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 by Staff Writers Tehran (AFP) Aug 19, 2018
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Sunday that Europe had not yet shown it was willing to "pay the price" of defying Washington in order to save the nuclear deal. Zarif said European governments had put forward proposals to maintain oil and banking ties with Iran after the second phase of US sanctions return in November. But he told Iran's Young Journalist Club website that these measures were more "a statement of their position than practical measures". "Although they have moved forward, we believe that Europe is not yet ready to pay the price (of truly defying the US)," Zarif said. US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May, and began reimposing sanctions earlier this month that block other countries from trading with Iran. A second phase of sanctions targeting Iran's crucial oil industry and banking relations will return on November 5. Europe has vowed to keep providing Iran with the economic benefits it received from the nuclear deal, but many of its bigger companies have already pulled out of the country for fear of US penalties. "Iran can respond to Europe's political will when it is accompanied by practical measures," said Zarif. "Europeans say the JCPOA (nuclear deal) is a security achievement for them. Naturally each country must invest and pay the price for its security. We must see them paying this price in the coming months."
Iran announces new fighter jet "Our first priority is our missile capability and we must enhance it... given the enemy's efforts in missile defence," said Amir Hatami in an interview on television late Saturday, according to Tasnim. He added that a new fighter jet "will fly on National Defence Industry Day", which falls on Wednesday. Hatami said the defence programme was motivated by memories of the missile attacks Iran suffered during its eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s, and by repeated threats from Israel and the United States that "all options are on the table" in dealing with the Islamic republic. "We have learned in the (Iran-Iraq) war that we cannot rely on anyone but ourselves. We saw that wherever we are not capable, no one will have mercy on us," he said. "Our resources are limited and we are committed to establishing security at a minimum cost. "We upgrade our missiles according to our enemies' threats and actions, as a deterrent and to give a crushing response to the enemy," he added. Hatami added that regional rival Saudi Arabia "has the largest military budget in the world after America and China... while our defence budget is limited". "What would any nation with such a situation and past do in our place?" he said. The defence minister dismissed the idea of an "Arab NATO" -- an old concept that has recently resurfaced as Washington tries to push regional countries to accept a greater share of their defence. "Arab NATO is part of the game of creating discord by the enemy and it's not worth paying attention to," said Hatami. "It is unlikely that America and the Zionist regime (Israel) allow Muslim countries to come together. They know well that the aim of Muslim nations is to destroy the Zionist regime and defend Palestine," he added.
US creates 'Iran Action Group' to up pressure on Tehran Washington (AFP) Aug 16, 2018 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a new high-level team to focus US and international efforts to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran. The Iran Action Group will drive Washington's "maximum pressure" strategy to change Tehran's behavior, including potentially sanctioning other countries which trade with the country. The group will be headed by Brian Hook as the State Department's Special Representative for Iran. Hook, currently director of policy planning at the State ... read more
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