<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-rouhani-calls-for-unity-to-face-unprecedented-us-pressure-217908">Iran's Rouhani calls for unity to face 'unprecedented' US pressure</a>

President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for unity among Iran's political factions to overcome conditions which he said may be harder than those during the 1980s war with Iraq, state media reported, as the country faces tightening US sanctions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/live-lok-sabha-phase-6-elections-voting-begins-for-59-constituencies-across-seven-states-217872">Live Lok Sabha phase 6 elections: Country sets its eye on Delhi as voting for phase 6 underway</a>

The fate of several Union ministers including Radha Mohan Singh, Harshvardhan and Maneka Gandhi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia will be decided Sunday in the sixth and penultimate phase of Lok Sabha polls to be held in 59 constituencies in six states and Delhi.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fight-to-replace-pm-may-complicating-brexit-talks-labour-partys-mcdonnell-217910">Fight to replace PM May complicating Brexit talks: Labour party's McDonnell</a>

The battle among leading Conservatives to replace Theresa May as prime minister threatens to derail talks with the opposition Labour Party and the bid to find a Brexit compromise, Labour's John McDonnell said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trade-deal-will-become-far-worse-if-negotiated-in-my-second-term-donald-trump-warns-china-217861">Trade deal will become far worse if negotiated in my second term: Donald Trump warns China</a>

President Donald Trump warned China on Saturday that it should strike a trade deal with the United States now, otherwise an agreement would be "far worse for them if it has to be negotiated in my second term."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/albanian-protesters-hurl-petrol-bombs-seek-snap-polls-217906">Albanian protesters hurl petrol bombs, seek snap polls</a>

Albanian opposition protesters hurled petrol bombs at the entrance of Prime Minister Edi Rama's office on Saturday, after three months of demonstrations calling for him to quit over alleged election fraud and corruption.

&nbsp;

Iran's Rouhani calls for unity to face 'unprecedented' US pressure President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for unity among Iran's political factions to overcome conditions which he said may be harder than those during the 1980s war with Iraq, state media reported, as the country faces tightening US sanctions.

Iran's Rouhani calls for unity to face 'unprecedented' US pressure President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for unity among Iran's political factions to overcome conditions which he said may be harder than those during the 1980s war with Iraq, state media reported, as the country faces tightening US sanctions. Live Lok Sabha phase 6 elections: Country sets its eye on Delhi as voting for phase 6 underway The fate of several Union ministers including Radha Mohan Singh, Harshvardhan and Maneka Gandhi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia will be decided Sunday in the sixth and penultimate phase of Lok Sabha polls to be held in 59 constituencies in six states and Delhi. Fight to replace PM May complicating Brexit talks: Labour party's McDonnell The battle among leading Conservatives to replace Theresa May as prime minister threatens to derail talks with the opposition Labour Party and the bid to find a Brexit compromise, Labour's John McDonnell said. Trade deal will become far worse if negotiated in my second term: Donald Trump warns China President Donald Trump warned China on Saturday that it should strike a trade deal with the United States now, otherwise an agreement would be "far worse for them if it has to be negotiated in my second term." Albanian protesters hurl petrol bombs, seek snap polls Albanian opposition protesters hurled petrol bombs at the entrance of Prime Minister Edi Rama's office on Saturday, after three months of demonstrations calling for him to quit over alleged election fraud and corruption.

News brief: Big stories of the day

President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for unity among <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-guards-reject-us-talks-cleric-threatens-carrier-217673">Iran's political factions </a>to overcome conditions which he said may be harder than those during the 1980s war with Iraq, state media reported, as the country faces tightening US sanctions.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran's leaders talk with him about giving up their nuclear program and said he could not rule out a military confrontation.

Trump made the offer as he increased economic and military pressure on Iran, moving to cut off all Iranian oil exports this month while beefing up the US Navy and Air Force presence in the Gulf. Washington also approved a new deployment of Patriot missiles to the Middle East, a US official said on Friday.

"Today, it cannot be said whether conditions are better or worse than the (1980-88) war period, but during the war we did not have a problem with our banks, oil sales or imports and exports, and there were only sanctions on arms purchases," Rouhani said, according to the state news agency IRNA.

"The pressures by enemies is a war unprecedented in the history of our Islamic revolution... but I do not despair and have great hope for the future and believe that we can move past these difficult conditions provided that we are united," Rouhani told activists from various factions.

Hardliners have criticized Rouhani after Trump withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which Rouhani supported, and reimposed sanctions last year. The pragmatic president has also been abandoned by some of his moderate allies.

Separately, a media court on Saturday suspended the weekly Seda (Voice), the semi-official news agency ISNA reported, after the reformist magazine published an issue that included articles warning about the possibility of war with the United States.

"At the Crossroads of War and Peace, have moderates lost or will they again save Iran from war?" the main headline on the front page read against a photograph of US Navy warships.

On social media, hardliners attacked the magazine as "Trump's voice", suggesting its warning about the danger of war amounted to a call for talks with the United States, the Islamic Republic's arch enemy.

"At the height of America's political, economic and media war against the Iranian nation, an Iranian publication supplements the enemy's media operations inside the country," the hardline-led news agency Fars wrote in a comment.

Iran has dismissed the US military build up as "psychological warfare" designed to intimidate it.

President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for unity among Iran's political factions to overcome conditions which he said may be harder than those during the 1980s war with Iraq, state media reported, as the country faces tightening US sanctions.

President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for unity among Iran's political factions to overcome conditions which he said may be harder than those during the 1980s war with Iraq, state media reported, as the country faces tightening US sanctions. US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran's leaders talk with him about giving up their nuclear program and said he could not rule out a military confrontation. Trump made the offer as he increased economic and military pressure on Iran, moving to cut off all Iranian oil exports this month while beefing up the US Navy and Air Force presence in the Gulf. Washington also approved a new deployment of Patriot missiles to the Middle East, a US official said on Friday. "Today, it cannot be said whether conditions are better or worse than the (1980-88) war period, but during the war we did not have a problem with our banks, oil sales or imports and exports, and there were only sanctions on arms purchases," Rouhani said, according to the state news agency IRNA. "The pressures by enemies is a war unprecedented in the history of our Islamic revolution... but I do not despair and have great hope for the future and believe that we can move past these difficult conditions provided that we are united," Rouhani told activists from various factions. Hardliners have criticized Rouhani after Trump withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which Rouhani supported, and reimposed sanctions last year. The pragmatic president has also been abandoned by some of his moderate allies. Separately, a media court on Saturday suspended the weekly Seda (Voice), the semi-official news agency ISNA reported, after the reformist magazine published an issue that included articles warning about the possibility of war with the United States. "At the Crossroads of War and Peace, have moderates lost or will they again save Iran from war?" the main headline on the front page read against a photograph of US Navy warships. On social media, hardliners attacked the magazine as "Trump's voice", suggesting its warning about the danger of war amounted to a call for talks with the United States, the Islamic Republic's arch enemy. "At the height of America's political, economic and media war against the Iranian nation, an Iranian publication supplements the enemy's media operations inside the country," the hardline-led news agency Fars wrote in a comment. Iran has dismissed the US military build up as "psychological warfare" designed to intimidate it.

Iran's Rouhani calls for unity to face 'unprecedented' US pressure

The Pentagon announced Friday that it is deploying an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to bolster an aircraft carrier force sent to counter alleged threats from Iran.

The USS Arlington, which transports marines, amphibious vehicles, conventional landing craft and rotary aircraft, and the Patriot air defence system will join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/b-52-bombers-to-be-part-of-us-forces-sent-to-middle-east-over-iran-concerns-216934"> B-52 bomber task force</a> headed toward the Gulf after intelligence reports suggested Iran was planning some sort of attack in the region.

The deployment is "in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and our interests," the Pentagon said in a statement.

"The Department of Defense continues to closely monitor the activities of the Iranian regime, their military and proxies," it said.

"The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but we are postured and ready to defend US forces and interests in the region."

On Sunday US President Donald Trump's national security advisor John Bolton announced the deployment of the Lincoln group and bombers saying he wanted to send a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran about any attack against the US or its partners in the region.&nbsp;

Washington though has not elaborated on the alleged threat, drawing criticism that it is overreacting and unnecessarily driving up tensions in the region.

Iran dismissed the deployment of the Lincoln as old news but followed it with an announcement that it would suspend some of its commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with major powers abandoned by Washington last year.

Amid the rising tensions, Trump said Thursday he is open to talks with Tehran's leadership.

"What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me," Trump told reporters at the White House.

The Pentagon announced Friday that it is deploying an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to bolster an aircraft carrier force sent to counter alleged threats from Iran.

The Pentagon announced Friday that it is deploying an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to bolster an aircraft carrier force sent to counter alleged threats from Iran. The USS Arlington, which transports marines, amphibious vehicles, conventional landing craft and rotary aircraft, and the Patriot air defence system will join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a B-52 bomber task force headed toward the Gulf after intelligence reports suggested Iran was planning some sort of attack in the region. The deployment is "in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and our interests," the Pentagon said in a statement. "The Department of Defense continues to closely monitor the activities of the Iranian regime, their military and proxies," it said. "The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but we are postured and ready to defend US forces and interests in the region." On Sunday US President Donald Trump's national security advisor John Bolton announced the deployment of the Lincoln group and bombers saying he wanted to send a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran about any attack against the US or its partners in the region. Washington though has not elaborated on the alleged threat, drawing criticism that it is overreacting and unnecessarily driving up tensions in the region. Iran dismissed the deployment of the Lincoln as old news but followed it with an announcement that it would suspend some of its commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with major powers abandoned by Washington last year. Amid the rising tensions, Trump said Thursday he is open to talks with Tehran's leadership. "What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me," Trump told reporters at the White House.

US builds deterrent force against possible Iranian attack; sends assault ship, missiles to Mideast

Watch this video to know what Hassan Rouhani's nuke deal means.

What is the Iran nuke deal?

According to the US media reports, President Donald Trump is exaggerating Iran Threat. Watch full video to know more.

Is US spoiling for a fight with Iran?

An <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-must-resist-us-sanctions-through-oil-non-oil-exports-iran-president-rouhani-215895&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiardnn_YHiAhXUV3wKHRrVANUQFjAEegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Ewyf7yKRS9d7E-Erxrd6p">Iranian </a>court has sentenced President Hassan Rouhani’s brother to an unspecified jail term, state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday, in a corruption case the president’s supporters allege is politically motivated.

"This person (Hossein Fereydoun) was found not guilty on some charges, while he was sentenced to prison on other accusations," IRNA quoted judiciary official Hamidreza Hosseini as saying.&nbsp;

Hosseini said he was unable to give details as the sentence could still be appealed, the agency added.

The trial of Fereydoun, along with six co-defendants, began in February without the judiciary giving details of the charges. He had initially been held in 2017 before being released on bail.

Some Rouhani supporters have seen the charges against Fereydoun, a close adviser to the president and a senior diplomat who took part in talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, as a move by the hardline judiciary to discredit the pragmatic Rouhani.

The judiciary has denied having any political motivation in cases it tries.&nbsp;

Rouhani was born Hassan Fereydoun before adopting his new surname.

An Iranian court has sentenced President Hassan Rouhani’s brother to an unspecified jail term, state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday, in a corruption case the president’s supporters allege is politically motivated.

An Iranian court has sentenced President Hassan Rouhani’s brother to an unspecified jail term, state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday, in a corruption case the president’s supporters allege is politically motivated. "This person (Hossein Fereydoun) was found not guilty on some charges, while he was sentenced to prison on other accusations," IRNA quoted judiciary official Hamidreza Hosseini as saying. Hosseini said he was unable to give details as the sentence could still be appealed, the agency added. The trial of Fereydoun, along with six co-defendants, began in February without the judiciary giving details of the charges. He had initially been held in 2017 before being released on bail. Some Rouhani supporters have seen the charges against Fereydoun, a close adviser to the president and a senior diplomat who took part in talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, as a move by the hardline judiciary to discredit the pragmatic Rouhani. The judiciary has denied having any political motivation in cases it tries. Rouhani was born Hassan Fereydoun before adopting his new surname.

President Rouhani's brother handed jail term in graft case: Iranian judiciary

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for the country to "resist and unite" <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-targets-iran-uranium-but-lets-nuclear-deal-stay-alive-215771&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi598bquIHiAhWMsI8KHdrHCyYQFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Or6wcXF_HgJ-neUh0c2Lq">against US pressure</a> in what he called a "war on hope" waged against the Islamic republic.

It is almost a year since President Donald Trump reimposed crippling US sanctions after exiting a landmark nuclear agreement between major powers and Iran.

"America will only let go of this game when it realises it cannot achieve anything. We have no way but to resist and unite," Rouhani said in a televised speech.

Iran's economy has been battered since sanctions returned.

Inflation has shot up, its currency has plummeted and imports are now vastly more expensive.

Upping the ante, the White House announced last week it would end oil purchase waivers granted to Iran's main customers -- including China, India and Turkey -- cutting Iran's access to its main source of foreign currency revenue.

"Our war today is the war on hope. They want to break our hope, and we have to break their hope" of defeating Iran, said Rouhani.

"They want to cut our foreign currency supply ... they seek to sow discord in the country. They want us to be divided, to stand against each other," he added.

Rouhani has vowed that Iran will continue to supply oil to its major customers despite the unilateral measures adopted by the United States. 
&nbsp;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for the country to "resist and unite" against US pressure in what he called a "war on hope" waged against the Islamic republic.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for the country to "resist and unite" against US pressure in what he called a "war on hope" waged against the Islamic republic. It is almost a year since President Donald Trump reimposed crippling US sanctions after exiting a landmark nuclear agreement between major powers and Iran. "America will only let go of this game when it realises it cannot achieve anything. We have no way but to resist and unite," Rouhani said in a televised speech. Iran's economy has been battered since sanctions returned. Inflation has shot up, its currency has plummeted and imports are now vastly more expensive. Upping the ante, the White House announced last week it would end oil purchase waivers granted to Iran's main customers -- including China, India and Turkey -- cutting Iran's access to its main source of foreign currency revenue. "Our war today is the war on hope. They want to break our hope, and we have to break their hope" of defeating Iran, said Rouhani. "They want to cut our foreign currency supply ... they seek to sow discord in the country. They want us to be divided, to stand against each other," he added. Rouhani has vowed that Iran will continue to supply oil to its major customers despite the unilateral measures adopted by the United States.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani urges unity in face of US 'war on hope'

Iran and Pakistan will form a joint quick reaction force to combat militant activity on their shared border, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday during a televised press conference with Pakistan's<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-in-iran-to-talk-security-ties-212398&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiV5bvBwuPhAhUKpo8KHerhA-UQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0EfbnLhcxWPaRsSFJo-fMP"> Prime Minister Imran Khan</a>.

Khan arrived in Iran on Sunday to discuss security and regional issues, Iranian state TV reported, a day after Islamabad urged Tehran to act against militants behind killings in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province.

Relations between Iran and Pakistan have been strained in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across the border.

"We agreed to increase the security cooperation of the two countries, our border forces, our intelligence forces," Rouhani said during the conference, which was broadcast live on state TV. "And also to form a joint quick reaction force on the border of the two countries for fighting terrorism."

Khan said that militant activity at the border could be a source of tension.

"The most important reason why I'm here, Mr President, is because I felt that the issue of terrorism was going to ... increase differences between our countries," Khan said during the joint press conference. "So it was very important for me to come here and come with our security chief that we resolve this issue."

A new umbrella group representing various insurgent groups operating in Baluchistan claimed responsibility for an attack on Thursday when 14 passengers were killed after being kidnapped from buses in the province, which borders Iran.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday the training and logistical camps of the new alliance that carried out the attack were based inside Iran and called on Iran to take action against the insurgents.

Shi’ite Muslim Iran says militant groups operate from safe havens in Pakistan and has repeatedly called on Islamabad to crack down on them.

Tehran has stepped up security along its long border with Pakistan after a suicide bomber killed 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in mid-February in southeastern Iran, with Iranian officials saying the attackers were based inside Pakistan.

The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic Baloch minority, claimed responsibility for that attack.

Separately, Rouhani said during the joint press conference that the Islamic Republic is ready to help with Pakistan's oil and gas needs.

Iran and Pakistan will form a joint quick reaction force to combat militant activity on their shared border, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday during a televised press conference with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Iran and Pakistan will form a joint quick reaction force to combat militant activity on their shared border, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday during a televised press conference with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan arrived in Iran on Sunday to discuss security and regional issues, Iranian state TV reported, a day after Islamabad urged Tehran to act against militants behind killings in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province. Relations between Iran and Pakistan have been strained in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across the border. "We agreed to increase the security cooperation of the two countries, our border forces, our intelligence forces," Rouhani said during the conference, which was broadcast live on state TV. "And also to form a joint quick reaction force on the border of the two countries for fighting terrorism." Khan said that militant activity at the border could be a source of tension. "The most important reason why I'm here, Mr President, is because I felt that the issue of terrorism was going to ... increase differences between our countries," Khan said during the joint press conference. "So it was very important for me to come here and come with our security chief that we resolve this issue." A new umbrella group representing various insurgent groups operating in Baluchistan claimed responsibility for an attack on Thursday when 14 passengers were killed after being kidnapped from buses in the province, which borders Iran. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday the training and logistical camps of the new alliance that carried out the attack were based inside Iran and called on Iran to take action against the insurgents. Shi’ite Muslim Iran says militant groups operate from safe havens in Pakistan and has repeatedly called on Islamabad to crack down on them. Tehran has stepped up security along its long border with Pakistan after a suicide bomber killed 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in mid-February in southeastern Iran, with Iranian officials saying the attackers were based inside Pakistan. The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic Baloch minority, claimed responsibility for that attack. Separately, Rouhani said during the joint press conference that the Islamic Republic is ready to help with Pakistan's oil and gas needs.

Iran, Pakistan to form joint rapid reaction force at border: Hassan Rouhani

President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that Iranian armed forces were not a threat against any regional country, as Tehran held an Army Day military parade to unveil its latest military equipment amid rising tensions with the United States.

In a ceremony in Tehran, broadcast live on state television, marching soldiers passed a podium where Rouhani and top military commanders were standing, and locally-designed and produced fighter jets took part for the first time in an air display.

Iran also unveiled missiles, submarines, armoured vehicles, radars and electronic warfare systems. It also showed off its Russian S-300 missile defence system.

"I want to tell the regional countries that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not against you and your national interests. They stand against invaders... The roots of our problems are the Zionist regime and American imperialism," Rouhani said.

Iranian armed forces were more powerful than ever, said Rouhani. "We seek regional security and stability, countries' sovereignty and end of terrorism and their activities in this region," he said.

Iran has two armies, a regular one which operates as a national defensive force, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic Republic against both internal and external adversaries.

The United States officially designated the Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization on Monday, an unprecedented move which was condemned by Iran and created concerns about reprisal attacks on US&nbsp;forces.

Rouhani called the US&nbsp;move against the Guards "abhorrent" and said "Insulting the Revolutionary Guards is an insult to all (Iranian) armed forces, and an insult to Iranian great nation.”

Iran's army has the biggest ground force in Iran and Revolutionary Guards is in control of a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles.

The parade was cancelled in a few provinces where the armed forces were deployed to help flood-affected people. The flooding, which began on March 19, has killed 76 people, forced more than 220,000 people into emergency shelters, and left aid agencies struggling to cope.

Rouhani said: "I doubt we can find this level of unity between people and armed forces in any other country."

Separately, Iran and Oman held a joint naval exercise and performed maritime rescue operations in the Gulf, Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that Iranian armed forces were not a threat against any regional country, as Tehran held an Army Day military parade to unveil its latest military equipment amid rising tensions with the United States.

President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that Iranian armed forces were not a threat against any regional country, as Tehran held an Army Day military parade to unveil its latest military equipment amid rising tensions with the United States. In a ceremony in Tehran, broadcast live on state television, marching soldiers passed a podium where Rouhani and top military commanders were standing, and locally-designed and produced fighter jets took part for the first time in an air display. Iran also unveiled missiles, submarines, armoured vehicles, radars and electronic warfare systems. It also showed off its Russian S-300 missile defence system. "I want to tell the regional countries that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not against you and your national interests. They stand against invaders... The roots of our problems are the Zionist regime and American imperialism," Rouhani said. Iranian armed forces were more powerful than ever, said Rouhani. "We seek regional security and stability, countries' sovereignty and end of terrorism and their activities in this region," he said. Iran has two armies, a regular one which operates as a national defensive force, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic Republic against both internal and external adversaries. The United States officially designated the Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization on Monday, an unprecedented move which was condemned by Iran and created concerns about reprisal attacks on US forces. Rouhani called the US move against the Guards "abhorrent" and said "Insulting the Revolutionary Guards is an insult to all (Iranian) armed forces, and an insult to Iranian great nation.” Iran's army has the biggest ground force in Iran and Revolutionary Guards is in control of a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles. The parade was cancelled in a few provinces where the armed forces were deployed to help flood-affected people. The flooding, which began on March 19, has killed 76 people, forced more than 220,000 people into emergency shelters, and left aid agencies struggling to cope. Rouhani said: "I doubt we can find this level of unity between people and armed forces in any other country." Separately, Iran and Oman held a joint naval exercise and performed maritime rescue operations in the Gulf, Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

Iran says its armed forces are not a regional threat, calls for unity against US

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday accused the United States of being the real "leader of world terrorism", hitting back after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-designates-irans-revolutionary-guards-as-a-terrorist-organisation-donald-trump-208837">Washington blacklisted Iran's Revolutionary Guards</a> as a terrorist organisation.

Tehran was quick to retaliate on Monday by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-declares-us-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-state-media-208866">declaring US troops "terrorists"</a> following Washington's move, which was welcomed by Iran's regional arch-rivals Israel and Saudi Arabia.

It was the first time that Washington has branded part of a foreign government a terrorist group, meaning that anyone who deals with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could face prison in the United States.

"Who are you to label revolutionary institutions as terrorists?" an angry Rouhani demanded in a speech broadcast live by state television.

Rouhani hailed the Guards for fighting terrorism since their creation in 1979, and accused US forces of having always been involved with terrorist groups or acts of terrorism.

"You want to use terrorist groups as tools against the nations of the region... you are the leader of world terrorism.

"Who is propagating and encouraging terrorism in today's world? Who wanted to use ISIS (the Islamic State group) as a tool?" Rouhani asked, saying that the US is "hiding" the leaders of the jihadist organisation.

The Revolutionary Guards are the ideological arm of the country's military and deeply embedded in Iranian political and economic life.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-khamenei-calls-us-blacklisting-of-guards-a-vicious-move-209028">Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a> praised the Guards on their National Day, saying they were at the "forefront' of defending the country and its interests, according to his official website.

He lashed out at US officials, saying: "Their vice and deceit will return boomerang on them, leading the enemies of the Islamic Republic such as (US President Donald) Trump and those around him at the US ruling apparatus to go down the drain."

'Everything imaginable'

To support his accusations, Rouhani cited the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 in July 1988 by missiles fired from the US naval ship the USS Vincennes.

"You have done everything imaginable. Which force was it that shot down our civil airliner in the waters of the Persian Gulf?" he said, adding that it was aimed at intimidating Iran.

"You wanted to tell the Iranian nation that we do not have any red lines, you wanted to say that we also kill children, you wanted to say that we also kill women," Rouhani said, concluding that the US was transmitting "a message of terrorism in the whole world."

The US move comes on top of Trump's decision last year to pull the United States out of an international deal with Iran that was meant to lift crippling economic sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Washington had been encouraged to blacklist the Guards by Trump's allies Saudi Arabia and Israel, which both cheered the declaration.

"The US decision (follows) the kingdom's repeated demands to the international community to address the issue of Iranian-backed terrorism," the official Saudi Press Agency quoted a foreign ministry source as saying on Tuesday.

The source welcomed the US move as a "practical and serious step" in curbing what the kingdom describes as Iranian meddling in the region.

The US decision came hours before an Israeli election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a close race for re-election.

In a statement, Netanyahu thanked his "dear friend" Trump who he said had responded to a "request of mine".

In a statement carried by the Iranian official news agency IRNA, the Supreme National Security Council declared the United States a "state sponsor of terrorism" and its forces in the region "terror groups".

Quickly adapting to the decision, the semi-official Fars News Agency, close to ultra-conservatives, described the US casualties in the latest suicide bombing on a military convoy in Afghanistan as "terrorists."

In a report on the attack, Fars said Tuesday: "American army terrorists killed in Afghanistan."

NATO announced on Monday that a suicide car bomb on a convoy in Iran's eastern neighbour had killed three US troops and a military contractor and wounded three more.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday accused the United States of being the real "leader of world terrorism", hitting back after Washington blacklisted Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday accused the United States of being the real "leader of world terrorism", hitting back after Washington blacklisted Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation. Tehran was quick to retaliate on Monday by declaring US troops "terrorists" following Washington's move, which was welcomed by Iran's regional arch-rivals Israel and Saudi Arabia. It was the first time that Washington has branded part of a foreign government a terrorist group, meaning that anyone who deals with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could face prison in the United States. "Who are you to label revolutionary institutions as terrorists?" an angry Rouhani demanded in a speech broadcast live by state television. Rouhani hailed the Guards for fighting terrorism since their creation in 1979, and accused US forces of having always been involved with terrorist groups or acts of terrorism. "You want to use terrorist groups as tools against the nations of the region... you are the leader of world terrorism. "Who is propagating and encouraging terrorism in today's world? Who wanted to use ISIS (the Islamic State group) as a tool?" Rouhani asked, saying that the US is "hiding" the leaders of the jihadist organisation. The Revolutionary Guards are the ideological arm of the country's military and deeply embedded in Iranian political and economic life. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the Guards on their National Day, saying they were at the "forefront' of defending the country and its interests, according to his official website. He lashed out at US officials, saying: "Their vice and deceit will return boomerang on them, leading the enemies of the Islamic Republic such as (US President Donald) Trump and those around him at the US ruling apparatus to go down the drain." 'Everything imaginable' To support his accusations, Rouhani cited the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 in July 1988 by missiles fired from the US naval ship the USS Vincennes. "You have done everything imaginable. Which force was it that shot down our civil airliner in the waters of the Persian Gulf?" he said, adding that it was aimed at intimidating Iran. "You wanted to tell the Iranian nation that we do not have any red lines, you wanted to say that we also kill children, you wanted to say that we also kill women," Rouhani said, concluding that the US was transmitting "a message of terrorism in the whole world." The US move comes on top of Trump's decision last year to pull the United States out of an international deal with Iran that was meant to lift crippling economic sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. Washington had been encouraged to blacklist the Guards by Trump's allies Saudi Arabia and Israel, which both cheered the declaration. "The US decision (follows) the kingdom's repeated demands to the international community to address the issue of Iranian-backed terrorism," the official Saudi Press Agency quoted a foreign ministry source as saying on Tuesday. The source welcomed the US move as a "practical and serious step" in curbing what the kingdom describes as Iranian meddling in the region. The US decision came hours before an Israeli election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a close race for re-election. In a statement, Netanyahu thanked his "dear friend" Trump who he said had responded to a "request of mine". In a statement carried by the Iranian official news agency IRNA, the Supreme National Security Council declared the United States a "state sponsor of terrorism" and its forces in the region "terror groups". Quickly adapting to the decision, the semi-official Fars News Agency, close to ultra-conservatives, described the US casualties in the latest suicide bombing on a military convoy in Afghanistan as "terrorists." In a report on the attack, Fars said Tuesday: "American army terrorists killed in Afghanistan." NATO announced on Monday that a suicide car bomb on a convoy in Iran's eastern neighbour had killed three US troops and a military contractor and wounded three more.

US 'leader of world terrorism', Trump's 'vice and deceit' will destroy him: Iran President Hassan Rouhani

Iran's top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday urged President Hassan Rouhani to place US forces in the region on Tehran's list of "terrorist" groups, the foreign ministry said.

This statement comes after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-designates-irans-revolutionary-guards-as-a-terrorist-organisation-donald-trump-208837">Trump announced</a> that the United States is designating Iran's elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a terrorist organisation.

Trump said in a statement that the "unprecedented" move "recognises the reality that Iran is not only a State Sponsor of Terrorism, but that the IRGC actively participates in, finances, and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft."

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical regime, in contrast to more traditional military units that protect borders.

Iran's top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday urged President Hassan Rouhani to place US forces in the region on Tehran's list of "terrorist" groups, the foreign ministry said.

Iran's top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday urged President Hassan Rouhani to place US forces in the region on Tehran's list of "terrorist" groups, the foreign ministry said. This statement comes after Trump announced that the United States is designating Iran's elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a terrorist organisation. Trump said in a statement that the "unprecedented" move "recognises the reality that Iran is not only a State Sponsor of Terrorism, but that the IRGC actively participates in, finances, and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical regime, in contrast to more traditional military units that protect borders.

Iran's diplomat Javad Zarif urges Rouhani to put US forces on terror list

Iran flood: President Rouhani surveys worst affected areas

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that the government would file a legal case in Iran against US officials who imposed sanctions on the country as a precursor to action in international courts.

Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television that US sanctions had created difficulties including a weaker rial currency that has fed into higher inflation.

The United States reimposed sanctions on Tehran after US President Donald Trump chose last May to abandon Iran's 2015 nuclear accord, negotiated with five other world powers.

Rouhani said he had ordered the ministries of foreign affairs and justice "to file a legal case in Iranian courts against those in America who designed and imposed sanctions on Iran". "These sanctions are crime against humanity," he added.

If the Iranian court finds against the US officials, Iran will pursue the case in international courts of justice, the president said.

Iranian complaints about sanctions in the international courts have occasionally succeeded. In October, judges at the International Court Of Justice (ICJ) ordered the United States to ensure sanctions do not affect humanitarian aid or civil aviation safety, a small victory for Tehran.

"The Americans have only one goal: they want to come back to Iran and rule the nation again," Rouhani said, reiterating Tehran's view that US sanctions are aimed at overthrowing the government and ushering in one more aligned with US policies.

Rouhani said the government had managed to "put a brake on the fall of rial" but that balance has not yet returned to the foreign currency market.

The rial was trading at 131,500 per US dollar on Monday on the unofficial market, almost three times weaker than a year ago, but off record lows around 190,000 hit in late September.

Iranian central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati also accused Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other US officials on Monday of waging a "psychological war" to stir panic in the currency market.

Hemmati was quoted as saying by state media that "the central bank is in full control of the market".

The US sanctions permit trade in humanitarian goods such as food and pharmaceuticals but measures imposed on banks, and trade restrictions, could make such items more expensive as well as more difficult to pay for.

Trump said when he pulled out of the landmark 2015 deal that lifted international sanctions against Iran in exchange for restrictions on its atomic activities that it failed to rein in Iran's missile programme or curb its regional meddling.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that the government would file a legal case in Iran against US officials who imposed sanctions on the country as a precursor to action in international courts.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that the government would file a legal case in Iran against US officials who imposed sanctions on the country as a precursor to action in international courts. Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television that US sanctions had created difficulties including a weaker rial currency that has fed into higher inflation. The United States reimposed sanctions on Tehran after US President Donald Trump chose last May to abandon Iran's 2015 nuclear accord, negotiated with five other world powers. Rouhani said he had ordered the ministries of foreign affairs and justice "to file a legal case in Iranian courts against those in America who designed and imposed sanctions on Iran". "These sanctions are crime against humanity," he added. If the Iranian court finds against the US officials, Iran will pursue the case in international courts of justice, the president said. Iranian complaints about sanctions in the international courts have occasionally succeeded. In October, judges at the International Court Of Justice (ICJ) ordered the United States to ensure sanctions do not affect humanitarian aid or civil aviation safety, a small victory for Tehran. "The Americans have only one goal: they want to come back to Iran and rule the nation again," Rouhani said, reiterating Tehran's view that US sanctions are aimed at overthrowing the government and ushering in one more aligned with US policies. Rouhani said the government had managed to "put a brake on the fall of rial" but that balance has not yet returned to the foreign currency market. The rial was trading at 131,500 per US dollar on Monday on the unofficial market, almost three times weaker than a year ago, but off record lows around 190,000 hit in late September. Iranian central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati also accused Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other US officials on Monday of waging a "psychological war" to stir panic in the currency market. Hemmati was quoted as saying by state media that "the central bank is in full control of the market". The US sanctions permit trade in humanitarian goods such as food and pharmaceuticals but measures imposed on banks, and trade restrictions, could make such items more expensive as well as more difficult to pay for. Trump said when he pulled out of the landmark 2015 deal that lifted international sanctions against Iran in exchange for restrictions on its atomic activities that it failed to rein in Iran's missile programme or curb its regional meddling.

Iran will file legal case against US for sanctions: Hassan Rouhani

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Iraq on Monday for his first official visit, state television said, as Baghdad is under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour.

Before leaving Tehran Rouhani hailed the "special" relations between Iran and Iraq, saying they could not be compared to Baghdad's ties "with an aggressor country like America".

His visit to Iraq is the first since he became president in 2013.

"Iran-Iraq relations are special," Rouhani said at Tehran's Mehrabad airport before flying to Baghdad, Iranian state television reported, adding that Tehran was always ready to help its neighbours.

"America is despised in the region. The bombs that the Americans dropped on Iraqis, Syrian people and other countries cannot be forgotten," he added.

Baghdad has been under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour, particularly after the United States last year withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and hit Tehran with sanctions.

Iraq was given limited waivers to continue buying electricity and natural gas from Iran, with Washington calling on Baghdad to partner with US companies to become energy independent.

After Turkey, Iran is the top supplier of imported goods to Iraq, including cars, gas, home appliances and vegetables.

Iran has close but complicated relations with Iraq, with significant influence among its Shiite political groups.

The two countries fought a bloody war from 1980 to 1988 and Tehran's influence in Baghdad grew after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq toppled the government of Saddam Hussein.

Iran was the first country to respond to Iraqi calls for help after Islamic State group jihadists captured second city Mosul in 2014 and threatened to overrun Baghdad and Kirkuk.

Tehran dispatched "military advisors" and equipment overnight along with the famous Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani to prevent IS jihadists from approaching its western borders.

Following the defeat of IS in Iraq, Iran is trying to position itself to gain a prime role in rebuilding the war-ravaged country.

During the visit, Rouhani is set to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Saleh, as well as the country's chief Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, according to the Iranian government's website.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif preceded Rouhani to Iraq to prepare for the visit.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Iraq on Monday for his first official visit, state television said, as Baghdad is under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Iraq on Monday for his first official visit, state television said, as Baghdad is under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour. Before leaving Tehran Rouhani hailed the "special" relations between Iran and Iraq, saying they could not be compared to Baghdad's ties "with an aggressor country like America". His visit to Iraq is the first since he became president in 2013. "Iran-Iraq relations are special," Rouhani said at Tehran's Mehrabad airport before flying to Baghdad, Iranian state television reported, adding that Tehran was always ready to help its neighbours. "America is despised in the region. The bombs that the Americans dropped on Iraqis, Syrian people and other countries cannot be forgotten," he added. Baghdad has been under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour, particularly after the United States last year withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and hit Tehran with sanctions. Iraq was given limited waivers to continue buying electricity and natural gas from Iran, with Washington calling on Baghdad to partner with US companies to become energy independent. After Turkey, Iran is the top supplier of imported goods to Iraq, including cars, gas, home appliances and vegetables. Iran has close but complicated relations with Iraq, with significant influence among its Shiite political groups. The two countries fought a bloody war from 1980 to 1988 and Tehran's influence in Baghdad grew after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq toppled the government of Saddam Hussein. Iran was the first country to respond to Iraqi calls for help after Islamic State group jihadists captured second city Mosul in 2014 and threatened to overrun Baghdad and Kirkuk. Tehran dispatched "military advisors" and equipment overnight along with the famous Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani to prevent IS jihadists from approaching its western borders. Following the defeat of IS in Iraq, Iran is trying to position itself to gain a prime role in rebuilding the war-ravaged country. During the visit, Rouhani is set to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Saleh, as well as the country's chief Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, according to the Iranian government's website. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif preceded Rouhani to Iraq to prepare for the visit.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani arrives in Iraq on 3-day visit

President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Iraq this week is a strong message to the United States and its regional allies that Iran still dominates Baghdad, a key arena for rising tension between Washington and Tehran.

The first Iranian presidential visit to Iraq since 2013 is also meant to signal to President Donald Trump's administration that Tehran retains its influence in much of the region despite US&nbsp;sanctions.

"Iran and Iraq are neighbours and no country can interfere in their relations," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said after arriving in Baghdad to prepare for the visit.

Rouhani's three-day trip starting on Monday includes meetings with Iraq's president and prime minister, tours of Shi'ite Muslim holy sites and a meeting with top Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iranian state media reported.

Rouhani made clear last week the debt he believes Baghdad owes Tehran for support in the battle to defeat Islamic State. Iranian forces and the militias they back played a crucial role in defeating IS in Iraq and Syria.&nbsp;

"If the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran didn't exist then Baghdad and the Kurdistan region would have definitely fallen and Daesh (Islamic State) would dominate the region," he said in comments published on his official website.

Iran mostly relies on other senior officials to conduct its dealings with Iraq, with which it shares an almost 1,500 kilometre (900 miles) long border. Most prominent of these have been Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Suleimani, who was instrumental in directing the battle against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

But as it tries to counter the pressure from US&nbsp;sanctions, Iran is seeking to shore up its political and economic influence along a corridor of the territory it effectively controls from Tehran to the Mediterranean through Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.&nbsp;

"Tehran and its allies in Baghdad and Damascus achieved victory in the war against the Islamic State but the Islamic Republic risks losing the peace," said Ali Alfoneh, a senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

"Apart from Russian companies, UAE companies are aggressively trying to gain a foothold in Iraq and Syria, which would deprive Iranian companies of reaping the fruit of their war-era effort."

Iran's influence in Iraq will be difficult to dislodge, however. Through allied Iraqi politicians and paramilitary groups, it emerged as the dominant force after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Iran officially has no military presence in Iraq but backs its most powerful Shi'ite paramilitary groups. An umbrella grouping of all Iraq's Shi'ite militias is estimated at 150,000 fighters.

Last week Washington blacklisted another Iran-backed militia that has helped create a supply route through Iraq to Damascus. The United States has around 5,200 troops stationed in Iraq.

Tehran also has powerful allies in Iraq's parliament whose attempts to pass a bill forcing US&nbsp;troops to leave the country might be aided by Trump's belligerent anti-Iran rhetoric - especially comments roundly derided by Iraqi leaders that US&nbsp;forces in Iraq, ostensibly there for the battle against Islamic State, can be used to "watch Iran".

Pressure on Iran's dominance 

Iraq remains heavily dependent on Iranian energy supplies to feed its power grid, despite US&nbsp;attempts to wean Baghdad off Iranian gas.

Nevertheless, Washington's strategy has caused some friction between Iraq and Iran. Last month Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh criticised Iraq for failing to pay a $2 billion debt for energy imports as a result of compliance with the US&nbsp;sanctions regime.

Meanwhile, Gulf Arab states including Iran's arch-foe Saudi Arabia have made overtures to the Iraqi government for energy and other economic deals, although with limited success.

Iran and its Iraqi allies also face the challenge of popular discontent over its dominance - not only in northern Sunni areas where Shi'ite militias have deepened their control but even in southern Shi'ite heartlands.

Protests that broke out across southern Iraq last year over lack of services took up anti-Iranian slogans, and demonstrators stormed the Iranian consulate in the city of Basra.

"There are growing tensions in predominantly Shi'ite provinces which at one point were assumed to be pro-Iranian," said Renad Mansour, a research fellow at Chatham House.

"Part of their frustrations are targeted towards Iran and the Islamist parties that Iran supports ... for Iran, the priority in Iraq is for it to remain stable and for their interests to be ensured."

President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Iraq this week is a strong message to the United States and its regional allies that Iran still dominates Baghdad, a key arena for rising tension between Washington and Tehran.

President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Iraq this week is a strong message to the United States and its regional allies that Iran still dominates Baghdad, a key arena for rising tension between Washington and Tehran. The first Iranian presidential visit to Iraq since 2013 is also meant to signal to President Donald Trump's administration that Tehran retains its influence in much of the region despite US sanctions. "Iran and Iraq are neighbours and no country can interfere in their relations," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said after arriving in Baghdad to prepare for the visit. Rouhani's three-day trip starting on Monday includes meetings with Iraq's president and prime minister, tours of Shi'ite Muslim holy sites and a meeting with top Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iranian state media reported. Rouhani made clear last week the debt he believes Baghdad owes Tehran for support in the battle to defeat Islamic State. Iranian forces and the militias they back played a crucial role in defeating IS in Iraq and Syria. "If the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran didn't exist then Baghdad and the Kurdistan region would have definitely fallen and Daesh (Islamic State) would dominate the region," he said in comments published on his official website. Iran mostly relies on other senior officials to conduct its dealings with Iraq, with which it shares an almost 1,500 kilometre (900 miles) long border. Most prominent of these have been Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Suleimani, who was instrumental in directing the battle against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. But as it tries to counter the pressure from US sanctions, Iran is seeking to shore up its political and economic influence along a corridor of the territory it effectively controls from Tehran to the Mediterranean through Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. "Tehran and its allies in Baghdad and Damascus achieved victory in the war against the Islamic State but the Islamic Republic risks losing the peace," said Ali Alfoneh, a senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "Apart from Russian companies, UAE companies are aggressively trying to gain a foothold in Iraq and Syria, which would deprive Iranian companies of reaping the fruit of their war-era effort." Iran's influence in Iraq will be difficult to dislodge, however. Through allied Iraqi politicians and paramilitary groups, it emerged as the dominant force after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. Iran officially has no military presence in Iraq but backs its most powerful Shi'ite paramilitary groups. An umbrella grouping of all Iraq's Shi'ite militias is estimated at 150,000 fighters. Last week Washington blacklisted another Iran-backed militia that has helped create a supply route through Iraq to Damascus. The United States has around 5,200 troops stationed in Iraq. Tehran also has powerful allies in Iraq's parliament whose attempts to pass a bill forcing US troops to leave the country might be aided by Trump's belligerent anti-Iran rhetoric - especially comments roundly derided by Iraqi leaders that US forces in Iraq, ostensibly there for the battle against Islamic State, can be used to "watch Iran". Pressure on Iran's dominance Iraq remains heavily dependent on Iranian energy supplies to feed its power grid, despite US attempts to wean Baghdad off Iranian gas. Nevertheless, Washington's strategy has caused some friction between Iraq and Iran. Last month Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh criticised Iraq for failing to pay a $2 billion debt for energy imports as a result of compliance with the US sanctions regime. Meanwhile, Gulf Arab states including Iran's arch-foe Saudi Arabia have made overtures to the Iraqi government for energy and other economic deals, although with limited success. Iran and its Iraqi allies also face the challenge of popular discontent over its dominance - not only in northern Sunni areas where Shi'ite militias have deepened their control but even in southern Shi'ite heartlands. Protests that broke out across southern Iraq last year over lack of services took up anti-Iranian slogans, and demonstrators stormed the Iranian consulate in the city of Basra. "There are growing tensions in predominantly Shi'ite provinces which at one point were assumed to be pro-Iranian," said Renad Mansour, a research fellow at Chatham House. "Part of their frustrations are targeted towards Iran and the Islamist parties that Iran supports ... for Iran, the priority in Iraq is for it to remain stable and for their interests to be ensured."

Rouhani seeks to shore up Iran's influence on Baghdad trip

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for "decisive" action by Pakistan against a militant group behind a deadly suicide attack in a border area and said inaction by Islamabad could jeopardise relations between the neighbours.

Iran's state news agency IRNA said Rouhani's remarks came in a telephone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who said he would soon have "good news" for Iran, according to the agency.

A suicide bomber killed 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in mid-February in a southeastern region where security forces are facing a rise in attacks by militants from the country's Sunni Muslim minority.&nbsp;

The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We are awaiting your decisive operations against these terrorists," IRNA quoted Rouhani as telling Khan.

"We should not allow decades of friendship and fraternity between the two countries to be affected by the actions of small terrorist groups, the source of whose financing and arms is known to both of us," Rouhani said.

Iran has blamed its regional rival Saudi Arabia and arch-enemies Israel and the United States for the attack and other cross-border raids, an accusation rejected by the countries.

"It is in Pakistan's own interest not to allow our territory to be used by terrorist groups, and the Pakistani army is prepared to confront the terrorists more decisively with the information provided by Iran," IRNA quoted Khan as saying.

Khan said Pakistani forces had come close to the terrorists' hideout and there would soon be "good news" for Iran, IRNA reported.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for "decisive" action by Pakistan against a militant group behind a deadly suicide attack in a border area and said inaction by Islamabad could jeopardise relations between the neighbours.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday called for "decisive" action by Pakistan against a militant group behind a deadly suicide attack in a border area and said inaction by Islamabad could jeopardise relations between the neighbours. Iran's state news agency IRNA said Rouhani's remarks came in a telephone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who said he would soon have "good news" for Iran, according to the agency. A suicide bomber killed 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in mid-February in a southeastern region where security forces are facing a rise in attacks by militants from the country's Sunni Muslim minority. The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, claimed responsibility for the attack. "We are awaiting your decisive operations against these terrorists," IRNA quoted Rouhani as telling Khan. "We should not allow decades of friendship and fraternity between the two countries to be affected by the actions of small terrorist groups, the source of whose financing and arms is known to both of us," Rouhani said. Iran has blamed its regional rival Saudi Arabia and arch-enemies Israel and the United States for the attack and other cross-border raids, an accusation rejected by the countries. "It is in Pakistan's own interest not to allow our territory to be used by terrorist groups, and the Pakistani army is prepared to confront the terrorists more decisively with the information provided by Iran," IRNA quoted Khan as saying. Khan said Pakistani forces had come close to the terrorists' hideout and there would soon be "good news" for Iran, IRNA reported.

Iran's Rouhani urges Pakistan to act against group behind border attack

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the urbane, US-educated architect of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, announced his resignation unexpectedly on Monday on Instagram.

"Many thanks for the generosity of the dear and brave people of Iran and its authorities over the past 67 months. I sincerely apologise for the inability to continue serving and for all the shortcomings during my service. Be happy and worthy", he wrote on his Instagram page.

He gave no specific reasons for his decision.

Zarif played the lead role in striking the deal under which Iran agreed to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international financial sanctions.

He came under attack from anti-Western hardliners in Iran after the United States pulled out of the agreement last May and reimposed sanctions on Iran's economy and its lifeblood oil industry that were lifted under the deal.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a post on Twitter, dismissed Zarif and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as "front men for a corrupt religious mafia."

"Our policy is unchanged - the regime must behave like a normal country and respect its people", Pompeo said.

A spokesman for the Iranian Mission to the United Nations, Alireza Miryousefi, confirmed the announcement of the resignation. There was no immediate word, however, on whether Rouhani would accept it.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said: "some sources have confirmed Zarif's resignation". A foreign ministry spokesman confirmed his resignation, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.

If accepted, Zarif's resignation will further weaken pragmatist Rouhani, who is facing mounting pressure from his hardline rivals over the handling of Iran’s economic struggles.

Born in 1960, Zarif lived in the United States from the age of 17 as a student in San Francisco and Denver, and subsequently as a diplomat to the United Nations in New York, where he served as Iranian ambassador from 2002-07.

He was appointed a minister of foreign affairs in August 2013 after Rouhani won the presidency in a landslide on a promise to open up Iran to the outside world.

Although Rouhani, as the president, is responsible for choosing ministers, Iran's top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei traditionally has the last say over appointment of key ministers, including the foreign minister.

Since taking charge of Iran's nuclear talks with major powers in late 2013, Zarif has been summoned to parliament several times by hardline lawmakers to explain about the negotiations.

In February 2014 he caused an uproar with public comments condemning the Holocaust and was subsequently summoned to parliament. Holocaust denial has been a staple of public speeches in Iran for decades.

Some hardliners even threatened Zarif with bodily harm after the nuclear deal was signed. Khamenei, guardedly backed the deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its sensitive nuclear work.

A former commander of Iran's hardline Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hassan Abbasi, said in a speech earlier this month he believed Iranian people would spit on Zarif and those officials who supported the nuclear pact with powers.

"Rouhani, Zarif and (parliament speaker Ali) Larijani, go to hell," Abbasi said in the central city of Karaj, Iranian media reported.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the urbane, US-educated architect of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, announced his resignation unexpectedly on Monday on Instagram.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the urbane, US-educated architect of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, announced his resignation unexpectedly on Monday on Instagram. "Many thanks for the generosity of the dear and brave people of Iran and its authorities over the past 67 months. I sincerely apologise for the inability to continue serving and for all the shortcomings during my service. Be happy and worthy", he wrote on his Instagram page. He gave no specific reasons for his decision. Zarif played the lead role in striking the deal under which Iran agreed to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international financial sanctions. He came under attack from anti-Western hardliners in Iran after the United States pulled out of the agreement last May and reimposed sanctions on Iran's economy and its lifeblood oil industry that were lifted under the deal. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a post on Twitter, dismissed Zarif and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as "front men for a corrupt religious mafia." "Our policy is unchanged - the regime must behave like a normal country and respect its people", Pompeo said. A spokesman for the Iranian Mission to the United Nations, Alireza Miryousefi, confirmed the announcement of the resignation. There was no immediate word, however, on whether Rouhani would accept it. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said: "some sources have confirmed Zarif's resignation". A foreign ministry spokesman confirmed his resignation, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported. If accepted, Zarif's resignation will further weaken pragmatist Rouhani, who is facing mounting pressure from his hardline rivals over the handling of Iran’s economic struggles. Born in 1960, Zarif lived in the United States from the age of 17 as a student in San Francisco and Denver, and subsequently as a diplomat to the United Nations in New York, where he served as Iranian ambassador from 2002-07. He was appointed a minister of foreign affairs in August 2013 after Rouhani won the presidency in a landslide on a promise to open up Iran to the outside world. Although Rouhani, as the president, is responsible for choosing ministers, Iran's top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei traditionally has the last say over appointment of key ministers, including the foreign minister. Since taking charge of Iran's nuclear talks with major powers in late 2013, Zarif has been summoned to parliament several times by hardline lawmakers to explain about the negotiations. In February 2014 he caused an uproar with public comments condemning the Holocaust and was subsequently summoned to parliament. Holocaust denial has been a staple of public speeches in Iran for decades. Some hardliners even threatened Zarif with bodily harm after the nuclear deal was signed. Khamenei, guardedly backed the deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its sensitive nuclear work. A former commander of Iran's hardline Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hassan Abbasi, said in a speech earlier this month he believed Iranian people would spit on Zarif and those officials who supported the nuclear pact with powers. "Rouhani, Zarif and (parliament speaker Ali) Larijani, go to hell," Abbasi said in the central city of Karaj, Iranian media reported.

Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif announces unexpected resignation on Instagram

Iran has been adhering to a deal with world powers limiting its nuclear programme, the UN atomic watchdog said Friday, as diplomatic wrangling continues over the future of the accord.

The latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran was still complying with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with global powers under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.

The IAEA's latest report showed that over the past three-month period, Iran's stock of heavy water had risen from 122.8 to 124.8 metric tonnes and that it held 163.8kg of enriched uranium, up from 149.4kg in November.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/irans-hassan-rouhani-says-us-sanctions-are-terrorist-act-198591">Iran's Hassan Rouhani says US sanctions are 'terrorist act'</a>

Both levels are within the limits foreseen by the JCPOA.

Last week, European nations rejected a call from US Vice President Mike Pence to follow the US lead in withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal.

Israel has welcomed the US withdrawal from the deal, claiming that Iran is harbouring a secret atomic warehouse.

Without naming specific countries, in January IAEA chief Yukiya Amano rejected pressure on the agency, saying: "If our credibility is thrown into question, and, in particular, if attempts are made to micro-manage or put pressure on the Agency in nuclear verification, that is counter-productive and extremely harmful."

In May, US President Donald Trump dramatically withdrew from the JCPOA. This was followed by sweeping new American sanctions on Iran in November.

Trump's own intelligence chiefs have contradicted him over the question of Iran's adherence to the deal.

Last month Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel told a Senate hearing that Iran was "technically" in compliance with the JCPOA.

The European Union -- along with the European signatories to the deal, collectively known as the E3 -- have been scrambling to find ways to keep the deal alive, last month setting up a special payments vehicle to bypass US sanctions.

However, while Iran initially welcomed the creation of the vehicle -- called INSTEX -- as a "first step", last week Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the mechanism "falls short of the commitments by the E3 to save the nuclear deal". 
&nbsp;

Iran has been adhering to a deal with world powers limiting its nuclear programme, the UN atomic watchdog said Friday, as diplomatic wrangling continues over the future of the accord.

Iran has been adhering to a deal with world powers limiting its nuclear programme, the UN atomic watchdog said Friday, as diplomatic wrangling continues over the future of the accord. The latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran was still complying with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with global powers under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. The IAEA's latest report showed that over the past three-month period, Iran's stock of heavy water had risen from 122.8 to 124.8 metric tonnes and that it held 163.8kg of enriched uranium, up from 149.4kg in November. Also read: Iran's Hassan Rouhani says US sanctions are 'terrorist act' Both levels are within the limits foreseen by the JCPOA. Last week, European nations rejected a call from US Vice President Mike Pence to follow the US lead in withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal. Israel has welcomed the US withdrawal from the deal, claiming that Iran is harbouring a secret atomic warehouse. Without naming specific countries, in January IAEA chief Yukiya Amano rejected pressure on the agency, saying: "If our credibility is thrown into question, and, in particular, if attempts are made to micro-manage or put pressure on the Agency in nuclear verification, that is counter-productive and extremely harmful." In May, US President Donald Trump dramatically withdrew from the JCPOA. This was followed by sweeping new American sanctions on Iran in November. Trump's own intelligence chiefs have contradicted him over the question of Iran's adherence to the deal. Last month Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel told a Senate hearing that Iran was "technically" in compliance with the JCPOA. The European Union -- along with the European signatories to the deal, collectively known as the E3 -- have been scrambling to find ways to keep the deal alive, last month setting up a special payments vehicle to bypass US sanctions. However, while Iran initially welcomed the creation of the vehicle -- called INSTEX -- as a "first step", last week Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the mechanism "falls short of the commitments by the E3 to save the nuclear deal".

Iran adhering to terms of 2015 nuclear deal: UN atomic watchdog

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday relations with the United States had rarely been so bad and that sanctions imposed by the Trump administration targeting Tehran's oil and banking sectors amounted to "a terrorist act".

Animosity between Washington and Tehran - bitter foes since Iran’s 1979 revolution - has intensified since US&nbsp;President Donald Trump withdrew from an international nuclear deal with Tehran last May and reimposed sanctions lifted under the accord.

"The struggle between Iran and America is currently at a maximum. America has employed all its power against us," Rouhani was quoted as saying in a cabinet meeting by the state broadcaster IRIB.

"The US pressures on firms and banks to halt business with Iran is one hundred per cent a terrorist act," he said.

Trump has reimposed the sanctions with the aim of slashing Iranian oil sales and choking its economy in order to curb its ballistic missile programme and its activities in the Middle East, especially in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

Hypocrisy

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the United States of hypocrisy for trying to wreck Iran's nuclear programme while seeking to sell nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, Tehran's regional rival.

"Neither human rights nor the nuclear programme are the real concern of the US First a dismembered journalist; now the illicit sale of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia fully expose #USHypocrisy," Zarif said in a tweet.

He was referring to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which triggered international revulsion. His body has not been found.

The CIA has said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely ordered the killing, which Riyadh denies. Trump has stood by the prince, saying weapons sales to Saudi Arabia are an important source of US jobs.

US Democratic lawmakers alleged in a report released Tuesday that a proposed transfer of US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia was being fast-tracked around a mandatory approval process.

Unlike the United States, European powers are working to preserve the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran. But France has said it is ready to reimpose sanctions on Iran if no progress is made in talks over its ballistic missile programme.

In a clear reaction to French pressure, Rouhani said: "We want a constructive interaction with the world, but the countries that work with us should not have excessive demands. Iran is firm in its stance and will act based on its national interests."

Iran has said its missile programme is purely defensive.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday relations with the United States had rarely been so bad and that sanctions imposed by the Trump administration targeting Tehran's oil and banking sectors amounted to "a terrorist act".

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday relations with the United States had rarely been so bad and that sanctions imposed by the Trump administration targeting Tehran's oil and banking sectors amounted to "a terrorist act". Animosity between Washington and Tehran - bitter foes since Iran’s 1979 revolution - has intensified since US President Donald Trump withdrew from an international nuclear deal with Tehran last May and reimposed sanctions lifted under the accord. "The struggle between Iran and America is currently at a maximum. America has employed all its power against us," Rouhani was quoted as saying in a cabinet meeting by the state broadcaster IRIB. "The US pressures on firms and banks to halt business with Iran is one hundred per cent a terrorist act," he said. Trump has reimposed the sanctions with the aim of slashing Iranian oil sales and choking its economy in order to curb its ballistic missile programme and its activities in the Middle East, especially in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Hypocrisy Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the United States of hypocrisy for trying to wreck Iran's nuclear programme while seeking to sell nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, Tehran's regional rival. "Neither human rights nor the nuclear programme are the real concern of the US First a dismembered journalist; now the illicit sale of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia fully expose #USHypocrisy," Zarif said in a tweet. He was referring to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which triggered international revulsion. His body has not been found. The CIA has said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely ordered the killing, which Riyadh denies. Trump has stood by the prince, saying weapons sales to Saudi Arabia are an important source of US jobs. US Democratic lawmakers alleged in a report released Tuesday that a proposed transfer of US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia was being fast-tracked around a mandatory approval process. Unlike the United States, European powers are working to preserve the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran. But France has said it is ready to reimpose sanctions on Iran if no progress is made in talks over its ballistic missile programme. In a clear reaction to French pressure, Rouhani said: "We want a constructive interaction with the world, but the countries that work with us should not have excessive demands. Iran is firm in its stance and will act based on its national interests." Iran has said its missile programme is purely defensive.

Iran's Hassan Rouhani says US sanctions are 'terrorist act'

Iran on Sunday launched a new locally-made submarine capable of firing cruise missiles, state TV said, in the country's latest show of military might at a time of heightened tensions with the US.

The launch ceremony, led by President Hassan Rouhani, took place in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

"Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully self-reliant on land, air and sea," Rouhani said.

"Our defensive power is meant to defend our interests and we have never sought to attack any country," he added.

Named the Fateh (Farsi for 'Conqueror'), Fars news agency said the new submarine is Iran's first in the semi-heavy category, filling a gap between the light Ghadir class and the heavy Kilo-class submarines that the country possesses.

Fars said the near 600-tonne underwater vessel is equipped with torpedoes and naval mines in addition to cruise missiles and can operate more than 200 metres below sea level for up to 35 days.

The US withdrew from a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018 and re-imposed biting unilateral sanctions later last year.&nbsp;

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on February 7 unveiled a new ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 kilometres (620 miles), according to the elite unit's official media agency Sepah News.

The surface-to-surface missile -- called Dezful -- is an upgrade on the older Zolfaghar model that had a range of 700 kilometres, aerospace commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said.

Rouhani said on Sunday that "pressure by enemies, the (Iran-Iraq) war and sanctions" were incentives for Tehran to be self-reliant in its defence industry.

"Maybe we would not have this motivation to industrialise our defence sector," he said if Iran could just buy the weaponry it needed.

Iran's top military brass and cabinet ministers attended the ceremony.

Iran on Sunday launched a new locally-made submarine capable of firing cruise missiles, state TV said, in the country's latest show of military might at a time of heightened tensions with the US.

Iran on Sunday launched a new locally-made submarine capable of firing cruise missiles, state TV said, in the country's latest show of military might at a time of heightened tensions with the US. The launch ceremony, led by President Hassan Rouhani, took place in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. "Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully self-reliant on land, air and sea," Rouhani said. "Our defensive power is meant to defend our interests and we have never sought to attack any country," he added. Named the Fateh (Farsi for 'Conqueror'), Fars news agency said the new submarine is Iran's first in the semi-heavy category, filling a gap between the light Ghadir class and the heavy Kilo-class submarines that the country possesses. Fars said the near 600-tonne underwater vessel is equipped with torpedoes and naval mines in addition to cruise missiles and can operate more than 200 metres below sea level for up to 35 days. The US withdrew from a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018 and re-imposed biting unilateral sanctions later last year. Iran's Revolutionary Guards on February 7 unveiled a new ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 kilometres (620 miles), according to the elite unit's official media agency Sepah News. The surface-to-surface missile -- called Dezful -- is an upgrade on the older Zolfaghar model that had a range of 700 kilometres, aerospace commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said. Rouhani said on Sunday that "pressure by enemies, the (Iran-Iraq) war and sanctions" were incentives for Tehran to be self-reliant in its defence industry. "Maybe we would not have this motivation to industrialise our defence sector," he said if Iran could just buy the weaponry it needed. Iran's top military brass and cabinet ministers attended the ceremony.

Iran launches 'cruise missile capable' submarine

Iran is ready to work with all of its neighbours to secure peace in the Middle East in the face of US&nbsp;and Israeli aggression, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday (February 17), in his latest attempt to weaken ties between regional rival Saudi Arabia and America.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have been fighting proxy wars for years, backing opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

But pressure is building on Tehran after US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed sanctions. Saudi Arabia welcomed the move.

In a public speech in the southern Hormozgan province, broadcast live on state TV, Rouhani said, "We want to establish brotherly ties with all countries of the region ... Iran has never started any aggression in the region."

Rouhani's previous overtures to Saudi Arabia, such as after his election in 2013 and efforts by his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in 2017, have had no success, and some analysts were sceptical his latest attempt would be different.

Iran accuses Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates of supporting militant Sunni groups that carry out attacks against Iranian forces, including a suicide bombing on Wednesday in Iran's southeastern province that borders Pakistan.

Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps.

The Revolutionary Guards have threatened Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan with retaliation.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan deny backing the militants. Iran's foreign ministry on Sunday summoned Pakistan's ambassador to protest about Wednesday's attack.

Iran is ready to work with all of its neighbours to secure peace in the Middle East in the face of US and Israeli aggression, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday (February 17), in his latest attempt to weaken ties between regional rival Saudi Arabia and America. Iran and Saudi Arabia have been fighting proxy wars for years, backing opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen. But pressure is building on Tehran after US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed sanctions. Saudi Arabia welcomed the move. In a public speech in the southern Hormozgan province, broadcast live on state TV, Rouhani said, "We want to establish brotherly ties with all countries of the region ... Iran has never started any aggression in the region." Rouhani's previous overtures to Saudi Arabia, such as after his election in 2013 and efforts by his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in 2017, have had no success, and some analysts were sceptical his latest attempt would be different. Iran accuses Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates of supporting militant Sunni groups that carry out attacks against Iranian forces, including a suicide bombing on Wednesday in Iran's southeastern province that borders Pakistan. Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps. The Revolutionary Guards have threatened Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan with retaliation. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan deny backing the militants. Iran's foreign ministry on Sunday summoned Pakistan's ambassador to protest about Wednesday's attack.

Iran President Rouhani says Iran ready to improve ties with Gulf states

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/awantipora-crpf-convoy-hit-by-explosives-laden-vehicle-several-jawans-killed-197418">Awantipora: CRPF convoy hit by explosives-laden vehicle, several jawans killed</a>

At least 20 CRPF jawans were killed on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama after a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-and-india-hold-talks-to-calm-trade-tensions-197411">US and India hold talks to calm trade tensions</a>

US and Indian government officials pressed on with talks on Thursday to resolve their differences over trade and investment, Indian government sources said, even though US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross called off his visit because of bad weather at home.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-president-hassan-rouhani-blames-us-israel-for-attack-on-elite-guards-report-197439">Iran President Hassan Rouhani blames </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-president-hassan-rouhani-blames-us-israel-for-attack-on-elite-guards-report-197439">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-president-hassan-rouhani-blames-us-israel-for-attack-on-elite-guards-report-197439">, Israel for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-president-hassan-rouhani-blames-us-israel-for-attack-on-elite-guards-report-197439">attack</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-president-hassan-rouhani-blames-us-israel-for-attack-on-elite-guards-report-197439"> on elite Guards that killed 27: Report</a>

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and its regional allies on Thursday for a suicide bombing in southeastern Iran that killed 27 members of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards, Iranian state TV reported.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-group-says-trump-trade-tariffs-cost-businesses-27-billion-in-november-197404">US group says Trump trade tariffs cost businesses $2.7 billion in November</a>

The US businesses paid an additional $2.7 billion in tariffs in November 2018, according to data from a coalition of US business groups fighting President Donald Trump's trade tariffs.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-to-hear-case-against-party-behind-princess-political-bid-197401">Thai court to consider </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-to-hear-case-against-party-behind-princess-political-bid-197401">ban</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-to-hear-case-against-party-behind-princess-political-bid-197401"> on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-to-hear-case-against-party-behind-princess-political-bid-197401">party</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-to-hear-case-against-party-behind-princess-political-bid-197401"> that nominated princess Ubolratana for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-to-hear-case-against-party-behind-princess-political-bid-197401">upcoming</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-to-hear-case-against-party-behind-princess-political-bid-197401"> general election</a>

Thailand's Constitutional Court announced on Thursday it will consider a ban on a party that nominated princess for prime minister, raising the prospect of a further setback for opposition chances in a general election.

&nbsp;

Awantipora: CRPF convoy hit by explosives-laden vehicle, several jawans killed At least 20 CRPF jawans were killed on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama after a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling.

Awantipora: CRPF convoy hit by explosives-laden vehicle, several jawans killed At least 20 CRPF jawans were killed on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama after a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling. US and India hold talks to calm trade tensions US and Indian government officials pressed on with talks on Thursday to resolve their differences over trade and investment, Indian government sources said, even though US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross called off his visit because of bad weather at home. Iran President Hassan Rouhani blames US, Israel for attack on elite Guards that killed 27: Report Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and its regional allies on Thursday for a suicide bombing in southeastern Iran that killed 27 members of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards, Iranian state TV reported. US group says Trump trade tariffs cost businesses $2.7 billion in November The US businesses paid an additional $2.7 billion in tariffs in November 2018, according to data from a coalition of US business groups fighting President Donald Trump's trade tariffs. Thai court to consider ban on party that nominated princess Ubolratana for upcoming general election Thailand's Constitutional Court announced on Thursday it will consider a ban on a party that nominated princess for prime minister, raising the prospect of a further setback for opposition chances in a general election.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and its regional allies on Thursday for a suicide bombing in southeastern Iran that killed 27 members of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards, Iranian state TV reported.

The force said on Wednesday a suicide bomber driving a vehicle laden with explosives had attacked a bus transporting members of the Guards in the province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

A militant Sunni Muslim group, Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, has claimed responsibility for the attack, Iranian media have reported.

"The crime will remain as a 'dirty stain' in the black record of the main supporters of terrorism in the White House, Tel Aviv and their regional agents," Rouhani said.

Apart from Israel, Rouhani did not name the regional states he believed were to blame. Mainly Shi'ite Muslim Iran does not recognise Israel, which is a key U.S. ally in the region and sees Tehran as posing an existential threat to its existence.

"There is a link between this crime ... and some regional and international spying and intelligence agencies," TV quoted Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as saying.

Khamenei ordered immediate action against those responsible for the attack.

In the past, Tehran has accused its main regional rival Saudi Arabia of backing Sunni militia groups who have carried out bloody attacks against Iranian security forces. Riyadh has denied the charges.

Repeating warnings made by senior commanders of the Guards, Rouhani said Iran was determined to bring justice to those responsible for one of the worst assaults ever against the Revolutionary Guards in years.

The assault, which wounded at least 13 people, took place in the province of Sistan-Baluchistan, which has a large, mainly Sunni Muslim, ethnic Baluchi community, which straddles the border with Pakistan.

Jaish al Adl has carried out attacks against the border guards from Pakistan since its founding in 2012. Iran has called on neighbouring countries to crack down on separatist groups. 
&nbsp;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and its regional allies on Thursday for a suicide bombing in southeastern Iran that killed 27 members of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards, Iranian state TV reported.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and its regional allies on Thursday for a suicide bombing in southeastern Iran that killed 27 members of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards, Iranian state TV reported. The force said on Wednesday a suicide bomber driving a vehicle laden with explosives had attacked a bus transporting members of the Guards in the province of Sistan-Baluchestan. A militant Sunni Muslim group, Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, has claimed responsibility for the attack, Iranian media have reported. "The crime will remain as a 'dirty stain' in the black record of the main supporters of terrorism in the White House, Tel Aviv and their regional agents," Rouhani said. Apart from Israel, Rouhani did not name the regional states he believed were to blame. Mainly Shi'ite Muslim Iran does not recognise Israel, which is a key U.S. ally in the region and sees Tehran as posing an existential threat to its existence. "There is a link between this crime ... and some regional and international spying and intelligence agencies," TV quoted Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as saying. Khamenei ordered immediate action against those responsible for the attack. In the past, Tehran has accused its main regional rival Saudi Arabia of backing Sunni militia groups who have carried out bloody attacks against Iranian security forces. Riyadh has denied the charges. Repeating warnings made by senior commanders of the Guards, Rouhani said Iran was determined to bring justice to those responsible for one of the worst assaults ever against the Revolutionary Guards in years. The assault, which wounded at least 13 people, took place in the province of Sistan-Baluchistan, which has a large, mainly Sunni Muslim, ethnic Baluchi community, which straddles the border with Pakistan. Jaish al Adl has carried out attacks against the border guards from Pakistan since its founding in 2012. Iran has called on neighbouring countries to crack down on separatist groups.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani blames US, Israel for attack on elite Guards that killed 27: Report

By Naser Ghobadzadeh

Iran’s ruling clergy are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1979 revolution, during which Shi'ite Islamists, led by religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini, toppled Mohammad Reza Shah’s secular monarchy.

The linchpin of the Islamic Republic’s political system is Ayatollah Khomeini’s doctrine of Wilayat-i Faqih, or guardianship of the jurist, which makes a Shia religious jurist the head of state. The jurist’s legitimacy to hold the most powerful position in the state is claimed to be based on divine sovereignty.

As its name suggests, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s current system combines theocratic and republican elements. The president and parliament are democratically elected, while the members of powerful institutions such as the Guardian Council and the judiciary are appointed by the Supreme Leader (Walī-yi Faqīh).

The Guardian Council oversees elections and the final approval of the legislation. According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, all legislation, policies and programs must be consistent with the observance of Islamic principles. The Guardian Council has a duty to monitor all legislative decisions and determine whether their implementation would cause a violation.

This unprecedented political system brought in four decades of internal conflict. The established Islamic Republic of Iran also ceased being a US ally and instead became an enemy. International sanctions, along with the clergy’s mismanagement and endemic corruption, have resulted in a dire economic situation. There is a strong fear the high unemployment and inflation rate will continue to rise.

Under these circumstances, there are now doubts the Islamic Republic can survive. And some wonder whether we may soon see another revolution. So, what is the situation in Iran 40 years after the Shah was overthrown and who is agitating for change?

Decades of unrest

After Ayatollah Khomeini died in 1989, a more conservative Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, came to power and strengthened the theocracy.

The reformist movement emerged in the mid-1990s to counter the newly established conservative regime. They had little chance of gaining power through theocratic institutions, so they focused on the electoral side. They campaigned for women’s rights, democratic rule and a civil-military divide.

Reformists gained power twice: from 1997 to 2005 and from 2013 – with the election of the relatively moderate president, Hassan Rouhani – until now. In these years, reformists controlled electoral institutions such as the presidency and the parliament.

For decades, reformers have struggled to limit the power of theocratic institutions – while still broadly complying by the laws of the clergy, and the principles set in place by Khomeini – and expand the power of republican institutions. However, they were no match for the Khamenei-led resistance, and theocratic institutions are more powerful today than they were in the mid-1990s.

Iran has also continually had tense relations with the international community. In addition to eight years of war with Iraq, Iran has been under sanctions for almost all of the past four decades. These have been imposed by the US, the EU, and the United Nations over claims Iran breached its nuclear obligations.

Today, the Donald Trump-led US government is pursuing an extremely hostile approach to Iran. Crucially, the US has withdrawn from a nuclear deal negotiated with the Obama administration – under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program. The US has reapplied previous sanctions (which were lifted under the deal) and imposed new ones. Iranians are also the most affected of the Muslim majority countries included in Trump’s travel ban.

Reformists have made some progress towards easing economic hardship, loosening social control, and initiating a temporary easing of tensions with the outside community. But the parlous nature of the political structure empowers the theocrats to manipulate the system and stymie any reform effort that promises a path to democratisation.

Reformists or pro-regime opposition

The protests that swept Iran between December 2017 and January 2018 showed that many Iranians don’t consider the reformists capable of bringing about meaningful change. Protesters expressed their anger over increasing economic hardship, as well as Iran’s support and funding for foreign conflicts, namely the civil wars in Yemen and Syria. They also chanted slogans calling for an end to the rule of clerics.

Rampant corruption, the failure of Rouhani to fulfil his promises – such as boosting the economy, extending individual and political freedoms, ensuring equality for women and men, and easing access to the internet – and the return of sanctions have combined to shatter hope of reform. This has been expressed in global protests by the Iranian diaspora calling for a change to the government.

It seems unlikely the reformists will be able to maintain their positions in the country’s electoral institutions. The sad reality is that even if they have another chance, the result will only compound their failures.

These circumstances have led to another stream of opposition – one agitating for a toppling of the Islamic Republic and regime change – gaining currency. Most members of this group are in exile, including Iran’s ex-prince and son of the Shah overthrown by the revolution, Reza Pahlavi.

But there is profound disagreement between the opposition groups in exile. Although they share a similar goal, they have consistently proven unable to agree on an overarching framework. The profound divisions among the groups have drained both their resources and intellectual capacity, which has rendered them incapable of contesting the country’s ruling clergy.

Those advocating for regime change have also been incapable of articulating a viable alternative to the Islamic Republic. All opposition groups overuse the abstract notion of “secular democracy” without clearly explaining what exactly they have in mind.

Pahlavi’s desire is reportedly not to put himself back on the throne, but to let the people decide what the political system would look like. He has said, "It’s not the form that matters, it’s the content; I believe Iran must be a secular, parliamentary democracy. The final form has to be decided by the people."

While this is a legitimate statement, figures like Pahlavi ought to offer viable alternatives that would help bring opposition groups together. Potential alternatives should also be structured to appeal to the masses, a considerable segment of whom have expressed disillusionment with the ideal of an Islamic state.

Opposition groups are absorbed in delegitimising the Islamic Republic, questioning the way the clergy run the country. In doing so, they forget the people who have already expressed widespread dissatisfaction with the clergy.

The opposition needs to skillfully craft an alternative to the Islamic Republic and a comprehensive plan for the transition to democracy. Until an alternative political system is formulated and popularised, the opposition will remain impotent and unable to initiate a transformation in the country.

Of course, change is not impossible. A military confrontation with Israel or the US, the departure of 79-year-old Ayatollah Khamenei, or a spontaneous mass uprising could prove a game changer.

(Naser Ghobadzadeh is Senior Lecturer, National School of Arts, Australian Catholic University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/forty-years-on-from-the-iranian-revolution-could-the-country-be-at-risk-of-another-one-110693">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

By Naser Ghobadzadeh Iran’s ruling clergy are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1979 revolution, during which Shi'ite Islamists, led by religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini, toppled Mohammad Reza Shah’s secular monarchy.

By Naser Ghobadzadeh Iran’s ruling clergy are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1979 revolution, during which Shi'ite Islamists, led by religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini, toppled Mohammad Reza Shah’s secular monarchy. The linchpin of the Islamic Republic’s political system is Ayatollah Khomeini’s doctrine of Wilayat-i Faqih, or guardianship of the jurist, which makes a Shia religious jurist the head of state. The jurist’s legitimacy to hold the most powerful position in the state is claimed to be based on divine sovereignty. As its name suggests, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s current system combines theocratic and republican elements. The president and parliament are democratically elected, while the members of powerful institutions such as the Guardian Council and the judiciary are appointed by the Supreme Leader (Walī-yi Faqīh). The Guardian Council oversees elections and the final approval of the legislation. According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, all legislation, policies and programs must be consistent with the observance of Islamic principles. The Guardian Council has a duty to monitor all legislative decisions and determine whether their implementation would cause a violation. This unprecedented political system brought in four decades of internal conflict. The established Islamic Republic of Iran also ceased being a US ally and instead became an enemy. International sanctions, along with the clergy’s mismanagement and endemic corruption, have resulted in a dire economic situation. There is a strong fear the high unemployment and inflation rate will continue to rise. Under these circumstances, there are now doubts the Islamic Republic can survive. And some wonder whether we may soon see another revolution. So, what is the situation in Iran 40 years after the Shah was overthrown and who is agitating for change? Decades of unrest After Ayatollah Khomeini died in 1989, a more conservative Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, came to power and strengthened the theocracy. The reformist movement emerged in the mid-1990s to counter the newly established conservative regime. They had little chance of gaining power through theocratic institutions, so they focused on the electoral side. They campaigned for women’s rights, democratic rule and a civil-military divide. Reformists gained power twice: from 1997 to 2005 and from 2013 – with the election of the relatively moderate president, Hassan Rouhani – until now. In these years, reformists controlled electoral institutions such as the presidency and the parliament. For decades, reformers have struggled to limit the power of theocratic institutions – while still broadly complying by the laws of the clergy, and the principles set in place by Khomeini – and expand the power of republican institutions. However, they were no match for the Khamenei-led resistance, and theocratic institutions are more powerful today than they were in the mid-1990s. Iran has also continually had tense relations with the international community. In addition to eight years of war with Iraq, Iran has been under sanctions for almost all of the past four decades. These have been imposed by the US, the EU, and the United Nations over claims Iran breached its nuclear obligations. Today, the Donald Trump-led US government is pursuing an extremely hostile approach to Iran. Crucially, the US has withdrawn from a nuclear deal negotiated with the Obama administration – under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program. The US has reapplied previous sanctions (which were lifted under the deal) and imposed new ones. Iranians are also the most affected of the Muslim majority countries included in Trump’s travel ban. Reformists have made some progress towards easing economic hardship, loosening social control, and initiating a temporary easing of tensions with the outside community. But the parlous nature of the political structure empowers the theocrats to manipulate the system and stymie any reform effort that promises a path to democratisation. Reformists or pro-regime opposition The protests that swept Iran between December 2017 and January 2018 showed that many Iranians don’t consider the reformists capable of bringing about meaningful change. Protesters expressed their anger over increasing economic hardship, as well as Iran’s support and funding for foreign conflicts, namely the civil wars in Yemen and Syria. They also chanted slogans calling for an end to the rule of clerics. Rampant corruption, the failure of Rouhani to fulfil his promises – such as boosting the economy, extending individual and political freedoms, ensuring equality for women and men, and easing access to the internet – and the return of sanctions have combined to shatter hope of reform. This has been expressed in global protests by the Iranian diaspora calling for a change to the government. It seems unlikely the reformists will be able to maintain their positions in the country’s electoral institutions. The sad reality is that even if they have another chance, the result will only compound their failures. These circumstances have led to another stream of opposition – one agitating for a toppling of the Islamic Republic and regime change – gaining currency. Most members of this group are in exile, including Iran’s ex-prince and son of the Shah overthrown by the revolution, Reza Pahlavi. But there is profound disagreement between the opposition groups in exile. Although they share a similar goal, they have consistently proven unable to agree on an overarching framework. The profound divisions among the groups have drained both their resources and intellectual capacity, which has rendered them incapable of contesting the country’s ruling clergy. Those advocating for regime change have also been incapable of articulating a viable alternative to the Islamic Republic. All opposition groups overuse the abstract notion of “secular democracy” without clearly explaining what exactly they have in mind. Pahlavi’s desire is reportedly not to put himself back on the throne, but to let the people decide what the political system would look like. He has said, "It’s not the form that matters, it’s the content; I believe Iran must be a secular, parliamentary democracy. The final form has to be decided by the people." While this is a legitimate statement, figures like Pahlavi ought to offer viable alternatives that would help bring opposition groups together. Potential alternatives should also be structured to appeal to the masses, a considerable segment of whom have expressed disillusionment with the ideal of an Islamic state. Opposition groups are absorbed in delegitimising the Islamic Republic, questioning the way the clergy run the country. In doing so, they forget the people who have already expressed widespread dissatisfaction with the clergy. The opposition needs to skillfully craft an alternative to the Islamic Republic and a comprehensive plan for the transition to democracy. Until an alternative political system is formulated and popularised, the opposition will remain impotent and unable to initiate a transformation in the country. Of course, change is not impossible. A military confrontation with Israel or the US, the departure of 79-year-old Ayatollah Khamenei, or a spontaneous mass uprising could prove a game changer. (Naser Ghobadzadeh is Senior Lecturer, National School of Arts, Australian Catholic University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Forty years on from the Iranian revolution, could the country be at risk of another one?

Iran's president on Monday insisted "enemy" plots against the country would fail as vast crowds marked 40 years since the Islamic revolution at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.

"The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives," a defiant President Hassan Rouhani told those thronging Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square, decrying a "conspiracy" involving Washington.

Chador-clad women, militia members in camouflage fatigues and ordinary citizens marched through the capital in freezing rain to commemorate the day in February 1979 that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ended millennia of royal rule.

The routes leading up to the square were packed with people as loudspeakers blared revolutionary anthems and slogans.

Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles stood in a statement of defiance after the US last year reimposed sanctions following its withdrawal from a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme.

Rouhani lambasted calls from the United States and Europe for a fresh agreement to curb Iran's missile programme.

"We have not, and will not, request permission from anyone for increasing our defensive power and for building all kinds of... missiles," he told the crowd.

Speaking from a flower-festooned stage overlooking the square, the president warned that Iran was now far stronger than when it faced off against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in a devastating conflict from 1980-88.

"Today the whole world should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran is considerably more powerful than the days of the war," Rouhani said.

Seemingly reaching out to his political critics within the country, the president added: "The more we allow different ideas, beliefs and (political) factions the stronger our system will be."

A pre-prepared resolution was read out ahead of his speech that proclaimed "unquestioning obedience to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" and called US President Donald Trump an "idiot".

The events Monday were the culmination of official celebrations called the "10 Day Dawn" that mark the period between February 1, 1979, and February 11 when Shiite cleric Khomeini returned from exile and ousted the shah's last government.

The state has played up this year's anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God.

But despite the official festivities, today's Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions.

'Support the revolution'

State television offered blanket coverage of the commemorations, showing marches in cities ranging from Abadan in southwestern Iran to Mashhad in the northeast.

Banners held by marchers or hung along the streets bore slogans including "Death to America", "Death to Israel", "we will trample on America", "forty years of challenge, forty years of US defeats".

A number of Israeli and American flags were set on fire by the crowds.

An anchor on state television warned of hostile foreign media trying to downplay the participation of Iranians in the march but expressed confidence that "they would be confounded by the unprecedented level of attendance".

Those who took to the streets were bullish despite the economic problems in the country, made worse by Washington's punitive measures.

Former public servant Saaghi insisted that it remained paramount for Iranians to stick by the revolution.

"We are here to support the revolution," the 57-year-old pensioner, who refused to give his first name, told AFP at the event in Tehran.

He compared the US sanctions and economic hardships to "riding a bicycle when someone puts a stick in the wheels" but pointed to advances in other fields as more than making up for them.

"On the revolution's 40th anniversary we are at the top for scientific achievements like nanotechnology or accurate missiles," he said.

Cleric Hossein Firouzi told AFP Iran's revolution had achieved everything it set out to in terms of military power, political identity and scientific achievements.

"Iran has changed from a backwards nation to world power," said the 50-year-old.

Current supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to publish "a detailed statement explaining the 'second step' of the progress of the Islamic revolution", his official website said. 
&nbsp;

Iran's president on Monday insisted "enemy" plots against the country would fail as vast crowds marked 40 years since the Islamic revolution at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.

Iran's president on Monday insisted "enemy" plots against the country would fail as vast crowds marked 40 years since the Islamic revolution at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. "The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives," a defiant President Hassan Rouhani told those thronging Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square, decrying a "conspiracy" involving Washington. Chador-clad women, militia members in camouflage fatigues and ordinary citizens marched through the capital in freezing rain to commemorate the day in February 1979 that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ended millennia of royal rule. The routes leading up to the square were packed with people as loudspeakers blared revolutionary anthems and slogans. Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles stood in a statement of defiance after the US last year reimposed sanctions following its withdrawal from a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme. Rouhani lambasted calls from the United States and Europe for a fresh agreement to curb Iran's missile programme. "We have not, and will not, request permission from anyone for increasing our defensive power and for building all kinds of... missiles," he told the crowd. Speaking from a flower-festooned stage overlooking the square, the president warned that Iran was now far stronger than when it faced off against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in a devastating conflict from 1980-88. "Today the whole world should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran is considerably more powerful than the days of the war," Rouhani said. Seemingly reaching out to his political critics within the country, the president added: "The more we allow different ideas, beliefs and (political) factions the stronger our system will be." A pre-prepared resolution was read out ahead of his speech that proclaimed "unquestioning obedience to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" and called US President Donald Trump an "idiot". The events Monday were the culmination of official celebrations called the "10 Day Dawn" that mark the period between February 1, 1979, and February 11 when Shiite cleric Khomeini returned from exile and ousted the shah's last government. The state has played up this year's anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God. But despite the official festivities, today's Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions. 'Support the revolution' State television offered blanket coverage of the commemorations, showing marches in cities ranging from Abadan in southwestern Iran to Mashhad in the northeast. Banners held by marchers or hung along the streets bore slogans including "Death to America", "Death to Israel", "we will trample on America", "forty years of challenge, forty years of US defeats". A number of Israeli and American flags were set on fire by the crowds. An anchor on state television warned of hostile foreign media trying to downplay the participation of Iranians in the march but expressed confidence that "they would be confounded by the unprecedented level of attendance". Those who took to the streets were bullish despite the economic problems in the country, made worse by Washington's punitive measures. Former public servant Saaghi insisted that it remained paramount for Iranians to stick by the revolution. "We are here to support the revolution," the 57-year-old pensioner, who refused to give his first name, told AFP at the event in Tehran. He compared the US sanctions and economic hardships to "riding a bicycle when someone puts a stick in the wheels" but pointed to advances in other fields as more than making up for them. "On the revolution's 40th anniversary we are at the top for scientific achievements like nanotechnology or accurate missiles," he said. Cleric Hossein Firouzi told AFP Iran's revolution had achieved everything it set out to in terms of military power, political identity and scientific achievements. "Iran has changed from a backwards nation to world power," said the 50-year-old. Current supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to publish "a detailed statement explaining the 'second step' of the progress of the Islamic revolution", his official website said.

Mammoth crowds mark 40th anniversary of Iran revolution

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/parliamentary-committee-gives-twitter-another-15-day-deadline-to-appear-before-it-196714">Parliamentary</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/parliamentary-committee-gives-twitter-another-15-day-deadline-to-appear-before-it-196714"> committee gives Twitter another 15-day deadline to appear before it</a>

Twitter had been summoned by the committee today (Monday, February 11) but the company had declined to appear saying the notice was too short. The summons had been sent out on February 1.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/i-hope-we-can-together-start-a-new-kind-of-politics-priyanka-gandhi-says-on-lucknow-road-show-196688">'I hope we can together start a new kind of politics,' Priyanka Gandhi says on Lucknow roadshow</a>

The recently-appointed Congress general secretary of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accompanied by her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, and Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Raj Babbar, held a 20-kilometre roadshow in the Uttar Pradesh capital on Monday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-2019-general-elections-closing-in-facebook-expands-fact-checking-network-to-curb-fake-news-in-india-196669">With Lok Sabha elections coming, Facebook says it is expanding its fact-checking network</a>

Facebook Inc is expanding its fact-checking network in India to curb the spread of misinformation as the world's largest democracy prepares for a general election that must be held by May, the US-based social media giant said on Monday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-economy-posts-slowest-growth-in-six-years-196677">Brexit uncertainty: UK economy posts slowest growth in six years</a>

Britain's economy grew at the slowest pace in six years in 2018 with near-flat output in the final quarter, data showed Monday, as Brexit uncertainty and weaker global growth bites.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rouhani-iran-to-continue-expanding-military-might-missile-work-196656">Iran to continue expanding military might, missile work: President Hassan Rouhani</a>

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile programme despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Iran's defensive work, state TV reported.

&nbsp;

Parliamentary committee gives Twitter another 15-day deadline to appear before it Twitter had been summoned by the committee today (Monday, February 11) but the company had declined to appear saying the notice was too short.

Parliamentary committee gives Twitter another 15-day deadline to appear before it Twitter had been summoned by the committee today (Monday, February 11) but the company had declined to appear saying the notice was too short. The summons had been sent out on February 1. 'I hope we can together start a new kind of politics,' Priyanka Gandhi says on Lucknow roadshow The recently-appointed Congress general secretary of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accompanied by her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, and Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Raj Babbar, held a 20-kilometre roadshow in the Uttar Pradesh capital on Monday. With Lok Sabha elections coming, Facebook says it is expanding its fact-checking network Facebook Inc is expanding its fact-checking network in India to curb the spread of misinformation as the world's largest democracy prepares for a general election that must be held by May, the US-based social media giant said on Monday. Brexit uncertainty: UK economy posts slowest growth in six years Britain's economy grew at the slowest pace in six years in 2018 with near-flat output in the final quarter, data showed Monday, as Brexit uncertainty and weaker global growth bites. Iran to continue expanding military might, missile work: President Hassan Rouhani Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile programme despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Iran's defensive work, state TV reported.

Iranian <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-to-launch-two-satellites-in-coming-days-190236">President Hassan Rouhani</a> said on Monday that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile programme despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Iran's defensive work, state TV reported.

"We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of ... missiles and will continue our path and our military power," Rouhani said in a speech at Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square, where tens of thousands gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution.

Rouhani also vowed Iran would defeat US&nbsp;sanctions, reimposed after President Donald Trump withdrew from Tehran's nuclear accord with world powers last year.

"The Iranian people have and will have some economic difficulties (due to the sanctions) but we will overcome the problems by helping each other," Rouhani said.

&nbsp;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile programme despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Iran's defensive work, state TV reported.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile programme despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Iran's defensive work, state TV reported. "We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of ... missiles and will continue our path and our military power," Rouhani said in a speech at Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square, where tens of thousands gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution. Rouhani also vowed Iran would defeat US sanctions, reimposed after President Donald Trump withdrew from Tehran's nuclear accord with world powers last year. "The Iranian people have and will have some economic difficulties (due to the sanctions) but we will overcome the problems by helping each other," Rouhani said.

Iran to continue expanding military might, missile work: President Hassan Rouhani

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-us-hit-by-hysteria-since-dropping-nuclear-deal-189680">Iran's President Hassan Rouhan</a>i slammed his critics on Wednesday, defending the political achievements of a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/anti-nuclear-deal-momentum-is-growing-in-iran-190888"> landmark 2015 nuclear dea</a>l and calling the US an "oath-breaker".

"One should not condemn the government or the great Islamic system instead of America — this is the greatest damage that can be done," he said on state TV.

Hardliners have repeatedly hammered the 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers since the early stages of negotiations, calling it a fool's errand and a deception.

They contend that Iran has gained nothing from the agreement despite complying with its restrictions on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme, intensifying their criticism after Washington withdrew from the treaty last year.

Speaking during an annual ceremony of allegiance to the late founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Rouhani said: "America has not been an oath-breaker only to us, but also to Europe, China, NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)."

President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the deal — technically called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — last May, reimposing punishing sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Washington also withdrew from the TPP trade agreement in 2016, the Paris Agreement on climate change control the next year and forced Canada and Mexico to renegotiate and sign a new deal in 2018 replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The other parties to the Iran nuclear deal — Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia along with the European Union — have insisted it remains in force and is working.

Rouhani took another jab at opponents who have criticised Iranian diplomats' lack of foresight over not predicting the US withdrawal.

"No agreement is based on whether the other party remains, but the main basis is the country's interests," he said.

He ended his speech by calling for "unity", saying Khomeini's main concern was not foreign forces but domestic "discord". 
&nbsp;

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani slammed his critics on Wednesday, defending the political achievements of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and calling the US an "oath-breaker".

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani slammed his critics on Wednesday, defending the political achievements of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and calling the US an "oath-breaker". "One should not condemn the government or the great Islamic system instead of America — this is the greatest damage that can be done," he said on state TV. Hardliners have repeatedly hammered the 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers since the early stages of negotiations, calling it a fool's errand and a deception. They contend that Iran has gained nothing from the agreement despite complying with its restrictions on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme, intensifying their criticism after Washington withdrew from the treaty last year. Speaking during an annual ceremony of allegiance to the late founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Rouhani said: "America has not been an oath-breaker only to us, but also to Europe, China, NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)." President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the deal — technically called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — last May, reimposing punishing sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Washington also withdrew from the TPP trade agreement in 2016, the Paris Agreement on climate change control the next year and forced Canada and Mexico to renegotiate and sign a new deal in 2018 replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement. The other parties to the Iran nuclear deal — Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia along with the European Union — have insisted it remains in force and is working. Rouhani took another jab at opponents who have criticised Iranian diplomats' lack of foresight over not predicting the US withdrawal. "No agreement is based on whether the other party remains, but the main basis is the country's interests," he said. He ended his speech by calling for "unity", saying Khomeini's main concern was not foreign forces but domestic "discord".

US oath-breaker not only to us, but also to Europe, China, NAFTA and TPP: Rouhani

Alarm bells went off last September in Washington's corridors of power when John Bolton’s national security council asked the Pentagon for options for military strikes against Iran. &nbsp;

The council’s request was in response to three missiles fired by an Iranian-backed militia that landed in an empty lot close to the US embassy in Baghdad and the firing of rockets by unidentified militants close to the US consulate in the Iraqi port city of Basra.

“We have told the Islamic Republic of Iran that using a proxy force to attack an American interest will not prevent us from responding against the prime actor,” Bolton said at the time.

Commenting on the council’s request, a former US official noted that “people were shocked. It was mind-boggling how cavalier they were about hitting Iran.”

Then US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, like Bolton an Iran hawk, worried that military strikes would embroil the United States in a larger conflagration with Iran.

The request, moreover, seemed to call into question US President Donald J Trump’s promise to America’s European allies that he would rein in Bolton who has a long track record of advocating military action against Iran.

Months before joining the Trump administration in the spring of 2018, Bolton drafted at the request of Trump’s then strategic advisor, Steve Bannon, a plan that envisioned US support “for the democratic Iranian opposition,” “Kurdish national aspirations in Iran, Iraq and Syria,” and assistance for Iranian Arabs in the oil-rich Iranian province of Khuzestan and the Baloch who populate the Pakistani province of Balochistan and Iran’s neighbouring Sistan and Baluchistan province.

Frustrated by the Trump administration’s failure to respond to his suggestions, Bolton published the memo in December 2017.

Almost to the day two years after the publication and two months before the 40th anniversary of the Iranian revolution, Bolton asserted in a policy speech in Cairo, that the United States had “joined the Iranian people in calling for freedom and accountability… America’s economic sanctions against the (Iranian) regime are the strongest in history, and will keep getting tougher until Iran starts behaving like a normal country.” Bolton was referring to harsh US sanctions imposed in 2018 by Trump after withdrawing the United States from the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program.

Bolton’s plan stroked with Saudi thinking about the possibility of attempting to destabilise Iran by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities. The thinking was made public in a November 2017 study by the International Institute for Iranian Studies, formerly known as the Arabian Gulf Centre for Iranian Studies, a Saudi government-backed think tank.

The study argued that Chabahar, the Indian-backed Iranian deep-sea port at the top of the Arabian Sea, posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate countermeasures.” Pakistani militants claimed in 2017 that Saudi Arabia had stepped up funding of militant madrassas or religious seminaries in Balochistan that allegedly serves as havens for anti-Iranian, anti-Shiite fighters.

Bolton’s memo followed an article he wrote in The New York Times in 2015 headlined ‘To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran’ at the time that President Barak Obama was negotiating the international agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program.

Bolton argued in the op-ed that diplomacy would never prevent the Islamic republic from acquiring nuclear weapons. “The inconvenient truth is that only military action like Israel’s 1981 attack on Saddam Hussein’s Osirak reactor in Iraq or its 2007 destruction of a Syrian reactor, designed and built by North Korea, can accomplish what is required. Time is terribly short, but a strike can still succeed,” Bolton wrote.

The memo was written at about the same time that Bolton told a gathering of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedin-e-Khalq that “the declared policy of the United States of America should be the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime in Tehran” and that “before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran.”

While Bolton has remained outspoken even if he has been careful in his wording as a national security advisor, other past advocates of military action against Iran have taken a step back.

Mike Pompeo has since becoming secretary of state hued far closer to the Trump administration’s official position that it is pursuing behavioural rather than regime change in Iran. But as a member of the House of Representatives, Pompeo suggested in 2014 launching “2,000 sorties to destroy the Iranian nuclear capacity.”

While the Trump administration has largely explained its hard line towards Iran as an effort to halt the country’s missile development, roll back its regional influence, and ensure that the Islamic Republic will never be able to develop a nuclear weapon, Bolton has suggested that it was also driven by alleged Iranian non-compliance with the nuclear accord.

“Report: Iran's secret nuclear archive ‘provides substantial evidence that Iran's declarations to IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency) are incomplete &amp; deliberately false.’ The President was right to end horrible Iran deal. Pressure on Iran to abandon nuclear ambitions will increase,” Bolton tweeted this month, endorsing a report by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security.

Based on Iranian documents obtained by Israel, the report identified an allegedly undeclared Iranian nuclear site. “Documentation seized in January 2018 by Israel from the Iranian ‘Nuclear Archive’ revealed key elements of Iran’s past nuclear weaponization program and the Amad program more broadly, aimed at development and production of nuclear weapons. The material extracted from the archives shows that the Amad program had the intention to build five nuclear warhead systems for missile delivery,” the report said.

Similarly, Bolton this month told Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu on a visit to Jerusalem that “We have little doubt that Iran’s leadership is still strategically committed to achieving deliverable nuclear weapons. The United States and Israel are strategically committed to making sure that doesn’t happen.”

Bolton’s assertion contrasted starkly with the then Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats’ assessment in his 2017 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community that “we do not know whether Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons.”

Bolton’s hardline position within the Trump administration could be cemented if Iran were to decide that upholding the nuclear agreement no longer served its interest. Anti-agreement momentum in Iran has been fuelled by the European Union’s seeming inability or unwillingness to create a financial system that would evade US sanctions and facilitate trade with Europe.

Bolton’s hard line has also been bolstered by the imposition of European Union sanctions on Iran’s ministry of intelligence and two individuals on charges of plotting to kill leaders of an Iranian Arab separatist movement in Denmark and the Netherlands.

An Iranian abrogation of the nuclear agreement would likely lead to a reshuffle of the Iranian cabinet and the appointment of hardliners that would, in turn, bolster Bolton’s argument that the Iran issue has to be resolved before the United States can militarily truly disengage from the Middle East and South Asia.

Hardliners like Bolton may have one more development going for them: Disillusionment in Iran with the government of President Hassan Rouhani is mounting.

The disappointment is being fuelled not only by the failure of the nuclear accord to drive economic growth and the government’s mismanagement of the economy and inability to take on nepotism, vested interests such as the Revolutionary Guards and the growing income gap accentuated by the elite’s public display of ostentatious wealth, but also the fact that Rouhani appears to have lost interest in reform and implementing change.

“Unfortunately, Rouhani´s second term has been extremely ignorant (about the demands) of the twenty-four million people who make up Iranian civil society. Most of the reformists believe that he no longer wants to interact (with the reform movement). All that concerns him is to emerge from the remaining two years (of his second term) undamaged, and thus maintain his privileged spot in the pyramid of power,” said Abdullah Naseri, a prominent reformist and adviser to the former president Mohammad Khatami. Naseri was referring to the 24 million people who voted for Rouhani.

A reformist himself, Khatami warned that “if the nezam (establishment) insists on its mistakes… (and) reform fails, the society will move toward overthrowing the system.”

The roots of Bolton’s thinking lie in a policy paper entitled US Defense Planning Guidance that has been in place since 1992. The paper stipulates that US policy is designed “to prevent any hostile power from dominating a region whose resources under consolidated control be sufficient to generate global power.” The paper goes a long way in explaining why the US and Saudi Arabia potentially would be interested in destabilising Iran by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities.

Iran scholar Shireen Hunter suggests that squashing Iran’s ambition of being a regional and global player may be one reason why senior Trump administration officials, including Bolton, Pompeo and Rudolph Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, alongside the Saudis support the Mujahedin e-Khalq even if its domestic support base is in question.

“The MEK was willing to support Saddam Hussein and cede Iran’s (oil-rich) Khuzestan province to Iraq. There is no reason to think that it won’t similarly follow US bidding,” Hunter said referring to the Mujahedeen’s support of Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

Bolton appeared to be fortifying what amounted to the most hard-line approach towards Iran in an administration that was already determined to bring Iran to its knees by elevating Charles Kupperman, a long-time associate and former Reagan administration official, to deputy national security adviser.

Kupperman, a former Boeing and Lockheed Martin executive, previously served on the board for the Center for Security Policy, a far-right think tank advocating for a hawkish Iran policy founded by Frank Gaffney, a former US government official who is widely viewed as an Islamophobe and conspiracy theorist.

Similarly, Trump, reportedly on Bolton’s advice, hired this month Richard Goldberg as the national security council’s director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction.

As a staffer for former Senator Mark Kirk, Goldberg helped write legislation that served as the basis for the Obama administration’s sanctions regime on Tehran prior to the nuclear deal. He went on to work for the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which advocates a hard line towards Iran.

Earlier, Bolton hired Matthew C Freedman, who in March 2018, together with Kupperman and Bolton registered the Institute for a Secure America as a non-profit organization on the day that Trump announced Bolton’s appointment as a national security advisor.

A long-standing Bolton associate and one-time member of Trump’s transition team, Freedman worked in the 1980s and 1990s as a foreign lobbyist with Paul Manafort, who managed Trump’s election campaign for several months and was last year convicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged collusion between the campaign and Russia to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Bolton, Kupperman and Freedman also established in 2015 the Foundation for American Security and Freedom to campaign against the Iran nuclear deal.

David J Rothkopf, a former Clinton administration official who wrote a definitive history of the National Security Council described Bolton as a man “who has never crossed a bridge he hasn’t burned behind him, who is surrounding himself with what appears to be a second-tier group of advisers who have spent a disproportionate amount of time on the swamp side of things — as consultants or working on his extreme political projects.”

Said journalist and political commentator Mehdi Hasan: “You underestimate John Bolton at your peril… In 2003, Bolton got the war he wanted with Iraq. As an influential, high-profile, hawkish member of the Bush administration, Bolton put pressure on intelligence analysts, threatened international officials, and told barefaced lies about weapons of mass destruction. He has never regretted his support for the illegal and catastrophic invasion of Iraq, which killed hundreds of thousands of people. Now, he wants a war with Iran.”

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Alarm bells went off last September in Washington's corridors of power when John Bolton’s national security council asked the Pentagon for options for military strikes against Iran.

Alarm bells went off last September in Washington's corridors of power when John Bolton’s national security council asked the Pentagon for options for military strikes against Iran. The council’s request was in response to three missiles fired by an Iranian-backed militia that landed in an empty lot close to the US embassy in Baghdad and the firing of rockets by unidentified militants close to the US consulate in the Iraqi port city of Basra. “We have told the Islamic Republic of Iran that using a proxy force to attack an American interest will not prevent us from responding against the prime actor,” Bolton said at the time. Commenting on the council’s request, a former US official noted that “people were shocked. It was mind-boggling how cavalier they were about hitting Iran.” Then US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, like Bolton an Iran hawk, worried that military strikes would embroil the United States in a larger conflagration with Iran. The request, moreover, seemed to call into question US President Donald J Trump’s promise to America’s European allies that he would rein in Bolton who has a long track record of advocating military action against Iran. Months before joining the Trump administration in the spring of 2018, Bolton drafted at the request of Trump’s then strategic advisor, Steve Bannon, a plan that envisioned US support “for the democratic Iranian opposition,” “Kurdish national aspirations in Iran, Iraq and Syria,” and assistance for Iranian Arabs in the oil-rich Iranian province of Khuzestan and the Baloch who populate the Pakistani province of Balochistan and Iran’s neighbouring Sistan and Baluchistan province. Frustrated by the Trump administration’s failure to respond to his suggestions, Bolton published the memo in December 2017. Almost to the day two years after the publication and two months before the 40th anniversary of the Iranian revolution, Bolton asserted in a policy speech in Cairo, that the United States had “joined the Iranian people in calling for freedom and accountability… America’s economic sanctions against the (Iranian) regime are the strongest in history, and will keep getting tougher until Iran starts behaving like a normal country.” Bolton was referring to harsh US sanctions imposed in 2018 by Trump after withdrawing the United States from the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program. Bolton’s plan stroked with Saudi thinking about the possibility of attempting to destabilise Iran by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities. The thinking was made public in a November 2017 study by the International Institute for Iranian Studies, formerly known as the Arabian Gulf Centre for Iranian Studies, a Saudi government-backed think tank. The study argued that Chabahar, the Indian-backed Iranian deep-sea port at the top of the Arabian Sea, posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate countermeasures.” Pakistani militants claimed in 2017 that Saudi Arabia had stepped up funding of militant madrassas or religious seminaries in Balochistan that allegedly serves as havens for anti-Iranian, anti-Shiite fighters. Bolton’s memo followed an article he wrote in The New York Times in 2015 headlined ‘To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran’ at the time that President Barak Obama was negotiating the international agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program. Bolton argued in the op-ed that diplomacy would never prevent the Islamic republic from acquiring nuclear weapons. “The inconvenient truth is that only military action like Israel’s 1981 attack on Saddam Hussein’s Osirak reactor in Iraq or its 2007 destruction of a Syrian reactor, designed and built by North Korea, can accomplish what is required. Time is terribly short, but a strike can still succeed,” Bolton wrote. The memo was written at about the same time that Bolton told a gathering of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedin-e-Khalq that “the declared policy of the United States of America should be the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime in Tehran” and that “before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran.” While Bolton has remained outspoken even if he has been careful in his wording as a national security advisor, other past advocates of military action against Iran have taken a step back. Mike Pompeo has since becoming secretary of state hued far closer to the Trump administration’s official position that it is pursuing behavioural rather than regime change in Iran. But as a member of the House of Representatives, Pompeo suggested in 2014 launching “2,000 sorties to destroy the Iranian nuclear capacity.” While the Trump administration has largely explained its hard line towards Iran as an effort to halt the country’s missile development, roll back its regional influence, and ensure that the Islamic Republic will never be able to develop a nuclear weapon, Bolton has suggested that it was also driven by alleged Iranian non-compliance with the nuclear accord. “Report: Iran's secret nuclear archive ‘provides substantial evidence that Iran's declarations to IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency) are incomplete & deliberately false.’ The President was right to end horrible Iran deal. Pressure on Iran to abandon nuclear ambitions will increase,” Bolton tweeted this month, endorsing a report by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security. Based on Iranian documents obtained by Israel, the report identified an allegedly undeclared Iranian nuclear site. “Documentation seized in January 2018 by Israel from the Iranian ‘Nuclear Archive’ revealed key elements of Iran’s past nuclear weaponization program and the Amad program more broadly, aimed at development and production of nuclear weapons. The material extracted from the archives shows that the Amad program had the intention to build five nuclear warhead systems for missile delivery,” the report said. Similarly, Bolton this month told Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu on a visit to Jerusalem that “We have little doubt that Iran’s leadership is still strategically committed to achieving deliverable nuclear weapons. The United States and Israel are strategically committed to making sure that doesn’t happen.” Bolton’s assertion contrasted starkly with the then Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats’ assessment in his 2017 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community that “we do not know whether Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons.” Bolton’s hardline position within the Trump administration could be cemented if Iran were to decide that upholding the nuclear agreement no longer served its interest. Anti-agreement momentum in Iran has been fuelled by the European Union’s seeming inability or unwillingness to create a financial system that would evade US sanctions and facilitate trade with Europe. Bolton’s hard line has also been bolstered by the imposition of European Union sanctions on Iran’s ministry of intelligence and two individuals on charges of plotting to kill leaders of an Iranian Arab separatist movement in Denmark and the Netherlands. An Iranian abrogation of the nuclear agreement would likely lead to a reshuffle of the Iranian cabinet and the appointment of hardliners that would, in turn, bolster Bolton’s argument that the Iran issue has to be resolved before the United States can militarily truly disengage from the Middle East and South Asia. Hardliners like Bolton may have one more development going for them: Disillusionment in Iran with the government of President Hassan Rouhani is mounting. The disappointment is being fuelled not only by the failure of the nuclear accord to drive economic growth and the government’s mismanagement of the economy and inability to take on nepotism, vested interests such as the Revolutionary Guards and the growing income gap accentuated by the elite’s public display of ostentatious wealth, but also the fact that Rouhani appears to have lost interest in reform and implementing change. “Unfortunately, Rouhani´s second term has been extremely ignorant (about the demands) of the twenty-four million people who make up Iranian civil society. Most of the reformists believe that he no longer wants to interact (with the reform movement). All that concerns him is to emerge from the remaining two years (of his second term) undamaged, and thus maintain his privileged spot in the pyramid of power,” said Abdullah Naseri, a prominent reformist and adviser to the former president Mohammad Khatami. Naseri was referring to the 24 million people who voted for Rouhani. A reformist himself, Khatami warned that “if the nezam (establishment) insists on its mistakes… (and) reform fails, the society will move toward overthrowing the system.” The roots of Bolton’s thinking lie in a policy paper entitled US Defense Planning Guidance that has been in place since 1992. The paper stipulates that US policy is designed “to prevent any hostile power from dominating a region whose resources under consolidated control be sufficient to generate global power.” The paper goes a long way in explaining why the US and Saudi Arabia potentially would be interested in destabilising Iran by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities. Iran scholar Shireen Hunter suggests that squashing Iran’s ambition of being a regional and global player may be one reason why senior Trump administration officials, including Bolton, Pompeo and Rudolph Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, alongside the Saudis support the Mujahedin e-Khalq even if its domestic support base is in question. “The MEK was willing to support Saddam Hussein and cede Iran’s (oil-rich) Khuzestan province to Iraq. There is no reason to think that it won’t similarly follow US bidding,” Hunter said referring to the Mujahedeen’s support of Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Bolton appeared to be fortifying what amounted to the most hard-line approach towards Iran in an administration that was already determined to bring Iran to its knees by elevating Charles Kupperman, a long-time associate and former Reagan administration official, to deputy national security adviser. Kupperman, a former Boeing and Lockheed Martin executive, previously served on the board for the Center for Security Policy, a far-right think tank advocating for a hawkish Iran policy founded by Frank Gaffney, a former US government official who is widely viewed as an Islamophobe and conspiracy theorist. Similarly, Trump, reportedly on Bolton’s advice, hired this month Richard Goldberg as the national security council’s director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction. As a staffer for former Senator Mark Kirk, Goldberg helped write legislation that served as the basis for the Obama administration’s sanctions regime on Tehran prior to the nuclear deal. He went on to work for the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which advocates a hard line towards Iran. Earlier, Bolton hired Matthew C Freedman, who in March 2018, together with Kupperman and Bolton registered the Institute for a Secure America as a non-profit organization on the day that Trump announced Bolton’s appointment as a national security advisor. A long-standing Bolton associate and one-time member of Trump’s transition team, Freedman worked in the 1980s and 1990s as a foreign lobbyist with Paul Manafort, who managed Trump’s election campaign for several months and was last year convicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged collusion between the campaign and Russia to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Bolton, Kupperman and Freedman also established in 2015 the Foundation for American Security and Freedom to campaign against the Iran nuclear deal. David J Rothkopf, a former Clinton administration official who wrote a definitive history of the National Security Council described Bolton as a man “who has never crossed a bridge he hasn’t burned behind him, who is surrounding himself with what appears to be a second-tier group of advisers who have spent a disproportionate amount of time on the swamp side of things — as consultants or working on his extreme political projects.” Said journalist and political commentator Mehdi Hasan: “You underestimate John Bolton at your peril… In 2003, Bolton got the war he wanted with Iraq. As an influential, high-profile, hawkish member of the Bush administration, Bolton put pressure on intelligence analysts, threatened international officials, and told barefaced lies about weapons of mass destruction. He has never regretted his support for the illegal and catastrophic invasion of Iraq, which killed hundreds of thousands of people. Now, he wants a war with Iran.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Anti-nuclear deal momentum is growing in Iran

Russia said Friday it will host a three-way summit with Turkey and Iran on the Syrian conflict early next year, after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced scepticism about an announced withdrawal of US forces.

"It's our turn to host the summit... around the first week of the year. This will depend on the schedules of the presidents" of the three countries, deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov was cited as saying by Interfax news agency.

The last meeting between Russia's Vladimir Putin, Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Iran in September.

Lavrov refused to comment Friday on the US announcement, saying he was "waiting for actions to follow words."

US President Donald Trump has said he will withdraw 2,000 US soldiers deployed in Syria, claiming that the Islamic State jihadists there had been defeated.

"The Americans don't always do what they promise, far from it," Lavrov said. "Washington clearly wants to pass on the responsibilities on the ground to its partners in the coalition."

A Turkish delegation that includes Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar is due in Moscow on Saturday to discuss the US pullout.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed the entry on Friday by Syrian forces into the key northern city of Manbij for the first time in six years after Kurds opened the gates.

"Of course, this will help in stabilising the situation. The enlargement of the zone under the control of government forces... is, without doubt, a positive trend," he said.

Kurdish forces who were left exposed by Trump's pledge to withdraw US troops have asked the Syrian regime for help to face a threatened Turkish offensive.

Ankara is opposed to Kurdish control of Syrian territory close to its border, saying it helps Kurdish separatists inside Turkey.

Peskov said the Turkish ministers' visit to Moscow would serve to "clarify" the situation and "synchronise actions" between the two countries.

A three-way summit in January would be the latest step in the Astana peace process -- set up in early 2017 by Russia and Iran, who support President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and opposition backer Turkey.

The Astana process was launched after Russia's military intervention in Syria tipped the balance in the Damascus regime's favour. &nbsp;

Lavrov said the "ultimate goal" of the Astana process is to "restore peace in Syria, with all ethnic and religious groups at ease and at peace, including the Kurds of course."

The last meeting between Russia's Vladimir Putin, Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Iran in September.

Russia said Friday it will host a three-way summit with Turkey and Iran on the Syrian conflict early next year, after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced scepticism about an announced withdrawal of US forces. "It's our turn to host the summit... around the first week of the year. This will depend on the schedules of the presidents" of the three countries, deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov was cited as saying by Interfax news agency. The last meeting between Russia's Vladimir Putin, Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Iran in September. Lavrov refused to comment Friday on the US announcement, saying he was "waiting for actions to follow words." US President Donald Trump has said he will withdraw 2,000 US soldiers deployed in Syria, claiming that the Islamic State jihadists there had been defeated. "The Americans don't always do what they promise, far from it," Lavrov said. "Washington clearly wants to pass on the responsibilities on the ground to its partners in the coalition." A Turkish delegation that includes Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar is due in Moscow on Saturday to discuss the US pullout. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed the entry on Friday by Syrian forces into the key northern city of Manbij for the first time in six years after Kurds opened the gates. "Of course, this will help in stabilising the situation. The enlargement of the zone under the control of government forces... is, without doubt, a positive trend," he said. Kurdish forces who were left exposed by Trump's pledge to withdraw US troops have asked the Syrian regime for help to face a threatened Turkish offensive. Ankara is opposed to Kurdish control of Syrian territory close to its border, saying it helps Kurdish separatists inside Turkey. Peskov said the Turkish ministers' visit to Moscow would serve to "clarify" the situation and "synchronise actions" between the two countries. A three-way summit in January would be the latest step in the Astana peace process -- set up in early 2017 by Russia and Iran, who support President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and opposition backer Turkey. The Astana process was launched after Russia's military intervention in Syria tipped the balance in the Damascus regime's favour. Lavrov said the "ultimate goal" of the Astana process is to "restore peace in Syria, with all ethnic and religious groups at ease and at peace, including the Kurds of course."

Russia to host Putin-Erdogan-Rouhani summit on Syria

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.&nbsp;

Addressing parliament speakers from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey, Rouhani said they had all suffered economic pressure from the US.

"We are facing an all-out assault which is not only threatening our independence and identity but also is bent on breaking our longstanding ties," he said.

Washington has reimposed an oil embargo and other damaging sanctions on Iran since withdrawing in May from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers.&nbsp;

"America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honourable nation of Iran have targeted our nation in a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani said.&nbsp;

"Economic terrorism is designed to create panic in the economy of a country and fear in other countries in order to prevent investment."

The conference in Tehran was a second annual meeting of parliament speakers focused on terrorism and regional cooperation. The first was held last December in Islamabad.

Most participating countries have faced harsh sanctions and other economic pressure as part of the Trump administration's use of trade as a diplomatic weapon.&nbsp;

A <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/g20-summit-bring-a-truce-in-us-china-trade-relations-181105">brief truce</a>&nbsp;in Trump's trade war with China was again in doubt this week after the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huaweis-meng-wanzhou-faces-us-fraud-charges-linked-to-iran-bail-hearing-continues-monday-182324">arrest of Chinese telecom giant Huawei's chief financial officer,</a> who was detained in Canada to face fraud charges in the US.&nbsp;

Washington has continued to pile fresh sanctions on Russia that began over its military intervention in Ukraine, while Turkey also faced penalties this year over the detention of an American pastor.&nbsp;

'We are all punished'&nbsp;

Trump has also cancelled hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Pakistan, accusing it of failing to crack down on militancy.

"When they put pressure on China's trade, we are all harmed... By punishing Turkey, we are all punished. Any time they threaten Russia, we too consider our security to be endangered," Rouhani said.

"When they impose sanctions on Iran, they deprive all of us of the benefits of international trade, energy security and sustainable development. And in fact, they impose sanctions on everyone.

"We are here to say that we don't intend to tolerate such insolence."

Rouhani warned Europe which has strongly objected to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal&nbsp;that much is at stake in its efforts to bypass US sanctions and maintain trade with Iran.

"They should know that by sanctioning Iran, they would harm our ability to fight drugs and terrorism," Rouhani said, referring to Iran's efforts to combat smuggling, particularly from Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The European Union is working on a payment system, known as the "special purpose vehicle", to keep money flowing into Iran, but has struggled to find a host since many countries fear repercussions from the Trump administration.&nbsp;

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. Addressing parliament speakers from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey, Rouhani said they had all suffered economic pressure from the US.

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. Addressing parliament speakers from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey, Rouhani said they had all suffered economic pressure from the US. "We are facing an all-out assault which is not only threatening our independence and identity but also is bent on breaking our longstanding ties," he said. Washington has reimposed an oil embargo and other damaging sanctions on Iran since withdrawing in May from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers. "America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honourable nation of Iran have targeted our nation in a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani said. "Economic terrorism is designed to create panic in the economy of a country and fear in other countries in order to prevent investment." The conference in Tehran was a second annual meeting of parliament speakers focused on terrorism and regional cooperation. The first was held last December in Islamabad. Most participating countries have faced harsh sanctions and other economic pressure as part of the Trump administration's use of trade as a diplomatic weapon. A brief truce in Trump's trade war with China was again in doubt this week after the arrest of Chinese telecom giant Huawei's chief financial officer, who was detained in Canada to face fraud charges in the US. Washington has continued to pile fresh sanctions on Russia that began over its military intervention in Ukraine, while Turkey also faced penalties this year over the detention of an American pastor. 'We are all punished' Trump has also cancelled hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Pakistan, accusing it of failing to crack down on militancy. "When they put pressure on China's trade, we are all harmed... By punishing Turkey, we are all punished. Any time they threaten Russia, we too consider our security to be endangered," Rouhani said. "When they impose sanctions on Iran, they deprive all of us of the benefits of international trade, energy security and sustainable development. And in fact, they impose sanctions on everyone. "We are here to say that we don't intend to tolerate such insolence." Rouhani warned Europe which has strongly objected to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal that much is at stake in its efforts to bypass US sanctions and maintain trade with Iran. "They should know that by sanctioning Iran, they would harm our ability to fight drugs and terrorism," Rouhani said, referring to Iran's efforts to combat smuggling, particularly from Afghanistan. The European Union is working on a payment system, known as the "special purpose vehicle", to keep money flowing into Iran, but has struggled to find a host since many countries fear repercussions from the Trump administration.

Iran seeks regional front against US 'economic terrorism'

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