Iran

[angelburst29]

November 6, 2018 - US Sanctions against Iran are not legitimate: Russia's Lavrov
U.S. sanctions against Iran are not legitimate: Russia's Lavrov | Reuters


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a joing news conference with his Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell (not pictured) at the foreign ministry in Madrid, Spain, November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that U.S. sanctions on Iran were not legitimate, in Moscow's first official comment since Washington restored sanctions on Tehran.

Lavrov said Moscow, itself a target of separate U.S. sanctions, expected there would be ways to pursue economic cooperation with Iran despite the re-imposition of sanctions on Monday on the country’s oil, banking and transport sectors.

Speaking in Madrid, Lavrov said Washington had used “unacceptable methods” to pressure operators of the SWIFT global financial network into cutting off Iranian banks.

Russia and its European partners were looking for ways to maintain economic ties with Tehran, he said after meeting his Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell, but provided no details.

Tehran said on Tuesday it had so far been able to sell as much oil as it needs despite U.S. pressure, but urged European countries that oppose the sanctions to do more to shield Iran.


November 5, 2018 - US reimposes Iran Sanctions, Tehran decries 'bullying'
U.S. reimposes Iran sanctions, Tehran decries 'bullying' | Reuters

The United States on Monday restored sanctions targeting Iran’s oil, banking and transportation sectors and threatened more action to stop its “outlaw” policies, steps the Islamic Republic called economic warfare and vowed to defy.

The measures are part of a wider effort by U.S. President Donald Trump to curb Tehran’s missile and nuclear programs and diminish the Islamic Republic’s influence in the Middle East, notably its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon.

Trump’s moves target Iran’s main source of revenue - its oil exports - as well as its financial sector, essentially making 50 Iranian banks and their subsidiaries off limits to foreign banks on pain of losing access to the U.S. financial system.

The return of the sanctions was triggered by Trump’s May 8 decision to abandon the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, negotiated with five other world powers during Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration. That agreement had removed many U.S. and other economic sanctions from Iran in return for Tehran’s commitment to curtail its nuclear program.

Trump denounced the deal because of time limits on some of Iran’s nuclear activities, as well as for its failure to address other Iranian activity that the United States does not like.

In abandoning the agreement and imposing sanctions that it had lifted as well as adding new ones, the United States is betting the economic pressure will force Iran to change its behavior and agree to a new, much more restrictive deal.

“The Iranian regime has a choice: it can either do a 180-degree turn from its outlaw course of action and act like a normal country, or it can see its economy crumble,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters.

“We hope a new agreement with Iran is possible.”

Speaking before Pompeo detailed the U.S. sanctions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States of targeting ordinary Iranians and said the Islamic Republic would find a way to “continue to sell our oil ... to break sanctions.”

“The enemy is targeting our economy ... the main target of sanctions is our people,” he said. “This is an economic war against Iran.”

“BULLYING”
Some analysts are skeptical Iran will knuckle under to U.S. pressure, at least in the short term.

“The increasing pressures on Iran will not change the behavior of the regime any time soon,” said Dennis Ross, a former U.S. official now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said U.S. “bullying” was backfiring by making Washington more isolated, a reference to other world powers opposed to the initiative. The other parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, have said they will stay in it.

The sanctions are designed, in part, to force Iran’s main customers to stop buying its oil. However, the United States gave temporary exceptions to eight importers - China, India, Greece, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey and South Korea - allowing them to keep buying from Iran.

Iraq has also been given an exemption, Brian Hook, the U.S. special representative for Iran, told reporters in a conference call, saying Iraq was working “on reducing Iran’s influence and opening Kirkuk, which would be another 200,000 barrels of oil.”

In June Iran said that Baghdad and Tehran had begun exchanging crude oil.

Crude from the Kirkuk field in northern Iraq is being shipped by truck to Iran. Tehran will use the oil in its refineries and will deliver the same amount of oil to Iraq’s southern ports, on the Gulf.

The sanctions also cover 50 Iranian banks and subsidiaries, more than 200 persons and vessels in its shipping sector, Tehran’s national airline, Iran Air, and more than 65 of its aircraft, a U.S. Treasury statement said.

The administration said it had toughened the sanctions by roughly 300 new designations on individuals and entities, and targeted more subsidiaries of Iranian companies than before.

EUROPEAN OPPOSITION
European powers that continue to back the nuclear deal said they opposed the reapplication of sanctions and major oil buyer China said it regretted the move.

Switzerland said it was holding talks with the United States and Iran about launching a humanitarian payment channel to help food and drugs keep flowing to Tehran.

U.S. sanctions permit trade in humanitarian goods such as food and pharmaceuticals but measures imposed on banks and trade restrictions could make such items more expensive as well as more difficult to pay for.

The United States will allow non-proliferation civil nuclear work at Arak, Bushehr and Fordow in Iran “under the strictest scrutiny,” the State Department said on Monday.

The Belgium-based SWIFT financial messaging service said it is suspending some unspecified Iranian banks’ access to its messaging system in the interests of the stability and integrity of the global financial system.

The head of Iran’s Central Bank, Abdolnassr Hemmati, said the country has taken necessary banking measures to continue trade after the U.S. move, Iranian state TV said.

The European Union, France, Germany and Britain said they regretted the U.S. decision and would seek to protect European companies doing legitimate business with Tehran.

Diplomats told Reuters last month that a new EU mechanism to facilitate payments for Iranian oil exports should be legally in place by Nov. 4 but not operational until early next year.

Trump told reporters he wanted to impose the oil sanctions slowly so as not to “cause a shock to the market.”

Oil prices were mixed on Monday after a steep five-day fall. Brent crude LCOc1 futures rose 34 cents to settle at $73.17 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures fell 4 cents to settle at $63.10 a barrel.

Prices rallied to near four-year highs in early October on expectations the imposition of sanctions would create a global supply shortage. However, news of the waivers last week sent prices lower as top buyers would continue to import Iranian oil.


November 6, 2018 - Trump says he wants to go slower on sanctions for Iran's oil
Trump says he wants to go slower on sanctions for Iran's oil | Reuters


U.S. President Donald Trump exits the presidential limousine prior to departing Washington on a campaign trip at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., November 5, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he wants to impose sanctions on Iran's oil gradually, citing concerns about shocking energy markets and causing global price spikes.

“With the oil, it’s very interesting. We have the toughest sanctions ever imposed, but on oil we want to go a little bit slower because I don’t want to drive (up) the oil prices in the world,” he told reporters before flying to a campaign event. “This has nothing to do with Iran... I could get the Iran oil down to zero immediately but it would cause a shock to the market. I don’t want to lift oil prices.”

The United States on Monday restored sanctions targeting Iran’s oil, banking and transport sectors and threatened more action, part of a wider effort to curb Tehran’s missile and nuclear programs and diminish the Islamic Republic’s influence in the Middle East, notably its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. Trump’s moves target Iran’s main source of revenue, its oil exports, as well as its financial sector.

“If you notice, oil prices are going down very substantially, despite the fact that already half of their capacity is gone,” Trump said, adding “it will be a gradual” imposition of oil sanctions.

On Monday, international benchmark Brent crude oil futures were up nearly 0.8 percent to $73.41 a barrel and U.S. crude futures were up 0.4 percent at $63.41.


November 5, 2018 - Iran tells UN Chief: US should be held accountable over Sanctions
Iran tells U.N. chief: U.S. should be held accountable over sanctions | Reuters


Iran's United Nations (U.N.) Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo speaks at a United Nations Security Council meeting at the U.N. headquarters in New York, July 20, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar

The United Nations should hold the United States accountable for re-imposing sanctions on Monday to choke off Iran's oil and shipping industry, measures that defy a U.N. Security Council resolution, Iran's U.N. ambassador wrote in a letter to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

“The irresponsible conduct of the United States necessitates a collective response by the international community in order to uphold the rule of law, to prevent undermining diplomacy and to protect multilateralism,” Iranian U.N. Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo wrote, calling for the United States to be held responsible.


November 6, 2018 - Iran says it is selling the oil it needs to, despite US pressure
Iran says it is selling the oil it needs to, despite U.S. pressure | Reuters

Iran said on Tuesday it had so far been able to sell as much oil as it needs despite U.S. pressure, but urged European countries that oppose the U.S. sanctions to do more to shield Iran.

 

[angelburst29]

November, 14, 2018 - New Footage Emerges Showing Abducted Iranian Border Guards (+Video)
New Footage Emerges Showing Abducted Iranian Border Guards (+Video) - Tasnim News Agency

A new footage has been released that shows 12 Abducted border guards imprisoned by terrorists.

The video, obtained and released by the Iranian border police force, shows the 12 abductees saying their names. It is not clear where or when the video has been recorded.

Pakistani-based terrorists kidnapped 14 Iranian forces at a border post in Mirjaveh region in Sistan and Balouchestan province on October 15.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday pointed to his recent visit to Pakistan in order to help release the Iranian border guards and said the Pakistani officials have promised to step up their efforts to secure the release of the abducted border guards.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern border areas are frequently attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tehran has frequently asked the two neighbors to step up security at the common border to prevent terrorist attacks on Iranian forces.


November, 12, 2018 - Iran’s Zarif Explains Latest Efforts to Free Border Guards
Iran’s Zarif Explains Latest Efforts to Free Border Guards - Tasnim News Agency

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Pakistani officials have pledged to help release the Iranian border guards who were recently abducted by Takfiri terrorists near the common border.

In remark released on Monday, Zarif pointed to his recent visit to Pakistan and said the Pakistani officials he met, including the prime minister, foreign minister and commander of Pakistan’s army, promised to step up their efforts to secure the release of the abducted border guards.

The officials promised to have good news for Iran in the future, the Iranian top diplomat added.

“During the trip to Pakistan, we agreed to take measures to prevent vicious acts (in border areas) in the long term,” he said, adding that closer cooperation in securing common borders are among the agreements.

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour also traveled to Pakistan on October 22 to pursue the issue of the Iranian border guards who had been kidnapped and taken into Pakistan by Takfiri terrorists earlier that month.

Pakistani-based terrorists kidnapped 14 Iranian forces at a border post in Mirjaveh region in Sistan and Balouchestan province on October 15.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern border areas are frequently attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tehran has frequently asked the two neighbors to step up security at the common border to prevent terrorist attacks on Iranian forces.


November, 15, 2018 - Iran’s Abducted Border Guards to Be Freed: IRGC Commander
Iran’s Abducted Border Guards to Be Freed: IRGC Commander - Tasnim News Agency

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said the Iranian border guards who were recently abducted by Takfiri terrorists and taken into Pakistan will definitely be released.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference in the northern city of Qazvin on Thursday, Major General Jafari pointed to the latest efforts to secure the release of the abducted border guards and said they will be freed but it will take time.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Commander of the IRGC Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour recently traveled to Pakistan as part of efforts to secure their release.

Pakistani-based terrorists kidnapped 14 Iranian forces at a border post in Mirjaveh region in Sistan and Balouchestan province on October 15.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern border areas are frequently attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tehran has frequently asked the two neighbors to step up security at the common border to prevent terrorist attacks on Iranian forces.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Breaking: Iran’s IRGC allegedly seizes US reconniassance drone

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced this evening that their forces seized a U.S. MQ-9 reconnaissance drone.

Citing an IRGC commander, the Director of Iran-based Tasnim News Agency reported that the drone was currently in the possession of Tehran.

No further details were released.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1065354629494571008

US targets within Iranian missiles’ striking range, commander warns

Iranian missiles can now reach numerous US military targets throughout the Middle East, including aircraft carriers and military bases, a Revolutionary Guard commander has warned.

“They are within our reach and we can hit them if they make a move” said Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Airspace Division, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. Iran’s bold rhetoric reflects the severe and escalating level of tension between the two countries, as pointed words increasingly turn into pointed weapons.

Iranian missiles can allegedly now hit targets at distances of 450 miles (700 km), significantly bolstering the country's defensive capability.

Dozens of US bases surround the Islamic Republic in nearly every country on the nation’s border, particularly on the coast of the Persian gulf in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Following Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 JCPoA deal, known simply as the Iran Deal, obstinate demands and fresh sanctions packages have been flung at Tehran. The US wants Iran to not only end any and all advancements in the nuclear field, but also to abandon attempts at a ballistic missile program and end its influence in the region. In turn, Iran is heightening its defensive capabilities, sensing that conflict could be around the corner.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei personally stepped in to the preparation process to set a 1,200 mile (2,000 km) cap on the range of Iran’s ballistics in order to demonstrate the defensive nature of the weapons. The range capacity announced today is, nonetheless, sufficient to reach US bases in Afghanistan, the UAE and Qatar.

 

[Ca.]

U.S. Sanction Waivers Boost China’s Demand For Iranian Oil | OilPrice.com
Nov 21, 2018, 5:00 PM CST
Iran’s largest oil customer China is set to continue importing robust volumes of Iranian crude at least through the end of this year thanks to the U.S. waivers to eight countries that will allow them to keep importing oil from Tehran at reduced volumes until early May next year.

To be sure, even before the U.S. granted the waivers, China was thought to be pretty much the only certain Iranian oil customer to continue importing oil from Iran after the U.S. sanctions returned on November 5.

It looks like Chinese imports of Iranian oil will be kind of ‘business as usual’ in the fourth quarter, with trade flow estimates showing that China’s demand for Iranian oil has not waned. On the contrary, more barrels went into storage in China over the past two months—a sign that the Chinese may have decided to stockpile some Iranian crude before there was any clarity over who’s getting those U.S. waivers.

China’s oil imports from Iran increased by 4.1 percent annually to average 631,556 bpd between January and September, and Tehran was the fifth-largest oil supplier to the world’s top oil importer, official Chinese data shows.

After somewhat reduced import volumes in September, China’s oil intake in October and November is seen rebounding, according to trade flow data from S&P Global Platts.

China’s General Administration of Customs data showed that September oil imports from Iran averaged 520,630 bpd—around 100,000 bpd lower than the average intake for January-September.

Yet, S&P Global Platts trade tracking shows that Chinese imports from Iran were 599,000 bpd in October and could reach 646,000 bpd in November. Many of the October and November barrels are bound for the Liaoning province, where refiners don’t typically process Iranian crude, but where the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has leased some storage capacity, according to Platts data.

China’s total crude oil imports in October hit a record-high, beating the previous all-time high set in April this year, according to official Chinese data. The breakdown by countries is expected to be provided later this month, but preliminary trade flow data shows that the all-time high October imports were driven by two key factors—high intake from China’s independent refiners and high volume of Iranian imports just before the U.S. sanctions snapped and before there was any clarity over the waivers.

While Chinese demand for Iranian oil is expected to remain steady by the end of the year at least, demand for oil from another top 10 Chinese supplier—the United States—is plunging, due to the U.S.-China trade war. Despite the fact that U.S. crude oil is not on China’s tariff list, Chinese appetite for American crude oil has significantly waned since July.

According to EIA data, the U.S. didn’t export any crude oil to China in August, compared to 384,000 bpd in July and a record-high 510,000 bpd in June.

After August, the trend for zero Chinese imports from the U.S. continued in September, data from international shipping association BIMCO and U.S. Census Bureau showed. Last year, crude oil sales to China accounted for 23 percent of all U.S. crude oil exports. Between January and July 2018, this share was 22 percent, before the zero U.S. exports to China in August and September.

“The trade war between the US and China is now impacting trade in both tariffed and some un-tariffed goods with both countries looking elsewhere for alternative buyers and sellers,” says Peter Sand, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.

While the U.S. is dropping from the list of Chinese oil suppliers, there has been no surprise at the top—Russia has consolidated its position of China’s biggest oil supplier ahead of number-two Saudi Arabia.

Chinese purchases of Russian oil jumped to an all-time high of 1.66 million bpd in September, according to Chinese customs data, while imports from Saudi Arabia averaged 924,552 bpd. Russia’s ESPO crude is a top pick among Chinese independent refiners, while state-held PetroChina has significantly raised ESPO imports since a second Russia-China oil pipeline started operations earlier this year.

Saudi oil sales to China are expected to rebound in the fourth quarter. According to Platts trade flow data, October imports were 1.1 million bpd, while November purchases are seen at 1.16 million bpd. Chinese refiners will move in Q4 to fulfill their 2018 term contracts with Saudi Arabia and to replace declines from other suppliers, trade sources tell Platts.

Also thanks to the U.S. waiver, China’s oil imports from Iran are set for steady volumes this quarter. The biggest shift in Chinese oil imports this year was actually the result of another U.S. policy—the trade war. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

WG'sAR'sA

https://twitter.com/x/status/1064947439197655040

https://twitter.com/x/status/1065607814859636736

National Iranian Tanker Company - Wikipedia

https://twitter.com/x/status/1064874687992352768

Brent oil faces fight in getting back to US$80
Video / 07:58

U.S. oil inventories keep climbing as the market frets that OPEC production cuts won't be enough to head off a glut. Brent oil has slumped to around US$64 from more than $84 last month and Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the global crude benchmark will struggle to get back to $80 this year.

Markets

https://twitter.com/x/status/1065742724144553985

 

[Oxajil]

Yet, S&P Global Platts trade tracking shows that Chinese imports from Iran were 599,000 bpd in October and could reach 646,000 bpd in November. [...]

While the U.S. is dropping from the list of Chinese oil suppliers, there has been no surprise at the top—Russia has consolidated its position of China’s biggest oil supplier ahead of number-two Saudi Arabia.

That's good to read!

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Breaking: Car bomb explodes near police HQ in southeast Iran, casualties reported

At least 3 people have been killed and several injured after a car bomb exploded near police headquarters in Iran’s southeastern port city of Chabahar, Iranian media reports.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1070583366884491265

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Iran’s FM: Terror Attack in Chabahar Not to Go Unpunished

In a post on his Twitter account on Thursday evening, Zarif said, “Foreign-backed terrorists kill and wound innocents in Chabahar. As we've made clear in the past, such crimes won’t go unpunished.”

He also made a reference to Iran’s past measures in retaliation for hostile attacks, noting, “In 2010, our security services intercepted and captured extremists en route from UAE.”

“Mark my words: Iran WILL bring terrorists and their masters to justice,” the Iranian minister underlined.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1070666069575122944

On Thursday morning, an explosive-laden vehicle attacked the police headquarters in Chabahar, killing two sentries and injuring a number of other people, including passersby.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack.


Ansar Al-Forqan Terrorist Group Likely Responsible for Chabahar Attack

Foreign media outlets said that Ansar al-Forqan has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack but no official has yet confirmed the report.

"A bomb blast was heard some minutes ago near a police station on a street in Chabahar city and security forces and aid groups were immediately deployed in the region," Deputy Governor-General of Sistan and Balouchestan province for Security and Law Enforcement Affairs Mohammad Hadi Mara'ashi told FNA on Thursday.

He added that the bomb which was planted inside a car killed 2 people and wounded 3 others.

Local sources also said that at least 2 law enforcement police have been killed in the terrorist attack. The suicide bomber meant to open his path into the Law Enforcement command center, but was forced to stop where he blew up himself and the car.

Meantime, Caretaker of Chabahar city's Governor-General Office Bameri confirmed the death and injury of a number of people in the bomb blast, stressing that conditions are under control now.

He added that the bomb was planted inside a pickup truck near the Law Enforcement Police's station.

"A number of women, children and local business owners are among the wounded people who were transferred to Imam Ali (AS) hospital," Bameri said, but did not specify the numbers.

But the latest reports by Chabahar medical officials said that 27 wounded people have so far been admitted to the city's hospitals, among them a pregnant woman and a 16-year-old adolescent.

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour visited the blast site on Thursday.

Also, the chief commander of Chabahar's Law Enforcement Police dismissed media claims that he was killed in the terrorist attack.

 

[angelburst29]

A highly original documentary project reveals how a couple of Beverly Hills billionaires “are willing to risk war in Iran and the Middle East — all in order to boost and protect their lucrative pistachio business.”

December 4, 2018 - “Pistachio Wars”: How the Resnicks’ Snack Food Fortune is Fueling the Assault on Iran
"Pistachio Wars": How the Resnicks' Snack Food Fortune is Fueling the Assault on Iran - Grayzone Project

Stewart and Lynda Resnick

Three years ago, journalist Yasha Levine and filmmaker Rowan Wernham first arrived at the vast pistachio plantation of Stewart and Lynda Resnick in California’s parched Central Valley. There, they saw firsthand how a billionaire power couple had successfully manipulated the state’s political system to privatize its water supply for their own financial benefit.

Today, the Wonderful Company farm owned by the Resnicks soaks up more water than the entire city of Los Angeles. Their business was based on “a heist of epic proportions,” according to Levine, that “will put family farms out of business, and push life in the biggest river estuary on the west coast of America towards mass extinction.”

The story eventually took Levine and Wernham far beyond the parched Central Valley, and into the heart of America’s Israel lobby. It turned out that the Resnicks had been pumping their money into some of the most militantly pro-Israel think tanks in Washington, including the American Jewish Committee and the Washington Institute on Near East Policy (WINEP). Both of these outfits have lobbied heavily for sanctions on Iran and against the Iran nuclear deal. One WINEP executive, Pat Clawson, has even called on the US to stage a false flag attack that could trigger a war with Iran.

Levine and Wernham recognized that the Resnicks’ support for the Israel lobby was all about protecting their monopoly from a nation traditionally recognized as the producer of the world’s best pistachios. The billionaire nut barons were not only threatening the environment and livelihoods of their local competitors, they were bankrolling forces determined to take America to war against a rising Middle Eastern power. This is why the title of Levine and Wernham’s work in progress, “Pistachio Wars,” is so apt.

In an interview with the Grayzone, the filmmakers detailed the dangerous nexus between the Resnicks’ pistachio profits and the escalating economic attack on Iran. Their insights showcase the originality and political daring that make “Pistachio Wars” so relevant. At the moment, Levine and Wernham are raising funds to bring “Pistachio Wars” to completion. You can follow this link to see a trailer and support their groundbreaking project. Our interview is below:

Steven Colbert stars in a commercial for the Resnicks’ Wonderful Company

MB: How did the sanctions imposed on Iran by the Carter administration after the 1979 revolution affect America’s domestic pistachio market in general, and the Resnicks in particular?

YL & RW: Without out a doubt, President Carter’s embargo on Iran was what gave birth to America’s pistachio business. Historically, pistachios imported from Iran had dominated global markets, including in the US. When America was suddenly cut off from Iran’s pistachio supply after Carter’s economic blockade in the wake of the Iranian hostage crisis, it left a giant hole in the market and created the need for an alternative source of pistachios. At the time, pistachio farming happened on a small scale in the United States — the bulk of it in California’s Central Valley. Sensing a perfect business opportunity, farmers in California stepped in to fill the void. At that time, Stewart Resnick had just gotten into agriculture. He was a shrewd businessman and he seized the moment.

From then on, America’s pistachio industry grew at crazy pace, with domestic output more than doubling every 5 years. In 2008, forty years after the embargo, America finally surpassed Iran as the world’s dominant producer of pistachios. And the bulk of America’s pistachio trade is controlled by one firm: the Wonderful Company, owned by Beverly Hills billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick.

Through clever and aggressive marketing, the Resnicks have singlehandedly driven a global pistachio boom, creating a demand for pistachios where it had not existed before.

MB: Stewart and Lynda Resnick have taken an extremely active role in supporting the Israel lobby both in the US. What organizations are they backing and to what-extent is their support related to protecting their share of the pistachio market against Iranian exports? Or could it be that this power couple is just ideologically committed to the idea of Israel, as many other American Jews are?

YL & RW: Stewart and Lynda Resnick are donors and supporters of of some of the most powerful and influential neoconservative organizations in America, including the AIPAC spinoff WINEP (Washington Institute for Near East Policy) where they have been on and off the board for over a decade. WINEP has been extremely hawkish on Iran. One of its executives has openly called on Israel to provoke a war with Iran in order to pull in the United States.

Stewart Resnick, along with Sheldon Adelson, has also long been a board member and backer of American Friends of IDC, a not-for-profit foundation that serves as the fundraising arm of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a think tank with close links to the Israeli intelligence and military establishment, and which has long advocated an aggressive approach to Iran. And through their family foundation, the Resnicks have also funneled money to the American Jewish Committee, which one of the most active lobbyists pushing for a sweeping Iran sanctions bill that was eventually signed into law by Obama in 2010.

Whether or not they fund these groups solely for business purposes or because of their personal commitment to supporting Israel — well, that’s a hard thing to untangle. They are politically active and are major political donors. They donate widely across the political spectrum, but ostensibly, they are liberals. They said glowing things about Obama’s 2008 victory, they hosted a party for Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein, Arianna Huffington is a close friend of theirs, and they have Stephen Colbert in tow as a brand spokesperson. They rarely speak to their views around issues of real consequence, whether it’s about Israel, Iran, or even California and American politics.

Our sense is that for the these two issues are intertwined — there’s a synergy there. And the two positions are mutually supportive. Backing the aggressive, neoconservative Israel lobby by default helps their bottom line. We would add – and this is just our own reading of the situation here – that in the unlikely event that they would be forced to choose between supporting Israel and protecting their business interests, the latter would prevail. For the Resnicks, business comes first.

MB: Has anyone from Resnicks’ Wonderful Company operation openly stated their intention to sabotage Iran’s pistachio exports through sanctions?

YL & RW: Iran has had America’s market closed to it pretty much since 1979. But more than half of their pistachios are exported internationally and are thus directly in competition with Iran’s exports.

So battling and taking over Iran international marketshare — whether in Europe, China, South Korea Russia, India or Israel — has been a prime objective of the Resnicks and the greater pistachio lobby. This is done with sanctions, but it is also done with free trade agreements — lobbying countries through American government trade reps to raise tariffs on Iranian pistachios, while lowering tariffs on American pistachios to zero.

They will use every tool they have to restrict and suffocate Iran’s pistachio industry. The Wonderful Company is very media and PR savvy so its executives and spokespeople don’t go out calling for war on Iran. But they are honest about Iran being their prime competitor and target. As one of their executives — in a very understated manner — told the press told the press not so long ago: “We don’t mind stealing share from the Iranians.”

Another thing that’s interesting is that if you go into the Central Valley and talk to pistachio farmers, everyone is very much aware of and concerned with Iran. We were interviewing farmers out in the field right after President Barack Obama pushed through the Iran nuclear deal that would lift some sanctions from the country, and the farmers were livid with Obama. They were not happy with the potential market consequences of that deal. “Obama really screwed the pooch,” one farmer told us.

We were able to get a camera person into the American Pistachio growers convention in Palm Springs where they dedicated an entire session to the importance of retaining the embargo. These events are very bland, but they recounted the history of Iranian sanctions relative to the industry, including moments that were jubilant for the American public — like the release of the hostages after the embassy crisis, or things that were very bad for Iran — like America’s support for Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War, with glib pronunciations about how the price of pistachios went up or down.

For the lawyers and lobbyists presenting all this, there was a sense that they were pitching the farmers as to why they should continue to allocate around half a million dollars a year to their firm to work on the issue. These things have their own sick kind of momentum.

MB: Ironically, Israel has been a leading importer of Iranian pistachios, which are considered the best in the world. They do so through third parties like Turkey with whom they enjoy semi-normalized relations. Does this threaten the Resnicks and has the US done anything about it?

YL & RW: Yeah, about a decade ago there was a scandal in Israel when it turned out that the country was turning a blind eye on the importation of Iranian pistachios through Turkey, which were rebranded as “Turkish pistachios.” Turns out that if given the choice, Israelis would rather eat Iranian pistachios rather than American ones, which they consider to be of inferior taste.

The US ambassador to Israel at the time wrote an angry letter to Israel’s Finance Minister accusing him of willfully turning a blind eye to this practice and of violating Israeli laws. The media in Israel went wild with accusations that anyone who bought Iranian pistachios was directly financing terrorists and helping Iran build a nuclear bomb that would be used to wipe Israel off the map.

Israel consumes more pistachios per-capita than any other country in the world. It’s a tiny country, but it’s market is valued at just over $30 million dollars — which about 10% of the entire pistachio market in China, the world’s biggest importer of pistachio in the world with a population of 1.4 billion. It’s not peanuts, so of course the Resnicks have a stake in making sure that the market is dominated by American pistachios. Since it’s already illegal to import Iranian pistachios in Israel, the American pistachio lobby has been putting pressure on Israel to enact trade policies that would make the stealth importation of pistachio from Iran even harder: things like increasing tariffs on pistachios imported from Turkey, while dropping tariffs on American pistachios to zero. And that what the situation is today: American pistachios come in duty free while everyone else pays a steep tax.

MB: To what extent has the rise of domestic pistachio production, and particularly the growth of the Resnicks’ Wonderful Company impacted a water-deprived state like California? Would importing pistachios from a place like Iran or another pistachio-producing region take some of the pressure off of California’s water supply? And short of any market-based solution, what remedies can be applied to restore control over water to the public?

YL & RW: The two are directly connected. What makes pistachios different from other crops grown in California is that they grow on trees and cannot be fallowed in a dry year. With crops like cotton or alfalfa or lettuce or strawberries, farmers can simply not plant in a drought year when there is not enough water. But with pistachio trees it’s different. If you don’t water them, the trees die — which destroys years of investment that it took to bring them to maturity. There can be no water cutoff for pistachio orchards — they require a constant, year-round supply of water. But California has seasonal rainfall and periods drought. So in order to maintain their constant supply of water, California farmers — led by the Resnicks — have been draining aquifers and rivers at an alarming rate and are currently pushing through a devastating plan to siphon off of two largest rivers in California — all in order to feed the pistachio boom.

Allowing Iranian imports would not make American pistachio farmers very happy, but it would not solve California’s water crisis either. The problem now is that through clever and aggressive marketing, the Resnicks have driven a global demand for pistachios on a scale that had never existed before. And today global demand outstrips supply — which is why pistachios are such a lucrative crop to plant and why so many farmers are converting their fields to pistachio orchards. So in the extremely unlikely event that America was suddenly flooded with Iranian pistachios, the Resnicks would adapt by simply shifting their supply to global markets — all while continuing to extract California’s over-tapped water supply. Their business might suffer, but it would probably not be catastrophic.

California’s water shortages cannot be solved through market mechanisms. A solution would require democratic control of water supplies. There needs to be a democratic political framework for determining how to use the state’s precious, over-tapped water supplies in a way that is maximally beneficial to the public and to the environment — to the future of the state. Water today is distributed purely based on raw economic power: it goes to the most powerful, most cutthroat business interests.

And that’s where we are today: not only are American pistachio farmers destroying California, but they are willing to risk war in Iran and the Middle East — all in order to boost and protect their lucrative pistachio business.

There is a bigger issue here that goes beyond pistachios and water in California. The fact is that we in America cannot fix our belligerent and destructive foreign policy without first reigning in the economic interests that drive it and benefit from it. In that sense, the pistachio business is no different than oil companies or weapons makers — it’s just that it is not so well know.

That’s why our documentary is so important.

(4:41 min.)

 

[angelburst29]

December 22, 2018 - Iran Guards hold War Games as US Carrier enters Gulf
Iran Guards hold war games as U.S. carrier enters Gulf | Reuters

Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards launched war games in the Gulf on Saturday, state television reported, after a U.S. aircraft carrier entered the waterway amid rising tension with Washington over reimposed U.S. sanctions.

Television showed amphibious forces landing on Iran’s Gulf island of Qeshm during the exercises, in which naval vessels, helicopters, drones, rocket launchers and commando units also took part.

“Hopefully, with these exercises, our enemies will realize more than ever how devastating our response would be to any move by them,” said Guards chief Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, state news agency IRNA reported.

Qeshm, the largest island in the Gulf, is located near the Strait of Hormuz through which a third of the world’s seaborne oil passes.

The U.S. aircraft carrier John C. Stennis entered the Gulf on Friday and was shadowed by Revolutionary Guards speedboats. Reuters witnesses also saw an Iranian drone flying nearby.

Guards speedboats fired rockets but a U.S. Navy spokeswoman said they were pointed away from U.S. vessels.

“We believe it was part of their naval exercise,” Lieutenant Chloe Morgan, a spokeswoman for the Bahrain-based U.S. Fifth Fleet, said.

Iranian officials have made apparent threats to disrupt other countries’ oil shipments through the Gulf if Washington presses ahead with efforts to halt Iranian oil exports as part of U.S sanctions against Tehran.

“We certainly strive to support our Gulf allies and let them know that we are going to continue to be committed to this area and to (ensure) equal access to international waters,” said Captain Randy Peck, commander of the carrier Stennis.

In an apparent comment on the arrival of the Stennis, Jafari told state television: “They’ve come, pretending to ensure the Persian Gulf states’ security ... But it is Iran which has to provide security for the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and our friends and brotherly countries on its southern coast”.

Iran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision in May to withdraw the United States from the international nuclear agreement with Iran and to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran.


December 22, 2018 - Iran says US Troops in Syria "illogical, source of tension" - report
Iran says US troops in Syria illogical, source of tension -report | Reuters

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the U.S. military presence in Syria had been “illogical and a source of tension”, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported.

FILE PHOTO: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks at a news conference on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid/File Photo

President Donald Trump has begun what will be a total withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, declaring on Wednesday they have succeeded in their mission to defeat Islamic State and were no longer needed in the country.

“From the start, the entry and presence of American forces in the region has been a mistake, illogical and a source of tension, and a main cause of instability,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted by IRNA as saying.

 

[angelburst29]

Mon Dec 17, 2018 - President Bashar Assad Hails Iran's Efforts in Helping Syria Against Terrorist Groups
Farsnews

Syrian President Bashar Assad in a meeting with Special Assistant to Iran's Foreign Minister in Political Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari lauded the Islamic Republic's assistance in the ongoing fight against the terrorist groups.

"The efforts exerted by Iran resulted in formation of a committee to discuss the constitution in spite of the big obstacles put by states which support terrorism," President Assad said during the meeting with Jaberi Ansari in Damascus.

The Syrian president also underlined the importance of efforts exerted by the friendly and allied countries of Syria, particularly Iran and Russia, to stop the interference of some western states in consolidating the establishment of a political process led by the Syrians themselves.

Jaberi Ansari, for his part, informed President Assad about preparations for convening the meeting of the guarantor states on Syria, which is planned to be held in the next two days in Geneva, taking into account reaching an agreement on the final formation of the committee.

He reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to continue consultation and coordination with Damascus which showed considerable flexibility in order to realize a possibility for reaching that agreement.

In a relevant development in mid-November, Jaberi Ansari and President Assad in a meeting in Damascus vowed to keep up their mutual cooperation on fighting terrorist and extremist groups.

During the meeting in the Syrian capital, Jaberi Ansari and President Assad explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating bilateral relations, specially in political and security fields.

The meeting was also attended by Assad's political and media adviser, Bouthaina Shaaban, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mikdad and the Iranian ambassador to Damascus.


Mon Dec 17, 2018 - 3rd Tehran Security Conference to Address US Role in Regional Crises
Farsnews

Regional crises in the Middle East, fighting terrorism, and the US’ lack of commitment to international treaties will be the major areas of discussion in the 3rd edition of Tehran Security Conference to be held in mid-January.

The 3rd Tehran Security Conference, scheduled for 13-14 Jan. 2019, will address a wide range of relevant topics including regional crises, fighting terrorism, and US lack of commitment to international treaties.

Director of the Permanent Secretariat of Tehran Security Conference Jalal Dehqani Firouzabadi, addressed a seminar on ‘peace and stability in West Asia; one region, one fate’ on Monday, saying the third edition of the Security Conference will be held on 13-14 January 2019 under the theme of “Regional Security in West Asia: Prospect of Stability, Cooperation and Collective Progress”, and with the motto of “respect, trust, dialogue, mutual cooperation, security, and collective progress.”

He added that the third edition of the conference, unlike the previous two, will be held on two days, and two or more scientific conferences will be held prior, the results of which can set the mood for the main event.

Dehqani maintained that the Security Conference will comprise 10 panels on the current developments in the world, such as the Yemeni catastrophe, war crimes and violation of human security, Syria’s experience in the fight against terrorism, the prospect of stability in West Asia, 'Deal of the Century', the Palestinian issue, Afghanistan’s comprehensive peace process, and the opportunities ahead.

Other topics to be discussed in the panels include the United States’ lack of commitment to international law and treaties; the role of joint security cooperation in the fight against Takfiri terrorism; the rule of the Internet; stability, cooperation and collective progress in the region; the prospect of EU’s friendly relations with Iran; the future of Iraq; and Iran’s defense diplomacy.

“Security is one of our common interests in the region, and there are several strategies to provide it. In our opinion, one of the prerequisites for achieving security is to reach a common understanding,” Dehqani noted.

At the end of the last edition of the event in Tehran, the final statement blasted interventions by trans-regional powers, saying the region has been further destabilized.

"The West Asia region is facing newly-emerged threats due to the exercise of certain wrong policies by trans-regional powers, including an uncontrolled arms race, military intervention of big extra-regional powers, securitizing the identity and religion, improper governance, extremism and terrorism, cyber-terrorism, economic underdevelopment and environmental threats," the statement said.

It went on to say that West Asia is in a very sensitive and historical turning-point as threats by terrorist, like the ISIL, have gradually faded away.

"Dealing with these new security challenges and threats requires comprehensive measures to be adopted which are accepted by all the regional countries," the statement said.

It noted that joint and comprehensive security in West Asia can help to the establishment of peace and sustainable security across the whole region.

Referring to the destabilizing decision of the US president to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy Quds, the statement underlined the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people for the return of the refugees, putting an end to the Zionist occupation and forming a Palestinian state with the holy Quds as its capital.

Noting that the pattern of regional security order in West Asia cannot be built upon buying security from extra-regional powers, the statement said that there is no option other than interaction and dialogue before the regional countries.


Mon Dec 17, 2018 - Deputy FM: China to Continue Expansion of Ties with Iran in Any Conditions
Farsnews

Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Jun underlined the importance of his country's relations with Iran, specially in trade and economic fields, and Beijing's determination to continue bilateral ties in any conditions.

"The economic arena is among the important areas of relations between Iran and China and Beijing and Tehran are two big and trustworthy trade partners," Zhang said on Monday.

He added that Beijing is endeavoring to further develop ties with Iran and has taken assistance from the private sector to this end.

Zhang described relations with Iran as excellent, healthy, extensive and stable, specially in economic fields, and said, "We want these ties to further expand."

Iran and China are enjoying strong bilateral relations.

Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdolnasser Hemmati in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Iran Pang Sen earlier this month discussed ways to broaden banking relations between Tehran and Beijing.

Abdolnasser Hemmati and Pang Sen called for increasing economic ties between the two countries and accelerating the process of solving related banking problems.

The Chinese envoy said that his country was eager to boost strategic ties with the Islamic Republic in the long run, adding that different programs were on the agenda of the Chinese government in this regard.

For his part, Hemmati said that despite the US efforts to cut Iran’s financial relations, different countries were coming up with various solutions to continue and expand their banking ties with the Islamic Republic.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Iran, Russia Hold Second Joint Military Commission Meeting



Senior Iranian and Russian military officials held the two countries’ second joint military commission meeting in the Iranian capital on Monday.

The meeting, chaired by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces for International Affairs Brigadier General Qadir Nezami, was held at Iranian Armed Forces Headquarters in Tehran.

At the meeting, also attended by the deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the two sides held talks on grounds of mutual military cooperation.

The two sides will also approve cooperation programs for 2019.

Expert-level talks for further deepening of cooperation in different training, logistics, scientific, operational and research fields are among other goals of the meeting.

Improved joint measures against terrorism is top on the agenda at the commission meeting.

While in Tehran, the Russian delegation will hold separate meeting with high-ranking Iranian officials.


Russian Defense Ministry delegation arrives in Iran

A delegation from the Russian Defense Ministry has arrived in Iran for a session of the bilateral group for military cooperation, the ministry press service said on Monday.

"On December 24, a delegation of the Russian Defense Ministry led by the deputy chief of the Russian Army General Staff, Vice-Admiral Igor Osipov, arrived in the Islamic Republic of Iran to take part in a second session of the Russian-Iranian working group for the implementation of a bilateral agreement on military cooperation," the ministry said.

The agreement was signed in January 2015. It was inked by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Dehghan.

The Russian minister said back then that the agreement had laid "the theoretical groundwork for military cooperation". He said an agreement had been reached at the talks to give a practical trajectory to bilateral cooperation and to see it help enhance combat effectiveness of the Russian and Iranian armies.

 

[goyacobol]

Just thinking about the strangeness of monotheism this day after Christmas as I give thanks for Caesarmas.
From the SOTT article:

'Peace and Joy in 2019' tweets Iran's foreign minister in Christmas message


RT
Mon, 24 Dec 2018 21:28 UTC


© Getty Images/Denis Balibouse/Reuters/KJN
Iranian FM Javad Zarif's Christmas Message
Iran's foreign minister tweeted an English language Christmas message, wishing 'peace and joy' in 2019. Christians are free to practice in the Islamic republic, but promoting conversions from Islam are illegal.

Zarif, who often sends political messages via twitter, and even argues with the US President (link), used a line from the Koran to congratulate on the holiday. He had to correct the number of the verse in the follow up tweet after followers pointed to the mistake.

​

"The angels said, 'Mary, God gives you good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honored shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God.'(QURAN 3:45) May the blessings of the birth of Jesus usher peace and joy to all in 2019," the tweet read.

Jesus is recognized in Islam as an important prophet, but not God. Over 300,000 Christians live in Iran, mostly of Armenian and Assyrian descent, with at least 600 churches throughout the country that have been decorated for the holiday. Local media outlets posted videos of Tehran's streets decorated for Christmas.

​

Christians and other religious minorities are free to practice their rituals in Iran if they do not violate the country's laws like drinking alcohol, including wine, and trying to convert Muslims.

Celebrating Christmas can lead to serious trouble in Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Brunei. Riyadh faced ridicule online this year after it reminded the international community of its strict ban on Christmas tree imports and celebrations ahead of the holiday season, despite its much-touted liberal reforms and social changes.

Comment: Peace and Joy...make it so!

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Russian Defense Ministry delegation arrives in Iran

A delegation from the Russian Defense Ministry has arrived in Iran for a session of the bilateral group for military cooperation, the ministry press service said on Monday.

Russian Delegation’s Talks in Iran Focus on Naval Cooperation: Moscow



The Russian delegation arrived in Iran on December 24 to attend the second meeting of the Russian-Iranian working group implementing the intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation, the ministry said.

"The talks touched upon a wide range of aspects of Russia’s military cooperation with Iran, including interaction between different forces. Particular attention was drawn to navy cooperation," said the defense ministry’s statement, TASS reported.

Apart from that, Russia thanked Tehran for active participation in the 2018 International Army Games and invited Iranian service members to take part in the 2019 Games.

"During the visit, Vice Admiral Igor Osipov held several meetings with the military leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran, exchanging views on regional and global security, the current situation and prospects for bilateral cooperation in the military sector," the defense ministry said.

"The meetings were held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and confirmed mutual determination for further development of Russian-Iranian military cooperation," it went on to say.

The Russian delegation led by Osipov met with Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, and several other senior military officials during the visit to Tehran.


Iranian Official Hails Strategic Cooperation with Russia against Terrorism



In a meeting with Deputy Chief of the Russian Army General Staff Vice-Admiral Igor Osipov in Tehran on Wednesday, Brigadier General Qassem Taqizadeh described strategic cooperation between Iran and Russia in the fight against terrorism as a successful model of management and settlement of regional and international crises.

Pointing to a military agreement that Tehran and Moscow signed in January 2015, he voiced Tehran’s readiness to expand military and defense cooperation with Moscow in all arenas.

Brigadier General Taqizadeh also said that Washington’s decision to pull American troops out of Syria marked another defeat for US President Donald Trump’s ill-advised policies towards the region.

For his part, the Russian general described stronger constructive relations between the armed forces of Iran and Russia as a contributory factor in regional and international security.

Osipov said Iran and Russia can contribute to regional and international security and stability apart from their close military interaction in Syria.

Iran and Russia remained close allies of Syria and supported its legitimate government in the face of foreign-backed militancy that engulfed the Arab country in 2011.


Iran’s Foreign Ministry Pays Tribute to Prophet Zoroaster



In a message on Wednesday, Qassemi offered condolences to Zoroastrians.

“I send my condolences to the kind Zoroastrians in Iran and the Parsis (members of the Zoroastrian community) in other countries on the death anniversary of Zoroaster,” he said in a message.

“Zoroaster was the founder of religion of monotheism in ancient Iran and harbinger and preacher of Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. Zoroastrianism has still based its identity on promoting love and friendship among good humans and avoiding hatred and demonic behaviors,” Qassemi added, according to the Foreign Ministry’s website.

The spokesman said that the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic of Iran are the examples of a country and people that have always been able to raise the flag of coexistence and friendship among various religions on its monotheist lands.

“For this, Iran prides itself on enjoying the high culture in the current chaotic and volatile world,” he concluded.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Kabul won’t let US use American bases against Iran: Diplomat

Afghanistan will not allow the United States to use its bases in the country to conduct any act of aggression against Iran, says a top Afghan diplomat.

“Relations with neighbors are of special significance to the Afghan government in Kabul. Therefore, we will never allow the US to use its military bases against our neighbors such as Iran and Pakistan,” said Abdul Rahim Sayed Jan, Afghan ambassador to Turkey.

 

[angelburst29]

A Boeing 707 military cargo plane crashed in bad weather on Monday west of the Iranian capital, killing 15 out of the 16 people on board, the Iranian army said.

Mon Jan 14, 2019 - Boeing 707 cargo plane crashes in Iran (Video)
PressTV-Boeing 707 cargo plane crashes in Iran

A Boeing 707 cargo plane flying from the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan has crashed in Iran's Alborz province after it overshot the runway during landing. All 16 people on board the aircraft but one are presumed dead.

The military cargo aircraft crashed and caught fire near the city of Karaj on Monday morning while attempting to land in the wrong airport.

"A (Boeing) 707 cargo plane, which was carrying meat, took off from Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and had an emergency landing at Fath airport this morning," the Iranian Army said in a statement on its website.

.

A picture taken on January 14, 2019 shows a Boeing 707 cargo plane that reportedly crashed into a residential complex near the Iranian capital Tehran. (Photo by AFP)

The head of Iran's emergency department, Pirhossein Kolivand, said the bodies of seven people had been found. The flight engineer is reported to have survived the crash but is in critical condition.

Initial reports suggested that the plane was due to arrive at Karaj's Payam Airport but the pilot took the plane to the Fath airfield by mistake, which is not suited for large cargo aircraft.

The pilot then lost control of the plane, ran out of the runway and hit the walls that separate the airport from neighboring residential areas. There have been reports of damage to some residential facilities which were reportedly vacant at the time of the crash.

Nearby buildings were damaged when the cargo plane skidded off the runway and crashed into a residential complex. (Photo by Tasnim)

Reza Jafarzadeh, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (CAO.IRI), told Tasnim news agency that the plane had "caught fire."

Other reports suggested that the doomed aircraft's black box had been found near the crash site.

Emergency workers unload the meat cargo from the plane that crashed near the Iranian city of Karaj on January 14, 2019. (Photo by Tasnim)


Monday January 14, 2019 - Military Cargo Plane crashes in Iran, 15 killed
Military cargo plane crashes in Iran, 15 killed | Reuters

Wreckage is seen of a Boeing 707 military cargo plane which crashed on the west of the Iranian capital, near Fath airport, near Karaj, Iran, January 14, 2019. Abbas Shariati/Tasnim News Agency via REUTERS

A flight engineer survived and was taken to hospital, the army said in a statement carried by the semi-official Fars news agency. The aircraft’s black box - a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) - had been recovered at the crash site, Fars said

The plane went down near Fath airport, which belongs to Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps and is located near Karaj in the central Iranian province of Alborz.

“A Boeing cargo 707 place carrying meat from Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan had an emergency landing at Fath airport today ... the flight engineer has been dispatched to the hospital,” the army said in the statement.

“It exited the runway during the landing and caught fire after hitting the wall at the end of the runway,” it said.

An army spokesman, Shahin Taghikhani, told state TV that the plane belonged to Iran and that all on board were Iranian citizens. The army’s statement came after conflicting reports over who owned the plane.

State TV said rescue teams had been sent to the area, between the airports of Fath and Payam International Airport, where the plane had been meant to land.