“Now, Iraqi dealers are buying wheat produced in the country at a price of 1200 tomans (12,000 rials or half a U.S. dollar),” three MPs said in separate messages to the president and the administration’s economic... Read more

]]> Economic Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:40:19 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/economy-and-business/107819-iraqi-merchants-buying-iranian-wheat-at-a-higher-price http://www.tehrantimes.com/middle-east/107816-militants-kidnap-father-of-syrian-deputy-fm Foreign-sponsored militants on Saturday abducted the elderly father of Syria's deputy foreign minister, the official's office said, in the latest kidnapping targeting family members of figures in President al-Bashar Assad's government.

 

The father of Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad was seized Saturday in the village of Ghossom in the southern province of Daraa, Mekdad's office said, The Associated Press reported. 

 

An official in the office said the man is in his 80s, but he... Read more

]]> Staff & Agencies Sat, 18 May 2013 16:38:39 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/middle-east/107816-militants-kidnap-father-of-syrian-deputy-fm http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107815-1000s-of-italians-protest-against-austerity-unemployment ROME (Reuters) - Thousands of people protested in Rome on Saturday against austerity policies and high unemployment, urging new Prime Minister Enrico Letta to focus on creating jobs to help pull the country out of recession.

"We hope that this government will finally start listening to us because we are losing our patience," said Enzo... Read more

]]> World Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:37:44 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107815-1000s-of-italians-protest-against-austerity-unemployment http://www.tehrantimes.com/opinion/107817-where-is-turkey-really-heading Since coming to power in 2002, Turkey’s ruling AKP party’s main policy has been to maintain zero tension with its neighbors. However, the crisis in Syria and Turkey’s alignment with the United States and reactionary Arab governments have intensified Ankara’s problems with its neighbors, including Iran and Iraq. 

 

Turkey supports NATO’s policy of eastward expansion and describes it as a tool for protecting democracy and free markets. This has been one of the main reasons regional... Read more

]]> Ali Qaemmaqami Sat, 18 May 2013 16:37:42 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/opinion/107817-where-is-turkey-really-heading http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107813-fearing-afghan-instability-russia-mulls-border-troops KABUL (Reuters) Russia, predicting instability once NATO-led troops withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of next year, is considering deploying border guards on the Tajik-Afghan border, Moscow's envoy to Kabul told Reuters in an interview.

Moscow, still sore from its disastrous, decade-long war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, is increasingly concerned by what it describes as the combined threat of narcotics and terrorism reaching Russia... Read more

]]> World Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:31:21 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107813-fearing-afghan-instability-russia-mulls-border-troops http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107814-russian-security-services-out-cia-moscow-chief Russia's security services have openly named the alleged CIA Moscow station chief in a rare breach of protocol after arresting a purported U.S. intelligence agent working undercover.

 

Russia announced this week that it had caught alleged agent Ryan Fogle as he prepared to recruit a... Read more

]]> World Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:31:19 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107814-russian-security-services-out-cia-moscow-chief http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107812-over-1500-approved-to-run-in-tehran-prov-city-and-village-council-elections TEHRAN – The qualifications of over 1500 candidates, who had registered to run in the fourth city and village council elections in Tehran Province, have been approved, the Fars News Agency reported on Saturday. 

 

According to the report, the names of the approved candidates will be announced soon. 

 

The fourth city and village council elections will be held simultaneously with the 11th presidential election across the country on June 14. 

 

Candidates registered for the city... Read more

]]> Political Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:30:45 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107812-over-1500-approved-to-run-in-tehran-prov-city-and-village-council-elections http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107810-iran-says-supports-turkish- TEHRAN – Iran supports any action that Turkey takes to protect its unity and solidarity, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said at a press conference in the Iranian consulate in Istanbul on Friday.

 

Saeed Jalili was referring to the withdrawal of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants from Turkey as part of a peace process between PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and the Turkish government.

 

“We support any action that will increase the... Read more

]]> Political Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:23:50 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107810-iran-says-supports-turkish- http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107809-france-calls-for-stricter-sanctions-against-iran TEHRAN – The United States and European nations should take “decisive sanctions” against Iran over its nuclear program, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday, according to AFP. 

 

“Given the inflexibility of Iran’s position, this dual, sanctions-dialogue approach should allow us to increase pressure on Iran in the coming months as the Iranian uranium enrichment program continues to expand in quantity and quality,” Le Drian said.

 

“More than ever we have a... Read more

]]> Political Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:21:24 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107809-france-calls-for-stricter-sanctions-against-iran http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107811-red-line-over-irans-nuclear-program-is-set-by-npt-not-israel-nuclear-negotiator TEHRAN – In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator and presidential candidate has said that Iran does not give any credibility to Israel, noting the red line over Tehran’s nuclear program is set not by Israel but by the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regulations.  

 

Saeed Jalili, who is the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, also stated that he will continue to resist Western demands if he... Read more

]]> Political Desk Sat, 18 May 2013 16:21:22 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107811-red-line-over-irans-nuclear-program-is-set-by-npt-not-israel-nuclear-negotiator