July 1, The Iran Project – Iran equalizes in stoppage time to hold Portugal 1-1 but fails to reach knockout stage; Protesters swarm Iran’s Grand Bazaar in Tehran; Zarif meets Secretary of the National Security Council of Uzbekistan Viktor Makhmudov in Tehran; Team Melli warmly welcomed by fans; Iran launches UF6 production facility to increase uranium enrichment capacity; Iran’s president inaugurates phase 2 of Persian Gulf Star Refinery; Zarif to Pompeo: US, not Iran, squandering own people’s resources; Iran pays tribute to victims of MKO terrorist attack; Supreme Leader attends cadets’ graduation ceremony and FATF extends suspension of counter-measures against Iran until October are among major headlines dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (June 25–July 01).


 

Politics

Vaezi confirms Rouhani wrote letter to EU


Chief of staff of Iran’s president confirmed on Sunday that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has sent a letter to EU leaders following the US unilateral pullout from the 2015 nuclear deal.

Zarif: Enemy after annihilating Iran not system


Enemy is not after targeting President [Hassan] Rouhani or the Islamic Republic system, but it intends to annihilate Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday.

US denies visa to ex-NATO chief for Iran visit


The United States has denied entry to former secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization because of his visit to Iran, which the US president has put in his blacklist, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported.

Iran files lawsuit against US in ICJ: FM spokesman


Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi announced that the country filed a formal complaint against Washington with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning Iran’s frozen assets and the Hague-based court would hold public hearings in the case in October 2018.

Nuclear deal collapse would be ‘Very Dangerous’: Iran Minister


Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Sunday that failure to save the nuclear deal after the exit of the United States would be “very dangerous” for Tehran.

Minister: Iran ready for 20% enrichment


Iran’s intelligence minister said preparations have been made to begin enriching uranium to a 20 percent fissile purity at the Fordow nuclear facility.

Trump’s JCPOA exit “US’ worst option”


President Rouhani said Tue. that Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal was “America’s worst and last option” as the move came with the highest prices for the US.

Leader hails Team Melli performance at World Cup 2018


In a message forwarded to sports minister, Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei commanded the performance of Iran’s national football team at the World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Elements behind Tehran bazaar chaos arrested: Prosecutor


A number of people who incited turmoil in downtown Tehran and forced the closure of the grand bazaar on Monday have been arrested, the prosecutor general of Tehran said.

Iran among pioneers in streamlining use of UAVs


Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as UAVs or drones, have opened new doors in the realm of aviation on a global scale, especially Iran.

Leader receives judiciary head, officials on Judiciary Week


Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei met and talked with judiciary head and officials on Wednesday.

Ayatollah Khamenei slams West’s ‘shameless’ human rights posture


Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has strongly denounced the Western states for their pretense of advocating human rights while in reality supporting terrorist groups and acts of terror.

Iran launches UF6 production facility to increase uranium enrichment capacity


Iran has launched a UF6 production plant as part of preparations ordered by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei to increase uranium enrichment capacity.

US, Israel to blame for ‘ominous shadow’ of WMDs on region: Zarif


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed Washington and Tel Aviv for preventing the realization of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, calling for international action for elimination of Israel’s nuclear, biological and chemical stockpiles.

Supreme Leader attends cadets’ graduation ceremony


Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei attended the graduation ceremony held for the military cadets at Imam Hossein University on Saturday.

FATF extends suspension of counter-measures against Iran until October


The Financial Action Task Force says it has decided to continue the suspension of its counter-measures against Iran, but Tehran needs to enact amendments to its AML and CFT laws and ratify the Palermo and TF Conventions by October.

Iran pays tribute to victims of MKO terrorist attack


Countrywide ceremonies were held in Iran to pay tribute to 72 ranking officials that were killed in a blast carried out by the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO or MEK) 37 years ago.

US desperately seeks to divide Iranians: Ayatollah Khamenei


Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the US is exerting economic pressure on Iran in a bid to sow discord among the nation and the government, but such efforts will be futile.

 

Economy

US pushing allies to cut Iran oil imports


The Trump administration is pushing US allies to cut their oil imports from Iran to zero by November.

ATR gives up delivering planes to Iran: Report


Regional aircraft manufacturer ATR says it must give up delivering the remaining aircraft ordered by Iran because of new US sanctions and that it will try to reclassify 12 aircraft if it does not obtain a waiver.

Iran’s President inaugurates phase 2 of Persian Gulf Star Refinery


The second phase of Iran’s Persian Gulf Star Refinery, known as the world’s largest gas condensate refinery, was launched in a ceremony in the country’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas on Thursday.

Iran says immune to sanctions with key gasoline plan


Iran says a major refinery project that it put on stream on Thursday would make it immune to US sanctions against its purchases of gasoline.

Natural gas strategic lever for Iran to hold int’l sway: Dy. min.


Deputy Petroleum Minister for International Affairs and Trading Amir Hossein Zamaninia says Iran must export its surplus gas output to Europe and other countries and exploit the item as a strategic lever to hold sway in the world.

 

Regional Affairs

US using chemical weapons as pretext for intervention in Syria: President Assad


Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the United States is using the issue of chemical weapons as a pretext to carry out an attack against the Syrian army.

Iran urges intl. action to halt Saudi offensive in Yemen


Iran has urged the international community to intervene and stop the Saudi war on Yemen, where an ongoing offensive against the Mediterranean port of Hudaydah has put the country on the brink of famine.

Facebook, Twitter close Hezbollah pages in blow to speech freedom 


Recently, the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter suspended the accounts of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah, a measure drew welcome of the Israeli media.

Iraqi Hashd al-Sha’abi forces will punish those behind attack on its fighters: Nasrallah


The secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement says the Iraqi voluntary and pro-government Popular Mobilization Units would give a befitting response to those responsible for a deadly air raid on their fellow fighters in Syria’s eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr earlier this month.

Riyadh doesn’t “like” raising oil output, Saudi official says


Riyadh does not “like” raising its oil production not at least beyond 11,000 barrels per day (bpd), says a Saudi official.

 

Society

Iran equalizes in stoppage time to hold Portugal 1-1 but fails to reach knockout stage


Portugal advanced to the World Cup round of 16 behind Spain from Group B after a Ricardo Quaresma strike was cancelled out by a stoppage-time penalty by Iran’s Karim Ansarifard after Cristiano Ronaldo had himself missed from the spot.

Academy invites 3 Iranians as new members


Three Iranian film personalities have been invited as members by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as the Oscars awards body acts to boost diversity with 928 member invitations.

Everton eying Iranian midfielder Vahid Amiri: Report


Iranian international midfielder Vahid Amiri has been reportedly linked with a move to Everton.

Iranian artist’s paintings of Shahnameh on show in Tehran


Tehran’s Seyhoun Art Gallery recently hosted an exhibition of paintings by Iranian artist Saeed Khazaei which were focused on Ferdowsi’s epic story The Seven Labours of Rostam.

World Cup 2018: best team of the tournament so far


All the 48 group-stage matches in Russia have now been played and after each of them we have asked our readers to hand out their player ratings. The verdicts have then been inputted into our guide of all the 736 players at the 2018 World Cup – and we have now gone through them to see who makes our team of the tournament so far.