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Qur'an Unifying Muslims
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President Mohammad Khatami and Culture Minister Ahmad
Masjed-Jamei tour the International Qur'an Exhibition in Tehran on Saturday. (IRNA Photo)
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TENRAN, Oct. 31--President Mohammad Khatami said the Qur'an, aside from being God's word, is the most important unifying factor for Muslims worldwide.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the International Qur'an Exhibition held annually in Tehran in the lunar month of Ramadan, Khatami said, "If unity is an urgent need of Muslims, we should look at the future instead of the past to discover our strengths and weaknesses. We should realistically take stock of what we can achieve and endeavor to find the place intended by God for Muslims and find what is best for Muslim nations," IRNA reported.
Referring to the Islamic civilization, he said history has recognized the Islamic civilization as one with great capabilities.
The president said that by relying on the Qur'an, Muslims can nurture the great Islamic civilization and yet be equally accommodating to other cultures.
"Allah is the creator of this great Islamic civilization and continues to inspire the very unity and culture which give this civilization a strong foundation," he said.
Khatami stressed that the International Holy Qur'an Exhibition is very important.
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Deputy Interior Minister:
GC Interference Unprecedented
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Mahmoud Mirlohi
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TEHRAN, Oct. 31--An Interior Ministry official termed as 'unprecedented' the scale of the Guardians Council's intervention in the last parliamentary election, especially in verifying the MPs' credentials, which is the ministry's responsibility.
Deputy interior minister for parliamentary affairs, Mahmoud Mirlohi, also told reporters on Sunday that he was not aware of the contents of a report by the Majlis Article 90 Commission regarding Meqdad Najaf-Nejad whose election spurred strong protests by the people of Babolsahr, compelling him to withdraw. He added that the Interior Ministry also did not verify his credentials.
The commission apparently wants the ministry to verify Najaf-Nejad's credentials and the Guardians Council is, reportedly, exerting pressure to give Najaf-Nejad the seat.
Earlier, the Interior Ministry announced legal grounds are prepared for holding a reelection in the city, though such a move is facing stiff opposition by the conservative-held parliament and the Guardians Council.
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Fundamentalists Forge Electoral Alliance
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Manouchehr Mottaki
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TEHRAN, Oct. 31--A front formed by Followers of Imam Khomeini's Path and Leader with other fundamentalists will coordinate activities for the ninth presidential election, the front's spokesman said Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference, Manouchehr Mottaki also elaborated on the front's standpoints vis-a-vis the May 2005 presidential election and other domestic issues, IRNA reported.
"A committee commissioned to follow up the issues related to the next presidential election has already held talks with prominent fundamentalists within the past two weeks. Issues discussed during the meetings were programs, the presidential team and the necessity of reaching consensus over the presidential nominees," he added.
Mottaki, also an MP from Tehran, noted that the people who have been interviewed will inform the committee of their idea about their likely candidacy.
Commenting on the impeachment of ministers, Mottaki pointed out that interior and education ministries top the Majlis agenda with regard to impeachment.
Asked about the candidacy of State Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mottaki said Rafsanjani does not want to run for the next presidential election.
"Furthermore, the committee has not negotiated with Rafsanjani about the next presidential election. Rafsanjani is a great asset for the Islamic Revolution and he can serve better in his present position as SEC chief," he said.
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Kharrazi to Visit Qatar
TEHRAN, Oct. 31--Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi is scheduled to leave for Qatar late on Sunday.
During his visit, he will meet Qatari officials to discuss the latest regional developments, including the crises in Iraq and Palestine, IRNA reported.
Kharrazi visited Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE last week. He visited Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on Monday and Tuesday, and held talks with their senior officials on bilateral issues and regional developments.
During a short visit to UAE on Wednesday, Kharrazi discussed bilateral relations and regional developments with senior UAE officials, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
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Quake Jolts Behbahan
TEHRAN, Oct. 31--A mild earthquake measuring 3.9 on the open-ended Richter scale jolted suburbs of Behbahan in southwestern Khuzestan province early Sunday.
The province's seismological center affiliated to Tehran University's Geophysics Institute located the epicenter of the tremor in the vicinity of Nourabad, IRNA reported.
The quake occurred at 09:32 a.m. local time (06.02 GMT), the center added.
No report has been received on any casualty or damage caused by the quake.
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Iraq Captures 94 Infiltrators
BASRA, Iraq, Oct. 31--An Iraqi military commander said Iraq's border forces have arrested 94 infiltrators who crossed its borders with Iran.
The unnamed Iraqi brigadier general in charge of the southern borders says the infiltrators, all Afghans and Iranians, were arrested on Sunday while crossing into southern Basra and Amarah, AP reported.
The general says most of them had no travel documents and the rest did not have proper ones.
An Iraqi court has ruled that they will be deported to Iran.
US officials have raised constant concerns about the country's porous border, saying foreign fighters from surrounding nations are flooding into Iraq to join the insurgency.
Iraqi and US forces are boosting efforts to close the crossing points, but they have to protect 22-hundred miles of frontier shared with Turkey, Syria, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
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Gas Exports
SOBH-E EQTESAD: Issue of natural gas exports has presently become a heated topic of debate among producers and consumers alike. Gas exports can provide better chances for consumers in the short-term. However, implementation of new projects is not cost-effective at this juncture. Hence, the majority of gas producing countries may delay their projects because of non-feasibility reasons. The plain truth is that gas will gain more significance both as a source of energy and also as basic material for petrochemical industries in the near future. Iran needs $300 billion of investments by 2020 in order to be able to export gas to foreign consumers. Innovation in production technology and transfer of technology as well as improvement of managerial methods are two parameters that can help reduce the costs for liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects between 30 to 50 percent. Sound economic and political relations with other countries can pave the way for gas exports, but the other way round is also true. In other words, since gas deals are usually long-term developments, they can result in enhanced bonds with other countries.
Independence
HAMSHAHRI: Although the notion of independence is rather an accepted terminology for central banks of other countries, Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has not experienced independence as yet. CBI is only independent on the paper and not in practice. When the subject of independence comes to the fore, some people may think that political objectives are at stake. Research shows that the more independent central banks are the lower will be the inflation rate of the countries in question. The fact that the government has many debts to CBI plainly reveals that the government is in full control of CBI rather than CBI functioning independently.
Revision
HAMVATAN: An important thing that the government could and should do is revising its structure. Although some people are of the opinion that in the last year of President Mohammad Khatami in office it is not an appropriate time to revise the structure of the government, the government can bring about many changes in this relatively short time remaining till the end of its tenure. The changes within the executive body should take place within the guidelines of the fourth economic development plan (2005-10). The present budget allocated for the executive branch is not sufficient to administer various affairs. Government, the private sector and all civil institutions should undergo executive reforms.
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