TEHRAN (Iran News) Responding to a question on the issue during his weekly press briefing on Monday, Baqaei rejected renewed territorial claims raised by the United Arab Emirates in a [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) statement.

“In terms of history, in terms of law, and in terms of what exists in reality, there is no doubt and no skepticism about the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb,” he said.

US security strategy secures interests of Israel more than US: Baqaei

Baqaei also commented on the new US national security strategy, saying it openly reflected long-standing American policies in West Asia.

He said Iran would study the document but that “what is clear at first glance is that this document very nakedly states the same things that over the past years various US administrations were pursuing and hiding under the banner of human rights and democracy.”

He said the document identified two key priorities in the region: securing access to energy resources and ensuring the so-called security of the Israeli regime.

“From the content of this document, one can assess that the US has placed itself in the position of a judge over all countries; something that no side accepts in today’s world,” he said, adding that the absence of any reference to Palestinian rights showed that “this document, more than being the US national security document, is the national security document of the Zionist regime at least regarding West Asia.”

‘Iran in continuous contact with IAEA’

On discussions between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general and the European Union’s foreign policy chief regarding Iran, Baqaei said such contacts did not signal the start of new negotiations.

“We are in contact with the agency… through our representation in Vienna. This is a continuous matter,” he said.

He said that while other parties may raise Iran in bilateral talks with the IAEA, to say that mediation or negotiation in the conventional sense is underway is wrong.

Spokesperson: No indirect channels with US

He also dismissed speculation about indirect channels with the United States following recent comments from Washington about increased pressure on Iran.

The official communication channels, he said, remain the US Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran and Iran’s Interests Section in Washington.

“If other countries… carry messages, it is commonplace, but to say that a specific channel exists between us and the US, no,” he added.

Iran rejects interference in Lebanon’s affairs

Addressing claims that Iran interfered in Lebanon’s internal affairs after reports that the Lebanese foreign minister declined an invitation to visit Tehran, Baqaei said, “We have no interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.”

He described Hezbollah as “a rooted and influential institution” that makes its own decisions.

Iran’s positions on regional peace and Israeli threats “should not be interpreted as interference” but reflect Iran’s sense of responsibility, he added.

‘Do as you would be done by’: Iran tells Germany

Baqaei criticized the contradictory stance by Germany after Berlin’s foreign minister dismissed US concerns over democracy and freedom of expression in Europe as unwarranted external interference.

“This is one of those ironies of our time; Germany, which itself has been one of the accused parties in interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, including Iran, now seems to be suffering from the same problem that it was itself one of the creators of,” he stated.

He said such governments should be advised that “whatever you do not approve for yourselves, do not approve for others,” noting that Germany and other European states, “with the help of the United States,” had long intervened in other countries’ affairs under the pretext of human rights.

The official also reacted to recent remarks by the US special envoy for Syria, who said Washington had twice attempted to topple the Iranian government but failed, and now sought a “rational solution” to the Iran question.

He said there was nothing new in the revelation. “This has been very clear. Various US administrations over these five decades have always tried to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs, and what they themselves call ‘changing the system’ is in fact an admission of the US acting to violate national sovereignty, which is completely contrary to international law,” he said.

Resistance groups are liberation movements: Baqaei

Addressing questions about a brief controversy in Iraq after reports that Hezbollah and Yemen’s Ansarallah had been listed as terrorist organizations before the Iraqi prime minister rejected the reports as an administrative error, Baqaei said Iran had nothing to add after the country’s top executive clarified the matter.

“It is clear to all the nations of the region and the world that Hezbollah and groups similar to Hezbollah fight for a legal and legitimate cause, which is safeguarding the right to self-determination and resisting occupation,” he said.

According to Baqaei, under international law and moral principles, such movements are “considered liberation movements,” and labels imposed by the United States and some Western states “have no basis or legitimacy.”

Tehran voices concerns over Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions

Turning to rising border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Baqaei expressed deep concern.

“We are very worried about the continuation of tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said, citing Iran’s cultural, historical and religious affinity with both neighbors as well as shared borders.

“Any insecurity in our surrounding borders is definitely harmful to our national security.”

Baqaei slams racist US actions against Iranian nationals

Asked about Washington’s announcement that Iranian football fans would not be issued visas for the football World Cup, Baqaei said the US, as the host country, is obligated under FIFA regulations to facilitate the entry of participating teams, coaches and delegations.

Any violation of these obligations, he said, entailed “international responsibility” for the United States.

Regarding reported mistreatment of Iranian nationals in the US and the return of several individuals on alleged immigration grounds, Baqaei said that although Washington claimed the deportations were legal, “we know that over the past year, racist measures against foreign nationals, especially those from the region and especially Iran, have intensified.”

Iran will not tolerate any hostile act: Spokesperson

Elsewhere in his remarks, Baqaei addressed reports that Israel might be using Azerbaijani airspace for operations against Iran.

He said Iran will tolerate no infringement of its sovereignty and had consistently warned neighbors to prevent Israeli misuse of their airspace.

Iran’s position on any such allegation, he said, would be based strictly on “documented and substantiated information,” and any verified case would be raised “seriously and transparently” with the country concerned.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Heidar Honarian-Mojjard, commander of IRGC Navy’s Second Naval Zone, told reporters on Sunday that the vessel, carrying 350,000 liters of smuggled gasoline, was identified and transferred to the coast of Bushehr Province under a judicial order.

He said the vessel had been smuggling fuel from Iran, adding that the seized cargo was returned to the country under a judicial decree and handed over to the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company’s department in Bushehr.

The commander did not specify the total number of people on board the vessel. He said 13 of the sailors were Indian nationals and another was from a neighboring country of Iran.
All 14 individuals were detained, he added.

He said the vessel had been smuggling fuel from Iran, adding that the seized cargo was returned to the country under a judicial decree and handed over to the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company’s department in Bushehr.

The commander did not specify the total number of people on board the vessel. He said 13 of the sailors were Indian nationals and another was from a neighboring country of Iran.
All 14 individuals were detained, he added.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Attending a panel discussion at the Manama Dialogue, an annual conference of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) held in Bahrain on Saturday, Albusaidi described Israel, rather than Iran, as the principal source of regional instability, saying he favors dialogue with Iran and others that are considered rivals in the region.

“Over the years, the GCC has at best sat back and permitted the isolation of Iran,” he revealed, referring to the regional bloc of Persian Gulf Arab states. “I believe this needs to change,” Albusaidi added.

He emphasized that Oman had long hoped for a more comprehensive mechanism for dialogue with all states in the region, including Iran, Iraq, and Yemen.

According to him, inclusive dialogue promotes mutual respect and deeper economic ties, and creates incentives for restraint – something that containment and zero-competition approaches cannot achieve.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he also wished for the resumption of talks between Iran and the United States, which were derailed by the unprovoked Israeli war on the Islamic Republic back in June.

“Just three days before the sixth and possibly decisive round of talks, Israel unleashed its bombs and missiles in an illegal and deadly act of sabotage,” said the top Omani diplomat, who played the intermediary role and hosted five rounds of US-Iran talks early this year.

“Over the years, the GCC has at best sat back and permitted the isolation of Iran,” he revealed, referring to the regional bloc of Persian Gulf Arab states. “I believe this needs to change,” Albusaidi added.

He emphasized that Oman had long hoped for a more comprehensive mechanism for dialogue with all states in the region, including Iran, Iraq, and Yemen.

According to him, inclusive dialogue promotes mutual respect and deeper economic ties, and creates incentives for restraint – something that containment and zero-competition approaches cannot achieve.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he also wished for the resumption of talks between Iran and the United States, which were derailed by the unprovoked Israeli war on the Islamic Republic back in June.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) In an interview with ILNA, Seyed Mohiuddin Jafari, Director of Exploration at NIOC, provided an overview of the ongoing exploration projects across Iran. He stated that exploration operations are currently underway in 26 provinces, including the Zagros region, North and South Dezful, Lorestan, Fars, Ardabil, North Khorasan, South Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, Kermanshah, Ilam, and Bushehr.

According to Jafari, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) seismic surveys are in progress in Ardabil Province. The presence of natural oil springs in the region, along with active oil production across the border in the Republic of Azerbaijan, has raised hopes of discovering new hydrocarbon fields in Iran’s northern frontier.

He added that a tender has been launched for 2D and 3D seismic operations in the Pars Apadana area of the Persian Gulf, located along Iran’s maritime border with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain. This project will initially cover about 10 percent of the designated offshore zone, marking one of the most significant exploration efforts in the Persian Gulf region in recent years.

Jafari reported that seismic data acquisition — both 2D and 3D — is ongoing at four key locations across the country. For another four sites, contractors will be finalized before the end of the year. He described the progress of these projects as “very satisfactory.”

“At present,” he said, “four wells are being drilled, and one well is undergoing testing. We expect to have more positive exploration results by the end of the year.”

The director elaborated that two wells have reached completion, one is in the testing phase, and another is being relocated. Meanwhile, two new wells — in the Rag Sefid and Jahrom regions — have recently begun drilling operations. Testing is ongoing at the Takhteh well, and work at Ramhormoz is nearing completion. Once these operations conclude, drilling rigs will be reassigned to new exploration sites.

Currently, six drilling rigs are active in exploration fields across the country — three dedicated to gas fields and three to oil fields.

Addressing questions about international exploration projects, Jafari clarified that Iran does not currently operate exploration programs abroad. However, the NIOC has been active in training and technical cooperation with neighboring countries.

“Given our experience and expertise in exploration,” he noted, “we have provided training to geologists and engineers from Tajikistan last year. Additionally, during the recent meeting between the energy ministers of Iran and Afghanistan, the Afghan side requested training and technical support in exploration. We are planning negotiations this month to offer educational programs in that field.”

Jafari also commented on potential conflicts of interest in border explorations, saying, “There may be overlapping areas of interest, but there are no complexities. We are conducting joint operations with several neighboring countries in western border fields and plan to expand offshore exploration with five coastal nations. However, so far, there have been no conflicts.”

Highlighting a crucial challenge, Jafari stressed the need to expand Iran’s drilling fleet. “Rigs are essential tools for production, development, and exploration,” he said. “We require additional rigs not only for new discoveries but also for overhauling existing wells. The National Iranian Oil Company is investing in this area, and private investors are cooperating to import and deploy new rigs to meet the country’s needs.”

He confirmed that the NIOC plans to invest in five new onshore drilling rigs and one offshore rig through a bidding process aimed at enhancing the nation’s exploration capacity.

Addressing concerns about the impact of international sanctions, Jafari stated that Iran’s exploration projects have not been significantly affected. “Exploration is an intellectual and scientific endeavor rather than a hardware-dependent one,” he explained. “We have sufficient rigs and equipment domestically, and necessary materials are available. Most of the work depends on human expertise and engineering studies rather than imported machinery.”

The Director concluded by expressing optimism about Iran’s exploration outlook: “With the ongoing seismic operations in Ardabil and the Persian Gulf, along with advanced drilling across the country, we expect to announce new discoveries by the end of this year.”

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says that politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned. Such biased actions are an affront to all Iranians.

Araqchi wrote on his X account on Wednesday that the name Persian Gulf, like many geographical designations, is deeply rooted in human history.

Iran has never objected to the use of names such as the Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, or Red Sea, he said, adding that the use of these names does not imply ownership by any particular nation, but rather reflects a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity.

“In contrast, politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned,” he said.

Araqchi also said that “such biased actions are an affront to all Iranians, regardless of their background or place of residence.”

He expressed the hope that the absurd rumors about the Persian Gulf that are no more than a disinformation campaign by “forever warriors” to anger Iranians all over the world and agitate them.

Araqchi assured that U.S. President Donald Trump is aware that the name Persian Gulf is centuries old and recognized by all cartographers and international bodies and was even used by all leaders of the region in their official communications until as recently as 1960’s.

While any short-sighted step in this connection will have no validity or legal or geographical effect, it will only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in Iran, the U.S. and across the world, he said.

The Associated Press anonymously cited two U.S. officials as saying on Tuesday that during his visit to Saudi Arabia next week, Trump will announce that the United States will refer to the Persian Gulf as “the Arabian Gulf” or “the Gulf of Arabia.”

It was unclear whether that announcement is what Trump touted during the Oval Office meeting with the Canadian prime minister.

If the U.S. president goes ahead with the reported plan, the falsification of the historical and geographical reality will cause widespread resentment inside Iran, which has been involved in negotiations with the Trump administration. Whether that would in turn affect the course of the negotiations will remain to be seen. Iran has said that the talks are exclusively about Iran’s nuclear energy program and the sanctions imposed on the country over nuclear-related allegations.

The talks, conducted indirectly, started in April, and three rounds of negotiations have since been held.

The fourth round was postponed due to logistical reasons earlier this month. But Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said earlier on Tuesday that a date was being reviewed for the potential resumption of the talks.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri has reiterated Iran’s commitment to promoting peace in the region, saying the security of the Persian Gulf must be ensured by regional states.

Speaking at a ceremony on Tuesday commemorating Persian Gulf Day (which falls on April 30, the 10th of Ordibehesht), Rear Admiral Tangsiri described the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf region as a security threat and called for regional cooperation without extra-regional powers’ interference.

He pointed out that enemies seek to create insecurity and sell weapons, but Iran has always been, and will remain, the guardian of security in the Persian Gulf.

“Achieving these sinister goals requires fomenting hostility in the region,” he said. “There’s no doubt that those who travel thousands of miles to this region do not seek the security of this region.”

Rear Admiral Tangsiri pointed to the economic significance of the Persian Gulf, saying that “62% of the region’s oil and 40% of its gas are exported through this waterway.”

“Today, we have firmly secured the Strait of Hormuz, with more than 80 ships passing through this international waterway daily,” the commander said.

Speaking at a ceremony on Tuesday commemorating Persian Gulf Day (which falls on April 30, the 10th of Ordibehesht), Rear Admiral Tangsiri described the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf region as a security threat and called for regional cooperation without extra-regional powers’ interference.

He pointed out that enemies seek to create insecurity and sell weapons, but Iran has always been, and will remain, the guardian of security in the Persian Gulf.

“Achieving these sinister goals requires fomenting hostility in the region,” he said. “There’s no doubt that those who travel thousands of miles to this region do not seek the security of this region.”

Rear Admiral Tangsiri pointed to the economic significance of the Persian Gulf, saying that “62% of the region’s oil and 40% of its gas are exported through this waterway.”

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (I.R.G.C.) Navy second division Brigadier General Masoud Foroutan says two foreign vessels carrying 1.5 million liters of smuggled diesel fuel have been seized in the Persian Gulf.

Speaking to IRNA on Tuesday, Foroutan said that the smuggled diesel fuel was valued 700 billion rials.

The two vessels, flying the flag Tanzania, were attempting to exit Iran’s sovereign waters, he added.

The ships, Sea Ranger and SALAMA, were seized near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf.

The detained vessels were transferred to Bushehr Port, and the confiscated fuel will be delivered to the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company to enter the supply chain, he noted.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Abolfazl Koudei, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, stated during a specialized workshop in Urmia that the top priority for foreign investment is the implementation of projects and efforts to attract foreign capital.

Koudei emphasized that the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance is committed to attracting foreign investments through targeted programs. He further explained that the newly established committees will focus on easing the process of investment from Gulf and Eurasian countries, as well as other neighboring states.

He highlighted the importance of face-to-face meetings between foreign investors and Iranian project owners to foster collaboration and investment opportunities.”Persian Gulf”

Among the key initiatives of the investment organization are resolving challenges faced by investment projects, expediting the issuance of permits, and enhancing the capabilities of human resources to provide efficient and professional services to foreign investors.

During his visit to West Azerbaijan province, the Deputy Minister reviewed two foreign investment projects related to the production of security doors and the food and agriculture industries.

During the visit, the implementation status of these projects was assessed, and efforts were made to address obstacles with the help of relevant authorities. It was decided that unresolved issues will be pursued through appropriate channels to remove any remaining barriers.

The mentioned foreign investment projects are expected to meet a significant portion of the domestic market demand while also exporting products to foreign markets.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Simorgh carried out its maiden flight in the Persian Gulf skies on Wednesday. The aircraft, which had undergone its test flight on May 30, 2023, was unveiled during an airshow being held on Kish Island.

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh also attended the airshow, dubbed the 12th International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition of Iran.

Nasirzadeh said on the sidelines of the event that Simorgh has been designed and manufactured by the Defense Ministry in collaboration with domestic knowledge-based companies, adding that the aircraft meets international standards and regulations.

The minister added that the presence of various companies and aviation professionals at the airshows fosters synergy between various sections of the Iranian aviation industry.

Iran achieves self-sufficiency in aviation

Meanwhile, Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi also said during the event that Iran had achieved self-sufficiency in the aviation sector.

He asserted that sanctions have failed to diminish the nation’s resolve for progress or its capabilities.

The general noted that the aircraft displayed at the ongoing airshow in Kish are home-made and have been manufactured as part of a partnership between the Defense Ministry’s industrial companies and the IRIAF.

The Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Kish will run from December 10 to 13, 2024.

The minister added that the presence of various companies and aviation professionals at the airshows fosters synergy between various sections of the Iranian aviation industry.

Iran achieves self-sufficiency in aviation

Meanwhile, Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi also said during the event that Iran had achieved self-sufficiency in the aviation sector.

He asserted that sanctions have failed to diminish the nation’s resolve for progress or its capabilities.

The general noted that the aircraft displayed at the ongoing airshow in Kish are home-made and have been manufactured as part of a partnership between the Defense Ministry’s industrial companies and the IRIAF.

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