TEHRAN (Iran News) Speaking in a pre-session address at the open parliamentary session on Sunday, Qalibaf marked the anniversary of the return of Imam Khomeini to Iran and the beginning of the Ten-Day Dawn commemorations of the Islamic Revolution. He said the victory of the revolution ended foreign domination over Iran and restored courage to a nation that had experienced foreign occupation, coups, and territorial losses under what he described as dependent and ineffective governments.

He stated that a strong, independent, and unified Iran is the main obstacle to what he called the long-term plans of global powers, adding that hostility toward the Islamic Republic stems from its success in building such a state based on Iranian and Islamic culture. He referred to Imam Khomeini’s political and religious testament, emphasizing unity and shared purpose as the foundations of the revolution’s survival.

Quoting the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Qalibaf said the endurance of the revolution depends on the same factors that led to its victory: a divine motivation and a high national objective, along with nationwide unity around those goals. He warned that abandoning these principles through division and internal discord would undermine the country.

The parliament speaker stressed that both officials and citizens are responsible for upholding this guidance. He criticized prioritizing factional interests over national ones, calling for genuine belief in national unity. Qalibaf said addressing people’s livelihoods, improving economic conditions, and listening to legitimate public demands and protests must remain top priorities.

Turning to foreign policy, he condemned what he described as the European Union’s “irresponsible action” in labeling Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, saying the move was made in line with the policies of the U.S. president and Israeli leaders. He argued that such actions accelerate Europe’s marginalization in the future global order.

He added that previous warnings about pro-Zionist currents seeking to intimidate Iran and other independent nations through media pressure had proven accurate. Qalibaf said Iranians view the IRGC as part of their own society, crediting it with providing security and playing a key role during natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, reconstruction efforts, and poverty alleviation. He said external pressure on the IRGC has instead strengthened public solidarity in support of the force.

He claimed European efforts to undermine the IRGC amounted to “shooting themselves in the foot,” arguing that the force had been a major barrier to the spread of terrorism into Europe. He accused European governments of blindly following U.S. policies at the expense of their own citizens’ interests, adding that such actions were intended to appease Washington, which he said does not respect its allies.

Describing the IRGC as the world’s most distinctive anti-terrorism institution, Qalibaf said it played a decisive role, alongside regional populations, in defeating ISIS and eliminating what he called a global terrorist threat. He noted that the force had suffered hundreds of casualties in the fight against terrorism, including senior commander Qassem Soleimani.

He concluded by stating that, backed by the Iranian people and what he described as oppressed nations worldwide, the IRGC will continue to grow stronger. He said hostility from what he called supporters of terrorism would not diminish its power. “Under Article 7 of the law on reciprocal action in response to the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization, the armed forces of European countries are considered terrorist groups,” he said, adding that responsibility for the consequences lies with the European Union.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Abedini, the Farzaneh Family Assistant Professor of Iranian Studies at the Boren College of International Studies, was detained on November 22 while traveling to an academic conference in Washington, DC, HuffPost reported. He is currently in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to an official at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, Abedini was booked into the facility on Saturday and transferred to ICE custody at the Oklahoma City field office on Monday morning, HuffPost reported. No details were provided on why he was detained or handed over to ICE.

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have made no official comments, and Abedini’s current whereabouts have not been disclosed.

Vali Nasr, an Iranian-American political scientist and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, posted on X late Monday calling for Abedini’s immediate release.

“He is a respected scholar and teacher, and according to his employer, the University of Oklahoma, his visa is valid. I and all his friends, colleagues, and students call for his immediate release and his return to his work at the university,” Nasr wrote.

Wrongful detention

Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies and the Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies at the University of Oklahoma, described Abedini’s detention as wrongful, noting that he holds a visa issued to individuals in specialized occupations.

“Dr. Abedini was boarding a flight on his way to attend the Middle East Studies Association conference in Washington, D.C., when he was detained and put in jail on Nov. 22,” Landis wrote on X.

“He has been wrongfully detained because he has a valid H-1B visa — a non-immigrant work visa granted to individuals in ‘specialty occupations,’ including higher education faculty. We are praying for his swift release,” he added.

U.S. immigration crackdown

The administration of President Donald Trump is pressing ahead with plans to deport what it calls undocumented immigrants as part of the Republicans’ hardline immigration agenda. The plan, in full force since Trump returned to office in January this year, has drawn widespread criticism over heavy-handed tactics and the detention of individuals who have legal rights to remain in the United States.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has described the Constitutional Revolution as a movement that emerged from the people’s will to establish a religious democracy, saying that the Iranian nation has proven over the years that it does not tolerate tyranny.

Speaking at an open session of Parliament on Tuesday, Qalibaf said the Constitutional Revolution marked one of the most significant chapters in modern Iranian history.

“Today, one of the most important chapters of Iran’s contemporary history was opened with the cries for justice and rule of law by our nation,” he said.

Qalibaf emphasized that “Parliament is the child of the Constitutional Revolution and the valuable legacy of that national movement that has been entrusted to us.”

Although the Constitutional Revolution faced foreign interference and the confiscation of its goals, Qalibaf said, “It was originally a movement that emerged from the people and was rooted in religious and social awareness.”

Calling the Constitutional Revolution not merely a political shift, he added that it was one of the nation’s first experiences in establishing a religious democracy and resisting foreign-backed tyranny.

“This experience, despite foreign infiltration and internal deviation, sowed the seeds of awareness, public participation, justice-seeking, and adherence to the law,” he said.

Qalibaf added that the movement’s path continued with the nationalization of oil and reached its peak in the Islamic Revolution. “The Iranian nation has shown it does not tolerate tyranny,” he stated.

He concluded by honoring the martyrs of the Constitutional Revolution, especially Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri, and reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to that historic legacy.

The Constitutional Revolution of Iran took place between 1905 and 1911 during the Qajar dynasty and led to the establishment of a parliament in Iran.

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TEHRAN (Iran News)  Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali has expressed condolences to the Russian government and nation over the death of the late Russian freestyle wrestler Buvaisar Saitiev.

In his X message, Jalali expressed his regret over the sad occasion and offered condolences to the Russian government, people, and Saitiev’s family.

Saitiev had received 15 gold medals in international competitions. “Iranian ”

He grabbed the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He also received six gold medals in the European Wrestling Championships.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) He lost to Turkish wrestler Kamal Kerem 5-1 in quarterfinals.

Mohsen Nejad defeated Kazakhstan’s Nurzat Marat 8-0 and Romanian Arnaut Razvan 3-1 to win a bronze medal.

Kamal defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Doolotbek Kanolootovich Choibekov 10-0 in the final.

The competition is being held in Tirana, Albania from February 26 to March 2.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Firoozi explained that the discrepancy in trade statistics between the two countries arises from the fact that each country relies on its own customs data. Since intermediary countries play a role in the trade process, South Korea includes them in its customs records, whereas Iran does not. As a result, the reported figures differ. He further noted that Iranian traders, in their efforts to bypass sanctions and maintain trade under restrictions, often resort to indirect methods that hinder the transparency of trade data.

Despite the discrepancies, Firoozi acknowledged a general downward trend in Iran’s imports from South Korea. Although Iranian exports to South Korea have shown some growth, this increase is primarily value-based due to global inflation and remains modest in volume.

Currently, over 90% of Iran’s exports to South Korea consist of copper concentrate. Given South Korea’s advanced technology sector, the demand for copper remains high. Previously, Iran’s primary export to South Korea was gas condensate.

Firoozi pointed out that 2020 marked the lowest trade volume between Iran and South Korea, and the decline continued until 2022. However, in 2023, trade volumes saw a slight improvement, halting the downward trend. Nevertheless, he confirmed that trade levels have now reached their lowest point, primarily due to financial exchange barriers and sanctions, which prevent direct collaboration with South Korean companies.

Iran’s main imports from South Korea currently include medical, pharmaceutical, and dental equipment. Firoozi added that due to the ban on household appliance imports to Iran, South Korean brands such as Samsung and LG are no longer available in the Iranian market. The import of cars, except for a few specific and limited cases, has also been halted, and direct imports of South Korean mobile phones remain highly restricted.

Regarding Iran’s frozen assets in South Korea, Firoozi stated that the matter is no longer under negotiation, as the funds have been transferred to Qatar.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Ardeshir Shahraki on Saturday that out of 62,914 hectares of palm trees in this province, some 49,718 hectares are fertile.

Around 41% of the ​​horticultural crops in Sistan and Baluchestan province is devoted to date cultivation, he added.

Mazafati dates with 28,400 hectares of cultivated area and rabbi dates with 22,500 hectares of cultivated area have the most palm trees in the province this official added.

Iran exported $345 millions worth of fresh dates to 82 countries in the previous Iranian calendar year (ending March 19), an Iranian economic official said on May 7.

More than 389,000 tons of fresh dates, valued at over $345 million, were exported from the country between March 21, 2023, and March 19, 2024, according to Ruhollah Latifi, the spokesman of the International Relations and Trade Development Committee of Iran’s House of Industry, Mining and Trade.

Around 41% of the ​​horticultural crops in Sistan and Baluchestan province is devoted to date cultivation, he added.

Mazafati dates with 28,400 hectares of cultivated area and rabbi dates with 22,500 hectares of cultivated area have the most palm trees in the province this official added.

Iran exported $345 millions worth of fresh dates to 82 countries in the previous Iranian calendar year (ending March 19), an Iranian economic official said on May 7.

More than 389,000 tons of fresh dates, valued at over $345 million, were exported from the country between March 21, 2023, and March 19, 2024, according to Ruhollah Latifi, the spokesman of the International Relations and Trade Development Committee of Iran’s House of Industry, Mining and Trade.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Trump as president does not have direct effects on Iran’s economy because we do not have any direct commercial, monetary and financial cooperation with the United States and Europe, Farzin told during a televised interview on Saturday night.”Iranian ”

The CBI chief, however, acknowledged that global economies and financial markets can feel the heat in case of the change in policy by the incoming US administration.

As you have seen, cryptocurrencies reacted to the arrival of Trump with Bitcoin experiencing a 20% increase, but our exchange rate only reacted by 1%, he said, arguing that part of the fear in markets was caused by the policies of Trump’s previous tenure.

Farzin, although, warned about a severe impact on global markets as well as the economies of China and Europe if Trump renews his past policies related to trade and commerce, especially his tariff regime.

His remarks are in line with western financial experts who have also warned that Trump’s victory will lead to a risky time for the United States and rest of the world and any attempt by him to impose higher tariffs can lead to higher prices of goods for general consumers.

On the domestic front, the head of Iran’s Central Bank expressed hopes that the country’s inflation will decrease to 30% by the yearend and then to 20%.

Today, our dependencies have decreased a lot and we have expanded regional interactions, and in the BRICS too, we have taken forward good activities and already made necessary preparations for the beginning of this era, Farzin underscored.

“Part of our cooperation with the BRICS member countries has been implemented and we have removed the dollar from commercial transaction with some countries,” he said, adding that although Iran is waiting to see America’s policies toward the region, the country’s forex reserves have increased and it has taken all necessary steps to manage the economy.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) In a message on Friday, President Pezeshkian said the students brought pride to the country by earning precious and colorful medals.

Such a victory, especially in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling and in taekwondo, was an indication of the Iranians’ great determination and potential, the president underlined.

The Iranian team, with 120 students, attended the 2024 ISF competitions with 12 teams in eight sports.

By winning 26 gold, eight silver, and 13 bronze medals, the Iranian students secured fifth place, surpassing the US, UK, France, Switzerland, and others. Brazil, China, Chinese Taipei, and Romania ranked first to fourth in the competitions.

The ISF Gymnasiade was held in Manama, Bahrain, from October 23 to 31.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the cabinet session in Tehran on Wednesday.

The enemy sought to exert loss on Iran’s anti-missile system  but all to no avail, he pointed out.

The commander praised the domestic anti-missile system, the official said, noting that being well-prepared in this regard paid off.

He rejected the Israeli claim that damage was inflicted on the Iranian anti-missile system.

Iran will not compromise even a minor assault against its soil, he further noted.

When asked whether the Islamic Republic had been attacked from countries in the north of Iran too, he said no.

Iran’s Air Defense Base said in a statement on Saturday (October 26) that the country’s air defenses had successfully intercepted and confronted Israeli acts of aggression.

He rejected the Israeli claim that damage was inflicted on the Iranian anti-missile system.

Iran will not compromise even a minor assault against its soil, he further noted.

When asked whether the Islamic Republic had been attacked from countries in the north of Iran too, he said no.

Iran’s Air Defense Base said in a statement on Saturday (October 26) that the country’s air defenses had successfully intercepted and confronted Israeli acts of aggression.

He rejected the Israeli claim that damage was inflicted on the Iranian anti-missile system.

Iran will not compromise even a minor assault against its soil, he further noted.

When asked whether the Islamic Republic had been attacked from countries in the north of Iran too, he said no.

Iran’s Air Defense Base said in a statement on Saturday (October 26) that the country’s air defenses had successfully intercepted and confronted Israeli acts of aggression.

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