Qassem Soleimani
The chief of Iran's Quds force said on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump should address him when threatening the Islamic Republic, the Iranian Young Journalists' Club reported.
"As a soldier, it is my duty to respond to Trump's threats ... If he wants to use the language of threat ... he should talk to me, not to the president (Hassan Rouhani)," Major-General Qassem Soleimani was quoted as saying in the central city of Hamedan.
Iran has dismissed a warning from Trump that Tehran risked dire consequences “the like of which few throughout history have suffered before” if it made threats against the United States.
Severing ties with global strategic partners goes against Turkey’s understanding of sovereignty, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as he prepared to embark on a trip to South Africa.“Severing ties with our strategic global partners, who are just like the U.S. to us, goes against our understanding of sovereignty. Iran is both our neighbor and our strategic partner. There are so many developments based on mutual benefit,” Erdoğan said to members of the press in Ankara before boarding the presidential plane to South Africa.Washington has told its allies to cut imports of Iranian oil by November, a senior State Department official said. Trump in May said that his administration was withdrawing from the “defective” 2015 nuclear deal agreed by Iran and six world powers.Erdoğan will attend the summit to be held between Wednesday and Friday. His attendance at the summit will serve as the first high-level contact between Turkey and the BRICS bloc.FETÖ steps up terror activities in Africa ahead of Erdoğan visitErdoğan said he will discuss developments in Syria with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during his trip to South Africa."Developments in Syria, whether in Tal Rifat or Manbij, are not going as desired. The only places that are going in the desired direction are Afrin, Jarabulus and Al Bab," Erdoğan saidThe president said issues in Idlib and Daraa will also be addressed during his meeting with Putin. "Anything can happen in these places at any time."Last month, the Syrian regime -- with Russian air support -- launched a major military operation in Daraa, allowing it and its allies to establish control over most of Syria’s border with Jordan.EU backs €400M for Syrian refugees education in TurkeyThe fighting led to a major displacement crisis, with an estimated 350,000 civilians fleeing Daraa towards areas near the border.Erdoğan said he will attend the summit which will end on Friday in Johannesburg as the term president of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.His attendance at the summit will serve as the first high-level contact between Turkey and the BRICS bloc."The theme of the session that I will attend is 'Global South-South Cooperation'," Erdoğan said.Erdoğan drew attention to the importance of the BRICS Summit saying: "I see the summit as an important opportunity to enhance relations between Turkey and BRICS."Turkish envoy hails strong relations with South Africa"I believe that the African continent would change the future of our ever-changing world," he added.The BRICS regional bloc is made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, countries that share over 20 percent of the global economy and contribute around 17 percent to international trade.On the sidelines of the summit, the president is expected to hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of all BRICS member states and other invited leaders.In response to a question regarding Turkey's position on possible sanctions by the U.S. against Iran, Erdoğan said: "One must note that ending relations with our other strategic partners in the world conflicts with Turkey's understanding of independence..."Turkey can boost regional bloc BRICS's profile: Envoy
Erdoğan: Iran is both our neighbour and strategic partner
Iran's Quds force chief says Red Sea no longer secure with US presence
Iran's Quds force chief Qassem Soleimani said on Thursday that the Red Sea was not secure with the presence of American troops in the area, Iran's Arabic-language Al Alam television reported.
"The Red Sea which was secure is no longer secure with the American presence ... (U.S. President Donald) Trump should know that we are nation of martyrdom and that we await him," Qasem Soleimani was quoted as saying.
The Red Sea is one of the most important trade routes in the world for oil tankers.
Iran's cabinet appointed new heads at two of the government's top economic institutions, as the country grapples with a faltering economy and a sliding currency that have provoked public protests.Abdul Nasser Hemmati was appointed to replace Valiollah Seif as governor of the central bank, according to the IRIB news agency. The agency gave no explanation for why Seif was dismissed.In May, the United States imposed sanctions on Seif, accusing him of "moving millions of dollars" for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.US 'ready' to make new Iran deal amid heated exchangeHemmati was formerly the managing director of Bank Melli and Sina Bank, IRIB said.Separately, Ali Tayebnia was appointed head of the Management and Planning Organization of Iran, which drafts the country's annual budget, according to the Tasnim news agency.Tayebnia served as Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance during President Hassan Rouhani's first term.'No need for Turkey to go along with US Iran sanctions'Rouhani had come under increasing pressure from hardliners to reshuffle his economic team, and senior government officials had suggested a shakeup was imminent.Ordinary Iranians have also criticised the government on social media, emphasising the difficulties they face in making ends meet.
With economy faltering, Iran appoints two new heads of key agencies
The U.S. stands "ready" to strike a new nuclear accord with Iran, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.“We’ll see what happens, but we’re ready to make a real deal, not the deal that was done by the previous administration, which was a disaster,” Trump said at a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Kansas City, Missouri.The U.S. and Iran engaged in a heated exchange of words over the weekend with Trump responding to a warning from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani by saying on Twitter: "NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED."Trump has drawn Tehran's ire and unsettled close allies by unilaterally withdrawing the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear accord struck between Iran and the P5 1 group -- the permanent five members of the UN Security Council and Germany -- of world powers. Iran has insisted it will not renegotiate the deal.Tehran received billions of dollars in sanctions relief in return for instituting a robust international nuclear inspection regime and allowing curbs on its nuclear program.The U.S. was a driving force behind the agreement under former President Barack Obama, but Trump has long taken issue with the accord, repeatedly calling it one of the "worst" deals he has ever seen.Following the U.S.'s unilateral exit, the Trump administration has been seeking to have other countries follow suit by raising the specter of snapped-back sanctions which would punish businesses and governments from activities that were allowed under the agreement.The first round of sanctions, largely targeting Iran's banking sector, are set to take effect Aug. 6. A second, more robust, wave of oil-related sanctions is set to snap back Nov. 4.
US 'ready' to make new Iran deal amid heated exchange