PHOTO: Iraqi Oil Minister Adil Abd Al-Mahdi with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday
LATEST: Prominent Director In Trouble Over Scheherezade Script
Iran’s regime upholds its alliance with Iraq this morning across political, military, and economic fronts.
The platform for the campaign is the visit of Iraqi Oil Minister Adil Abd Al-Mahdi to Tehran, with meetings with officials like Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
State media’s summary highlights the Iranian campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq, with “the importance of mutual collaboration to fight terrorism” and “boosting regional coordination… to challenge the evil phenomenon”. There is also a reference to Iran’s nuclear talks with the 5+1 Powers, which resume this week.
On the economic front, “the development of joint oilfields, the exports of Iranian gas to Iraq and the trade of oil products between the two countries” is proclaimed.
Interestingly, however, the immediate issue is not highlighted. Facing economic crisis, Iran is seeking support to reverse the sharp decline in global oil prices. The Iraqi Oil Minister arrived just as the President of Venezuela, also affected significant by the drop of more than 50%, left Tehran.
See Iran Daily, Jan 11: Supreme Leader — “Enemies Using Falling Oil Prices as Political Weapon”
The alliance message was also put forth in other meetings with al-Abadi, including with Iran’s key official for Iraqi matters, Secretary of the National Security Council Ali Shamkhani.
Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Council, asserted, “If Iran and Iraq cooperate…it will make all the regional and international powers humble,” citing the “Victories of the Iraqi people” over the Islamic State.
Photo: Iran’s Top Military Commander Soleimani with Grand Mufti of Syria
In light of the claims of the extent of Iran’s support for the Assad regime, an interesting photograph of General Qassem Soleimani — commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force — with the Grand Mufti of Syria aboard an airplane:
The photograph is likely to have been taken last week, when the Grand Mufti spoke at the Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran.
(Cross-posted from Syria Daily)
Prominent Director In Trouble Over Scheherezade Script
Prominent director Tahmineh Milani has been summoned to the Media Court for the publication of the script, “Scheherezade, Woman of 1001 Nights”.
Milani has responded that the script was published with the permission of the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry, in accordance with guidelines issued last summer. She said the work is an “epic story” of how a woman confronts the threat of violence.
Rouhani Repeats Oil Warning: “Others Will Suffer from Drop in Prices”
President Rouhani has repeated the regime’s denunciation of other countries for the fall of more than 50% in oil prices.
Rouhani said in a speech broadcast on State TV:
Those that have planned to decrease the prices against other countries, will regret this decision. If Iran suffers from the drop in oil prices, know that other oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will suffer more than Iran.
The President, who is on a tour of Bushehr Province in southern Iran, based his claim on a comparison of oil revenues in Government budgets:
Saudi Arabia’s budget reliance on oil sales is 80% and 90% of its annual exports are related to oil. Kuwait’s budget is 95% reliant on oil.
In contrast, Rouhani promised that Iran could move towards “non-oil exports”: “[Oil] comprises only 60 percent of our exports. The remaining is non-oil exports, and we plan to increase non-oil exports, God willing.”
Rouhani also proclaimed that Iran will overcome US-led sanctions, imposed over Tehran’s nuclear program:
The Islamic Republic has taken the first steps toward an end to sanctions which have naturally affected the social and economic lives of the people. With national support and under the guidance of the Leader, we have embarked on the path toward an end to sanctions and will continue this path until the sanctions are fully revoked.
