Hassan Rouhani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday urged the remaining signatories to its 2015 nuclear agreement to act to save the pact, though France's leader called again for broader talks on Tehran's missile program and its role in the Middle East region.
In a phone call to French President Emmanuel Macron, Rouhani said Iran wanted the Europeans to give guarantees on banking channels and oil sales as well as in the field of insurance and transportation, according to the state-run Iranian news agency IRNA.
"Iran has acted upon all its promises in the nuclear agreement and, with attention to the one-sided withdrawal of America ... expects the remaining partners to operate their programs more quickly and transparently," Rouhani was quoted as saying.
Iranian lawyers asked the International Court of Justice on Monday to order the United States to lift sanctions imposed by the Trump administration against Tehran, but Washington described the suit as meritless.At the start of a week of hearings in The Hague, the court's president asked the United States to respect the outcome of the case that Iran filed in July. During their decades of animosity, both countries have ignored some rulings at the court.Tehran's suit says the U.S. sanctions, which are damaging the already weak Iranian economy, violate terms of a little-known friendship treaty between the two countries."The U.S. is publicly propagating a policy intended to damage as severely as possible Iran's economy and Iranian national companies, and therefore inevitably Iranian nationals," said Mohsen Mohebi, representing Iran. "This policy is plainly in violation of the 1955 Treaty of Amity."Video: World Court hears Iran suit to have US sanctions liftedHe said Iran had sought a diplomatic solution to the countries' dispute but was rejected.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described Iran's suit as "an attempt to interfere with the sovereign rights of the United States to take lawful actions, including re-imposition of sanctions, which are necessary to protect our national security"."We will vigorously defend against Iran’s meritless claims this week in The Hague," he said in a statement.A ruling is expected within a month, though no date has been set.US vows to fight Iran world court actionThe ICJ is the United Nations tribunal for resolving international disputes. Its rulings are binding, but it has no power to enforce them.U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 pact between Iran and major world powers under which sanctions were lifted in return for Tehran accepting curbs on its nuclear programme. The Trump administration then announced unilateral plans to restore sanctions against Tehran.Although Washington's European allies protested against Trump's move, most Western companies intend to adhere to the sanctions, preferring to lose business in Iran than be punished by the United States or barred from doing business there.Iran shuts down scores of military-run companiesThe United States and Iran have clashed at the court in the past since they became enemies after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran ignored a 1980 U.S. suit at the ICJ over the seizure of American diplomats in Tehran, which the court found to be illegal.In another suit and countersuit, the ICJ found that the 1955 treaty was still valid even though it was signed before the revolution. However, the court found in 2003 that neither actions by the United States against Iranian oil platforms nor Iranian attacks on American shipping violated the treaty. Iran says it has full control of Gulf and US navy does not belong there
World Court hears Iran lawsuit to have US sanctions lifted
Rouhani was speaking in the light of U.S. sanctions re-imposed by Washington after President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in May.
Macron reiterated France's commitment to maintaining the accord, a remark aimed at soothing Tehran.
But he repeated his earlier calls for broader discussions with all relevant parties that would include Iran's nuclear programme after 2025, its ballistics programme and its influence in the wider Middle East region.
Iran’s Defense Ministry has shut down more than 130 of its companies, Defense Minister Amir Hatami said Monday.In statements, the minister said the closed companies were active in the fields of transportation, energy and construction.“The ministry has given up its shares in Wagon Pars and Iran Air Tours,” he said.Wagon Pars is an Iranian train manufacturing company, whose products include locomotives, trains, metros, freight and fuel wagons, and aircraft equipment.Iran Air Tours is a Tehran-based airline.Hatami said the closure aims to reduce the role of the military in the economic sector.The defense minister said former governments had privatized many companies owned by the military.He went on to stress that the military was ready to transfer 72 percent of projects being carried out by the military-run companies to the private sector.Last January, Hatami said that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered the military to withdraw from the country's economic sector.
Iran shuts down scores of military-run companies
"We will do everything so that the talks help avoid a serious crisis in the months ahead," Macron said in an annual speech to French ambassadors.
Separately, the head of the navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, General Alireza Tangsiri, said on Monday that Iran had full control of the Gulf and the U.S. Navy did not belong there, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Tehran has suggested it could take military action in the Gulf to block other countries' oil exports in retaliation for U.S. sanctions intended to halt its sales of crude. Washington maintains a fleet in the Gulf that protects oil shipping routes.
Iran has full control of the Gulf, and the U.S. Navy does not belong there, the head of the navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, General Alireza Tangsiri, said on Monday, according to the Tasnim news agency.The remarks come at a time when Tehran has suggested that it could take military action in the Gulf to block oil exports of other regional countries in retaliation for U.S. sanctions intended to halt its oil sales. Washington maintains a fleet in the Gulf which protects oil shipping routes.Tangsiri said Iran had full control of both the Gulf itself and the Strait of Hormuz that leads into it. Closing off the strait would be the most direct way of blocking shipping.Iran and Syria sign deal for military cooperation"We can ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and there is no need for the presence of aliens like the U.S. and the countries whose home is not in here," he said in the quote, which appeared in English translation on Tasnim.Tension between Iran and the United States has escalated since President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in May and reimposed sanctions.Senior U.S. officials have said they aim to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero.Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most senior authority in the Islamic Republic, said last month that he supports the idea that if Iran is not allowed to export oil then no country should export oil from the Gulf. Iran defence minister Amir Hatami arrives in SyriaAmerica is waging 'psychological war' against Iran
Iran says it has full control of Gulf and US navy does not belong there
Tangsiri said Iran had full control of the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz that leads into it. Closing the strait would be the most direct way of blocking shipping.
"We can ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and there is no need for the presence of aliens like the U.S. and the countries whose home is not in here," he said in the quote, which appeared in English translation on Tasnim.
He added, "All the carriers and military and non-military ships will be controlled and there is full supervision over the Persian Gulf. Our presence in the region is physical and constant and night and day."
Iran and Syria signed a deal for military cooperation in a meeting between the defence ministers of the two countries in Damascus, the Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami travelled to Damascus on Sunday for a two-day visit, meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and senior military officials, Tasnim reported.Iran foreign minister hails relations with TurkeyIran defence minister Amir Hatami arrives in SyriaIranian forces have backed Assad in the country’s civil war.Tasnim did not provide any details about the military cooperation deal.U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said last week that Iran should remove its forces from Syria.Senior Iranian officials have said their military presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Assad regime and they have no immediate plans to withdraw.
Iran and Syria sign deal for military cooperation
The head of the Revolutionary Guards, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said on Monday that Iran's enemies would not prevail in a conflict.
"The enemies are strictly avoiding any conflict with Iran because they know that it will not be beneficial for them," Jafari said, according to Tasnim.
As tension has escalated between Iran and the United States senior U.S. officials have said they aim to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most senior authority in the Islamic Republic, said last month that he supported the idea that if Iran is not allowed to export oil then no country should export oil from the Gulf.