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Prayer Time
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Dawn: 5:16
Sunrise: 6:45
Noon: 13:03
Evening: 19:41
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Weather Guide
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THU |
FRI |
Tehran: |
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High: |
35oC |
36oC |
Low: |
25oC |
25oC |
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Athens |
16 |
16 |
Ankara |
5 |
1 |
Paris |
13 |
16 |
New Delhi |
25 |
25 |
Rome |
13 |
13 |
Riyadh |
26 |
27 |
Frankfurt |
5 |
6 |
Cairo |
22 |
21 |
Kuwait City |
26 |
27 |
Karachi |
24 |
25 |
Copenhagen |
7 |
11 |
London |
13 |
15 |
Moscow |
3 |
2 |
Madrid |
15 |
15 |
Vienna |
5 |
6 |
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Identification
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Published by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA)
Address:
Iran Cultural & Press Institute, #212 Khorramshahr Avenue Tehran/Iran
Managing Director: Mohammad T. Roghaniha
Executive Editor: Amin Sabooni
Editorial Dept. Tel: 8755761-2
Editorial Dept. Fax: 8761869
Advertising Dept. Tel: 8753119, 8757702, 8733764
Internet Address:
www.iran-daily.com
E-mail Address:
iran-daily@iran-daily.com
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EU Opposed To Pressuring Iran
TEHRAN, Sept. 8--Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Hasan Rohani here Wednesday said the head of the European Union is opposed to putting pressure on Iran and opposes the country's isolation.
Talking to reporters at Mehrabad International Airport upon his arrival from the Netherlands, Rohani assessed the remarks of Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who chairs the rotating presidency of the EU, as very important and fundamental which would form the base for Iran-EU talks, IRNA reported.
"We have had good cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the IAEA's recent report proves it," he said.
"All issues between Iran and the agency have been almost settled since the past year and only minor issues have remained. Except for the nuclear issue, Iran's ties with the European Union was discussed in detail and we held negotiations with the EU based on a 10-Article strategic plan."
He stressed the need for creating coordination for the September meeting in Brussels as one of the important goals of his visit to the Netherlands.
Pointing to the EU's report on the status of human rights in Iran, the SNSC secretary noted that the Islamic Republic has always been committed to human rights on the basis of Islamic principles, held negotiations with the European Union in this regard and will continue such talks in future.
On uranium enrichment and closing Iran's dossier at IAEA, he said, "The agency claims certain ambiguities still remain on the key issue of pollution and P2, and believes there are still questions in this regard. The agency's recent report reiterated that contamination is not of domestic origin which means Iran has had no military nuclear activities and acted in accordance with regulations."
Rohani noted that if the IAEA's Board of Governors were to send Iran's nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council, it would have opted for a political motion.
"I believe the Board of Governors will not damage its independence and dignity to comply with the US views," he said.
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Khatami Lauds Armenia's Impact On Civilizations
President Mohammad Khatami walks with his Armenian counterpart, Robert Kocharian, ahead of their press conference in Yerevan, Sept. 8. (ISNA Photo)
7 Energy Agreements Signed
YEREVAN, Armenia, Sept. 8--President Mohammad Khatami here Wednesday said Armenia's long history and its talented, diligent and self-confident people have had a great impact on human civilizations.
Speaking to reporters, Khatami referred to Iran's glorious civilization of the past eras and the Armenians' pivotal role in its development. He said that even today the Iranian Armenians continue to uphold Iran's independence and progress along with their Muslim compatriots, IRNA reported.
"We respect our neighbors and are keen to cooperate with them. We place special focus on Iran-Armenia ties, which can serve as a model for countries intending to establish relations on the basis of mutual respect," he said.
For his part, Armenian President Robert Kocharian referred to President Khatami's trip to Armenia as the first visit by an Iranian president to the country and said it is a significant historical event.
He noted that his talks in today's meeting with his Iranian counterpart mainly focused on economic matters, including energy, and added that based on Armenia's infrastructures and expertise in the field, broader cooperation is possible.
Speaking at Armenia's National Assembly, President Khatami referred to parliament as an institution where citizens have a say in their destiny and a symbol of lawful political competition.
Khatami added that countries aiming to pave the way for national development and build up a dynamic history should pay special attention to parliament as an institution where discords are solved peacefully.
Iranian and Armenian economic officials, in the presence of President Mohammad Khatami and President Robert Kocharian, signed seven agreements on energy cooperation.
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US Deaths in Iraq Top 1,000
Italian Aid Workers Abducted
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 8--The Pentagon death toll in Iraq reached at least 1,002 on Wednesday nearly 18 months after the US-led invasion, as the brazen abduction of two Italian women aid workers in central Baghdad sparked a new hostage crisis.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a report to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, said violence in Iraq may threaten elections scheduled for January 2005. Postponing the vote would be a severe blow for the US-backed interim government, Reuters reported.
In one of the biggest strikes against guerrillas, the US military said as many as 100 militants had been killed on Tuesday in fighting in the hotbed Iraqi town of Fallujah, some 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad.
The 1,000 mark--a politically sensitive benchmark that could play a role in the US presidential campaign--was surpassed after a surge of fighting in Muslim Sunni areas and Shiite enclaves.
In May last year, US President George W. Bush declared major combat operations over--since then more than 800 US soldiers have been killed in action.
Apart from the 1,002 dead, nearly 7,000 US troops have been wounded since the US-led invasion in March last year. At the same time, independent analysts estimate that more than 10,000 Iraqis have died since the war was launched in March 2003.
In one of the most chilling abductions in a country gripped by a wave of kidnappings, two Italian women aid workers and two Iraqis were snatched in broad daylight in central Baghdad.
It was the first time Western women have been kidnapped in Iraq. In April, a Japanese woman was held for several days but later released.
Witnesses said 20 men armed with AK-47 assault rifles and pistols with silencers stopped vehicles in a busy commercial area of the capital and raided a building housing the humanitarian organization Bridge to Baghdad.
They seized Italian aid workers Simona Pari and Simona Torretta and two Iraqis--a male Bridge to Baghdad employee and a woman working for another Italian organization Intersos.
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Helpful Tool For the Handicapped
Pouya Abolfathi displays his special glove in Sydney, Australia. (ISNA Photo)
TEHRAN, Sept. 8--An Iranian student studying for his PhD in biomedical engineering at the University of Sydney has invented a special glove, which enables the physically handicapped to use their hands like ordinary people, ISNA reported on Wednesday.
Pouya Abolfathi, the Iranian student residing in Australia, who won one of the annual scientific prizes of Australia for his innovative project, said, "By using this glove, the handicapped who cannot move their hands or fingers can open or close their hands, and even pick up objects such as glass, spoon and book. They can even use toothbrush and combs by themselves. These gloves also help expedite the treatment of badly injured hands, soften fingers and remove muscular cramps."
Abolfathi, who won the Eureka 2004 Prize, explained that his gloves, which are equipped with motors, cables and very small sensors, can be controlled by the physician or physiotherapist via a small computer that can be mounted on the patient's belt.
"Based on preliminary research, using his gloves does not cause any problem or pain to the handicapped," he said.
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Over 500m Women, Girls Illiterate
TEHRAN, Sept. 8--UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his message on International Literacy Day (Sept. 8), noted that more than 500 million women and girls make up the majority of illiterates around the world, and called for literacy for all women and men alike.
The full text of his message, reprinted from a UN Information Center press release, follows: "The theme of this year's International Literacy Day, namely 'Gender and Literacy', highlights the obstacle of gender inequality in our work for literacy for all," IRNA reported.
"In this second year of the United Nations Literacy Decade, more than 500 million women make up the majority of adult illiterates around the world, while girls constitute the majority of children who are not in school. At the same time we know, from study after study, that there is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls and women. No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity, lower infant and maternal mortality, improve nutrition, promote health--including the prevention of HIV/AIDS--and increase the chances of education for the next generation," the message noted.
"For millions of women, literacy activities can offer a rare opportunity to learn a new vocabulary of possibility, opening up a new world beyond their immediate existence and that of their families. And what is true of families is true of communities--ultimately, indeed, of whole countries.
"There is no time to lose if we are to meet the goal agreed by the world's governments to increase world literacy rates by 50 percent by the year 2015. Although literacy campaigns have succeeded in increasing literacy worldwide, an enormous task lies ahead. That means we must go beyond efforts of the past, and apply lessons learnt from past mistakes. We must build on the most successful approaches we know--those based on community action which take into account
local context and conditions.
"We must work in partnerships bringing together governments, civil society, the United Nations family and other international organizations. And we must place the needs of learner communities--especially women--at the center of our efforts."
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Sharon, Powell Turning Heat on Iranians
TEHRAN, Sept. 8--Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon again accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons and claimed that the international efforts for keeping Iran away from nuclear weapons are not sufficient, Jerusalem Post newspaper reported in its latest issue Wednesday.
According to ISNA, the paper further quoted Sharon as saying, "Certain measures have been taken, but I do not think the pressure exerted (on Iran) is high enough. It is necessary that supervision over Iran's nuke activities increases and that Iran's dossier is referred to the UN Security Council."
He noted that the Zionist regime is not leading the anti-Iran campaign, but has its own "criteria for self-defense"!
He claimed that Iranian officials are lying and that Iran is definitely trying to make the atomic bomb.
"I do not think the international measures adopted against Iranians are enough and this a is a big threat, especially ever since they managed to produce Shahab-3 Missiles with a range of 1,300 kilometers to target Israel. They are currently working on missiles with a range of 2,500 km. Iran is a country that wants Israel to be eliminated from the face of the planet," he noted. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday the United States wants to see the UN Security Council take up the issue, citing little progress in ongoing talks over Iran's nuclear program.
"We believe that we have seen enough, that action is warranted, and that the agency (International Atomic Energy Agency) should refer the matter to the Security Council at its upcoming meeting next week," he said.
The IAEA is scheduled to meet Monday to review Iran's nuclear program.
Iran reportedly is ready to renounce its efforts to assemble centrifuges to enrich uranium in order to avoid being brought before the council, but a European diplomat told AFP that an agreement was still some way off.
Powell repeated Washington's impatience with what officials have called stalling tactics by Tehran.
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Regional Diplomacy
By Ali Taheri
President Mohammad Khatami began his tour of Armenia, Belarus and Tajikistan at the head of a delegation, which includes foreign, commerce and transport ministers. This configuration indicates the importance attached by Iran to these countries.
Discussions on regional and international developments as well as bilateral ties top the agenda of talks.
Khatami's visit to Yerevan, Armenia, on Wednesday is a response to his Armenian counterpart Robert Koucharian's tour of Iran in 2001. Political analysts believe th Khatami's visit marks a new chapter in mutual relations.
Although Iran's border with Armenia is only 42 km long, it is the shortest with a neighboring country. Nevertheless, this has not reduced the importance of two-way bonds, as officials of both countries consider it as very strategic.
Iran and Armenia established their ties in 1991 when the latter gained independence. Bilateral relations have been growing, especially in the past few years. Tehran-Yerevan trade reached $100 million in 2002 compared to $72 million in 2001 and hit $160 million in 2003.
The two countries believe that they still have many untapped potentials, which could be utilized to further enhance bilateral ties.
Since Iran is the second richest country in terms of gas reserves, export of gas to Armenia could further boost trade exchanges between the two countries. The construction of a 141-km gas pipeline, at a cost of $120 million, is a top priority for both countries. This pipeline is projected to become operational within the next couple of years.
Construction of Gajeran Tunnel, designed in the framework of North-South corridor, is another key project that can further bolster regional bonds.
Of course, the sine qua non for economic cooperation between the two countries is sustainable stability and security. In this regard, Tehran has always reiterated the peaceful resolution of the Karabagh crisis, the end of its occupation and prevalence of security in the Caucasus. During the Karabagh crisis, Iran played a positive role and actively promoted the ceasefire deal between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Currently, Iran is among the observer members of the Minsk Group and mediates in the Karabagh crisis. Iran is doing its best to help forge peace and security in southern Caucasus.
Moreover, the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of Iranian Armenians reveals the deep historical and cultural commonalities between the two nations. Cooperation between the two countries is limited to the energy sector while mutual transit of goods and Iran's participation in Armenian projects are also increasing.
In addition to economic interests, Iran and Armenia share close stances vis-ˆ-vis many regional and global issues of concern. During the visit of Intelligence Minister Ali Younesi to Yerevan in March 2004, the security model known as 3+3, was proposed by Iran and scrutinized by the two countries. This model has been devised in compliance with regional realities and the cooperation of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia with Iran, Russia and Turkey.
Iran underscores regional cooperation for the establishment of sustainable peace and is opposed to the presence of foreign forces in the region. It wants all pending disputes to be settled through the collaboration of regional states.
At any rate, Khatami's visit to Armenia, which is taking place shortly after his visit to Azerbaijan last month, manifests Iran's determination to pursue balanced, strong and developing bonds with all its neighbors, including the southern Caucasian states.
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