percent. 12.8 by increased deals home while respectively48.7percent and percent 10.3by decreased deals rent and land of 19, 2020). Iranian year(Dec. 22, 2019-March during thefourthquarterof last basisyear on year a on respectively rose by43.1, 43.7 and 47.9 percent Iran, lands, homeand rentprices survey bytheStatisticalCenterof economic times. of thesafestinvestmentinthisgrueling Iran thehousingmarketremainsone estate marketsamidthepandemic. negative impactontheglobalreal the sequences. the pandemicanditseconomiccon a downwardtrendinpricingamid all overtheworldareexperiencing sound, todaytherealestatemarkets mightas it As paradoxical market.” estatereal the is rate forex rising the “the onlythingthathaskeptupwith million people, housingisthecorner blocks. molished tomakewayforapartment fell outoffavor andwerewidelyde in thepost-revolutionerahouses F flourishes real estatemarket fallout Tehran Despite economic town realestateagentH.Moradi, navirus pandemic)”, saysadown- (following thesanctionsandcoro investment. stone inpeople’slivesandpersonal non-existent andairwasfresh. almost was traffic where streets the time foryoungsterstoplayfootballin In the eveningstherewasplentyof houses neartheMehrabadAirport. common. Igrewupinoneofthese where agardenorbigterracewas nerstone ofIranianarchitecture, leader.ir However, forthegeneralpublicin “Despite the economic fallouteconomic the “Despite According tothereportnumber According toarecentrealestate series willcover A secondparttothis Today, withapopulationofover12 Tehran grew Asthepopulationof prosecuted Trump willbe assassination connection toGen.Soleimani 36 individuals identified in courtyards havebeenacor es withsecludedgardensand or thousandsofyears, hous

7 Journalist ARTICLE Salman Parviz Salman will bewill published Iran-China co-opplan Content of25-year WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM ------2 FIVB Volleyball Men’sWorldChampionship, the Iraniancoachesarenotofcalibertohelp Japanese teamNaganoTridents,leads saysthat volleyball teamfrom2011to2014. worked asJulioVelasco’s assistantinIrannational great coachiftheywanttokeepmovingforward. player AhmadMasajedibelievesthatIranneeda –FormerIrannationalvolleyballteam TEHRAN ISNA/ Mahsa Ramezani Hossein By Masoud Masajedi, whorepresentedIranatthe1998 The ex-Iran opposite spiker,whocurrently The ex-Iran to comeonstream 49 tourism projectsworth$273m following months of closure due to the coronavirus following monthsofclosureduetothecoronavirus guest houses,andtouristcenters. units, pilgrim’sguesthouses, apartmenthotels, as hotels, traditionallodginghouses, eco-lodge 20) atauthorizedaccommodationcenterssuch during themonthofKhordad(May21–June domestic travelers, wererecordedacrossIran that over5.7millionovernightstays, mainlyby Tourism, andHandicrafts. director attheMinistryofCulturalHeritage, jobs, saidAlirezaBaay, thepublicrelations country’s hospitalitysectorandcreating1,253 inces, adding774roomsand2,131 bedstothe across thecountry. rate of42,000 rials) willsoonbeinaugurated 11,500 billion rials (some $273m at the official –Atotalof49tourismprojects,TEHRAN worth 12 Pages Elsewhere Elsewhere in his remarks, the official noted 12 prov The projectswillbeinauguratedin Referring to the reopening of tourism centers Referring tothereopeningoftourismcenters Price50,000Rials Iran volleyball need a great coach: AhmadMasajedi agreat coach: need Iran volleyball exports up26% Iran’s annual gas 1.00EURO 4.00AED - who canhelptheteam.Thenewheadcoachneeds mustappointanexperiencedcoach federation has nothingtodowiththecoach. Iranvolleyball our nationalteamandthesuccessof exclusive interview. great coach,” MasajeditoldTehranTimesinan Iran have somanytalentedplayersandneeda Team.I thinkhelptheNational but theycannot Iran progress. 5 “Many times, theplayersplayakeyrolein “I have fullrespectforallIraniancoaches a segmentofthemessagereads. effective practice to mitigate the impact on tourism,” dations ofUNWTO, hastrulyearnedplauditsasan in accordancewiththeguidelinesandrecommen Heritage, TourismandHandicraftsofIranhastaken, during thepandemic. Iran’s efforts made to manage the travel industry Secretary-General ZurabPololikashvili praised to theministryoftourism, inwhichUNWTO World TourismOrganization’srecentmessage to travel andtravelsafety, heexplained. which showstheministry’ssimultaneousattention travel agencies, restaurantsacrossthecountry, dation centers, restaurants,cateringbusinesses, were madetotouristfacilitiesincludingaccommo expected.”than sooner realized be will boom tourism outbreak, henoted“ThesestatisticsshowthatIran’s “A series of measures that the Ministry of Cultural “A seriesofmeasuresthattheMinistryCultural During Khordad, over11,000 surveillancevisits He alsoremindedoftheUnitedNations 42ndyear No.13698

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JUNE requirements time tomeet FIFA’s Iran wantsmore 30,2020 - - Assassins”. of theplaceinher book“TheValleysofthe explorationher described Stark Freya writer early 1930s,British-Italian explorerandtravel leader ofIsmailisect, known as‘Assassins’. In followers ofHasan-eSabbah(1070–1124), a well-fortified ruinedcastleonce sheltering the mountainous region. the in dotted are that gardens lush numerous vest seasoncommencedacoupleofdaysagoin north-central Iran, June 29,2020.Thehar outskirts ofAlamutinQazvinprovince,the A farmer harvests redcherriesinagardenon Harvest season question,” headded. players?the Thefederationhastoanswer swered: Howdowewanttokeepgoingwithout butabigquestionremainsunan- in ourteam Amir Ghafour,SaeidMaroufandMiladEbadipour them,”between headded. was theargument head coachandthere with the Velasco’s assistantbutsometimeshedisagreed Cichello was team.Juan in a be helpful surely will to get help from his assistants. Different views See page3 See Alamut isalsofamedforbeing hometoa “We havegreatstarslikeMohammadMousavi, life toIran’s brings new

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$350 million)allocatedfortheconstruc said thatabudgetof15trillionrials(around reported onMonday. calendar year(beganMarch20), IRNA spacesinthecurrentIranian educational official rate of 42,000 rials) to construct the at million $700 (about rials 30trillion tors associationhasallocatedatotalof –Schoolbuildingbenefac TEHRAN cent) and Spain (64 per cent), said their perception cent) andSpain(64percent),saidtheirperception per cent),France(68Germany(65 (ECFR) inDenmark(71percent),Portugal(70 by theEuropeanCouncilonForeignRelations has found. global significance, amajornewsurvey on mattersofally U.S.as a“useful” the seeingnow cent per on withjusttwo ropeans uncertainwhotheycanrely The COVID-19 pandemichasleftEu by theendofcurrentIraniancalendar operation into (SMEs),back enterprises units, mostlysmallandmedium-sized Trade Ministryplanstobring1500idle (March 20-June20), ILNA reported. months ofthecurrentIraniancalendaryear 211 idle production units during the first three trial ParksOrganization(ISIPO)hasrevived TEHRAN — ISIPO revives over 200 idle production ISIPO revivesover200 idleproduction

11 Dhi AlQada

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11 Iran SmallIndustriesandIndus 8, 1441 coronavirus pandemic units in3months schools nationwide - - such asChina,Iran, andTurkeymadecomments human rights violationsamong otherthings. tration thatsupports theirregimes,ignoring reasons. They trytoavoidchallenginganadminis any criticism, evenifitissoft. know verywellthatTrumpdoes noteventolerate They triednottoangertheAmerican president. They even if they are not satisfied with Trump’s policies. states andtheirforeignministriesdidn’t takeastand, protests justasan“internalAmerican issue”. Arab streets ofAmericancities. the on place taking protests the remarksand matory a word. They remained silent on Trump’s inflam- United States. crimination againsttheblackcommunityin on thedevelopmentsinU.S.andslammeddis nadian PrimeMinisterJustin Trudeaucanbeseen. Chancellor ofGermanyAngelaMerkelandCa like towards theprotests.Amongthoseleaders, names condemned racismandcriticizedtheU.S.s’ approach countriesalliedtotheUnitedStates.They western cameinforharshcriticismbyleadersof protests Tunisia andsocialmedia. Minneapolis police officer killed a black American. intheUnitedStatesagainstracismafter tests pro the with solidarity in demonstrations witnessed to CanadaandBrazil, manycountriesoftheworld From NewZealand andAustralia,throughEurope, George Floyd’sdeath remain silenton Why Arabrulers - These rulersprefer toremainsilentduepolitical toconsider the It seemsthatArabregimesprefer Even leadersofEastandWestAsiancountries However, theArabstreetswerequiet, exceptfor However, theleadersofArabstatesdidnotsay Policies ofDonaldTrumpindealingwiththe We shouldtakeitdown.” can’t. I’mnotgoingto.Ithinkit’sindefensible. Union.”the “Wecanplaypoliticswithitorwe Mr. ScottsaidontheCNNprogram“Stateof it,retweeted andheshouldjusttakeitdown,” his Twitterpage. “offensive” and asked Mr. Trump to take it off only blackRepublicansenator,thevideo called even atamomentofnationalunrest. most hatefulcommentaryofsomehisfollowers, willingness usesocialmediatoamplifysomeofthe insensitive, andagaindemonstratedthepresident’s Joe isshot.Seeyousoon!!!” Nothing DemocratswillFallintheFall. Corrupt ently tookplace.Headded: “TheRadicalLeft Do retirement communitywheretheclashappar greatpeopleofTheVillages,”“the theFlorida Sardasht chemical attack attack chemical Sardasht recall stills Tree” “Walnut victims’ pain, grief grief pain, victims’ - - - - “Thereisnoquestionheshouldnothave Senator TimScottofSouthCarolina,the The tweetwaswidelycriticizedasracistand construction, attract publicparticipationforschool are beinginvitedasambassadorsto people whohave apopularreputation damental transformationofeducation, country sofar. ing charities havebeenregisteredinthe tion ofschoollastyear. Italy, Poland,Bulgaria,andSweden. member statessurveyedwhichalsoincluded pandemic —thehighestresultsamongnine the U.S.hadworsened“alot”asaresultof and 42percentofGermanssaidtheirviews the ECFR flagged in the twostatesatcenterofEUpolicymaking, is particularlypronouncedinFranceandGermany, of theU.S.hadbecomeincreasinglynegative. industries affairs. Mosaheb, ISIPOdeputyheadforsmall Ali-Asghar to 19), according on March ing thepastIraniancalendaryear(ended production unitsacrossthecountrydur small minesisalsoontheministry’sagenda. 1,020unproductive year,reviving current year (March2021). In linewiththedocumentoffun According to Ghofli, 450 school-build Forty-six per cent of French respondents Forty-six percentofFrenchrespondents The deteriorationintrusttowards Washington ISIPO managedtorevive 1,185 idle Based on the ministry’s plans for the Based ontheministry’splansfor

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7 ------I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS JUNE 30, 2020 Content of 25-year Iran-China co-op plan Rouhani advisor Hamid Aboutalebi submits resignation POLITICAL TEHRAN — Hamid Aboutalebi, a political will be published when finalized: Tehran deskadvisor to President Hassan Rouhani, has submitted his resignation. “With many thanks, I have submitted my resignation as ‘pres- Iran won’t relinquish defense rights, Foreign Ministry spokesman says idential advisor’ to the President…,” he tweeted on Monday. Rouhani appointed Aboutalebi as his advisor in November 2017. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Foreign officially quit the nuclear deal in May 2018 desk Aboutalebi acted as ambassador of Iran to Australia, the Ministry spokesman Ab- and slapped the harshest sanctions in history, European Union, Belgium, Italy, and as political director of the bas Mousavi said on Monday that Iran-China including a total oil embargo, against Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry. 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan has ‘U.S. has no right to trigger snap- not been finalized yet. back of sanctions’ However, he said, the content of this Mousavi also said that the U.S. has vio- IAEA resolution shows “agreement will be published once it is fi- lated the JCPOA and has no right to trigger nalized.” snapback of all sanctions. efforts to discredit nuclear Mousavi dismissed claims of any new “The United States is not in the position negotiation about the cooperation plan. to ruin the JCPOA and its achievements,” deal: UCLA professor Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on he said. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Richard D. Anderson, a professor June 23 that Iran and China have drafted a The U.S. is no longer a party to the nuclear deskat the University of California-Los Angeles 25-year plan for comprehensive cooperation deal, JCPOA, as Donald Trump officially de- (UCLA), has said that a resolution issued by the International which proves failure of the plots to isolate clared U.S. withdrawal from the multilateral Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors shows efforts to the Islamic Republic. agreement. discredit the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA. “This plan proves failure of the United According to international law, the U.S. In an interview with ILNA published on Monday, Anderson States’ policies to isolate Iran, sever Iran’s no longer has the right to call for the return said that opponents of the JCPOA seek to undermine the mul- relations with the international community of UN sanctions. tilateral agreement. and also to harm Iran’s will to expand relations On June 9, European Union foreign policy He added that the Europe- with other countries,” Rabiei said during a chief Josep Borrell said the United States had ans are not capable of standing press conference. clearly withdrawn from Iran nuclear deal, United States better than us,” Mousavi said “The E3 remain committed to fully im- against the United States. He said that the 25-year plan is based known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of during a press conference. plementing Resolution 2231 by which the The professor also said that on a win-win approach which “heralds long Action (JCPOA), and could no longer claim He said, “The United States has been us- JCPOA has been endorsed in 2015. However, U.S. President Donald Trump term cooperation”. to be a party to the agreement. ing them [the Europeans] as tool and has we believe that the planned lifting of the UN seeks collapse of the JCPOA be- “Recognizing cultural commonalities, “The United States has withdrawn from threatened them to make them back down. conventional arms embargo established by fore the November presidential encouraging multilateralism, supporting the JCPOA, and now they cannot claim that However, it is best for signatories to the JCPOA Resolution 2231 next October would have elections. equal rights of the nations and insisting on they are still part of the JCPOA in order to deal to implement what have been achieved.” major implications for regional security and The 35-member IAEA board domestic development are parts of this plan,” with this issue from the JCPOA agreement. The spokesman also slammed the Euro- stability. We recall that the EU embargoes of governors passed a resolution the government spokesman explained. They withdraw. It’s clear. They withdraw,” peans for taking actions which are against on conventional arms exports and missile on June 19 demanding access In a meeting on June 21, the cabinet of Borrell said. the “spirit” of the JCPOA. technology will remain in force until 2023,” to two old places under the al- ministers approved the final draft of the ‘U.S. violates human rights sys- The Foreign Ministry spokesman was said the statement published by the UK For- legation that nuclear work may 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan tematically’ apparently referring to a European-drafted eign Ministry website. have been done there. between Iran and China. Mousavi also said that the U.S. makes resolution against Iran at the IAEA Board of The statement added, “We wish to address France, Britain, and Germa- Rouhani said the strategic partnership claims about the human rights, however, Governors on June 19 which was approved the issue in close coordination with Russia ny, the three European parties to between the two countries is based on a win- it violates the human rights systematically. with 25 votes in favor, seven abstentions and and China as remaining participants to the the 2015 nuclear deal, submitted win approach. Iran’s High Council for Human Rights two against. JCPOA, as well as with all other Security the draft resolution to the IAEA board for approval. “This cooperation is a ground for Iran and issued a statement on Sunday saying Iran ‘Westerners’ approach towards Council Members, as well as other key stake- Nine countries out 35 members to the IAEA board did not vote China’s participation in basic projects and considers itself duty bound to back the op- Iran’s defense capabilities unaccept- holders. We will be guided by these objectives: for the resolution. China and Russia voted against the resolution development of infrastructure, including pressed people around the world and supports able’ upholding the authority and integrity of the and Thailand, Mongolia, Niger, South Africa, India, Pakistan the large ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, and an protests against racism in the U.S. Mousavi also said that Iran is very seri- UN Security Council and working toward and the Republic of Azerbaijani abstained to vote. opportunity to attract investment in various “Within this framework, Iran’s High ous about its defense capabilities and the regional security and stability.” ‘Russia, China to prevent extension of arms embargo’ economic fields, including industry, tourism, Council for Human Rights calls on all the Westerners’ approach towards Iran’s defense It is stated in the statement that they do Anderson predicts that Russia and China will prevent exten- information technology and communication,” freedom-seeking people in the world not to power is “not acceptable”. not support any unilateral attempt to trig- sion of an arms embargo on Iran. the presidential website quoted Rouhani as leave the people of the United States alone “Extension of arms embargo is contrary ger a snapback of United Nations sanctions He said that Russia and China will use their right to veto in saying. in fighting discrimination and racism,” the to terms of the 2231 resolution and will bring against Iran. the UN Security Council to kill the U.S.-proposed resolution to The Foreign Ministry spokesman said, statement read. consequences for which the United States The United States has stepped up calls extend arms embargo. “This document is in line with the interests Protests have started across the U.S. and and Europeans are responsible. Interaction for the extension of a UN arms embargo on The United States has stepped up calls for the extension of of the two countries and it is an honorable.” some cities around the world over the brutal between Europe and the United States is their Iran since April. UN arms embargo on Iran since April. ‘Return to obligations only way killing of an African-American man. own business, but we will not relinquish our Under the UN Security Council Resolu- Under the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which en- to save nuclear deal’ George Floyd died on May 25 after being rights,” he stated. tion 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear dorsed the 2015 nuclear deal, the arms embargo on Iran expires In his regular news briefing, Mousavi also pinned down by a white officer despite yelling He noted that Iran plans to take two or deal, the arms embargo expires in October. in October. said the only way to save the 2015 nuclear “I cannot breathe”. three actions if the arms embargo is extended. The Trump administration has threatened Brian Hook, the U.S. special representative for Iran, has reiter- deal, officially known as the JCPOA, is that ‘Zarif to address UNSC through France, Germany and the United Kingdom that it may seek to trigger a snapback of all ated Washington’s call for extending an expiring United Nations all sides abide by their commitments. video conference’ said in a joint statement published on June sanctions on Iran if its attempts to extend arms embargo on the Islamic Republic, saying the world should “We advise the European countries to Mousavi also said that Iranian Foreign 19 that the European Union’s embargoes on the arms embargo fail. ignore Iran’s threats to retaliate if the embargo is extended. know that all sides’ return to the JCPOA is the Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif plans to conventional arms exports and missile tech- The U.S. administration has made such Hook told The Associated Press on Sunday that the UN arms only way to save it. Sending signals to others address the UN Security Council on Tuesday nology to Iran will remain in force until 2023. a threat despite the fact that Donald Trump embargo, set to expire in October, has stopped Iran from pur- is not right and constructive. They know the through a video conference. chasing fighter jets, tanks, warships and other weaponry. “If we let it expire, you can be certain that what Iran has been doing in the dark, it will do in broad daylight and then some,” he said. IRGC says to provide technology to automotive industry Hook made the comments while on a visit to Abu Dhabi, POLITICAL TEHRAN —Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Hajizadeh said on June 9 that the IRGC will transfer its the capital of the U.S.-allied United Arab Emirates, as part of deskcommander of the Aerospace Force of research experiences to automotive industry. a Mideast tour. the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, said on Monday that “We are capable in the area of electronics and can transfer The Trump administration has threatened that it may seek the IRGC is ready to provide technology to the automotive our experiences,” he said during a meeting with top officials to trigger a snapback of all sanctions on Iran if its attempts to industry. of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade and managing extend the arms embargo fail. “As our dear ones in the area of industry helped the armed directors of the automotive industry. According to Reuters, Russia and China have started making forces during eight years of imposed war [1980-1988 Iran-Iraq During a visit to Iran Khodro projects in May, Hajizadeh the case at the United Nations against Washington’s claim that war], we are duty bound to help them in current economic said that the IRGC is prepared to transfer defense technology it can trigger a return of all sanctions on Iran at the Security war,” Hajizadeh told Tasnim. to auto industry. Council, with Moscow invoking a 50-year-old international legal There are shortcomings in automotive industry in “We have a technological industry and we are prepared opinion to argue against the move. technological area and manufacture of certain parts and the to transfer it to the country’s automotive industry with no Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has slammed the U.S. IRGC knows knowledge-based corporations in this sphere, he limitation,” said the aerospace chief of the IRGC. threats to reimpose arms embargo on Iran, saying it violates said during a visit to Iran University of Science and Technology. He also attached great importance to make the most use Resolution 2231. He noted that the IRGC will just provide advisory help of domestic capacities to make the United States’ sanctions Wang urged the U.S. to stop its unilateral sanctions, return and will not enter the automotive industry. ineffective. to the correct track of observing the Iran nuclear deal and UNSC resolutions, work with all parties to maintain the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and maintain peace and sta- bility in the Middle East, CGTN reported on June 11. In a letter to Guterres and the Security Council circulated on Zarif discusses expansion of ties with Qatari FM June 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the Trump POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian For- “At a juncture of time, certain regional countries would reach agreements in eco- of relations. administration of unleashing a politically motivated campaign deskeign Minister Mohammad countries imposed restrictions on Qatar, nomic cooperation, investment, technology In June of 2017, Saudi Arabia along against Iran and called for “universal condemnation” of the U.S. Javad Zarif has discussed expansion of ties but Iran stood beside Qatar and will stand and other areas,” the president stated. with Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab attempts, AP reported. with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed based on its duties as a neighbor,” Rouhani He also said that Iran and Qatar will Emirates (UAE) abruptly cut off diplomatic Lavrov called the United States’ attempts to impose a perma- bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. said during a joint press conference with expand political ties. relations with Qatar and closed land, sea nent arms embargo against Iran “ridiculous” and “irresponsible”. The top diplomats also discussed the Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al For his part, the Qatari emir said that and air routes to the country. The severing The Russian foreign minister said the United States withdrew latest international developments and at- Thani in Tehran. Doha will never forget Tehran’s help in of relations also included withdrawing am- from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six major tached great importance to expansion of Rouhani said that the two countries have difficult days. bassadors and imposing trade and travel powers and now has no legal right to try to use the UN resolution cooperation. very good relationship in various areas of “We praise the Islamic Republic of Iran’s bans on Doha. endorsing the deal to indefinitely continue the arms embargo. President Hassan Rouhani said in January economy, science and culture. stance in recent years, especially when Qatar The Islamic Republic opened its airspace that Iran has stood and will stand beside “A joint commission will be formed in was under blockade,” the emir said. to about 100 more Qatari flights a day during Iranian embassy warns U.S. Qatar in the future. future months and we hope that the two Sheikh Tamim also called for expansion the blockade. envoy to stop uttering nonsense

TEHRAN (FNA) – Iran’s Embassy in Lebanon blasted US Brutal Western sanctions hampering Iran’s fight against drug trafficking: police commander Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea for baseless allegations The brutal sanctions imposed by Western ern countries, especially the countries in Iran’s eastern neighbors are hubs for pro- inside our country and to this end, more about Tehran, warning the American diplomat to stop uttering countries on the Islamic Republic have sty- Europe.” duction and distribution of narcotics to the than 3,820 of Iranian police personnel have nonsensical words to harm Iran’s position in Lebanon. mied Iran’s capacity to fight drug trafficking “We discover an average 2.5 tons of drugs entire world, and as the United Nations embraced martyrdom in the anti-drug fight Shea had claimed on Friday that “Hezbollah is destabilizing by depriving it of the necessary equipment, per day in our country and stop them from has announced, “more than 80% of the and about 12,000 others sustained injuries.” the country and jeopardizing Lebanon’s economic recovery”. says a senior Iranian police official. reaching other markets,” the top-ranking world’s opium is produced in Afghanistan.” “We believe narcotics are the common Then Lebanese Judge Mazieh issued an order in Tyre on In an exclusive interview with Press TV police official said, warning of the conse- Stressing that Iran has a 900-kilometer enemy of the human society, but based on Saturday banning all media from publishing the ambassador’s on Sunday, Colonel Majid Karimi, who heads quences if Iran stopped fighting drug transit border with Afghanistan, Karimi said Iran the principle of shared responsibility, other comments for a year after a recent interview in which she criti- the Iran Drug Control Headquarters, said, through its soil even for a month. is located on the transit route to Europe countries must also pitch in and do their cized Hezbollah group. “Brutal sanctions against Iran have made “We have tried to turn the threat of sanc- and the bulk of narcotics produced in Af- part in this fight,” the top-ranking police Mazieh said Shea’s comments incited sectarian strife and fighting drug trafficking difficult.” tions into an opportunity. Therefore, we have ghanistan are destined for European states. official concluded. threatened social peace. The judge said while he can’t ban the “We need advanced equipment to fight turned to our own domestic science-based Citing a UN announcement last year, On Friday, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador from speaking, he can bar the media from inter- drugs smuggling, but the sanctions have companies and we are now using the ca- Karimi said the seizure of more than 48 per- permanent representative to the Vien- viewing her for a year. caused us problems for acquiring those pacity of our scientists in Iran to produce cent of morphine, 26 percent of heroin na-based international organizations, hailed Mazieh said the ambassador had “no right to talk” the Hez- equipment.” necessary equipment inside the country.” and over 90 percent of opium in the world the country’s battle against drug trafficking, bollah, which he described as “a Lebanese party represented in Addressing countries that have imposed Karimi said, “I tell the developed coun- has been conducted by the Iranian police. saying the Islamic Republic had managed parliament and Cabinet that enjoys a wide popular base”. sanctions on Iran, Karimi said those states tries that they must play a role in this fight Underlining that the Islamic Republic to confiscate the world’s largest amount of Mazieh said he acted after receiving a complaint from a citi- must come to the understanding that “our and help us as no country in the world can will continue to fight drug trafficking without narcotics over the past years despite the zen who considered Shea’s comments to a Saudi-owned station fight is not just for our country, but it also fight drug trafficking on its own.” any political considerations, Karimi said, illegal U.S. sanctions. “insulting to the Lebanese people”. benefits other countries, especially West- The police official went on to say that “We are doing our job of fighting drugs (Source: Press TV) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JUNE 30, 2020 IRAN IN FOCUS 3

Washington reiterates call for MEK terror group funded by American taxpayers’ money: extension of arms embargo on Iran Tehran POLITICAL TEHRAN — Brian Washington’s departure and Europeans’ POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Ministry deskHook, the U.S. special failure to honor their commitments. desksays American taxpayers’ money funds representative for Iran, has reiterated On January 5 of this year, Iran took a the (Mojahedin-e Khalgh) MEK terrorist group. Washington’s call for extending an ex- fifth and last step in reducing its commit- “MEK is by all means a terror cult,” the Foreign Min- piring United Nations arms embargo on ments and said it would no longer observe istry wrote in a tweet on Sunday. “Europe is home to this the Islamic Republic, saying the world any operational limitations on its nuclear rogue entity & Americans taxpayers’ money has funded should ignore Iran’s threats to retaliate industry, whether concerning the capacity the atrocities of this corrupt grouplet.” if the embargo is extended. and level of uranium enrichment, the vol- “Both have hands in the massacre of innocent Iranians Hook told The Associated Press on ume of stockpiled uranium or research and by MEK,” the ministry added. Sunday that the UN arms embargo, set development. However, Iran has insisted Earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi to expire in October, has stopped Iran from if the Europeans honor their obligations marked the 39th anniversary of an act of terror that killed purchasing fighter jets, tanks, warships it will immediately reverse its decisions. over 70 senior figures by the MEK, saying the terror group and other weaponry. Last week, Foreign Minister Mohammad has since remained under the auspices of the U.S. and “If we let it expire, you can be certain Javad Zarif ridiculed a claim by U.S. Sec- Europe. that what Iran has been doing in the dark, retary of State Mike Pompeo about Iran’s it will do in broad daylight and then some,” plan to purchase fighter aircraft. he said. “@SecPompeo is so desperate to mislead Hook made the comments while on the world that he claims come October, a visit to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Iran will purchase fighter aircraft,” Zarif U.S.-allied United Arab Emirates, as part tweeted on June 23. of a Mideast tour. He added, “And then send them off to The United States has stepped up calls the limits of their ONE-WAY ranges. Per- for the extension of a UN arms embargo haps he could also say how they would fly on Iran since April. back to Iran having exhausted their fuel.” Under the UN Security Council’s 2231 Zarif attached a photo of an earlier tweet resolution, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear “We have put this regime through our their ability to move weapons,” Hook added. by Pompeo, which claimed that Europe deal, the arms embargo on Iran expires strategy on the horns of a dilemma,” he U.S. President Donald Trump unilat- and Asia could be in Iran’s crosshairs if it in October. said. “They have to choose between guns erally quit the nuclear deal in May 2018 purchases new fighter aircraft. Despite leaving the nuclear deal and in Damascus or butter in Tehran.” and introduced the harshest ever sanctions “If the @UN Arms Embargo on Iran imposing crippling sanctions on Iran, the “If we play by Iran’s rules, Iran wins,” in history on Iran as part of his adminis- expires in October, Iran will be able to buy Trump administration has threatened that Hook claimed. “It is a mafia tactic where tration’s “maximum pressure” strategy new fighter aircraft like Russia’s SU-30 “39yrs ago, today, Iran Chief Justice Ayatollah Beheshti & it may seek to trigger a snapback of all people are intimidated into accepting a against Iran. and China’s J-10,” Pompeo wrote. 72senior figures were assassinated by US-, Saddam-backed sanctions on Iran if its attempts to extend certain kind of behavior for fear of some- On May 8, 2019, exactly one year after “With these highly lethal aircraft, MEK terrorist cult. Since then, MEK has remained under the arms embargo fail. thing far worse.” the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, Teh- Europe and Asia could be in Iran’s US/Euro auspices, letting it horribly kill&maim 10000+Ira- Hook said Tehran’s lowered revenues “I don’t think anyone believes that Iran’s ran began to gradually reduce its commit- crosshairs. The U.S. will never let this nians,” Mousavi tweeted on Saturday. represented “a good thing for the region”. behavior merits loosening restrictions on ments under the pact to both retaliate for happen,” he added. “Their blood on terrorist MEK supporters’ hands!” he added. The MEK was established in the 1960s to express a mixture of Marxism and Islamism. It launched bombing Trump will be prosecuted campaigns against the Shah, continuing after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, against the Islamic Republic. Iran accuses the group of being responsible for 17,000 deaths. 36 individuals identified in connection to Gen. Soleimani assassination Based in Iraq at the time, MEK members were armed POLITICAL TEHRAN — Tehran Prosecutor General tyred General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to fight against deskAli Alqasi-Mehr has said that 36 individuals the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Iran during a war that lasted for 8 years in the 1980s. including U.S. President Donald Trump have been identi- Units (PMU), in Baghdad’s international airport. In 2012, the U.S. State Department removed the MEK fied in connection with the U.S. assassination of Lieutenant In the early hours of January 8, the IRGC fired doz- from its list of designated terrorist organizations under General Qassem Soleimani. ens of ballistic missiles at a military airbase hosting U.S. intense lobbying by groups associated with Saudi Arabia “36 individuals who cooperated, collaborated, and par- forces in Iraq as part of its promised “tough revenge” for and other regimes opposed to Iran. ticipated in the assassination of Hajj Qassem, including the U.S. terrorist attack. A few years ago, the MEK operatives were relocated political and military authorities of the U.S. and other Soleimani was recognized internationally as a leg- from their Camp Ashraf in Iraq’s Diyala Province to Camp countries, have been identified,” Alqasi-Mehr said on endary commander in the war against terrorist groups, Hurriyet (Camp Liberty), a former U.S. military base in Monday, according to ISNA. especially Daesh (ISIS). Baghdad, and were later relocated to Albania. Their arrest warrant has been issued and announced to On Thursday, Mousavi termed the Islamic Republic Interpol, he added. of Iran as the biggest victim of terrorist actions, “which The prosecutor general explained that U.S. President Iran has asked Interpol to have been taken mainly with the U.S. government’s direct Donald Trump is at the top of the list, and he’ll be facing arrest Trump at the top of and indirect supports, and with more than 17,000 people prosecution even after his term as president. martyred in this path, is always at the forefront of the fight On January 3, Trump ordered airstrikes that mar- the list for the assassination. against terrorism at the global and regional levels.” He also said the United States, as the world’s most in- famous terrorist regime, is in no position to judge other countries. Parliament to give appropriate response to E3: MP The remarks came in response to the annual Country Reports on Terrorism released by the U.S. TEHRAN (MNA) — An Iranian law- interests of the country.” maker said the parliament is monitoring “Given that the anti-Iranian resolution the behavior of the European countries of the IAEA’s Board of Governors has been and give an appropriate response to them. adopted with the proposal of European Trump exited JCPOA out “The path is clear and the history governments and with the guidance of shows that negotiation will not secure the United States, do we still have to en- of hatred toward Obama’s our national interests and no talks should ter a vicious circle of negotiations that be held,” Abbas Moghtadaei, represent- results in more pressure on Iran? Which achievements: professor ative of Esfahan and deputy chairman of common sense accepts this?” POLITICAL TEHRAN — A political science profes- the Parliament’s National Security and “So, we, at the Parliament’s National desksor says Donald Trump’s narrow reason Foreign Policy Commission, told Mehr Security and Foreign Policy Commission, for the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal was News Agency on Monday. are closely monitoring the behavior of prompted by his hatred of any achievement by his prede- “Whenever national interest is served, Western countries, especially that of E3, cessor Barack Obama. negotiation will become meaningful,” and we intend to give appropriate response In an interview with ILNA published on Monday, Wil- he added. to them in various economic, trade, and liam Lucas said the wider motive for Trump’s high-level The lawmaker went on to say that diplomatic dimensions.” advisors, such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, is to “Despite all the privileges that the Ira- “The Iranian Parliament is persistently step up sanctions and break nian Foreign Ministry has offered to seeking to secure the interests of the coun- the Iranian economy. Westerners, we see today that America try and we will not let resolutions that do “They could be seeking a and the three European signatories of not have executive guarantees affect our renegotiation of the nuclear the JCPOA are clearly acting against the decisions and strategies,” he stressed. deal, with Iran surrendering on key points over its nuclear program, or even pursuing Iran calls on Romania to send DNA profile of dead ex-judge regime change,” Lucas said. Asked if the U.S. govern- TEHRAN (FNA) — Iran’s Interpol Chief Brigadier General of the country to provide us with the latest information as ment would eventually be able Hadi Shirzad said that his country has demanded Roma- soon as possible,” he added. to renew a UN arms embargo nia to send the DNA profile of the dead fugitive ex-judge Earlier this month, Iranian Judiciary Spokesman Gholam on Iran, he said, “The effort to Gholamreza Mansouri, adding that Bucharest has not yet Hossein Esmayeeli had also criticized Romania’s lack of extend the UN arms embargo, provided Tehran with any solid document in the case. cooperation with the country on the death of Mansouri, which is linked to the JCPOA Shirzad said on Monday that Romania has identified the saying that Tehran’s information is limited to Romanian if not part of it, is to maintain dead person in the Bucharest hotel as Gholamreza Mansouri media reports and a short quotation from Bucharest’s diplomatic pressure on Iran.” based on the documents carried by the deceased person, Prosecutor. The professor confirmed but “we certainly need other proofs and evidence, including Tehran has urged Bucharest to prepare a full report on that “it is also part of a contest between Washington and his DNA, to firmly confirm the dead person’s identity”. the death of its fugitive ex-judge Gholamreza Mansouri in Tehran in the region,” adding that it is unlikely that the “We have demanded for the DNA profile and the Romanian Romania, Esmayeeli said. U.S. can push through the arms embargo. Interpol has also announced that the DNA profile is being pre- He added that Iran is pursuing the case via its foreign He said the Europeans will look for a compromise, and pared and will be sent to Iran soon,” he added. ministry and Interpol and has also sent several letters to Russia and China could block any Security Council action. General Shirzad complained that the Romanian police Romanian Judiciary chief. Also last Monday, Iranian Prosecutor General Mohammad Washington has stepped up calls for the extension has not yet sent any proof, document or evidence to Iran Iran will not leave the case as it had announced Man- Jafar Montazeri in a letter to his Romanian counterpart of a UN arms embargo on Iran, which will expire in on the cause or incentive behind the death of Mansouri, souri as ‘wanted’ and he was under the surveillance of the Augustin Lazar called for rapid and serious investigations October under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, but pointed out that Bucharest has promised to provide (Romanian) police, the spokesman noted. into Mansouri’s death. which endorses Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Interpol in Tehran with more information in the next Unfortunately, Western countries and the U.S., which “I demand you to order serious and comprehensive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). few days. boisterously claim to fight money- laundering and financial investigations into the cause of Mansouri’s death given The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump Iran on Monday called again on the Romanian government corruption, provide shelter for Iranian financial criminals, the importance of this issue and finding the reality and the has threatened that it may seek to trigger a “snapback” for clarifications on different aspects of Mansouri’s death. he underlined. responsibility that relevant judiciary officials and Interpol of all sanctions on Iran if its attempts to extend the arms “The issue has some ambiguities. Despite (our) demands, In relevant remarks this month, Iran’s Deputy Judiciary of Romania have had to protect and monitor the suspect,” embargo fall through. the Romanian government has not yet cleared the issue. Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said Romania should Montazeri said in his letter. In May 2018, President Trump unilaterally pulled The foreign ministry, Iran’s mission, Judiciary and the account for the death of ex-judge, Gholamreza Mansouri, He also called for identification and prosecution of in- his country out of the JCPOA, unleashing the “toughest Interpol are pursuing the issue and we demand Romania in the European country. dividuals possibly involved in Mansouri’s death. ever” sanctions against Iran. to inform Iran officially and in written on whatever has “The Romanian government should certainly be account- Montazeri asked Lazar to send him a complete report While the U.S. is no longer a party to the 2015 deal, it happened. We have not received anything new yet except able. He [Mansouri] had stated his intention to return to about the prosecution and judicial case and the incident has launched a campaign to renew the arms ban through the media reports,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Iran and he was under police control and the Romanian which led to Mansouri’s death via Iran’s mission in Bucharest. a resolution at the UN Security Council. Abbas Mousavi told reporters in a press conference. government should account for his death,” Mohseni Ejei said. Earlier this month, Iran confirmed that Mansouri who The Security Council is scheduled to discuss the “We still want clarification of all aspects of the issue. I “There are ambiguities and effort should be made to was accused of receiving bribe before fleeing the country, measure on June 30, but Russia and China are most demand the Romanian government and relevant officials clarify them,” he added. had been arrested by the Interpol in Romania. likely to veto it. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY JUNE 30, 2020

ISIPO revives over 200 idle Promotion of production units in 3 months 1 According to the official, the mentioned units returning production a must to operation created direct jobs for 21,618 persons. One of the approaches through which ISIPO is planning to help inactive units get back in the production cycle is to see their knowledge and technology needs, Mosaheb said. “The country’s technology units and scientific and research for developing centers have come to believe that they can help the industry and that the industry can use their potentials and capacities,” he added. exports: TPO head

ECONOMY TEHRAN – Head of “Based on the estimates, Iran has the deskIran’s Trade Promotion capacity to export $100 billion to the neigh- Organization (TPO) Hamid Zadboum boring countries, and this capacity will be said promoting domestic production is exploited only when production is promoted,” the prerequisite of exports development, the TPO head stressed. IRIB reported. Import management is important along “Exports improve when there is produc- with the development of exports, which is not to ban exports but to regulate it. Zadboum said: “Turkey’s railway and road tion, and we have to move in the direction means that the value of the industrial im- “The priority is to supply the domestic borders are open for trade. The Iraqi borders of export-based production,” Zadboum said ports must decrease and the exports from this market and the needs of the people, but are also open, except for two cases. The in a press conference on Monday. sector must increase, Zadboum emphasized. exports are also an important part of the border crossings with Azerbaijan, Armenia According to the official, part of the Mentioning the government’s recent economy that must be encouraged with and Pakistan are also open” country’s export problems is structural decision on limiting the ceiling of exports various incentives,” he said. As for Turkmenistan, currently there and because of the lack of export-intend- for new exporting companies to $500,000, Referring to the latest situation of the are only a rail and a road border open for ed production. the official said the government’s intension The official had previously said that following a program for borders with the neighboring countries, trade, he added. boosting domestic production, ISIPO had managed to revive 529 idle production units in the first half of the past Iranian calendar year (March 21-September 21, 2019). ‘Iranian manufacturers can meet Basic goods transited to domestic need for home appliances’ Afghanistan via Chabahar Iran’s annual olive oil production hits 11,600 tons

ECONOMY TEHRAN – Olive oil production in Iran reached desk11,600 tons in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19), the manager of the Agriculture Min- istry’s “Olive Project” initiative said. “Olive oil production in our country is in a good place and the production of this product has increased from 3,300 tons in [the Iranian calendar year] 1391 (ended in March 2013) to 11,600 tons in 1398,” ILNA quoted Rahmatolah Parichehr as saying. Speaking in a meeting with the company owners and busi- nessmen active in the industry, the official stated that in the year of “surge in production”, the quantitative and qualitative increase of olive oil production and also the increase of its per capita consumption is on Ag- ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian that despite the restrictions created by the ECONOMY TEHRAN — Some 14 India sent its first consignment of wheat riculture Ministry’s agenda. deskproduction units U.S. this industry’s production capacity deskcargo ships have carried to Afghanistan through Iran’s Chabahar Port “The per capita consumption can meet the domestic need for home increased 10 percent in 1398 compared basic commodities for Afghanistan via Shahid back in 2017. of this product in the world is appliances, the secretary of the Association to its preceding year. Beheshti Port in Iranian southeastern port Later on, in February 2019, the Afghani- 500 grams and we have planned of Industries of Household Appliances of Based on Industry, Mining and Trade city of Chabahar over the past two years, stan-Iran-India trade corridor for the trade to reach the global average,” Iran told IRNA on Monday. Ministry data, in the previous year, according to a local official. between the two countries through Chabahar Parichehr said. Abbas Hashemi said that foreign home 1,168,700 refrigerators and freezers were Behrouz Aqaei, the director-general of Port was officially inaugurated. The official had previously appliances are being replaced with the produced in the country, an increase of 7.8 Ports and Maritime Department of Sistan-Bal- In February this year, the Secretary Gen- said that demand for olive oil Iran-made products and the developed percent compared to the preceding year uchestan Province (where the port is located) eral of Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of in Iran exceeds 12,000 tons per year and the shortage is mainly production capacity is now meeting the 1397 (ended on March 20, 2019), while told IRNA on Monday that after the cargoes Commerce Mozafar Alikhani announced imported from Turkey, Italy, Spain and Greece. need for many items inside the country. domestic companies produced 732,200 are unloaded in Shahid Beheshti Port, they that Iran has approved two Afghan banks to The Agriculture Ministry’s olive project scheme titled the “Na- Iranian deputy industry, mining, and washing machines, to register a 32-percent are transited to Afghanistan by trucks. open branches in its southeastern strategic tional Plan for Development of Olive Cultivation and Processing” trade minister for industry affairs says increase year on year. He said that India’s all 75,000 tons do- port of Chabahar. seeks to increase olive oil production in Iran to a level where the Iranian producers have indigenized the Also, the production of coolers increased nated wheat for Afghanistan is due to be “Due to the strategic nature of the Chaba- country would have no further needs for import. knowledge for manufacturing 60 percent by 6.3 percent to 904,900 units during sent to the country through Shahid Beheshti har port and being exempted from the U.S. of the country’s home appliance needs. the said period. Port, only five consignments of which have sanctions, Iran has allowed two Afghan banks Speaking in the inauguration ceremony According to the official, the increase been sent so far. to establish branches in the port so that the TEDPIX falls 10,000 points of a home appliance production unit two in the production of home appliances Chabahar is believed to be the best and two countries’ businessmen could be able to weeks ago, Mehdi Sadeqi Niaraki said the was achieved in a situation where two economical transit route into Afghanistan use their facilities and services,” Alikhani said. on Monday development of domestic production in international companies (LG and Samsung) and Central Asian countries. There are strong economic ties between the home appliance industry has been which held nearly 80 percent of Iran’s In mid-April, a 75,000-metric-ton the two countries in terms of cultural, lin- ECONOMY TEHRAN — TEDPIX, the main index of Tehran very significant so that nearly 70 percent market reduced their production in the consignment of Indian wheat heading for guistic and historical commonalities, and deskStock Exchange (TSE), dropped 10,000 points of the small home appliances are currently country and left Iran under U.S. pressures. Afghanistan arrived at Chabahar to be de- many of Afghan traders are familiar with to 1.481 on Monday, Tasnim news agency reported. made by domestic producers. South Korea’s LG Electronics and livered to the destination country through the patterns of trade and consumption in As reported, 12.27 billion securities worth 15.718 trillion rials (about Underlining the increase in the Samsung have ended their presence in land borders. Iran, he said. $374.2 million) were traded through 1.876 million deals on Monday. production of home appliances during the Iranian market since the beginning According to Aqaei, the Indian govern- “Iran currently supplies about 35 percent TEDPIX went up 190,000 points during the past Iranian calendar the first two months of the current Iranian of 2020, abiding by the U.S. pressures ment sent the mentioned cargo aiming to of Afghanistan’s total imports, apart from week (ended on Friday). calendar year (March 20-May 20), the for cutting ties with one of their biggest support its trade partner during the coro- the technical-engineering, and educational The index stood at 1.419 million points, showing a 15-percent official said the production of washing markets. navirus pandemic. services,” Alikhani added. weekly increase. machines has increased by 152 percent The departure of the Asian companies The consignment was comprised of 203 The neighbor Afghanistan is a major ex- TEDPIX has also climbed 28.77 percent in the past Iranian calendar from 48,000 units in the previous year from the Iranian market created a new 20-metric-feet containers that had been port destination of Iranian products, and as month (April 21-June 20) from its preceding month. to 121,000 units this year. opportunity for domestic companies shipped from Kandla Port in eastern India. Iran is seriously pursuing the objective of The index gained 283,868 points to 1,270,627 during the past He further mentioned the upward trend to, once again, come to the spotlight for In 2016, Iran, India, and Afghanistan boosting non-oil exports to its neighbors, month. of the production home appliances in the showcasing their capabilities and benefit decided to jointly establish a trade route making the exporters acquainted with this Although, the value of trades at the TSE, which is Iran’s major previous calendar year 1398 and noted from a market that belongs to them. for land-locked Central Asian countries. country’s markets is an agenda. stock exchange, fell 31 percent in the past month. Some 166.408 billion securities were traded through 22.416 million deals at this market, which shows a 22 percent drop in the number of securities and a 26 percent fall in the number of deals. In a press conference on Monday, the head of Iran’s Securities and Exchange Organization (SEO) announced that the amount of Quarterly loading of basic goods in Imam Khomeini Port up 24% liquidity absorbed by Iran’s capital market has reached 500 trillion ECONOMY TEHRAN — Loading and we hope that with the measures taken rials (about $12 billion) during the first quarter of the current Iranian deskof basic goods in Imam by the Central Bank [of Iran (CBI)], the calendar year (March 20-June 20). Khomeini Port in southwestern Khuzestan Industry Ministry, and IRICA, we will be Hasan Qalibaf-Asl also said, “It is while the total amount of li- Province has risen 24 percent during the able to minimize the deposition of goods quidity entered into this market stood at 300 trillion rials (about first quarter of the current Iranian calendar in the customs before and after clearance. $7.14 billion) during the past year.” year (March 20-June 20), according to a In this regard, we are going to make a new The official further noted that the high amount of liquidity that is provincial official. proposal to the government through the entering the capital market has provided some good opportunity for Head of Khuzestan Province’s Ports Economy Ministry.” this market, as it’s being developed and flourished, for the enterprises, and Maritime Department Adel Daris “There are currently about four million as they’re securing their required funds, and also for the government. announced that over four million tons tons of goods stored in the country’s ports, Mentioning the prosperous status of the capital market in the of basic commodities have loaded in this including both basic goods and regular present year, Qalibaf-Asl underlined that the current status of this port and transported to different parts of commodities like raw materials, and ma- market is not at all comparable with that of the past three years and the country in the three-month period, chinery, so we need to take more specific even the previous year. IRIB reported. inter-sectorial measures to facilitate the He put the amount of financing through the capital market at 2.6 The official mentioned wheat, barley, clearance process,” Mirashrafi added. quadrillion rials (about $61.9 billion) in the past Iranian calendar soybean cake, sugar, rice, and edible oil According to the official, the main reason year 1398 and said the figure was one quadrillion rials (about $23.8 as the major products loaded in Imam for the prolonging of clearance processes billion) just in the first quarter of the present year. Financing through Khomeini Port during the first quarter. has been related to money transfer issues this market stood at 1.2 quadrillion rials (about $28.5 billion) in the As previously announced by Daris, and obtaining ownership documents. calendar year 1397. unloading of non-oil commodities in Regarding the reduction of global trade The SEO head also put the value of trades at Tehran Stock Ex- Imam Khomeini Port Special Economic due to the coronavirus outbreak, the IR- change (TSE) and Iran’s over-the-counter (OTC) market, known as Zone in the first Iranian calendar month ICA head said: “It is predicted that the Iran Fara Bourse (IFB), at 8.3 quadrillion rials (about $197.61 billion) of Farvardin (March 20-April 19) in- volume of trade in the world will decrease in the previous year, while the figure was 7.8 quadrillion rials (about creased by 15 percent to more than 1.791 berths, today it offers 40 berths for ships. customs during the previous year. by 20 percent due to the outbreak of the $185.71 billion) in the first quarter of this year. million tons. Over 15.7 million tons of basic commod- According to Mehdi Mirashrafi, 35 mil- coronavirus and Iran and West Asia are TSE is Iran’s major stock exchange, three other exchanges are Imam Khomeini Port is a seaport at the ities were loaded and unloaded at Imam lion tons of commodities were imported not exceptions.” IFB, Iran Mercantile Exchange (IME), and Iran Energy Exchange northwestern end of the Persian Gulf near Khomeini Port in the past Iranian calendar into the country in the mentioned year, of The official further noted that in the (IRENEX). the provincial capital of Ahvaz, Khuzestan. year (ended on March 19). which 25 million tons were basic goods. current year which has been called the year Qalibaf-Asl further said that the number of trading ac- It is Iran’s second-largest operating As announced by the head of the Islamic Noting that the coronavirus outbreak of “surge in production” by the Leader of counts opened in the stock market in the past year was 820,000, port after Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Republic of Iran Customs Administration has decreased the level of trade in the cur- the Islamic Revolution Seyed Ali Khamenei, adding that 1.6 million accounts have been opened in the first three Hormozgan Province. (IRICA) earlier this month, 25 million tons rent Iranian calendar year, the official said: IRICA has prioritized export-facilitating months of the current year. The port was opened in 1960 with two of basic goods have been cleared from Iran’s “This year, the trend has slowed down, policies and strategies. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JUNE 30, 2020 ENERGY 5

Energy Ministry considering use Arbitration court’s ruling on NIGC-Turkmengaz dispute of condensate as power plant fuel announced TEHRAN (Shana) — The General Directorate of Public Relations ENERGY TEHRAN – Iran’s calendar year (started on March 19). of the Iranian Oil Ministry issued an announcement explaining deskDeputy Energy Minister As reported, given the increase in gas the outcome of the International Court of Arbitration’s ruling Homayoun Haeri said on Sunday that the production from South Pars field (Iran’s regarding the dispute between the National Iranian Gas Company ministry is considering the use of gas biggest gas field shared with Qatar in the (NIGC) and Turkmengaz. condensate as a replacement for natural Persian Gulf) and the consequent increase in The text of the announcement of the General Directorate of gas to be used in the country’s power plants. the gas condensate production, it is necessary Public Relations of the Ministry of Petroleum is as follows: A knowledge-based company is studying to consider innovative programs for using it. “Following the cessation of gas exports to Iran by Turkmengaz a plan for modifying the design of the power Natural-gas condensate, also called in early winter 2016, despite efforts by the National Iranian Gas plants’ turbines so that gas condensate could natural gas liquids, is a low-density mixture Company to resolve financial disputes between the two sides be used as a replacement fuel for natural of hydrocarbon liquids that are present as through negotiations, Turkmengaz decided to refer the dispute gas, Haeri told Mehr News Agency. gaseous components in the raw natural gas to international arbitration. The Energy Ministry is ready to cooperate produced from many natural gas fields. with the Oil Ministry in this regard, he said, South Pars gas field is estimated to contain adding: “for conducting the necessary about 18 billion barrels of condensate. research, we have introduced Asaluyeh In late May, Iranian Oil Minister power plant as the pilot to the mentioned Bijan Namdar Zanganeh announced that company so that its turbines can be reviewed his ministry plans to prevent direct gas and redesigned.” condensate exports to make use of it inside According to the official, the cost of the country. generating electricity from gas condensate is In early February, the minister had said not much different from the cost of generating that about 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) electricity from natural gas and the point for of the country’s gas condensate are used as this project is to diversify the power plants’ feedstock for the country’s petrochemical fuel basket and make efficient use of the The use of gas condensate in the fuel among the major plans that the Energy plants and 80,000 bpd go to domestic country’s resources. basket of the country’s power plants was Ministry announced for the current Iranian refineries, apart from Persian Gulf Star. “In accordance with the provisions of the agreements between the two countries, the matter was referred to the International Court of Arbitration in Switzerland. The arbitrator announced his decision to both parties on June 24, 2020. “According to the rules of arbitration, this decision cannot be Iran’s annual gas exports up 26% disseminated by any of the parties to the dispute, except with the ENERGY TEHRAN – Iranian in the previous year reached about 270 agreement of the parties. desknatural gas exports to billion cubic meters, Torbati emphasized “It is important to note that the current dispute between Turk- the neighboring countries increased by that considering the increase in both mengaz and the National Iranian Gas Company is only one dispute 3.6 billion cubic meters in the previous production and consumption of natural over the exact amount of debt owed to Turkmengaz and the National Iranian calendar year (ended on March gas, the national network handled the Iranian Gas Company’s claims related to the quantity and quality of 19) registering a 26-percent rise year on transmission of the added output smoothly. Turkmenistan’s exported gas to Iran. Therefore, this commercial year, said managing director of National The NIGC head further noted that lawsuit has no winner or loser. Iranian Gas Company (NIGC). the outbreak of coronavirus hasn’t have “What can be said about the outcome is that the issued judgement Referring to the gas industry’s new any negative impact on the company’s has different dimensions, in some cases the views of Turkmengaz records in production, transmission, development projects and programs. Company and in some cases the views of the National Iranian Gas distribution and exports during the previous “With careful planning and with the Company have been sustained. Iranian calendar year, Hassan Montazer implementation of all health protocols, the “It is emphasized that, contrary to some rumor mills, the National Torbati pointed to the unprecedented outbreak of corona did not disrupt the gas Iranian Gas Company has not been subject to payment of any fines, as increase of natural gas exports last year industry’s development process,” he said. Turkmengaz’s request did not concern imposition of a fine on NIGC. and said that the surge in exports was Iran is currently exporting gas to its As mentioned above, the only issue discussed in the arbitration was realized despite the significant increase western neighbors including Turkey and investigation of the debt of the National Iranian Gas Company to in the domestic consumption. Iraq. Turkmengaz for the gas received from Turkmengaz until the date “Last year, the cumulative consumption Back in May, Torbati had said that the of gas cut-off and the determination of the exact amount of fines on by domestic, commercial and small conditions governing Iran’s long-term gas Turkmengaz concerning the quantity and quality of the delivered gas. industrial sectors increased by about contracts probably undergo essential “However, we have always believed in resolving issues and disputes 10 billion cubic meters, but despite new changes after the coronavirus pandemic. through negotiation, but referring a commercial case to arbitration consumption records, the gas supply The official told ILNA that Iran would is a common practice in international trade to resolve disputes. to urban and rural households was not introduce new pricing mechanisms in gas “We hope that this ruling will pave the way for further development interrupted and the exports increased,” export deals in future, without elaborating Mehdi Jamshidi-Dana said the country is Natural gas export to Turkey has been of relations between the two friendly and neighboring countries.” he said. on how they would work. exporting 32 million cubic meters (mcm) halted following an explosion on a pipeline Noting that the total gas production In late April, NIGC Dispatching Director of natural gas to Iraq on a daily basis. near their joint border in early March. Why oil tanker market may take Trump’s sanctions in NISOC output capacity up stride this time The Trump administration’s plan to add as many as 50 oil tankers TEHRAN (Shana) — Iran’s Oil Minister respect their social responsibility. With the to an already long list of sanctioned vessels would be enough to send Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, recently said that Covid-19 outbreak, we have concentrated global shipping costs surging under normal circumstances. despite the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, on respecting all health protocols and our But the demand fallout from the pandemic may have freed up oil and gas production in Iran had not faced colleagues, particularly those living far from enough vessels to keep prices from skyrocketing as they did last any disruption. Among Iranian oil produc- their families, are trying their best to guar- year when the U.S. announced penalties against units of China’s tion companies, National Iranian South Oil antee safe and sustainable production in biggest shipping company for violating restrictions on carrying Company (NISOC) enjoys a special status oil-rich zones in southern Iran. Furthermore, Iranian petroleum. because of its large contribution to Iran’s we have provided help to people living near “Adding 50 more ships to the list may not be enough to bring production. facilities and installations. The Covid-19 another spike,” said Peter Sand, chief shipping analyst at industry Ahmad Mohammadi, CEO of NISOC, outbreak has sure slowed down EPC/EPD group BIMCO, citing a mismatch in supply and demand caused by tells “Iran Petroleum” that production from projects as many specialists and service the hit to global oil demand from the coronavirus. the oil fields run by this company had seen workers who used to come from neighbor- According to Bloomberg, the Treasury Department is preparing their output exceed the target by 10,000 ing cities and provinces were faced with to ramp up maritime sanctions to choke off trade between Iran and bpd despite the impact of sanctions and restrictions. Despite all this, NISOC’s oil Venezuela, a person familiar with the matter said this month. Bad the current restrictions. He has also said output was 10,000 ahead of plan because actors are constantly seeking new ways to exploit global supply chains that as soon as sanctions have been lifted, no workover project has been halted over and Treasury will continue to target those engaged in sanctions eva- NISOC would be able to bring production this period of time. sion and illicit activities related to shipping, said a spokesperson. back to the pre-sanctions levels quickly. What would happen to NISOC’s 28 About 130 oil and fuel tankers are currently under U.S. sanctions, The following is the full text of the inter- packages with the Covid-19 outbreak and according to the website of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets view Mohammadi gave to “Iran Petroleum”: petroleum industry sanctions? Control, or OFAC, up from about 80 a year ago. They include ves- How did the Covid-19 outbreak affect In six packages, two wells have so far sels that can handle crude, refined products and ship fuel, and Very NISOC’s development projects? exports. In order to maintain the production and export is really complicated and difficult, been completed and five others are to be Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), which are capable of carrying about The Covid-19 outbreak slowed down, to capacity and enhance output, development add to this the Covid-19 outbreak. completed soon. Therefore, a total of seven 2 million barrels of oil. some extent, the development projects as activities within EPC/EPD project should Given the reduction in oil production wells would be completed soon and the rigs The Treasury recently released an advisory on what the shipping soon as it struck. It is noteworthy that our continue. Furthermore, we always think emanated from the Covid-19 outbreak, how installed on these wells will be moved to the sector should be looking for in terms of evasion techniques and po- conditions differed with that of the others of providing development infrastructure long will it take the oil output to rebound location of new wells. tential red flags, while it also updated its guidance related to Iran, in dealing with the coronavirus, as we were for the day the sanctions have been lift- to the pre-sanctions levels? The successful bidders for 9 other pack- North Korea and Syria. also under sanctions. Therefore, we had to ed on Iran’s petroleum industry. In the According to arrangements, in case sanc- ages are known. Preparations are under way Beyond election multiply our efforts in a bid to minimize the meantime, NISOC’s production is largely tions have been lifted, we will restore about for six packages and the fate of remaining An increased focus on shipping when it comes to official sanc- impacts of both the coronavirus and the spent on feeding refineries. Therefore, we 70 percent of oil production in less than a packages will be known soon. I hope that tions policy since around 2018 is likely to persist beyond this year’s sanctions. We were faced with a tough task cannot say that the petroleum industry is month and 100 percent in three months to construction starts in some of them in the election, said John Hughes, former deputy director of sanctions in not halting activity in NISOC-run fields. experiencing unprecedented conditions the pre-sanctions levels. summer. policy at the State Department and now a senior vice president at However, we proceeded with our activities because oil prices have plummeted to very Which project has been affected most What stage is the Parsi and Paranj Albright Stonebridge Group. through well-thought planning. low prices and therefore we have to halt by the Covid-19 outbreak? agreement in now? More than two-thirds of world trade flows take place by sea Many oil companies in the world have our development projects. Despite so many It is really tough, particularly for our We are receiving necessary permits for and VLCCs account for about 40 percent of crude transportation, halted their development activities due to problems we are faced with, we will proceed colleagues working in operation zones to Parsi and Paranj fields’ development. At the said Georgi Slavov, Marex Spectron’s Head of Basic Resources the sharp decline in oil prices. Does NISOC with these projects to keep the business en- work with the Covid-19 spread. In all crises same time, we have held talks with MAP- Research. plan to follow suit? vironment and employment alive and crate and emergency situations, we focus on two NA so that we would sign an agreement for “In a scenario where a total of 28 VLCCs were to be newly The petroleum industry is an interna- development infrastructure. Of course, it points: One is our main and natural task logistics before the agreement takes effect. sanctioned, it could potentially raise VLCC hires to nearly $8.5 tional one and we cannot separate ourselves has to be noted that the methodology of of safe and sustainable production, sup- Given MAPNA’s potential, I hope that we million for shipments from the U.S. to China,” said Stefanos Ka- from others. NISOC accounts for supplying sanctions has changed this time and has porting production and sparing staff any will soon see production logistics work start zantzis, McQuilling Services LLC‘s senior adviser for shipping more than 80 percent of Iran’s oil, which is become more complicated. We are in the damage and the other one is to help people in parallel with the required arrangements and finance in New York, from around $6.5 million at present. earmarked for domestic consumption and midst of an economic war. Oil production and communities living around facilities to for the implementation of the agreement. When the units of China COSCO Shipping Corp. were sanctioned last September, the cost of shipping oil from the U.S. to Asia soared to around $20 million, hurting the export market. To be sure, the impact on freight rates won’t be the only factor ADNOC cuts August term volumes by 5 percent for all crude oil grades the industry has to look at if sanctions are escalated. A dwindling Crude oil volumes from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. for its been slashed 20 percent, with Das Blend and Umm Lulu cut The coalition will next meet Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in Vienna, supply of available ships for hire would put more pressure on the term customers over August will be reduced by five percent 5 percent, as the UAE joined Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman but a key OPEC+ monitoring committee co-chaired by the fleet. Shipowners will face hefty penalties for being late to load or for all four grades, a source familiar with the situation told in enacting voluntary additional cuts below their OPEC+ coalition’s largest members, Saudi Arabia and Russia, is unload cargoes, according to Georgi Slavov, Marex Spectron’s Head S&P Global Platts on June 28. quotas for that month only. scheduled to hold an online meeting July 15. The commit- of Basic Resources Research. ADNOC informed customers who lift contracted monthly The news comes as OPEC and its allies have yet to de- tee is empowered to make recommendations to the wider Still, a recent decline in floating storage could weigh against any volumes -- known as term lifters -- that it would cut the cide whether to extend a historical production cut accord of coalition, which would have to call an extraordinary session dramatic increase in shipping rates. quantity of volumes available for export over August by nearly 10 million bpd beyond July. The deal is scheduled to to approve any changes. Oil benchmarks are trading in a market structure that doesn’t five percent for its more popular Murban and Upper Zakum ease to collective cuts of 7.7 million bpd starting in August, A Persian Gulf OPEC delegate, who spoke on condition incentivize the use of floating storage -- where traders store crude grades and for Umm Lulu and Das Blend, the source said. though the OPEC+ coalition has said it may amend the deal of anonymity, said some preliminary discussions had been at sea in the hope of getting a higher price further out -- said Ka- It follows the same 5 percent cut that ADNOC made for as needed on a monthly basis to manage the oil market’s held on extending the cuts through August but that no con- zantzis. The volume of North Sea crude stored at sea in Europe, for July. June term volumes of Murban and Upper Zakum had recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. clusions had been made. instance, has shrunk by more than half over the past two weeks. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 ADVERTISEMENTS JUNE 30, 2020 TEHRAN TIMES Iran’s Leading International Daily Modern Stadium of Advertising Dept Martyrs of Khuzestan Football Club (KSC)

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tehrantimes79 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JUNE 30, 2020 ANALYSIS/INTERVIEW 7

Despite economic fallout Tehran Too few know much of anything to predict… By Martin Love real estate market flourishes Trump versus Bolton. Biden versus Trump. Really, everyone versus someone somewhere in the disintegrating USA, which some claim is even facing a “civil war” now. The political and Statistical Center of Iran reports soaring prices general domestic chaos is, well, so chaotic that it’s virtually impossible to get a grip on who is saying anything worth hearing. 1 The minimum price of each square impose new taxes and sell public holdings. But the elites appear to be losing control. This latter is key. meter of a downtown rundown property in In a report published in early June, Islamic Take Trump, for example, recently saying he allegedly has the capital stood at 26.48m rials ($150) per Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) grown cold to Juan Guaido, the anointed alleged successor square meter while the maximum was at informed of the 10th parliament, where the to Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela if by chance Maduro loses 750m rials ($4,249), bringing the average to new legislators were discussing introducing his grip. Trump has skirted wanting talks with Maduro while 208.15m rials ($1,179), reports the Financial a capital gains tax plan on real estate market. Guaido remains an unpopular, ineffective dweeb, and everyone Tribune. The purpose of which is to collect taxes on at bottom knows it, but just because Trump MAY reject Guai- According to announcement made by the vacant housing, transfer the main resources do, Biden is claiming Trump has lost his marbles, reiterating Planning and Housing Economy Office of the of real production and prevent hoarding. support for the dweeb. Which just underscores the fact that Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, However, the proposal has been delayed Biden, as a so-called “Deep State” supporter, MAY not be any the number of home sales in Tehran stood at by other parliamentarians arguing the bill better, and perhaps worse, as a U.S President. 11,046 during the third month of the current could have negative impact on the housing The one possibly good outcome of any Biden win in No- Iranian year (May 21-June 20), indicating market. vember is that, in the U.S., there are millions of people on the an increase of 80.3 percent compared with According to the latest data published by left side of the political spectrum so fed up with the status the Central Bank of Iran on rent increases the same period last year, but a decline of The number of home sales in Tehran stood at 11,046 during the third month of the current quo that they may be successful pushing Biden to the left to Tehran during May 21 – June 20, the price of 4.5 percent compared with the preceding Iranian year (May 21-June 20), indicating an increase of 80.3% compared with the same support some of their hopes for change on issues like universal rented residential properties in Tehran and month. month of last year, but a decline of 4.5% compared with the preceding month. (Photo: healthcare with the expansion of Medicare, or less support across urban areas increased by 27.6 percent The average price of each square meter of EghtesadOnline) for insidious foreign policies that are helping bankrupt the a residential unit in the capital stood at 190.71 and 30.7 percent respectively compared with country morally and financially. million rials ($968) during the month under to pay the high taxes which most Western of 22 percent for the future. the similar month last year. The Trump Administration also seems to be angling towards review, registering a year-on-year increase countries charge. All this happened before the novel Tenancy agreements signed as of June talks with Iran, apparently over prisoner exchanges? But one of 42.1 percent and a month-on-month rise As Iran’s oil revenues continued to decline coronavirus pandemic which has deepened 29 may not increase rents by more than 25 can suspect there might be more to this latter: maybe it’s all of 12.1 percent. due to unilateral U.S. sanctions, its spending Iran’s economic recession, with global percent in Tehran and 20 percent rise in just sheer frustration In Washington over what amounts to a Tehran’s real estate market has also been did not change, resulting in widening budget economic repercussions that will be felt in other large cities, President Hassan Rouhani complete stalemated standoff between the U.S. and Iran, and a favorite with the Iranian diaspora, whose deficit. Reduction of petroleum subsidies in the coming months. In order to deal with said on Sunday. especially now when Trump and gang failed to frighten Iran purchases have helped in soaring housing November 2019 brought protests in all the the pandemic, the government requested In early May, two-month extensions on off from sending fuel and oil field gear to Venezuela on a raft prices in the past. Owning a house has several major provinces with people arguing that if permission to withdraw one billion euros rental agreements terminating between of ships that were not challenged on the seas by the U.S. navy. advantages for the foreign residents. First petroleum becomes more expensive then from the National Development Trust Fund February 20 and May 20, to control the Not a single foreign policy initiative against those countries advantage is whenever they wish to return everything else follows suite. According to (Iran’s sovereign wealth fund). spread of coronavirus and help tenants targeted as “enemies” (of U.S. imperialism really) by Trump home for a short trip or retirement they can the Central Bank of Iran the country has an To deal with plummeting revenues, the battling job and income losses during the has been successful. count on a residence. Second, they don’t have inflation rate of 41.3 percent with a target government and parliament are planning to pandemic. So many cross currents, or rather just the chaos, while Trump flopped at a half empty stadium of racist Trump zealots a couple weeks ago in Tulsa in Oklahoma where he spent an entire nine minutes trying to explain why he appeared feeble Why Arab rulers remain silent on George Floyd’s death (like some multiple sclerosis victim off his meds) walking down an inclined ramp after his earlier address, itself a staged 1 “Arab silence over what happened compared the reactions to the killing of George event solely for Trump, at a West Point graduation ceremony. in America is conceivable and comes in the Floyd to the assassination of Saudi journalist Trump is showing what he cares about more than anything natural context because many Arab regimes Jamal Khashoggi, stressing the similarity of else, and it ain’t good governance: it’s getting reelected because have accepted America’s hegemony and are their last words, “I cannot breathe.” this at least shields him for four more years from potential not allowed to oppose American policies,” Triq Drawing an analogy between the U.S. legal action with exposures of law breaking and corruption Aboud, a Lebanese researcher in international and Saudi Arabia, Al-Awda says there is a now and in his past. policies, tells the Tehran Times. “great difference between a nation that is But does Trump also want to get reelected to follow through Unlike Arab countries, Turkey rising up ... and a nation being suffocated on some vague concepts he has about freeing the U.S. from condemns U.S. police violence and cannot breathe.” his “Deep State” enemies who are mostly all about just getting Amid the silence of the Arab leaders, Former Egyptian Vice President Mohamed Trump out of office? Trump did after all campaign in 2016 for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and ElBaradei on 5 June 2020, argues in a tweet, what most Americans want: especially a reduction of foreign Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that “in democratic systems, peaceful military actions and entanglements, even though he has done condemned the American police’s violence demonstrations, despite any abuses, usually almost nothing about it and often made things just worse, es- against black Americans. result in structural reforms in response to pecially with his efforts to destroy the JCPOA and his failures “We saw this terrible silence on regular popular demands. In authoritarian regimes, to throttle Israeli ambitions by supporting them. racist crimes in the U.S., and what makes it protests usually result in a clash that ends For many what’s most discouraging is that no one can more interesting is that the silence was not with the collapse of the entire system. The fathom what direction the U.S. may take, or then plan ac- limited to the Arab regimes. We also witness difference is between a Flexible and durable cordingly, since the chaos extends to those who create policy many regimes that claim to defend democracy system that allows change and a fragile and in Washington. For example, look at the so-called “Caesar in Europe and elsewhere, are sitting on the weak regime that does not allow repair.” Act” sanctions which in particular now are horribly harmful fence,” Aboud says. Eyad Al Hallaq, a Palestinian to both Syria and Lebanon, and can be seen as spawned from Although Ankara went to use American “George Floyd spiteful envy because Assad’s Syria, where Assad is quite pop- demonstrations as a pretext to criticize and Another wave of controversy erupted after ular, has almost “won” the wars against Western and Saudi attack Trump’s policies, Turkish statements the Israeli police killed an unarmed, autistic backed terrorists and brought some purely relative calm to were less severe than the Iranian ones, which Nasrallah says it seems that the Arabs Nasrollah says, “Americans don’t care Palestinian. The incident was compared to his country. These recent sanctions are based on revulsion reflect the Ankara’s policy of “walking a fine are busy with very crucial issues. what Arabs think; nevertheless, American George Floyd’s death by many. over the claimed deaths of many Syrians civilians by Assad’s line” without hurting relations with the United All Arab countries, from Iraq to Egypt, sanctions may include them,” Nasrollah notes. Arab media described Iyad Al Hallaq, as army and the Russians in these battles, and yet the carnage States.” Libya and Yemen, have concerns that are Social media and political reforms “Palestinian George Floyd.” has primarily been meted out by the terrorists, including ISIS, In fact, Turkish policies in limiting perhaps more important than what is going The social media is the most dynamic In this context, Mohamed ElBaradei who have used Syrian civilians as human shields in the areas freedoms at home in recent years don’t on in the United States, he adds. medium for the Arab world to react to George asks: “Why do we not see sympathy for the they held in besieged Syria. allow Erdogan to make harsh criticism It seems that Arabs are busy with their Floyd’s death and the only outlet available Palestinians as we see for the blacks in the The only thing that could possibly justify the “Caesar Act” against others. poor economic conditions or crucial political for many to express their views. U.S., even though the discrimination against sanctions is if Assad were despised by Syrians, and he’s just The absence of Arab reactions issues after the failure of the so-called “Arab There were many comments denouncing them is more severe? Did we fail as Arabs in not, given the most reliable reports anywhere and these by Silence at official level coincided with the Spring”, the Lebanese researcher remarks. racism and showing solidarity with the serving our goals outside the slogans? Or are Western journalists in Syria namely Vanessa Beeley and Eva absence of demonstrations on the streets of “Most Arab countries… have concerns protesters across the globe. we linked to terrorism based on a false vision? Karene Bartlett, one a Brit and the other a Canadian. Who Arab countries, except for a protest organized that are perhaps more important than what Saudi scholar Abdullah Al-Awdah, son Or due to poor global media attention? And does the U.S. think is going to “rule” Syria in the absence of by Tunisians. happened to George Floyd,” Aboud opines. of the arrested cleric Salman Al-Awdah, perhaps the influence of the Israeli lobby? Assad? Are they not aware that terrorists would? Maybe the Tunisian youth denounced racism and He adds, “Without the slightest doubt, U.S. in its slavish support of the Zionists imagines Israel might violence against people of color in the United everyone is annoyed by the death of George control Syria through proxies? This must be the plan. Israeli States, after a wave of similar protests in many Floyd and they are critical of racist practices by control. The U.S. has not revealed ANYONE who looks remotely countries all around the world. Nevertheless, American police. Still, the space for freedom responsible and decent to manage Syria as an alternative to the reasons for Arab leaders’ silence may be and expression of opinion is perhaps more Assad, and meanwhile Trump is making it virtually impossible different from that of the people. available in cities like Madrid or London and for Syria to rebuild. It’s time for Russia and China to help Syria “Actually, the Arabs decided to stay Paris compared to Arab countries.” bigtime, even help feed Syrians whose wheat and barley fields spectator , and some even supported the Trump Aboud goes on to say, “Moreover, beyond the Euphrates have been set afire by Trump or Kurds administration’s behavior in suppressing existential challenges face an Arab citizen; or ISIS remnants in further acts of stark cruelty. the protests,” Khalil Nasrallah, a Lebanese challenges even threaten his health and take “Empires” come and go, often with violence, but also with political researcher, tells the Tehran Times. the most important part of his life… For an the thought that it may not have to be so -- that “Empires” “Most Arab regimes have exercised this Arab citizen, the priority now is to earn a of a kind can prevail indefinitely if they would just, given oppression (against their own people) since loaf of bread, though millions of Arab people their vast relative wealth, somehow transform themselves their inception, as they have had the American sympathize with the black community in the and their orientations to the rest of the world, the “other”.. support,” he points out. United States against racism.” The transformation is one essentially of becoming generous and benevolent and somewhat laissez faire with regard to potential challengers. Let these upstarts, if they exist, make the same mistakes the US has and ultimately fall apart, as the US now may be. But what if leaders were so far sighted and UN rights chief urges Israel to halt ‘illegal’ annexation plan enlightened to realize that if they adopted “benevolence” or The UN human rights chief has denounced the Israeli re- become enclaves. ternational law as an occupying power towards the occupied something like it across the board that they might possibly gime’s “illegal” plan to annex large parts of the occupied In addition, significant tracts of private land would likely population. assure their continued relevance and even power...except that Palestinian territories in the West Bank, warning about the be illegally expropriated, and even in cases where this does Massive protests across France against Israel’s the “power” would be expressed and maintained and derived “disastrous” consequences of the move. not occur, many Palestinians could lose access to cultivate annexation plan from good and generous deeds and not the desire for control Annexation is illegal. Period. Any annexation. Whether it is their own land, while Palestinians who found themselves Separately, massive demonstrations were held in a number and military and economic advantage. 30 percent of the West Bank, or five percent,” United Nations living inside the annexed areas would likely experience greater of French cities against Israel’s plan to annex more Pales- Setting a good example can be recognized and appreciated High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet difficulty accessing essential services like healthcare and tinian land. and often adopted by others who understand its long-term said in a statement on Monday, adding that Israel needed education, she further said, warning humanitarian access Hundreds of people took to the streets in the capital, impacts. The positive result is natural rather than forced, where to “listen to its own former senior officials and generals, as could also be blocked. Paris, as well as the cities of Lyon, Strasbourg, Saint-Étienne, the use of force and threat only seed future destruction. Back well as to the multitude of voices around the world, warning The UN human rights chief warned that Palestinians Montpellier and Marseille on Saturday, and voiced their immediately after WW2 the U.S. was seen, even it was not it not to proceed along this dangerous path.” inside the annexed area would come under heavy pressure strong opposition to the Israeli decision. exactly true because the control factor remained paramount, She called on the Tel Aviv regime to shift course, warning to move out, pointing out that entire communities current- The protesters waved Palestine flags and raised banners as a benevolent hegemony. The Marshall Plan comes to mind, that “the shockwaves of annexation will last for decades, ly not recognized under Israeli planning would be at high that read “Free Palestine”, “Boycott Israel”, and “No to An- for example. The resurrection of European prosperity after the and will be extremely damaging to Israel, as well as to the risk of “forcible transfer,” and settlements would almost nexation.” war. But all such notions began to fall apart big time with the Palestinians.” certainly expand. They also called on the international community to im- senseless war on Vietnam, and then other stupid US moves The UN rights chief also warned that “any attempt to “This is a highly combustible mix. I am deeply concerned pose sanctions on Israel to force it to reverse its decision. like Iraq, now Syria, Ukraine, and hostility to Iran, etc. Such annex any part of the occupied Palestinian territory will that even the most minimalist form of annexation would lead Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was that now especially in places like the Mideast the US has the not only seriously damage efforts to achieve lasting peace to increased violence and loss of life, as walls are erected, sworn into office for another term on May 17, has set July 1 worst of major allies like Saudi and Israel, neither of which in the region, it is likely to entrench, perpetuate and further security forces deployed and the two populations brought for the start of cabinet discussions on extending “sovereignty” set any kind of decent example for tolerance, democracy and heighten serious human rights violations that have charac- into closer proximity,” Bachelet said. over settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. serious good will. Perhaps human nature so often inclined to terized the conflict for decades.” Bachelet said illegal annexation would not change Is- In response to Israel’s decision, Palestinian President ignorance and greed is the core problem worldwide. Anyway, Bachelet then cautioned that annexation would almost rael’s obligations under international law as an occupying Mahmoud Abbas declared the end of all agreements signed believe it or not, a majority of Americans are saddened by the certainly lead to increased restrictions on Palestinians’ right power towards the occupied population. Bachelet said illegal with Israel and the United States on May 19. country being on the downslope and continuing to elect the to freedom of movement, as their population centers would annexation would not change Israel’s obligations under in- (Source: Press TV) wrong people with counter-productive outlooks and policies. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 HERITAGE & TOURISM JUNE 30, 2020

Gifts to presidents to go on 49 tourism projects worth show: tourism ministry

TOURISM TEHRAN – The exquisite gifts dedicated to deskPresident Hassan Rouhani and his predeces- sors will be put on show in public places such as museums in $273m to come on stream the near future, deputy tourism minister Mohammad-Hassan Talebian has said. 1 Some experts expect Iran to achieve a tourism boom after coronavirus contained, believing its impact would be temporary and short-lived for a country that ranked the third fastest-growing tourism destination in 2019. Back in January, before the pandemic starts, Mounesan issued a statement, inviting all travelers and holidaymakers to visit the ancient land, saying that the country-size guesthouse is wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists from around the world. He emphasized that the Iranian government is trying its best to host incoming tourists by improving tourism infrastructure, offering attractive and pocket-friendly packages, as well as incentives such as visa waivers or 90-day visas on arrival. Pointing to unique and unparalleled beauties of Iran, Mounesan said, “The rich history and civilization of this President Rouhani has agreed to a proposal made by Cultural land, the numerous and spectacular tourist attractions, Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan four-season weather, and high cultural and ethnic on handing over the exquisite and valuable gifts to the tourism diversity have made an invaluable treasure of Iran ministry, Talebian added, CHTN reported on Monday. and put this country in the top 10 tourist destinations in terms of tourism, cultural and natural attractions. Astonishing mountains, breathtaking glaciers, Semnan province to increase beautiful volcanos, pristine forests, green foothills, delightful lakes, springs and waterfalls, picturesque eco-lodge units beaches and wonderful islands, historical sites and distinct architecture, globally registered cities and TOURISM TEHRAN – The Cultural Heritage, Tourism villages, diverse and colorful handicrafts, delicious deskand Handicrafts Department General of Sem- traditional cuisine and organic, healing drinks, etc. nan plans to increase the number of eco-lodge units across the are only a small part of the beauties you can visit while province in the near future, CHTN reported. staying in Iran.” Increasing the number of eco-lodge units will strengthen and “With such advantages, each day the beautiful and promote the region’s tourism potential, provincial tourism chief safe cities of Iran are hosting thousands of tourists Mehdi Jamal said on Sunday. from different countries, having enjoyed the unique The department also plans to restore the historical structure experience, most of whom decide to return and bring File photo depicts an elegant hotel under construction in Tehran. of the cities of Mayamey and Shahrud, the official added. new fellow travelers with them.” The main population centers of Semnan province lie along the Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. The latest Islamic Republic during the first ten months of the ancient Silk Road (and modern-day Imam Reza Expressway), aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from available data show eight million tourists visited the past Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019). linking Rey (Tehran) with Khorasan (Mashhad). While few visitors spend much time in the area, driving through you can easily seek out several well-preserved caravanserais (no- tably Dehnamak and Ahowan), cisterns (the Cafe Abenbar in Garmsar is a special treat) and ruined mud citadels (Padeh is Iran, Oman to launch joint tours for European travelers lumpy but fascinating). HERITAGE TEHRAN – Iran’s south- province, which is amongst lesser-known deskeastern Sistan-Baluch- destinations of the country. The groups of estan province and Oman are scheduled French, Italian and British tourists visited to operate joint travel tours for European attractions in Zabol, Nimruz, and Hamun. nationals in a bid to boost cooperation be- They also set up an overnight camp in the tween the two neighbors. [UNESCO-registered] Lut desert. “Sistan-Baluchestan province and Oman The vast province was long shunned by will soon be operating integrated [package] potential foreign and domestic travelers tours for European target countries,” CHTN though it is home to several distinctive ar- quoted provincial deputy tourism chief Mo- chaeological sites and natural attractions, jtaba Mirhosseini as saying on Sunday. including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, “During recent negotiations with Omani namely Shahr-e-Soukhteh (Burnt City) and tour operators, which are engaged with Eu- and due to the distance, few tours are organ- with Omani private investors in that regard. Lut desert, parts of latter is situated in Ker- ropean tourist destinations, necessary agree- ized to Sistan-Baluchestan from these routes “Upon follow-up consultations with the man province. ments have been reached that could pave (traditional destinations in Iran), so Oman private sector in Oman, we are expected to For mainstream Iranians, the name of the way for increased international tourist can be regarded as a strategic and effective have a boom in foreign arrivals in the province Sistan-Baluchestan conjures up stories of arrivals in the province,” the official said. route for the development of tourism in the in the near future through this new route.” drought, desiccated wetlands, and dust storms. “Since a majority of inbound tours are province,” the official explained. Over the past couple of months ago, sep- On the international scale foreigners may arranged for several specific and traditional Elsewhere in his remarks, Mirhosseini arate groups of European sightseers have consider it a reminiscent of the big red blot The large, bustling cities of Semnan, Damghan, and Shahrud destinations like Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, said some agreements have been reached made excursions across the vast enigmatic on the Iran safety map. (Bastam) all have a small selection of historic buildings and Sem- nan has a fine old covered bazaar. The tourism ministry has set a target to help build 2,000 eco-lodges by 2021, believing such guest houses could cater to sustainable development and job creation in the countryside Golestan Palace, Foreign Ministry to cooperate in cultural heritage sphere and rural areas. HERITAGE TEHRAN – The UNESCO-registered have also arranged to organize joint exhibits.” The culturally-diverse country never disappoints visitors when deskGolestan Palace and Foreign Ministry’s A decades-old copy of the Baysonghor Shahnameh, an it comes to eco-tourism, sightseeing and even tribal tourism as documents center will form a working group to conduct illustrated manuscript of the Shahnameh, the national it is home to many regional people including ones with Turk joint studies and exchange experience in the arena of epic of Greater Iran, was also presented to the UNESCO and Arab elements in addition to the Kurds, Baloch, Bakhtyari, cultural heritage. World Heritage site by the Foreign Ministry’s documents Lurs, and other smaller minorities such as Armenians, Assyrians, “In a meeting which we held with the head of the center in the meeting, the report said. The original work Jews, and others. Foreign Ministry’s documents center, and the advisor on the manuscript was started in 1426 at the order of to the head of the ministry’s Institute for Political and Baysonghor Mirza, the Timurid prince, and was completed International Studies, we discussed ways to interact with in 1430, four years later. Ancient relics of Iran: Proto- the center in the field of cultural heritage,” CHTN quoted Golestan Palace became a center of arts and architecture Afarin Emami, the director of the World Heritage site, during the Qajar era (1789 to 1925) which is an outstanding Elamite tablet with seal mark as saying on Sunday. example and has remained a source of inspiration for “During the meeting, it was decided to form a joint Iranian artists and architects to this day. It embodies (Part: 2/2) working group and hold several meetings to provide a successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and (Louvre museum) - Writing emerged in Iran nearly three cen- improved services to researchers, she said, adding, “We architecture with Western influences. turies after being invented in southern Mesopotamia. This writing system, developed in the Fars region and called Proto-Elamite for this reason, is totally independent from the writing in use at Uruk. As no bilingual text exists that would enable us to establish an equiv- alence between the two systems, Proto-Elamite writing remains IRIR plans to resume Tehran-Hamedan train tours undecipherable. However, the reading direction (right to left) and due to coronavirus outbreak in the country over the from Jurassic era. It embraces a huge matrix of sunless its horizontality have been detected. past few months. channels, ponds, grottoes, and water passages which An accounting document sealed with images of an- The first exclusive tourist train connecting Tehran to are stretched along with imposing rock formations and imals in human poses Hamedan was inaugurated in July 2019, letting passengers stalactite-covered tops in a span of several kilometers. These Proto-Elamite tablets have a one-day tour of Hamedan’s historical and natural Situated 20 kilometers north of Hamadan, Lalejin are accounting documents. Three attractions. celebrated its registration as the world pottery capital different numerical systems are The tour is planned to be operated on Thursday, for in 2016, a privilege given by jurors of the UNESCO- used on the tablet: a decimal sys- the first time in the current Iranian calendar year (started affiliated World Crafts Council. tem, a sexagesimal system and a March 20), CHTN quoted provincial tourism chief Ali Known in classical times as Ecbatana, Hamedan was mixed system known as SE. The Khaksar as saying on Monday. one of the ancient world’s greatest cities. It was the various operations are listed on The train observe health protocols by operating one- capital of Media and subsequently a summer residence the front side of the tablet, reca- third of its capacity and will tour Ali Sadr cave, world of the Achaemenian kings who ruled Persia from 553 pitulated, with totals, on the back pottery city of Lalejin, and the city of Hamedan, without to 330 BC. at the top. New figures appear: an overnight stay, the official added. Ganjnameh inscriptions, Avicenna mausoleum, crescent-shaped notches and dots TOURISM TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of A top destination for domestic and foreign sightseers, Hegmataneh hill, Alaviyan dome, Jameh mosque, and circled with a constellation of tiny deskIran Railways (IRIR) plans to resume researches, history buffs, and day-trippers, Ali Sadr Cave St. Stephanos Gregorian Church are amongst Hamedan’s points, some of which represent Tehran-Hamedan train tours, which had been stopped is a gigantic water-filled cavern wieldy believed to date attractions to name a few. fractions. A pictographical sign resembling a fringed triangle, known as the “hairy triangle,” often appears, but its meaning 12 tourism projects to come on stream in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad remains unclear. A single seal was used on the document, a cylin- HERITAGE TEHRAN – A total of 12 tourism-related portunities. der-seal that was rolled twice across the width of the tablet, covering deskprojects are scheduled to be completed Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province is known for its most of the back of the tablet. The scene shows a bull symmetrically across the southwestern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad prov- nomads and nomadic life. Sightseers may live with a nomadic restraining two seated felines, alternating with a lion dominating two ince in the current Iranian calendar year (started March 20), or rural family for a while or enjoy an independent stay and rearing bulls, each topped with a “hairy triangle.” The animals stand provincial tourism chief has said. assist them with day-to-day life. It also opens up an oppor- on their hindlegs as if they were bipeds, a technique characteristic of The projects are being implemented in collaboration with tunity to feel rustic routines, their agriculture, traditions, the Proto-Elamite period in which animals were often depicted in a the private sector, Majid Safai said, CHTN reported on Monday. arts, and culture. human pose. The choice of bulls and lions was deliberate, for these A water park, a gondola lift, and a museum are amongst The province attracted over four million people, most- animals appear to personify cosmic forces, decisive in the balance the projects, which are expected to bring a huge change to ly domestic travelers, during the Iranian year 1397 (ended of power in the world. In the scene, there is no durable winner or the tourism industry of the province, he added. March 2019), according to data announced by the provincial loser, but alternating, opposing forces that appear equal. He also noted that the projects will generate 300 job op- tourism department. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JUNE 30, 2020 SOCIETY 9

Rise of coronavirus International team of scientists warns of increasing threats posed by invasive species

In a new study, scientists from around the world -- including deaths in Iran worrisome a professor at the University of Rhode Island -- warn that the threats posed by invasive alien species are increasing. They say SOCIETY TEHRAN — The lestan is alarming, she warned. that urgent action is required to prevent, detect and control in- desk COVID-19 new cases In an attempt to slow down the spread vaders at both local and global levels. and mortality in the country show an of the coronavirus, the national headquar- Alien species are plants, animals and microbes that are intro- alarming increase in comparison to ters for coronavirus fight has approved duced by people, accidentally or intentionally, into areas where previous days, Health Ministry spokes- that wearing face masks in public and they do not naturally occur. Many of them thrive, spreading woman Sima Sadat Lari has said. crowded places is compulsory. widely with harmful effects on the environment, economy, or “Undoubtedly, the increasing trend People must wear face masks indoors human health, according to the Science Daily website. reflects our [weak] performance in reo- or in gatherings, from July 5 to 21. And The study, published in the journal Biological Reviews, was pening and non-compliance with health if necessary, the plan will be extended carried out by a team of researchers from 13 countries across protocols, she lamented, ISNA reported until August. Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and North and South America. on Monday. Using a face mask prevents coronavirus It states that the number of invasive alien species is increasing Over the past 24 hours, 2,536 new transmission up to 80 percent, Sadat rapidly, with more than 18,000 currently listed around the world. cases of COVID-19 were identified in the Lari said. According to Laura Meyerson, URI associate professor of natural country, of which 1,461 were hospitalized, Alireza Delavari, Tehran University resources science, the escalation in biological invasions is due to she stated, adding, the total number of of Medical Sciences vice-chancellor, the increase in the number and variety of pathways along which patients in the country reached 225,205. said that “People’s cooperation in pre- species spread, and to the increasing volume of traffic associated Unfortunately, during the last 24 hours, venting the transmission of coronavirus with those pathways. For example, she notes the role played by 162 patients lost their lives, which hit the has decreased, and this will increase the emerging pathways such as the online trade in unusual pets and coronavirus daily deaths record since incidence of disease and the number of the transport of species across oceans on rafts of plastic. the onset of the outbreak. hospitalizations and will cause problems The researchers note that the scale of the problem is enormous. The total number of COVID-19 deaths for the treatment system.” A 2017 analysis of global extinctions revealed that alien species in the country reached 10,670, she said. Referring to the increase in the contributed to 25 percent of plant extinctions and 33 percent of She went on to note that fortunately, prevalence of the virus, he noted that terrestrial and freshwater animal extinctions. Meanwhile, annual 186,180 patients have recovered or been “Using a mask and observing social environmental losses caused by introduced species in the United discharged from hospitals. distancing are the most important States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India and Brazil From June 26 to 28, some 109, 125, 144 factors in preventing corona, which have been calculated at more than $100 billion. patients died of coronavirus, respectively, rules, especially in gatherings and public vi, and Kermanshah provinces have the is unfortunately not observed in large The study also shows how drivers of global change, such as which shows a rising trend. places, she said that Khuzestan, Kord- highest number of patients. shopping centers, private companies, climate change, land-use change, and international trade, are ex- Emphasizing the need to observe estan, West Azarbaijan, East Azarbaijan, The situation of coronavirus disease and even government offices, subways acerbating the impacts of biological invasions. Species transported health protocols and social distancing Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khorasan Raza- in provinces of Ilam, Lorestan, and Go- and buses. through shipping can now thrive in new regions, for instance, owing to climate warming. And the permanent opening of the Arctic Ocean due to global warming is allowing marine species to move between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Keramat Garden, a place for helping injured, orphaned wildlife The research paper is part of an initiative called World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice, which calls for urgent city, next to the Zayandehrud River. The center has been change in stewardship of the Earth and the life on it. The first working since 2011 under the supervision of Chaharma- notice, in 1992, was supported by 1,700 eminent scientists from hal-Bakhtiari department of environment and was set up around the globe who warned that humanity was on a collision by the personal capital and property of Mr. Riahi. course with the rest of the natural world. Twenty-five years later, Part of a valley stretching to one-hectare is surrounded a follow-up evaluation supported by 15,000 scientists declared by a fence and made a natural habitat for animals such as that humanity had failed to make sufficient progress in dealing wild goats and mountain sheep. with the environmental challenges. Indeed, they found that most Keramat Garden has started its activities with three wild of these problems had worsened. goats while currently 27 wild goats and mountain sheep The authors of the new paper stress that biological invasions are recovered and inhibiting in the area. can be managed and mitigated. They point to approaches that are Iran’s animal species include 37 species of mammals, working around the world and make specific recommendations 78 bird species, 22 species of reptiles, 6 species of bivalves, for improved management. For example, the introduction of and 25 species of fish of inland waters. more stringent border controls, including X-ray machines and Shahaboddin Montazemi, director of the wildlife’s con- detector dogs, has led to a progressive decline in the rate of fungal servation office at the DOE told the Tehran Times that plant pathogens entering New Zealand. today, all governments have come to the conclusion that all Professor Petr Pyšek of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles aspects of human life, as well as growth and development, University in Prague, lead author of the study, said: “As our knowl- depend on biodiversity. edge about invasive alien species increases, the problems associated “All three pillars of biodiversity namely, variation at with biological invasions are becoming clearer. The threats posed by the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels are important invasive alien species to our environment, our economies and our and must be considered to ensure biodiversity preserve; health are very serious, and getting worse. Policy makers and the any damage to any of these three pillars will damage the public need to prioritize actions to stem invasions and their impacts.” entire biodiversity and pose a serious threat to human life. Professor David Richardson of the Centre for Invasion Biology Because the most important part of wildlife conservation at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, the other lead author, is habitat preservation, the Department of Environment added: “Nations such as Australia and New Zealand have made (DOE) has developed several national programs, 10 of biosecurity a national priority. South Africa has invested heav- which are underway, and 10 others will soon be finalized ily in a massive national programme focussed on reducing the ENVIRONMENT TEHRAN — Every year, many ani- to implement,” he explained. “This highly requires training, management, and su- negative impacts of widespread invaders on ecosystem services, deskmals are injured by predators or are “The initial framework of a protection program is based pervision, local communities are supposed to help us to especially the delivery of water from catchments invaded by alien orphaned at their natural habitats. They are handed on promoting public awareness, along with reducing con- protect the wildlife because humans are more responsible trees. But action is needed more widely at both national and over to Keramatollah Riahi who owns a rehabilitation flicts among wildlife species and locals. for conflicts with animals. international levels in order to tackle the challenges effectively.” center in the southwestern Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari We should develop an environment regarding various Livestock and herding dogs are other causes of animal Meyerson, who contributed to the paper and is leading the province, IRNA reported on Monday. factors, in which the bears can not only survive but have a deaths, which need proper management to be addressed,” chapter on trends in invasions for a report on invasive alien These animals are kept 30 km away from Shahr-e Kord desirable life in nature,” he highlighted. he emphasized. species for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, said, “It has been so exciting to see developments in our knowledge and understanding of biological invasions in recent decades, achieved through truly Benefactors donate $700m to construct schools nationwide inspiring global collaborations. It is so important that we continue to share our knowledge and engage with relevant stakeholders 1 Mehrollah Rakhshanimehr, director A total budget of 48 trillion rials (nearly $1.1 year on year, Rakhshanimehr said in April. Ejraiy-e Farman-e Hazrat-e Emam, will across sectors and borders.” of the organization for renovation, devel- billion) has been earmarked to renovate schools Barekat Charity Foundation, affiliat- build 120 schools in deprived areas across opment, and equipment of schools a week nationwide in the current Iranian calendar year ed to the Headquarters for Executing the the country in the current Iranian calendar earlier said. (started March 21), an increase of 65 percent Order of the Imam also known as Setad-e year (began March 21). WORDS IN THE NEWS Transporting Sea Creatures

ENGLISH IN USE (February 09, 2004) New rules to prevent the transport of sea creatures around LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION the world in the hulls of ships are being drawn up at a special conference starting in London. The International Maritime Organisation is negotiating a new convention aimed at reducing major environmental damage caused by the introduction of alien Rainfall increases Lake Urmia level species. This report from Tim Hirsch: It is estimated that three thousand افزایش سطح تراز دریاچه ارومیه بر اثر بارش Recent rainfall has increased the level of Lake Urmia to 1,271 meters, a different species are dumped every day into ports thousands of miles from their habitats carried in ballast tanks filled بــارش هــای اخیــر تــراز فعلــی دریاچــه ارومیــه را بــه یکهــزار و ۲۷۱ متــر و ۳۸ ســانتیمتر .step closer to its ecological level of 1,274 meters .with seawater to provide stability to unladen ships رســانده اســت کــه در حــال رســیدن بــه تــراز اکولوژیــک یکهــزار و ۲۷۴ متــر اســت. -The lake is expected to reach its ecological level within 10 years by com Many creatures transported this way have devastated local بــه گــزارش ایرنــا، فرهــاد ســرخوش رییــس دفتــر اســتانی ســتاد احیــای دریاچــه .pleting the restoration plans which started four years ago wildlife. Anchovy fishing in the Black Sea has collapsed due ارومیــه گفــت ســطح دریاچــه ارومیــه اکنــون ۵۸ ســانتیمتر بیشــتر از زمــان مشــابه Farhad Sarkhosh, head of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program’s office in West Azarbaijan province, said that the Lake’s level is now 58 cm higher partly to the arrival of an American jellyfish and the Chinese mitten crab is multiplying rapidly in the River Thames and other ســال گذشــته اســت. طبــق آخریــن پایــش صــورت گرفتــه حجــم آب ایــن دریاچــه .than it was last year English rivers causing serious erosion with the burrows they بیــش از ســه میلیــارد و ۶۷۰ میلیــون مترمکعــب بــرآورد شدهاســت. According to the latest monitoring, the lake’s water volume is estimated dig in the banks. The International Maritime Organisation will attempt to agree وی بــا بیــان اینکــه وســعت دریاچــه ارومیــه در حــال حاضــر بــه بیــش از ۲ هــزار .at more than 3.6 billion cubic meters new binding rules this week forcing shipping companies to reduce و ۸۸۳ کیلومتــر مربــع رســیده، اضافــه کــرد: وســعت ایــن دریاچــه نیــز نســبت بــه ,He added that the lake surface area has reached 2,883 square kilometers this contamination which can cause far more lasting damage to ســال گذشــته ۵۳۸ کیلومتــر مربــع افزایــش دارد. adding that the figure is increased by 538 square kilometers compared to the .wildlife than pollution from oil spills هرچنــد تــراز یکهــزار و ۲۷۴ متــر بــه عنــوان ارتفــاع اکولوژیــک دریاچــه ارومیــه .same period last year Although the ecological level of the lake is defined as 1,274 meters, the Words species: a class of plants or animals with the same characteristics اعــام شــده ولی ایــن دریاچــه در تــراز یکهــزار و ۲۷۲ متــر هــم شــرایط مطلــوب lake will also have favorable conditions at 1,272 meters and more than 90 dumped: if you dump waste you put it somewhere carelessly خواهــد داشــت و بیــش از ۹۵ درصــد کانونهــای ریزگــرد آن رفــع خواهــد شــد. .percent of sand and dust storm hotspots will be eliminated ballast: something which is used to make ships heavier and so more stable PREFIX/SUFFIX PHRASAL VERB IDIOM unladen: if a ship is unladen it is not carrying cargo have devastated local wildlife: have badly damaged birds “ortho-” Point something out Down at heel and animals that live in the area collapsed: suddenly failed Meaning: straight, correct Meaning: to tell someone something that they did Explanation: A person who is down-at-heel is some- erosion: erosion happens when earth is removed from the banks For example: it is essential that you wear your rubber not already know or had not thought about one whose appearance is untidy or neglected because of binding rules: instructions telling you what to do or not do bands as prescribed by your orthodontist. For example: He was always very keen to point lack of money which must be carried out out my mistakes. For example: The down-at-heel student I first met contamination: pollution became a successful writer. damage: harm caused to something (Source: BBC) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 INTERNATIONAL JUNE 30, 2020

Exit polls show 76 percent ‘Day of Rage’ protests against Israeli have so far voted for reforms that could extend Putin’s rule annexation to hit U.S., Europe Russian state opinion pollster VTsIOM said Monday that its Protests condemning the Israeli plan to annex “We demand the defunding and disman- exit polls showed that 76 percent of Russians had so far voted parts of the occupied West Bank are set to tling of U.S. police alongside the defunding to support reforms that could allow President Vladimir Putin to take place in the United States and Europe and dismantling of Zionist colonialism and extend his rule until 2036. on the same day prime minister Benjamin racist Israeli apartheid,” Al-Awda said on The nationwide vote on constitutional reforms began on June Netanyahu plans to begin the process. its website. 25 and is being held over seven days as a precaution against the The demonstrations will be held on Netanyahu has set July 1 as the date for coronavirus pandemic, Daily Star reported. Wednesday in Chicago, San Diego, Brook- the start of cabinet discussions on the an- If approved, the changes would allow Putin to run twice for lyn, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Other nexation plan. president again after his current term in office expires in 2024. Western cities will also witness similar He has been driven ahead by U.S. President The pollster said 76 percent of those who had so far voted had protests, including Toronto, Madrid and Donald Trump, who unveiled a “peace” plan backed the reforms and that 23.6 percent of people who agreed Valencia. for the Middle East in January that effectively to be polled after voting said they had voted against. Students for Justice in Palestine, Jew- sidelines the Palestinians altogether. It said it had polled 163,124 voters at 800 polling stations in ish Voice for Peace, and American Muslims According to Press TV, the plan, which 25 Russian regions. for Palestine are among the pro-Palestinian Trump himself has described as the “deal of The results are roughly in line with projections ahead of the groups organizing the protests. the century,” envisions Jerusalem al-Quds vote based on previous polls by VTsIOM. The Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Soli- as “Israel’s undivided capital” and allows the The Kremlin’s critics say the vote is a sham and that they fear darity Network, one of the organizers, urged Tel Aviv regime to annex settlements in the the vote will be rigged. “direct actions and popular mobilizations occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valley. in [Palestinian] refugee camps, cities and The plan also denies Palestinian refugees the villages,” and professed “loyalty to the mar- right of return to their homeland, among Europeans’ trust in U.S. tyrs” on its call for the events. other controversial terms. Another group, Al-Awda or the Palestinian The Palestinians want the West Bank as falls during coronavirus Right to Return Coalition, decried “72 years sion” of Palestinians. protests against anti-black racism in the U.S. part of a future independent Palestinian state pandemic of genocide, ethnic cleansing and disposses- It also tied their demonstrations to the and beyond. with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.

1 The health crisis has also increased the Europeans’ nega- tivity towards China. In every country polled, bar Bulgaria, higher Jordan warned Israel of harsh response to even limited annexation proportions reported increasing negativity rather than positivity. “In eight of nine surveyed countries, the share of respondents Jordan has reportedly notified Israel that it would serve According to the report, Jordan has also notified the controversial Washington-devised scheme that allegedly who have adopted a more negative view of China in the past year a harsh response to even “limited” annexation of the Tel United States and several European countries about its seeks to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. has increased by a factor of two and a factor of 10,” the report states. Aviv-occupied West Bank as the Israeli regime plans to stance on the matter. Palestinians have roundly rejected the scheme, with This has led respondents to believe that the health crisis should annex 30 percent of the Palestinian territory under a Channel 13 said Amman has told Tel Aviv that it would Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, push the bloc into taking a more unified response to global threats. U.S.-backed scheme. treat even minimal annexation of the West Bank in the same threatening the Israeli regime against annexing even “an “Europeans have accepted the fact that Trump’s America is not Amman that had already stiffly objected to the plan, way that it would treat Israel’s annexation of the whole 30 inch” of the West Bank. necessarily a friend to Europe in a time of need,” the report states has recently ramped up its opposition by informing the percent of the occupied territory envisaged in the Israeli plan. The Israeli regime has said it would begin implementing “Thus, if handled carefully, Europeans’ current trauma could regime on several occasions that it would react even if the The country is reported to have threatened to either rescind the plan as of July 1. develop in support for a greater international role for the EU. plan were to be implemented partially, Israel’s Channel 13 its 1994 so-called peace treaty with Israel or downgrade it The idea of the “limited” annexation was floated after the “It would be beneficial for European voters if the EU emerged reported on Sunday, citing Israeli officials. if the annexation went ahead. Israeli plan faced far-and-wide international condemnation, from the crisis as a stronger global actor — one that provided not One occasion came while Jordan’s King Abdullah II Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced including by some European and Arab states. only a useful framework for practical cooperation between states, was meeting the visiting chief of Israel’s Mossad spy the plan to annex the 30 percent of the territory -- namely the Since the backlash, Washington has reportedly begun but also shaped the international order in line with European agency Yossi Cohen last week. The monarch assured areas upon which the regime has built its illegal settlements considering backing the annexation of only a handful of values and interests,” it adds. Cohen of his country’s opposition after the latter asked as well as the Jordan Valley -- after U.S. President Donald settlements. him how Amman would react if Israel just went ahead Trump backed the annexation in January. Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway said on Wednesday with annexing several settlements or settlement blocs, According to Press TV, Trump pledged the support while that the U.S. president would soon have a “big announce- the channel said. unveiling some details of the “deal of the century,” a highly ment” about Israel’s plan. Amid Anti-racist protests Trump retweets video where Daily coronavirus cases in India near Turkey, Austria summon envoys after man shouts ‘White Power’ 20,000 as Mumbai extends lockdown Kurdish-Turkish clashes in Vienna 1 Mr. Trump deleted it less than an hour after Mr. Scott’s comments, but he did not condemn the “white power” statement or specifically disavow the sentiment expressed by his supporter. Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said Mr. Trump “is a big fan of The Villages.” “He did not hear the one statement made on the video,” Mr. Deere said. “What he did see was tremendous enthusiasm from his many supporters.” According to Ny Times, John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser who just released a scathing book about Mr. Trump, said on Sunday that the president’s inattention to detail made it possible that he did not notice the racist comments. “He doesn’t pay attention to a lot of things,” Mr. Bolton said on “State of the Union.” “It’s entirely possible that he tweeted this video because he saw the sign, I think it was in the first go- kart that said the Trump 2020 or something like that. That’s all he needed to see. Not paying attention. Not considering all the implications of information he gets.” But Mr. Bolton added, “It may be that you can draw a conclusion India reported close to 20,000 fresh nov- unable to cope with a steep rise in cases. Austria pledged Monday to find out who ambassador Monday. that he heard it, and it was racist, and he tweeted it to promote el coronavirus cases for the second day The western state of Maharashtra, which was behind clashes between Kurdish and According to Routes, the trouble erupt- the message. It’s a legitimate conclusion to draw.” running Monday, as the financial hub of has reported the highest number of coro- Turkish protesters in the Austrian capital ed last Wednesday when Turks heckled a Mumbai extended its lockdown by a month. navirus cases in the country, extended its last week that have further strained already Kurdish gathering in Vienna, police said. There were 19,459 new cases report- lockdown by another month until end of tense relations between Vienna and Ankara. Kurdish protests Thursday and Friday with ed in the previous 24 hours, according to July, as new cases rose in key cities such The Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly around 300 people led to clashes with Turk- ‘Everybody denying it’: data from India’s federal Health Ministry as Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad. criticised Austria’s handling of the protests, ish counter-protesters in which stones and Trump says no Russian released on Monday. That is down slightly Mumbai witnessed massive traffic jams which it said were by groups linked to mil- fireworks were thrown, said the police, from Sunday’s record of 19,906, but still on key roads connecting suburbs to the itants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers who were also attacked with metal bars. bounty on U.S. troops sign cases in the country are yet to subside. southern business district Monday as au- Party (PKK). “It is completely unacceptable for Turk- According to Reuters, India lags only the thorities erected roadblocks to police new “Austria’s ambassador to Ankara will ish conflicts to be carried out on Austrian U.S. President Donald Trump has angrily denied that he was briefed United States, Brazil and Russia in total cases. travel restrictions. be invited to our ministry and informed territory,” Interior Minister Karl Nehammer about reported Russian efforts to pay bounties to Taliban-linked More than 16,000 have now died from the Under the new rule, residents can vis- of our concern,” it said, accusing Austri- told a news conference, adding that both fighters to kill American troops in Afghanistan, dismissing a New disease caused by the virus since the first case it markets, salons, and parks within a 2 an security forces of meting out “harsh” sides had attacked the police. York Times report on the bounties. in India in January -- low when compared kilometer radius of their homes, but asked treatment to the Turkish protesters. “We will look very precisely at who was “Nobody briefed or told me, @VP Pence, or Chief of to countries with similar numbers of cases. not step out of the house unnecessarily. Austria’s Foreign Ministry said over the behind this escalation during these recent Staff @MarkMeadows about the so-called attacks on our But experts fear its hospitals will be Office-goers are exempt from the rule. weekend it would also summon Turkey’s demonstrations.” troops in Afghanistan by Russians,” Trump wrote on social media on Sunday, calling on the newspaper to name its anonymous source. Protests target Bolsonaro after Brazil’s worst coronavirus week “Everybody is denying it there have not been many attacks on us,” he wrote, despite a Washington Post follow up report Protesters in Brazil and around the world gathered to de- In the capital, Brasilia, protesters put up 1,000 crosses on Sunday saying that the bounties resulted in the deaths of nounce President Jair Bolsonaro’s handling of the corona- on a lawn in front of Congress to pay tribute to COVID-19 American troops. virus pandemic, as the Latin American country recorded victims, with a banner reading “Bolsonaro, stop denying!” In a separate tweet late on Sunday, Trump added: “Intel its worst week in terms of new cases. “Brazil is suffering immense pain, a hidden pain that just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, The “Stop Bolsonaro” protests were staged online and on throbs in the face of the incredible numbers of deaths caused and therefore did not report it to me or @VP.” the streets in Brazil’s main cities and in more than 20 other by COVID-19,” the organizers said in a statement. countries on Sunday, demanding the right-wing leader’s Waving red flags and holding banners, the protesters, resignation and calling him a threat to democracy. who included members of left-wing parties, also joined Resistance News Brazil registered its highest number of infections at a rally in Sao Paulo. 259,105 in seven days through Sunday, according to health At Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Copacabana beach, military Qabha calls for unified ministry figures. a global hot spot for the pandemic - second only to the US police clutching riot shields used batons to push back people The country also reported its second-highest weekly in the number of cases and fatalities. protesting under the slogan “Stop Bolsonaro” as well as for strategy to confront Israel’s death toll, with 7,005 people killed, just below the record Bolsonaro, who called the coronavirus a “little flu”, has Gay Pride day and against racism. of 7,285 set the previous week. come under heavy fire over his handling of the crisis and his The harsh police reaction against the crowd of around annexation plan With more than one million registered cases of the coro- continued denial of the growing evidence of the disease’s 200 drew more people to protest from their windows, navirus and 57,622 deaths, Brazil has risen in the charts as deadly impact on Latin America’s most populous country. shouting “Get out, Bolsonaro!” INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN— Senior Hamas official Wasfi Qabha deskhas described the popular day of anger which the Palestinian factions intend to stage on Wednesday against the Israeli annexation plan as “a step in the right direction.” In press remarks, Qabha called for a unified Palestinian strategy Blast kills at least 23 at cattle market in southern Afghanistan agreed upon all Palestinian factions, groups and institutions to At least 23 civilians were killed in Afghan- A spokesman for Helmand’s governor said killed and his son was wounded. even though the insurgents, fighting to re- confront Israel’s intents to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. istan’s southern Helmand province and several rockets fired by Taliban insurgents “I saw around 20 bodies on the ground,” introduce strict law after being ousted from He said that the dangers being poised by the annexation plan dozens were wounded when rockets hit a landed close to the cattle market, killing 23 he said, adding that dozens were wounded power in 2001, signed a troop withdrawal entails putting all inter-Palestinian differences aside, folding cattle market Monday, Afghan government civilians, including children. and “livestock lay dead next to men.” agreement with the United States in February the page of division and working together within a unified and Taliban officials said. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman Some residents of Helmand province, designed to lead to peace negotiations with front to restore the confidence of the Palestinian masses and The warring sides blamed each other said the Afghan army fired several rounds a Taliban stronghold, said the shelling oc- the Afghan government. face the challenges. for the attack on the open-air weekly cattle of mortar bombs on civilian houses and the curred during fierce clashes between Taliban More than 500 civilians were killed and Following a national meeting held on Sunday in Gaza, the market in Sangin district, where hundreds cattle market, killing dozens of villagers. militants and government security forces in 760 others wounded because of fighting in Palestinian factions called on the Palestinian masses to participate of villagers from neighboring districts had Khushakyar, who goes by a single name, residential areas surrounding the market. Afghanistan in the first three months of 2020, in the day of anger on Wednesday across Palestine against the gathered to trade sheep and goats, Daily said he was trying to sell a calf when the rockets There has been an uptick in violence by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Israeli annexation plan and the US deal of the century. Star reported. hit the market. He said his two nephews were the Taliban against the Afghan government, (UNAMA) said in late April. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JUNE 30, 2020 SPORTS 11

Iran volleyball need a great Dragan Skocic worries about Iran football’s future

SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran national football team coach: Ahmad Masajedi deskhead coach Dragan Skocic says that his 1 “The Iran federation must accept team a lot of work to do. the truth of what exactly happens in the Iran have four must-win game in Group C of the 2022 future without our golden generation. The World Cup qualification. new generation needs to be considered “Let’s get to work! We have a lot of work to do today but I am sure the federation has done ... it’s going to be a long day,” Skocic shared on his Insta- nothing so far. gram account. Velasco inspired Iran national vol- The Croatian coach attended the match between Paykan leyball team to win two titles at the and Iran in Iran Professional League Sunday night, where Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship the Reds defeated the struggling team 3-1. and Masajedi believes that he led Iran volleyball into a new era. “Velasco changed our volleyball with his knowledge and experience. Iran Iran’s women unchanged in evolved into one of the most powerful teams in the world under leadership of FIVB World Ranking Velasco. Iran volleyball need a coach Volleyball.ir — Iran’s women’s volleyball team remained on the same level on him. When he left unchanged in FIVB World Ranking. Iran, nobody asked me to continue my The Iranian team remained 63rd in the ranking released job and I found it very difficult to accept. on Sunday. I think Iran volleyball is in danger of making no progress on development of programs at the moment,” he stated. Japanese Yuji Nishida has stolen the show in the recent years and Masajedi says that he has played a significant role in his success. “I am happy as a coach who has helped Nishida to progress. The Japanese media have reported that Nishida has been discovered by Ahmad Masajedi. I also helped Masahiro Yanagida to join Ger- man club Volleyball Bisons Bühl and he is now the captain of Japan national volleyball team. I also like to help our young players to steal the show since they have the potential to keep moving forward. Why not,” he went on to say. Asked him if he likes to coach Iran, China remained top of the table, followed by USA, Brazil, Masajedi said, “Honestly, I like to work culture and it can be very helpful for in Pool A of the Olympic Games and ically stronger. We have won so many Italy and Turkey. in Iran national team as coach or assis- our team. I am ready to come to Iran Masajedi believes Iran are a better team matches based on our players’ ability Asian teams Japan and Korea sit seventh and 10th re- tant. I want to help my country since the and don’t care about money since to and can defeat the hosts. and it has nothing to do with system or spectively in the world. Olympic Games will be held in Japan help the younger players is my priority.” “We still are a better team than Japan strategy. In my opinion, Iran still are the and I am familiar with the country’s Iran have been drawn with Japan and can beat them because Iran are phys- best team in Asia,” Masajedi concluded. PSV set sights on Alireza Iran wants more time to meet FIFA’s requirements Jahanbakhsh has asked for a two-week opportunity to meet FIFA’s while FIFA emphasizes that the football federation must requirements regarding the football federation’s statutes. be a private and independent organization. PSV Eindhoven have set their sights on signing Alireza The Iranian football federation sent the amended But the title of “private organization” for the football Jahanbakhsh this summer. draft status to FIFA in early June, after FIFA threat- federation runs counter to Iran’s national law. According to Voetbal International, the Dutch giants ened the federation to the possible global suspension Mahmoud Eslamian, a member of the FFIRI’s have shown interest in signing the ex-AZ Alkmaar winger, over the problematic provisions of the current statutes. board of directors, believes that it is impossible for who is out of favor at Brighton & Hove Albion. FIFA accepted some proposed changes by the FFIRI FIFA to accept FFIRI as a “non-governmental pub- Since the Premier League resumed, Jahanbakhsh hasn’t such as removing the Minister of Sports and Youth and lic organization”. Further, he called on President been included in Brighton’s squad and a summer transfer his deputy from the FFIRI General Assembly. Then, Hassan Rouhani to address the issue of amending for the winger seems inevitable. FFIRI was given a deadline of June 28 to amend and the FFIRI’s statutes. Ajax were linked with the Iranian last week by De revise the statutes. According to some reports, the Iranian Football Fed- Telegraaf, but VI adds that PSV are also seriously inter- The major disagreement between the Iranian football eration, in a letter sent to FIFA on Sunday, has called ested in the forward. federation and FIFA is about the legal nature of the fed- for more time to consider the legal aspects of this issue PSV tried to sign Jahanbakhsh last summer, but he SPORTS TEHRAN — The Football Federation eration. According to Article 1 of the amended statutes, in order to meet FIFA’s requirements and resolve the remained in England to fight for his place. deskof the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) the FFIRI is a “non-governmental public organization” misunderstandings between the parties. (Source: Voetbal International)

Iran female Para-athletes shining more in recent decade Younes Delfi tests positive for COVID-19 IRNA — Less than a month after a the first ra Nemati won the gold medal and Sareh which made the audience worldwide to call ever Olympic medal of Iranian women was Javanmardi stood at the third place after her “The Pistol Queen”. gained by Kimia Alizadeh in Rio 2016 Olympic winning bronze medal in P2 (women’s 10 Furthermore, Javanmardi has big chance Tasnim — Charleroi football club forward Younes Delfi taekwondo, Iran’s female Para-athletes won air pistol SH1). to win medal at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. three gold medals at the Rio Paralympics in Nemati by winning gold medal became Games. His countryman Ali Gholizadeh has not been infected the same year to show the power of Iranian the first ever female Para-athlete in both Iran’s female Para-athletes have also had with the virus. women in the international sports events. Iran and Asia and also the thirteenth in his- remarkable participation in 2014 Asian Para Charleroi are holding a training camp in Kamen, Ger- After the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, tory who could be qualified for Olympic or Games in Incheon, South Korea and 2018 many at the moment but Delfi trains individually at home. women took more participation in sports Paralympic games. Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Iranian player is in self-quarantine to fully recover events, while their glorious victories hit the She was also the first Muslim woman They won eight, 14 silver and 19 bronze from the coronavirus pandemic. peak in the past decade. who attended Rio 2016 Paralympic Games medals at those Asian competitions. Senegalese player of Charleroi Mamadou Fall has been In recent seven years, the Iranian women Female Para-athletes also shined at the as Iran’s flag bearer. Iran Sports Federation for the Disabled also diagnosed with COVID-19. have clinched several championship titles London 2012 Paralympic Games where they Iran’s female victories did not end by and National Paralympic Committee have and gained many colorful medals at world won a gold and a bronze medal. Nemati’s medal, another Iranian Para-ath- planned to more support the female athletes sports competitions. In London, Iranian para-archer Zah- lete- Javanmardi- shined more and more in order to draw up a bright prospect for them. Persepolis victorious over Nima and Noshad, Iran’s standard bearers Paykan: IPL Brothers Nima Alamian and Noshad Alamiyan set the He secured men’s singles bronze, only the third medal SPORTS TEHRAN — Persepolis football team standard; without doubt they give the next generation of ever for Iran in the table tennis events at the Games. deskearned a 3-1 victory over rock-bottom Iranian players reasons to dream, reasons to set high goals. In 1958 in Tokyo, when table tennis first appeared, Paykan Sunday night in Iran Professional League (IPL) Born 13 months apart, in Babol the capital of bronze was the color in the men’s team event; later in behind closed doors. Mazandaran Province, Noshad in November 1991, Nima 1966 in Bangkok, a member of that team, Houshang in December 1992, during the past decade they have Bozorgzadeh, who subsequently moved to the United become familiar faces on the international scene. States, claimed the same colour men’s singles medal. Brothers but they are very different in their playing Together and apart style; the most obvious being that Noshad is left handed, Following in the footsteps of elder brother in the Nima is right handed. Olympic Games; to some extent it is the same on the Powerful, Noshad is notable for his strong backhand ITTF World Tour. Just as Noshad has one such men’s and his improvisation; arguably more than any other singles title to his credit, it is the same for Nima; he won current player on the international scene, he is prepared in 2015 in Belgium. the switch hands in an effort to keep the ball in play. Olympic Games Success apart and success together; earlier this year Quite simply that move underlines his determination; However, arguably more significantly, he qualified they emerged the men’s doubles winners at the 2020 a trait that is the same in the character of Nima. Perhaps for the men’s singles event at the London 2012 Olympic ITTF Challenge Spanish Open in Granada, having one not quite as powerful as his elder brother, consistency Games. Moreover, he acquitted himself most admirably; year earlier reached the semi-final round at the 2019 and a good feeling for the ball are his trademarks. he beat Australia’s Justin Han prior to causing a most ITTF World Tour Bulgaria Open in Panagyurishte. Significant year noteworthy upset by ousting Hong Kong’s Tang Peng, Together a major force, the same when apart; notably Present on the international scene since 2009, the the no.19 seed. in 2017 at the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, year 2012 was very much a watershed for Noshad. One round later, progress was abruptly ended by Noshad emerged the men’s singles winner, the player On the ITTF World Tour, he won under 21 men’s Germany’s Timo Boll in straight games. he beat in the final, Nima! singles titles in Germany, Kuwait and most significantly A most promising Olympic debut; four years later Immediate goal in Morocco; in addition in the North African country, in Rio de Janeiro, Noshad was again on duty; this time Undoubtedly, they are the main reason why Iran is also he secured men’s singles gold. alongside Nima, the outcome for both a first round men’s increasingly able to compete against the elite of Asia; Ali Alipour opened the scoring for the Reds in the 21st Similarly, in under 21 men’s singles events, in the singles exit. Noshad was beaten by Slovenia’s Bojan To- impressively at the 2019 ITTF-ATTU Asian Champion- minute at the Shahr-e Qods Stadium with a header. Korea Republic and Poland he reached the semi-final kic, Nima by Romania’s Ovidiu Ionescu, after recording ships, Iran secured seventh place in the men’s team event. Mehdi Abdi scored a brace in the 76th and 84th but stage; in the latter, also he progressed to the men’s sin- a preliminary round access when facing Kanak Jha of Now seasoned internationals, Noshad, having made Shahriar Moghanloo pulled a goal back in the 88th minute gles quarter-finals. the United States. 12 World Championship appearances, Nima present on from the penalty spot. Impressive performances, the outcome was a place in Asian Games nine occasions; that experience could prove most valu- In Mashhad, Shahr Khodro defeated Zob Ahan 2-1, the under 21 men’s singles event the ITTF World Tour Worthy performances at the Olympic Games; at the able for their most immediate goal; to date neither has Tractor lost to Nassaji 1-0 in Tabriz, Sanat Naft beat Pars Grand Finals in Huangzhou; he finished in runners up 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Noshad very much revived qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Jonoubi 2-0 and Shahin Bushehr drew 2-2 with Naft Mas- spot, losing to Germany’s Patrick Franziska. Iranian fortunes. (Source: ITTF) jed Soleyman. Prayer Times Noon:13:08 Evening: 20:45 Dawn: 4:06 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 5:52 (tomorrow) JUNE 30, 2020 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Mohammad Shojaeian Editor-in-Chief: Ali A.Jenabzadeh “Walnut Tree” stills recall Sardasht Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051430 chemical attack victims’ pain, grief Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 ARTTEHRAN — Stills Webmaster: [email protected] desktaken by Majid Talebi Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 on the set of the acclaimed movie “Walnut Tree” are on view in an exhibition in Tehran Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 to recall the pain and grief the victims suffered from the Iraqi chemical attack No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran on Iran’s Sardasht in 1987. P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Director Mohammad-Hossein Zip Code: 1599814713 Mahdavian made the drama “Walnut Tree” in 2019 based on the true story of the profound tragedy of the chemical attack. The movie tells the story of Qader Mulanpur, a man who was away when his family was affected by the chemical attack in a village near Sardasht. His effort to save his pregnant wife and their three children are in vain and they die one by one from the fatal wounds sustained as a GUIDE TO result of the chemical attack. SPIRITUAL AWAKENING On June 28, 1987, Iraq bombarded Sardasht and the surrounding region with chemical weapons, killing over 1000 and God must be thanked for every blessing, and injuring over 8000 civilians, many of whom he who is thankful, receives more blessings, were permanently disabled. The stills selected for the showcase that and he who neglects it, endangers that opened on Sunday at the Zemestan Gallery blessing and may soon lose it. of the Iranian Artists Forum do not center on the stars of the film, but they are intended to depict the catastrophe itself. “The main reason for organizing this Imam Ali (AS) exhibit is to express part of the pain and grief the people of the town have been suffering since the chemical attack,” Talebi told the Persian service of Honaronline. The catastrophe was quickly A still from “Walnut Tree” by Majid Talebi. overshadowed by the Iraqi chemical 2019 Prix Goncourt winner attack on Halabja in March 1988, the tragedy, he added. tried to highlight the story of the film and The exhibition, which has been organized published in Persian however, the movie and the exhibition “Members of the cast are not on the the depth of the tragedy in the photos,” to commemorate the anniversary of the are aimed at turning the spotlight on center stage at the exhibition, but I have he noted. tragedy, will run until July 13. CULTURE TEHRAN — A Persian translation of French deskauthor Jean-Paul Dubois’s “Tous Les Hommes N’habitent Pas Le Monde De La Meme Facon” (“All Men Do Resistance Theater Festival to honor Russian festival Flahertiana to screen Not Live in the World in the Same Way”) has been published plays with Qassem Soleimani award Iranian doc “Trucker and the Fox” by Tadaei Publications in Tehran. Dubois won France’s highest literary honor, the Prix Goncourt, in 2019 for his book, which is a story narrated by a man languishing in a Canadian prison for an unknown crime. Paul Hansen has been serving his sentence in the Montreal provincial prison for two years. He shares a cell there with Horton, a Hells Angel incarcerated for murder. Back in time: Hansen is a superintendent at L’Excelsior, a residence where he deploys his talents as concierge, caretaker, factotum and - even more - repairer of souls and Front cover of a Persian comforter of the afflicted. Main character of “Trucker and the Fox” by Iranian documentarian Arash version of French author Jean- When he is not busy Lahuti appears on the poster of the 2014 edition of the Flahertiana International Paul Dubois’s book “Tous Les helping the residents of Documentary Film Festival. Hommes N’habitent Pas Le L’Excelsior or maintaining the Quds Force commander Lieutenant-General Qassem Soleimani. Monde De La Meme Facon”. buildings, he joins Winona, ARTTEHRAN — The and Sacred Defense Theater organizes ARTTEHRAN — “Trucker for best documentary at the 49th his partner. At the controls of her airplane, she takes him to desk17th edition of the the festival every year in collaboration deskand the Fox” by Chicago International Film Festival in the sky, above the clouds. But soon everything changes. A Resistance Theater Festival has established with several other institutions. Iranian documentarian Arash Lahuti 2013, and the Students’ Jury Award at new manager arrives at L’Excelsior, conflicts arise, and the an award named after commander Qassem This year’s edition is scheduled to be will go on screen at the Flahertiana the 11th International Human Rights inevitable happens. Soleimani to honor a play every year. held during November or December. International Documentary Film Festival, Documentary Film Festival in Kyiv, A church silted up in the dunes of a beach, an open-air “Due to the importance of the resistance Soleimani was martyred during a U.S. which will take place in the Russian city Ukraine in 2014. asbestos mine, the meanders of a silver-colored river, the issue and the need to promote the teachings airstrike in Baghdad on January 3. Thereafter, of Perm from September 18 to 24. Other Golden Nanook winners which sound waves of an organ make up the varied landscapes in of the popular figure of Iran’s resistance several other cultural events in Iran have The organizers have dedicated a will go on screen at the Flahertiana festival which this novel takes place. culture and the leader of the resistance also established awards in memory of the section to the screenings of the best include “The Sisters” by Pawel Lozinski Dubois is the author of several novels and travel pieces, front, Lieutenant-General Qassem commander of the Quds Force, the overseas films of the festival in previous editions from Poland and the Russian films “The and reports for Le Nouvel Observateur. His novel “Une Vie Soleimani, we plan to honor a top play arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. and “Trucker and the Fox” won the Motorway” by Sergey Dvortsevoy, “The Française” (“A French Life”), published in French in 2004 with an award named after Hajj Qassem First of them was the Fajr Film Festival, Golden Nanook for the best film at the Flight of a Bumblebee” by Yuriy Shilier and in English in 2007, is a saga of the French baby boom Soleimani this year for the first time,” which announced it would honor films event in 2013. and “Frescos” by Aleksandr Gutman. generation, from the idealism of the 1960s to the consumerism Hamid Nili, the director of the festival on resistance and jihad with an award In 2014, the main character of the Also included are “Survival Song” by of the 1990s. announced on Monday. named after Soleimani. film appeared on a poster for the festival. Yu Guangyi from China, “Mugabe and “The award will be presented in the The award went to “Abadan 11, 60” “Trucker and the Fox” chronicles White African” by Andy Thompson and next editions of the festival to represent directed by Mehrdad Khoshbakht about the life of Mahmud Kiani Falavarjani, Lucy Bailey from the UK, “Bad Weather” its organizers’ committed devotion to the the people’s fight against Iraqi forces in the a documentarian who does not have any by Giovanni Giommi from Germany Afghan director making new divine commander,” he added. southwestern Iranian city of Abadan during academic education and is a trucker. and UK and “The Queen of Silence” by film “Once Upon a Time Iran” The Association of the Revolution the early months of the Iran-Iraq war. The film won the Gold Hugo Award Agnieszka Zwiefka from Poland. in Tehran ARTTEHRAN — Tehran-based Afghan director Iranian animations line up for Golden Kuker deskGholamreza Jafari is making his new project titled “Once Upon a Time Iran” in Tehran. The shooting of the co-production between Iran and Sofia festival Afghanistan started on Monday on location in Tehran. ARTTEHRAN — A lineup of 10 movies by In the Students’ category, “A Mess” by Maliheh deskIranian filmmakers will be competing Gholamzadeh, and “Malaysia” co-directed by Leila Ahang, Sara in the Golden Kuker Sofia International Animation Film Hanif, Maryam Alavi and Marzieh Kordlu will be screened. Festival that will be running in the capital of Bulgaria The other seven animations will be competing in the less from September 1 to 6. than 10 minutes short films category. “The Secret of the Pond” by Mani Vatandoost will be They include “This Side, the Other Side” by Lida competing in the official section of the festival. Fazli, “The Hero” by Kianush Abedi, “Rainy Reminder” The animation narrates the story of a young frog named by Masud Qodsieh, “Restless” by Mehdi Sediqi, “The Sabzak, who lives in an imaginary city. Sabzak feels clever by Fisherman and the Spring” by Seyed Hassan Soltani, eating a pumpkin’s smart seeds and wants to unite everyone “Grape Season” by Farzaneh Qobadi and “Greyish” by together by fixing the city’s clock, in order to help the whole city. Eqbal Shirzai-Sani. A scene from “The Secret of the Pond” by Mani Vatandoost. Golbang Theater Group to perform “Woyzeck” at Russia Ginger fest ARTTEHRAN — The Golbang discovered and published posthumously as the work was published in a revised version deskTheater Group from Iran Wozzek in 1879 and first performed in 1913. in 1922 under its original title, Woyzeck. will be performing “Woyzeck” at the Ginger The title character is a religious Both naturalist and expressionist elements “Pale White” by Afghan director Gholamreza Jafari. Theater Festival, an international festival of man preoccupied with sin and guilt. An added to the work’s continued interest for youth running in the Russian city of Tula army barber, he endures psychological audiences in the late 20th century. The film is about an Afghan family that works as janitors from April 9 to 13, 2021. humiliation by his captain and painful Buchner was the brother of physician and in a villa in Iran. Qasem Tangsirnejad and Mahsa Rahsepar physical experimentation by his doctor to philosopher Ludwig Buchner. Vahid Sheikhzadeh, Sogol Qalatian, Shohreh Sadat Musavi will co-direct the play that will be competing make extra money for Marie, his wife, and Buchner’s talent is generally held in great and Amir Zemestani are members of the cast. with 10 other productions from Egypt, their child. Woyzeck is jealous of Marie’s esteem in Germany. It is widely believed Jafari and Zemestani are the co-producers of the film. Greece, India, Estonia, Russia and several affair with a drum major. Filled with rage, that, but for his early death, he might have Jafari has previously made “Pale White” in Iran. The film Thespians perform “Woyzeck” by direc- other countries. he explodes into violence. attained the significance of such central is about a girl who helps her brother to make a kite but the tors Qasem Tangsirnejad and Mahsa German dramatist Georg Buchner wrote Best known as the libretto for Alban German literary figures as Johann Wolfgang little boy doesn’t let her play. Rahsepar. (Iran Theater) “Woyzeck” between 1835 and 1837. It was Berg’s opera Wozzeck (performed in 1925), von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.