Kerry Hopes for SuccessOf P5+1 Talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry said he was looking for progress during upcoming P5+1 talks in Kazakhstan on Iran’s nuclear program.
Kerry met in Washington with European foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Friday.
He said he looked forward to Ashton’s ‘critical effort’ to avoid any sort of confrontation over Iran’s nuclear program, UPI reported.
“We hope that the talks in Almaty in a few days can show some further progress, perhaps open some additional opportunities,” he said during a news conference.
Ashton’s office in early February said Kazakhstan agreed to host talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, which Europe refers to as the E3+3.
“I will go to Almaty to lead the discussions with Iran,” Ashton said. “I always look for success in those (negotiations).”
The US and some of its allies claim that Iran is suspected of pursuing the technology needed to produce a nuclear weapon, an allegation that it strongly denies.
Talks in Kazakhstan are scheduled for Feb. 26.

G20 Denies Currency War

G20 officials will disregard key parts of a currency statement issued this week by the Group of Seven powers, according to a communique drafted for finance leaders meeting in Moscow, and will not single out Japan.
A G20 delegate who has seen the draft--put together by deputy finance ministers for their bosses--said it would also make no direct mention of new debt-cutting targets, something Germany is pressing for but which the United States wanted struck out, Reuters reported.
If adopted by G20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting in Moscow, the wording will confirm that Japan will escape any censure for its expansionary policies that have driven the yen lower and drawn demands for action from some quarters.
The currency market was thrown into turmoil this week after the G7--the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Canada and Italy--issued a joint statement stating that domestic economic policies must not be used to target currencies.

Where It Stands
Tokyo said the statement reflected agreement that its aggressive monetary and fiscal policies were appropriate but the show of unity was shattered by off-the-record briefings critical of Japan. The G20 draft merely sticks to previous G20 language on the need to avoid excessive foreign exchange volatility, the delegate said.

President: Security, Development Inseparable

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said security and development were two inseparable components of national prosperity.
Addressing the first national conference on developing coastal areas of Makran and marine authority in the southeastern city of Chabahar on Saturday, Ahmadinejad expressed satisfaction over the presence of the Iranian marine forces in most important coastline spots and said the Navy is using all its potentials, IRNA reported.
Outlining Iran’s unique national and geographical wealth as well as its rich cultural background, he reiterated that the Islamic Republic can turn into the most developed country in the world.
Ahmadinejad underlined that economic problems in the country can be solved easily if all national and geographical wealth of the country are appropriately utilized. The Islamic Republic can turn into the most developed country in the world, Ahmadinejad said.
He then commented on the existing economic problems in the country, saying there are only few minor problems.
Citing the faulty cycle of wealth and concentration of wealth and capital in central parts of the country as some of the basic problems in the country, the president underlined the need for region-based planning strategies to fight these phenomena.

ICRC Tehran WorkshopEnds on Positive Note

By Farzam Vanaki

The workshop hosted by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) themed “Responsibilities of National Societies to Deliver Safe Health Care in Armed Conflicts” which was held in Parsian Evin Hotel in Tehran during February 12-14 ended on Thursday. Experts in emergency health and disaster management and medical health coordination from ICRC and IRCS took part in the workshop.
Prior to holding the workshop, Pierre Ryter, head of the ICRC delegation in Tehran said, “The ICRC has decided to address this humanitarian challenge together with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies all over the world in order to strengthen protection for the sick and the wounded and to improve the safe delivery of effective and impartial health care in armed conflict and other emergencies.”
The workshop participants were from the Red Cross or Red Crescent societies of Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Iraq, Côte d’Ivoire, Nepal, Norway, Palestine, Spain, Syria, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Iran, and from the International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies and the ICRC. Representative from the health ministry of Iraq was also on hand to share his experience. On the closing ceremony of the workshop, Mostafa Mohaqeq, advisor to the President of ICRC commenting on the two-day workshop said, the session was about enhancement of health care services during emergencies and in dangerous situations.
The discussions were very constructive and fruitful and the outcomes included the challenges and the needs that medical personnel and relief organizations face in fulfilling their humanitarian tasks and missions, he noted.
On the recommendations made during the sessions he said they included a series of measures that need to be adopted at global and national levels including improving the policies and strategies, enhancement of the capacities, knowledge of both organizations and skills of the medical personnel, providing better equipment, establishing stronger communication and having better information exchange.
Mohammad J. Hassan, the Secretary General of Iraqi Red Crescent Society said he was invited to participate in the workshop by receiving a joint invitation from ICRC and IRCS. He said the workshop and meeting was a follow-up to that of Cairo (Egypt) and Oslo (Norway) respectively.
“Saving lives, particularly in volatile circumstances, is not an easy task. It needs applying certain tactics and assistance of all people.” He said too many doctors, nurses and many other people who work as volunteers with ICRC get shot while trying to help victims of conflicts of any sort, which is very sad. “This is what is happening in Iraq and Syria.”

By Emad Abshenass

UN or US

When someone reads the interview of Mr. Ban Ki-moon with Washington Post the first thing that comes to his mind is who does Mr. Ban work for--the UN or the US. The UN secretary general is supposed to be neutral and a mediator between UN members for solving stuck issues but on the contrary Mr. Ban is taking side in international events and becoming as a part of the problem.
I remember that when I attended my first journalism class the instructor told us: “It is nearly impossible not to involve your personal beliefs and feelings in your work but if you want to be a good journalist try to put yourself in other’s shoes and be neutral, otherwise think of changing your job because you are not meant for this job.”
I should not be the one to tell Mr. Ban that as Secretary General of UN he should be neutral, but it seems that either others did not tell him or he does not have the ears to hear. He is supposed to implement the decisions taken by UN members and not propose anything himself. I know it is very difficult for him to be a citizen of South Korea and witness North Korean ambitions and not to react, but he should not mix things up.
First of all Iran’s case is completely different from that of North Korea. Secondly UN officials, like Mr. Ban, are the main reason why UN is unable to fulfill its objectives since instead of working to solve international issues according to international laws and regulations, they are just serving the superpowers as blind puppets.
All countries in the world suppose that UN should serve as their sanctuary from superpower bullying. However, on the contrary Mr. Ban has turned this international organization into an instrument for the superpower against other countries.
By this action Mr. Ban has proved that he is not trustworthy for his post and he should leave this position in favor of someone who is more reliable and has the ability to serve the international community and not just a couple of bullying countries.

Call for Destruction Of Nuclear Weapons Worldwide

Political Desk

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called for the destruction of nuclear weapons across the world, saying Iran never plans to build such arms.
“We believe that nuclear weapons must be obliterated, and we do not intend to make nuclear weapons, but if we had not had this belief and had decided to possess nuclear weapons, no power could have prevented us,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in an address to thousands of clerics, officials and people of the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz on Saturday, Press TV reported. The US, the Israeli regime and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to produce an atomic bomb under the cover of its nuclear energy program, a claim Iran has categorically rejected.
The Leader, in his address, also commented on the issues such as the talks offer by the US as well as a number of domestic issues, according to Fars News Agency.
Ayatollah Khamenei also rejected as sheer lie Washington’s promise that it would remove sanctions against Iran after holding bilateral talks with Tehran. “They naively think that the nation has been exhausted by the sanctions and will therefore yearn for negotiations with the US after hearing the promise and will pressure the (Iranian) officials,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
“Actually, this promise is one of those deceitful remarks and indicates that they are not after holding real and fair negotiations, and rather seek the Iranian nation’s surrender but (they have ignored the fact that) if the Iranian nation had wanted to be subservient to the Americans, it would not have staged the revolution in the first place,” he added.

Mental Disorders Surveyed

About 3.1 percent of youths suffer from depression in Iran. Referring to a survey conducted by the Youth and Sports Ministry’s Center of Studies...

Bionic Muscles Improved

The tissues of the heart are mechanically tough and electrically conductive, and they keep a strong, rhythmic beat--properties that are tough to mimic in the lab.

ICRC Tehran WorkshopEnds on Positive Note

By Farzam Vanaki

The workshop hosted by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) themed “Responsibilities of National Societies to Deliver Safe Health Care in Armed Conflicts” which was held in Parsian Evin Hotel in Tehran during February 12-14 ended on Thursday. Experts in emergency health and disaster management and medical health coordination from ICRC and IRCS took part in the workshop.
Prior to holding the workshop, Pierre Ryter, head of the ICRC delegation in Tehran said, “The ICRC has decided to address this humanitarian challenge together with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies all over the world in order to strengthen protection for the sick and the wounded and to improve the safe delivery of effective and impartial health care in armed conflict and other emergencies.”
The workshop participants were from the Red Cross or Red Crescent societies of Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Iraq, Côte d’Ivoire, Nepal, Norway, Palestine, Spain, Syria, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Iran, and from the International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies and the ICRC. Representative from the health ministry of Iraq was also on hand to share his experience. On the closing ceremony of the workshop, Mostafa Mohaqeq, advisor to the President of ICRC commenting on the two-day workshop said, the session was about enhancement of health care services during emergencies and in dangerous situations.
The discussions were very constructive and fruitful and the outcomes included the challenges and the needs that medical personnel and relief organizations face in fulfilling their humanitarian tasks and missions, he noted.
On the recommendations made during the sessions he said they included a series of measures that need to be adopted at global and national levels including improving the policies and strategies, enhancement of the capacities, knowledge of both organizations and skills of the medical personnel, providing better equipment, establishing stronger communication and having better information exchange.
Mohammad J. Hassan, the Secretary General of Iraqi Red Crescent Society said he was invited to participate in the workshop by receiving a joint invitation from ICRC and IRCS. He said the workshop and meeting was a follow-up to that of Cairo (Egypt) and Oslo (Norway) respectively.
“Saving lives, particularly in volatile circumstances, is not an easy task. It needs applying certain tactics and assistance of all people.” He said too many doctors, nurses and many other people who work as volunteers with ICRC get shot while trying to help victims of conflicts of any sort, which is very sad. “This is what is happening in Iraq and Syria.”

IAEA Reports on Nuclear Program Political

Russia Cleans Up After Meteor Injures Over 1,000

Iran Alpine Skier Reaches World Final

Iran, Iraq to Ink Gas Export Deal by March 20