Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

TEHRAN, April 19--Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday gifted youths winning honors for their country represent the Iranian nation and its identity.
In a meeting with the young inventors and winners of awards at the 33rd Invention and Innovation Exhibition in the Swiss city of Geneva, the leader added that currently the ground has been prepared for nurturing the talents of Iranian people, particularly the young generation, IRNA reported.
“Besides, the support of government organizations and the guidelines offered by them play a crucial role in prompting the youth to use their creative powers to achieve scientific progress. Cultivating the spirit of hope and research is another factor that helps flourish their faculties,“ he said.
Turning to the scientific achievements of the Iranian youth in various fields, the leader noted that similar to a climber at the foot of the mountain, the young people should be determined to continue their efforts to reach the peak of scientific honors.
Ayatollah Khamenei further said such a major goal and desire can be materialized by long-term planning, continuous effort and persistence.
During the meeting, head of Iran’s young inventors’ team declared that they managed to win 15 gold, 26 silver and seven bronze medals as well as four special awards.
“Their achievements among 700 young inventors from 42 countries prove that the talents of the youth need to be promoted through material and spiritual support. Besides, new talents should be identified and the intellectual property of inventors must be protected,“ he said.

TEHRAN, April 19--All activities of Qatar-based Al Jazeera Arabic satellite TV news network were suspended in Iran, as of Monday April 18th, based on a state order issued by Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.
Head of the ministry’s Foreign Media Office Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaqt told IRNA late Monday, “Suspension of the activities of Al Jazeera’s office would last till clarification of the results of a technical survey on the effects of that network’s recent conduct on inciting public sentiments and creating chaotic conditions in Ahvaz.“
Khoshvaqt added that the next step would be presentation of convincing explanations by that network’s officials.
The Foreign Media Office had earlier in December 2004 also warned Al Jazeera against violating the ethics of professional journalism in covering Iranian news, “so that it could continue to benefit from the services rendered by its Tehran bureau“.
Al Jazeera had then touched on the sensitive issue of racial mix in Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan province.
During the past few days, the publication of a forged letter attributed to former head of the Presidential Office, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, and its broadcast by Al Jazeera provoked public unrest in some Arab-populated parts of Ahvaz.
In the controversial letter, it was claimed that orders have been issued to make plans for changing the racial mix in Khuzestan’s Arab-dwelling areas.
In the past few days, angry Arab citizens in Ahvaz clashed with forces of the Islamic Republic Guards Corps and other disciplinary forces, during which public property, government buildings and police vehicles were damaged and three demonstrators got seriously injured.

TEHRAN, April 19--A presidential candidate said if he wins the race, he will establish an impartial government.
He told reporters in Rasht that he has entered the race as an independent candidate and does not favor any particular faction. Commenting on his programs after his election, Velayati said a government should confront financial corruption and avoid taking unlawful advantages.
“People expect that advantages should be granted on the basis of their capabilities. We will confront those who act otherwise,“ he said.
Commenting on his status among other presidential candidates, Velayati claimed that he ranks second after Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Asked whether he would quit in favor of Rafsanjani, Velayati noted that he is determined to run in the race. Commenting on President Mohammad Khatami’s dŽtente policies, he said dŽtente is necessary, but not sufficient.
“I will pursue political interactions with other countries,“ he said.
Talking of problems facing the Coordinating Council of Islamic Revolutionary Forces in selecting a single candidate, Velayati said removal of these problems requires reconsideration of mechanisms.

TEHRAN, April 19--Presidential candidate Mostafa Moin said on Monday he will fight violation of human rights and introduce Iran as a model for respecting human rights.
Speaking at Qazvin University of Medical Science, Moin said he insists on human rights because Islam has given importance to it, IRNA reported.
He said he will appoint a vice president for human rights affairs, if he is elected president on June 17.
“A human being is the representative of God on Earth and should be respected,“ he said.
Moin, also a former higher education minister, expressed regret that Zahra Kazemi, a Canada-based Iranian photojournalist, died after interrogation and said the event dealt a blow to the prestige of Iran.
“It is not acceptable that such an event take place in a country with such a civilization and culture,“ he said.
He noted that establishment of democracy helps achieve a breakthrough in economic development.
“Democracy and progress by respecting public opinion is the only way to run an administration and a charismatic figure cannot make the nation progress alone,“ he said.
Moin predicted that June 17 will register a magnificent turnout, if the unacceptable procedure of the Seventh Majlis is not repeated in the presidential election. This is a reference to the wholesale disqualification of reformist candidates before the parliamentary elections.

TEHRAN, April 19--President Mohammad Khatami received on Monday Afghanistan’s Martyrs Minister Seddiqa Balkhi.
According to the Presidential Office’s Media Department, President Khatami referred to the hardships endured by the Afghan nation and their resistance, and offered the Iranian nation’s and government’s sympathy and readiness to extend humanitarian aid to their Afghan brethren, IRNA reported.
The president also expressed Iran’s readiness to transfer its expertise to help organize the affairs related to Afghan martyrs and their families, as well as war disabled veterans.
Evaluating the presidential election in Afghanistan as ’positive’, Khatami hoped that Afghanistan could achieve its deserved status in regional and international spheres.
Emphasizing the necessity of speedy reconstruction of Afghanistan, the president said, “Iran is duty-bound to its commitments regarding your country.“
The Afghan minister, for her part, praised the Iranian government and nation for their “great support“ extended to the Afghan people.
She expressed hope that the Afghan Martyrs Ministry could benefit from the experience of Iran’s Martyrs Foundation.
Balkhi also welcomed the idea of boosting cooperation and holding regular consultations between the women of the two Muslim countries in different fields.

MOSCOW, April 19--Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov here Monday expressed hope nuclear talks between Iran and the European trio would entail positive outcome.
In a meeting with the head of Foreign Affairs Committee of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Hossein Mousavian, Lavrov voiced his country’s interest to witness positive developments in Iran’s nuclear talks with Germany, Britain, and France, IRNA reported.
“Russia’s policy regarding Iran-EU talks is based on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and preparing grounds for Iran’s peaceful use of nuclear energy,“ Lavrov said.
Mousavian, for his part, referred to Russia as a major partner of
Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities, saying Iran will not abandon “its legal and inalienable rights in using the nuclear technology“.
He pointed to Iran’s full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and added that confidence-building measures taken by Tehran were enough to remove the concerns of the international community.
Mousavian also conferred with Russian National Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov on Monday.
In the meeting, the two sides declared Tehran and Moscow’s shared policy of developing strategic relations and emphasized on promotion of bilateral cooperation at regional and international levels.
Referring to Iran’s policies in the last year and a half, Ivanov said Iran’s nuclear difficulties at the IAEA and global level have decreased significantly and the success is mainly due to Iran’s successful nuclear policy.
Emphasizing on Russian opposition to proliferation of nuclear weapons, Ivanov said, “We wish Iran would take full advantage of the new nuclear technology for all possible peaceful purposes, in the very near future.“
Mousavian, for his part, expressed dissatisfaction over the current process of nuclear talks with Europe and said he hoped negotiations could reach an agreement in the next one or two weeks.
He referred to Moscow as “the most important nuclear partner of Iran“ and said Iran would not ignore its legitimate and lawful rights of taking advantage of nuclear technology in the framework of international laws and regulations.
Mousavian reminded the Russian official of Iran’s full-scale cooperation with the IAEA and said, “Iran’s confidence-building measures have been comprehensive, adequate, and convincing.“
Arriving here on Monday to hold talks with Russian senior officials, Mousavian will return to Tehran on Tuesday.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 19--Saudi Arabia’s Chief of Staff General Salih bin Ali Al-Muhayya said Monday his country is determined to expand military cooperation with Iran.
He made the remarks during an interview with IRNA’s reporter on the sidelines of a ceremony held in the Saudi capital on the occasion of Iran’s Army Day.
The Saudi general added that he is scheduled to pay a visit to Iran to hold talks with Iranian officials on expansion of bilateral military ties.
Al-Muhayya is optimistic that due to the religious affinities between the two nations, Tehran-Riyadh cooperation would be further enhanced in different fields.
Several Saudi senior military officials and a number of foreign diplomats attended the ceremony.