Interview with Sebastian Plano;

The ‘Verve’ of melancholy; “It’s just a feeling I carry inside”

TEHRAN, Mar. 16 (MNA) – Argentinean multi-instrumentalist Sebastian Plano talked to MNA about his life as a neoclassical musician, and believes that the melancholic vibe to his compositions stems from having stepped into a rich world of experiences so young, and the need to create music at the time he couldn’t.

Iran losing regional, world gas market: energy expert

TEHRAN, Mar. 09 (MNA) – Touching upon the necessity of Iran’s more active foreign and energy diplomacy to keep and increase its share in regional and world gas market, Omid Shokri believes Iran is even losing Turkey’s gas market.

Foreign forces withdrawal from Afghanistan to restore regional security: Ex-Afghan official

TEHRAN, Mar. 05 (MNA) – Expressing his concern over possible repetition of Taliban’s wrong doings, General Shahnawaz Tanai said withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan will restore security to the region.

Taliban spokesman:

US not Kabul government can secure release of Taliban prisoners

TEHRAN, Mar. 03 (MNA) – In an interview with Mehr News Agency, Taliban spokesman Zabihollah Mujahid said that the Afghan government does not have authority over the release of the Taliban prisoners and the United States should act in that regard.

Assad’s visit to Tehran sign of unwavering Syrian-Iran ties: Geopolitical expert

TEHRAN, Mar. 02 (MNA) – Touching upon Iran’s important role in Syrian victory over Washington’s destructive proxy war, Anthony Cartalucci says Assad’s visit to Tehran is a sign of unwavering Syrian-Iran ties.

Taliban spox:

US-Taliban talks in Qatar to focus on US’ Afghanistan exit

TEHRAN, Feb. 25 (MNA) – Taliban spokesman Zabihollah Mojahed said in an exclusive interview with Mehr that today’s US-Taliban talks in Qatar will focus on the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and safety of other countries from terrorist attacks from Afghan territory.

Trump’s policy toward S Arabia to be subverted by Clintonites: Prof. Kovacevic

TEHRAN, Feb. 25 (MNA) –Prof. Kovacevic says Trump administrations policy toward S Arabia will eventually be subverted by the Clintonites who would prefer a regime change in Saudi Arabia.

Transferring nuclear technology to al-Saud is the most destabilizing development: Entessar

TEHRAN, Feb. 24 (MNA) –Touching upon Trump’s attempt to transfer sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, Prof. Entessar says this is the most destabilizing and dangerous development that will embolden Takfiri extremists.

Stronger S Arabia likely to spread its extremist ideology : Prof. Zonis

TEHRAN, Feb. 23 (MNA) –Commenting on the consequences of selling sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, Marvin Zonis says stronger Saudi Arabia will likely spread its extremist ideology.

INSTEX won’t solve Iran’s economic woes: fmr. amb.

TEHRAN, Feb. 20 (MNA) – Former ambassador to Germany, Alireza Sheikh Attar, said the EU’s trade mechanism for Iran, dubbed ‘INSTEX’, will not solve Iran’s economic problems, because the majority of those problems stem from ‘internal mismanagement’.

Former Taliban deputy FM:

Timetable for US’ Afghanistan exit to be decided on Feb. 25

TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (MNA) – A former Taliban foreign ministry official, Vahid Mojdeh, told MNA that the timetable for the exit of American troops from Afghanistan will be presented in the next meeting of Taliban and US representatives.

US not to tolerate independent countries: Prof. Adib-Moghaddam

TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (MNA) –Commenting on the US policy towards Venezuela, Professor Arshin Adib-Moghaddam says This has been the aim of successive US governments to roll back the Boliviarian revolution that is the paradigm of independence for Latin America.

US wants to make Venezuela another Syria or Libya: ambassador

TEHRAN, Feb. 17 (MNA) – Venezuelan Ambassador to Tehran Carlos Antonio Alcala Cordones says the US is seeking to create a situation similar to Syria and Libya in his country.

Adib-Moghaddam:

We have legitimate govt. voted into power by Venezuelan people

TEHRAN, Feb. 16 (MNA) – Professor Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Chair of the Centre for Iranian Studies at the London Middle East Institute believes that “we have a legitimate government voted into power by the Venezuelan people and the supposed champions of democracy such as the US, but also the so called liberal government of Justin Trudeau in Canada and the European Union call for “re-elections” and/or for Maduro to step down.”

Wildlife biologist:

Success in artificial insemination in Persian leopards may raise hopes for rare big cats

TEHRAN, Feb. 09 (MNA) – Mohammad Farhadinia, a post-doctoral research fellow at University of Oxford, said the new move to use artificial insemination to breed Persian leopards could raise hopes for conservation of big cats.

‘Not enough activity by the Iranian diplomatic missions abroad’

TEHRAN, Feb. 03 (MNA) – Professor Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Chair of the Centre for Iranian Studies at the London Middle East Institute believes that Iranian foreign policies after the revolution are a very good case study for a deeper understanding of IR, one that appreciates the impact of norms and ideas.

‘Warsaw Conference unlikely to result in any practical achievements’

Professor Paul Pillar, who was CIA intelligence analyst for 28 years, told Mehr News that the Trump administration has had to walk back from what it initially hoped to do with the Warsaw's Conference.

No relation between delays in SPV and Iran’s missile program: Nephew

TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (MNA) – The foreign policy expert Richard Nephew is of the opinion that the repetitive delays in the launch of the EU-promised trade financial mechanism outside the SWIFT to save the Iran nuclear deal known as the SPV has nothing to do with Iran's missile power.

‘The most influential intolerant governments of 20th century were atheist’

TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (MNA) – Over centuries, existence of God has attracted attention of philosophers and has as well formed a diverse family of arguments extending from some feature of morality or the moral life to the existence of God, usually understood as a morally good creator of the universe. It has such a key role in human thought that opposing debates and arguments have been continuing until now.

Senior Hamas member:

Netanyahu’s reaction to Nasrallah’s remarks to serve his election campaign

TEHRAN, Jan. 29 (MNA) – A senior Hamas member, Mahmoud al-Zahar, told MNA that if all the countries and powers occupied by the Israelis regime come together, a so-called ‘Last Battle’ will take place, which will put an end to the regime.