|
Prayer Time (Tehran)
|
|
Dawn: 5:38
Sunrise: 7:08
Noon: 12:00
Evening: 17:13
|
|
Weather Guide
|
|
|
SAT |
SUN |
Tehran: |
|
|
High: |
11 oC |
12 oC |
Low: |
1 oC |
2 oC |
|
|
|
Athens |
16 |
16 |
Ankara |
7 |
9 |
Paris |
5 |
5 |
New Delhi |
21 |
20 |
Rome |
13 |
9 |
Riyadh |
27 |
26 |
Frankfurt |
0 |
0 |
Cairo |
20 |
20 |
Kuwait City |
27 |
24 |
Karachi |
27 |
27 |
Copenhagen |
0 |
2 |
London |
3 |
4 |
Moscow |
-1 |
-1 |
Madrid |
11 |
11 |
Vienna |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Identification
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
Massive Turnout Marks Iraqi Landmark Poll
Results In Two Weeks
|
|
Election officials use a gas lamp due to electricity cuts to count ballots at a polling station in the
northern city of Mosul, Dec. 15. (Reuters Photo)
|
BAGHDAD, Iraq,
Dec. 16--More than two-thirds of Iraqi voters turned out in the country’s landmark election, according to first estimates Friday, spawning hope for the war-battered nation and boosting the prospect of drawing minority Sunnis into the political process.
Millions of votes were being counted after Thursday’s election for the first full-term government since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003, which witnessed minimal violence in stark contrast to a vote in January, AFP reported.
“The number of those who took part in the ballot should be between 10 and 11 million voters, according to our first estimates,“ said senior electoral official, Farid Ayar.
A figure of 11 million voters would put turnout at around 70 percent.
However, final results are not expected for at least two weeks and the country faces much political horse-trading before a new government is installed.
“Iraqis are ready to determine their future by democratic means through the ballot box,“ said Kamiran Garadghi, spokesman for Iraq’s first Kurdish president, Jalal Talabani.
Shiite parties scored well in their strongholds in the south of the country, while Sunni regions reported strong turnout.
Global leaders hailed the vote, which many hope will end the insurgency raging since Saddam’s downfall in April 2003 and pave the way for the exit of US-led foreign troops.
Newspapers across the Arab world also hailed Sunni Arab participation as a “turning point“ that should grant legitimacy to the new government.
With a massive security operation in force nationwide to guard against attacks, the number of voters appeared to have surpassed turnout in the October referendum and the January elections.
In the western Al-Anbar region where the insurgency is based, officials estimated turnout of 85-95 percent in Fallujah, a former center of rebel activity--where some polling stations even ran out of ballot papers.
The electoral commission also forecast turnout for the hotspot of Ramadi was 75-80 percent.
A total of 15.5 million Iraqis were called to vote for a four-year 275-member parliament--choosing from 7,655 candidates and 307 political entities, nearly triple the number in January.
|
|
|
Ahmadinejad:
Mankind Seeking Sustainable Peace
Gov’t to Help Deprived Areas
ZAHEDAN, Sistan-Baluchestan, Dec. 16--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said politicians and thinkers of the world have backed Iran’s justice-seeking spirit.
Making the remark in a meeting with thousands of university students on Thursday, the president noted that mankind is in search of sustainable peace, which could be achieved only through justice, spirituality and monotheism, IRNA reported.
He regretted that some countries have piled up nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to continue their domination over other countries, adding that they even embark on testing biological weapons on people.
“They openly confess to their acts and shamelessly say that ethics has no place in politics,“ he said.
The chief executive further said unbiased scientists and scholars no longer believe liberal schools could ever provide man with sustainable peace, adding that people in Europe and the US are disillusioned with their governments in establishing sustainable peace.
Ahmadinejad arrived in Zahedan, capital of the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, on Wednesday for a three-day visit. During his stay, the president and his entourage examined provincial problems.
Meanwhile, Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister said on Friday the government’s strategy is based on paying heed to the demands of deprived areas and the first step in this respect is to use the services of youth in all sectors.
According to ISNA, Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Harandi also told the administrative meeting in Zahedan that by relying on the youth potentials and capabilities and pursuing the strategy of paying attention to deprived areas, the country shall witness progress and development.
|
|
|
Rafsanjani Urges End to Political Rifts
TEHRAN, Dec. 16--Chairman of State Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani urged political parties to put aside differences, because its continuation can be “a source of many corruption“.
Addressing the 14th Congress of the House of Political Parties on Thursday, Rafsanjani said the very founding philosophy of the house is removal of differences of opinion, but if the house itself transforms into a source of rifts, then its objectives and ideals become ambiguous.
“After I decided to participate in the congress,ÉI realized that differences of opinion (within the house) can be harmful to the society. Since I had promised to participate in the congress and I consider it a sin to break promises and since my non-participation in the undertaking could have created other problems under the present unbalanced political circumstances, I accepted the invitation.“
Addressing the secretaries-general of political parties, Rafsanjani said, “I showed up to tell you that you should put aside differences of opinion as soon as possible, because its continuation can be the source of many corruption.“
Former President Mohammad Khatami, who had also been invited to the congress in response to the invitation, sent a message.
Khatami noted that the House of Political parties, which is a source of optimism for those concerned about the future of Iran, is among one of my accomplishments during my tenure as president.
“We must continue on the tough path of religious-oriented democracy through prudence and toleration. I believe that the house is a proper venue for nurturing the needed spirit and culture in compliance with the status targeted by the Islamic Revolution and which is outlined in the constitution,“ he said.
Deputy Interior Minister for Political Affairs Ali Jannati and a group of political personalities also attended the congress.
|
|
|
Iranian Selected Europe’s Artist of the Year
|
|
Mohsen Vaziri-Moqaddam
|
TEHRAN,
Dec. 16--An Iranian painter and sculptor was selected as Europe’s Artist of the Year in 2005 by Italian artistic officials.
Mohsen Vaziri-Moqaddam, 82, received the special award on Wednesday from a Rome Municipality cultural official, Gianni Bornia.
The award ceremony is held every year at Protomoteca Hall in Campdidoglio (Rome’s Municipality Center) on Dec. 14. Governmental officials and Italian cultural and press personalities attend the annual ceremony.
During the ceremony, Vaziri-Moqaddam told ISNA: “During my several years of stay in Italy, I have received various awards from Italian officials, but I consider this as one of the best awards I have ever received. At this age, this prize is quite worthy for me because it is a source of encouragement. Despite all the problems I encounter, I can continue to create artistic works.“
Vaziri-Moqaddam has had problems with his eyesight since last two years. He, however, stressed that because of the encouragements of Iranian and Italian artistic communities, he produced 68 paintings in the current year.
Vaziri-Moqaddam graduated from Tehran University’s College of Fine Arts in 1948 and also received a degree from Rome’s Academy of Fine Arts. In the past 50 years, he has been constantly traveling between Iran and Italy.
|
|
|
MKO Claim Rejected
TEHRAN, Dec. 16--Former members of the terrorist Mujahideen Khalq Organization described MKO’s claim of British Parliament endorsement as “false and baseless“.
Iran Interlink Organization, which comprises former members of MKO, rejected the group’s claim that a large number of British parliamentarians have endorsed the motion to erase the name of MKO from the UK’s list of terrorist organizations, IRNA reported.
Last week, MKO claimed that 279 MPs from the British House of Commons and 126 members of House of Lords have called for elimination of MKO from the list.
Based on the 2001 ratification of the British Home Office, MKO is a banned terrorist organization and endeavors of its supporters to change this ratification have not yet succeeded.
Interlink stressed that both the US and Britain consider MKO a terrorist entity.
So far, the British Parliament’s website has not officially commented on the MKO claim.
|
|
|
Call for Safeguarding
Regional Cultural Heritage
By Sadeq Dehqan
Participants in the confab themed “Cultural Relations and Foreign Policy: An Iranian Approach“ underlined on Wednesday the need to bolster cultural and political exchanges in the region, especially with Central Asian and Asia Minor states, to advance common objectives.
Speakers also emphasized that regional countries should safeguard their common heritage in the process of globalization during the two-day confab, which was sponsored by Tehran University, Imam Sadeq (AS) University and Islamic Culture and Propagation Organization.
Elaheh Koulaei, a member of faculty of Tehran University’s College of Law and Political Science, told the meeting: “In the process of globalization, the national and regional identities of countries are affected. Different countries are trying to maintain their cultural accomplishments.“
She noted that Central Asian states are trying to restore their historical and cultural identities, and Iranian and Islamic cultures play influential roles in this respect.
“This issue has prepared the ground for Iran to expand its ties with Central Asian states,“ she said.
Koulaei, a former MP, pointed out that historical bonds between Iran and Central Asian states and their cultural and civilizational commonalties can be effective in resisting Americanization of these countries in the process of globalization.
“During the rule of the former Soviet Union, the target was to prevent promulgation of Iranian and Islamic cultures in the region. Amid all this, the Tajiks suffered the most,“ she said.
Head of the Center for Cultural Studies of the Islamic Culture and Propagation Organization Abolhassan Monfared said that in recent years both Iran and Turkey have tried to modernize their cultural heritage and overcome the existing problems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arduous Journey
By Mohammad Reza M. Karimi
With the general election behind them, Iraqis have embarked on an arduous journey. They will either rise to the occasion and achieve national reconciliation and stability, or descend into further anarchy and civil war.
Compared with the January election that established the transitional government after months of horse-trading, they will hopefully form the government sooner this time and get ready to meet the challenge of amending the constitution approved in October. This is an opportunity to appease Sunnis regarding their share of oil revenues in the federal system and advance national solidarity.
The Dec. 15 poll was distinguished by the presence of Sunnis whose participation in the country’s political process is vital for forging a united front against terrorists.
Nobody expects the terrorists to lay down their weapons after the election. The Baathist supporters of Saddam and foreign extremists, who are the main perpetrators of terrorist acts, are largely Sunnis. Once these terrorists are cornered with the help of Sunnis, the immediate outcome will be better security, greater investor confidence and faster reconstruction.
Although there are fears that a strong showing by secular Shiites will whittle down the clout of religious Shiites, another coalition government will be a preferable option. A coalition administration will have representations from the main political forces and allay the fears of domination and discrimination.
The next challenge would be setting a timetable for a gradual foreign troop withdrawal. This is easier said than done.
While the election marked the end of the mandate of the US-led military forces, according to the UN Resolution 1546, the Americans will use every legal and illegal trick to justify their presence in Iraq.
The American troops will never pull out completely during the tenure of President Bush who has invested $250 billion, put more than 2,000 compatriots in body bags and killed 30,000 non-combatant, Iraqi civilians since his invasion of Iraq.
Respect for life, accountability and logic are not neocon values. Bush’s so-called National Strategy for Victory ignores the fact that Iraq had no history of suicide bombings before the US-led war and makes no reference to troop withdrawal. He wants the world to accept occupation and insecurity as signs of victory.
Bush also wants a US-friendly government to assume power in Iraq. But he is in for a surprise, because the first thing the new government will tell Bush is to start packing.
Unifying the fractious nation and taking the reins of security from the US forces are priorities. The Iraqi leaders will hopefully put aside their differences to achieve these goals for the sake of their national interest. That will ease the journey of Iraqis toward peace and prosperity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
