اخبار ایران به زبان انگلیسی ( Iran News )

[Persia1]

Iran slides down FIFA rankings

Iran slides down FIFA rankings

Iran has dropped one place to 49 in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Thursday.
Iran went down one spot with 613 points in the ranking. The Persians are second among the Asian teams behind Japan.

Japans dropped two places to 44th while Uzbekistan and South Korea have moved up two places each to 55th and 56th respectively.

Longtime leader Spain remains atop the FIFA rankings, followed by Germany, Argentina, Colombia and Belgium.

The next FIFA World Ranking will be issued on November 28.




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[Persia1]

Iranian films honored at Baghdad festival

Iranian films honored at Baghdad festival

TEHRAN -- Three Iranian films have won prizes in various sections of the 5th Baghdad International Film Festival.
“The Last Winter” by Salem Salavati shared the jury special prize with “Death Triangle” by Adnan Osman from Iraq in the feature film competition section during the closing ceremony of the event on October 10.

“The Last Winter” tells the story of a family who is unable to change and to come to terms with a tragedy as their village in the Iranian Kordestan region is being submerged by a dam.

The first prize in this section went to “Delirium”, a Ukrainian-Czech joint production by Ihor Podolchak.
“Romancing Sydney” by Australian director Anmol Mishra won the second prize.

“A Look towards the Sky”, a documentary on a rainmaking ritual in the Iranian town of Dehdash in Kohkiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad Province by Hadi Mohaqqeq won the first prize in the documentary film section.

The second award in this section was presented to “On the Bridge” by Olivier Morel from France.

“Spoon”, Iranian director Jalal Veisi’s short documentary on child abuse in a region near the Iranian city of Sanadaj and “Beirut-Mulholland, 150,000 Miles” by Palestinian director Fajr Jacob shared the second prize in the Human Images section.

The first prize in this section was presented to “Small Small Thing” by Jessica Vale of the United States of America.

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[Persia1]

Iraq set to sign new contract on importing Iranian gas: Shahristani

Iraq set to sign new contract on importing Iranian gas: Shahristani

DAEGU, South Korea (Platts) — Iraq is set to sign a new contract covering gas imports from Iran, Iraqi deputy prime minister Hussain al-Shahristani said this week.
Shahristani, speaking on the sidelines of the World Energy Congress in Daegu, South Korea, also said a gas pipeline being built between Iran and Iraq could become operational sometime in November.

Iraq already has a four-year agreement with Iran, signed in July this year, for the supply of 850,000 Mcf/d of Iranian gas to Iraq's Mansuriya power plant in Diyala province and the Quds and Sadr plants in Baghdad province.

"In Iraq we have signed contracts with Iran to import gas for our power generations stations in the central part of the country. We are about to sign another contract to import Iranian gas in the south of the country," he said, giving no other details of the new contract.

"These are short-term contracts just to give us time to run new power stations on gas till other oil production is increased to a point where we have sufficient associated gas to be used for domestic needs," Shahristani said.

"The pipeline that we have already signed for is under construction," he said. "It should have been finished by July last year and now they tell us it will be ready next month."

Shahristani said Iraq could begin exporting gas after 2018-20. "There will be some gas available for export. All our neighbors, with the exception of Iran, have asked Iraq to supply them with gas. The European Union has asked us to supply Europe with gas," he said.

"However that Iraqi gas, the surplus gas will be available for perhaps 5-10 years. Beyond that, as our economy develops, as our local consumption increases, we will have to see if we find new gas fields. Then we can keep our exports of gas. If not there will be more of it for domestic needs."

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[Persia1]

Iran says it welcomes efforts to promote security in region

Iran says it welcomes efforts to promote security in region

TEHRAN – Tehran welcomes any initiative which can help promote security in regional countries, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Wednesday.
Her remarks came after Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay accused Iran of trying to disrupt the peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

According to Press TV, Atalay on Monday claimed that most factors that have spawned and fed terrorism in Turkey come from outside the borders of that country.

He also referred to the peace process between the Turkish government and the PKK, alleging that the Turkish government has reliable information which indicates a link between some foreign countries and the top PKK brass aimed at derailing the peace process.

Iran believes that promotion of security in Turkey will positively affect security in Iran and the entire region, she noted.

Afkham added that making false claims cannot resolve internal problems.

“Relations between Iran and Turkey are based on mutual respect and trust and that Tehran’s cooperation with Ankara has been a key factor in reducing security problems in Turkey,” she stated.

“This cooperation reflects Iran’s goodwill to expand ties with Turkey.”

She went on to say that unfortunately these remarks have come at a time when the two countries are preparing to hold meetings at the level of high-ranking officials.

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[Persia1]

Dust from Iraq puts 4 Iranian cities among world’s 10 most polluted

Dust from Iraq puts 4 Iranian cities among world’s 10 most polluted

TEHRAN - A day after the World Health Organization published a report linking air pollution to lung cancer, the business news website Quartz has put together a list of the most polluted cities in the world, of which four are in Iran.
Dust, mostly originating from Iraq, is one of the prime factors behind the pollution in these Iranian cities.

Based on data compiled by the WHO, Quartz republished a list, which originally came out this spring, which should be regarded as an important warning, given the reports on the link between air pollution and lung cancer.

The city of Ahwaz, in southwestern Iran, stands at the top of the list. With a population of more than three million, it is the capital of Khuzestan Province, which produces most of Iran’s oil. Like the other cities on the WHO’s top ten list, it is a center of heavy industry.

The Iranian cities of Sanandaj, Kermanshah and Yasouj are also included in the list, and like Ahwaz, all continue to suffer heavy dust storms, mostly coming from neighboring Iraq.

The ten most polluted cities in the world, ranked by the amount of airborne particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter per cubic meter of outdoor air, are: Ahwaz of Iran, Ulaanbaatar of Mongolia, Sanandaj of Iran, Ludhiana of India, Quetta of Pakistan, Kermanshah of Iran, Peshawar of Pakistan, Gaborone of Botswana, Yasouj of Iran, and Kanpur of India.




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[Persia1]

Iran has the political will to reach a win-win deal: Rouhani

Iran has the political will to reach a win-win deal: Rouhani

TEHRAN – Iran has the necessary political will to strike a win-win deal with the six major powers to resolve the decade-old dispute over its nuclear program, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday.
“We believe that in the current situation, a win-lose game can never be successful, and we should all think about a win-win game. The Islamic Republic of Iran has the necessary political will to accomplish this,” Rouhani said at a meeting with Switzerland's new ambassador to Tehran, Giulio Haas.

“I believe that at the Geneva meeting, others became aware of the political will of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added.

Rouhani was referring to the talks that Iran held with the six major powers (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, known as the 5+1 group) in Geneva on October 15 and 16.

The Iranian president also said, “The Swiss government has the potential to serve as more than a host and to take the steps necessary to advance the talks.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani condemned the sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program, saying, “We hope effective steps will be taken to resolve these problems.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will make every effort to prove to the international community that all its measures are legal and that it has nothing to conceal,” he added.

He also expressed hope that the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which hosts the U.S. Interests Section in Iran, would convey Iran’s goodwill to the United States.

The Swiss ambassador, for his part, said that he would make efforts to expand relations between Tehran and Bern.

Rouhani also received the credentials of the new Cuban ambassador on Saturday.



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[Persia1]

Survey researching name of Imam Ali (AS) in Islamic Iranian architecture published

Survey researching name of Imam Ali (AS) in Islamic Iranian architecture published

A survey, which shows designs of the name of Imam Ali (AS) in the Islamic Iranian architecture, has recently been published.
“The Name of Ali (AS) in Islamic Iranian Architecture” has been published by Arma, a publishing company in Isfahan, the Research Center for Culture, Art and Relations, which sponsored the study project, announced on Friday.

The study has been carried out by a team of 55 experts led by Gholamhossein Memarian.

“The appearance of the name on the bodies, covers, and the arabesques of structures reflects the belief the people of this great land have had in this great man of history,” Memarian wrote in the preface to book.

The designs have been created with bricks, tiles, plaster, colors, stones, earthenware, and wood or mixtures of these materials.

“Even when Shiism had not been declared the official religion of Iran, this sacred name adorned numerous buildings in this land,” he added.

Memarian said that the book is comprehensive and added, “By travelling to the great Khorasan, Samarkand, Bukhara, and some cities in Afghanistan including Herat, we can add more examples to the designs the book contains.”




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[Persia1]

Foreign investors eying return to Iran oil market

Foreign investors eying return to Iran oil market

TEHRAN - Iran is preparing to capitalize on improved relations with the West through floating a huge incentive - the prospect of giving Western investors access to the country's vast oil and gas reserves.
Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has been sending signals that the new spirit of openness being displayed by Iranian officials could extend to Iran's energy market.

In recent weeks, he has touted the competitive advantages of extracting oil and gas in Iran, and said contracts are being rewritten to allow for more foreign investment in the sector - including the development of the massive South Pars gas field, according to an article published by Asia Times Online.

"We will do anything necessary to get back Iran's share in the oil market," Zanganeh was quoted as saying by the Iranian Oil Ministry's news agency, Shana, on October 1. "Contacts have been made [with foreign energy companies] to that effect and all of them are willing to return."

Following recent slight overtures made by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to the West, which can cause easing of the sanctions imposed on Iran, some foreign oil companies have said they will return Iran if sanctions are lifted.

Zanganeh has written on his Facebook page that major foreign oil companies have expressed hope for intensive cooperation with the National Iranian Oil Company after the sanctions against the country are lifted.

He said that the representatives of these companies have contacted Iran's officials and held talks with them regarding the return to Iran's oil industry.

Zanganeh also added that the Oil Ministry will spare no effort to increase Iran's crude oil production capacity up to 4 million barrels per day till the end of the current Iranian calendar year, which ends on March 21, 2014.

He also said he has held informal talks with half a dozen foreign energy companies about resuming their activities in Iran.

In this line, Chief Executive of the French energy giant Total Christophe de Margerie has said the company will return to Iran, if international sanctions are lifted on petroleum exports, AFP news agency reported.

Questioned by reporters about whether the company would return to the Islamic republic, should sanctions be lifted, de Margerie replied: "Of course".

Iran holds the world's third-largest proven oil reserves and the second-largest natural gas reserves, and plans to use foreign companies for various oil and gas related projects.

The country's total in-place oil reserves have been estimated at more than 560 billion barrels, with about 140 billion barrels of extractable oil.

Moreover, heavy and extra heavy varieties of crude oil account for roughly 70-100 billion barrels of the total reserves.



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[Persia1]

Mohsen Rezvani appointed president of Iran’s Swimming Federation

Mohsen Rezvani appointed president of Iran’s Swimming Federation

TEHRAN – Mohsen Rezvani was elected as the president of the Iranian Swimming Federation on Saturday.
The longtime favorite defeated three candidates in the elections held at Tehran’s Olympic Academy.

Rezvani secured 33 of the 34 votes available and one vote abstained.

Mohsen Rezvani was working as acting president of Iran’s Swimming Federation from February.




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[Persia1]

Iran, Russia hold talks on air defense systems

Iran, Russia hold talks on air defense systems

TEHRAN – The commander of the Khatam-ol-Anbiya Air Defense Base held talks on air defense systems with Russian Air Force Commander in Chief Lieutenant General Viktor Bondarev in Tehran on Sunday.
“In the meeting, we held talks with the Russian Air Force commander about issues related to air defense and radar systems,” Brigadier General Farzad Esmaeili told a press conference.

He also said that they had exchanged views about air defense techniques and missile systems.

In addition, the general said that Tehran and Moscow believed that the more the two countries’ defense doctrines were aligned, the more the regional stability was promoted.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Esmaeili announced that Iranian armed forces had staged a major air defense military exercise, entitled Defenders of the Skies of Velayat 5, from October 5 to 9 over an area covering about 700,000 square kilometers in northwestern and southwestern Iran.

The Russian Air Force commander also met with the commander of the Iranian Air Force, Brigadier General Shahsaffi, on the same day.

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[Persia1]

Iran has swiftly achieved diplomatic success: Rouhani

Iran has swiftly achieved diplomatic success: Rouhani

TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that in a short period of time, his administration has been able to halt the trend of increasing sanctions on Iran through active diplomacy, constructive interaction with the outside world, and the support of the Supreme Leader.
“With the grace of God and thanks to the political epic of the people in the election, the diplomatic movement of the government, in constructive interaction with the world and through the support and trust of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has produced valuable results in this short time, which has both prompted governments to praise democracy in Iran and also halt the increasing trend of sanctions against Iran,” Rouhani said at a cabinet session on Tuesday afternoon.

He went on to say that Iran has taken the initiative on the international stage through active diplomacy and has won the battle in the court of public opinion in the countries that have imposed sanctions on Iran.

“It (the government) is consolidating its nuclear rights step by step, and removing hurdles from the path of the nation’s progress.”

The president also said Iran has succeeded in “isolating” the Israeli regime, which is why Tel Aviv is trying hard to ruin the positive atmosphere created over Iran’s nuclear program.

It has been proven throughout the history of the Islamic Revolution that whenever Iran has been close to achieving a success in the international arena, “the Zionists have resorted to sabotage and creating incidents at home and abroad,” he noted.

He added, “The dignified path of the Iranian nation is clear, and the goals that have been set out by the Supreme Leader of the Revolution for the development of the country will be vigilantly pursued. The government is determined to follow this path through constructive interaction.”

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[Persia1]

Leader pardons, commutes sentences of 1,241 prisoners

Leader pardons, commutes sentences of 1,241 prisoners

TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has pardoned and commuted the sentences of 1,241 prisoners, reports said on Sunday.
Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani had previously made a proposal to grant clemency to a number of inmates on the occasions of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Qadir.

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[Persia1]

Geneva gallery to spread “Good News from Iran”

Geneva gallery to spread “Good News from Iran”

TEHRAN -- A number of Iranian artists will showcase a collection of their works in an exhibition entitled “Good News from Iran” at the Frank Pages Gallery in Geneva, Switzerland in November.
Eleven emerging artists will display their works in the exhibit, which is part of the Endjavi-Barbé Art Projects series, which is being curated by the Iranian artist Amir Farhad, the gallery announced.

Ayda Alizadeh, Negar Fadaii, Habib Farajabadi, Melody Hojabr-Sadat, Maryam Hosseini, Elnaz Javani, Purang Pirataii, Mohammad Piriaii, Setareh Sanjari, Ashkan Sanei and Sale Sharifi are the artists whose works will be displayed.

The Endjavi-Barbé Art Projects series aims to represent a selection of works by the most promising artists, and helps promote Iranian contemporary artists internationally by placing their works in private and public collections.

The exhibit will be running from November 2 to 16.

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[Persia1]

UN hails Iran’s rapid progress in human development

UN hails Iran’s rapid progress in human development

TEHRAN – Iran has been ranked among the “high human development countries” in the Human Development Index in 2013, which measures progress on dimensions of health, education, and income, UN Development Program Administrator Helen Clark announced on Tuesday.
“Since the index began, Iran has been among those making the fastest progress, with average annual HDI growth rates of around 1.3 percent, compared to the global average of around 0.69 percent,” Clark said at a ceremony held to commemorate United Nations Day in Tehran, which UN Resident Coordinator Gary Lewis and a number of senior Iranian officials attended.

Addressing the ceremony, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran is keen to expand its relations with other countries, international organizations, and all members of the international community.

“In this movement, which can guarantee peace, security, justice, development, and progress for everyone and promise to resolve all problems, we warmly press the hands of everyone who accompanies us,” Araqchi stated. He added that development at the international, regional, and national levels should be sustainable and beneficial for the people.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Araqchi lamented the imposition of unjust sanctions on developing countries, saying such measures run contrary to the UN Charter and pose a serious threat to international peace and security.

At the ceremony, the official website of the UN office in Iran was opened, which is in both the English and Persian languages.

Following is the text of the speech of Ms. Clark:

Excellencies, Colleagues of the United Nations Organizations, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to be with you today to celebrate UN Day 2013 in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

I thank the Government for extending to me the warm hospitality for which the people of Iran are known.

UN Day was first declared in 1945 by the General Assembly with the intention of “making known to the peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations and to gain their support for its work.” The presence of so many of our national development partners here today tells me that the work of our United Nations Country Team is well recognized in Iran.

Iran is a founding member of the United Nations and has long hosted a UN Information Center. In 1966 UNDP opened its offices here. Since then, our presence in Iran has grown and over the years has evolved into a strong partnership with the government and the people of Iran.

We have worked to promote and support development to this day through programs which focus on improving health, environmental sustainability, disaster preparedness, and development planning capacities in ways which promote inclusive growth and resilience.

In the years that UNDP has been in Iran, we have witnessed the enormous progress the country has made on human development. Our 2013 Human Development Report ranked Iran among the “high human development” countries in the Human Development Index which measures progress on dimensions of health, education, and income.

Since the index began, Iran has been among those making the fastest progress, with average annual HDI growth rates of around 1.3 percent, compared to the global average of around 0.69 percent.

Looking at the human stories behind the numbers, we see that for every 100,000 live births, 99.99 percent of women live to raise their children; life expectancy today is more than 20 years higher than it was in 1980; and many more people are able to attain higher education. I am particularly pleased to see that the literacy rate for girls in Iran is over 90 percent. It is important that such achievements are celebrated on United Nations Day.

Development challenges still remain -- not least in youth unemployment and on the impact of environmental degradation and climate change -- especially on remote and economically vulnerable communities. These and ongoing inequalities, including between rich and poor, will need continued attention and support to ensure that all the people of Iran can fully achieve their development potential and aspirations.

The United Nations Development System agencies stand ready to deepen their partnership in addressing these and other development challenges. Every country in our world now faces challenges which are trans-border in nature, as we strive to manage the global commons equitably and respond to crises and issues which may have their origins far away.

Climate change impacts, allocation of natural resources, refugee movements, and trafficking of people and drugs are just a few of these. The United Nations Development System, with its extensive reach, presence, and global networks, supports countries to address these challenges. The UNDP alone has programming in 177 countries and territories -- all working to support development. Sharing experiences of success and innovation and working to support South-South and triangular cooperation are central to what we do. Iran has a wealth of knowledge and expertise which other countries can benefit from knowing about -- including on disaster response, environmental protection, primary health care, and education.

In conclusion, let me say that Iran can count on the longstanding and close partnership it has with the United Nations Development System as this country continues to work towards achieving higher human development and improving the lives of all its people.

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[Persia1]

UN nuclear chief to meet top Iran negotiator

UN nuclear chief to meet top Iran negotiator

TEHRAN – The UN atomic agency chief and a senior Iranian nuclear negotiator will meet on Monday before a new round of talks over Tehran’s nuclear activities, the agency said on Thursday, Reuters reported.
Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will meet with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi for about an hour at the IAEA's Vienna headquarters, it said.

"The meeting will provide an opportunity to exchange views on the way forward," the IAEA said in a statement.

It gave no details. The fact the Amano-Araqchi meeting appeared to be scheduled at short notice may be seen as a further sign of the new Iranian government's desire to try to end international deadlock over the country's nuclear program.

It will be followed by a new round of negotiations on November 7 and 8 in Geneva between senior officials from both sides over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Neither Amano nor Araqchi is due to take part in those previously scheduled talks, which will be the 12th such meeting since early 2012.

The IAEA-Iran talks have so far failed to yield a breakthrough deal that would allow further investigation into Iran’s nuclear activities. But the election of Hassan Rouhani as Iranian president in June has raised hopes of a possible resolution to the nuclear dispute.

Araqchi played a key role in separate negotiations that resumed in Geneva last week between Iran and six world powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany, and Britain - aimed at finding a diplomatic settlement.




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[Persia1]

White House presses Senate to delay new Iran sanctions

White House presses Senate to delay new Iran sanctions

TEHRAN – The White House hosted a meeting of aides to Senate committee leaders on Thursday seeking to persuade lawmakers to hold off on a package of new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, a senior Senate aide said, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The White House will press for another delay on a sanctions bill that had been expected to come to a vote in the Senate Banking Committee last month but was held back after appeals from President Barack Obama’s administration to let negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program get under way.

The aide said Republicans would resist further delay, but that the decision was in the hands of Democratic Senator Tim Johnson, the committee’s chairman, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, also a Democrat.

A Johnson spokesman confirmed that a meeting on Iran took place at the White House but gave no further details. A Reid spokesman was not immediately available to comment.

Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) held nuclear talks in Geneva on October 15 and 16.

The United States, Israel, and a few of their European allies accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program.

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities and found no evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.

U.S. senators have begun debating behind closed doors a new sanctions bill that could seek further cuts in Iran’s oil exports and limit the ability of the administration to issue waivers to the sanctions.

The White House confirmed there was a meeting with Senate aides on Thursday, but a spokeswoman would not comment on whether the administration would push for further delay in the sanctions.

“Congress has been an important partner in our efforts thus far. We will continue our close consultation, as we have in the past, so that any congressional action is aligned with our negotiating strategy as we move forward,” said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.

“Today’s meeting is part of these ongoing consultations, following on the recent P5+1 talks with Iran,” she said.

Wendy Sherman, the under secretary of State for political affairs who participated in this month’s talks in Geneva, discussed Iran with members of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee in a classified briefing at the Capitol on Wednesday.

The committee’s top Democrat, Representative Eliot Engel, attended the meeting at the Capitol but declined comment on the classified nature of the talks. A spokesman said he supports efforts to engage with Iran.


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[Persia1]

Sanction side-step: Iranian oil flows back into China

Sanction side-step: Iranian oil flows back into China

After a three-month break, China has resumed importing Iranian fuel oil, a practice that has helped it avoid U.S. sanctions designed to punish countries that import crude oil from Iran.
China is unique in that it has a significant amount of small refineries, called teapot refineries, that are configured to process fuel oil — a cheap byproduct of refining — rather than crude oil. This gives China the ability to make more valuable fuels such as gasoline and diesel without the need to raise imports of crude oil.
In late 2011, Congress passed a law penalizing financial institutions that conduct oil trades with Iran’s central bank by banning them from doing business in the U.S.

However, the State Department was given the flexibility to exempt countries that show a “significant” — thought unspecified — reduction in Iranian crude purchases. State has repeatedly given exemptions to China on the grounds that Beijing is buying less crude oil from Iran. China won its third such six-month waiver in June.

China’s workaround stems from a gap in the sanctions law: When discussing exemptions, the sanctions mention only crude oil, not fuel oil.

Customs data this weeks showed China imported 2.75 million barrels of Iranian fuel oil in September, bringing total imports to 8.14 million barrels worth $736 million in the first nine months of this year. By contrast, it imported less than $1 million worth of fuel oil in all of 2012.

In fact, the last time China imported even close to this year’s amount was in 2008, when it imported 7.97 million barrels.

China’s fuel-oil imports pose a delicate issue for the U.S., which is trying to curb Iran without harming relations with fast-growing Asian countries that depend on Iranian oil. Adding to pressure on the Obama administration are China’s Iranian crude purchases, which haven’t shown much of a decline. Although imports were down by 1.9% in the first half of the year from the same period in 2012, they are now up 1.4% in the January-to-September period, according to customs data.

(Source: Wall Street Journal)

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[Persia1]

Azerbaijan invited to join OIC Trade Fair in Iran

Azerbaijan invited to join OIC Trade Fair in Iran

Azerbaijan invited to participate at the 14th Trade Fair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States to be held at the Tehran International Exhibition Centre on October 28 -November 1, the Azerbaijani Economy and Industry Ministry reported.

The Islamic Centre for Development of Trade and the Iran International Exhibitions Company have allocated a free 21 square meter area for Azerbaijan at the exhibition, which is organized by the Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade.

The organizers of the exhibition invite Azerbaijani entrepreneurs to participate in the exhibition.

The ministry reported that the cost of the additionally equipped square meter of the area is $190, and unequipped - $175.

Additional information on participation in the exhibition can be obtained at the Iran International Exhibitions Co. as well as the Islamic Centre for the Development of Trade.

The State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan reports that, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran totalled $200.65 million and goods worth $55.77 million was exported to Iran from January-August, which is 24.13 percent lower than in January-August 2012.

The import of the Iranian production in Azerbaijan increased by 22.95 percent on the annual rate and totaled $144.88 million.

(Source: azernews.az)
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[Persia1]

Scholar urges Iran to register teahouse painting with UNESCO before other countries claim it

Scholar urges Iran to register teahouse painting with UNESCO before other countries claim it

TEHRAN -- Iranian art expert Majid Hosseini-Raad has asked Iranian officials to register teahouse painting on the UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity before other countries possess this genre of painting, which began to develop during the 16th century in Iran.
“There are fears that countries like Egypt, Iraq, or even Pakistan may make claims on this national art form, because this art has previously been transferred into those countries from Iran,” he said during the closing ceremony of an art show at the Imam Ali Religious Arts Museum on Thursday.

The teahouse has had various functions in different eras during its 400-year history in Iran. Teahouses used to be places where people gathered to spend their leisure time listening to a naqqal (Iranian traditional storyteller) reciting Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. People talked and exchanged views, and along with lutis (wise and generous people), helped poor people.

Teahouse painters emerged in such an atmosphere. They listened to the discussions and tales, using them as subjects for the paintings they drew on the walls, tiles, stones and canvases. Sometimes, teahouse owners commissioned the painters to draw the stories.

With their own unique perspective not used in other styles, teahouse painters drew motifs entirely based on their imagination. The themes of such paintings are epic stories, traditions and religion.

Even zurkhanehs (Iranian traditional sports clubs) used such masterpieces for decoration.

The performance of the tar and methods for the construction of the Iranian musical instrument were inscribed on the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for the Republic of Azerbaijan in December 2012.

Azerbaijan also plans to registered chogan, polo in Iranian style, on the list during the 8th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from December 2 to 7.

MMS/YAW
END

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[Persia1]

Iranian director grabs Golden Guepard at Tashkent festival

Iranian director grabs Golden Guepard at Tashkent festival

TEHRAN – The Iranian filmmaker Adel Yaraqi won the Golden Guepard Award for best director at the Tashkent International Film Forum.
He received the award for his movie “Meeting Leila” at the closing ceremony of the festival in the capital of Uzbekistan on Thursday.

Starring Leila Hatami, the film is about Leila, a young woman who demands her chain-smoking fiancé quit smoking before their marriage.

World-renowned Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami and director/actor Adel Yaraqi jointly wrote the screenplay for the film.

“Watchtower” by Turkish director Pelin Esmer was named best film at the festival.

SB/YAW
END

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[Persia1]

Snowden took documents about U.S. collection programs against Iran: Washington Post

Snowden took documents about U.S. collection programs against Iran: Washington Post

TEHRAN – Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden took tens of thousands of military intelligence documents, some of which contain sensitive material about collection programs against adversaries such as Iran, Russia and China, the Washington Post on Friday quoted U.S. officials as saying.
According to the report, the officials have been alerting some foreign intelligence services that documents detailing their secret cooperation with the United States have been obtained by Snowden.

Some refer to operations that in some cases involve countries not publicly allied with the United States.

The process of informing officials in capital after capital about the risk of disclosure is delicate. In some cases, one part of the cooperating government may know about the collaboration while others — such as the foreign ministry — may not, the officials said. The documents, if disclosed, could compromise operations, officials said.

The notifications come as the Obama administration is scrambling to placate allies after allegations that the NSA has spied on foreign leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The reports have forced the administration to play down operations targeting friends while also attempting to preserve other programs that depend on provisional partners. In either case, trust in the United States may be compromised.

“It is certainly a concern, just as much as the U.S. collection [of information on European allies] being put in the news, if not more, because not only does it mean we have the potential of losing collection, but also of harming relationships,” a congressional aide said.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is handling the job of informing the other intelligence services, the officials said. ODNI declined to comment.

In one case, for instance, the files contain information about a program run from a NATO country against Russia that provides valuable intelligence for the U.S. Air Force and Navy, said one U.S. official, who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation. Snowden faces theft and espionage charges.

“If the Russians knew about it, it wouldn’t be hard for them to take appropriate measures to put a stop to it,” the official said.

Snowden lifted the documents from a top-secret network run by the Defense Intelligence Agency and used by intelligence arms of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines, according to sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Snowden took 30,000 documents that involve the intelligence work of one of the services, the official said. He gained access to the documents through the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, or JWICS, for top-secret/sensitive compartmented information, the sources said.

The material in question does not deal with NSA surveillance but primarily with standard intelligence about other countries’ military capabilities, including weapons systems — missiles, ships and jets, the officials say.

Although Snowden obtained a large volume of documents, he is not believed to have shared all of them with journalists, sources say. Moreover, he has stressed to those he has given documents that he does not want harm to result.

“He’s made it quite clear that he was not going to compromise legitimate national intelligence and national security operations,” said Thomas Drake, a former NSA executive who visited Snowden in Moscow this month. Snowden separately told Drake and a New York Times reporter that he did not take any documents with him to Russia. “There’s a zero percent chance the Russians or Chinese have received any documents,” Snowden told the Times in an online interview last week.

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[Persia1]

Iran divests over $5.9b worth of state shares

Iran divests over $5.9b worth of state shares

TEHRAN - Over 146.4 trillion rials (about $5.9 billion based on the U.S. dollar official exchange rate of 24,900 rials) worth of shares of state-run companies were sold in Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2013).
More than 77 percent of the shares have been transacted on the Tehran Stock Exchange, according to the Mehr News Agency.

Iran has transferred over 130 trillion rials (about $5.2 billion) worth of shares of state-run companies to the private sector in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year.

The shares were owned by 25 state-run companies, the Privatization Organization of Iran said in a press release.

The government has envisioned a large privatization program in the Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2015), aiming to privatize about 20 percent of state-owned firms each year.

In line with Article 44 of the Iranian Constitution, hundreds of state-owned companies have been privatized with some of the shares being earmarked for distribution among ‘deprived’ classes, such as farmers and workers.

In a speech in March 2013, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that transferring economic activities to the public will resolve the unemployment problem.

“Implementing Article 44 of the Constitution regarding privatization is meant to transfer the economy to the public,” Larijani stated.


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[Persia1]

Nasser Malek-Motiei returns with “Negar’s Role”

Nasser Malek-Motiei returns with “Negar’s Role”

TEHRAN -- Iranian actor Nasser Malek-Motie has returned to the silver screen in the role of an old man in the family drama “Negar’s Role” after a 31-year hiatus.
The 83-year-old thespian’s return to cinema was celebrated during a ceremony held on Friday evening by the Sorinet Group, a holding company that produced the film and is owned by controversial tycoon Babak Zanjani.

“I cannot describe how pleased I am that I have appeared in cinema again,” Malek-Motiei said during the celebration, which was attended by director Ali Atshani, members of the film crew, Zanjani, and a number of his friends.

“I was the bad boy of cinema, who has returned to his home. I do not know how to express my happiness like that child would,” he added.

He made his debut in 1949 in “Spring Variety”, an episodic film directed by Parviz Khatibi. He then appeared in over 60 films, the last of which was “The Imperiled”, which was directed by Iraj Qaderi in 1982. “The Imperiled” was the first film Malek-Motiei acted in after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Afterwards, Malek-Motiei faced an unofficial ban due to the new conditions dominating Iranian cinema after the revolution.

“Over the years, I was far from cinema. It was like I was far from my beloved. I always thought about the beloved, and now I do not know whether the beloved will accept me or not,” Malek-Motiei said.

“I entered cinema with empty hands and lack of knowledge and unsupported, but with love. People ignored our mistakes, and it would be a pity if we do not appreciate them,” he added.

This is the second time the Sorinet Group has financed the production of a film. The first was “Nowhere, Nobody”, a multi-layered drama by director Ebrahim Sheybani that premiered in Iranian theaters in the early August.

“Mr. Atshani is a promising filmmaker, and we are pleased that we were at his service for this project,” Zanjani said.

“Henceforth, we intend to be actively involved in the motion picture industry,” added the mogul, who helped Iran evade the international sanctions on its oil sales.

He recently appointed actor Amir Jafari as the director of a department of the Sorinet Group that will supervise contracts between the company and filmmakers in the future.

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[Persia1]

Iranian Navy rescues commercial ship from pirate attack

Iranian Navy rescues commercial ship from pirate attack

TEHRAN – The Iranian Navy’s 27th fleet on Monday thwarted an attempt by pirates to hijack an Iranian commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden, according the deputy commander of the Navy.
Iranian naval vessels intercepted five pirate boats that had surrounded and attacked the commercial ship and forced them to flee, Rear Admiral Siavash Jarreh said.

The Iranian Navy’s measures are not meant to kill pirates operating in the region, but they are aimed at ensuring the security of Iranian and foreign commercial ships and oil tankers, adding that Iranian forces will deal more firmly with pirates if necessary.

Pirates operating off the coast of Somalia have expanded the reach of their hijacking attacks on merchant vessels and oil tankers in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden in recent years, making tens of millions of dollars in ransom, despite the fact that dozens of foreign naval vessels are patrolling the area.

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[Persia1]

Iran cuts saffron export duty to zero

Iran cuts saffron export duty to zero

TEHRAN – The Iranian Customs Administration has removed duty on saffron exports, IRNA reported on Monday.
Exports of saffron at any volume and amount will be free from duties, it said in a statement.

Iran’s saffron exports will increase by 15 percent in the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, the secretary of the National Iranian Saffron Council said in May.

Farshid Manouchehri added that Iran exported 126 tons of saffron, valued at $384 million, to different countries in the past Iranian calendar year.

The volume of saffron exports is anticipated to reach about 140 tons in the current year, he added.

On January 20, IRNA quoted Agriculture Ministry official Naser Tavakkoli as saying that Iran plans to increase its agricultural exports to 118 million tons in the current Iranian calendar year from 107 million tons in the past year.

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[Persia1]

Iran has never stopped 20 percent enrichment: nuclear chief

Iran has never stopped 20 percent enrichment: nuclear chief

TEHRAN – The director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has said Tehran has never stopped 20 percent uranium enrichment, the Iranian parliament’s website reported on Wednesday.
“Twenty percent (enriched) uranium and nuclear plates are being produced inside the country and there has never been a halt in the production process,” Ali Akbar Salehi told the Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency (ICANA).

“Nuclear plates for the Tehran reactor are produced inside the country, and the needed fuel assembly is allocated for the reactor each month,” he said.

Earlier this month, MP Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, was misquoted as saying that Iran was temporarily halting enrichment to the 20 percent level.

However, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, later said, “Enrichment to 20 percent is continuing.”

The United States, Israel, and a few of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program.

However, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.

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[Persia1]

Water may have to be rationed in Tehran: energy minister

Water may have to be rationed in Tehran: energy minister

TEHRAN – Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian has asked Tehran citizens to reduce their water consumption by about 20 percent, saying if they do not do so, the Energy Ministry will be forced to introduce water rationing in the capital.
“If this trend [the high rate of consumption] continues, we will be forced to ration it,” Chitchian told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Due to a sharp decline in rainfall in the autumn, the water reservoirs of dams near Tehran have been reduced greatly, the stated.

Commenting on the excessive use of underground water, he said over 100 billion cubic meters of water has been extracted from strategic underground waters over the past few years, and this has caused the water wells in farmlands to turn salty.

Over the past 12 months, 11 billion cubic meters of water has been extracted from underground water reservoirs, he added.

Chitchian also confirmed reports that the previous administration withdrew money from the accounts of the Energy Ministry to pay cash subsidies.

“Unfortunately, this is true,” he added.

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[Persia1]

India’s oil imports from Iran doubled in September

India’s oil imports from Iran doubled in September

Latest market data show India has increased oil imports from Iran, despite illegal U.S.-engineered embargoes against the Islamic Republic's oil and financial sectors.
Figures show India imported about 296,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil in September, up from 151,000 bpd in August, Reuters reported.

India is among Asia’s major importers of energy and relies on the Islamic Republic of Iran to meet a portion of its energy demands.

On Sunday, Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that serious plans were on the agenda to boost the country’s oil exports by four times.

Zanganeh stated that more than USD 800 billion in investment in the petroleum industry is possible over eight years.

The minister also noted that Iran’s National Development Fund has so far been tapped for more than USD 14 billion to finance oil, gas and petrochemical projects.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program, with the US and European Union using the claim as an excuse to impose illegal sanctions against Tehran.

Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

At the beginning of 2012, the United States and the European Union imposed new sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial sectors with the goal of preventing other countries from purchasing Iranian oil and conducting transactions with the Central Bank of Iran.

Iran’s crude oil is subject to a European Union embargo that started on July 1, 2012, which also bars EU insurance firms from covering Iran's exports.

(Source: Press TV)

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[Persia1]

Iran ready to build hydroelectric power plant in Kyrgyzstan: minister

Iran ready to build hydroelectric power plant in Kyrgyzstan: minister

TEHRAN - Iran is ready to build hydroelectric power plant in Kyrgyzstan, Iran’s Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said on Wednesday.
In a meeting with Iran-Kyrgyzstan Parliamentary Friendship Group in Tehran, the official also announced Iran’s preparedness to rebuild 38 hydroelectric power plants in Kyrgyzstan, the Mehr News Agency reported.

Exporting technical and engineering services in the field of water and electricity to other countries, especially in the Middle East, is one of the policies of the Ministry of Energy, Chitchian said.

Iran has already launched 59 projects in Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Afghanistan, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Kenya, Lebanon, and Nigeria.

These projects are valued at $3.2 billion, of which 13 projects, worth $1.4 billion, have been terminated.

Iran-Kyrgyzstan Parliamentary Friendship Group arrived in Tehran on October 25 to discuss expansion of ties including economic relations between two countries.

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[Persia1]

Ruins of huge ancient structure unearthed near Persepolis

Ruins of huge ancient structure unearthed near Persepolis

TEHRAN – The ruins of a huge building, which is surmised to be a temple constructed during the reign of Cyrus the Great, has been unearthed during an archaeological excavation near Persepolis in the southern Iranian province of Fars.
“During the excavation, which was carried out by a team of Iranian and Italian archaeologists in the ancient city of Parsa on the perimeter of Persepolis, an amazing structure that dates back to the early days of the Achaemenid era was discovered,” Alireza Asgari Chaverdi, the Iranian director of the team, told the Persian service of CHN on Tuesday.

“Thousands of glazed bricks have been used in the construction of the building, which covers at least an area of 33x33 meters,” he added.

He said, “The bricks bear bas-reliefs of the mythical animal motifs of Persia and Mesopotamia, most of which are similar to those that were used on the Ishtar Gate (the eighth gate to the inner city) of Babylon in Mesopotamia.

“An Akkadian-Babylonian cuneiform inscription has also been excavated. The designs and skills used to embellish the bricks, the widespread use of tar in the construction of the building, the use of various colors and mythical motifs such as Mushussu, a snake-dragon shaped symbol of Marduk (the chief of the Babylonian deities), and various lotus designs, all show that the structure was built during the reign of Cyrus the Great.

“Cyrus conquered Babylonia in 539 BC. Babylonian priests chose Marduk, which also was the god of the sky and the Earth during the Neo-Babylonian Empire. When Cyrus conquered Babylonia, Marduk was the most influential deity in Mesopotamia.

“According to archaeologists, groups of Babylonian priests and artisans were… taken to this region after the conquest of Babylonia by Cyrus, and he… allowed them to build a structure in the region where the ideological source of the Achaemenids was located. The building was constructed by Babylonian artisans with the same religious designs they used to create the mythical symbols like Mushussu.”

Asgari Chaverdi said that this discovery raises new questions about the religious outlook in Achaemenid society.

“Darius I came to power in 521 BC. Many religious changes occurred during his reign until Artaxerxes I was crowned as king. Now the question is whether the Achaemenids tolerated the community of Babylonian priests during the reign of Darius I or not,” he stated.

Professor Pierfrancesco Callieri of the University of Bologna and a number of his colleagues are also members of the team of archaeologists excavating the site.

The excavation, which has been in progress since late September, will come to an end in a few days.

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