TEHRAN, May 21--Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Monday the Iranian nation’s resistance and optimism is due to their high Basiji (volunteering) morale.
Addressing thousands of Basiji university students, Ayatollah Khamenei said because of the same morale, the Iranian nation and the Islamic system have been successful in confronting the US, IRNA reported.
The leader noted that the University Student Basij is in close contact with the academics and also relies on the Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps (IRGC), which is the symbol of bravery and revolutionary resistance.
However, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that the reliance of university student Basij on IRGC does not mean that it is a military institution nor does it restrict Basij’s activities in universities.
“The University Student Basij’s reliance on IRGC enables the former to benefit from the experiential and Jihadi achievements, as well as discipline of IRGC,“ he said.
Referring to thought, analysis and intellect as prerequisites of the Basij body, the leader stressed that by engaging in theoretical work in different fields, this institution should advance by avoiding factionalism and benefiting from dynamic and innovative thoughts.
Asked by a student about how a student Basiji should deal with political issues, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that Basiji university students cannot be indifferent toward political issues.
“Basiji university students should remain energetic and avoid conservatism,“ he said.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (r) is welcomed by his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, May 21. (Fars Photo)

MINSK, Belarus,
May 21--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday said the current level of cooperation between Iran and Belarus is very good and Iran attaches special importance to expansion of ties with Belarus.
Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, IRNA reported.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran and Belarus share common and clear stands on international developments,“ he said, noting that Iran and Belarus both stay away from unilateralism in international relations.
“The exchange of visits between the two sides’ officials has had a positive impact on expansion of mutual ties,“ he said.
“Relations between Tehran and Minsk are based on friendship, justice and moderation, which could be further promoted.“
Ahmadinejad also said there are suitable grounds for expansion of mutual cooperation in the fields of energy, commerce, transportation and joint investments.
“Adopting independent stands on international developments would arouse antagonism and opposition, and this requires both Iran and Belarus to exercise greater vigilance,“ he said.
The president expressed hope that his visit to Belarus and meetings with the country’s high-ranking officials would help deepen mutual relations.
“During our discussions, once again it was proved that the two sides share very close stands on regional and international developments and that grounds are prepared for the expansion of mutual ties,“ he said.
The Belarusian president, for his part, voiced satisfaction with the current visit of his Iranian counterpart to Belarus and hoped that mutual relations would be further consolidated.
“The visit of Iranian president proves to what extent Iran attaches importance to expansion of ties with Belarus,“ he said, adding that Belarus is willing to have strategic cooperation with Iran.
“Since Iran and Belarus share common stances on international issues such as the need to set up a just global system, we are to study the issues beneficial to the two sides.“
Lukashenko declared that given its glorious historical and economic backgrounds, Iran could turn into a global center.
“We hope Iranian investors will make more investments in Belarusian oil, gas and industrial sectors,“ he said, expressing his country’s willingness to broaden cooperation with Iranian industrialists.
Lukashenko noted that Iran is a very powerful country and Belarus is determined to increase the current level of trade exchanges with that country.
“We hope your current visit to Belarus would help us deepen and broaden our mutual cooperation,“ he told the Iranian president.

TEHRAN, May 21--Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said on Monday the incumbent Iranian ambassador in the United Nations, Mohammad Javad Zarif might be replaced by Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Khazaei.
During a visit to the Islamic Students News Agency, Hosseini noted that since Zarif’s five-year term in office is coming to an end, Khazaei is considered a suitable successor, ISNA reported.
Khazaei also heads Iran’s Foreign Investment, Economic and Technical Aid Organization.
The spokesman visited different sections of ISNA and talked with its editorial staff about the agency’s policies, strategies and activities. He also answered questions, criticisms and proposals raised by the ISNA staff.
Hosseini also responded to the queries of ISNA’s political correspondents regarding several policy issues.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 21--An Iranian official elaborated on ratifications of the recent meeting of Economic Cooperation Organization on Monday.
Parviz Karami, the head of Iran’s Cultural Experts Delegation, told Mehr News Agency that Iran’s proposals in the field of arts & handicrafts, communications & media and tourism & sport were approved by cultural experts and they will be discussed in ECO’s ministerial meeting.
Commenting on the proposals, he pointed out that the establishment of an association of ECO radios and televisions was approved by the ECO experts.
“The first meeting of the heads of radios and televisions of ECO member-states will be held in Tehran in July. The ECO cultural experts proposed establishment of the ECO radio and television body in the meeting,“ he said.
Iran also proposed holding the Norouz Artistic Festival, which was also approved in the meeting.
Referring to the manner of holding the festival, Karami said the festival should be held in one of the ECO member-states during the Norouz holiday (March 21-April 2) every year.
“The first Norouz Artistic Festival will be held in Islamabad next year,“ he said, adding that the festival aims to boost the spirit of interaction among the ECO member-states.
“Establishment of ECO parks in ECO capital cities was another proposal put forward by the ECO members,“ he said.
The official noted that the first such park will be established in Tehran’s Niavaran district and cultural products, as well as cultural and handicraft products of ECO member-states, will be displayed in these parks.
“The ECO experts also proposed adding a special section for ECO films in the Fajr International Film Festival which was approved,“ he said.
Karami added that training young filmmakers of ECO member-states in Tehran, establishment of the Association of ECO Filmmakers and making films on the cultural personalities and common cultural heritage of ECO member-states were also approved.
“Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Mohammad Hossein Saffar Harandi proposed the establishment of the fund for supporting ECO artistic and cultural activities and as the first move Iran paid $2 million as membership fee to the fund,“ he said.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 21--Lebanese troops pounded a Palestinian refugee camp with artillery and tank fire for a second day Monday, raising huge palls of smoke as they battled a militant group suspected of ties to Al-Qaeda in the worst eruption
of violence since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.
Nearly 50 combatants were killed in the first day of fighting on Sunday, but it was not known how many civilians have been killed inside the Nahr Al-Bared camp on the outskirts of the northern port city of Tripoli, the scene of the worst violence, AP reported.
Palestinian officials in the camp reported at least nine civilians were killed on Monday, along with 40 wounded. The figures could not be confirmed because emergency workers or security officials have not been able to get in.
The fierce fighting resumed after a brief truce that allowed the evacuation of 18 wounded civilians, according to Saleh Badran, an official with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
The battle was an unprecedented showdown between the Lebanese Army and militant groups that have arisen in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camps, which are home to tens of thousands of people living amid poverty and crime, and which Lebanese troops are not allowed to enter.
The troops were fighting a group called Fatah Al-Islam, whose leader has said he is inspired by Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and was training militants to carry out attacks in other countries. Lebanese officials have also accused Syria of using Fatah Al-Islam to stir up trouble in Lebanon, a charge Damascus has denied.
Lebanese officials said one of the men killed Sunday was a suspect in a failed German train bombing--another indication the camp had become a refuge for Fatah Al-Islam militants planning attacks outside of Lebanon.
In the past, others affiliated with the group in the camp have said they were aiming to send trained fighters into Iraq and the group’s leader has been linked to Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Hundreds of Lebanese Army troops, backed by tanks and armored carriers, surrounded the refugee camp Monday. M-48 battle tanks unleashed their cannon fire on the camp, home to 30,000 Palestinian refugees. The militants fired mortars toward the troops at daybreak.
A spokesman for Fatah Al-Islam, Abu Salim, warned that if the army bombardment did not stop, the militants would step up attacks by rockets and artillery “and would take the battle outside Tripoli“.
Lebanese security officials said Fatah Al-Islam has up to 100 members who come from Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Syria, as well as local sympathizers who belong to the extremist Salafi branch of Islam.

TEHRAN, May 21--Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday Iran welcomes talks without any precondition to remove any possible ambiguity and concerns over diversion in Iranian nuclear program.
Speaking to Iranian Al-Alam TV channel, Mottaki added that Iran has expressed its readiness to hold nuclear talks.
“We are completely flexible to reach a comprehensive understanding within the framework of regulations. The Iranian government cannot afford to ignore the nation’s right to produce nuclear energy. In fact, the Iranian people do not permit the government and officials to do so,“ he said.
The foreign minister noted that talks would focus on guaranteeing that no diversion in the peaceful program takes place, expressing hope the opposite side would also reciprocate the same determination.
“All resolutions recognized Iran’s right to possess nuclear technology for peaceful purposes which indicate that based on international regulations, the Iranian nation’s right cannot be denied,“ he said.
Mottaki stressed that none of the reports from UN nuclear agency has mentioned any possible diversion in Iran’s nuclear program.
“Based on the UN Charter, the Security Council cannot adopt resolutions to deprive states of their legal rights,“ he said.
“We insist on our legal rights and express our clear and explicit demand based on rights and regulations.“
The minister pointed out that in the 34th session of the foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference, recently held in Islamabad, 57 Muslim states issued a resolution supporting Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
The conference discussed the critical situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the recent aggressions of the Zionist regime on the Gaza Strip.

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