Speaker Advises West to Be Sincere

Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani advised western countries not to irritate the Iranian nation on the nuclear issue.
Addressing a gathering in western city of Asadabad, Hamedan province, he said though western powers are sure that Iran possesses no nuclear weapons, they are using Iran’s nuclear power as an excuse to exercise hostility against the Islamic Republic, IRNA reported.
He said that the hostilities were ‘because they were scared of Iran’s technological achievements and could not stand its progress and development’.
The speaker reiterated that the fact that Iran has already turned into a regional power is due to its success in conquering the peaks of scientific progress.
He said the West’s problem today is not Iran’s nuclear program but the degree of its might.
Turning to regional issues, he said one major problem the Islamic world is facing now is the lack of unity.
Referring to remarks by some frivolous US politicians who said sanctions against Iran have been fruitful so should be continued, Larijani stressed that this is a clear case of fabrication because they say one thing behind the scene and then support direct talks with Tehran.
The US, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
Based on the unfounded allegation, the US and its European allies have imposed unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) it is entitled to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence that the Iranian nuclear program has been diverted to military objectives.

Obama: Still Room for Diplomacy, No Chest Beating

The US President Barack Obama has said that he will not engage in any ‘chest beating’ over Iran’s nuclear program, but plans to issue a ‘clear and direct’ challenge to Tehran during his upcoming Middle East trip, according to sources familiar with his comments.
Obama said on Thursday at a White House meeting with Jewish American leaders that he will still work toward a diplomatic resolution with Iran over its nuclear program, but repeated that no options are off the table, including military ones, one of the sources said, CNN reported.
The comments do not represent a change in the Obama administration’s thinking, but come as the president prepares to travel in two weeks to the region where he is expected to be pressed over Iran by the Zionist regime.
Separately, Obama told the group that he will not unveil his own Mideast peace plan when in Israel, saying such a move would be ‘premature’, the sources said.
The sources said Obama told the participants that doesn’t mean the United States would not be in the middle of a ‘policy initiative’ within the next year.
Obama was pressed at the meeting about why he didn’t use tougher rhetoric regarding Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes but the United States and other allies claim is intended for building a weapon.
Obama said he will work toward a diplomatic resolution and that he still intends to achieve one. He said he is not going to do something for ‘chest beating’ just to show people he is tough, two sources said.
During the trip, Obama will issue what is called a ‘clear and direct’ challenge to Iran and that he told the meeting ‘no options are off the table, including military options’, one participant told CNN.
Vice President Joe Biden earlier this week forcefully admonished any attempts by Iran to develop nuclear weapons.
“Big nations can’t bluff. And presidents of the United States cannot and do not bluff and President Barack Obama is not bluffing,” Biden told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington.
Obama reminded those at the White House meeting on Thursday that the Iranians are a proud people and to reach any agreement, the United States cannot humiliate them and needs to give them a way to back down.
He even quoted an old Chinese proverb about building a ‘golden bridge’ for your opponent.
During the hour-long session, Obama said he had four aims for the trip: to underscore an iron clad commitment to Israel; to recognize that the bond is even more important with Mideast challenges becoming more prominent in Egypt, Syria and Iran; to directly challenge Iran on its nuclear ambitions and to work toward a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Obama said that the US and Israel share the same intelligence information regarding Iran, but are divided about the exact point at which ‘diplomacy becomes irrelevant’.
Obama added that the gaps between the US and Israel, however, ‘are not as big as the differences of opinion inside Israel itself’.
When he was told that Israelis say that they need more ‘clarity’ concerning the US position on Iran, Obama replied: “But that isn’t because we haven’t been clear.”

Ahmadinejad Pays Farewell...

From Page 1
He founded the movement of Bolivarian Revolution to establish popular democracy and economic independence and to equitably distribute wealth in Latin America.
Chavez was one of the key players in the progressive movement that has swept across Latin America over the past few years.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ahmadinejad called for the further enhancement of Iran-Bolivia ties in the path of progress and the establishment of global justice, adding, “Iran is proud of the revolutionary leaders and resilient people of Latin America.”
Morales, for his part, lauded the Iranian nation for its inexhaustible resistance to imperialism and reaffirmed the Bolivian nation’s resolve to stand by Iran in the fight against global imperialism.
He called for the further bolstering of Tehran-Sucre ties.
Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad returned to Tehran after attending the funeral ceremony of the late Venezuelan president.

Cmdr.: No Military Presence in Syria

Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said the Islamic Republic has no military presence in Syria.
The commander told reporters on Thursday that Tehran’s official position is to fully defend Syria despite having no military presence in the country.
Firouzabadi said the militants in Syria are either hired or invited from various Arab countries to fight under the Al-Qaeda flag.
“Of course some of the militants are Syrian nationals but they are emotional youth who have been manipulated by Al-Qaeda,” the commander added.
Asked about Iran’s reaction to a possible western attack on Syria, Firouzabadi said western states should save themselves the headache of a military attack on Syria.
“Not because Iran will react [to this attack] but because the Syrian government is not alone and has a nation [behind it]…; a nation [that] cannot be fought and a nation [whose] rights cannot be taken away,” he added.
Unrest has gripped Syria for nearly two years and clashes continue between the Syrian army and the foreign-backed militant groups.
Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and that a very large number of the militants operating in the country are foreign nationals.

Sanctions Transformed Iran Into Scientific Hub

Iran’s ambassador to Spain said although West’s sanctions imposed on Iran have created problems for the nation, Iranian youth have turned the country into a science and technology hub.
Morteza Saffari Natanzi, in a meeting with Basque Parliament Speaker Bakartxo Tejeria in the city of Vitoria, capital of Basque, expounded on Iran’s achievements in the past three decades in the political, economic and scientific fields.
Natanzi said that sanctions have created problems for Iran, but these problems compared with huge achievements are easily tolerable, IRNA reported on Saturday.
He called Iran’s nuclear program completely peaceful and under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), adding that Iran has good cooperation with the IAEA and this will continue.
The ambassador underlined the nation’s rights to peaceful nuclear energy and rejected western media propaganda on the issue as completely political which lacks legal basis.
During the meeting, Natanzi explained the parliament’s role in the political structure of the country and expressed Iran’s readiness to strengthen and boost parliamentary relations with Basque state.
Tejeria, for her part, expressed support for expanding ties between the autonomous state of Basque and Iran in all areas and explained the intention of Basque local officials to develop relations with Iran.
Natanzi also met the head of local government of Basque Inigo Urkullu and a number of political officials and senior directors of commercial companies.

Conspiracy to Fragment Iraq

A member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said the West cannot tolerate a stable and united Iraq and wants to break the country into three regions.
“Western conspiracy to ignite an ethnic and religious strife in Iraq by establishing think tanks in some regional countries shows the impact of a peaceful Iraq on regional developments,” Seyyed Baqer Hosseini told ICANA on Friday.
The lawmaker added that the West seeks to preoccupy the Iraqi government with domestic problems and prevent it from playing a role in regional developments.
Referring to the bombings in different parts of Iraq, Hosseini said dividing Iraq into Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni regions is a western plot which is being supported by certain currents in the Arab nation.
The legislator warned that the agents of foreign powers are infiltrating the ranks of protesters to get them to clash with the security forces in order to worsen the situation.
Hosseini urged the Iraqis to show self-restraint and prevent reactionary regional states, which are aiding the West in its conspiracies, from succeeding.
Violence has increased in Iraq since December 2011, when an arrest warrant was issued for fugitive vice president Tariq Al-Hashemi, who has been charged with running a death squad targeting Iraqi officials and Shiite Muslims.
13 people were killed and dozens more wounded in the latest wave of violence that hit Iraq on Tuesday.
Some 220 people have lost their lives across Iraq in bombing and shooting incidents in February.
The government has stepped up efforts to boost security across the country in the past few months.

Iranian, Norwegian Envoys Discuss Syrian Crisis in Beirut

Iranian and Norwegian ambassadors to Beirut in a meeting discussed the latest regional developments, specially the crisis in Syria.
During the meeting in Beirut on Saturday, Ghazanfar Roknabadi and Svine Aass underlined the need for a political solution to the Syrian crisis, Fars News Agency reported.
Roknabadi pointed to Iran’s efforts to help restore peace to Syria and resolve the Muslim country’s crisis through diplomatic means. The Norwegian envoy, for his part, underlined the legal responsibility of the international community in achieving a political solution in Syria, and praised Iran’s swift aid and assistance to Syrian refugees in Lebanon as a very important move.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and the civilians being reported across the country.
Thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes.
The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

Pakistan Will Not...

From Page 1
Washington strongly opposes the project, as it tries to cripple Iran economically for continuing its nuclear program.
The US State Departments says it has made it absolutely clear to the Pakistanis that if the pipeline deal is finalized, it would raise serious concerns under the Iran Sanctions Act.
“Pakistan has a lot of energy requirements. We are working with them in close partnership on other, better ways to meet those needs,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Thursday, responding to Fox News at a press briefing.
The United States has been aiding and assisting Pakistan to overcome its energy deficit by supporting large-scale turnkey projects through renovation and modernization of power plants and building new dams.
But Pakistan says what its getting is not enough. According to the Ministry of Petroleum, the projects haven’t taken off and the completion time frame is not suitable to them.
“If you talk of giving something after 10 years, does not make sense to us,” says Hussain. He continued, “We need immediate gas, and we were not helped in getting LNG (liquefied natural gas) in any way.” For Pakistan, the shortest and easiest way to get the LNG supply in the country is Iran, and Pakistani officials aren’t willing to abandon the project under US pressure, even with sanctions possible.
Nuland said moving forward in that direction would cause sanctions to kick in, but Pakistan thinks the US ultimately will grant a waiver similar to the ones it has granted to India, China, and Turkey, all of which import oil from Iran.

P5+1 More Realistic ...

From Page 1
The Iranian envoy further said that the P5+1 group’s realistic approach to the great technical capabilities of Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and the country’s expectations are the conditions necessary for further progress in the upcoming negotiations.
It is very important to pay attention to the fact that Iran has no extralegal expectations or any expectations outside the framework of NPT regulations, Khazaei pointed out.
He warned that the Iranian nation would never bow to illegal and inhumane pressure to relinquish its national rights.
Iran and the P5+1--Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany--held their latest round of talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on February 26 and 27.
Both sides agreed to convene in Almaty again on April 5-6 for the next round of negotiations after holding expert-level talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul on March 17-18.
On February 28, Reuters quoted an unnamed western diplomat as saying that, “This was more constructive and more positive than previous meetings because they were really focusing on the proposal on the table.”
In an interview with Austrian broadcaster ORF on March 1, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi described the latest round of the talks as a ‘milestone’ and a ‘turning point in the negotiations’.
On Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the West’s track record of disregarding its own agreements and statements and noted that the next round of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group will be a test of western sincerity.

Shiite Killings Slammed

Senior clerics along with Islamic tutors and seminary students held a large gathering in the holy city of Qom to protest rampant killings of Shiite Muslims in Pakistan.