Iran

Iran to send naval fleet to Atlantic for 5-month mission

TEHRAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The deputy commander of Iran's Navy said an Iranian naval fleet will be sent to the Atlantic Ocean for a five-month mission in early 2019, official IRNA news agency reported Friday.

"The Atlantic Ocean is a long route, and it is likely that the mission would take five months to complete," Touraj Hassnai Moqaddam told IRNA.

"Iranian Sahand destroyer will accompany the fleet," he added, without providing more details.

Iran says launch of space rocket not violate UN resolution

TEHRAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Friday that the launch of space rockets does not breach UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

"Iran's launch of space vehicles, missile tests are NOT in violation of Resolution 2231. The U.S. is in material breach of the same as such it is in no position to lecture anyone on it", Zarif tweeted.

The Iranian minister's reaction followed the remark of the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Thursday about Iran's planned imminent launch of Space Launch Vehicles (SLV).

Afghan Taliban begins peace talks in neighboring Iran

31 Dec 2018; DW: Fresh peace talks have taken place between representatives of the Afghan Taliban and Iranian officials. The Tehran meeting happened amid reports that the US plans to pull nearly 7,000 US troops from Afghanistan.

Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that lengthy negotiations were held between a Taliban delegation and Iran's deputy foreign minister.

Iran accuses U.S. of causing insecurity in Gulf region

TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- "The United States is only fueling insecurity in the Gulf through its presence in the strategic region," said Chairman of the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri on Sunday.

"The Americans have always sowed insecurity wherever they had a presence," Baqeri told reporters in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, according to Press TV.

He emphasized that the Gulf countries are capable of ensuring security on their own and the U.S. presence in the region has only created insecurity.

Iran says U.S. sanctions "fail to work"

TEHRAN, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the U.S. sanctions have failed to change Iran's policies, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.

"Sanctions have never worked," Zarif was quoted as saying.

"They hurt Iranians but don't change (Iran's) policy," he added.

In May, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iranian international nuclear deal, calling it "the worst deal ever."

US uses terrorists to intervene in affairs of sovereign states

TEHRAN, December 8. /TASS/. Washington uses terrorists as an instrument of pressure and a pretext to intervene in the affairs of sovereign states, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin said on Saturday at the second conference of Parliament speakers from Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey on fight against terrorism and strengthen regional cooperation.

US sanctions are 'economic terrorism': Rouhani

Tehran, Dec 8 (AFP) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said US sanctions were "economic terrorism", as he sought to foster a united front from visiting regional officials on Saturday.

"America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honourable nation of Iran have targeted our nation as a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani told a conference in Tehran attended by officials from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey.

Iran ready to export fighter jets, training aircraft

TEHRAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran is ready to export indigenous fighter jets, a senior Iranian army commander said Monday.

"We have already taken necessary steps to export (our) products," Abdoklarim Banitarafi, head of Iran Aviation Industries Organization, was quoted as saying by Press TV.

Iran plans to sell its trainer jets as well, he added.

Banitarafi made the remarks ahead of the opening ceremony of an air show in Iran's southern Kish Island on Monday.

Iran unveiled its first indigenous fighter jet, Kowsar, in August.

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