Germany has revoked the licence of an Iranian airline because it has been transporting military equipment and personnel to Syria and other Middle East war zones, the foreign ministry said on Monday, after heavy US pressure on Berlin to act.

The United States imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011, saying it provided financial and other support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and has been pressing its European allies to follow suit.

The German ban on the airline takes immediate effect, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Monday that the "US Treasury appreciates the important decision by Germany to deny Mahan Air's landing rights. Mahan routinely flies IRGC-QF and weapons to Syria, is subject to our terrorism secondary sanctions, and should be denied access around the world."

Contacted by Reuters, Mahan Air in Tehran said it could not comment immediately on the ban.

The measure does not signal plans for the reimposition of broader sanctions against Iran, a German government source told Reuters.

Mahan Air, established in 1992 as Iran's first private airline, has the country's largest fleet of aircraft and has flights to a number of European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Greece.

The US ambassador in Berlin, Richard Grenell, who has long objected to Mahan Air's links to Germany, welcomed the ban.

"Mahan Air has flown terrorists, weapons, equipment, and funds to international locations to support Iranian terrorist proxy groups," he said in a statement.

"Iran's use of Mahan Air to support the Assad regime in Syria, for example, has contributed to incredible human suffering, violence, and political instability felt across the world," he said, referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

''SECURITY NEEDS"

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert denied that the decision to ban Mahan air was the result of US pressure.

"The German decision is based on considerations of our security needs," he told a regular news conference.

"It cannot be ruled out that this airline could also transport cargo to Germany that threatens our security. This is based on knowledge of past terrorist activities by Iran in Europe," he added.

European countries have been under sustained US pressure to reimpose sanctions on Iran since President Donald Trump last year pulled Washington out of an international nuclear non-proliferation treaty reached with Tehran under his predecessor Barack Obama.

Along with Iran, the other signatories to the deal - Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China - are still trying to keep it alive.

The European countries, with more extensive economic ties to Iran and mindful of the threat that would be posed by another nuclear state in their immediate neighbourhood, have sought to shield themselves from the impact of Washington's extra-territorial sanctions, with limited success.

Germany has revoked the licence of an Iranian airline because it has been transporting military equipment and personnel to Syria and other Middle East war zones, the foreign ministry said on Monday, after heavy US pressure on Berlin to act.

Germany has revoked the licence of an Iranian airline because it has been transporting military equipment and personnel to Syria and other Middle East war zones, the foreign ministry said on Monday, after heavy US pressure on Berlin to act. The United States imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011, saying it provided financial and other support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and has been pressing its European allies to follow suit. The German ban on the airline takes immediate effect, a foreign ministry spokesman said. US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Monday that the "US Treasury appreciates the important decision by Germany to deny Mahan Air's landing rights. Mahan routinely flies IRGC-QF and weapons to Syria, is subject to our terrorism secondary sanctions, and should be denied access around the world." Contacted by Reuters, Mahan Air in Tehran said it could not comment immediately on the ban. The measure does not signal plans for the reimposition of broader sanctions against Iran, a German government source told Reuters. Mahan Air, established in 1992 as Iran's first private airline, has the country's largest fleet of aircraft and has flights to a number of European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Greece. The US ambassador in Berlin, Richard Grenell, who has long objected to Mahan Air's links to Germany, welcomed the ban. "Mahan Air has flown terrorists, weapons, equipment, and funds to international locations to support Iranian terrorist proxy groups," he said in a statement. "Iran's use of Mahan Air to support the Assad regime in Syria, for example, has contributed to incredible human suffering, violence, and political instability felt across the world," he said, referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. ''SECURITY NEEDS" German government spokesman Steffen Seibert denied that the decision to ban Mahan air was the result of US pressure. "The German decision is based on considerations of our security needs," he told a regular news conference. "It cannot be ruled out that this airline could also transport cargo to Germany that threatens our security. This is based on knowledge of past terrorist activities by Iran in Europe," he added. European countries have been under sustained US pressure to reimpose sanctions on Iran since President Donald Trump last year pulled Washington out of an international nuclear non-proliferation treaty reached with Tehran under his predecessor Barack Obama. Along with Iran, the other signatories to the deal - Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China - are still trying to keep it alive. The European countries, with more extensive economic ties to Iran and mindful of the threat that would be posed by another nuclear state in their immediate neighbourhood, have sought to shield themselves from the impact of Washington's extra-territorial sanctions, with limited success.

Germany bans Iranian airline from its airspace after US pressure

U.S. displays new evidence of Iranian weaponry in Yemen, Afghanistan

The UN's nuclear watchdog said Tuesday that it had "no credible indications" of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme.&nbsp;

The IAEA added that "its consideration of this issue was closed". &nbsp;&nbsp;

The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered "new proof" of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme, and as US President Donald Trump mulls over the prospect of pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal signed between six Western powers and Iran.&nbsp;

Iran has since called Netanyahu an "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-netanyahu-an-infamous-liar-comments-aimed-to-influence-trump---134057">infamous liar</a>", saying Netanyahu's proof is nothing more than old news.&nbsp;

Iran added that Netanyahu's only aim is to influence Trump.&nbsp;

Iran says, and has always said, that it is not trying to build nuclear weapons. In 2015, it agreed to curb its nuclear energy programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump however has for the longest time threatened to pull out of the Obama-era deal, saying it is "the worst deal ever".&nbsp;

Trump has repeatedly accused Iran of flouting the agreement.&nbsp;

He has also said that the deal's "sunset clauses" — which would see restrictions on Iran's nuclear enrichment program lifted after 2025 — are unacceptable. And he has accused Iran of not halting its ballistic missile program. 
&nbsp;

The UN's nuclear watchdog added that 'its consideration of this issue was closed'. The statement from the IAEA came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered 'new proof' of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme

The UN's nuclear watchdog said Tuesday that it had "no credible indications" of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme. The IAEA added that "its consideration of this issue was closed". The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered "new proof" of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme, and as US President Donald Trump mulls over the prospect of pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal signed between six Western powers and Iran. Iran has since called Netanyahu an "infamous liar", saying Netanyahu's proof is nothing more than old news. Iran added that Netanyahu's only aim is to influence Trump. Iran says, and has always said, that it is not trying to build nuclear weapons. In 2015, it agreed to curb its nuclear energy programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. US President Donald Trump however has for the longest time threatened to pull out of the Obama-era deal, saying it is "the worst deal ever". Trump has repeatedly accused Iran of flouting the agreement. He has also said that the deal's "sunset clauses" — which would see restrictions on Iran's nuclear enrichment program lifted after 2025 — are unacceptable. And he has accused Iran of not halting its ballistic missile program.

'No credible indications' of Iranian nuclear weapons programme: IAEA

For Iranian parachuting enthusiast Bahareh Sassani, skydiving is &quot;a way to prove that women are just as capable as men&quot; -- a small step from a big height for women&#39;s equality in her country.&nbsp;

The 35-year-old accountant has been skydiving less than two years but already has more than 220 jumps under her belt.&nbsp;

&quot;I encourage all women to try this experience. It gives you the feeling you can do whatever you want. Women should not be excluded from anything,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

Sassani -- one of just a handful of female skydivers in her deeply conservative homeland -- refuses to describe herself as a &quot;feminist&quot;.

But her motto is firm &quot;there is no difference between men and women and a woman can do anything she wants and succeed&quot;.&nbsp;

That still runs against the grain of Iranian society, where women have had a lower legal status than men since the Islamic revolution of 1979 even if they have battled to stay equal in daily life.&nbsp;

Her favourite pastime is still very much the preserve of men in Iran -- made more complicated by the fact there is no parachuting club so she must do it with the army.&nbsp;

&quot;When they organise jumps, the army invites everyone, including civilians,&quot; she explained.&nbsp;

There were a handful of women parachutists in pre-revolutionary Iran: archived images published recently by the ISNA news agency showed the first four female army skydivers from 1965.&nbsp;

But today, women are not permitted to join the army.

The police have an elite unit that does some parachuting practice, but Sassani says she knows only five other qualified women from the civilian population.

Unlike her friends who chose to buy a car, clothes or jewellery with their first pay cheques or savings, Sassani said she opted instead to invest in parachuting, despite the adventurous sport being a male bastion in Iran.

At the start, her motivation for taking up skydiving was to combat a fear of heights, she said. But now she loves the sense of liberation from everyday cares that it gives her, she added.

Male reactions can be rather extreme though, she says.&nbsp;

&quot;Men often avoid women like me, thinking we aren&#39;t made for marriage because we are uncontrollable,&quot; she said, bursting into laughter.&nbsp;

&quot;But a small number do show an interest in what I&#39;m doing.&quot;

It can also generate interest abroad, said Sassani, who has jumped in Russia, Kenya, Thailand and the UAE.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&quot;Even abroad, when I skydive, people are surprised. They think there are a lot of restrictions in Iran, but I explain to them that there are women doing motocross, flying planes and, yes, parachuting,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

A recent photo did the rounds in the Iranian media, showing Sassani jumping with an Iranian flag.&nbsp;

&quot;I meet lots of cultures and beliefs abroad, but I&#39;m a patriot and I love doing jumps in Iran more than anything,&quot; she adds.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Bahareh Sassani: "Men often avoid women like me, thinking we aren't made for marriage because we are uncontrollable"

For Iranian parachuting enthusiast Bahareh Sassani, skydiving is "a way to prove that women are just as capable as men" -- a small step from a big height for women's equality in her country. The 35-year-old accountant has been skydiving less than two years but already has more than 220 jumps under her belt. "I encourage all women to try this experience. It gives you the feeling you can do whatever you want. Women should not be excluded from anything," she said. Sassani -- one of just a handful of female skydivers in her deeply conservative homeland -- refuses to describe herself as a "feminist". But her motto is firm "there is no difference between men and women and a woman can do anything she wants and succeed". That still runs against the grain of Iranian society, where women have had a lower legal status than men since the Islamic revolution of 1979 even if they have battled to stay equal in daily life. Her favourite pastime is still very much the preserve of men in Iran -- made more complicated by the fact there is no parachuting club so she must do it with the army. "When they organise jumps, the army invites everyone, including civilians," she explained. There were a handful of women parachutists in pre-revolutionary Iran: archived images published recently by the ISNA news agency showed the first four female army skydivers from 1965. But today, women are not permitted to join the army. The police have an elite unit that does some parachuting practice, but Sassani says she knows only five other qualified women from the civilian population. Unlike her friends who chose to buy a car, clothes or jewellery with their first pay cheques or savings, Sassani said she opted instead to invest in parachuting, despite the adventurous sport being a male bastion in Iran. At the start, her motivation for taking up skydiving was to combat a fear of heights, she said. But now she loves the sense of liberation from everyday cares that it gives her, she added. Male reactions can be rather extreme though, she says. "Men often avoid women like me, thinking we aren't made for marriage because we are uncontrollable," she said, bursting into laughter. "But a small number do show an interest in what I'm doing." It can also generate interest abroad, said Sassani, who has jumped in Russia, Kenya, Thailand and the UAE. "Even abroad, when I skydive, people are surprised. They think there are a lot of restrictions in Iran, but I explain to them that there are women doing motocross, flying planes and, yes, parachuting," she said. A recent photo did the rounds in the Iranian media, showing Sassani jumping with an Iranian flag. "I meet lots of cultures and beliefs abroad, but I'm a patriot and I love doing jumps in Iran more than anything," she adds.

Iranian woman skydiver looks to break down stereotypes

Indian oil refiners will clear around $6.7 billion (USD) of outstanding debt to Iran through Turkey`s Halkbank within a short period, a senior Iranian economy official said on Wednesday. 
 
India is one of the biggest buyers of Iranian crude and built up a payments backlog when Iran was under Western sanctions, with its refiners owing about $6.5 billion to Iran. They cleared around $770 million in euros through Halkbank to the National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) earlier in May. 
 
&quot;As per the instructions of the Central Bank of Iran, the local banks in India will transfer the money to Halkbank,&quot; Sadegh Akbari, Iran`s general director for foreign economic relations, told reporters at a conference in Istanbul. 
($1 = 0.8970 euros)

India will pay back the $6.7 billion oil dues to Iran.

Indian oil refiners will clear around $6.7 billion (USD) of outstanding debt to Iran through Turkey`s Halkbank within a short period, a senior Iranian economy official said on Wednesday. India is one of the biggest buyers of Iranian crude and built up a payments backlog when Iran was under Western sanctions, with its refiners owing about $6.5 billion to Iran. They cleared around $770 million in euros through Halkbank to the National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) earlier in May. "As per the instructions of the Central Bank of Iran, the local banks in India will transfer the money to Halkbank," Sadegh Akbari, Iran`s general director for foreign economic relations, told reporters at a conference in Istanbul. ($1 = 0.8970 euros)

India will soon pay the $6.7 billion oil payment backlog to Iran, Iranian official says.

iranian

Iranian, News on Iranian, stories on Iranian, articles on Iranian, Iranian stories at Wion, Iranian news, Iranian latest news