** IRAN DAILY
-- Iran: 60% enrichment, advanced centrifuges installation, response to ‘nuclear terrorism’
President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday the decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60% was a response to suspected Israeli “nuclear terrorism”, days after an attack on the Natanz nuclear facility in central Iran.
“Enabling IR-6 (centrifuges) at Natanz today, or bringing enrichment to 60%: This is the response to your malice,” Rouhani said in televised remarks.
-- Iran summons Portuguese envoy over ‘politically motivated’ EU sanctions
Iran summoned the ambassador of Portugal, the current holder of the European Union’s rotating presidency, to protest the bloc’s new sanctions against Tehran.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry told Carlos Costa Neves on Tuesday Tehran was considering counter-sanctions against the EU over its “politically motivated” move.
“We will suspend, as we have already announced, all comprehensive talks with the European Union and subsequent cooperation, especially in the fields of terrorism, illicit drugs and refugees,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, Press TV wrote.
-- US intelligence analysis concludes Iran not seeking nukes
A combined US intelligence analysis has concluded that Iran is not working toward developing a nuclear weapon.
In a declassified report released on Tuesday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said, the US intelligence community believes Iran “is not undertaking the key nuclear weapons development activities,” the Washington Post wrote.
The assessment represents the conclusions of all 18 US intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Leader: Protracted Negotiations Are Harmful
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday warned against protracted talks in Vienna, reiterating that Iran will only return to its commitments once it has verified the removal of all U.S. sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Ayatollah Khamenei said he has announced the country’s policy regarding the sanctions and conveyed it to the officials in writing, in meetings and in public, adding the country’s policy is clear.
"The decision of the authorities is to negotiate to implement this policy. I have no objection in this regard, but care must be taken to ensure that the negotiations are not drawn out and that the parties do not drag out the negotiations, because this is detrimental to the country,” the Leader said.
-- Rouhani, Erdogan Hail Close Cooperation
President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday stressed the importance of cordial and friendly relations with Turkey as a Muslim neighbor and call for deepening relations in various political, economic and trade fields.
Rouhani told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a telephone conversation that the development of cooperation between the two countries can help strengthen friendly relations and play a better role in the region.
-- Zionists Will Soon Realize Cost of Their Terrorism
Iran’s ambassador to the international organizations in Vienna said Wednesday the occupying regime of Israel will soon find out about the wrongfulness of its decision to target Iran’s nuclear program.
"Even most insane criminals will finally - and soon - realize that they must never threaten Iranians,” Kazem Gharibabadi wrote in a letter addressed to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi.
He was writing to Grossi after Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility was targeted in a terrorist attack on Sunday.
***TEHRAN TIMES
-- 60% enrichment is response to mischiefs against Iran, Rouhani says
President Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran’s decision to enrich uranium to a purity of 60 percent and install IR6 centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear plant were a response to mischiefs against Iran, declaring that all Iran’s activities are peaceful and under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog.
“If the Zionists conspire against our nation, we will respond. This (60% uranium enrichment) is the first step,” Rouhani told during a cabinet meeting.
-- Five countries seeking to purchase Iranian COVID-19 vaccine
Two European countries and three regional countries have asked to purchase homegrown coronavirus vaccine (COVIRAN BAREKAT), Mohammad Mokhber, the head of the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam has said.
COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam which was unveiled on December 29, 2020, started to be mass-produced on March 29.
At least two European countries and three countries in the region are now seeking to negotiate on purchasing vaccine, but we will export once the domestic needs are met, he noted, adding, the production capacity of COVID-19 vaccine in the world is about 2 billion doses per year, while the need for a vaccine is about 14-16 billion doses.
-- Iranian heavy crude oil price rises 6% in March: OPEC
Iranian heavy oil price increased $3.64 in March to register a six-percent rise compared to the previous month, according to OPEC’s latest monthly report published on Tuesday.
Iranian heavy crude oil price followed its upward trend for the fifth consecutive month to reach $64.3 per barrel in the mentioned month, compared to February’s $60.66 per barrel.
According to the report, the country’s average heavy crude price was $60 from the beginning of 2021 up to the report’s publishing day, in comparison to $49.32 in the previous year’s same period.
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