus Sattar Ghazali 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday (Nov 24)  called for Muslim unity and resistance against what he called “hostile” policies of the United States and Israel.

“Muslims have no way but to remain united in order to achieve victory over the US and fight its blatant oppression,” Rouhani told  the 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference which kicked off in the capital Tehran earlier in the day.

“Submitting to the West headed by America would be treason against our religion … and against the future generations of this region,” Rouhani told the international conference.

In an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states which have close relations with the United States, President Rohani said:  “We have a choice to either roll out red carpets for criminals, or to forcefully stand against injustice and remain faithful to our Prophet, our Koran and our Islam.”

Iran and Saudi Arabia are presumed regional rivals as they supported opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen and different political factions in Iraq and Lebanon.

“We are ready to defend the interests of the Saudi people against terrorism, aggression and the superpowers… and we don’t ask for $450 billion to do it,” Rouhani said, referring to Saudi Arabia’s contracts with the United States.

“You gifted them $450 billion to guarantee your security; you purchased $110 billion worth of weapons. You were told you were a milk cow which had to be milked. They told you without them you would not last two weeks.”

“Today, the Muslim world is alone and Muslims should join hands. Relying on outsiders is the biggest historical mistake,” he said adding:

“Today, there is no way for Muslims except unity and solidarity and if we unite, we can undoubtedly score a victory against the Zionists and the Americans.”

President Rouhani said unity and brotherhood among Islamic countries must be assumed as a duty. Unity, however, cannot be achieved with words and requires collective action, he said.

The 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference began in the Iranian capital under the motto “Quds, axis of unity among Ummah.”

The event is held annually on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad in a bid to lay the ground for stronger solidarity among Muslims and provide appropriate solutions to their problems.

According to Xinhua news agency, high-ranking political officials and religious figures, including 10 ministers and 40 Muftis, most senior religious scholars, were participating in the Nov. 24-26 international event.

The First International Islamic Unity Conference was inaugurated in 1987 in Tehran, Iran. After holding the 4th Islamic unity conference which was organized by Islamic Promotions Organization of Iran, then Ayatollah Khamenei as the supreme leader of Iran ordered to establish “the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought”, since then, the conference is organized by the mentioned forum.

Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the Chief Editor of the Journal of America (www.journalofamerica.net) 

World Rejects Trump’s Unilateralism

TEHRAN (FNA)- On Tuesday, September 25, the international civil society rejected US President Donald Trump’s call for rejecting globalism and embracing patriotism at a speech to the United Nations General Assembly that was interrupted by derisive laughter from world leaders.

In the course of the bombastic address, Trump highlighted the achievements of his presidency, lashed out at enemies – Iran foremost among them – and railed against multilateralism in its spiritual home, the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

In one of the more remarkable moments in the history of the annual UN summit, the chamber broke out in spontaneous laughter at Trump’s claim that “in less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country”. Clearly taken aback, Trump said, “I didn’t expect that reaction, but that’s OK.”

But he also didn’t expect that Washington’s traditional allies in Europe would also reject his one-man foreign policy and “nationalism”. His damaging actions and obnoxious is the reason why the world is in turmoil now. World leaders laughed at him and didn’t stand by idly in the face of his assault on globalism, multilateralism, human rights and international institutions.

What Trump and his one-man foreign policy has done to the world is not a joke and certainly the UN General Assembly is not a comedy club for a thunderous recitation of his “America First” policies or go-it-alone views that have strained US relationships with the world and destabilized the planet.

While addressing the assembly, for instance, French President Emmanuel Macron discredited Trump after the US president urged the world to isolate Iran, accusing it of sponsoring terrorism and sowing "chaos, death and destruction" in the Middle East. This is while the country is still in the 2015 nuclear deal despite Trump's withdrawal from it, and 12 reports by the International Atomic Energy Organization have substantiated that.

Macron, nevertheless, called for "dialogue and multilateralism" on Iran, shortly after Trump promised hard-hitting sanctions against Tehran. Just like his Chinese, Russia, British and German counterparts, Macron credited the historic nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015.

Reality slapped Trump in the face again when Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took aim at him in yet another defiant speech. In a direct reference to the United States and its Middle Eastern allies, Rouhani condemned the “recklessness of some states for international values,” and the fact that while most leaders use their time on the UN stage to list the international agreements they have made or helped to protect, Trump clearly delighted in telling the world how many such pieces of paper he had voided.

Trump may not fully understand why his second address at the General Assembly was met largely by silence from the “globalist” enemy and why world leaders laughed at him. As Rouhani made clear, they all care about facts, as “confronting multilateralism is not a sign of strength. Rather it is a symptom of the weakness of intellect - it betrays an inability in understanding a complex and interconnected world.”

By most accounts, the law of the survival of the fittest, protectionism and isolationism that Trump advocated at the UN will only lead to heightened tensions and conflicts across the globe. It is up to world leaders, therefore, to say no to Trump’s erosion of multilateralism.

World leaders have a duty to stand up for global peace and security. Under International Law and the UN Charter, they must safeguard multilateralism and collective action in international affairs, and reject Trump’s “doctrine of patriotism” and “economic terrorism.” They must reject the obsolete manifesto for ‘nativitism’ and ‘nationalism’ that Trump advocates in the world.

Iranian, Bolivian Presidents Urge Closer Political, Economic Ties

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Bolivian counterpart, Evo Morales, discussed a host of topics, including ways to deepen bilateral relations between the two countries in all economic and political areas.  

Speaking at the meeting in New York on Monday, Rouhani hailed the 
commonalities between the Iranian and Bolivian nations and said Tehran 
and La Paz should make further efforts to develop mutual cooperation.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to develop its relations with Latin 
American countries, particularly Bolivia, in various fields of economic, 
medical, scientific, technological and technological affairs,” he said. 

Rouhani further described the resistance of the Iranian and Bolivian nations in 
the face of US interference and unilateralism as significant and
said, “Preserving national independence and dignity is very important to the 
Iranian nation.”

Morales, for his part, offered his condolences over a recent terrorist attack 
in Iran’s southwestern city of Ahvaz, which killed 25 people and injured dozens 
more.

He also underlined the importance of closer ties between Iran and Bolivia and 
said 
the two countries are strategic partners in their struggle to serve their 
national interests.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Rouhani arrived in New York on Sunday 
evening to participate in the annual meeting of the United Nations General 
Assembly.

Speaking to reporters at John F. Kennedy International Airport upon his 
arrival, Rouhani said he will have sideline meetings and interviews during the 
trip.

Citing the “different atmosphere” of this year’s General Assembly meeting,
the president said, “Americans have unfortunately reneged on many of 
their commitments across the world, including their commitments under the 
JCPOA (the 2015 Iran nuclear deal).”

The president also said that the UNGA provides an opportunity for a better 
explication of the US breach of international regulations.

On May 8, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of 
the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was achieved in 
Vienna in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 
(Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

Diktat diplomacy

BY JOHN CHERIAN

The United States is piling the pressure on India to whittle down its oil imports from Iran and retreat from the Chabahar port project.

THE United States has been piling the pressure on India in its ongoing efforts to isolate Iran after the Trump administration unceremoniously reneged on the historic nuclear deal that the Barack Obama administration had signed with the country. All the other signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), including close allies of the U.S. like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, have said that they will honour the deal and will not reimpose sanctions on Iran. President Donald Trump, however, seems to have made the reimposition of sanctions a priority issue for his administration. He had raised the issue with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during their recent meeting in Helsinki.

The Russian side has been openly critical of the American decision to unilaterally scrap the nuclear deal. China, which imports a lot of Iranian oil and gas, is unfazed by threats from the White House to blacklist companies and countries buying oil from Iran. In fact, Chinese companies placed new orders for Iranian oil after the U.S. government issued the warning. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in the first week of August that Beijing stood firmly against unilateral American sanctions and emphasised that “China and Iran unwaveringly maintain normal trade and economic ties”. The Iranian economy continues to be dependent on oil.

In Asia, only the governments of India, Japan and South Korea seem to be buckling under the threats. Tokyo and Seoul are military alliance partners of Washington. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, following arm-twisting by the U.S., has given up plans to undertake a state visit to Iran in July. It would have been the first by a Japanese Prime Minister in more than 40 years. South Korea, the world’s fifth biggest oil importer, buys most of its light crude from Iran. Its government has denied reports that it will stop buying from Iran, but its oil imports from Iran have declined sharply from May. India also seems to following suit after the U.S.’ sharp warning to its “allies” to completely stop importing from Iran by November. The Trump administration has declined “special waivers” to countries like India, which have been traditional importers of Iranian oil.

A U.S. State Department spokesman said sanctions would be imposed on India and China if they did business with Iran. “And yes, we will certainly be requesting that their oil imports go to zero,” the official told the media in June. The Trump administration has been sending senior officials to New Delhi to demand that India act promptly on its recommendations. Among the high-profile American visitors to Delhi in the last two months was Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, who is counted among the Trump administration’s top Iran-baiters. She told the media in Delhi that she had asked the Indian government to cut its oil imports from Iran and downgrade its relationship with the country. Two other top officials have called for regime change in Iran—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton. Both of them are supporters of the terrorist grouping Mujahedin-e-Khalq.

Going by past experience, the Indian government is likely to substantially reduce oil imports from Iran. The previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had cooperated to a large extent with the sanctions regime that was in force from 2011 to 2016. However, most of the sanctions against Iran during that period were mandated by the U.N. After the U.N.-mandated sanctions were lifted in 2015, Iran once again became a top supplier of crude to India, just behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Iranian heavy crude is cheaper than Saudi and Iraqi oil. The Indian government also committed in 2016 to transfer $6.5 billion it owed to Iran as payment for oil supplies. The payment was held up owing to the sanctions. During the earlier sanctions period, India and Iran had agreed to conduct half of the oil trade between the two countries in Indian rupees. A rupee-rial arrangement was then in place. After the sanctions were lifted three years ago, India started paying Iran in euros for 55 per cent of its oil imports.

The new unilateral sanctions imposed by the U.S. are deemed to be illegal under international law. The Iranian government has been conveying to the Indian side that it understands the constraints India faces as it tries to balance relations between the U.S. and Iran. Interestingly, the Indian government, in the second week of July, gave permission to an Iranian bank to open a branch in Mumbai. The U.S. has not officially reacted to this development. Bank Pasargad will have the distinction of being the first Iranian bank to have an office in India. The presence of the Iranian bank will ensure a smooth flow of funds between the two countries. Then there is the question of the Chabahar port, located adjacent to the Gwadar port in Pakistan, which India is committed to developing. New Delhi has committed to invest $500 million in the port and has pledged to make it operational by 2019. There is, however, a question mark on whether India has the will to go ahead with the project in the face of open hostility from the U.S. Off the record, Iranian officials have been complaining about the slow pace of progress in the project. Japanese companies, which were supposed to invest in it, are now unlikely to do so.

The Iranian side has indicated that there are many other countries willing to develop Chabahar. Chabahar can be India’s gateway to the markets in Afghanistan and Central Asia, and the government should ensure that the project is expedited notwithstanding the U.S. threats. The Iranian government wants the Indian government to start work on infrastructure projects that will connect the port to the Iranian rail network and the city of Zabedan located close to the border with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh reassured Parliament in July that India was “engaged in long-term partnership” in the energy sector with Iran and also gave assurances on the operation of the Chabahar port. He stressed that India’s ties with Iran were not dependant on relations with a “third country”. He said that the high-level exchange of state visits highlighted the strong relationship between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tehran in 2016. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was in India in February this year. The declaration of “long-term friendship” between India and Iran came a day after the Trump administration despatched Assistant Secretary of State for Terrorist Financing Marshall Billingslea to New Delhi as part of the U.S.’ ongoing efforts to pressure India into drastically curtailing economic ties with Iran. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, was also in New Delhi at around the same time to hold talks with Indian officials on the sanctions issue.

The Indian government has on previous occasions insisted that it will comply with the sanctions regime only if it is internationally mandated. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reiterated this position during the visit of her Iranian counterpart, Mohammed Javad Zarif, to New Delhi in May. She said India would adhere only to U.N.-mandated sanctions and not to those imposed by individual countries. But with the Trump administration fixated on the goal of regime change in Iran, it wants to ensure that most avenues for the export of Iranian oil are blocked, by hook or by crook. Iran has threatened to retaliate if its oil exports are blocked by closing down the Straits of Hormuz and disrupting the supply of oil from the Persian Gulf region. “You may begin the war, but it is us who will end it,” warned Major General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, in response to one of Trump’s belligerent tweets threatening to annihilate Iran.

The U.S. has shown its displeasure at the Indian government’s reluctance to immediately comply with its demands by rescheduling, at the eleventh hour, the first ever 2+2 meeting from June to the first week of September. Under the 2+2 format, the Ministers for External Affairs and Defence will hold talks with their U.S. counterparts, the Secretaries of State and Defence.

All of a sudden the Trump administration, which had made an issue out of India’s decision to purchase the potent S-400 missile systems from Russia, has indicated that it will not impose sanctions on India for arms purchases from Russia. But then the Trump administration is not known to speak in one voice on foreign policy issues. The U.S. Congress has passed a “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act” Bill. It went out of its way to provide special “waivers” for India in relation to the purchase of Russian weaponry. Justifying the decision, Secretary of Defence James Mattis said: “The fundamental question we must ask ourselves is, do we wish to strengthen our partners in key regions or leave them with no other option but to turn to Russia, thereby undermining a once in a generation opportunity to more closely align with nations with the U.S. vision of global security and stability?”

In an obvious quid pro quo, the Indian government has agreed to buy even more military equipment from the U.S. There are reports that the Modi government wants to install an American missile shield for the country costing billions of dollars. The Indian government has also also let it be known that it would like President Trump to be the chief guest at next year’s Republic Day celebrations.

Concurrently, the Indian government seems to be on the verge of signing the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the U.S. India has been under pressure to do so after the signing of the logistics exchange agreement in 2016. If the Indian government initials the COMCASA, the Indian military will be further drawn into the American military alliance. The logistics exchange agreement allows the U.S. military to use Indian Army bases and ports. COMCASA will give the U.S. access to the Indian military’s communications systems. It will also compromise the sophisticated Russian equipment which is in the service of the Indian armed forces, besides sending a message to China that India is now a key part of the U.S.’ grand strategy of isolating it militarily in the Asia-Pacific region.

Modi in recent months has started talking about the need for strategic autonomy and ambiguity in India’s foreign policy. In a speech in Singapore he said that India’s friendship with the U.S. should not be viewed as an alliance that seeks to contain any other country in the region. Modi had emphasised in his speech at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore that New Delhi gave equal importance to its ties with Washington and Moscow. India is a member of both the BRICS and the SCO. These two groupings have made it clear that they will call the Trump administration’s bluff on Iran. Russia is participating in Iran’s aerospace and nuclear industries. The two countries have played an important role as allies in quelling the jehadist threat in West Asia. China plays an important role in Iran’s economy.

Many of the key Belt and Road projects are located in Iran. Iran is also part of the International North South Transportation Corridor that is essential for enhancing connectivity between Asia countries and the European market.

Petrochemical industry, a pillar for Iran’s resilient economy

By Ebrahim Fallahi

Inaugurating three major petrochemical projects in Assaluyeh petrochemical zone in southwestern Iran was the headline of almost all Iranian energy related and economic news agencies across the country on Monday.

These petchem projects were officially inaugurated by President Hassan Rouhani which signifies their importance for Iran’s economy in the new era of sanctions and economic pressure imposed by the U.S.

Since, as stated by President Rouhani in the inauguration ceremony, petrochemical industry is one of the most important pillars of the country’s resilient economy and “one of the main suppliers of foreign currency especially euro for the country”.

According to Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, Iran’s export of petrochemical products is anticipated to reach $14 billion in the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21).

“The country is currently producing 62 million tons of petrochemical products annually and with the new projects going on stream the number will jump to 65.5 million tons further cementing the Islamic country’s stance as a major petrochemical supplier to the world markets” Zanganeh said at the opening ceremony in Bushehr Province.

At the top of the world

The third phase of developing Pardis Petrochemical Company was one of the inaugurated projects which was implemented at the cost of €502 million secured from the income of the first and second phases of the company.

This phase will make Pardis the largest producer of urea and ammonia in the Middle East and world with an annual production capacity of 5.265 million.

Iran is currently exporting urea to Turkey, India, China, Europe and many countries in Latin America. The country exported over 4 million tons of urea in 2017.

Increasing methanol production

Marjan Petrochemical Complex, a producer of methanol, with the annual capacity of 1.65 million tons was another project which officially started operating on Monday. Construction of this complex was started some six years ago and $914 million has been invested for this project.

Iran is planning to have the world's largest methanol production capacity in the upcoming years. With 11 other methanol complexes underway, the country’s methanol capacity is due to increase to 19.1 million tons.

Kaveh Petrochemical complex with a capacity of 2.3 million tons and Bushehr Petrochemical Complex with 1.65 million tons capacity of methanol production are among the country’s top methanol producers.

Supplying power for the region’s petchem plants

The first phase of Damavand Petrochemical Company’s power plant with the capacity of 1,900 MW and at the cost of $366 million was the third project inaugurated by the president.

This phase of the power plant is going to supply electricity and steam to 24 petrochemical complexes located in Phase 2 of the Assaluyeh petrochemical zone.

The power plant includes two main boilers and an auxiliary thermal recovery boiler and has the capacity to produce 780 tons of steam per hour, providing the required steam for Petrochemical Complexes of Mehr, Morvarid, Kavian and Marjan.

Signing deals for flare gas recovery

On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony, National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) also signed two separate contracts with Persian Gulf Holding and Marun Petrochemical Company on recovery and utilization of flare gas from Iran’s South Pars gas fields.

The contracts which cover the upgrading and modernization of the South Pars flare gas recovery utilities, include 32 projects estimated to cost a total of $1.2 billion.

Aiming to prevent the daily burning of around 22 million cubic meters of gas (760 million cubic feet), these projects are scheduled to be implemented in the next 2.5 years.

The port city of Assaluyeh is home to a number of petrochemical complexes which receive gas and gas condensate feedstock from the giant South Pars gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf.