Iran dismissed a recent claim by the US Department of State about the Islamic Republic's commitment...
Iran dismissed a recent claim by the US Department of State about the Islamic Republic's commitment...
A former diplomat has cautioned against drawing too close a parallel between the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issues, saying that the recent thaw in Washington-Pyongyang ties should be interpreted in light of the “fundamentally different” status of the two sanctioned countries.
“North Korea’s situation is not comparable to Iran’s at all. There are fundamental differences between the two countries’ situation. North Korea has nothing to lose, but Iran does,” Ali Khorram told the Fararu news website in remarks published on Saturday.
He made the comments in reference to the fact that US President Donald Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a move that abruptly reversed decades of US policy of non-engagement, threats and sanctions toward the isolated country, aimed at preventing it from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
A lawmaker said Turkey started changing its policies on Syria when Iran demonstrated to Ankara that the real reason behind the foreign-backed militancy in the Arab state was tao break up Iraq, Syria and in the long run Turkey itself.
Mohammad Javad Jamali, a member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said that "the Islamic Republic shed light on the US and Israeli motives, as well as those of their regional ally Saudi Arabia, and demonstrated to Turkey that these countries are seeking the secession of Iraq, Syria and Turkey," ICANA reported on Sunday.
The high costs of a direct military confrontation with Iran have deterred any possible Israeli act of aggression, a top military commander said, citing Tehran's growing regional clout.
"The Israeli regime has believed the Islamic Republic's power and will avoid testing it as it will not be able to manage the confrontation with Iran and its costs," Major General Gholam Ali Rashid was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying on Sunday.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have hit a new high following the unprecedented military clashes inside Syria in February.
In recent talks with members of Iran’s parliament, Russian officials expressed their full support for the international nuclear agreement and called for the United States’ compliance with the deal, said a lawmaker.
They also reiterated that it would be unacceptable to make any changes to the accord, as requested by the US administration, Mohammad Javad Jamali told ICANA in an interview published on Saturday.
Jamali, who was part of a delegation visiting the Saratov region in southwestern Russia, said expansion of relations between the two countries, particularly in the economic field, featured in the talks as well.
Cooperation on agriculture projects was one of the main issues discussed with Russian officials, the lawmaker noted.
In a recent meeting with a group of Iranian lawmakers, Indonesia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulrahman Mohamed Fakher highlighted the friendly political ties with Iran and called for the development of economic relations alongside.
He stressed the need to examine and remove the challenges facing economic collaboration between the two countries.
Also, pointing to Iran and Indonesia’s shared views about regional and global affairs, the senior diplomat declared his country’s intention to foster close cooperation with Iran “to help promote a world order based on the principles of freedom and justice”, IRNA reported.
Mahmoud Sadeqi, head of Iran-Indonesia Parliamentary Friendship Group, said that preserving and developing relations with Indonesia is among the top priorities of the Iranian Majlis.
Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has accepted the resignation of Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati as leader of Friday prayers in Tehran, the Leader's official website reported on Sunday. Ayatollah Jannati had earlier offered his resignation in a letter to the Leader after holding the post for 25 years. He thanked Ayatollah Khamenei for his continued support and trust in him throughout the years. The report did not spell out the reasons for his resignation, but it may have been due to an advanced age.
Iran's waste-to-energy plants can now generate 11 megawatts of electricity daily, the managing director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (aka Satba) announced.
"Five WTE plants located in the cities of Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad are currently active, and plans are underway to increase the share of such facilities, following the Energy Ministry's bid to substitute the fossil-fueled power generation with cleaner, environmentally-friendly methods," Mohammad Sadeqzadeh was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry's news portal on Saturday.
A waste-to-energy plant is a waste management facility that combusts wastes to produce electricity. This is being increasingly considered a potential energy diversification strategy.
Iran's engineering MAPNA Group has successfully indigenized an improved design of a highly efficient gas turbine for use in domestic and foreign power stations, an official in the energy enterprise said.
"The efficiency in the new turbine, known as MAP2B, has boosted by 2%, which means 20 million cubic meters less consumption of natural gas per year for every turbine," Morteza Nezamabadi was also quoted as saying by ISNA on Sunday.
"MAP2B capacity has reached 185 megawatts, which is 28 MW more than the previous versions. Moreover, it helps reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, by as much as 40,000 tons," he said.
According to the official, the new version entails major redesign of the turbine’s main components, including new 3D blades and vanes, enhanced cooling and sealing, new base material and coatings, new 3D design for compressor blades, new design for journal-thrust bearing, new mechanical limit, as well as a new design for air filtration.
The second phase of cooperation between the Petrochemical Research and Technology Company, a subsidiary of National Petrochemical Company, and four domestic universities and institutes will start by mid-March.
According to Shana, the Oil Ministry’s official news agency, NPC signed four contracts in the fiscal 2016-17 with Shiraz University, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tarbiat Modares University and the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran to acquire know-how in the petrochemical industry’s upstream and downstream sectors.
“Three of the academic centers have completed the first phase of the projects and the fourth is due to finish work in the next few weeks,” Esmaeil Qanbari, the head of PRTC, said on Saturday. "Based on the contracts, four institutions have been established to carry out research on olefins, propylene, methanol
Jordan selected 45 companies, including France’s Total SA and Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, as finalists to bid for six solar and wind energy power plants with a total capacity of 300 megawatts.
The leaders of France and India reiterated their intention to start work by the end of this year on what could become the world’s largest nuclear power plant, advancing talks that have continued for nearly a decade.
There will be at least one home still welcoming fossil fuels in the face of a growing threat from cleaner resources, according to Royal Dutch Shell Plc.
The fossil fuel industry is putting $1.6 trillion of investment at risk if the world gets its act together and tries to adhere to the climate change targets as part of the Paris Climate Agreement.
From Iran’s total area of 165 million hectares, 50 million hectares are arable, provided there is enough water.
However, in view of the severe water crisis facing the country, only 18.5 million hectares of land (37% of arable land) have gone under the cultivation of different crops, the head of Iranian Soil Science Association said.
“Close to 8.5 million hectares of the total land under cultivation are irrigated and the rest are rain-fed. Due to the water shortage, nearly 32 million hectares of arable land are not cultivated,” Manouchehr Gorji was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
The official added that soil erosion in Iran amounts to 16 tons per hectare, which is way above the global average of 6 tons per hectare.
More than 908 tons of umbrellas worth 50.62 billion rials ($1.54 million) were imported into Iran during the first 10 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2017-Jan. 20), the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration announced.
China, Germany, the UAE, Taiwan, Turkey, France and South Korea were the main countries from where Iran bought umbrellas during the period, Mizan Online reported.
Some $420 million worth of commodities were exported from West Azarbaijan Province in northwest Iran during the first 10 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2017-Jan. 20), showing a 7.7% increase compared with the corresponding period of last year, the head of West Azarbaijan Industries, Mining and Trade Organization said.
“The main export destinations were Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and the littoral states of the Persian Gulf,” Ja’far Sadeq Eskandari was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
West Azarbaijan has five land border crossings, namely Poldasht, Bazargan, Razi, Sarv and Tamarchin. The province borders Turkey, Iraq and Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Iran, Sweden, Finland and Denmark signed a quadrilateral memorandum of understanding for industrial cooperation in Tehran on Sunday. The MoU was signed by Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran’s director general for international affairs, Ali Araqchi; Swedish Ambassador to Iran Helena Sangeland; Finland’s Ambassador to Iran Keijo Norvanto; and Denmark’s Ambassador to Iran Danny Annan, Financial Tribune has learned.
The agreement stipulates that the signing parties will promote collaboration in mega projects in the fields of exploration and production of oil, gas and petrochemicals, high-tech and related services; land, marine and air transportation; renewable energies; manager training; industrial renovation and consultation; steel industry; water and wastewater management and treatment; as well as investment and finance.
Trade between Iran and Slovakia stood at €24.97 million in 2017, registering close to a 16% decline compared with 2016.
Iran’s trade with Slovakia experienced the fifth biggest year-on-year contraction from among the 28-member states of the European Union after Estonia (-59.53% decline), Lithuania (-44%), Hungary (-33.75%) and Malta (-28.2%). Iran exported close to €7.9 million worth of commodities to Slovakia last year, indicating a 19% decline compared with the previous year, based on the latest Eurostat figures shared with Financial Tribune.
Iran’s imports from the European country amounted to close to €17.11 million, showing a 14.45% decline year-on-year. Slovakia’s economic and business sectors are thriving, thanks to the generally positive development of its main trading partners. Economic growth has exceeded 3% and unemployment rates are hitting historical lows, Spectator.sme reported late last year.
Members of the Board of Representatives at Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Trade convened for their last meeting of the current fiscal year (ending March 20) during which they discussed the proposal to improve the country's business climate.
According to ICCIMA's website, the proposal contains nine points and links the current woes to chronic problems plaguing the country's business environment such as corruption, weak rule of law, lack of stability, non-transparent policies and wastage of resources by the government.
The body, which comprises the country's business leaders, has presented the proposal to put right the situation, including the call for a national momentum to root out corruption and rent seeking.
Another point raised by the entity is the need for promoting positive interactions with the outside world and engaging in global trade based on national interests.
Rents for residential units will increase at the same rate as the inflation rate that is currently hovering around 10% in the next fiscal year (starting March 20), the head of Tehran Association of Realtors said. “Rents always depend on home prices and since housing prices are predicted to rise at the same level as the inflation rate or 2% more than inflation, rents will also rise to the same level,” Mostafa Qoli Khosravi also told Fars News website. He added that supply and demand are the other factor influencing rents, in addition to home prices. “So we hope the number of tenants will not increase during the next year,” he said.
Economy Minister Masoud Karbasian said over 70% of the divestitures during the tenure of President Hassan Rouhani have gone to the real private sector as opposed to the previous administration whose privatization performance has been widely criticized.
Karbasian made the announcement at an event on privatization, which focused on Justice Shares, in Tehran on Sunday, which was also attended by First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, Mehr News reported.
“The primary goal of privatization, which includes the payment of Justice Shares, has been to reduce the role of government in the economy and make it people-oriented,” he said.
Justice Shares were launched by the previous government at the height of the privatization process in 2006 to include the lower-income classes in the national wealth by giving them shares of public-sector assets. The shares, however, were not given an official status until recently.
Karbasian added that while most of the privatization in the past was in the form of debt swap, all but two divestitures in the current period has avoided that fate.
The total volume of liquidity was more than 14.63 quadrillion rials ($325.62 billion) by the end of the 10th Iranian month to Jan. 20, the Central Bank of Iran announced.
The monetary and banking sections of the latest report on economic indicators published by the regulator on its official website show that liquidity has had a year-on-year increase of 22.3% as it stood at more than 11.96 quadrillion rials ($266.2 billion) by the end of the 10th month of last year.
After it was confirmed during President Hassan Rouhani’s recent trip to India that Iran’s Bank Pasargad, one of three banks seeking to open branches there, has finally received the green light, the bank has now said it is targeting multiple branches.
“Bank Pasargad is considering the establishment of three [additional] branches in India in the future, which will considerably facilitate the transfer of oil money,” Mostafa Beheshti-Rouy, a board member with the bank, was quoted as saying by IBENA in a press conference on Sunday.
As part of their latest open session on Sunday to discuss the fiscal 2018-19 budget bill, members of parliament designated the areas where resources from the National Development Fund of Iran are allowed to be spent by the government.
From the total of 229 MPs present in the session, 188 voted in favor of this measure.
The administration of President Hassan Rouhani will henceforth be allowed to tap into a total of 143.75 trillion rials ($3.2 billion) of NDFI resources and redirect them to the Treasury during the next fiscal year that begins on March 20, ICANA, the official news portal of the parliament, reported.
The Guardians Council, the body vetting the bills for Sharia and constitutional compliance, has verified that the NDFI funds could be allocated to eight entities to further the goals of the Sixth Five-Year Development Plan (2017-22).
The government is set to clear part of its debt to Social Security Organization by issuing up to 50 trillion rials ($1.1 billion) of debt securities, the first batch of which was issued on the capital market by Amin Investment Bank on Sunday.
The first batch comprised 10 trillion rials ($222.2 million) worth of one-year equity-based Ijarah sukuk bearing 20% interest, backed by Tamin Petroleum & Petrochemical Investment Company’s shares owned by SSO.
This is the first time this type of Islamic debt security is being introduced to the capital market...
Tehran is hosting an Indian exhibition called ‘Source India’ that opened at Milad Tower on Saturday and will conclude on Monday.
“This is perhaps one of the largest business events happening after the very successful state visit of the President of Islamic Republic of Iran, His Excellency Dr. Hassan Rouhani to India,” Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Tehran Devesh Uttam told Financial Tribune in an interview at the expo.
Rouhani’s visit to India from February 15 to 17 this year, his first state visit to India, revolved around furthering economic engagement between the two countries.
Tehran Stock Exchange’s main index lost 566.02 points or 0.59% to end Sunday trade at 96,028.5.
About 735 million shares valued at $42.23 million changed hands at TSE for the day.
Trading at TSE and Iran Fara Bourse starts on Saturday and ends on Wednesday.
Zahravi Pharmaceutical Company incurred the biggest loss among all TSE-listed companies, as it went down 4.99% to 14.266 rials per share.
Nirou Chlor Company was the biggest riser, going up 4.95% to 3,946 rials per share.
From plans to launch cryptocurrencies to the establishment of technoparks and increasing support for startups, Iran’s communication and information technology minister answered questions during an online press conference broadcast via the video streaming service Aparat.
During the conference, Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi also said, “An ICT Tech Park is being established in Mashhad and will be inaugurated in May to nurture the startup environment in the northeastern shrine city.”
The establishment of technology parks has topped President Hassan Rouhani’s agenda since he took office in 2013 and several technoparks have been set up in different provinces.
Azari-Jahromi noted that the startup environment must be nurtured in Iran and authorities should pave the way for the growth of such firms, adding that the ministry has prioritized the establishment of startup accelerators in all provinces.
The minister is of the opinion that in order to boost the growth of startups, the environment must be regulated, stressing that guidelines and incentives will be introduced.
Mobile phones worth $410 million have entered Iran during the 11 months to Feb. 19, indicating a 96% year-on-year increase in cellphone imports in terms of value.
According to data published on the website of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, cellphones were Iran’s 13th biggest import, claiming a 0.86% share of the import bill.
IRICA’s report does not mention the number of cellphones entering Iran during the 11-month period, however earlier reports put the number at 2.6 million.
More than one million students have enrolled to compete in this year’s Concours, Iran’s university entrance exam. Hossein Tavakkoli, a senior advisor at the National Organization for Educational Testing, put the number of students registering for the nationwide exam at 1,011,360, ISNA reported.
While the number of registrations for the test was on a decline until two years ago, statistics show that the turnout has risen in 2017 and 2018.
The figures showed a 7.5% increase in test takers in 2017 and this year grew by 27,000.
The enrollment process takes place in two stages, in February and again in March for students who miss the chance to register the first time around.
The multiple-choice exam is the main way for Iranian students to gain access to higher education. While the seats available outnumber the students, the competition for health-related majors is fierce.
Concours will be held on June 28 and 29, and the results are to be released around mid-August.
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A total of 646 artworks will adorn different districts of Tehran for the third edition of the art project ‘Baharestan’ (literally meaning ‘abode of spring’), in which temporary artworks are placed in different parts of the city to brighten up the capital for marking the arrival of spring and Norouz (the Iranian New Year starting March 21).
Artworks chosen for the project deal with subjects related to New Year’s celebration, Mehr News Agency reported.
According to Mojtaba Mousavi, the cultural deputy of Tehran Beautification Organization, the artworks are classified in four categories, namely environmental art, trove of trees, graffiti and Norouz eggs. The works will be installed before the current Iranian year ends and would remain there till April 20.
Of the ideas submitted to TBO by artists, 101 are for the Environmental Art section that includes street installations and 40 belong to the Trove of Trees section, in which artists will decorate the dead trees of Vali-e-Asr Street.
Turkey-based International Filmmore Women Film Festival on Wheels, March 10- May 10, is hosting a film from Iran in a section named ‘Good Films Make Good Neighbors’.
Films screened in this section are from far and near neighbors of Turkey such as Iran. The Iranian film in the section is Ida Panahandeh’s second feature film ‘Israfil’, Cinematicket.org reported.
A drama, ‘Israfil’ deals with human challenges and needs. The story is about Mahi, a widow mourning the death of her only son. One day she bumps into Behrouz, who she had a crush on years ago. But Behrouz intends to marry someone much younger, and for the grieving Mahi, unhealed emotional wounds reopen after 20 years.
City Theater in Tehran is currently hosting an adaptation of the short story ‘Dash Akol’ by eminent Iranian fiction writer Sadeq Hedayat (1903-51). Dash Akol was translated into English in 1979 by Richard Arnt and Mansur Ekhtiar. The title character is a respected and honorable man who has lost his family’s wealth by helping his friends. He has an enemy, however, named Kaka Rostam, a mean and spiteful person. Dash Akol, who is in his forties, falls in love with Marjan, the daughter of the late Haji Samad whose estate is managed by him. But he keeps his love secret to himself. One day, a suitor seeks Marjan’s hand and Dash Akol considers it against his code of honor to refuse. On the night of the wedding, Dash Akol hands over the responsibility for the family to the bridegroom. As he is leaving the house, however, Kaka Rostam is waiting for him and a fight ensues. Kaka Rostam stabs him in the back, but Dash Akol succeeds in killing him. On his deathbed, Dash Akol sends his parrot to Marjan with the confession of love he has taught it.
Iranian poet Mansour Owji was honored on Sunday at the closing ceremony of the 12th Poetry Book of the Year Award selected by journalists.
Held annually in the final days of the Iranian year (ending March 20), the event pays tribute to celebrated poets for their lifelong contributions, ISNA reported. Born in Shiraz, Owji, 80, received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Tehran and later his Master’s in educational science from Darol-Mo’allemin Markazi (Central House of Teachers), which was the first teacher training institution for primary schools, currently known as Kharazmi University in Karaj. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature.
The registration of foreign publishers interested in participating in the 31st Tehran International Book Fair has started on March 10, its Public Relations Office has announced.
To enroll in the fair, slated for May 2-12, publishers should refer to the event’s website at Tibf.ir.
The book fair has turned into a landmark cultural event of the Middle East and Asia after 30 editions. Publishers from all over the world, along with a large number of domestic participants, attend the exhibition with new titles in different fields.
Veteran painter Ane Mohammad Tatari has displayed ‘Recent Works’ at Etemad Art Gallery.
People of various colors and cultures are the highlights of the artist’s paintings. He has painted “people living in freedom and peace, in a world where humans are treated with respect, regardless of their ethnicity, color, language and religion”, Tatari, 62, said in a note released for the exhibit, Honaronline reported.
“This is the most fundamental wish commonly harbored by people of the world and I’ve tried to reflect it in my works,” the statement added.
Calligrapher Milad Shams has set up an exhibition of his works at Mehr-Maryam Gallery.
Titled ‘Winter,’ the solo exhibit opens on Monday and will run through April 20, Gallery Info reported.
Calligraphies featured at the exhibit are in Nasta’liq, which is among the most fluid calligraphic styles with short vertical and long horizontal strokes.
The venue is located at No. 1, 3rd floor, Shabtab Alley in Qeytarieh.
The opening ceremony is from 5 to 8 p.m., but on other days, the gallery will allow visitors from 4 to 8 p.m.
Painter Mohammad Reza Zohourian, 59, is holding a solo exhibit named ‘Some Partly Fade’.
Farmanfarma Art Gallery is playing host to the exhibition that features a new series of the artist’s abstract expressionistic paintings, Gallery Info reported.
“Paintings on display are depiction of the artist’s partly faded memories that still convey some emotions. Zohourian has thus created a nostalgic world of sweet memories for visitors to indulge in,” the statement marking the exhibit noted.
The show runs through March 18 at the gallery located on 2nd A’rabi Street, North Kheradmand Street, Karim Khan Avenue. Visiting hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Fajr International Film Festival plans to launch an English website as the digital encyclopedia on Iranian cinema, concurrent with the start of the 36th edition of FIFF in April.
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The economy of Gaza, a Palestinian enclave of two million people sandwiched between the Zionist regime of Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean, is “all but dead”, said Maher Tabba, an official at the territory’s Chamber of Commerce.
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