Heads of three govt. branches denounce new U.S. sanctions
TEHRANTIMES -- A number of Iranian officials including the heads of the three branches of government have condemned the United States’ decision to impose financial and travel sanctions on eight Iranian officials. On the orders of President Barack Obama the United States has imposed financial and travel restrictions on eight Iranian officials including Sepah Commander Ali Jafari, Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi, and Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar.
‘U.S. has lost its nerves’
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad downplayed the move, saying it indicates that Washington has “completely lost its nerves”.
The hegemonic powers think that such a move will undermine the Iranian nation’s resistance, but the Iranians have rendered all sanctions ineffective through self-reliance, Ahmadinejad told a gathering of parliament members.
‘U.S. move was a childish game’
Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani also called the latest U.S. sanctions against the Iranian officials a “childish game”.
“A country which claims to be the manager of the world is interested in such ‘mischievous acts’,” Larijani said at the open session of the Majlis. More
Japanese Sanctions May Cut Iran Oil Exports by 25%, Nomura Says
Bloomberg -- Japanese sanctions against Iran, the second-largest oil producer in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia, may reduce crude exports from the Persian Gulf nation by 25 percent, according to Nomura International.
“Recent Japanese sanctions against Iran could force oil exports to below 1.5 million barrels a day in the near term from 2 million barrels a day currently, negatively affecting global supply while helping push oil prices higher,” the unit of Japan’s largest brokerage said in a note today.
Japan said Sept. 3 it is suspending new oil and gas investments in Iran and freezing the assets of 88 organizations and 24 individuals in its latest round of sanctions. Inpex Corp., Japan’s biggest energy explorer, said Oct. 1 that it is considering withdrawing from the Azadegan oil project in Iran.
Iran is under sanctions by the United Nations and the U.S. for its refusal to stop enriching uranium to possible weapons- grade capability. Expanded U.S. sanctions on Iran and businesses active there have prompted Royal Dutch Shell Plc, France’s Total SA, Italy’s Eni SpA and Norway’s Statoil ASA to stop investing in the country.More
South Africa supports Iran’s nuclear right: envoy
IRNA – South African Ambassador to Tehran Ebrahim Mohamed Saley said that no one can deprive Iran of its legitimate nuclear right
He voiced his country’s support for Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, criticizing discriminatory attitude towards different countries regarding their nuclear activities
Referring to the unfair structure of the United Nations and its Security Council, Saley called for restructuring of several international bodies including the UN, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).He regretted that the fate of all world countries is in hands of a few powerful countries at the UN Security Council.
On Iran-South Africa economic cooperation, he announced that 30 percent of his country’s needed oil is provided by the Islamic Republic.
Underlining the need for further expansion of all-out ties between the two countries, he expressed hope that the existing obstacles in the way of promotion of bilateral cultural relations would be removed
Egypt-Iran flights to resume after 30 year break
Reuters - Egypt and Iran have agreed to resume direct flights between their capitals for the first time since 1979,
Egypt’s ministry of civil aviation said on Monday, but an official played down any chance of a political thaw. The two countries severed ties in 1980 following Iran’s Islamic revolution and Egypt’s recognition of Israel.
Sameh Hefni, head of Egypt’s civil aviation authority, and Hamid Ghavabesh, deputy chief of the Iranian national aviation company, signed an agreement providing for up to 28 flights between Cairo and Tehran per week, the ministry said in a statement. No start date for the flights was given.
Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hosam Zaki said the deal strengthened existing economic ties between the two countries, but added that political ties were a different matter. "It is a development in the relations between Egypt and Iran,
" Zaki told Reuters.
"Both countries have economic interests that have not stopped regardless of the political situation. "But political developments require certain conditions Egypt has voiced in the past," he added.
The two countries are at odds on a number of issues including the Middle East peace process and ties with Israel and the United States. The deal was struck as Iran faces pressure from international economic sanctions.
Egypt is upset with Iran for continuing to praise Khaled Islamboli, who assassinated President Anwar Sadat in 1981 following the peace deal with Israel.
The two regional powers, predominantly Shi’ite Muslim Iran and mainly Sunni Egypt, have competed for influence in the Middle East.
LATIMES- The problem at the Bushehr reactor — the nation’s first nuclear power plant — was caused by a leak in the pool holding the fuel rods, Iran’s atomic energy chief says.
Iran’s atomic energy chief said that a delay in the launch of the nation’s first nuclear power plant was not caused by a powerful computer virus that has crippled data management systems around the world — but his explanation may not have reassured Persian Gulf residents.
Ali Akbar Salehi blamed a leak in the pool now holding the fuel rods for the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
"A small leak was observed in a pool next to the reactor and was curbed," he said in comments over the weekends that were reported Monday by the official Islamic Republic News Agency. "This leak caused the activities to be delayed for a few days. The leak has been fixed and the core of the reactor is now working properly."
Many Western countries and Israel challenge Iran’s insistence that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. Few believe Iran could use the Bushehr plant to advance its alleged effort to obtain weapons capability, but Tehran hails the plant as proof it can advance its nuclear program despite sanctions and Western opposition. More