Iran: President-Elect Vows Transparency over Nuclear Issues

President-elect Hassan Rouhani has called for more transparency and mutual trust between Iran and the West over its disputed nuclear programme during his first news conference since Friday's election.

Mr Rouhani described international sanctions imposed on his country over the issue as "unfair" even as he told reporters Tehran would not suspend its uranium enrichment activities - a key stumbling block in the continuing talks between Tehran and world powers. .

During the conference on Monday, he said, "Our nuclear programmes are completely transparent. But, we are ready to show greater transparency and make clear for the whole world that the steps of the Islamic Republic of Iran are completely within international frameworks."

He added that his government would work towards "constructive interaction with the world", thanking Iranians for "choosing moderation".

He explained that efforts to end continuing fighting in Syria and restore stability must rest with "the Syrian people" and that the economy would be his main priority.

According to him, relations between Iran and the US were "an old wound that needs to be healed".

Iran has been the target of four rounds of UN sanctions and numerous UN Security Council resolutions calling on it to cease enrichment work.

Over the past few years, the West has suspected Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons. However, Iran has defended its programme, claiming it is entirely peaceful

The new Iranian president, who is seen as moderate compared with the other five contenders, has sparked the interests of Western powers, who have given indications that they are willing to strengthen their poor relations with the Islamic republic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Hassan Rouhani on winning the election, adding that he believes Rouhani will work hard in order to strengthen Russian-Iranian relations.

Kabul Airport Attack Neutralized by Afghan Forces

According to officials of the Afghanistan Interior Ministry, the coordinated attack on the Kabul international airport by armed men numbering seven has been neutralized by Afghan forces on Monday.

The attack, which Taliban had earlier claimed responsibility, was aimed at the Kabul international airport, which is also housing a NATO-run military base. However, the Taliban insurgents took up positions in a building that was under construction.  

Although, it began in the wee hours of the morning around 4.30am local time on Monday, exchanges of gunfire continued for hours, with explosions erupting from the airport.

Correspondents of several news outlets were at the scene of the incident, with comments indicating that the Afghan forces took control of the situation gallantly without international intervention.

Chief of Kabul police Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said, “There were seven assailants…two died detonating their explosives and five others were killed in fighting.”

He added that there were no civilian or military casualties.

There were reports indicating that the American Embassy sounded its “duck-and-cover” alarm while sounding a warning through loudspeakers that the alarm was not a drill. Similarly, the British Embassy sounded their alarms.

All national and international flights had been cancelled, according to Yacoub Rasul, general manager of Kabul international airport.

Only last month, there was an intense gunfight between Afghan security forces and Taliban insurgents for hours in Kabul after a big explosion rocked the city.

It will be recalled that the Taliban had initially launched a “spring offensive” in April, which was targeted at diplomatic areas, foreign troops, and military bases in Afghanistan.

Suicide Bombing near Iraq Place of Worship Kills a Dozen

There have been reports of a suicide bombing targeted at a Shia place of worship (known as a husseiniyah) in Kirkuk, northern Iraq on Thursday, leading to the deaths of at least 12 people.

According to eyewitness accounts, the suicide bomber had attempted to gain entrance to the al-Zahraa husseiniyah. Realizing that he couldn’t carry out his attack due to the refusal by the police to let him in, he detonated the explosives at the entrance, killing at least 12 people and wounding 18 others.

A senior police officer said that family members of victims from a spate of bomb blasts that had occurred the day before were at the husseiniyah receiving condolences at the time of the attack.

Only on Wednesday, six people were brutally killed in a car bomb explosion in Sadr City with about 17 others wounded. Then, another attack saw the deaths of three people, with nine others wounded, according to reports by the medical officials.

The attacks have been blamed on the unending Sectarian dispute occurring between the Sunni minority, and the Shiites majority, of which the Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is a member. Accusations have been passed around, most especially at Nuri’s regime for targeting the Sunni community wrongly

UN Peacekeepers Released after Capture in Golan

Four UN peacekeepers that were captured and held against their will for almost a week in Golan have been freed by a Syrian rebel group known as the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade.

Only last Tuesday, the peacekeepers, who were serving in the UN Disengagement Observer Force, were captured in Golan, near Jamlah town.

Although the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility for hold the peacekeepers, they defended themselves claiming that they did it to “secure and protect” the men from getting killed in the shelling carried out by Assad’s security forces.

 
It was learnt that the four peacekeepers of Philippine origins have been transferred to Israel shortly after their release. 

Sharif Claims Early Victory in May 11 Elections

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif, have declared victory in the historic general elections that was held on Saturday, May 11.

There was a huge turnout of about 60 percent of over 86 million eligible voters at the polling stations, amid threats of unending violence from the Pakistani Taliban.

The Election Commission praised the Pakistanis who came out to vote, citing that the turnout was the highest since 1977, despite the wave of violence that had at least 30 people killed in a series of gun and suicide attacks at polling stations across the country.

 
According to preliminary results, Sharif’s party took a promising lead, making it an assurance that he will be on the seat of power for a third time. But, the majorit

Sharif addressed his supporters at his campaign headquarters in Lahore, saying that the party thanks Allah for the opportunity to serve Pakistan again.

“Through this vote and campaign, I have felt how much love Pakistan has for me. And I have twice as much love for you.”

He added, “Thank God that he has given us the chance to help you to help Pakistan, to help the young people. We will fulfill all the promises that we have made.”

Policy director at Just Foreign Policy rights organization, Robert Naiman said that the success of MPL-N and Imran Khan’s Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI) may be in part because they made changing Pakistan’s strained relationship with the US a key plank in their campaigns.

He predicted that Pakistanis are unhappy with the “perception of subservience, the premendously unpopular drone strikes. And that we will see change in that direction under the Sharif government with Khan as the main opposition party.”

Sharif has urged Pakistanis to pray for a government that can be made theirs without compromises. He explained that a strong government cannot be made if they have to ask for seats, adding that his party would settle their differences.

 
“We forgive anyone who has abused us along the way, and we have not cursed anyone. We want to get Pakistan out of trouble. We have a program to change the state of Pakistan. We must make a decision to change this country…. To other parties, I say come and sit at the table,” he said