IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Iran’s newly-elected lawmakers have held the first session of the Parliament on Wednesday with a message from Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

The inaugural session of the 11th Iranian Parliament after victory of the Islamic Revolution was attended by President Hassan Rouhani, Judiciary Chief Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, and Secretary of the Guardian Council Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati.

At the opening of the new legislature, Ayatollah Khamenei’s chief of staff took the podium to read a message from the Leader.

In the message, Ayatollah Khamenei has called on the newly-elected MPs to push for the settlement of the country’s economic problems on the basis of the Resistance Economy policies.

Addressing Iran’s new lawmakers, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted culture and economy as the country’s most pressing issues, which require the newly-inaugurated Parliament’s highest-level of attention.

In the statement, the Leader said the new Parliament’s inauguration displays the successful implementation of “Islamic democracy” in the country.

Ayatollah Khamenei thanked the Iranian nation for their “diligence and motivation” in electing the new legislature and congratulated the parliamentarians on securing the nation’s approval.

Citing the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, the Leader said Majlis stands “at the forefront” of the country’s affairs.

The legislative body, Ayatollah Khamenei said, is duty-bound to pave the way for the adoption of the laws that serve as the country’s path towards its desired “pinnacles and destinations.”

The Leader, therefore, urged the lawmakers to bring into force “the right, apt, and workable” legislation that would empower “the country to attain its sublime goals.”

In order to correctly perform their duties, the lawmakers have to properly identify the country’s priorities through expert analysis, maintain their active engagement, and avoid misusing the position and resources that have been trusted with them, the statement noted.

The legislators, it added, should not allow harmful, personal, and factional affairs to interfere with their performance.

“You respectable representatives are the ones, who can grant Majlis a decent standing,” Ayatollah Khamenei observed.

Ayatollah Khamenei said today’s topmost priorities were “culture and economy,” advising the Parliament to place the main planks of the national economy — including  employment, production, and the national currency’s value — high on its agenda.

“The general policies of the Resistance Economy serve as a credible guideline in this area,” the statement added, referring to a well-known economic course of action devised by the Leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei expressed certitude that commitment to such principles and other momentous guidelines would “prove to the Iranian nation that they have made the right choices [by electing the parliamentarians],” and further motivate them to participate in upcoming elections.

This year, the elections were held on February 21, taking 279 lawmakers, including 17 women, into the legislature. A second round is expected to be held in September for the remaining 11 elective seats.

This parliament’s lawmakers include 223 MPs from the Principlist camp, 18 Reformists, and 38 independents.

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On July 4, Britain’s naval forces unlawfully seized the Adrian Darya 1 vessel, then known as Grace 1, and its cargo of 2.1 million barrels of oil in the Strait of Gibraltar under the pretext that the supertanker had been suspected of carrying crude to Syria in violation of the European Union’s unilateral sanctions against the Arab country.

Tehran, however, rejected London’s claim about the tanker’s destination and slammed the seizure as “piracy.”

On Thursday, Gibraltar’s government announced it was releasing the supertanker despite pressure from the US for the vessel’s continued detainment.

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“It is for their own benefit, otherwise, they should await the consequences of this illegal measure and violation of the international pacts,” he stressed.

The official rebuked the Europeans’ double standards regarding the international rules and rights, saying, “How come those who brag about respecting international laws remained silent when the ISIL terrorists looted the Iraqi and Syrian oil, but now, they seize an Iranian tanker, which is lawfully passing through international waters?”

Raeisi called on the UK to abandon such hostile acts, which are conducted “on behalf of the US”.

British Royal Marines in Gibraltar stormed an Iran-operated 300,000-tonne Grace 1 supertanker and detained it on Thursday, accusing it of carrying oil to Syria in possible violation of the European Union’s sanctions on the war-torn Arab country.

According to Gibraltar authorities, the 28 crewmembers, who are nationals of India, Pakistan and Ukraine, are currently staying aboard the tanker, along with local police and customs officers boarding the vessel for a period of a probe.

Later on Thursday, Acting Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said Gibraltar detained the supertanker Grace 1 after a request by the United States to Britain.

Iran has condemned the move as “maritime piracy” and summoned Britain’s ambassador in protest over it.

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The judiciary chief referred to the retreat of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from his previously stated position to offering unconditional talks with Iran, saying that “today, we can see that the US US implores Iran to hold negotiations. This new stance once again proved the rightfulness of Leader’s strong and based on expertise viewpoints who have repeatedly stressed the only way to gain victory against bullying behavior of the enemies is resistance.”

Stating that the US needs negotiations with Iran, Raeisi added “if we insist on our positions, the enemy will retreat, as the recent positions of the US officials have shown.”

He further extended his congratulations to the Iranian nation and other Muslim nations on the advent of the Eid al-Fitr.

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He added, “We have learned over the past 40 years that victory can be achieved through resistance and reliance on God.”

Kamal Kharrazi, chief of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, said on Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s act in quitting the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), “has left no room for trust and negotiation”.

“Trump’s performance in withdrawing from the JCPOA and imposing cruel sanctions against the Iranian people has left no room for trust and negotiation and his invitations to hold talks are just propaganda,” Kharrazi said during a meeting with a number of French think tanks directors.

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on Thursday that Washington is ready to negotiate with Iranian leaders.

Also, in a press conference at the White House on July 30, 2018, Trump said he would meet with Iran “anytime they want to” and without “preconditions”.

However, hours after Trump’s statements, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared on CNBC to set some conditions.

Back in May, Pompeo had set 12 conditions for talks with Iran, which were dismissed by Tehran.

In remarks on August 13, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said there will be no war between Iran and the U.S. and nor will be any negotiation between the two countries.

The Leader noted that negotiation with the current U.S. administration is impossible. “Even if we were to negotiate with the U.S., we would never hold talks with the current U.S. administration.”

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