Busy week of diplomacy in Tehran

Iran media imagery of diplomacy being conducted during the past week in Tehran:

President of Iraq Faud Masum (L) with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), dated 24NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

Left to right: First Vice President of Iran Eshaq Jahangiri, Prime Minister of Algeria Abdelmalek Sellal and Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), dated 24NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

President of Bolivia Evo Morales (L) with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), dated 24NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (L) with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), dated 23NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari (L) with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), dated 23NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro (L) with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), dated 23NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin (L) with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), dated 23NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin (L) with President of Iran Hassan Rouhani (R), dated 23NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov (L) with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R), dated 24NOV15 on sidelines of GECF in Tehran.

President of Bolivia Evo Morales (L) with with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) on 24NOV15 in Tehran

Foreign Minister of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn (L) with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) on 24NOV15 in Tehran

Group photo of leaders and ministers attending third Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Tehran

Maja Gojkovic, President of the National Assembly of Serbia with Ali Larijani, Speaker of Parliament of Iran, dated 23NOV15 in Tehran

Maja Gojkovic, President of the National Assembly of Serbia, with Eshaq Jahangiri, First Vice President of Iran, dated 23NOV15 in Tehran.

Maja Gojkovic, President of the National Assembly of Serbia, with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of Iran, dated 23NOV15 in Tehran.

Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov (L) with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of Iran, dated 23NOV15 in Tehran.

Crispin Blunt, head of the Foreign Relations Committee of the British Parliament, with Ali Larijani, Speaker of Parliament of Iran, dated 21NOV15 in Tehran

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency, Khamenei.ir and Ali Abbaspour at Fars News Agency

Putin meets with Khamenei in Tehran, on sidelines of GECF

President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin (L) with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R), on 23NOV15 in Tehran.

According to Reuters, dated 23NOV15:

Iran's supreme leader, at a meeting with Russian President Putin in Tehran on Monday, said U.S. policies in the region were a threat to both countries and called for closer ties between Tehran and Moscow.

"The Americans have a long-term plot and are trying to dominate Syria and then the whole region...This is a threat to all countries, especially Russia and Iran," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said at the meeting on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit in Tehran, according to the state news agencies.

"The United states is trying to achieve its failed military objectives in Syria now through political means," he added, referring to proposed peace talks to end the civil war in Syria.

COMMENTARY: Iranian media depictions of meetings between Khamenei and world leaders non-aligned with the U.S.-led security order remain persistently anti-American in tone and substance, even after signage of JCPOA. To a certain extent, this latest depiction may be related to Iran's diplomatic reversal with the recent UNGA resolution condemning Iranian-backed intervention participations in the Syrian conflict.

Currently Russia Federation and Islamic Republic of Iran are engaged in aligned military interventions with Syrian Arab Republic, in the Syrian conflict.

Present at the meeting between Khamenei and Putin, left to right:
- Dr. Mahmoud Vaezi, Iranian Minister of Communication
- Sergey Lavrov, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs

Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri (L) with President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin (R)

Gift offered by Vladimir Putin to Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei

Khamenei inspects Putin's gift: a replica of the oldest Koran in existence possessed by the Russian Federation

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency

First Iran Hajj Stampede Dead Flown Home (2)

Iran media imagery of remains of Iranian victims of the 2015 Mina stampede, returned to Iran on 03OCT15:

Aircraft transporting victims to Tehran - Mehrabad International Airport (THR) is IRIG Boeing 707-3J9C, reg. EP-AJD / 1002 (cn 21124/910). This venerable VIP aircraft went through overhaul and four-engine replacement in 2013, with updated livery also applied.

What appears to be IRIAF aircrew of EP-AJD, veteran captains and first lieutenants, and an IRGC first lieutenant

Artesh presidential honor guard serve as pallbearers during solemn transport procession

Looking upon the transport procession, left to right:
- First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri Kouhshahi
- Speaker of Parliament Ali Ardashir Amoli Larijani
- President Hassan Rouhani
- Chief Justice Ayatollah Sadeq Ardeshir Amoli Larijani
- Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Mohammadi-Golpayegani, Leader of Islamic Revolution chief of staff

In attendance: Basij Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi

COMMENTARY: According to Wikipedia, on 24SEP15 an overcrowding situation caused the death of at least over 1,223 people who suffocated or were crushed to death during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Mecca. The incident happened at the intersection of streets 204 and 223 leading up to Jamaraat Bridge. The death toll is expected to rise since there are about 1,200 people still missing, and over 900 injured. Some of the injured were placed in induced comas. The official Saudi figures say that at least 769 were killed and 934 others injured due to the stampede, though other sources have estimated the death toll to be much higher. It was the deadliest accident to occur in the Hajj since the 1990 disaster that killed 1,426 people.

Of the victims of the 2015 Mina Stampede incident, more than 450 were Iranian.

On 29SEP15, it was reported King Salman of Saudi Arabia congratulated Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, on the “success of the Hajj.”

Iraqi Prime Minister, Army Chief of Staff and PMF leader in Tehran

Commentary on Iran media imagery depicting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's state visit to Tehran on 17JUN15:

Iraqi prime minister delegation arrived at Tehran -Mehrabad International Airport on 17JUN15 at 07:55 hrs. They would depart for Baghdad International Airport same day, at 17:44 hrs.

Aircraft is Iraqi Airways Being 737-81Z, reg. YI-ASF (cn 40105), a recent construction delivered to Iraq on 17DEC13.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reviews Iranian honor guard, with Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri. Ground transport for the prime minister appears to be late model Mercedes-Benz S-class.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi meets with Iran Navy Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran. It should be noted Shamkhani held a previous post as IRGC-N commander.

The Iraqi prime minister appears much more cordial with his hosts then on his previous visit to Tehran, which took place not long after he was selected for his post based primarily on American preferences at the time.

The Iraqi prime minister's visit came the same day that USSECDEF Ash Carter told a congressional hearing the United States called for a "greater commitment" from Iraq's government in the fight against ISIL, as it lamented Baghdad's failure to deliver enough soldiers for training and underscored the need to empower Sunni tribesmen.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s Speaker of Parliament Salim al-Jabouri is in the United States to rally military support for Sunni forces, seeking assistance with arming a Sunni force to include up to 10,000 recruits from local tribes and other groups.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi gestures approvingly towards Iraqi Deputy Chairman of Popular Mobilization Committee Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, as the latter shakes hands with Iranian Presdient Hassan Rouhani.

Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis is a PMF field commander and former Kata'ib Hezbollah commander, more recently participating in the Second Battle of Tikrit. He remains designated a terrorist by USG for armed resistance activities directed against the preceding U.S. military occupation, and before that was assisted by IRGC in efforts targeting the Baath regime of Saddam Hussein.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi meets with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei

Among those seated in the room with SL Khamenei and PM Abadi is General Babakir Zebari, chief of staff of the Iraqi Army (outfitted in civvies, fourth from left).

General Zebari, an ethnic Kurd, spent a period of exile in Iran some thirty years ago, followed by periods of Iranian-assisted efforts against Saddam Hussein and Baath regime.

A seldom seen expand view of hall where Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei appears photographed with visiting foreign dignitaries.

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency