Iran

10 Oct 2019; MEMO: Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani has cancelled his scheduled visit to the Turkish city of Istanbul following yesterday’s decision by Ankara to launch military operation “Peace Spring” in north-east Syria against Kurdish militias to establish what it calls a “

9 October 2019; AFP: Iranian women fans are free to enter a football stadium Thursday for the first time in decades, after FIFA threatened to suspend the Islamic republic over its controversial male-only policy.

Iran has barred female spectators from football and other stadiums for around 40 years, with clerics arguing they must be shielded from the masculine atmosphere and sight of semi-clad men.

9 Oct 2019; MEMO: A senior Iranian military official revealed on Monday that his country would dispatch 7,500 troops to Iraq to protect Shia pilgrims, Iranian news agency Mehr reported.

Commander of Special Unit of Iran’s Law Enforcement Police Brigadier General Hassan Karami told Mehr that the Iranian troops will protect the celebration of the Arba’een of Imam Hussein – the anniversary of 40 days after the murder of the Shia Imam Al-Hussein.

TEHRAN, October 8. /TASS/: Lawyers still haven’t been allowed to meet with Russian national Yulia Yuzik arrested in Iran, a source familiar with the situation told TASS, adding that the Russian embassy in Tehran had not been granted consular access to the Russian.

"Neither lawyers nor Russian diplomats have been allowed to meet with Russian national Yuzik so far," the source said.

TEHRAN, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said Monday that the secondary part of Iran's Arak heavy water reactor will become operational in the coming weeks.

"We will make the secondary part of the Arak heavy water reactor facility operational as early as the next three weeks," Salehi was quoted as saying by Press TV.

"The reactor consists of primary and secondary sections whereby an overwhelming part of (nuclear) processes is done in the latter," Salehi said without elaboration.

Orumiyeh, Oct 5, IRNA - Iran repairs Kara (Qare) Kelisa (meaning black church), known as the first church built in the world after the martyrdom of Saint Thaddeus over his tomb. It is located about 20 kilometers from the town of Chaldoran in northwestern Iranian province of West Azarbaijan.

Qara Kelisa, also known as the St. Thaddeus Church, in Chaldoran County, northwestern Iran is one of the oldest and most notable surviving Christian monuments of Iran that carries great significance for the country's Armenian Orthodox community.

Tehran, Oct 6, IRNA – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that Iran's foreign policy has focused on having good neighborly relations with the regional states and special economic cooperation in the region.

Zarif made the remarks answering to a lawmaker's question about why Iran has not had sustainable diplomatic cooperation with its eastern and southeastern neighbors including Pakistan.  

Zarif attended Majlis (Parliament) session this morning to answer the parliamentarians' questions about different diplomatic issues.

Tehran, Oct 6, IRNA – Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Brigade General Ghasem Taghizadeh said on Sunday that Iranian made Bavar-373 air defense system has deterred US U2 aircraft flights over the region putting an end to its twice a day flight in the region.

TEHRAN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Turkey on Saturday agreed to boost security cooperation, Tasnim news agency reported.

Iran's ambassador to Ankara Mohammad Farazmand and Turkish Deputy Minister of Interior Muhterem Ince held talks on a range of issues, including ways to boost relations between the two neighboring countries in security fields.

"Iran and Turkey have cooperation in law enforcement, security, and the fight against terrorism, illicit drugs and organized crimes," Farazmand said at a meeting held in Turkey's capital Ankara.

Tehran, Oct 5, IRNA – Iran and Turkmenistan signed various documents on economic cooperation on the sidelines of Iran-Turkmenistan 15th joint commission convened in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

According to Azeri 'Caspian News' website, Iran and Turkmenistan are willing to develop economic cooperation including construction of roads and transport.

During the 15th joint Economic Commission convened in Ashgabat, various topics related to transportation, telecommunications, economic cooperation, trade, fuel, energy, industries and mines, science and culture were discussed.