the great potential and theimportance great potential the survey wepresentedhereemphasized hypothesis thattheIranianPlateauhas kistan andAfghanistan)reinforcesthe region andneighboringcountries(Pa cluded thattheIranianplateauservedasa cluded the production of chipped stone artifacts. ofigneousrocks havebeenusedfor types region, except forafewexamples, various authors, astheresultsofgeology ofthe formations. Therefore, according to the rock igneous of mainly contained is which the volcanic band of south-eastern Iran terraces or flat alluvial deposits. the low-height hills of Quaternary river the recordedsitesarelocatedeitheralong the region between these mountains. All of ofQuaternaryoriginhavecovered deposits volcanic mountains. Alluvial sedimentary south,west,andeastby northwest, to the 700 metersabovesealevelandislimited the aridclimatehasameanelevationof Paleolithic localities were identified. stone artifactsandasaresultofthis,12 new one oftheauthorscollectedaseriessurface area in the southern margins of Lut Desert, work of a Paleolithic survey in the Fahraj-Rigan hominin populations in south-eastern Iran. understanding thedynamicsofPleistocene bear greatpotentialsforthisregion Paleolithic localities new that believing the Fahraj-Rigan area in Kerman province, authors of the research. culture history of this region,” stated the for theunderstandingofPleistocene ern margins of Lut Desert in particular, of south-eastern Iran in general and south in the Pleistocene linking East and West.” been usedasahumanmigratorypathway human migratory pathway in the Pleistocene. Zeidi, Cyrus Barfi, and Shahram Zare con in April2021, IranianresearchersMohsen neering Technology and Science (IRJMETS) Research Journal of Modernization in Engi- A between East and West Pleistocene: a bridge Iranian plateauin bu 26 ilo yas g and ago lasted until about 11,700 years ago. years million 2.6 about whichbegan epoch, Pleistocene the during West and East between Reuters The survey zone also included part of part included also zone survey The The surveyed area with a semi-arid to During summer 2020, and in the frame The surveywasconductedinpartsof archaeological the results of “The this in finds Paleolithic “Increasing In an articlepublishedintheInternational BY AFSHINMAJLESI plateau waslikeabridge that the Iranian pothesis a hy study reinforces new Israeli hubris par lawlessness to endJCPOA Zarif callsonU.S. Continued onpage6 WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM - - - - - Page 3 excellence ous toll on Iran’s economy in different domains, imposed by the United States, have taken a seri managers on Sunday. Iran’s sports” in a webinar with provincial sports the rootof“themostcurrentproblems sanctions againstIranandmentionedthemas Masoud Soltanifar, slammed the international TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth, IRNA/ Marziyeh Solymani Over theyears, sanctionsagainstIran, mostly 8 Pages rehabilitated Over 50,000haofdesertareastobe projects in the country and the world, he stated. scientific achievements and experiences of successful habilitation havebeenpreparedbasedonthelatest current Iranian calendar year (March 21), he said. the of beginning the since implemented plans ment, protection, andseedingwereamongthe manage runoff management, forest reforested he explained, ISNA reported on Sunday. our tasks, among in thedesertareasofcountryare enon of desertification and controlling wind erosion ization said. Rangelands, and Watershed Management Organ ties, Vahid Jafarian, an official with communi local of participation the with projects through implementingsustainableexploitation areaswillbeprotectedandrehabilitated desert TEHRAN – At least 50,000 hectares of the country’s Technical andexecutive guidelinesondesertre Using windbreaks, planting,care, andirrigation, Studying, identifying, and managing the phenom BY FARROKH HESABI BY FARROKH Price50,000Rials Sports ministerSports Soltanifar slams U.S. sanctions against Iran elections elections IPC Athletes’ Council Nemati nominated for 1.00EURO

the Forests, 4.00AED - Page 3 - - - - - reached the AFC Champions League final twice owes morethan$3mtoPersepolisclubthathas League,” Soltanifar said. prizemoneyrelatingtotheAFCChampions their awarded not were competitions, in continental Also, Iranianfootballclubs, whohaveparticipated FIFA. the at funds its use to able been not has including sports. 43rdyear “The Iranian football federation, as an example, an football federation,as Iranian “The “The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Confederation Football Asian “The forest products. resources, particularly timber, but also non-timber of atmosphericcarbondioxide, andharvestfor warming sinceforestsfacilitatebiosequestration natural habitatsandecosystems, mitigateglobal soaking uppollutionanddustfromtheair,rebuild rectify orimprovethequalityofhumanlifeby to through deforestation. Reforestation can be used (forestation) thathavebeendepleted,usually woodlands and forests restockingof existing as the original forests. may nothavethesamebiodiversityandvegetation annual deforestation. However, the reforested land reforestation inIran, whichismorethantwicethe the participation of people. approach of these guidelines is defined based on eoetto i te aua o intentional or natural the is Reforestation Annually, about25,000 hectaresoflandundergo important most the Jafarian, to According No.13939

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MAY 10, 2021 10, handed overtoapplicants housing units readytobe Nearly 10,000national tional sanctions. laws, regulations, orders, by-laws, and interna governing bodiesaresubjecttoallapplicable financial payments to be made by these football stages of the ACL,” he added. money rewardsbyadvancingtotheknockout andTractor,shouldbealsopaid as Esteghlal in the last three years. Other Iranian clubs, such

Ordibehesht20,1400 See page3 See According to the AFC and FIFA rules,any FIFA and AFC the to According district attack Death tollrisesto58inKabulschool e-Barchi. Kabul’s Seyyed ul-Shohada Girls School in Dasht- of threeconsecutiveblastsintheafternoonnear said on Sunday. Tariq Arian,aspokesmanfortheInteriorMinistry, way back home after finishing school. mostlyfemalestudentsheadedontheir attack were in western Kabul. Dasht-e-Barchi of neighborhood majority Shia injured in the blast on Saturday. were schoolgirls,who mostly people, 150 least at to medicalcare hospitals werestrugglingtoprovide Afghan officials say. in Afghanistan’scapitalcityKabulhasrisento58, school outside a explosion an from toll The death has been done in Derak, Shiraz. vaccination forelderlies of80plusage drive-through Covid-19 Furthermore Tehran. Hesaar, Sorkheh in program cination facilitylauncheditsscheduled On Sunday Covid-19 drive-through vac - vaccination According totheministry, therewereatotal The deathtollintheblastsmightincrease, The blastoccurredinfrontofaschoolthe Officials said on Sunday that medical staff in An eyewitnessreportedthatthevictimsof I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

Covid-19 through Drive TEHRAN – A Turkish translation of a of translation Turkish A – TEHRAN of Iran’s approach to the catastrophicthe to approach Iran’s of claim contradicts the Islamic Republic issued astatementsaying, “Thisfalse on the ground in Yemen.” it a“lackofinformationabouttherealities sending troops from Syria to Yemen, calling Anadolu News Agency claim that Iran was on Sunday dismissed a claim by Turkey’s TEHRAN — The Iranian embassy in Ankara a majorTurkishpublishinghouse eight books published by Nar Cocuk, with Quranic Concept” is composed of session on Sunday. concepts wasreviewedduringanonline (Joubert) has created based on Quranic French writer and illustrator Claire Jobert collection of stories that the Tehran-based become dual-fuel under the framework country. going to become dual-fueled across the that said 132,000 publictransportvehiclesare has Baqeri mad-Hossein compressed natural gas (CNG) programs Moham- (NIORDC)’s Company Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution TEHRAN - The Director of the National Over 130,000 publictransport vehicles The collectionentitled“AFiction n udy te rna embassy Iranian the Sunday, On The mentionedvehiclesaregoingto collection ofQurancollection stories reviewed

Ramadan Turkish translation ofClaire Jobert Continued onpage3 Iran dismisses sending Syrian Page 4 27, 1442 to become dual-fuel youth toYemen - support forthePalestiniancauseandtocallan of theworldralliedoninternationalQudsdayin This year, andwhilemillionsofthefreepeople of millions of refugees to return to their Homeland. right the independence and freedom, their achieve Palestinians toresist thecolonialapartheidsystem, salem astheeternalcapitalofPalestine, therightof is a global referendum and recognition of holy Jeru persistence in defending the Palestinian people. This mass demonstrationstoshowtheir fullsupportand around theworldarerushinginto thestreetsin and nationalities races religions, different from global war crimes. in thefaceofZionist apartheidregimeandits insolidaritywiththejustcauseofPalestinians people in the act of uniting Muslims and freedom-loving month of Ramadan as the International Quds Day olution, fordesignatingthelastFridayofholy rev Iranian modern the of leader the inspirational extremely gratefulfortheLate ImamKhomeini, military occupying power. for thousandsofyears, atthehandsofapartheid Palestinian indigenouspeople, whohavelivedthere its from Jerusalem of cleansing ethnic of policies their protestsagainstthecontinuous are escalating occupation of Palestine, Palestinians in Jerusalem end totheZionistapartheidregime’s atrocitiesand military base international terrorist state andan regime: Anoutlawed This Zionistapartheid Today, after forty-two years, millions of people are Palestinians occasion, significant this On pant in the conflict-stricken country. to failed they if troops U.S. attack to pledging ing, warn a issued have Taliban The 11. September by forces US of drawdown the complete to ule troops and military hardware out of Afghanistan. ed States and its NATO allies began pulling their survivors and families of those killed in the attack. were girl students. ibzadeh condemned the terrorist attack in Kabul. an militant group was responsible for the attack. vilians asdetestable,particularlythetargets sibility for the blast.

withdraw as scheduled. for Afghanrefugees 2m COVID-19vaccines ICRC askedtoprovide Twenty years on,violenceisincreasinglyram Twenty years U.S. President Joe Biden announced the sched violent attackcame The Khatibzadeh describedtheattackagainstci Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khat The Taliban,however, didnotclaimrespon Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said the Talib to fight in the country. Syria would send Syrian youth to Yemen claimed thatIranianforcesstationedin political solution.” and has supported UN efforts to find a has alwayscalledforanendtothiswar Iran of Republic Islamic The people. and inhumane war against the Yemeni the session. publisher ofthecollection,alsoattended uty director of Beh Nashr, the Iranian Nar director Tayfur Esen. by Jobert, translator Milad Salmani and Book and Literature House was attended criteria to become dual-fuel. which only132,000 havemettherequired vehicles haveregisteredinthisprogramof hicles into dual-fuel ones. at converting over 1.46 million public ve- instead of gasoline. The program is aimed for the promotion of CNG consumption of aprogramlaunchedbackinMay2020, for children’s books. BY AMALWAHDAN The reviewsessionorganizedbytheIran According to Baqeri, so far over 306,000 Anadolu News Agency had recently had Agency News Anadolu Seyyed Ahmad Mirzadeh, the dep the Mirzadeh, Ahmad Seyyed

He offered condolences to the

Continued onpage8 Continued onpage5 Continued onpage4 Continued onpage2 a weekaftertheUnit Page 7 ------

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS MAY 10, 2021

Iran dismisses sending Leaked documents show details of failed Syrian youth to Yemen 1 The false claim comes as Yemen has been under a Arab-U.S. move to form anti-Iran alliance complete siege by Saudi and American forces for several years, so that even the sending of medicine and food is not possible except in some cases by the United Nations. POLITICAL TEHRAN — A Lebanese relations as well as bilateral and regional In recent months, there has been a lot of news about Turkish desknewspaper has published cooperation, according to a statement issued drone assistance to Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni war, so that top-secret documents outlining details of a by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Zarif said several of its drones have crashed in Yemen. failed plan by former U.S. president Don- Iran’s approach is to boost its relations with Also, due to the proximity of the Salah Brotherhood party to ald Trump and certain Arab countries in the the regional countries. Ankara and the presence of its party officials in Istanbul, efforts region, particularly Saudi Arabia, to form a Earlier in January, Qatar called on the have been made for Turkey to have a field presence in Yemen in large regional coalition against Iran. Persian Gulf’s Arab states to seize on the support of the Brotherhood party and proximity to Saudi Arabia. According to Beirut-based al-Akhbar momentum of reconciliation drive in the newspaper, the documents show that Trump region and patch up their differences with began to lure its allies in West Asia into form- Iran. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, the Ghalibaf: Iran is not waiting ing an anti-Iran front months after his first Qatari foreign minister expressed hope that foreign trip to Riyadh as the president of a summit between leaders of the six-member for enemies the United States. Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and Iran Trump’s plan, under the names “the would happen. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Speaking at a parliament session on desk Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA)” “We are hopeful that this [summit] would Sunday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that and the “Arab NATO”, was accompanied happen and we still believe that this should Iran, despite trying to lift sanctions, will not wait for the enemies. by his milking of the Arab countries while happen. And I think this is also a desire that “Iran has the upper hand, so we urge them not to delay further going on with implementing the so-called being shared among the other GCC countries. lifting the sanctions once they have fully fulfilled their obligations, “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, I just mentioned to you that there is a differ- because over time, the cost of returning to the sanctions will be the report said. ence between the countries on the way how heavier,” he said. The report also revealed that Riyadh to approach such a dialogue. Also from the The parliamentarian stressed was very enthusiastic about and had faith Iranian side. They have expressed their will- that the Islamic Republic is seek- in Trump’s strategy and put all its eggs in to the alliance. to have good relations with Iran, we have ingness several times to engage with the GCC ing to remove all sanctions ver- his basket while raising its hopes to unre- “After the first proposal submitted by the interests in Iran,” Bin Salman said in an countries,” the Qatari foreign minister said. ifiably, and at once. alistic levels. White House clearly referred to confronting interview broadcast on Saudi state TV on He said the time should come when the “The united voice of the of- According to a confidential Saudi document Iranian threats, the second proposal that came April 27. Persian Gulf’s Arab states will sit at the table ficials of the Islamic Republic, dated July 4, 2019, the U.S. demanded that all from the U.S. Defense and State Ministries Tehran has reacted positively to the recent with Iran and reach a common understanding. created under the intelligent parties must “accelerate arms deals” with the was less severe,” the head of the Bahrain “change in Saudi Arabia’s tone” towards the “We have to live with each other. We cannot management of the Leader, has United States, the Lebanese paper reported, delegation regretted, adding, “We want to Islamic Republic and welcomed bilateral ef- change geography. Iran cannot move the GCC played an important role in pre- hinting at Trump’s famous phrase that “they obtain guarantees that the United States forts to secure regional peace and stability. away from its neighborhood and the GCC venting the enemy’s ambitions. need to pay” for Washington’s support. will not abandon this alliance as it did by Qatar has voiced support for dialogue cannot move Iran from the neighborhood,” It is necessary to maintain this It added that the document exempts the withdrawing from the nuclear agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, calling such a bin Abdulrahman continued. alliance until the final result is U.S. from taking “any military action” in the with Iran.” dialogue a constructive step toward regional Iran welcomed the Qatari call for dia- reached.” event of attacks against those countries, The Trump administration withdrew from stability. logue between Iran and the Persian Gulf’s Ghalibaf highlighted that making the Saudis realize that such deals the 2015 nuclear deal – officially known as Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Arab states, underlining that the solution to if all sanctions are lifted and give “important benefits to the U.S.” without the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – on of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin the region’s challenges lies in cooperation its economic effects are veri- imposing any burdens on it, while giving May 2018 and imposed the harshest sanctions Abdulrahman Al-Thani has said his country to form a strong region free from foreign fied in practice, there should “very limited benefits to other countries, on Iran with the its “maximum pressure” welcomes any dialogue between Tehran and interference. be no delay in agreeing to Iran’s commitments to the United including the Kingdom.” campaign. Riyadh. “Iran welcomes my brother FM @MBA_ Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 confirming the 2015 Al-Akhbar argued that Saudi Arabia, the Citing the leaked documents, al-Akhbar “We welcome any dialogue or efforts and AlThani’s call for inclusive dialogue in our nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan United Arab Emirates and Bahrain’s insist- said the main objective of the United States’ a positive spirit related to relations between region. As we have consistently emphasized, of Action (JCPOA). ence on the necessity of confronting Iran and proposal was said to be “building institutions Iran and the [Persian] Gulf, especially Sau- the solution to our challenges lies in col- On the Vienna negotiations, the speaker said, “These days, its “regional wings” as the main focus of the to create power against (what it called) the di Arabia, and we support such efforts and laboration to jointly form a ‘strong region’: negotiations between Iran and the P4+1 are ongoing with many alliance shows that they were skeptical about Iranian aggression, terrorism and extrem- believe that dialogue is a constructive step peaceful, stable, prosperous & free from glob- ups and downs. One day the news of the progress of the negoti- the intentions of the U.S. for the creation of ism, and promoting economic growth and toward the stability of the region,” the chief al or regional hegemony,” Iranian Foreign ations and the next day the news of the disputes are published. the so-called Arab NATO. diversity.” Qatari diplomat said in an interview with Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a All this shows the seriousness of the negotiations.” According to the leaked documents, min- The report came more than a week after Al Jazeera. tweet following the Qatari foreign minister’s Referring to the approval of the parliamentary law on Stra- utes of a coordination meeting between the Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler, Crown Prince Iran and Qatar are in close contact. Ira- call for dialogue. tegic Action for Lifting Sanctions, the senior MP said the law Persian Gulf states at the headquarters of the Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), said he is nian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Over the past few weeks, there have been has “opened the locks of the nuclear industry” and provided the Saudi military attaché in Washington show seeking to have “good relations” with Iran paid a visit to the Persian Gulf nation in late plenty of press reports saying that Iran and necessary capacity for talks for the negotiating team. that the Saudis were concerned about a lack while pointing to some differences in the April. During his meeting with the Qatari Saudi Arabia have held a direct meeting in He noted that the same capacities have been the focus of of commitment on the American side and path toward rapprochement. foreign minister, the Iranian foreign minister Baghdad for the first time in years. A Saudi trade-offs in the current negotiations in order to secure the in- also about the fact that it did not offer any “Iran is a neighboring state, we are seeking highlighted the importance of Tehran-Doha official at the Saudi Foreign Ministry con- terests of the people. benefits to the member states. firmed the Baghdad talks on Friday, saying “We want the coalition to be limited to the Al-Akhbar argued that Saudi Arabia, they aim to reduce regional tensions. House of Parties chief writes military-security aspect only, and to include “As to current Saudi-Iranian talks they sources of threats, in addition to the possibility the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain’s aim to explore ways to reduce tensions in to national TV director urging of establishing strategic partnerships with insistence on the necessity of confronting Iran the region,” Rayed Krimly, head of policy other allied countries,” the head of the Saudi and its “regional wings” as the main focus of planning at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, told him to fully observe neutrality delegation said at the meeting. Reuters. “We hope they prove successful, At that meeting, Bahrain wanted the the alliance shows that they were skeptical but it is too early, and premature, to reach in presidential campaigns U.S. to be harsher in confronting what it about the intentions of the U.S. for the any definitive conclusions. Our evaluation called “Iranian threats,” while worrying that will be based on verifiable deeds, and not POLITICAL TEHRAN — The head of the House of Parties Washington might not remain committed creation of the so-called Arab NATO. proclamations.” deskhas written a letter to the national TV chief asking him to observe full impartiality and give equal time to presidential candidates. The presidential elections will be held on June 18. “The House of Parties of Iran urges national TV to fully ob- Hamas chief writes to Leader, asks Muslim world to support al-Quds serve impartiality in arranging plans and allocating time and POLITICAL TEHRAN— In a letter to the Leader of Islamic Ummah, targeting the city of Quds and its Islamic equal opportunity to presidential candidates,” Shahabodin Sadr, deskthe Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed history and existence, the living conditions, the future and a former parliamentarian, suggested. Ali Khamenei, Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas Islamic the legitimate rights of its inhabitants, as directly are tar- Sadr said the House of Parties as the representative of legal Resistance Movement’s political bureau, elaborated on cur- geting the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its guardians. political parties and groups as well as party chiefs is ready to rent events in the occupied Quds and called on the Islamic We in the Hamas movement warn against the aggressions help the national TV to perform its duty properly. world to take a tough position in favor of the citizens of Quds and crimes of the Zionist enemy during the holy month of Sadr has urged the national TV director to issue the necessary and stop the Israeli occupiers’ atrocities. Ramadan and the tense and dangerous situation in Al-Quds order to all program directors at different TV channels. The text of the letter is as follows: and Al-Aqsa Mosque and the dangerous consequences and Registration of the candidates for presidential election will Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei calls for the immediate response of the Islamic world to take a start on May 11 and will last until May 15. The Guardian council Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran firm stand against these crimes and to try to mobilize Islamic has five days to qualify or disqualify candidates. It is a source of satisfaction for us in the Hamas movement positions and Arab, Islamic and international diplomacy to After they are confirmed by the oversight body, they will start to offer our sincere greetings to your Excellency during these prevent the Zionist enemy from continuing its brutal crimes campaigns on May 28 that will last until June 16. blessed days and the last days of the month of Ramadan. We against the Palestinian people and its land and sanctuaries ask God Almighty to grant this great month and Eid al-Fitr in occupied Quds, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque. once again with blessings to the Islamic Republic of Iran The continuous and widespread efforts of the Zionist Iran appoints new and its great nation and the Islamic Ummah. occupiers in the city of Al-Quds to forcibly relocate 28 ambassador to Syria As you are and were aware, the attacks and aggressions Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood Islamic Ummah- that will be united like a stronghold which of the usurping Zionists against Al-Quds and its inhabitants, and the heinous attacks against the residents of Bab al- has always been paving the way for victory in Quds and POLITICAL TEHRAN— At the suggestion of Foreign including the intensification of Judaization, settlement build- Amoud neighborhood and the aggressive and provocative defending the sanctities - to support the Palestinian people deskMinister Mohammad Javad Zarif and with ing, forced displacement of Palestinians, ethnic cleansing attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the suppression of its in Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque to confront the crimes of the the approval of President Hassan Rouhani, Mehdi Sobhani and attacks on Bab al-Amoud and Sheikh Jarrah, as well believers are a crime and dangerous action which nobody Zionist occupiers and to stop the occupying settlers from was appointed as the new ambassador of the Islamic Republic as aggression against Al-Aqsa Mosque and the believers as must keep silent or must not leave it behind without a strong continuing the aggression and to support the resistance and of Iran to Syria. well as attacking the blessed Mosque or suppressing wor- reaction to stop the occupying regime and its leaders from endurance of the residents of Al-Quds and the guardians Mehdi Sobhani has previously served as Director General of shipers and closing its doors and preventing Palestinians continuing crimes against Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque and of Al-Aqsa Mosque. the Foreign Ministry Office of Strategic Planning and Monitor- from entering it for prayers and worship are ongoing which the Palestinian people, especially the decision of the occu- The Palestinian people in occupied Quds, which has been ing, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Karachi, are widespread efforts by the occupying regime to legitimize pying Israeli settlers to attack Al-Aqsa Mosque during the occupied for more than 50 years, and has taken the path of Pakistan, Deputy Director General of West Asia at the Ministry settlements, relocate Palestinians, and confiscate homes 28th month of Ramadan with the coordination of Jewish resistance and patience to defend the land and sanctities of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Ambassador to Turkmenistan and their property and the establishment of the temporal groups and army support. of Palestine on behalf of the Islamic and Arab Ummah, will and Ukraine. and spatial division of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the change These days, in the holy month of Ramadan, the month of never halt continuing this path to victory, returning to this The former Iranian ambassador to Syria was Javad Torkabadi. of the status quo, and this is a new crime that has crossed solidarity, cooperation, and victory, we extend this message land and forming the independent state of Palestine with all red lines and wounded the feelings and emotions of the to your Excellency, and we all believe and hope that the Holy Quds as its capital. Iran denies presence of trucks at Karabakh Iran expresses abhorrence over terrorist attack against students in Afghanistan POLITICAL TEHRAN — The embassy of the Islamic Repub- POLITICAL TEHRAN — Various He also offered condolences to the relatives and stability in Afghanistan is for all Afghan desklic of Iran in Baku has denied reports claiming deskofficials at the Iranian of the victims, and wished recovery for those groups to work together. the movement of Iranian trucks carrying goods in Karabakh. Ministry of Foreign Affairs have expressed injured in the terrorist attack. He went on to say that Iran has always tried Following the publication of some images on social media condolences over the tragic Saturday explosion Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian, Iran’s to create a national consensus in Afghanistan alleging a presence of Iranian trucks carrying goods in Karabakh, near a girl high school in Kabul. special envoy for Afghanistan, also strongly in order to help establish understanding, the Iranian embassy in Baku, denied the report, stating that the Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian condemned the brutal terrorist attack and maintain successes, and encourage progress. images and videos are “incorrect.” Foreign Minister, expressed his condolenc- condoled with the Afghan government and At least 50 people have been killed and The embassy added that at a time when relations between es with the Afghan nation, tweeting, “We nation over the tragic accident. more than 100 others wounded in an ex- the two friendly and brotherly countries are developing, groups mourn the innocent and fasting girls who Taherian described the attack as “very plosion near the high school for girls in the that do not want these relations to develop publish such baseless were the oppressed victims of ISIS takfiris; tragic and sorrowful.” Afghan capital Kabul, officials said Sunday. and false information. The Takfiris who showed that they are alien The diplomat expressed hope that war and The explosion was caused by a car bomb On November 9, 2020, in the aftermath of the capture of Shu- to Islam and humanity. violence in Afghanistan will soon come to followed by two IED explosions, Interior Min- sha, a ceasefire agreement was signed by Azerbaijani President It is time for all those who have a heart for Khatibzadeh, also condemned the act of an end, so that the Muslim community and istry spokesman Tariq Arian said Sunday. Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Islam and Afghanistan to end the fratricide terrorism in western Kabul, expressing his Afghan people will not see such catastrophes In a message to the media, Taliban spokes- Russian President Vladimir Putin ending all hostilities in the and unite the arena against the stateless ISIS.” disgust at the act of terrorism which targeted and incidents in the holy month of Ramadan. man Zabiullah Mojahid denied involvement zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from November 10, 2020. Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Saeed ordinary people, particularly students. He said that the only way to achieve peace in the explosion. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MAY 10, 2021 IRAN IN FOCUS 3 SPORTS Israeli hubris par excellence Sports minister Soltanifar slams U.S. sanctions against Iran POLITICAL TEHRAN – Israel’s homeland and their ancestral roots, and desknew round of crackdown instead, it has installed a terrorist regime 1 They cannot pay financial assistance as operating funds against the defenseless people of occupied and has housed a foreign people therein,” or money prize to the Iranian teams due to the international East Jerusalem has left hundreds of Jerusa- Ayatollah Khamenei said. sanctions and Iran’s place on the Financial Action Task Force lemites injured in the latest effort by Israeli Meanwhile, Israeli is holding its larg- (FATF) blacklist. authorities to steal the house of Palestinians. est-ever military drills simulating an all-out The country’s minister of sports said that he had negotiations Once again Israel showed its true colors war on all fronts. Israeli media reported with the presidents of both FIFA and the AFC, Gianni Infantino to the world: An occupying regime that is that the Israeli army has begun to conduct and Sheik Salman, respectively, to solve the problems. However, hubristically ignoring international rules the largest military exercises in its history, they have not fulfilled their promises. by suppressing the Palestinian people in a which simulates a month of all-out war on “Before the final match of the 2020 ACL, I spoke with the bid to appropriate their own houses. all fronts from north to south. presidents of FIFA and the AFC, and there have been several Israel doubled down on its restrictive Aviv Kochavi, chief of staff of Israel’s correspondences so far. They promised to address the issue, but measures against the Palestinian residents armed forces, decided not to delay or we have not seen the slightest practical steps or actions toward of Jerusalem (al-Quds) since the early days postpone these drills due to tensions in solving the problems,” Sotanifar added. of the holy month of Ramadan when far- Jerusalem. Soltanifar called the imposed sanctions on Iran are “unfair and right extremist Jews, backed by the police, Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, secretary gen- cruel.” He asked FIFA and other sports’ international governing prevented Palestinians from practicing their eral of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, bodies to review the conditions of Iranian federations and give faith in a clear violation of human rights. pointed to these drills in his latest speech, them the financial resources that legally belong to the Iranian While Palestinians were barred from stag- which was delivered on the occasion of In- teams or federations. ing Ramadan public gatherings, extremist ternational Quds Day. Jews freely roamed the streets of Jerusalem “Special sources” told Lebanese El- chanting racist slogans such as “death to of its attacks against Palestinians. But this marches throughout Jerusalem each year. Nashra news website that these drills are Nemati nominated for IPC Arabs,” something that enraged the Pal- campaign failed to intimidate Palestinians, About 30,000 Jewish settlers are expected very dangerous because they simulate “a Athletes’ Council elections estinians and provoked them to backlash. who now fight to protect their houses in to participate in a march towards Damascus major war imposed on Israel on the southern Facing an increasingly violent Israeli the face of a renewed desire by Israelis to Gate in the Old City on Monday, according and northern borders of Palestine with the SPORTSTEHRAN — Archer Zahra Nemati - a two- crackdown, Palestinians peacefully staged steal the houses of Palestinians. Following to Al Jazeera. Sinai front and the home front, in addition desktime Paralympic champion - has been nom- protests against Israeli atrocities. They Sunday dawn prayer, violent confrontations This march is expected to further inflame to Israel being exposed to a huge number of inated for the IPC Athletes’ Council elections at the Tokyo turned in large numbers in the al-Aqsa erupted between worshipers and Israeli tensions in Jerusalem as it can provoke rockets being fired by the resistance forces.” 2020 Paralympic Games. mosque. Some 90,000 Palestinians partic- forces leading to many injuries among the pushback by Palestinians who are fed up These sources also warned that these ipated in a Ramadan prayer called Tarawih citizens. Israeli officers on horseback and with Israel’s racist policies. Amos Gilad, a drills may indicate an Israeli desire to wage a in the al-Aqsa mosque in what appeared to in riot gear fired stun grenades and water former senior military official, told Army war. “Hezbollah warned against these drills be a message to Israeli authorities that the cannon against Palestinians. Radio the parade should be canceled or because Israel worked during past wars to Palestinians will not acquiesce in Israeli Israel is planning to expel a number of rerouted away from the Old City’s Damascus take soldiers and personnel from the training measures. Palestinian families from their ancestral Gate, saying “the powder keg is burning camps directly to the field, and this is what Sheikh Akrima Sabry, the imam of the homes on land claimed by illegal Jewish and can explode at any time,” according is happening now at the southern front of mosque, warned that Israeli authorities are settlers in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood to Al Jazeera. Lebanon and the north of Palestine,” the trying to pave the way for extremist Israe- of East Jerusalem. Israel’s Supreme Court In light of these developments, Ismail sources said. lis to break into the mosque, underlining is expected to decide on the fate of dozens Haniyeh, chairman of the Hamas Political They also said that Hezbollah has put that the Palestinians will not allow such an of Palestinians who are fighting attempts Bureau, sent a letter to the Leader of the its troops on the highest alert level since atrocity to take place. by Israeli settlers to evict them from their Islamic Revolution of Iran Ayatollah Seyed 2006 out of concern that Israel may wage “We will remain in al-Quds, and we will homes in the neighbourhood. Ali Khamenei appreciating Iran’s support for war. Independent analysts also warned that not accept any harm to the sanctities of The neighbourhood has been the scene of Palestine and demanding a unified Muslim Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, Nemati became the first Iranian woman to win gold at the Holy Mosque,” he said. The Palestinian regular confrontations, particularly during stance against Israeli atrocities in Palestine. facing internal security and political chaos, either a Paralympic or Olympic Games at 2012 Paralympic Minister of al-Quds Affairs also condemned Ramadan, between Palestinian residents On Friday, the Leader delivered a speech could resort to war to deflect attention away Games. Israeli violence against peaceful protestors. and their supporters on one side, and Israeli on Palestine and condemned Israeli crimes from his mismanagement. “It’s not unlikely The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has He pointed out that “the use of excessive police and Jewish settlers on the other. against Palestinians. that the defeated, isolated Netanyahu, who announced that athletes from every continent for the elec- force against the worshipers requires a deci- Israeli authorities also plan to launch “The issue of Palestine continues to be may spend his last years behind bars, will tions. A record-equaling 22 athletes have been accepted as sive stand by the international community.” marches in al-Quds to commemorate what the most important and active issue for the make the biggest mistake of his life and candidates to fill the six summer representative positions. Israel also launched a campaign of arrests Israelis call Jerusalem Day. Many Israelis Islamic Ummah collectively. The policies go to a big or small war,” wrote Abdel Bari The IPC Athletes’ Council is a group of elected athlete among Jerusalemites, especially the freed mark the day East Jerusalem was occupied of the oppressive and cruel capitalism have Atwan, editor-in-chief of Raialyoum, in a representatives who act as the voice of the Para athlete com- prisoners, in a continuation of the escalation in 1967 – and later annexed by Israel – with driven a people out of their homes, their recent editorial. munity to the IPC. The chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council is also one of the members of the IPC Governing Board. The IPC Athletes’ Council elections will take place from 19 August to 3 September during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the Proud Paralympian area in the Main Dining Hall. Iran will extend deal with IAEA if needed, top negotiator says The IPC Electoral Commission will be chaired by Mark POLITICAL TEHRAN – A top Iranian nuclear ne- been speculation that the IAEA may need to discuss the Copeland, chairperson of the IPC Legal and Ethics Committee. deskgotiator leading Iran’s negotiating team extension of the February deal if no progress is made in The Athletes’ Council acts as the liaison between athletes at the Vienna nuclear deal talks said Iran will extend a the Vienna talks. Last week, Araghchi met with Grossi and decision-makers and influences how Paralympic sport monitoring access deal with the UN nuclear watchdog in the midst of the JCPOA talks. and the Movement grow and develop. if needed. “DFM @araghchi met @rafaelmgrossi today before All candidates are active Paralympic athletes. This Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi the JCPOA JC meeting. Two sides discussed the latest means he or she must compete in the current edition of told Japanese broadcaster NHK that Iran hopes enough developments on JCPOA revival talks and the role the Paralympic Games at which the election is taking place, progress will be made so that there will be no need for an of the @iaeaorg as well as mutually interested issues or have competed in either of the previous two editions of extension. But he said that if needed, Iran will consider between Iran and the Agency,” Kazem Gharibabadi, the Paralympic Games (London 2012 and Rio 2016). There an extension at a proper time. Iran’s permanent representative to the UN in Vienna, were a record 22 candidates for the IPC Athletes’ Council The Iranian negotiator was referring to a February said of the meeting. elections in Rio 2016. deal between Iran and the IAEA which allowed the latter But Gharibabadi did not say if Araghchi and Grossi to continue its monitoring access to Iranian nuclear sites discussed the issue of extending the February deal. Aragh- ahead of the implementation of a parliamentary nuclear chi and Grossi provided no details about their meeting. Wushu athlete Mansourian law obligating the Iranian government to strictly restrict Iran and the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear undergoes surgery cooperation with the IAEA in case the West failed to lift of Iranian Nation’ Iran will stop the implementation of deal held another meeting on Friday to discuss the latest sanctions. the voluntary measures as envisaged in the JCPOA, as developments concerning the nuclear deal. During the SPORTSTEHRAN — Five-time wushu world champion, The deal was reached during a two-day visit by IAEA of 23 February 2021.” meeting, participants agreed to expedite talks and start deskShahrbanoo Mansourian, underwent surgery Director-General Mariano Grossi to Iran. During the The statement added, “In view of the above and in order working on a draft text of the final agreement to revive after her bowels had become twisted and blocked. visit, Grossi met with Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic for the Agency to continue its verification and monitoring the nuclear deal. The Friday meeting marked the start Mansourian’s sister, Elaheh, says that the surgery has been Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), and Iranian Foreign activities, the AEOI and the IAEA agreed: 1. That Iran of the fourth round of nuclear talks, which took place in successful and she will discharge from hospital after she becomes Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. continues to implement fully and without limitation its the Austrian capital of Vienna within the framework of stable in the coming days. “Intensive consultations led to a good result. A tempo- Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA the JCPOA Joint Commission. Shahrbanoo had traveled to Thailand to participate in a com- rary technical understanding has been reached. The IAEA as before. 2. To a temporary bilateral technical under- Araghchi issued a brief statement shortly after the petition but was forced to hospitalize in Bangkok. She returned will continue its necessary verification and monitoring standing, compatible with the Law, whereby the IAEA will JCPOA Joint Commission saying that during the meeting to Iran to undergo surgery in Tehran,” she said. in Iran,” the UN nuclear watchdog chief said in a tweet continue with its necessary verification and monitoring “it was decided to start expert and technical consultations Shahrbanoo Mansourian must be out of training and com- following his visit to Iran. activities for up to 3 months (as per technical annex). and work on the draft texts immediately.” peting for two months. The IAEA and the AEOI issued a joint statement out- 3. To keep the technical understanding under regular The statement added, “All parties reaffirmed their lining the content of the understanding moments after review to ensure it continues to achieve its purposes.” seriousness to achieve the result in the shortest pos- Grossi concluded his visit to Iran. The deal was reached only two days before Iran starts sible time.” Iran to open FIBA U19 “The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and the the implementation of the nuclear law. The Friday meeting also opened a new round of talks, International Atomic Energy Agency recalled and reaf- The parliamentary law stipulates that the Iranian according to Mikhail Ulyanov, who serves as the head of Basketball World Cup firmed the spirit of cooperation and enhanced mutual government should take certain nuclear measures such the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks. with Serbia trust that led to the Joint Statement in Tehran on 26 August as raising the level of uranium enrichment to 20% and “The Joint Commission of JCPOA at its meeting today suspending the voluntary implementation of the Addi- 2020, and the importance of continuing that cooperation opened a new round of the talks on full restoration of SPORTSTEHRAN —Iran will play Serbia at the 2021 tional Protocol if the Western parties failed to honor their and trust,” the statement said. “The AEOI informed the the nuclear deal. The participants agreed on the need to deskFIBA U19 Basketball World Cup opener. obligations under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally IAEA that in order to comply with the act passed by the intensify the process. The delegations seem to be ready to The tournament will be hosted in Riga and Daugavpils, Latvia called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran called ‘Stra- stay in Vienna as long as necessary to achieve the goal,” from July 3 to 11, 2021. As the Vienna nuclear talks moved ahead, there has tegic Action to Cease Actions and Protect the interest Ulyanov said on Twitter. Iran have been pitted against Latvia, Puerto Rico and Serbia in Group B. Eight different countries have won the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup since its inception in 1979, with the reigning cham- Zarif calls on U.S. to end JCPOA lawlessness pion USA leading the field with seven titles. The USA won the POLITICAL TEHRAN – Iranian of nuclear talks in Vienna between Iran and the Nation’s Rights,” outlines a step-by-step FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup 2019 in Crete, Greece, after deskForeign Minister Mo- the remaining parties to the JCPOA. The strategy for Iran to increase nuclear activities defeating Mali in the Final. hammad Javad Zarif on Saturday called talks began in April and entered a new stage in case the West failed to honor its obligations Fixtures: on the United States to end its lawless- on Friday when the fourth round kicked off. under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. July 3: Iran v Serbia ness by rejoining a 2015 nuclear deal The latest meeting of the JCPOA Joint Com- “If this lock is not broken, according to July 4: Latvia v Iran abandoned by former President Donald mission was held on Friday. the strategic law for lifting sanctions, the op- July 6: Iran v Puerto Rico Trump on May 8, 2018. Iran and its negotiating partners in Vienna portunity for the West to fulfill its obligations Zarif recalled how the controversy over said progress was made in the talks but they will end on May 24, and the Islamic Republic the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint have not yet reached a conclusive under- of Iran will take action in accordance with Shiraz to host J4 Tennis Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), standing about how to revive the JCPOA. this law,” Zolnouri told Tasnim. Tournament started in the first place. The foreign min- Meanwhile, a senior Iranian lawmaker they have become “draining.” He said the first thing Iran will do in case ister called Trump a “buffoon” who reneged warned on Saturday that Iran will restrict “We hope that the lock of negotiations the Vienna talks failed is the non-implementa- SPORTSTEHRAN — International Tennis Federa- on U.S. obligations under the nuclear deal. cooperation with the International Atomic will be broken and the path will continue tion of the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear desktion’s J4 tournament will be held in Shiraz, “As we try to revive JCPOA in Vienna, it’s Energy Agency if no progress is made by quickly,” the lawmaker said. But at the same Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iran from May 17 to 22. necessary to remember how it all started. 3 May 24 when a temporary deal between time, he warned, if this lock is not broken by At present, the offline agency cameras are The J4 Shiraz Tournament 2021 will bring a total of 93 tennis years ago today, a disgraced buffoon violated Iran and the IAEA on monitoring access May 24, Iran will implement a parliamentary operating in our country’s nuclear facilities. players from 12 countries together. US obligations under JCPOA & UNSCR 2231. is expected to expire. nuclear law obligating the Iranian govern- If the negotiations are unlocked by May 24, The tennis players from Iran, Turkey, France, Russia, Ro- Today, @POTUS has to decide whether U.S. The lawmaker, Mojtaba Zolnouri, who is ment to rapidly increase nuclear activities the Agency can access the content of these mania, the U.S., Denmark, England, Germany and Slovakia will continues lawlessness or adheres to law. the head of the Iranian Parliament’s National and restrict the International Atomic Energy cameras,” Zolnouri pointed out. “If the ne- participate in the boys’ division. Onus is on U.S., not Iran,” the chief Iranian Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Agency’s access to Iranian nuclear facilities. gotiations are not concluded by May 24, the In the girls’ division, tennis players from Iran, Russia, Turkey, diplomat said on Twitter. said the nuclear talks in Vienna have so The nuclear law, officially called “Stra- content of the cameras will be deleted and Italy and Belgium will compete together. The comments came amid a new round far failed to produce a concrete result and tegic Action to Lift Sanctions and Protect the cameras will be turned off.” Iranian umpire Adel Borghei will officiate the competition. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY MAY 10, 2021

Nearly 10,000 national housing units ready to be Iran ranks 1st among West handed over to applicants

ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iran’s deputy transport and urban desk Asia’s top electricity producers development minister announced that nearly 10,000 national housing units are ready to be handed over to the applicants. ECONOMY TEHRAN — Deputy by thermal power plants. Mahmoud Mahmoudzadeh also said, “We at the Ministry of deskHead of Iran Electricity With a total generation capacity of 25,083 Transport and Urban Development are looking to implement the Industry Syndicate said Iran is currently MW (nearly 31 percent) combined cycle power national housing action plan on a larger scale.” the region’s top country in terms of power plants account for the biggest share in the As reported last week, the ministry has provided Housing Foun- generation with over 85 gigawatts of installed country’s total power generation capacity dation of the Islamic Revolution with land for the construction of capacity, IRNA reported. followed by gas power plants generating 81,000 housing units under the framework of the mentioned plan. Payam Baqeri said the electricity industry about 30 percent. According to Transport and Urban Development Minister Mo- is a productive and strategic industry which The share of hydroelectric power plants hammad Eslami, the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution is considered infrastructure for many is 19.87 percent while hydroelectric plants is going to construct 100,000 housing unit under the mentioned other sectors and is a prerequisite for their generate 14.8 percent of the country’s total plan of which so far, the land for 81,000 units has been provided. development. electricity, the share of dispersed generation The official noted that so far 56,000 applicants have registered In this regard Iran is considered one of units is 1.5 percent and finally the renewable with the foundation to receive the mentioned housing units. the most advanced countries in the region in power plants account only for 0.79 percent The National Housing Action Plan aims to construct 400,000 terms of electricity industry, he said. of Iran’s total power generation capacity. small and medium-size apartments (70-100 square meters in size) According to Baqeri, the electricity industry Iran’s electricity exports to its neighbors across the country and particularly in Tehran, where housing prices also has great potentials for exports due to have also been witnessing an upward trend have risen most sharply. its good capacities and domestic production in the past two years as the country has been of almost all the equipment needed in this synchronizing its electricity network with industry. that of neighboring countries. The official noted that the country’s Iran has had electricity exchanges with electricity industry has not been able to grow most of its neighbors namely Armenia, in proportion to its potentials and capacities Azerbaijan, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, over the past few years due to some problems 21) motto which is “Production: Support development targets.” Turkmenistan, Iraq, as well as the Nakhchivan and obstacles. and Elimination of Obstacles” and said: The Islamic Republic’s total power Autonomous Republic among which Turkey, He further mentioned the current “this approach can create a great driving generation capacity currently stands at about Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been Iranian calendar year’s (started on March force for this industry and help it reach its 85,500 gigawatts most of which is supplied solely importers of Iran’s electricity.

Over 130,000 public transport vehicles to become dual-fuel 1 Some 16,400 of the approved vehicles have subsidized gasoline and increasing fuel prices in No- been introduced to designated centers and are cur- vember 2019, CNG consumption has been rising in Nearly half of the total number of the said houses will be rently in line to be converted and 15,500 are also in the country. constructed in Tehran’s suburban “new towns” such as Parand line to be introduced to the mentioned centers, the Iran’s CNG consumption which stood at 19 million and Pardis, respectively located in the west and east of the city. official said. cubic meters (mcm) per day before the implementation Back in March Eslami had announced that 510,000 residential Baqeri further noted that six contractors have been of the fuel rationing scheme, has now reached 21 mcm. units will be provided for the applicants under the framework of selected for converting the mentioned vehicles, and There are currently 2,400 CNG stations across Iran the National Housing Action Plan during the coming months. to this end, 279 centers have been equipped across that supply 22 percent of the country’s fuel basket. Earlier that month Mahmoudzadeh had said that the con- the country. Iranian Oil Ministry considers CNG as the national struction costs for the National Housing Action Plan are set The official also announced the preparation for fuel, therefore, to increase the share of this fuel in the based on the current year’s construction material price list and turning 200,000 vehicles active in car agencies and country’s energy basket, it was planned to turn public haven’t changed. internet taxi platforms into dual-fuel cars. vehicles into dual-fuel cars, which can increase CNG The official made the remarks in response to some rumors Since the implementation of a program for rationing consumption by 10 mcm per day. about the rise in the prices of such housing units as a result of the increase in construction costs. 40 idle mines revived in South SATKAB paving way for Iranian power companies to enter Eurasia market ECONOMY TEHRAN – Iranian Elec- tic companies’ presence in foreign markets tries, and continued: “Holding the first Eurasia Khorasan province in a year desktrical Power Equipment and noted: “By identifying and introducing International Exhibition in Tehran is one ECONOMY TEHRAN — As announced by a provincial Manufacturing and Provision Company companies that have desirable quantitative of the opportunities that knowledge-based deskofficial, 40 idle mines were revived in South (known as SATKAB) is taking necessary and qualitative capacities, SATKAB seeks companies and startups in the water and Khorasan province, in the east of Iran, during the past Iranian measures for facilitating the presence of to develop and maintain their presence in electricity industry can use to maximize their calendar year (ended on March 20). Iranian companies active in the power sector target markets to create more employment presence in such countries.” Abbas Jorjani, the head of the province’s Industry, Mining, and in Eurasian markets. and bring more income to the country.” The exclusive exhibition of Eurasian Trade Department, said that during the last six years, mines in South According to SATKAB’s Director-Gen- He mentioned consulting, business, bank- Economic Union (EAEU) member states’ Khorasan province have been stagnant, inactive or semi-active for eral for Commercial Affairs Abbas Jafari, ing, customs, and marketing as the fields economic capabilities is planned to be held various reasons, and with the follow-ups done since last year, 40 the company is trying to identify capable in which supportive measures have been in Tehran on May 17. mines have returned to the production cycle. companies active in the water and electricity taken by SATKAB to increase the presence Iran is a very important market in the He said that several meetings have been held with the presence industry to help them reach international of Iranian companies active in the water region and the development of ties with this of exploiters for this purpose, adding that the mines activated by standards and support them to enter the and electricity industry in foreign markets. country is of high significance for the EAEU “the official said. these exploiters are coal, copper, gold, granite, travertine, bentonite, target markets. Jafari further underlined holding interna- members. Referring to the desirable capabilities of and other mineral mines. “In this regard, Russia and Eurasian tional exhibitions as an opportunity for the The free trade agreement between Iran Iran’s water and electricity industry, Jafari South Khorasan has a lot of potential in the field of mines and Economic Union (EAEU) member coun- promotion of companies active in various and this union has laid the ground for the stressed the importance of supporting domes- mining industries, and the proper use of these capacities can play tries are of particular importance for us, fields, including water and electricity indus- expansion of trade ties between the two sides. an important role in developing employment, creating added value and generating income for the province, the official further noted. The head of Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) has announced that 253 94 development projects to be inaugurated in free trade, special economic zones idle small-scale mines were revived throughout the country in the ECONOMY TEHRAN – Some 94 development Considering the important role that the free zones previous Iranian calendar year. deskprojects worth 60 trillion rials (about play in promoting the country’s export and employment, According to Vajihollah Jafari, the plan for reviving idle mines $1.42 billion) are going to be put into operation in Iran’s Iran is seriously pursuing the development of its exist- in the previous year was realized by 126 percent. free trade and special economic zones on Thursday, the ing zones and the establishment of new zones as well. Saying that the mentioned mines have been reactivated as part Secretary of Iranian Free Zones High Council Hamidreza More development measures in this field have been of a comprehensive program for reviving idle small mines across Mo’meni announced. taking since the U.S. re-imposition of sanctions on the the country, Jafari also announced that under the framework of According to Mo’meni, as the fourth series of inaugu- Iranian economy in November 2018, as Iran is reducing the mentioned program 200 mines are planned to be put back rations in the country’s free trade and special economic its dependence on the oil income while elevating its into operation in the current year. zones, the mentioned projects are going to be inaugurated domestic production and non-oil exports. by President Hassan Rouhani in an online ceremony. Although the sanctions have disrupted Iran’s economic Covering a variety of fields including tourism, oil activities, they could not impede the development of and gas, industry, production, renewable energies, and Iranian free zones; in fact, the development of these power plants, fisheries, and agriculture, the mentioned zones has been even accelerated. projects will be put into operation in Qeshm, Chaba- Many strides made for increasing activities in the har, Aras, Arvand, Salafchegan, and Payam zones, the inaugurations in the country’s free and special economic free zones have played a significant part in boosting official said. zones, 163 projects with a total investment of 340 trillion the country’s non-oil exports and brought prosperity The official noted that in the previous three rounds of rials (about $8.095 billion) have been inaugurated. in the other economic sectors.

The official noted that the successful implementation of the said Over 600,000 tons of commodities traded at IME in a week program in the previous year was achieved despite the problems ECONOMY TEHRAN — During Also, the exchange traded 1,292 tons of ing floor on which the IME saw trades of created by the outbreak of coronavirus. deskthe past Iranian calen- commodities on its side market. more than 1.318 million tons of various types Emphasizing that the above goals have been achieved as a result dar week (ended on Friday), 617,484 tons As previously reported, the value of of commodities in both its domestic and of productive cooperation among the Industry, Mining, and Trade of commodities worth $408 million was commodities traded at Iran Mercantile export rings with a trading value of more Ministry, provincial industry organizations, Iran Mines houses, traded at Iran Mercantile Exchange (IME). Exchange rose 54 percent during the past than $700 million. and private sector companies, Jafari noted that since the beginning As reported by the IME’s Public Relations Iranian calendar month (March 21-April On this floor the IME traded 354,567 of the program in March 2019 up to the end of the previous year, and International Affairs Department, the 20), compared to the same month in the tons of bitumen, 237,258 tons of polymeric 303 mines have been revived. exchange traded on its mineral and industrial past year. products, 124,668 tons of chemicals, 12,446 As reported, under the framework of the mentioned program, trading floor, 302,541 tons of commodities The exchange’s Public Relations and In- tons of base oil and 460,100 tons of vacuum 672 idle mines were identified and prioritized in the previous year, worth more than $237 million. ternational Affairs Department reported bottom. and diagnostic procedures were performed on 194 mines to de- Products sold on this floor included that 2.7 million tons of commodities worth There were also 10,040 tons of sulfur, termine the reasons for the halt in their production. 248,631 tons of steel, 1,320 tons of cop- $1.5 billion were traded at the exchange in 310 tons of argon, 500 tons of insulation The program, which has been at the forefront of IMIDRO’s mis- per, 2,470 tons of aluminum, 120 tons of the past month, showing also a 350-percent rolls and 111,200 tons of lube cut traded sions over the past two years, is being pursued in several provinces. molybdenum concentrate and 50,000 tons growth in terms of weight as compared to on the same floor. commodities were traded at the mentioned Khodadad Gharibpour, IMIDRO’s former head had mentioned of iron ore concentrate. the same month of the previous year. Moreover, on its agricultural trading floor market. this plan as one of the most significant plans of “Resistance Econ- The next trading floor was the IME’s On its metal and mineral trading floor, the IME saw trade of 2,500 kg of saffron. In the past year, several new records were omy”, saying that IMIDRO is strongly determined to carry out it. oil and petrochemical with 313,650 tons of the exchange traded within that month 1.421 The last trading floor was the IME’s side achieved in terms of the volume and value Reviving the small mines not only is a major step for supporting commodities traded on its both domestic million tons of commodities worth more market with 3,754 tons of commodities - not of transactions in the mentioned market’s and boosting domestic production, it also plays a significant role and export pits valued at more than $169 than $790 million. listed on the exchange’s main spot market various floors including the industrial, pe- in job creation throughout the country, Gharibpour said back in million. Commodities purchased were 1.097 - sold on it. troleum, and petrochemical floors. June 2020. On this floor the IME saw trades of million tons of steel, 11,780 tons of cop- The value of trades at Iran Mercantile IME is one of the four major stock mar- Following this program, so far various small-scale mines including 112,500 tons of vacuum bottom, 97,695 per, 360 tons of molybdenum concentrate, Exchange in the previous Iranian calendar kets of Iran, the other three markets are chromite, manganese, hematite, and dolomite, iron ore, copper, tons of bitumen, 41,578 tons of polymeric 11,325 tons of aluminum, 400 tons of coke, year (ended on March 20) rose 108 percent Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), Iran’s over- and construction stone mines have been surveyed by monitoring products, 32,485 tons of chemicals, 33,000 300,000 tons of iron ore, 200 tons of cast compared to the preceding year. the-counter (OTC) market known also as and diagnosing the problems of the mines and providing solutions tons of lube cut, 3,000 tons of base oil, 100 iron and 100 tons of lead. During the past year, about 3.5 quad- Iran Fara Bourse (IFB), and Iran Energy for resolving their issues. tons of argon and 1,250 tons of sulfur. Oil and petrochemical was the next trad- rillion rials (about $83.5 billion) worth of Exchange (IRENEX). I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MAY 10, 2021 ANALYSIS/INTERVIEW 5

This Zionist apartheid regime: An outlawed state Huge fires breakouts in Haifa and an international terrorist military base Israel near Rafael Defense Co Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in Haifa where fires have been raging. Israel’s Prime Minister 1 from one side and the Nehlat Shimon International, a Since the beginning of the holy month of Rama- Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that anyone who may have settler organization that falsely claim ownership to the dan, the escalation of Palestinian’s peaceful resistance in started the fires deliberately will be “punished severely”. land, from the other side, failed to reach an agreement. Jerusalem of the Zionist criminal regime and its extreme Israeli media, Ynetnews claimed that fire broke out at several The status of Shiakh Jarrah residents, as well as millions right-wing government, which is actually sponsoring fi- points along the railway line between Kiryat Motzkin and Kiryat of Palestinian refugees inside and outside Palestine, has nancially and military the terrorist settlement associations Yam on the outskirts of Haifa. remained conditional on the implementation of the UN and companies in their constant attempts to change the More than a dozen firefighters are operating in the area, and Right of Return Resolution 194 to return to their homes demographical content of the holy city shows the real have yet to gain control of the fire. and properties, which they were forced to leave in 1948. nature of this fabricated colonial apartheid regime bluntly. According to Israeli officials, the fire may be the result of It is ironic but not surprising that hundreds of thou- Unfortunately, and despite the excessive Zionist ag- sparks created by a passing cargo train. sands of Palestinians who have been living in Jerusalem gression measures against the Palestinians in the after- Also, Hamodia, another Israeli media claimed that “A fault for centuries are not recognized as citizens of their own math of the Oslo agreement such as demolition of houses, in train brakes caused huge fires to flare.” country; rather they are called residents, contrary to persecution of the people, expropriation of lands, random “The fires are between the neighborhoods of Neve Ganim “Jews’ with different nationalities which are entitled to incarceration of civilians, ethnically cleansing of occupied in Kiryat Motzkin and Savyoni Yam in Kiryat Yam. One of the be citizens of the same country based on their religion. Jerusalem, continuous seizure of Gaza, the normaliza- fires is located near the “David Institute” factory of the Rafael Thus, the behavior and procedures of this extreme tion trend of some Persian Gulf states is endangering Defense Company (Weapons Development Authority). Train traffic right-wing government and the leaders of the ultra-Zion- Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause and encouraging from Haifa Central Station to the north has been suspended,” ist parties in Jerusalem and Al Aqsa mosque is pushing the Zionist settlers to continue their colonization process according to Hamodia. of the holy Jerusalem. the radical settlers to ignite a religious war against the The United Arab Emirates has been investing billions indigenous Palestinian people of the holy city under false of dollars through local collaborators to broker sales of pretext and superstitious myth that God promised them Leaked documents prove UK land and property inside the old city and in the surround- the holy land of Palestine, while we know for a fact that ing neighborhoods of Shaikh Jarrah, Albustan and Batn most Zionist leaders are non-believers. funded anti-Damascus groups Alhawa by forged deeds. This Zionist apartheid regime is an outlawed state is As millions of Palestinians were expelled from their in Shaikh Jarrah with an objective to lease twenty-eight considered as an international imperial military base that A senior aide to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has accused the villages and cities and took refuge in 58 refugee camps, units to twenty-eight Palestinian refugee families for a is continuously violating the resolutions of the UN Security United Kingdom of funding anti-Damascus groups to stoke further including 28 in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza, while nominal rent for three years, after which the Hashemite Council, the UN General Assembly, international law, in- unrest in the Arab country and said Western states were exerting the rest of the camps were distributed in neighboring Kingdom of Jordan would transfer the ownership of the cluding the Fourth Geneva Convention and human rights, pressure on Syrian officials to dissent from the government. countries, Palestinians in the Shaikh Jarrah neighborhood property to the families. and causes an imminent threat not only to Palestinians but Bouthaina Shaaban, Assad’s political and media adviser, made of Jerusalem who have been forcefully displaced from Since the 1970s, this agreement has been subjected to also to regional and global peace, security, and stability of the remarks in a video conference organized by the German Schiller their homes in Jafa and Haifa which was occupied in constant violation by the settlers’ association, who inten- humanity. This fake colonial regime must be dismantled. Institute on Saturday, entitled “The Moral Collapse of the Trans-At- 1948 are enduring another tragedy (Nakba) at the hands tionally manipulated the Palestinian owners in order to Dr. Amal Wahdan is the founder and editor of the lantic World Cries Out for a New Paradigm,” Syria’s official news of zealous Zionist settlers’ companies who falsely claim expel them from their homes. The “Israeli” High Court, Arab Gazette. She has also served as director of Shaikh agency SANA reported. ownership of Palestinian houses. which is part of a racist judiciary system, has lately re- Hasan Foundation for Culture and Science, which aims to Shaaban said Syria has been waging a “double-edged” war over The United Nations Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA) leased a court order to evacuate the Palestinian residents preserve and protect the Palestinian cultural and historic the past decade, one on the ground against terrorists wreaking have declared on April 7, 2021, in a letter to Palestinian based on false claims and forged deeds. heritage in the wake of the pressure exerted by years havoc in the country and the other against a Western-backed drive residents of Shaikh Jarrah that the Hashemite Kingdome On May 7, 2021, the case was sent to the “Israeli” of occupation. Moreover, Amal has been a permanent for inciting dissent within government ranks. of Jordan and UNRWA have entered into an agreement on High Court after both parties; the Palestinian attorneys member of the Palestinian Coalition for Economic, Social “All that happened in Syria of destruction, death, and displace- November 16, 1954, for the construction of housing units representing the Palestinian owners of the land and estate and Cultural Rights. ment, were because of Western intelligence institutions which, in cooperation with Turkey, trained thousands of terrorists to achieve a single goal which is destroying Syria,” the presidential aide said, adding that the West was dealing with Syria as if it were still under Those Arabs who might be discontented with realtions with their colonization, ignoring its deep-rooted history and values. Yemeni army launches new Israel won’t dare to express their opinions: professor drone strike on King Khalid By Mohammad Javdan cas. Similarly, I don’t see the occupation of a time when Israelis are putting the Palestine as an extension of Judaism, and most pressure on Palestinians and Airbase in Saudi Arabia Sasan Fayazmanesh, a professor of economics the resistance to it as an extension of Islam. violating their rights? and the director of the Middle East (West Judaism as a religion was used to concoct a As mentioned above, the interests of Arab The Yemeni army says it has launched a fresh drone strike on a Asia) studies Program in California State colonial ideology called Zionism to occupy regimes and Israel are becoming more and major airbase in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern province of Asir in University, believes that just like Israel, many Palestine. And most Palestinians, but not more aligned. One reason for this alignment, retaliation for the kingdom’s military aggression and blockade Arab regimes are also the creatures of western all, happen to be Muslims; but that is not of course, is that they see Iran and its re- against the impoverished country. imperialism and it’s not hard to expect that why they were colonized. How and why they lationship with such groups as Hezbollah, Army troops and allied fighters from Popular Committees hit such countries become close to each other. were colonized requires looking at the history Hamas and the Houthis as common threats. designated targets inside the King Khalid Airbase near the city of “The close relations between Israel and of Zionism, which is beyond this interview. The normalization of relations be- Khamis Mushait in the early hours of Sunday, army spokesman some Arab countries, such as UAE and Saudi Moreover, I do not believe that the abstract tween certain Arab rulers in the region Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced on his Twitter page. Arabia, have been in existence for a long notion of “Islamic world” would render itself and Israel is happening despite the The media bureau of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement quoted time. It is only lately that these relations are useful to this analysis. A Muslim living in disagreements in public opinion and Saree as saying that the retaliatory attack was carried out by a coming into the open and being formalized Indonesia is not the same as one residing in Muslim communities. How can the rul- domestically-developed Qasef-2K (Striker-2K) combat drone. […] those who might be opposed to such rela- Iran, Kenya or Saudi Arabia. The attitude of ers of the countries that follow this The strike, he said, was “accurate” and a “legitimate response” to tions will not dare to express their opinions, all these people, even within a country such practice justify their public opinion? the continuing aggression and brutal siege on his country. given the repercussion that they might face”, as Iran, toward the plight of the Palestini- Unfortunately, many countries with mostly very little difference as far as the public is According to Press TV, on May 3, Yemeni forces targeted the same Fayazmanesh tells in an interview with the ans differs. Thus, it would be meaningless Muslim population are dictatorial and it is concerned. As mentioned above, even those airbase and military installations at Najran Airport in southwest Saudi Tehran Times. to talk about the Islamic world’s response hard to gauge their public opinion. So, we who might be opposed to such relations will Arabia with four Qasef-2K drones as well as two Badr ballistic missiles. Calling Israel “an apartheid regime”, to the occupation of Palestine and expect a do not know much about the way that most not dare to express their opinions, given the Saree noted that the strikes were accurate, and came in retaliation Fayazmanesh hopes progressive Jewish uniform reaction. of the people in these countries think. Some repercussion that they might face. for the Saudi-led military campaign and blockade against Yemen. and Palestinian groups outside the Pales- We have seen in recent years that are probably concerned with the plight of I am left with little hope for the future of tine would be successful in taking effective some Arab countries have been lenient the Palestinians and oppose the congenial Palestine. Beside the emergence of a more political actions against it, such as advocating with Israel. What is the reason for this relations that their rulers have developed effective, intelligent and capable Palestinian About 90 Palestinians injured Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. closeness? with the apartheid regime in Palestine. But leadership, I hope various groups in the West, in Israeli crackdown Following is the full text of the interview: Many Arab regimes, particularly those given dictatorial rulers, they cannot express led by progressive Jewish and Palestinian Today, more than 70 years after around the Persian Gulf, are themselves their opinions. people, will be successful in advancing political Dozens of Palestinians have been injured in Israeli police crack- Israel’s occupation of Palestine, the creatures of Western imperialism and their What will be the long-term impact awareness about the nature of the apartheid down on protesters outside the Old City of Jerusalem as tens of Islamic world has yet to take concrete survival depends on the support of American of normalizing relations with Israel on regime and in taking effective political ac- thousands of Muslim worshippers prayed at the nearby Al-Aqsa steps to fight this occupation. What are and European powers. Israel is also a crea- public opinion and their relationship tions against it, such as advocating Boycott, Mosque on Islam’s holy night of Laylat al-Qadr. the reasons for this, as well as the Is- ture of such powers. It is therefore not too with their rulers for the region? Divestment and Sanctions. At least 90 people were injured on Saturday, the Palestine lamic world’s divergence toward Israel? hard to expect that such countries become The close relations between Israel and Many Arab regimes, particularly those Red Crescent said, a day after Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa and I am afraid to say that I do not see coloni- close to each other, particularly when their some Arab countries, such as UAE and Saudi around the Persian Gulf, are themselves injured more than 200 Palestinians. Israeli police said at least alism through the lens of religion. Thus, for interests coincide. Arabia, have been in existence for a long creatures of Western imperialism and their one officer was hurt. example, I do not see the European invasion The normalization of relations be- time. It is only lately that these relations survival depends on the support of American Israeli security forces on horseback and in riot gear deployed of the New World, and the genocidal wars tween certain Arab countries and Israel are coming into the open and being formal- and European powers. Israel is also a creature stun grenades and water cannon against Palestinian youth who against the native population, as an extension is regarded as a critical and problem ized. I am certain that most people in such of such powers. It is therefore not too hard threw stones, lit fires and tore down police barricades in the streets of Christianity, even though Christianity was in the Islamic world today. What is the countries have known about the existence of to expect that such countries become close leading to the walled Old City gates. used as an excuse to colonize the Ameri- explanation for this normalization at these relations. Formalizing them will make to each other Tensions have mounted in the city, the occupied West Bank and Gaza throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, amid growing anger about the potential eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers. What makes the Palestinian catastrophe incomparable to any crime that has occurred for humanity? Israeli border guards have, during the past few days, used skunk water, tear gas, rubber-coated bullets and shock grenades By Batoul Sbeity occupying state- to the extent that its existence is purely mandatory for every Israeli Jew to serve in the ‘IDF’, and to disperse sit-ins held in support of the families facing eviction dependent and linked to the U.S. they are indoctrinated from a young age to believe every in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. Why is Palestine considered the core issue when it comes Israel’s functional role is to act as a stick for the world Palestinian is a ‘terrorist’, whilst their survival is dependent to human justice, such that Al-Quds Day- a day to raise superpower, namely the U.S., used in order to punish oth- on getting rid of the indigenous Palestinians. awareness about the plight of all oppressed groups is done er entities in the region that fail to obey U.S. orders and With over 2.5 million Palestinian’s living in the West Resistance News in the name and the sanctity of Al-Aqsa? for them to maintain a direct presence at the heart of the Bank, an extremely densely populated region, Israel is not 1) The perpetrating entities of the oppression: strategic Middle East (West Asia). only seizing the best land and resources through annexing The formation of Israel was a settler-colonial conspiracy 2) The nature of the oppression: the territories and giving themselves false authority over Palestinian ministry warns of project- the biggest of its kind in history that was founded Israel is the only settler-colonial state existing today. the land, but they are striving to create an unbearable Israeli calls for storming Al-Aqsa by the hegemonic global ruling system solely to serve their This means the existence of the occupying Israeli settlers is condition for the Palestinian’s living within, such that interest. predicated on the forced and violent removal of the land’s they become hopeless and would want to immigrate and INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN— The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign The reality is that the Zionists were hunters for sources indigenous inhabitants prior to 1948. abandon their own homeland. deskAffairs and Expatriates warned of the Israeli calls of power in the world that could actualize their vision of During the 1948 Nakba, Israeli forces killed an estimated 4) Continuity of the oppression: for organizing provocative rallies in the streets and neighborhoods a Jewish homeland, and wherever the imperialists place 13,000 Palestinians and forcibly evicted 700,000-1 million Since the financial and military existence of Israel is of Occupied East Jerusalem and its Old City and for a mass storm- the Zionists, they will follow. Palestinians from their homes and land. Five hundred completely linked to the U.S., this oppression will continue ing of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday to celebrate the so-called During the beginning of the 20th century, imperial Brit- and thirty-one (50%) of Palestinian villages were entirely until Israel loses its functional role due to the balance of “unification of Jerusalem” day. ain was adamant about creating for itself an extension in depopulated and destroyed. powers that are increasingly not in the U.S.’s favor in the The ministry stated in a statement on Sunday that this “day” the land of Palestine, which was specifically chosen due to The Nakba continues today. Palestinians are the largest region. is exploited by settlement societies in the most heinous way to in- the benefits of the strategic location and the history of the and longest-suffering group of refugees in the world. One Besides the axis of resistance and its proponents, all tensify their violent attacks against Palestinians, their homes, and land that could be used as a justifying pretext to the world. in three refugees worldwide is Palestinian and over 60% countries are turning a blind eye to the continuous op- their sanctities. The Zionists and their imperial masters weaponized the are registered for humanitarian assistance with the UN. pression in Palestine, which is legitimized by the majority These Israeli calls aim to attract more young Jewish settlers to anti-semitism that existed within sections of the people Within occupied Palestine, the occupying state has of the world since there is an overlap between their aims defile the Al-Aqsa Mosque to implement the plans of Judaizing the and activated this into a slogan that was used to justify the displayed no limits to their aggression in pursuit of their and they only account for what is in their interests. They city and implement the temporal and spatial division policy of the containment of settler Jews in Palestine whilst blackmailing expansionist ideals while have not been held to any account seek to wipe the history of Palestine and grant legitimacy Mosque, the ministry added. those resisting the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians into for their crimes against humanity. to Israel’s existence, although acknowledging its illegality It noted that Israel also resorted to broadening the participation accepting this new reality. 3) The magnitude of the oppression: should by any standards create an uprising. of settlers, the settlement associations and terrorist organizations The U.S.S.R was the first government to recognize the The perpetrators realize a great magnitude of direct It is the responsibility of all of humanity to correct the in the continuous attacks against Jerusalem, its Islamic holy sites illegitimate establishment of Israel and sent a large number force and violence is needed to prevent any rebellion move- biggest shame that have occurred. All nations need to apply and its citizens. of settler Jews there, whilst the U.S. took over Britain’s ment since the thief understands the victim will resist with pressure on their governments to sever ties with the occu- The ministry held the occupation state and its institutions fully role after rising to power in post-WWII, providing the bulk whatever they have, and they, therefore, seek to crush the pying state and grant the right of return and compensation and directly responsible for the consequences of its open war on of financial, political, security and military support to the spirit of this resistance. The occupying state has made it for all Palestinian citizens. Jerusalem and its residents. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 HERITAGE & TOURISM MAY 10, 2021

Ilkhanid-era mausoleum under Iranian plateau in Pleistocene: restoration to gain former glory

HERITAGE TEHRAN – An extensive restoration work deskhas been commenced on the mausoleum of a bridge between East and West Seyyed Fathollah, one of the 13th-century mystics in Varamin, an ancient city in Tehran province. The project involves strengthening building’s walls and dome 1 The researchers found that the estan and Kerman was made in the 1930s as well as repairing its arches, Varamin’s tourism chief, Zhila abundance and relatively large size of the by the prehistoric archaeologist-explorer Khodadadi, announced on Sunday. available raw material blocks in the region Marc Aurel Stein who visited south-eastern A budget of one billion rials (almost $24,000 at the official demonstrate easy access to primary and Iran and documented many late prehis- exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) has been allocated to secondary sources of raw material. toric and historic sites in his expedition. the project, the official added. Among collected stone artifacts, core- Based on the field observations, the The monument has a double-shell dome and in bears embossed tool/core-chopper and Levallois core and surveyed areas seem to be mostly undis- inscriptions in ocher color, which is one of the architectural fea- flakes are the most frequent types. A large turbed through natural and modern human tures of that period, she explained. unifacial point and heavily retouched flake activities and our initial insight suggests The historical structure dates back to the era of Ilkhanids are between the collected pieces. that surface scatters of stone tools and (1256–1353), who were a branch of the Mongol dynasty. The All of the stone artifacts that the re- debitage are usually located in the large Mongol ruler Hulegu Khan (c. 1217-1265), who founded the Il- searchers studied were covered with a area along the drainages and seasonal river khanid dynasty in Iran, selected the north central region of Iran natural post-depositional surface alteration terraces where probably water sources were for his center of government. called gloss patina, which caused smooth- attractive to the Pleistocene hominins. The mausoleum was inscribed on the National Heritage list ness, pronounced luster and, reduction However, documenting the full extent of in 2003. of surface topography of stone artifacts. the localities and their lithic scatter needs The first time Tehran is mentioned in historical accounts is This type of patination is considered further intensive survey. in an 11th-century chronicle in which it is described as a small to be typical of desert areas. However, Since the early 20th century, the Iranian village north of Rey. striking platform, core removals, bulb of plateau has undergone several Paleolith- Tehran has many to offer its visitors including Golestan Palace, percussion and, flake negative removals are ic-based research. The German geologist Grand Bazaar, Treasury of National Jewels, National Museum of obviously visible on many stone artifacts. Reinhold von Huckriede discovered a late Iran, Glass & Ceramic Museum, Masoudieh Palace, Sarkis Ca- “Overall, based on preliminary tech- Mesolithic site near Kuhbanan in Ker- thedral, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Carpet Museum no-typological observations of the stone man in the framework of his geological of Iran, to name a few. artifacts, direct percussion using Levallois investigations. technique mainly applied for making cores In 1964, Gary W. Hume at the request and stone tools. Therefore, it is possible to of Joseph R. Caldwell, director of the Ker- Local authorities target propose both Lower and especially Middle man project explored the potential for Paleolithic dates at least for five localities. Paleolithic sites in Bardsir valley near tourism boost for enigmatic However, these are the first Lower and Kerman. Moreover, a later archaeologi- Karaftu caves, Zivieh hill Middle Paleolithic finds reported from cal investigation in the Bam-Narmashir the systematic survey of southern mar- region of Kerman province revealed sev- eral archaeological sites dating from the TOURISM TEHRAN – Local authorities hope to boost gins of Lut Desert and make this area an Neolithic period to the Iron Age. desktravel to the enigmatic Karaftu caves and the important and very promising area for Examples of stone artifacts collected during an archaeological survey in the southeastern Throughout history, the big and sprawl- neighboring Zivieh archaeological hill when the tourism sector further Paleolithic investigations,” the parts of the Iranian plateau. (Photo: Mohsen Zeidi) ing Kerman region has been something of backs on track in the post-coronavirus era. study revealed. a cultural melting pot, blending various “Tourism infrastructure of the Zivieh ancient hill and Karaftu “Our knowledge about the Paleolithic of and West. located in the provinces of Kerman and regional cultures over time. It is bounded caves in the western Kordestan province needs to be strengthened Iran is still little,” the authors say although, The study explored parts of the Lut Sistan-Baluchestan. by the modern provinces of Fars on the to facilitate tourism for the post-corona era,” the provincial tour- Iran in general and south-eastern Iran, Desert (Dasht-e Lut) that is located in the This area was archaeologically unknown west, Yazd on the north, South Khorasan ism chief, Yaqub Guylian, said on Sunday while visiting the sites. in particular, has been considered as one southeast of the country and is one of the for a long period, due to its harsh climate on the northeast, Sistan-Baluchestan on Before the outbreak of coronavirus, the number of tourists of the major hominin dispersal corridors largest desert basins of high aridity in the and marginal location in the country. The the east, and Hormozgan on the south. visiting these monuments was growing, but sadly, after the pan- during the Pleistocene connecting East Iranian plateau. This large salt desert is first visit in the regions of Sistan-Baluch- demic, the number of visitors has declined sharply, the official said. Aging monuments undergo restoration in Kish Island TOURISM TEHRAN – Rounds of restoration completed within six months and the palace will be deskand vital rehabilitation work have been repurposed into a cultural heritage museum, he noted. commenced on four historical buildings across Kish Island He also mentioned that the Pahlavi era (1925-1979) of the Persian Gulf, a local tourism official has said. French Bazaar, which is one of the unique monuments Jameh Mosque of Kish, which is also known as Amir on the island in terms of architecture, is also under Mosque, as well as Masheh Mosque, both date back to restoration. the Qajar-era (1789-1925), are being restored to their Amongst the Persian Gulf islands, Kish is the more former glory, IRNA quoted Mahan Modavvan as saying luxurious and developed. Except for its unique nature such on Saturday. as waters and shallow beaches, the tourist attractions of this Masheh Mosque, which was inscribed on the National charming island are due to its rich historical background Heritage list in 1998, is planned to turn into a museum as well as kind and hospitable people. dedicated to Quran and historical manuscripts after being The pristine and beautiful nature, the meeting of fully restored, the official added. land and sea, the clear sky, the pleasant air, and the Historical Marjan Palace, the latest monument built pleasurable reverberation of the waves create such a Allocating some budgets to reviving and restoring these on the island during the Pahlavi period (1925-1979), sense of calm that one cannot even distinguish between tourist spots could attract domestic and foreign tourists to the which has been damaged over the years due to poor imagination and reality. tourist destinations in Iran as it has magnificent attractions region after the crisis of coronavirus comes to an end even- maintenance, is also being restored, he explained. About one million foreign and domestic tourists travel such as Kariz Underground City, Harireh Ancient City, tually, he added. The palace’s restoration project is scheduled to be to the island every year and it is one of the most popular Greek Ship, and Grand Recreational Pier to name a few. Constructing proper access paths, setting up eco-lodge units, establishing traditional restaurants and tourist camps around the sites in collaboration with the private sector, would be supported, he explained. Handicraft courses to help create jobs for inmates Located 50 kilometers to Saqqez, the Zivieh ancient hill and castle was the residence of the Medes and Scythians and have been displayed in various exhibitions, and the income also promoted to a world hub of handicrafts. Chador was considered their capital, and its history date back to the generated from selling these products has been returned Shab, a kind of homemade outer-garment for women, first millennium BC. to the prisoners and their families. was, however, the main subject for the WCC assessment Set on the side of a large cliff, 42km from Takab, the Karaftu With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number for the village. cave ensemble was used for habitation from early Sassanid times of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, Iran exported $523 million worth of handicrafts during (224–651). The enigmatic caves were formed naturally but were as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India the calendar year 1398 (ended March 19, 2020). Of the fig- modified by inhabitants over the centuries. In ancient times, with three ones come next. ure, some $273 million worth of handicrafts were exported these caves were important from an economic point of view, as In January 2020, the cities of Shiraz, Malayer, and officially through customs, and about $250 million was they were situated on the Silk Roads. Today, the caves are also Zanjan and the village of Qassemabad were designated earned via suitcase trade (allowed for customs-free and significant for a Greek inscription found in them, as this is one by the WCC- Asia Pacific Region, putting Iran’s number tax-free transfer) through various provinces, according of the few examples of such a script preserved in situ in Iran. of world crafts cities and villages from ten to 14. to data provided by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism industry in critical situation TOURISM TEHRAN – Training courses in different Shiraz was named a “world city of [diverse] handi- Tourism and Handicrafts. Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister deskfields of handicraft are currently being crafts”. Malayer was made a global hub for woodcarving Ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as Ali-Asghar Mounesan in October 2020 warned that Iran’s held in prisons across Markazi province, the provincial and carved-wood furniture. Zanjan gained the title of a personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious cultural heritage and tourism would be in a critical situation if tourism chief has said. “world city of filigree”. And Qassemabad village, which gemstones are traditionally exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, the crises caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus continue. On average, some 800 to 1,000 inmates are annually is nationally known for its traditional costumes, was Germany, the U.S., the UK, and other countries. Last August, the tourism minister said that the tourism trained to make various handicrafts including kilim, sector of the Islamic Republic had suffered a loss of 12 trillion pottery, mosaics, and cutting precious stones annually, rials (some $2.85 billion) since the outbreak of the corona- Mostafa Marzban announced on Thursday. Announcement for extension of the period for virus pandemic. The courses aim at providing job opportunities for He also noted that the coronavirus pandemic should not the prisoners after their release as well as motivating receiving one-tier general tender documents for bring traveling to a complete standstill. “Corona is a fact, but them and promoting handicraft fields as sources of can the virus stop tourism? Certainly not. For us, the corona- income, the official added. the purchase of foreign non-tobacco raw materials virus is a new experience in dealing with crises that teaches Tourism ministry helps empower inmates required in the year 2021 of Iran Tobacco Company tourism experts around the world how to deal with such a In October 2020, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Iran Tobacco Company disaster, and thankfully governments are turning this into an Tourism, and Handicrafts signed a memorandum of Considering to the publication of the call for public one-tier general international tender for the opportunity for better planning.” understanding with the Prisons, Security, and Cor- Optimistic forecasts, however, expect Iran to achieve a tour- rective Measures Organization to create jobs and purchase of foreign non-tobacco raw materials in widely circulated domestic and English-language ism boom after coronavirus contained, believing its impact make income for prisoners. newspapers with the call code: 48/125/981, by the decision of the members of the tender committee would be temporary and short-lived for a country that ranked The MOU also aimed at implementing special to observe cost-effectiveness. Participation and in order to create the conditions for the presence of the third fastest-growing tourism destination in 2019. educational and promotional programs, identifying more applicants in the above-mentioned tenders, the deadline for receiving the mentioned tender The latest available data show eight million tourists visited talented prisoners, and improving their social status. the Islamic Republic during the first ten months of the Iranian documents for one week until Wednesday, 12/May/2021, according to paragraph “c” of Article 17 of The deputy tourism minister Pouya Mahmoudian calendar year 1398 (started March 21, 2019). said that handicraft products made by prisoners the executive regulations of the tender documentation and information, will be extended. ItIt shouldshould bebe notednoted thatthat thethe tendertender deadlinesdeadlines willwill bebe amendedamended asas followsfollows andand otherother conditionsconditions KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA TEHRAN will be unchanged according to the original documents. (Embassy of India School) Tenders for the supply of foreign non-tobacco raw materials: Deadline for receipt of documents will be until 12 May 2021 - Deadline for submission of proposed envelopes will be until 20 June Admission Notice 2021 and Opening date will be Monday 21 June 2021. Admissions for the academic year 2021-22 are open for classes I to IX and XI... EducationEducation throughthrough EnglishEnglish Tender documents will be obtainable after remittance the amount of one million Rials to the Medium. School is affiliated to CBSE. Recognized in India and abroad. Pass certificates of AISSE (X) and account number 47000701336609 in the name of Iran Tobacco Company at Parsian Bank (Azadi AISSCE (XII) is equivalent to ‘O’‘O’ levellevel and ‘A’‘A’ levellevel respectively. Branch), from Tehran, Qazvin St., Iran Tobacco Company, Education Department, First Floor, Please contact us at: Office of the Secretariat of Transaction department. Or after registering in the National Tender

Tehran, Sadi Avenue, Qayedi Ave, Noormohammadi Ave, Darvish Street. No. 24. Contact No. 77534640 & 77520242 website at https://iets.mporg.ir, receive the tender documents free of charge. (For more infor-

e-mail address: [email protected] OR for details log on to kendriyavidyalayatehran.ir mation, you can contact to 51261651-51261944.)

I/c PRINCIPAL Public Relations and International Affairs of Iran Tobacco Company

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MAY 10, 2021 SOCIETY 7

Let’s unite to preserve bird habitats Meeting climate goals would By Faranak Bakhtiari Many species of bird migrate. Migration car- ries high costs in predation and mortality, ‘halve’ sea level rise from TEHRAN – We must unite globally to protect including from hunting by humans, and is melting ice, study says the migratory birds and the habitats they driven primarily by the availability of food. depend on to survive. Unsustainable development in Iran has Limiting global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels could “Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird!” is the theme resulted in habitat fragmentation posing a halve the amount of sea level rise from melting land ice this cen- of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, an serious threat to the migratory birds. Also, tury, when compared to a scenario based on current climate annual global campaign dedicated to raising anthropogenic disturbance such as agricultural pledges, a study finds. awareness of migratory birds and the need for expansion has resulted in dramatic global Under the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to restrict global international cooperation to conserve them. habitat loss and fragmentation. heating to “well below” 2C by the end of the century, with an This year the campaign focused on the Moreover, poaching, overgrazing, and aspiration of keeping temperatures at 1.5C. However, current phenomena of “bird song” and “bird flight” long-standing drought spells have also im- pledges put forward by countries would see the world reach as a way to inspire and connect people of all pacted habitat destruction which ultimately around 3C of warming by 2100. ages around the world in their shared desire results in birds’ total extinction. to celebrate migratory birds and to unite in The most tragic of which was the death of a common, global effort to protect birds and over 30,000 migratory birds in Miankaleh the habitats they need to survive. international wetland in late January 2020, Celebrated across the world on two peak which was announced by the veterinary or- days each year – on the second Saturday in May ganization that the birds have been killed due and the second Saturday in October – World to the “botulinum toxin”, but it was finally Migratory Bird Day is the only international announced that some fishermen, landowners awareness-raising and education program or hunters may have thrown poison into the that celebrates the migration of bird species ing habitat, as a large number of birds fly birds wintering in Iran, the largest popula- water and killed these species. along all the major flyways of the world. a thousand miles each year to benefit from tion belongs to the group of geese, swans, Dalmatian pelican, Siberian crane, lesser The birds’ sound has always been pleas- this rich climate. and ducks amounting to 781,499 and the white-fronted goose, and white-headed duck ant and soulful, the pleasure of hearing the Every year, from early-September to smallest population of 7 are the long-tailed are among the endangered migratory birds sound of birds in the morning is indescribable late-February, Iran hosts rare species of ducks or oldsquaw. which migrate to Iran. especially in these days that the pandemic migratory birds heading from north to the The provinces of Mazandaran and Golestan Protection of precious species The new research, published in the journal Nature, examines the has kept many at home. southern countries due to reduced seasonal are the first provinces with the highest num- The protection of the habitats of these extent to which the world’s glaciers and ice sheets will contribute Birds also play an important role in main- temperatures and food availability. ber of migratory birds for having sufficient amazing creatures and the prevention of to sea level rise by 2100 under different levels of global heating. taining ecosystem function by controlling It is estimated that there are about 50 resources, as the movement of migratory their destruction requires more coordina- It finds that, under current climate pledges, the melting of land pests, pollination, and helping seed dispersal. billion birds in the world out of 9,000 species, birds is closely linked to the seasonal avail- tion between related bodies, the support, and ice could cause sea levels to increase by a median of 25cm by the Hosting over 600 species of birds, Iran is many of which are migratory. Accordingly, ability of resources. participation of local communities. end of the century. However, if efforts are made to keep global a climatically rich country, so it is said that about 5 to 7 million birds migrate to Iran in What pushes migratory birds toward With the protective measures and coop- temperature rise to 1.5C, this figure could be reduced to 13cm. the number of bird species in Iran is higher different seasons. There are about 530 species disappearance? eration of responsible organizations, every The contribution of melting ice to rising seas could be much than in the whole of Europe. A wide range of birds in Iran, 320 of which are migratory Bird migration is the regular seasonal year, we will host a much larger number of higher if Antarctica follows a “pessimistic” pathway in the future, of wetlands is the reason behind migratory species, some of which are native species. movement, often north and south along a fly- migratory birds and the prosperity of more the research adds. birds choosing Iran for an annual winter- Among the various groups of migratory way, between breeding and wintering grounds. responsible nature tourism and bird watching. The findings come as a second study, also published in Na- ture, warns that sea level rise from Antarctica could increase substantially if global temperatures exceed 3C, with an “abrupt ICRC asked to provide 2m COVID-19 Medicine trafficking gang disbanded at jump” in the pace of Antarctic ice loss expected around 2060. eastern airport Dr Tamsin Edwards, a climate scientist at King’s College London vaccines for Afghan refugees and lead author of the first research paper, told a press briefing: SOCIETY TEHRAN – The Irani- SOCIETY TEHRAN – A gang that “We know that global sea levels are going to continue to rise, but deskan Red Crescent Society deskwas trying to smuggle we could halve the contribution from ice melt if we limit warming (IRCS) has asked the International Com- medicine to Afghanistan was disbanded to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, relative to current pledges. mittee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide at Mashhad airport in Khorasan Razavi “That means that coastal flooding will still increase but less 2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to province, IRNA reported on Sunday. severely if we manage to limit warming to 1.5C.” be used for Afghan refugees. While eight tons of drugs worth 14 billion Global sea levels have risen by a total of around 18 to 20cm since The population of Afghan immigrants rials (nearly $333,000 at the official rate of 1900, raising the risk of coastal flooding and the loss of low-lying residing in Iran is about two to three million, 42,000 rials) were seized, three smugglers small islands, among other impacts. some of whom sometimes have problems were arrested, Ebrahim Qorbanzadeh, a Melting land ice – glaciers and the Greenland and Antarctic with identity cards or do not have identifica- provincial police official, said. ice sheets – currently account for around half of all sea level rises. tion codes, IRCS head Karim Hemmati said. Two of the suspects were foreign na- The other major driver is “thermal expansion”, a term for how The Ministry of Interior is trying to three percent are residing in 20 refugee tionals, investigations are ongoing to find A number of these cases are related to seawater expands as it heats up. provide an identification code for these resorts run by the UNHCR’s main govern- their accomplices inside the country, he livestock trafficking. Most of the cattle are The research makes use of high-resolution models and a wide people so that they can receive the vaccine, ment counterpart. further stated. smuggled to Iraq, and then to the Persian range possible scenarios for how humans will heat the planet he added. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, un- A pharmacy involved in the case was also Gulf countries. over the coming decades. “We requested the Red Cross to provide documented Afghans have access to free identified and shut down, he also added. Every year, $20-25 billion are smug- It finds that increasing global temperatures will continue to us with two million doses of vaccine for this primary health services and similarly free Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz, head of gled in and out of the country, which, if drive the loss of glaciers, slow-moving rivers of ice that supply target group, but so far, no consignment COVID-19 related testing, treatment, and the Food and Drug Administration, said in stopped, will create hundreds of thousands drinking water for millions. has been delivered to the country for the hospitalization, just like nationals. January 2020 that smuggling medicine out of jobs, Hassan Norouzi, a member of the It also finds that increasing heat will continue to have a large refugees,” he explained. Some 120,000 refugees residing in Iran of the country has increased due to depre- parliament, has said. impact on the Greenland ice sheet, a mass of frozen freshwater “If these people are among our priority are now covered by health insurance, Ac- ciation of the Iranian rial against foreign In the Iranian calendar year 1396 (March around three times the size of Texas that sits on the island. groups, they will be vaccinated. For example, cording to the United Nations High Com- currencies which has lowered medicine 2017-March 2018), $12 billion was smug- The study says that limiting global heating to 1.5C could re- if an Afghan national is part of the medical missioner for Refugees. costs inside the country. gled into Iran and $900 million out of the duce the amount of mass lost from Greenland’s ice sheet by 70 staff in Iran, they will be vaccinated,” he Despite the challenges, Iran has con- From the beginning of the past Iranian country, according to the Headquarters for per cent by the end of the century, when compared to a scenario noted. tinued to generously give refugees access calendar year (March 21, 2020) until No- Combating the Smuggling of Commodities based on current climate pledges. At the end of 2018, Iran hosted close to education and health services. Iran is vember 16, 2020, smugglers of fuel and and Foreign Exchange. The researchers also find that global heating will continue to one million refugees, making it the one of the handfuls of countries in the livestock were fined 24 trillion rials (about Iran, which has a 900-kilometer border to affect the Antarctic ice sheet – the single largest mass of ice sixth-largest refugee host country in the world that offer refugees the option to $570 million), representing a 47 percent with Afghanistan, has been used as the on Earth. world. The country was also the eighth enroll in national health insurance for increase compared to the same period last main conduit for smuggling Afghan drugs However, in the research paper, the authors say their findings largest refugee-hosting country in the world essential secondary and tertiary public [Iranian calendar] year. to narcotics kingpins in Europe. come up with “no clear” picture of how Antarctica is likely to in 2019, hosting 951,142 Afghan refugees health services in the same way as Iranian Out of a total of about 42,000 smug- Despite high economic and human costs, respond to rising emissions. and 28,268 Iraqi refugees, according to nationals. gling cases, about 28,000 were related Iran has been actively fighting drug-traf- The reason for this is that the factors affecting Antarctica as the UNHCR. The national insurance scheme allows to export smuggling, of which 20,000 ficking over the past decades. the world heats up are likely to be complex and are not yet fully One of the largest and most protracted for free COVID-19 treatment and hospi- are related to the smuggling of fuel and In June 2020, the first phase of the understood, the scientists say. In addition, the different regions of urban refugee populations in the world is talization. It also subsidizes the cost of petroleum products, mostly to Pakistan national anti-smuggling plan was imple- the vast ice sheet are expected to vary in their response to heating. living in Iran; about 97 percent of refugees surgeries, dialysis, radiology, laboratory and Afghanistan, and to a lesser extent mented with the priority given to customs, To account for this, the authors include a range of possible live in urban and semi-urban areas, while tests, outpatient care, and more. to Turkey and Iraq. tobacco, and transit goods. scenarios of Antarctic ice loss over the course of the 21st century. “If we’re unlucky with the future of Antarctica and the pre- dictions are at the upper end of the modelling uncertainty range ... that makes a big difference,” Dr Edwards said. Over 50,000 ha of desert areas to be rehabilitated The results suggest that, under a pessimistic scenario, Ant- 1 Nonetheless, the reestablishment of forests is not Arabia (95% desert), Turkmenistan (80% desert), and Iraq affecting further which plants can grow and the individual arctic ice loss could be five times higher – leading to 42cm of just simple tree planting. Forests are made up of a com- (40% desert), only about 23 percent of its land area is covered size and the numbers of herbivores that may feed on them sea level rise from melting ice by the end of the century under munity of species and they build dead organic matter into with desert areas. and, in turn, carnivores. current pledges and 30cm of sea level rise if global heating is soils over time. Why deserts need protection? Some experience vast temperature fluctuations, espe- limited to 1.5C. Last year, Reza Bayani an official with Forests, Range Deserts are topographic landscapes that receive little cially hot deserts which may reach unbearable heat during and Watershed Management Organization, said between precipitation in a typical year. The threshold is 10 inches the day and extreme cold at night. This is because the rock 2015 and 2020, approximately 12,000 hectares of forests or 25cm. But more than simply having low rainfall, a and sand absorb heat during the day and release it at night. LET’S LEARN PERSIAN across the country wiped out annually. desert is “arid”, which means a high rate of water loss There may also be an extreme variation between warm and He went on to say that the country’s forests are estimated through plant reclamation (called transpiration) and cool seasons, including extreme winds and storms due to (Part 179) (Source: saadifoundation.ir) at 14.3 million hectares, lamenting, deforestation occurs through evaporation. the mixing of cold and warm air. for a variety of reasons, including dam construction, road Deserts will differ depending on their climate and lo- Deserts are vitally important to the planetary eco- construction, fire, and wood smuggling. cation and their overall aridity can influence many things, system. They cover approximately 1/3 of the dry land of Iran, like many other countries in West Asia, is primarily not least of all the ecology, food chain, plant and animal our planet. They are also amongst the most fragile and made up of arid deserts, while compared to nearby Saudi types. High evaporation leaves behind higher salt levels, endangered biomes. ENGLISH IN USE LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION ۹۷ درصــد مســاحت ایــران تحــت تاثیــر of Iran affected by long-term 97% خشکســالی اســت drought: expert Based on the dada collected over the past decade approximately 97 percent of صــادق ضیائیــان رئیــس مرکــز ملــی خشکســالی و مدیریــت بحــران ســازمان هواشناســی the country is affected by long-term drought, director of the national drought اعــام کــرد: بررســی دادههــای ۱۰ ســاله خشکســالی بیانگــر آن اســت کــه ۹۷ درصــد .warning and monitoring center, Sadeq Ziaeian, has said مســاحت ایــران تحــت تأثیــر خشکســالی بلندمــدت اســت. Some 12.7 percent of the country is hit by extremely severe drought, 53.6 percent ضیائیــان در گف توگــو بــا ایســنا گفــت: از ایــن مقــدار ۵۳.۶ درصــد مســاحت کشــور بــا of the country is affected by severe drought while 24.8 percent of the country is خشکســالی شــدید، ۱۲.۷ درصــد بــا خشکســالی بســیار شــدید، ۲۴.۸ درصــد مســاحت بــا facing moderate drought and 5.9 percent of the country is withstanding mild خشکســالی متوســط و ۵.۹ درصــد مســاحت بــا خشکســالی خفیــف مواجــه هســتند. .drought, ISNA news agency quoted Ziaeian as saying on Wednesday He went on to say that extremely severe long-term drought has had negative وی ادامــه داد: ۲ درصــد جمعیــت ایــران بــا خشکســالی بســیار شــدید بلندمــدت اســت effects on 14.2 percent of the country’s total population, severe long-term drought همچنیــن ۴۷ درصــد جمعیــت کشــور بــا خشکســالی شــدید، ۳۰.۷ درصــد جمعیــت has hit 47 percent of the country’s population, 30.7 percent of the country’s بــا خشکســالی متوســط و ۵.۱ درصــد جمعیــت بــا خشکســالی خفیــف دســت و پنجــه population is affected by moderate long-term drought and 5.1 percent of the نــرم می کننــد. .population is stricken with mild drought Prayer Times Noon:13:01 Evening: 20:17 Dawn: 4:27 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:03 (tomorrow) MAY 10, 2021 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 Turkish translation Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051430 of Claire Jobert Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 collection of Quran Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran stories reviewed P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Zip Code: 1599814713 1 Safekeeping, truthfulness, donation She illustrates her stories herself. With and several other Quranic concepts have a cursory look at her works, one can easily been introduced through stories to children perceive her preoccupation with issues such in this collection. as faith and religion, identity, children’s The collection includes “The Secret of relations with their surroundings, etc. Most the Centipede”, “Say So”, “Grumpy Hippo”, of the writer’s works are for primary-age “Meatball Competition”, “Peace Soup”, children. “Deposited Cake”, “What’s up?” and “Red She is also interested in doing research Apple”. on children’s literature and philosophy for Jobert is also the writer of “In Search children. She writes both in Persian and GUIDE TO of God”, “God’s Cookies”, “Goodbye, Old French and has published some French SPIRITUAL AWAKENING Raccoon”, “The Little Mouse’s Prayer”, books in Lebanon and France, but her “The Stories of the Little Green Lizard” preference is to write in Persian. Our affairs are attached to the destiny decreed by Allah, and “The Most Trustworthy Friend”. Jobert was nominated for the title even our best plans may lead us to destruction. She was born in Paris in May 1961, and of Islamic Revolution Artist of the Year Imam Ali (AS) was brought up in a Christian family. She in 2021 for her books created based on converted to Islam at the age of nineteen and stories from the Holy Quran, including This combination photo shows the front covers of some books of the Turkish translation immigrated to Iran when she got married. “The Woven Shoes” and “Small Drops”. of Claire Jobert’s collection “A Fiction with Quranic Concept”. Nezami’s Leili and Majnun, heroism of sentiment Ali Rahbari to add new tracks to album “My Mother Persia” his plan to add two new tracks to his upcoming album the orchestra.” Par 1 “My Mother Persia”. Naxos Records, a Hong Kong-based German record The Leili and O Majnun, a narrative poem of approximately Speaking to the Persian service of ISNA on Sunday, label specializing in classical music, is scheduled to release 4,600 lines composed in 1188 by the famous poet Nezami Ganjavi Rahbari said that he has composed the tracks “The Iranian composer Ali (Alexander) Rahbari’s upcoming (1141-1209). It is the third of his five long narrative poems known Persian Elegy”, which is Opera in English, and “Persian album, “My Mother Persia”. collectively as the Khamseh (The Quintuplet). Nightingales” in his home quarantine during the pandemic The album features melodies and improvisations in A summary of the story in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine. Iranian traditional styles, including a violin concerto The plot of the romance is simple. Qays falls in love with Leili The two new tracks will form parts 12 and 13 of Rahbari’s entitled “Nohe Khan” by soloist Paula Rahbari. at school but Leili’s father forbids any contact. Separated from album. “Mother’s Tears” and “Children’s Prayer” are other Leili, Majnun becomes obsessed with her, singing of his love for He plans to record the pieces with the Khmelnytsky State tracks on the album. her in public. The obsession grows to the point that he sees and Philharmonic Orchestra, which performs under the baton The Prague Metropolitan Orchestra and Antalya State evaluates everything in terms of Leili; hence his sobriquet “the of Iranian conductor Parviz Yahyavi. Symphony have also cooperated with Rahbari on this album. possessed” (Majnun). When he realizes that he cannot obtain union Iranian vocalist brothers Ali and Mohammad Saeidi are Rahbari, the former conductor of the Tehran Symphony even when other people intercede for him, he grows disillusioned Maestro Ali Rahbari conducts the Tehran Symphony Orchestra in an undated photo. (Mehr/Hossein Esmaeili) scheduled to work on “Persian Nightingales”. Orchestra, performed the composition at Aspendos Hall with society and roams naked in the desert among the beasts. He pointed to a comment by Italian conductor Arturo in Antalya in April 2018 along with the Antalya State Contemplating the image of Leili increases his love so that CULTURE TEHRAN – World-renowned Iranian Toscanini and said, “Arturo Toscanini had said that there Symphony Orchestra and prominent Iranian vocalist he cannot eat or sleep. His only activity is thinking of Leili and deskcomposer Ali Rahbari has announced is no bad orchestra and it is the conductor who makes Mohammad Motamedi. composing love songs for her. Meanwhile, Leili is betrothed against her will but she guards her virginity by resisting her husband’s advances. She arranges secret meetings with Majnun, and when they meet, they have “The Doll” from Iran named best short at no physical contact, rather they recite poetry to each other from a distance. When Leili’s husband dies, removing the legal obstacles to Hot Docs a licit union, Majnun is so focused on the ideal picture of Leili that he runs away to the desert. ARTTEHRAN – Iranian us a film of incredible richness on a and freedom. desk Leili dies out of grief and is buried in her bridal dress. Hearing filmmaker Elaheh human experience that would be easy “School of Hope”, a co-production this news, Majnun rushes to her grave where he instantly dies. Esmaeili’s “The Doll” has been selected as to judge from a Western point of view. from Finland, France and Morocco They are buried side by side and their graves become a site of best short documentary at the Canadian Unsettling, endearing and sometimes directed by Mohamed El Aboudi, won pilgrimage. In the coda, someone dreams that they are united documentary festival Hot Docs in even shocking, this film will not leave the special jury prize in the international Toronto. anyone indifferent,” the jury added. feature documentary category. in Paradise, living as a king and queen. “The Doll” by Iranian filmmaker Elaheh Es- The film is about 14-year-old Asal, The award for best international In the expansive desert east of the Atlas Analysis of the story maeili won the best short documentary award whose father consents to her marriage. feature documentary went to “Ostrov – Mountains in Morocco, where seasonal Leili and Majnun was not the first Arabic romance to be versified at the Hot Docs festival, Toronto, Canada. in Persian. Ayyuqi’s Varqa and Golshah comes first and Nezami Through a series of astoundingly frank Lost Island” directed by Svetlana Rodina rain and snow once supported livestock adapted several narrative elements from this romance: the lovers interviews, the secrets and indiscretions and Laurent Stoop from Switzerland. and nomadic traditions, an extended the lough between British-controlled meeting in school; war between two clans; the insertion of ghazals, of Asal’s father are slowly revealed and Once home to a thriving fishing drought caused by the climate crisis never Northern Ireland and EU member Republic protecting virginity, and their grave as sites of pilgrimage. his true intentions come to light. collective farm, the island of Ostrov in seems to end. Despite generating a tiny of Ireland, but this refreshingly politics- Nezami composed his romance at the request of the ruler Shervanshah The documentary received the award the Caspian Sea has fallen into despair. carbon footprint, the Oulad Boukais tribe free look at Brexit’s brand-new border Akhsetan. Nezami initially doubted that this simple story about the “for its complex and nuanced portrait Caught between political turmoil after deal with the threat of environmental covers a huge gulf of public confusion. agony and pain of an Arab boy wandering in rough mountains and of a family caught between traditions the fall of the USSR, the few remaining collapse every day. So, to ensure their Filmmaker Verbeke placed cameras on burning deserts would be a suitable subject for his cultured audience. and personal values,” the jury said on inhabitants have been abandoned by children’s future, they establish a school. board Carlingford ferry to eavesdrop on It was his son who persuaded him to undertake the project, Sunday in its statement on the closing the government of Russia and must rely Annabel Verbeke received the emerging tourists and locals from both sides as they saying: “wherever tales of love are read, this will add spice to them.” day of the festival, which was held online on poaching to survive. With no jobs international filmmaker award for “Four discussed what boundaries mean to them. It seems as if Nezami did not want to spend much time on due to the COVID-19 pandemic. and no electricity or gas, the fishermen Seasons in a Day”, a coproduction by “Silent Voice”, a co-production it, for he states that he would have composed the whole story in “With a sensitive and attentive look are forced to illegally fish the heavily Belgium, Norway and Croatia. between France and Belgium was selected even less than four months if he had not had other things to do. at her subjects, the filmmaker offers patrolled seas, risking both their lives It may only take 15 minutes to cross as best mid-length documentary. Despite his initial reluctance, Nezami writes a story from Majnun’s birth until his death, with a clear climax. Since the plot is thin, Nezami inserted many descriptions of nature which have several narrative functions in the romance: Brussels festival picks shorts “Asho”, “Exam”, “Chauffeur” from Iran indicating time and setting, forming a decorative backdrop for an ARTTEHRAN – Iranian movies “Asho”, documentary at the 23rd Olympia International Film Festival episode, providing a meditative pause, or reflecting the mental desk“Exam” and “Chauffeur” will be competing for Children and Young People in early December. and physical conditions of the protagonists. in the 24th edition of the Brussels Short Film Festival, which “Chauffeur” by Reza Nejati is about a father whose ignorance When the desperate Majnun complains to heaven about will take place in the Belgian capital from August 28 to and false beliefs make his son go through a crisis, which his wretched state, Nezami places him in a setting in which he September 5. costs him an innocent man’s life. gives an animated description of a night laden with stars and “Asho” directed by Jafar Najafi is about a little shepherd Directed by Sonia Haddad, “Exam” tells the story of a all constellations. interested in cinema. The routine with his herd is challenging, teenage girl who gets involved in the process of delivering In his description, Nezami follows Fakhr ad-Din Gorgani’s but passion for Hollywood and acting allows his dreams to a pack of cocaine to a client, and gets stuck in a weird description of the night in the Vis and Ramin. mix in with real life. Asho and a girl, who were promised for cycle of occurrences. Likewise, when Leili desires to see Majnun, she is placed in each other in marriage since they were small as dictated by The film has been screened at numerous international an exquisitely designed palm grove in spring. Analogous to this tradition in his village, try to ignore love with their childish events, garnering several prizes, including the award for vernal garden, Leili’s death is placed in a gloomy garden in autumn. tenacity. Best Live Action Short Film at the 18th Tirana International Nezami’s treatment of the female characters, especially Leili, “Asho” was selected as the best children’s documentary Film Festival in Albania last September. is completely different from the existing anecdotes. at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam It also shared the grand prize of the jury with “Pizza Boy” Despite the patriarchal setting of the original story and the (IDFA) in November 2020. by Italian director Gianluca Zonta at the 15th Dieciminuti limited role of women in it, Nezami allots a more active role to It also won the award for best short and medium-length “Asho” by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Najafi. Film Festival in Italy in January. Leili. She composes exquisite poems, and takes the initiative in arranging meetings with Majnun. To prove her fidelity to Majnun, she fights for her virginity against her wedded husband, Ibn Salam: she slaps him in the face. Nezami’s portrayal of Leili’s character raises several questions about the role of women in such stories. Leili’s loyalty lies with “The Shadow of the Wind” comes to Majnun, but she remains obedient to her father and faithful to her husband. While married, she does not share her bed with her husband and even arranges secret meetings with Majnun. Iranian bookstores But when Majnun comes near her, she reminds him that she CULTURE TEHRAN — A Persian worldwide, “Shadow of the Wind” was de Septiembre” and “Marina”. is married and any physical contact is against the religious code. desktranslation of Spanish originally published in 2001 and sold over a He published “La Sombra del Viento” Nezami reveals her dilemmas in a medieval patriarchal society, writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s bestselling novel million copies in the UK after it was translated (“Shadow of the Wind”) as his first adult novel emphasizing the problems generated by a closed society in which “Shadow of the Wind”, translated by Ali into English by Lucia Graves in 2004. in 2001, and its first English translation was there is no freedom of choice in selecting a marriage partner, and Sanavi, has arrived in Iranian bookstores. Ruiz Zafón was born in the city of Barcelona published in 2004, selling millions of copies tribal fealty and religious tenets come first. The book has been published by Nimaj, in 1964 and is the winner of several book worldwide since its publication as well as As in Arabic sources, Nezami refers to Majnun’s poetic genius a publishing house based in Tehran. awards and prizes. winning numerous international awards. at least thirty times. He is presented as a poet who is able to Sanavi has previously rendered works His first novel was “El Principe de la Often labelled the “story of a book within a compose dazzling poetry in various poetic genres. As in other by renowned writers into Persian. His Niebla” in 1993 that won the Edebe literary book,” the novel’s narrative revolves around Udri stories, the language of his poetry is devotional. translations have always been acclaimed prize for young adult fiction, and was later Daniel, the son of a book dealer who discovers Nezami puts love poems and elegies in Majnun’s mouth, by his readers. published in English as “The Prince of Mist” that all the works of a certain author have been which can be seen as psychological self-analysis displaying his “If the translator cannot convey the beauty in 2010. destroyed, with only one book remaining in frustrations and reasons for his actions. In his comments on of the concept, he loses the reader as well as Ruiz Zafón authored several other young his possession. The story then evolves into a Majnun’s speech, the narrator always takes his side, a fact that Front cover of the Persian translation of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s novel “Shadow the text,” Sanavi has said earlier. adult novels from 1994 to 1999, including tale of murder and unsuccessful love unveiling influences the reader’s interpretation. Translated into 20 other languages “El Palacio de la Medianoche”, “Las Luces the dark side of the city of Barcelona. to be continued of the Wind”.