Iran

28 Dec 2022; MEMO: Iran welcomed on Monday the resumption of talks with Saudi Arabia, a week after the foreign ministers of both countries held a "friendly meeting."

TEHRAN, Dec 27 (NNN-TASNIM) – At least 54 people were injured, in an explosion and the consequent fire at a paint manufacturing plant, in the north-western Iranian city of Tabriz.

The blast occurred at Mamaqan Shahid Salimi Industrial Park, yesterday afternoon, affecting around 150 individuals, of whom 54 have sustained injuries, Hamid Monajjem, managing director of East Azarbaijan province’s Red Crescent Society, was quoted as saying.

He added that, firefighters are trying to contain the fire.

26 Dec 2022; MEMO: Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that the arrests of citizens linked to the United Kingdom showed London's "destructive role" in the recent protests in Iran.

Asked by a reporter to comment on Sunday's announcement in Tehran of the arrest of seven people linked to Britain, foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said: "Some countries, especially the one you mentioned, had an unconstructive role regarding the recent developments in Iran.

TEHRAN, Dec 26 (NNN-SANA) – The Syrian media delegation, headed by Assistant Minister of Information, Ahmad Dhawa, held two working sessions at the Iranian Radio and TV Corporation, which dealt with boosting cooperation in the fields of media and technical content.

The Assistant Minister of Information stressed the importance of developing media relations and joint cooperation, to keep pace with the political relations between the two countries.

TEHRAN, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday that Iran and Saudi Arabia appear to have the political will to take a new step toward repairing bilateral relations, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Making the remarks at a weekly press conference, Nasser Kanaani said the two countries seem to currently agree on the adoption of a "constructive" approach toward the resumption of the talks on the normalization of bilateral relations, of which five rounds have so far been held.

24 Dec 2022; MEMO: Iran's Supreme Court has accepted the appeals of two protesters sentenced to death due to flaws in investigating their cases, the country's judiciary said on Saturday.

"The Supreme Court accepted the appeals of Mohammad Qobadloo and Saman Saidi Yasin, accused of the recent riots," the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported.

"Due to research deficiencies, the Supreme Court has referred them to the same courts for re-examination."

TEHRAN, Dec 24 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran sent a shipment of Iran-made goods to Venezuela, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported, yesterday.

The dispatch of consignment comes, in line with the policies of the Iranian government and the necessity of developing the export of Iranian goods in the world markets, according to the report, citing an announcement by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.

Dec 24 (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Court has accepted the death sentence appeal of

rapper Saman Seydi Yasin even as it confirmed a death sentence against another protestor, the country's judiciary said on Saturday.

Yasin, a Kurd who raps about inequality, oppression and unemployment, had been accused of attempting to kill security forces, setting a rubbish bin on fire and shooting three times into the air, charges which he denied.

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iraq has put forward a proposal for holding talks between Tehran and Cairo at political and security levels to restore relations between the two countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said.

The senior diplomat made the remarks in an interview with Iran's Mizan news agency, which was published on Saturday.

Amir-Abdollahian said the proposal was made by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, whom he met on the sidelines of a regional conference held this week in the Jordanian capital of Amman.

TEHRAN, Dec 22 (NNN-IRNA) – Iranian Petroleum Minister, Javad Owji, said yesterday that, his country’s crude oil output has been increased by 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) to nearly three million bpd.

The Petroleum Ministry also plans to improve the quality of fuel, produced in the country’s refineries, Owji was quoted as saying, on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting.

The Isfahan Refinery in central Iran will produce some 15 million litres of the Euro 5 diesel fuel per day, in the first stage, he added.