Tag Archives: iran

International

Construction workers kidnapped in Afghanistan

12 Iranian construction workers were kidnapped in Afghanistan.  They were building a police training center.

Iran blames “foreigners” which could refer to Western forces, or to al Qaeda.  The Iranian government did not specify.

In the last few years Iran and Afghanistan have made major economic deals, including construction programs and gas/oil shipments.

In the late 1990s, the Taliban killed several Iranian diplomatic officials, which prompted Iran to mass hundreds of thousands of troops on Afghanistan’s border.

International, Technology

Iran launches first domestically produced Anti-Aircraft missile

The missile system is actually based on the old U.S. designed Hawk missile system.  The Iranians call their updated version ‘Shahin’ (not to be confused with ‘Shaheen’ which is a different missile system).

Most of the upgrades are related to search and track capabilities.  They say it’s a mid-altitude missile, one source saying its range is 15 miles (maybe they meant 15 kilometers?).  I can’t be sure of the performance claims, simply because the Iranian media gives wildly different data.  One source said the missile could reach 150 kilometers (93 miles), that’s the Thermosphere, man!

International, Technology

Iranian automaker boosting exports with its Dena Car

“The LX model is outfitted with an EF7 gasoline engine and a CNG-based engine. The ELX version is equipped with a turbo-charged EF7 engine.”-Nima Mosleh, IKCO deputy CEO for New Product Development

The Iran Khodro Company says it hopes exports of their new car, Dena, will hit 15,000 for the new year.

The car called Dena (not to be confused with a U.S. kit car), is a sedan and IKCO’s fourth domestically produced car.  Iran has been enjoying a growing car market through out the Middle East, and Central Asia.

Last year Iran Khodro exported 40,000 cars.

 

Business/Economics, International

Common Visa for people of Iran, Iraq, Syria & Turkey

It might be soon that the people of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran will have a common visa, that will allow unhindered travel between the countries.

The visa (international travel document) is being called Shamgen, similar to the European Union’s Schengen visa.  Sham is the ancient name for Syria.

Shahbaz Yazdani, Deputy Head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, said the four countries are still hammering out details of the visa plan.  Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran are working for a economic union similar to the EU.

 

International, U.S.

Iran building border fence, to stop drug trafficking and terrorists

Iran is building a fence along its Pakistani border.  They say since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan drug trafficking has increased, along with anti-Iranian terrorists.

Iran has spent U.S.$700 million, in the last two years,  fighting drug trafficking and U.S. supported terrorist.  They also claim that a Pakistani based group known as Jundollah, has been conducting terrorist operations against Iran for years.

The new fence will be built in the mountainous regions, where it is difficult to maintain a sizable border patrol force.

 

International, Technology

Iranian Navy missiles using Laser tracking

In a confusing report, Iranian media says the Iranian navy has just upgraded their missiles with laser guidance.

The reports call the missiles “hawk” or “cruse missiles” which is incorrect.  Iran does still use the old U.S. designed Hawk anti-aircraft missile, with upgraded tracking systems, but it is not a cruse missile (they actually make their own Hawks).

Also, what the video shows looks more like a anti-ship missile.  Actually I’ve seen videos of two sizes of missiles, which would explain the Iranian media giving two range limits for supposedly one missile.  One has a range of 45 km (28 miles), the other 300 km (186 miles).

It looks to me that they are talking about a new anti-aircraft missile, for their naval ships, and a new ship launched anti-ship missile.  The missiles aren’t actually new, but the adaption of laser guidance is.

Having laser guidance means that you can get more accurate hits, and not have to worry about radar jamming.

Business/Economics, International, Technology

Iran announces they have their own Nuclear Fuel

“Our scientists took action to supply fuel for the Tehran research reactor and this fuel which is the fruit of the efforts made by our country’s scientists will be loaded into the Tehran Research Reactor this year.”-Ali Baqeri, Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Undersecretary

Iran decided to provide its own nuclear fuel, after several deals to get fuel from Western countries fell through, due to complaints from the U.S. and France.

In April 2010, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the domestic production of nuclear fuel. They claim to have produced uranium fuel at 20% purity.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Iran strikes back at Europe, refuses to fuel European airlines

“In a retaliatory move, we have stopped providing fuel to European aircraft.”-Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi

For some time several European countries have refused to fuel up Iranian passenger planes that land at their airports.  After repeated requests by Iran, countries like Germany and United Kingdom, still refuse on the grounds that they are following the latest sanctions placed against Iran by President Obama.

Iran now says it will not fuel passenger planes from those countries, that land in Iran.

Germany’s Lufthansa says they will have to come up with a plan, because they can no longer get fuel in Tehran.  Netherland’s KLM says they’re not worried because they fuel up in Greece on their way back from Iran.

The sanctions placed on Iran by Obama do not specifically say that Iranian airlines can not be fueled.

Business/Economics

Destroy U.S. Dollar: Iran getting rich off Gold

“Iran’s gold reserves have hit unprecedented levels and the country has supplied its domestic gold market for the next ten years.”-Mahmoud Bahmani, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran

Iran announced that their gold reserves now stand at 4 million tons, and that’s from just one mine.

The Zarshouran mine is located in the West Azarbaijan province. But don’t let the 4 million figure fool you. For every ton of gold ore, they get only 5.81 grams of gold.  I should say ‘only’, hah, when you think about how much gold is selling for it’s still worth the effort.

The mining and extraction systems are being upgraded at the Zarshouran mine, and they hope to get 3,600kg of gold bullion and more than 1200kg of silver bullion.

 

Fukushima

Pakistan picking up Radiation from Japan, Iran to test Japanese airlines for contamination!

The Pakistan government announced that they are picking up trace amounts of iodine-131, form Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Iran, a neighbor of Pakistan, says it has started to inspect aircraft coming from Japan, for radiation contamination.