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Prayer Time (Tehran)
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Dawn: 4:48
Sunrise: 6:20
Noon: 13:02
Evening: 20:05
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Weather Guide
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MON |
TUE |
Tehran: |
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High: |
30oC |
30oC |
Low: |
22oC |
20oC |
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Athens |
21 |
21 |
Ankara |
18 |
23 |
Paris |
15 |
16 |
New Delhi |
38 |
38 |
Rome |
16 |
18 |
Riyadh |
35 |
30 |
Frankfurt |
16 |
15 |
Cairo |
24 |
27 |
Kuwait City |
36 |
33 |
Karachi |
33 |
35 |
Copenhagen |
11 |
12 |
London |
13 |
15 |
Moscow |
9 |
11 |
Madrid |
22 |
25 |
Vienna |
17 |
17 |
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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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Int–l Islamic Unity Conference Opens
Muslims Serious About Fighting Terror
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State Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafasanjani (2nd r) is seen alongside other dignitaries at the 18th International Islamic Unity Conference which opened in Tehran on Sunday. (Photo by Mehdi Khoshnevis)
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TEHRAN, April 24--Iran hosted on Sunday the 18th International Islamic Unity Conference wherein representatives of 34 countries unanimously underlined the need for solidarity among Muslim states, Iran Daily–s Farzaneh Shokri reported.
In this three-day undertaking, Muslim intellectuals, university professors and a number of ministers discussed the problems facing the Muslim world.
Forging solidarity within the Muslim world and developing closer affinity among Muslim intellectuals are the focal points of this event. Among others, representatives of Denmark, the US, the UK, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Australia, Kuwait, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain participated in the conference.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the conference, State Expediency Council (SEC) Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said the Muslim world is currently at a sensitive juncture and deserves special attention.
"After 9/11, it was clear that arrogant world powers were hostile towards the Muslim world and this became clearer when President George Bush used the word crusade ... Although later Bush admitted that he made a mistake by using the term, the fact that the issue of war on terror, which all countries agree on, came to the fore reveals that arrogant world powers remain hostile toward the Muslim world."
The SEC chief added that nobody can be more serious in confronting terrorism than Muslims.
Rafsanjani noted that after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the late Imam Khomeini did not agree to carrying out terrorist operations although the former monarchical regime had committed the worst of crimes.
"Muslim states must come to terms with where they stand in this world and withstand the anti-Islamic campaign under the guise of the drive for globalization, at the forefront of which is the US," he said.
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Majlis Report:
Iraqi Stability In Iran's Best Interests
TEHRAN, April 24--Majlis Research Center on Sunday released a report on the results of Iraqi parliamentary elections and ongoing developments.
The report underscored that it is in the best interests of Iran and regional countries to render economic assistance to the new Iraqi government for reconstruction, IRNA reported.
"At the current sensitive juncture, cooperation with the Iraqi government can ensure Iran's interests more than any other thing. Iraq's stability is directly linked to Iran's best interests and a stable Iraq can ensure regional security," it noted.
The report added that if a popular regime is established in Iraq, Baghdad-Tehran relations can improve significantly and regional countries would become more united.
"The present golden opportunity must be utilized to reinforce the 1975 Algiers Accord, which has been the main obstacle to improvement of Baghdad-Tehran ties in the past decades. We must prevent the growth of radical patriotic feelings among both Iranians and Iraqis," the report concluded.
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Kharrazi, Jumblatt Confer
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President Mohammad Khatami receives leader of Lebanon's Socialist Progressive Party, Walid Jumblatt, in Tehran, April 24. (IRNA Photo)
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TEHRAN, April 24--Leader of Lebanon Socialist Progressive Party (PSP) Walid Jumblatt conferred here Saturday with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and discussed issues of mutual interest.
In the meeting, Jumblatt elaborated on Lebanese developments and cautioned about falling in the colonial trap, IRNA reported.
The Lebanese politician noted that the Muslim and national resistance efforts in Lebanon caused the expulsion of Israeli occupiers from the country and are a matter of honor, so maintaining the Islamic resistance is a duty for all Lebanese.
On the Zionist regime's goals, Jumblatt said, "By targeting the national unity of countries, Israel intends to weaken them in the region."
Referring to Iran's constructive role, Jumblatt added, "Iran has always had an effective and positive role in regional and international dialogue, and we hope that consultations with the Islamic Republic of Iran will lead to a constructive outcome."
Kharrazi expressed Iran's support for Lebanon's national unity and solidarity among its different ethnic groups.
"We always support unity among Lebanese groups and will continue this policy," he said.
Explaining American and Israeli aims in Lebanon, Kharrazi stressed that Americans are trying to create crisis in Lebanon and take advantage of the critical situation there, while Lebanon's problems should be solved by its own people.
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Satellite to Help Determine Islamic Dates
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia,
April 24--Muslim countries are to use satellite technology to help in moon sightings, used to determine Islamic holidays, the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference said on Sunday.
The OIC, the world's largest Muslim body, plans to launch an $8-million satellite within two years to take pictures of the moon to find lunar calendar dates, Reuters reported.
It said religious scholars would have access to accurate pictures of the shape of the moon instead of having to rely on naked-eye sightings which have in the past created discrepancies between Muslim countries or mistakes.
"Hopefully the satellite will stop the problems associated with lunar sightings," spokesman Ahmed Imigene told Reuters.
A moon sighting committee in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, frustrated millions of worshippers when it said it got the date wrong by a day for the peak of this year's haj pilgrimage in January.
The OIC will fund the project which was conceived by Cairo University's Space Science Centre.
"The satellite will have a fixed camera on board that will take highly-detailed pictures of the moon and beam them back to earth," said Professor Mervat Awad, the center's director.
He added that the satellite, which is being built by an Italian firm, would also be used to research asteroids.
It was not immediately clear how many countries would use the technology to determine religious dates. There is already some criticism from religious officials in Saudi Arabia, which uses the lunar calendar.
"The shape of the moon has to be seen from the ground," said Osama Al-Bar, dean of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj Research in Saudi Arabia.
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Asefi Calls for Israel's UN Referral
No Iranian Military Personnel In Lebanon
TEHRAN, April 24--Iran on Sunday called for the referral of the Zionist Israeli regime's dossier to the United Nations Security Council.
Addressing domestic and foreign reporters at his weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said the Zionist regime threatens regional and international peace and security, IRNA reported.
"If countries intend to adopt a fundamental and serious measure, they should send the Zionist regime's case to the Security Council for posing threats to peace and security. Zionist Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his friends are not committed to any principles. The Islamic Republic is pessimistic about their goals since the beginning and has made it known several times."
Asked about talks with the three European states (Germany, Britain, and France) regarding Iran's nuclear program, he said if negotiations were to end without any conclusion, the European community will suffer more than Iran.
The spokesman pointed out that uranium enrichment suspension will continue while the talks are underway, noting that Iran will not accept any prolongation of negotiations. He said talks with the Europeans will continue and "we hope to reach a clear result".
"Iran will not insist on continuation of talks, if it feels the Europeans intend to waste time," Asefi said, adding that during previous meetings, the Europeans were not willing to waste time.
Asked about developments in Lebanon, he said, "Iran has no military force in Lebanon. Our cooperation with the Lebanese government is transparent."
Asefi concluded by saying Iran's relations with the Lebanese government are based on transparent and clear cooperation.
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Past Administrations Criticized
TEHRAN, April 24--Tehran MP Ahmad Tavakkoli on Sunday criticized the administrations of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami.
According to IRNA, Tavakkoli, an MP and presidential candidate said on the Majlis floor, "During the eight years of reconstruction era, the government focused on the economic sector while in the past eight years the government concentrated on politics. To sum it up, in the past 16 years, the government has pursued unilateral policies. This is while the government is responsible for economic efficiency, social justice, political freedom, promulgating religiosity and ethical values, and maintaining security and independence of the country."
The MP further said, "The Seventh Majlis, the majority of whose members are rightists, has understood two realities. One being that it is possible for the government to serve the public interests and secondly that the Majlis should refrain from creating unnecessary tension in the last year of President Khatami's tenure."
He noted that Majlis ratifications on stabilization of prices of goods and services as well as the banking profit rate have been in line with the concept of seeking justice.
The MP also said poverty is the root-cause of many unwanted developments.
"Poverty and unemployment dishearten the public with the status quo and make them disinterested toward participating in state affairs," he said.
Tavakkoli emphasized that the rulers must rectify their performances.
"This will help restore people's trust in the Islamic system. When there exists a sound relationship between the rulers and the ruled, we will be blessed with God's blessings," he said.
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A Positive Step
By S. Sadeghi
The roundtable broadcast late Wednesday by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting could be a small indication of change of attitude of those running the state-owned radio and TV organization.
What actually made the program different from other live political broadcasts by the IRIB was the presence of Ali Shakourirad. The pro-reform activist is Mostafa Moin's campaign manager and a senior member of the Central Council of the Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF). Moin, a former minister of higher education, is contesting the presidential elections on a reformist ticket and has pledged to work for political and economic development with specific focus on rule of law and a civil society.
Shakourirad was vice speaker of the Sixth Majlis for a short period and along with tens of other reformists was barred from running in the Seventh Majlis elections.
In the roundtable, Shakourirad stressed the need for the IRIB to uphold neutrality in its news and views on the June 17 presidential race. Among other things, he called on the sole broadcast media in the county not to doctor news related to political prisoners and support demands for free and fair elections in the Islamic state.
It must be recalled that before this program, the IRIB followed a vastly different and biased path. During the last two parliamentary elections, the organization openly sided with the rightist groups. The fact of the matter remains that IRIB policymakers have for long promoted conservative and rightist tendencies in their daily radio and television programs broadcast across the country.
According to our constitution, this huge national body is neither governmental nor private. Truth be told, IRIB performance in the past several years has shown that it functions as it wishes!
It is exactly for this reason that Shakourirad's presence in the TV program is a long awaited welcome sign and seen as a good omen by the friends of the Islamic Republic who want to see more political openness and freedom of expression in this country of 70 million people.
It is amply clear that when the likes of Shakourirad, who have a dissenting voice and ascribe to political schools not supported by the IRIB, show up on TV screens, it helps improve the organization's image among the public.
Programs of the kind must be aired more often in the interest of the nation and in line with the norms of free speech.
If IRIB officials really want to pursue a more principled and balanced approach vis-ˆ-vis the crucial presidential elections, they must tell their production managers to uphold reason and logic before anything else.
These officials cannot expect the people to think highly about the national broadcast media when its political programs are out of step and disconnected from public opinion.
Even if debates like last Wednesday's are discontinued for whatever reason, a step forward has been taken.
IRIB must sooner rather than later break the taboo of siding with one political current.
A great service will be done if the organization assessed the feedback on this roundtable. If it is realistic and has respect for its audiences, it will realize that the time has come for some soul searching. The IRIB can and must devise policies that help bring the rulers and the ruled closer, not cast them in opposite camps.
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