Short News Digest for Friday, July 27, 2018. A collection of the most important news from Iran and around the world on the fifth day of Mordad 1397.
Renault Leaves Iran: Renault, which previously stated it would not leave the Iranian market, now says it will withdraw due to U.S. sanctions. The French automaker's alternative target markets are African countries.
Longest Lunar Eclipse of the 21st Century Tonight: The longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century will occur tonight, July 27, and will be visible in Iran. This eclipse will begin at 9:45 PM Tehran time, reaching its maximum at 12:51 AM, lasting 6 hours and 14 minutes, with a totality of 103 minutes. The eclipse will end at 3:58 AM Saturday Tehran time.
BRICS Leaders Discuss Iran's Nuclear Program: The final day of the annual BRICS summit, which includes China, India, Brazil, Russia, and South Africa, was held behind closed doors in Johannesburg. According to Itar-Tass, the leaders discussed regional issues including Iran's nuclear program and the Syrian war. No further details were released. Previously, reports indicated that the main focus of this year's BRICS leaders' meeting was the potential risks from the trade war with the U.S.
Iranian Military Official: Continuation of Energy Transfer from the Persian Gulf Depends on Security Provided by the Islamic Republic: Habibollah Sayyari, Deputy Coordinator of the Islamic Republic Army, stated that Iran is capable of ensuring security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the continuation of energy transfer from the Persian Gulf to outside the region depends on security provided by Iran. He emphasized that there is no need for others to ensure security in the Persian Gulf, as Iran can secure its own region. Additionally, Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard, warned that the Red Sea is no longer safe for U.S. forces.
Defense Attorney of the Third Defendant in the Samaneh Al-Hojaj Case: My Client is Not Banned from Leaving: Behrouz Safari, the defense attorney for the third defendant in the 'Samaneh Al-Hojaj' case, told Tasnim news agency that his client learned of his accusation after his name was published in the media. Recently, Abolfazl Mirali and his wife, Robabeh Ebrahimi, were identified as the first and second defendants, while a person named 'M.R.', identified by the media as Mehdi Ramazani, was mentioned as the third defendant who is 'fugitive'. However, Behrouz Safari stated that his client will attend the next court session, is not banned from leaving, and has not been formally charged.
Engineering Organization's Proposal to Prevent 'Additional Selling': One week after the Minister of Roads and Urban Development criticized the phenomenon of 'additional selling' in building permits, the Engineering Organization announced it has prepared several proposals to combat this issue. Farajollah Rajabi, head of the Central Council of the Engineering Organization of Iran, told IRNA that several guidelines have been prepared, including 'the establishment of supervising engineers on projects as resident engineers'.
Bakers' Union Protests Government's Proposed Bread Price Increase: Asghar Pabraj, head of the Sangak Bakers' Union, stated that the government has finally proposed a 10% increase in bread prices after four years, which he rejected as unacceptable. He mentioned that bakers propose increasing the price of each Sangak bread from 800 tomans to 1200 tomans, noting that the government's inaction in recent years has led to a decline in bread quality.
Minister of Energy: Only One-Quarter of the Country's Wastewater is Treated: Reza Ardakanian, Minister of Energy, noted that 4.3 billion cubic meters of wastewater is produced in Iran, but only one-quarter of this amount is treated. He emphasized that Iran is a water-scarce country and that treated wastewater is the most reliable water source, yet only about one billion cubic meters of it is currently utilized.
Average Price of Housing in Tehran Reaches About 7 Million Tomans: The Central Bank of Iran published a report on the housing market in Tehran for July, indicating that the price per square meter of housing reached 6,970,000 tomans, reflecting a 54.2% increase compared to the previous year.
U.S. Agency Report on Recent Cyber Attacks by Iran: The U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center (ONCIX) reported on recent cyber espionage activities by Iran, Russia, and China against U.S. entities. The report highlighted a cyber attack by the Iranian group 'Rocket Kitten' against U.S. defense companies, aiming to steal sensitive military technologies for Iran's missile program. It also mentioned another Iranian group, 'OilRig', which had previously attacked Saudi Arabian computers and attempted to infiltrate U.S. financial institutions. Another Iranian group, APT33, conducted attacks on U.S. energy companies to enhance Iran's petrochemical technology.