Headlines in Iranian English-language dailies on July 26

** IRAN DAILY

-- Technical response to political rhetoric

Two days after the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency took a political swipe at Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s nuclear chief fired back, calling Rafael Grossi’s remarks detrimental to the confidence-building process.
Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), says the Islamic Republic has taken a string of confidence-building measures including the marathon talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) and the installation of IAEA’s surveillance cameras in Iran’s nuclear sites. The United States, Brittan, France, Germany and the IAEA, however, have not appreciated Iran’s trust-building moves, according to Eslami. The nuclear chief, therefore, stresses Iran will continue to keep IAEA’s cameras operating beyond safeguard agreements turned off until the US returns to the JCPOA.

-- China confirms warnings to U.S. on Pelosi’s possible Taiwan visit

China delivered sterner warnings to U.S. officials about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s possible visit to Taiwan in August, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, confirming a report by the Financial Times (FT).
The FT report, published on Saturday, cited six people familiar with the Chinese warnings as saying they were significantly stronger than the threats that Beijing has made in the past when it was unhappy with U.S. actions or policy on Taiwan.  The private warnings suggested a possible military response, the FT report said.

-- Russian goal to oust Ukraine’s government: Lavrov

Russia appears to have reversed itself after the country’s top diplomat said Moscow’s overarching goal is to topple the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Speaking to envoys at an Arab League summit in Cairo late Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is determined to help Ukrainians “liberate themselves from the burden of this absolutely unacceptable regime,” AP reported.

** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL

-- Cameras to Remain Turned Off

Iran will keep the UN nuclear agency’s cameras turned off until a 2015 nuclear deal is restored, the head of the country’s atomic energy organization said on Monday.
Iran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) it had removed IAEA equipment, including a number cameras installed voluntarily after the agency passed a U.S.-drafted resolution against Tehran in June.

-- FM Lavrov: Russia’s Goal Is to Oust Zelensky

Russia’s top diplomat said Moscow’s overarching goal is to topple the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, making Russian war aims more explicit as its forces keep pummeling Ukraine with artillery barrages and airstrikes.
The remark from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov comes amid Ukraine’s efforts to resume grain exports from its Black Sea ports, something that would help ease global food shortages, under a new deal tested by a Russian strike on Odesa over the weekend.

-- Mideast Wakes Up to Climate Change Damage

Temperatures in the Middle East have risen far faster than the world’s average in the past three decades. Precipitation has been decreasing, and experts predict droughts will come with greater frequency and severity.
The Middle East is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impact of climate change — and already the effects are being seen.

** TEHRAN TIMES

-- Iran, Saudi Arabia edge closer to restoring ties

After more than a year of painstaking and security-oriented talks, Iran and Saudi Arabia appear to be on the verge of making a breakthrough that could end years of diplomatic severance. 

Iran announced on Monday that it had accepted an offer by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman for Iraq to hold a public meeting of the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers, an indication that the countries are moving the talks to the political level. 

-- Plans for Pope’s Canada trip criticized by native leaders

The Assembly of Canada’s First Nations National Chief, RoseAnne Archibald, has criticized the “unilateral” planning of the Pope’s visit to the country. Archibald was among the delegation that greeted Pope Francis on his arrival at Edmonton, Alberta, airport in what has been described as a historic visit to apologize for Canada’s deadly abuse of indigenous children at residential schools funded by the government and run by the church.

-- Iran’s Bagheri Kani briefs MPs 

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani has briefed Iranian lawmakers on a range of issues pertaining to Iran’s foreign policy. 

On Sunday afternoon, he attended the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee where he outlined the Islamic Republic's regional and international policies and answered questions from MPs, according to the foreign ministry. 

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