To support the production and sales of Iranian-Islamic patterns and garments, the Commerce Ministry will hold seasonal fairs of textiles and clothes for the public.

TEHRAN, May 14--Parliamentarians passed on Sunday outlines of the plan to restore the status of fashion and clothing in Iranian culture and promote national clothing patterns.
Should the plan be finalized in Majlis, a committee would be formed with representatives from ministries of culture, commerce and industries, as well as Management and Planning Organization, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and Majlis Culture Commission.
According to Fars News Agency, the Culture Ministry and IRIB will be obligated to promote Iranian clothing symbols and patterns confirmed by this committee and to prevent the promotion of patterns that are against the Iranian-Islamic culture.
After the plan’s final ratification, the Culture Ministry will hold national and international festivals for promoting cultural transfer among Muslim nations in cooperation with the Commerce Ministry.
To support the production and sales of Iranian-Islamic patterns and garments, the Commerce Ministry will hold seasonal fairs of textiles and clothes for the public.
As per Article 4 of the plan which was endorsed by 137 votes, Iranian and Islamic clothing designs will be included in laws pertaining to industrial property and patent registration.
Article 7 stipulates that ministries of cooperatives and labor prioritize designers and producers of Iranian-Islamic clothing patterns in offering government facilities and issuing permits.
Health Ministry and the Islamic Republic of Iran Police will ban the sale of secondhand foreign clothes that are smuggled into the country.

Akbar Alami

TEHRAN, May 14--The motion for impeaching Majlis Presiding Board was submitted to Majlis on Sunday.
Some 29 legislators have signed the impeachment motion, IRNA reported.
Lack of impartiality concerning implementation of Majlis bylaws, influencing the budget bill and important decisions, and discrimination by Majlis Speaker Gholamali Haddad-Adel and First Vice Speaker Mohammad Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard are some of the reasons cited in the impeachment motion.
Criticizing the manner of administering Majlis sessions, the MPs called for implementing Article 25 of Majlis Internal Bylaw and forming an investigation board to consider the demands of MPs.
The initiator of the impeachment, Tabriz MP Akbar Alami, said that according to Majlis Internal Bylaw, the Majlis Presiding Board should take practical action over the impeachment motion by Wednesday.
“After receiving the impeachment motion, the Majlis speaker should form an investigation board to consider the complaints of MPs within three days,“ he said.

TEHRAN, May 14--A lawmaker said on Sunday the parliament has distanced itself from its legislative and supervisory duties.
“Although most decisions of the administration are taken in the parliament, the legislature is gradually separating from its deserved position,“ said Daryoush Qanbari, an MP from Ilam, Mehran, Ivan and Shirvan-Chardavol, IRNA reported.
He underlined the failure of the presiding board in following up the legislators’ questions posed to ministers as the main factor weakening the legislature body.
“Many questions posed by parliamentarians are not put on the agenda by board members and the presiding board repeatedly ignores its constitutional obligations,“ he said.
Qanbari, who is also a member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said disagreement between lawmakers and members of the board has entered a new phase.
“A firm step is needed now by legislators to make changes in the presiding board and revitalize the parliament,“ he said.
Referring to the parliament as the main means of controlling the administration, the MP said, “Unfortunately, some MPs appear to be reluctant about performing their parliamentary duties.“
Qanbari noted that any failure of lawmakers in overseeing the government procedures could inflict irreparable damage to the country and undermine the reputation of the Majlis.

TEHRAN, May 14--A police official said 10,000 websites have been launched by the United States to target Iranian interests.
Mohammad Ali Rahmani, head of the Police Ideological-Political Department, added that the US government aims to create insecurity among Iranians, IRNA reported.
Referring to the two terrorist attacks on the indefensible people on Zahedan-Zabol and Bam-Kerman routes where 35 people were killed brutally by armed troublemakers in two months, Rahmani said such terrorist incidents are ’intolerable’ for the Iranian nation.
Calling for severely confronting terrorists involved in the two incidents, the official said, “Our country enjoys high security compared with other Middle Eastern countries and even some European nations.“

TEHRAN, May 14--The Press Jury on Sunday found managing director of the Persian daily ’Sharq’, Mehdi Rahmaniyan, guilty and noted that he does not deserve leniency.
Presiding Judge Saremi said Rahmaniyan is charged with publishing fabrications aimed at distracting public attention, ISNA reported.
He noted that Rahmaniyan spread false information in an article entitled “Attacking a Ceremony“ on Sharq’s Internet site on November 3, 2004.
The private complainant against the daily is University Student Basij Organization.
Meanwhile, the Press Jury also found managing director of the Persian daily ’Asrar’, Jalil Moqaddam, guilty.
It, however, ruled that Moqaddam deserves leniency.
Moqaddam is also charged with publishing fabrications in an article in the daily’s issue dated January 24, 2006.
The title of Asrar’s article was “Age of Corruption in Iran Between 11 to 17 Years“.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 14--A Pakistani cleric and member of parliament on Saturday referred to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s letter to his US counterpart George W Bush as a ’prudent’ initiative.
Leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Sami) and member of the lower house of parliament, Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, added that the Iranian president’s initiative was timely, IRNA reported.
“The president wanted to apprise Bush of possible consequences of the impending dangers of war and loss of innocent lives. The letter is in line with Islamic teachings,“ he said.
The parliamentarian noted that the US had suffered crushing defeats in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“The ball is now in Bush’s court. He should seek to defuse the situation through talks,“ he added.
Haqqani underscored the need for greater understanding and unity among the Muslim countries on issues of mutual concern.

KUWAIT CITY,
May 14--Organization of Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity condemned US threats against Iran and urged the International Atomic Energy Agency to take up Iran’s nuclear case.
In the statement issued on Saturday, the Egypt-based organization stressed that using peaceful nuclear energy for economic and scientific progress is the right of all states, IRNA reported.
It supported Iran’s right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes based on international laws and regulations.
The statement condemned the dual approach of Western states with respect to the use of nuclear energy and called for establishment of a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction.

TEHRAN, May 14--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday expressed felicitations to the Paraguayan government and nation on the country’s Independence Day (May 14), IRNA reported.
In his message, Ahmadinejad expressed hope that friendly ties between Iran and Paraguay would be further bolstered at bilateral and international levels.
Ahmadinejad called for establishment of peace, stability and justice throughout the world and for the dignity of Paraguayan government and nation.

TEHRAN, May 14--A member of US Peace Association, Dr. Penh Francis Pacion, said on Sunday Iranian war veterans suffering from chemical attacks of Iraq (during the 1980-88 war) have been exposed to the worst ailments and hardships.
While visiting the research center of engineering and medical science, Pacion said that during the Iraq-imposed war, the Iraqi Baathist regime carried out more than 350 chemical attacks against Iranian soldiers by using mustard gas and other gases that paralyze the nervous system of soldiers, IRNA reported.
The American peace activist noted that about one million men, women and children were contaminated by the deadly poisons and about 100,000 people were badly injured.
Pacion said that Tehran-Washington relations have also been contaminated by the US media’s propaganda campaign.