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8 Pages Price 50,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 42nd year No.13890 Tuesday FEBRUARY 23, 2021 Esfand 5, 1399 Rajab 11, 1442

Zarif warns Israeli Leading at ‘Israel won’t be able Complutense University attack on Iran will Olympics is exciting: to survive for next of Madrid to review be suicidal Page 3 Vladimir Alekno Page 3 generation’ Page 5 Majidi’s films Page 8

Qalibaf: Any cooperation with IAEA Leader: Parliament’s nuclear beyond safeguards is illegal - Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and IAEA director Rafael Mariano Grossi speaker of the Iranian Parliament, says any in Tehran on Sunday, cooperation between the Atomic Energy Qalibaf tweeted, “Based on the Par- Organization of Iran (AEOI) and the In- liament’s law, implementation of the law must be implemented ternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Additional Protocol will completely stop See page 2 beyond the Safeguards Agreement will be from February 23 and any access beyond against the law ratified by the parliament. the Safeguards Agreement is absolutely In reaction to a “temporary bilateral forbidden and illegal.” technical understanding” between Iran Continued on page 2

Iran’s non-oil trade stands at $65.5b in 11 months TEHRAN - Iran has traded 134 million were imported, Mehdi Mir-Ashrafi said. tons of non-oil commodities worth $65.5 Iran’s top five non-oil export destina- Israeli dead end billion in the first 11 months of the cur- tions during this period were China with rent Iranian calendar year (March 20, $8.1 billion worth of exports, Iraq with $6.8 With military and 2020-February 18, 2021), according to billion, the (UAE) the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran with over $4.1 billion, Turkey with $2.2 diplomatic options off Customs Administration (IRICA). billion, and Afghanistan with $2.1 billion. As reported by IRIB, during the men- According to the official, the mentioned five tioned period, 103 million tons of commod- countries accounted for 72 percent and 75 percent the table, Israel faces impasse ities worth $31.2 billion were exported to of Iran’s total non-oil exports in the said period, foreign destinations, while about 30.8 million in terms of weight and value, respectively. tons of non-oil goods valued at $34.3 billion Continued on page 4

TEHRAN – Israel is in limbo, pure and forces Aviv Kochavi warned the U.S. new simple. It faces an Iran bent on making president, Joe Biden, against rejoining the economic or nuclear progress. And the 2015 Iran nuclear deal –formally known Israelis seem to have accepted these brute as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action facts. (JCPOA) – and even threatened Iran with Having woken up to the fact that Iran military action. weathered the storm of Trump-era “max- “With the changing of the administra- imum pressure,” Israeli officials began tion in the United States, the Iranians have rehashing claims and issuing threats said they want to return to the previous

against Iran that they have never been agreement. I want to state my position, able to put into practice. the position that I give to all my colleagues In a rare comment on American for- when I meet them around the world:

File photo eign policy, Chief of Staff of Israel’s armed Continued on page 3

The curious case of Gigantic kilim carpet unveiled in U.S.-backed SDF militants steal 140,000 barrels Iran football southern Iran per day of Syrian oil in Hasakah

BY MASOUD HOSSEIN TEHRAN – A gigantic handwoven kilim carpet was When used specifically the term refers to a Militants of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces controlled areas in Syria. ran football needs six more days unveiled on Sunday during an official ceremony more limited number of techniques, including (SDF), which is supported by the United States, The Syrian governor also revealed that the U.S. to know its new president. The cri- held in the town of Ghirokarzin, southern Iran. slit tapestry, warp sharing, and various forms steal 140,000 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis forces have ordered the SDF militants not to allow sis-hit football is running by Hey- “The kilim carpet, measuring 84 square meters of interlocking tapestry weave. from oil fields in Syria’s northeastern province of the Damascus-controlled areas receive oil. I (14 by 6 meters), was made in 35 days by eight prom- The kilims are often woven on narrow looms, Hasakah, a report says. Khalil added that while the Syrian people are dar Baharvand since December 2019 and it’s the curious case of our football. inent local weavers,” Ghirokarzin’s tourism chief, and two mirror-image pieces are sewn together Ghassan Halim Khalil, governor of Hasakah, suffering from the cold weather and hunger, these The Football Federation of the Islamic Mohamadjafar Ebrahimqiri said, IRIB reported. along the long edge to produce the completed announced the grim news in an interview with the U.S.-supported militants plunder Syria’s national Republic of Iran (FFIRI) confirmed the The colorful kilim carpet was made to order by kilim. The vertical color junctions involve a Lebanese al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday, adding oil resources. final four candidates for the presidential Qatar, the official said, addressing the unveiling discontinuity of the wefts, the colored yarns that Syrian oil is being plundered by the SDF mili- The U.S. looting of Syrian oil was first confirmed elections which is slated for Feb. 28. ceremony attended by Ghirokarzin’s governor that produce the design. At these boundaries, tants in various ways, all with the participation and during a Senate hearing exchange between South The elections have been postponed and a host of local officials and craftspeople. there are small slits in the fabric. Extremely fine support of American forces deployed to the region. Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and due to FIFA›s objections over the FFIRI “Last year the largest kilim of the country, kilims of silk were woven for the Safavid court He stressed that precise intelligence collected then U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo last July. statutes for several times. covering an area of 60 square meters, was wo- (1502–1735), possibly in Kashan. and received show that U.S.-backed militants use During his testimony to the Senate Foreign FFIRI was involved in a long process ven in this town that is considered as a hub of Persian carpets are sought after internationally for tanker trucks from Taramish area in the vicinity of Relations Committee, Pompeo confirmed for the with the world governing body over alleged hangwomen flooring,” Ebrahimqiri explained. their delicate designs and their good quality. Among Tigris and in al-Malikiyah to smuggle the Syrian first time that an American oil company would begin government interference. Kilim is a pileless floor covering handwoven Persian carpets, particularly those of the classic period, oil to neighboring Iraq. work in northeastern Syria, which is controlled by FIFA demanded changes to the FFIRI in most places where pile rugs are made. The the medallion may represent an open lotus blossom Khalil further noted that many tanker trucks the SDF, which is an alliance of Kurdish militants statutes more than a year ago and rejected term is applied both generally and specifically, with 16 petals as seen from above, a complex star pass through the illegal al-Mahmoudiyah crossing operating against Damascus and currently controls amended documents submitted on sev- with the former use referring to virtually any form, or a quatrefoil with pointed lobes. into Iraq every day, adding that the SDF militants areas in northern and eastern Syria. eral occasions. Finally, it was in the last rug-like fabric that does not have a pile. Continued on page 6 also regularly send mounts of stolen oil to their Continued on page 5 month that FIFA approved the football federation’s statutes. Iran, a nation of largely football mad Engineers endeavor to change the world for the better Biden admin not serious people, is not where it should be because the basic needs have not been met over the BY FARANAK BAKHTIARI theologian, physician, and a prolific writer. etry as a separate mathematical discipline. He to stop war in Yemen: past decades. While football is the most TEHRAN – Iran marks National Engineer’s Toosi was born in Toos in the year 1201 and also wrote extensively on biology and is one of coveted sport in Iran and could generate Day on February 23, honoring the efforts and began his studies at an early age. He studied the early pioneers of a kind of evolutionism in Yemeni politician income, the infrastructures have not yet achievements of the engineers who are behind Arabic, the Quran, Hadith, logic, philosophy, scientific thought. been equipped after many years. nearly any development to change the world for mathematics, medicine, and astronomy. What is the role of engineers in our life? BY MOHAMMAD MAZHARI For example, the Iranian football offi- the better. The Mongol ruler, Hulagu Khan, built an Engineering is a profession in which scien- TEHRAN - A senior member of the political office of the cials have previously said over and over National Engineer’s Day commemorates the observatory in Maragheh for Toosi. Toosi is tific knowledge and mathematics are used and Yemeni Ansarullah says the new Biden administration is again they would use Video Assistant birthday of Khajeh Nasir al-Din Toosi, a polymath considered the first of the Maragheh School of experimented with to develop ways that benefit not serious to put an end to the Saudi-led war on Yemen Referee (VAR) at the stadiums. We see and prolific writer, who is considered to be one of astronomers, who made significant contributions mankind, making it extremely important to so- or halt the siege on the impoverished Yemeni people. so many Iranian teams protest the deci- the greatest Persian scholars. He is also known to the development of astronomy. ciety for several reasons. “They are not serious in stopping the aggression sions and say refereeing decisions have as a philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, He was perhaps the first to treat trigonom- Continued on page 7 and lifting the siege on the Yemeni people, other- gone against them, because there is no wise Biden would make the decision to end the war VAR to prove that they are right or not. and lift the siege directly,” Hezam al-Assad tells the Iran football has shown in the recent years Assembly of Tehran Times. how powerful it is, since, for instance, football The Ansarullah movement was blacklisted by club have qualified for the AFC Experts says the former U.S. President Donald Trump just days Champions League final twice in three years. before Joe Biden begins his job as a new president. It means the country has a great potential to resistance will In a report on February 16, Al Jazeera reported grow and become more competitive, but it that the Biden administration has formally delisted depends on who is leading the football. Yemen’s Houthi movement as a “foreign terrorist Based on the FFIRI’s electoral commis- continue with organization” and “Specially Designated Global sion’s announcement, Ali Karimi, Mostafa Terrorists”. Ajorloo, Shahabeddin Azizi Khadem, and or without Also on February 4, the Biden administration Kiumars Hashemi will vie for presidency. announced that it would end the U.S. support for Karimi, the legendary Iranian foot- JCPOA offensive operations for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition baller, who has played in Iran national that intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015, a year football team for more than 100 times, TEHRAN - The Assembly of Experts after the northern-based Houthis kicked President has been welcomed by the Iranian football says the Iranian nation’s resistance will Abdu-Rabbu Mansour out of the capital Sanaa. family. However, experience has shown remain unaffected, no matter whether “Removing Ansarullah from terrorist groups did that the most deserved people sometimes the U.S. rejoins 2015 nuclear agree- not come as a desire to talk or a preparation to bring could not win the elections. ment or not. peace to Yemen,” the politician argues. The three other candidates have pre- 2015 nuclear deal is the common Amid the new U.S. administration’s efforts to viously worked in Iran football but a real name for the Joint Comprehensive Plan restore the image of the United States after Trump’s change is needed for the Iranian football. of Action (JCPOA) which wad ditched reckless policies, the UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Maybe, Karimi, as a former player of Bayern Shahab Ghayoumi by former U.S. president Donald Trump Griffiths, also visited Tehran to discuss political Munich, can make change our football. in line with his policy of “maximum solutions for Yemen based on negotiations between

Iran football needs a renaissance, Mehr/ pressure” against the Islamic Republic. the warring sides. whether Karimi wins the elections or not. Continued on page 2 Continued on page 5 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS FEBRUARY 23, 2021

There should be no Assembly of Experts says resistance miscalculation By Azin Sahabi will continue with or without JCPOA TEHRAN — As both Iran and the U.S. have declared their inclination to come back into full compliance with the 2015 “red line”, stressing that all Iranian organ- nuclear deal - JCPOA - under certain conditions, it seems 1 The Assembly of Experts, a panel izations stand united in safeguarding the that the UK, France, and Germany (E3), are setting policies of clerics tasked to elect and supervise leader country’s dignity and independence against to act wisely in future talks. of the Islamic Revolution, also emphasized hostile plots. Maybe, Iran’s parliamentary law to suspend the Addi- that Iran’s defense and missile capabilities Highlighting the failure of the U.S. policy tional Protocol has appeared quite worrisome to the EU will never be subject to negotiations. of cruel sanctions and maximum pressure on and prompts them to choose a different path in terms of At the Monday meeting, Ayatollah Ahmad the Islamic Republic, the assembly noted the dealing with Iran not “to lose time”. Jannati was re-elected as the chairman of the U.S. return to the JCPOA without a practical In this framework, the Royal United Services Institute body. Members of the assembly also re-elected lifting of the anti-Iran sanctions as not only (RUSI), on 16 February, has discussed the issue in a com- Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani lacking any benefits, but being detrimental too. mentary titled “Iran’s Shifting Nuclear Debate and the as the first deputy and Ebrahim Raisi, who is The statement also called on people to Shrinking Space for Diplomacy”. also the head of the Judiciary, as the second attend the upcoming presidential elections Azadeh Zamirirad, the expert on West Asia and Africa deputy of the assembly. in June, hailing the polls as an arena for max- affairs at the German Institute for International and Se- Speaking at the event, Ayatollah Jannati imum participation of people in political and curity Affairs (SWP), argues that as Iran and the U.S. are paid homage to Lieutenant General Qassem social decisions. both waiting for the other side to take the first step, there Soleimani, who was assassinated during a U.S. The June 18 presidential election will be is an increasing risk of concluding no nuclear compromise strike in Iraq on January 3, 2020, directly or- held simultaneously with council and mid- at all. She stresses that the more Tehran and Washington dered by former U.S. President Donald Trump. of this beloved man and made a nation suffer eighth annual meeting, the 88-member body term parliamentary and Assembly of Experts continue to hang on to the current attitude, the more such “May God damn Trump and America and his loss,” he said, according to Press TV. also described renegotiations with the U.S. elections. a risk increases. Therefore, the expert recommends while those who played a role in the assassination In a statement at the conclusion of its on what has already been agreed upon as a the EU must comprehend the importance and role of nuclear discourse in the Islamic Republic of Iran, it should act wisely and cautiously not to overestimate Iran’s establishment’s willingness to reentering the deal. Ayatollah Khamenei says Parliament’s nuclear law must be implemented She reviews approaches towards Iran’s nuclear program POLITICAL TEHRAN — In a meeting with the mem- as Strategic Action to Lift Sanctions and Protect the Nation’s of 20 percent uranium enrichment depending on the coun- in terms of domestic view since 2002. The expert mentions desk that among vastly differing stances on the issue, there has bers of Iran’s Assembly of Experts on Rights -, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined, “the government try’s needs. been a consensus that conducting a diplomatic process Monday, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of and the parliament need to resolve their differences.” “We are determined to acquire nuclear capabilities com- serves to the best of Iran’s national interests. the Islamic Revolution, said the nuclear law passed by Underlining that the government considers itself to mensurate with the needs of the country, and therefore, Iran’s RUSI believes that recent Iran’s nuclear remedial meas- the Parliament concerning the removal of sanctions must be obligated to implement the law, the Leader pointed enrichment limit will not be 20%, and it will act [to raise the ures, which are formally declared and are conducted under be exactly implemented, according to news agency. out, “This law, which is a good law, must be implemented level of uranium enrichment] whenever the country needs, Paragraph 36 of the JCPOA, are clear indicators that “the Regarding the disagreement between the Rouhani Gov- precisely.” for example, we may even raise the [uranium] enrichment current nuclear debate in Iran has become much harsher ernment and the parliament over the law- formally known The Leader also said that Iran will go beyond the limit [level] to 60% for nuclear propulsion or other work.” in tone.” (Paragraph 36 provided a mechanism to resolve dis- putes and allows one side, under certain circumstances, to stop complying with the deal if the other side is out of Qalibaf: Any cooperation with IAEA beyond safeguards is illegal compliance.) 1 Grossi visited Tehran to discuss how reduce commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran. 2021,” part of the statement reads. She also adds that Tehran’s frustrating experience in to work with Iran in light of Tehran’s plan to – JCPOA – in response to a violation of the The two sides issued a joint statement late In a statement on Monday, 226 Iranian dealing with the U.S. as well as the obvious ineffective func- halt the voluntary implementation of the Addi- agreement by the other parties. on Sunday according to which Iran will stop its lawmakers insisted on the full implementation tion of the EU in terms of the JCPOA, in some regards the tional Protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation The law, called “Strategic Action to Cease voluntary implementation of the Additional of the law concerning the Additional Protocol. current conditions are even worse than they were in 2004. Treaty, which goes into effect on February 23. Actions and Protect the Interest of Iranian Na- Protocol and will deny IAEA inspectors access The MPs also underscored that a possible Due to the negative experience of the JCPOA, assumptions In his message, the Parliament speaker tion”, has set certain conditions for a revival of to its nuclear facilities beyond the Safeguards U.S. return to the JCPOA would take place only within the Iranian political discourse about the lack of U.S. made it clear that the implementation of the the JCPOA. Part of the law says the Additional Agreement for three months. after a full, practical and verifiable termination willingness and inability of the Europeans to uphold the protocol will be fully suspended as of Feb. 3 Protocol will be suspended on Feb. 23 since “The AEOI informed the IAEA that in order of the banking and oil sanctions against the JCPOA, a light at the end of the tunnel will hardly appear. Qalibaf underscored that any future coop- during this time the remaining parties to the to comply with the act passed by the Parliament Iranian nation. The British think tank eration between Iran and the IAEA beyond nuclear deal (Germany, France, Britain, China of the Islamic Republic of Iran called “Strategic In response to the violation of the JCPOA, also refers to recent projec- Against the the Safeguards Agreement will depend on the and Russia) failed to honor their obligations Action to Cease Actions and Protect the interest Iran has already increased nuclear enrichment tions from the World Bank, Parliament’s decision. under the JCPOA. of Iranian Nation” (The “Law”) Iran will stop to 20 percent and installed advanced centrifuges. the International Monetary backdrop, The Iranian parliament passed a law some Grossi held talks on Sunday with AEOI di- the implementation of the voluntary measures These steps have been taken in accordance to Fund, and the Institute of In- the facts on two months ago obliging the government to rector Ali Akbar Salehi and Foreign Minister as envisaged in the JCPOA, as of 23 February the parliamentary ratification. ternational Finance conduct- the ground, ed in fall 2020, predicting “under the most pessimistic some of which Israeli PM consults cabinet rivals Biden admin weigh easing Iran sanctions: scenario, Iran would post have been 1.8% growth next year and on Iran Sunday Times its foreign reserves would presented by steadily decrease from about international POLITICAL TEHRAN — Benjamin POLITICAL TEHRAN — The ad- does not see any changes in Washington’s desk $80 billion this year to $46.9 institutions, deskNetanyahu, the Zionist ministration of U.S. policy, and the current President Biden billion by the end of 2023.” regime’s prime minister, met cabinet rivals President Joe Biden is considering easing is generally repeating the policy of his In addition, it writes: “Iran are obvious on Monday for their first discussion of Is- sanctions against Iran imposed during the predecessor. will achieve growth rates of indicators that raeli strategy against the Iranian nuclear rule of former president Donald Trump. On February 19, the Biden administra- anywhere from 1.5% to 3.2% a “resilient program since U.S. President Joe Biden The new head of the White House has tion withdrew Trump’s demand to restore this year even if sanctions took office pledging to pursue diplomacy pondered this as the U.S. seeks to restore the UN sanctions against Iran and agreed remain in place.” economy” with Tehran, according to the Reuters the 2015 nuclear deal, according to the to attend talks between European countries Besides, RUSSI refers to strategy news agency. British newspaper The Sunday Times. and the Islamic Republic. the results of a survey con- Netanyahu’s meeting with Defense Min- everyone is on board and not tempted to It is noted that despite the fact that the The JCPOA was concluded in the ducted by the Center for has been ister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister speak out of turn in hope of getting more new administration insists on the desire summer of 2015 between Tehran and International and Security meaningful. Gabi Ashkenazi followed his first phone votes.” to sit down at the negotiating table, “there six intermediary countries. In early May Studies at Maryland (CISSM) call with the U.S. leader last week, and Also on the agenda of Monday’s meeting are signs that a relaxation of sanctions is 2018, Trump announced Washington’s which indicate that Iranians’ public support for the JCPOA came a month before Israel holds another was the possible appointment of a special not far off.” unilateral withdrawal from the deal and dropped from 76% in 2015 to a little more than 40% at the election triggered by coalition infighting. Israeli envoy on the Iranian issue. “Easing sanctions is definitely on the the resumption of anti-Iranian sanctions. end of 2019. Netanyahu disagrees with Biden’s Candidates include Mossad spymaster way. Not today or tomorrow. But it is on Later, in reaction to the violation of the In reference to the aforementioned facts, Zamirirad argues Democratic administration on Iran and Joseph (Yossi) Cohen and National Security its way,” said a source from the national agreement by the U.S., Iran resumed its that if the Iranian establishment gives up on the JCPOA by wanted to forge a united front with Gantz Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, both participat- security sector. nuclear activities and started enriching “letting it fall apart”, it would not be “entirely unreasonable”. and Ashkenazi. ed in the meeting. As both answer directly Earlier, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the uranium at 20 percent purity to indicate Moreover, she claims: “Iran could be inclined to leave the “This is a matter that is supremely im- to Netanyahu, Gantz had voiced worry the Iranian foreign minister, spoke about the U.S. economic sanctions will not affect Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and further accelerate its portant, certainly more than politicking,” Defense Ministry might be excluded from the U.S. addiction to sanctions, bullying its policy towards its nuclear program and nuclear program until it is on the verge of a nuclear breakout.” an Israeli official said. “We have to ensure future diplomacy, one official said. and pressure. Zarif stressed that so far he defense capabilities. Pointing to Iran’s decision to suspend the Additional Protocol on 23 February, RUSI argues that “harsher public stance by the E3 and continued posturing will not prevent Tehran from suspending the Additional Protocol”. It recom- Grossi, White House eager to avoid suggestion limits on IAEA inspectors was creating crisis: NY Times mends “Europeans should focus on dis-incentivizing Tehran POLITICAL TEHRAN — The new constant surveillance. the production limits concluded in the 2015 The announcement that Iran had reached from turning its back on the JCPOA at a time when this is desklimits to the International The vague announcement is part of the deal. The nuclear agreement also requires some sort of an accommodation with the still achievable.” Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors maneuvering in Iran over how to react to Iran to submit to the snap inspections of director general of the IAEA that could buy Notwithstanding experts’ recommendations which stress to the Iranian nuclear sites will be lighter an offer from the Biden administration to undeclared sites under what is called the time for diplomacy prompted reactions from that Biden should make the first move to revive the JCPOA, than the Iran’s Parliament wanted, giving resume diplomatic contact over reviving the Additional Protocol, the rules that IAEA all factions in Iran. And the absence of details they overtly clarify that the JCPOA can reinforce the U.S. Western nations three months to assess if deal that President Donald J. Trump quitted members follow to allow broader rights for from the country’s atomic energy agency and leverage over Iran. Moreover, all U.S. and European poli- they can revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, nearly three years ago. President Biden and the inspectors. from the international nuclear agency gave cymakers notify that if the White House wants to propose according to the New York Times. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken suggested Both Grossi and White House officials material to both those who wanted to restore some sanctions relief, the fundamental ones must be un- It seems Iran has partly lifted its threat to to join European nations in what would be are eager to avoid any suggestion that the the deal and those who thought it was far too touched to make sure that rejoining the JCPOA would not sharply limit international inspections of its the first substantial diplomacy with Tehran limits on inspectors was creating a crisis such restrictive on Iran’s abilities. squander the current sanction regime. nuclear facilities starting on Tuesday, giving in more than four years. as the kind that the Clinton administration Conservative commentators used social Besides, the United States has articulated a systematic Western nations three months to see if the “Iran has not yet responded,” Jake Sulli- faced in 1994, when North Korea expelled the media to criticize the government for go- sophisticated sanction mechanism of primary and second- beginnings of a new diplomatic initiative with van, the U.S. national security adviser, said agency’s inspectors and raced for a bomb. In ing around the law passed by Parliament ary sanctions to capitulate Iran via increasingly economic the United States and Europe will restore on the CBS program “Face the Nation” on this case, the inspectors will continue their in January that requires limiting access for pressure. Indeed, this policy which is based on the secu- the JCPOA. Sunday. “But what’s happened as a result work in Iran, even if their vision into the inspectors. ritization of Iran’s nuclear program chiefly affecting the After a weekend trip to Tehran, Rafael is that the script has been flipped. It is Iran production of nuclear fuel and their ability “Skirting the law?” Seyed Nezameddin civilians is not going to be transformed at least in short or Grossi, the director general of the IAEA, said that is isolated now diplomatically, not the to trace past nuclear activity are restricted. Mousavi, a conservative lawmaker, tweeted middle term. on Sunday that his inspectors would have United States. And the ball is in their court.” “Grossi mitigated some damage,” Andrea on Sunday, suggesting that the government Undoubtedly, the unprecedented multilateral sanctions “less access” as of Tuesday, but that they Iran has steadily sought to rise pressure on Stricker, a research fellow at the Foundation was trying to route around Parliament’s ac- imposed by the U.S. have acted as stumbling blocks, slowing could still monitor the key production sites Washington to lift sanctions, with step-by-step for Defense of Democracies, said on Sunday. tions. “It looks my anxiety was justified.” Iran’s growth and development in recent years. Also, given where Iran has declared that it is making increases in the amount of enriched uranium But she added that “reduced monitoring in The New York Times is cautiously optimis- the medical sanctions Iran confronts, the COVID-19 pan- nuclear fuel. He did not explain what form it is producing at higher levels. Threatening any form is extremely problematic due to tic about Iran’s approach towards the IAEA, demic has made the situation more demanding for Tehran those new limits would take, but he said there to restrict inspectors has been part of that the major nuclear advancements Iran has and writes, “Supporters of diplomacy hailed to manage. would be a three-month hiatus on some of effort, the New York Times claims. been undertaking.” the government for thinking creatively about Against the backdrop, the facts on the ground, some of Iran’s new restrictions under a “technical The American newspaper argues there is a “The IAEA needs to publish the technical how to acknowledge the legal requirement which have been presented by international institutions, annex” that was not made public due to the connection between Iran’s policy towards the agreement and explain exactly how moni- without removing inspectors. Some suggested are obvious indicators that a “resilient economy” strategy security reasons. JCPOA and next June presidential election toring has been reduced so the international that the compromise involved Iran’s agree- has been meaningful. At the same time, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Iran, saying, “But now the Iranians are community can assess the severity of Iran’s ment to preserve the footage recorded by At the time being, while it seems that the Oval Office’s Iran’s foreign minister, noted that under a law finding themselves backed into a corner of step,” stressed Stricker from the anti-Iran security cameras that monitor fuel production foreign policy is a departure from the one pursued by the ratified by Iran’s Parliament, Tehran would their own making: With a presidential election think tank. but not hand them to inspectors until the Trump administration, Iranian policymakers should act no longer abide by an agreement with the in four months, no one wants to appear to be Henry Rome, an Iran expert at the Eurasia 2015 deal is restored.” prudently and smartly. nuclear agency that gives the inspectors the weak in the face of international pressure.” Group, said the announcement on Sunday “The Iranians have agreed to more than Taking another hasty leap of faith by Tehran merely right to demand access to any site where According to the New York Times, Iranian “presents an opening, but we’re not out of meets the eyes at this stage, but because if because Biden is different from Trump, it may undermine they suspect nuclear activity may have tak- leaders also recognize that Biden’s election the woods yet,” highlighting that the country the IAEA is to be fully satisfied, there needs national interests at home and overseas. In such a com- en place. He also said inspectors would be gives them their best chance since 2018 to continued to boost its uranium enrichment to be continuity of knowledge,” said Ali Vaez, plicated situation, Iran should stick to the principles of blocked from obtaining footage from security have sanctions lifted — and international and test new, more advanced centrifuges to the Iran director for the International Crisis “dignity, wisdom, and expediency”. cameras that keep some of the sites under oil sales flowing. That will require restoring produce the fuel. Group. “It has basically deferred the crisis.” I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 23, 2021 IRAN IN FOCUS 3 SPORTS Leading Iran at Olympics is Israeli dead end exciting: Vladimir Alekno

With military and diplomatic options off the table, Israel faces impasse SPORTSTEHRAN – Russian coach Vladimir Alekno desksays that to lead Iran at the Tokyo 2020 will 1 on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, he Tel Aviv and elsewhere that “the Islamic elicited a strong response from several Returning to the 2015 nuclear be his fourth Olympics and it’s very exciting for him. agreement or even to an agreement that also said that Israeli armed forces are Republic is in a strategic impasse that Iranian officials across the political spec- is similar but with a few improvements preparing a number of operational plans, makes it face specific scenarios: either trum, with the latest response coming is a bad thing and it is not the right thing in addition to those already in place, to rolling towards the downfall of the regime, from Iran’s top diplomat Mohammad to do,” Kochavi said. develop them for the next year, because or its submission to American demands, Javad Zarif. The top Israeli general went so far as these plans ‘need to be on the table’,” the or a popular unrest that leads to one of The Iranian foreign minister warned to say that he ordered Israel’s army to ambassador continued. the two previous scenarios,” according to Israel against any attack on Iran, say- prepare offensive options against Iran. The Israeli threats against Iran were Ali Haidar, a columnist for the Lebanese ing that such a move would amount to “I have instructed the IDF to prepare issued after the Israelis felt the danger Al-Akbar newspaper. “committing suicide.” several operational plans in addition of the U.S. coming back into compliance Any assessment other than that was “If Israel attacks Iran, this will amount to existing ones, which we will develop with its obligations under the JCPOA, considered subjective and expressing to committing suicide,” Zarif said in an throughout the coming year. The power though the Biden administrations never more hopes than facts, Haidar said in interview with the Lebanese television to initiate them lies with the political outlined any detailed plan to rejoin the an article for Al-Akhbar. network Al Manar. echelon. However, the offensive options nuclear deal. However, the Israelis seem But now, Haidar noted, the situation Aside from their boisterous threats, need to be prepared, ready and on the to think that it’s only a matter of time has dramatically changed in Iran’s favor Israelis know that their military options table,” Kochavi said in remarks delivered before the U.S. rejoins the JCPOA. in light of two facts: Iran has weathered against Iran, if any, are limited. They at the Israeli Institute for National Secu- This calculation has put Israel in a the economic storm, with international have always sought to entangle the U.S. rity Studies 14th Annual International much worse position than it was before estimates projecting Iran’s economy to in a war with Iran. the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA. achieve a positive growth rate this year. After four years of a bromance with Conference. Alekno won a bronze and a gold medal in Beijing 2008 and Prior to Trump’s withdrawal, the Israelis, “Second, on the strategic level, is the Trump administration, the Israeli Iran protested these belligerent London 2012, respectively, and finished in fourth place in Rio namely Prime Minister Benjamin Net- that [Leader of the Islamic Revolution leaders find themselves in a corner; they remarks in a letter to United Nations 2016. The Russian coach is expected to reach quarterfinals at anyahu, worked their butts off to kill the Ayatollah] Khamenei has set critical neither can issue credible military threats Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. least with Iran, with the aim of winning a medal. JCPOA. They succeeded in convincing conditions for returning to the nuclear nor can prevent the West from pursuing “The Israeli regime has recently not “As I said before, the fourth Olympics in my career is very former U.S. President Donald Trump into deal, which are the lifting of sanctions diplomacy with Iran. And this is trouble only doubled down on its provocative, exciting. When I was offered to lead Iran in the Games, to pulling the U.S. out of the JCPOA. Trump in practice rather than verbally, and for of their own making. The JCPOA was warmongering statements against the participate at the Olympics was the main motivation. The withdrew from the deal and re-imposed the Iranian people to feel that,” the col- working well but Netanyahu contrib- Islamic Republic of Iran, but has also Olympics are the ultimate dream not only for the players, but a wide range of economic sanctions on umnist continued. uted to undercutting it. Now they face been planning to carry out its belligerent also for any coach. There is a very special atmosphere. If I say Iran within the framework of the so- These facts have sent the Israelis the prospect of an Iran that is emerg- threats against Iran,” the letter, penned that the money was not important for me, I will lie. This also called “maximum pressure” campaign. scrambling to find a solution to their ing stronger than ever from economic by Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Majid matters. A worthy offer was made and I accepted,” Alekno Netanyahu and his allies were over the impasse. The Israelis first sought to up pressure while significantly advancing Takht-Ravanchi in early February, said. told sport.business-gazeta.ru. moon with Trump’s decision to cease U.S. the ante by issuing military threats to its nuclear program. “The most recent example of such The U.S. head coach John Speraw had already said Alekno participation in the JCPOA, thinking that Iran. They threatened to attack Iran in All this while Israel does not enjoy the threats is the remarks made by the Israeli is not the best option for Iran. According to the American the nuclear deal will be a thing of the past. an effort to impede any U.S. plan to “rush luxury of having real options to prevent military chief of staff on January 26, 2021, trainer, the style of Russian volleyball is very different from At that time, there was a speculation in back” into the JCPOA. The Israeli threats Iran from moving forward. in which, in addition to frivolous claims Iran. The most Iranian players are technical and play smart volleyball, while the form of Russian volleyball is based on physical training. Alekno reacted to Speraw’s comments, saying that the U.S. Zarif warns Israeli attack on Iran will be suicidal coach must focus on his own work. POLITICAL TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minis- rity Studies 14th Annual International Conference. “I will advise the American coach to focus on his team,” deskter warned Israel against any attack “I would like to clarify my position regarding the Alekno said. “Iran does not have the same physical capabilities on Iran, saying that such a move would amount to JCPOA: Even if an improved agreement is reached, as Russian team have, but they have more variable and faster “committing suicide”. it will be a bad agreement at the operational and stra- volleyball, due to player like Saeid Marufu. We will work hard In an interview with the Lebanese television network tegic level. Therefore, such an agreement must not be because there is no other option to achieve the result.” Al Manar, Zarif said, “If Israel attacks Iran, this will enabled,” he continued. Setter Maruf has worked with Alekno at Zenit Kazan in the amount to committing suicide.” As regards the situation in Lebanon, Zarif said, “We 2014/15 season. He helped the team win the Russian Cham- He said Iran’s goal in Syria is to combat terrorism, are working to help the Lebanese to reach an agree- pionship and the Champions League. The 35-year-old setter calling on Israel to stop supporting terrorism. ment among themselves, and we cannot impose an is one of the main stars of Iranian team, Alekno said. “Our goal in Syria is to combat terrorism, and Israel agreement on the Lebanese, and no one can do that.” “Maruf is probably among the top five players in the world. must realize that the policies of supporting terrorist groups “We submitted proposals to help Lebanon after He is the team leader and unites it. Marouf is a very important will not go unanswered,” the Iranian foreign minister said. the disaster of the port explosion, but U.S. pressure player for Iran. I think it will be a great encouragement both Zarif’s remarks came after top Israeli General Aviv prevented that,” he continued. for me, Marouf and all other Iranian volleyball players to show Kochavi had threatened to attack Iran. The chief Iranian diplomat also warned Iran’s Arab themselves at the Olympics,” Alekno stated. Kochavi, Chief of Staff of Israel’s Armed Forces, neighbors against cooperating with Israel. The Iranian At the Olympic tournament, Iran›s rivals will be teams had said that Israel is not welcoming the expected “I have instructed the IDF to prepare several op- foreign minister pointed out that “Saudi Arabia cannot from Japan, Poland, Italy, Canada and Venezuela. But Alekno efforts by the U.S. and its European allies to revive the erational plans in addition to existing ones, which achieve a military victory and cannot obtain through doesn›t want to talk about them at the moment. 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint we will develop throughout the coming year. The negotiations what it has failed militarily.” “The main rivals of Iran are themselves. You need to know Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He claimed power to initiate them lies with the political echelon. “The mistake of our neighbors is that they have yourself at first. The recent results do not suit the Iranians. The that he had ordered several plans to launch offensive However, the offensive options need to be prepared, allowed Israel to transfer the conflict to their lands, FIVB Volleyball Men›s Nations League final six is not a place they operations against Iran while voicing Israel’s opposition ready and on the table,” Kochavi said in remarks and it will rob them of security and will not defend are dreaming of. A coach who promises results is a deceiver. You to any efforts to revive the JCPOA or even to improve it. delivered at the Israeli Institute for National Secu- them,” Zarif noted. can promise to do the best you can in order to achieve a result, and prepare as well as possible for each opponent. We will move forward step by step,” concluded the coach. Iran, IAEA reach understanding to continue cooperation Alireza Beiranvand possibly POLITICAL TEHRAN – Iran and provide this information to the IAEA, deskthe International Atom- otherwise, it will be deleted forever,” out for weeks ic Energy Agency (IAEA) have reached Gharbibadi tweeted. an understanding on how to continue Iranian Foreign Ministry spokes- SPORTSTEHRAN — Iranian goalkeeper Alireza cooperation two days before Iran starts man Saeed Khatibzadeh also echoed deskBeiranvand is likely to be sidelined several implementing a nuclear law obligating the same remarks, saying that the deal weeks with a foot injury. the Iranian government to halt imple- with the Agency is compatible with the The Antwerp goalie suffered a foot injury in the match menting the Additional Protocol to the nuclear law. against Sint-Truidense VV at the Bosuilstadion Sunday night nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Speaking at a weekly press conference in the 34th minute. The deal was reached during a two- on Monday, Khatibzadeh said, “The result Beiranvand was replaced by , former Belgium day visit by the IAEA Director-General of what happened during Mr. Grossi’s U21 keeper, who kept a clean sheet during his time. Mariano Grossi to Iran. During the visit, visit between Iran and the International Beiranvand will miss the Round of 32 second leg against Grossi met with Ali Akbar Salehi, head Atomic Energy Agency is a remarkable Rangers in a UEFA Europa League at the Ibrox Stadium. of the Atomic Energy Organization of diplomatic and technical achievement. Het Laatste has reported that will be back on Iran, and Iranian Foreign Minister of Dr. Salehi and his colleagues worked the field. The French keeper suffered an ankle injury six weeks Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif. hard to move within the framework of ago, but he is almost fit again. “Intensive consultations led to a good the parliament’s binding law. As stated result. A temporary technical under- in the joint statement with the IAEA, all standing has been reached. The IAEA that has been agreed is in accordance Mes Rafsanjan promoted to will continue its necessary verification with parliamentary law.” and monitoring in Iran,” the UN nuclear The nuclear law is part of Iran’s Iran Volleyball Super League watchdog chief said in a tweet following strategy to force the West into lifting his visit to Iran. sanctions. Iran has said many times that SPORTSTEHRAN — Mes Rafsanjan volleyball team have The IAEA and the AEOI issued a joint continue with its necessary verification unannounced and intensive inspections it will return to the full implementation deskensured promotion to Iran Volleyball Super League. statement outlining the content of the and monitoring activities for up to 3 of nuclear sites. of the 2015 nuclear deal after the U.S. The team eased past Oghab Melal of Ardabil 3-0 and ad- understanding moments after Grossi months (as per technical annex). 3. To Iran will implement the nuclear law lifts its sanctions. vanced to the First Division Volleyball League final match. concluded his visit to Iran. keep the technical understanding under which obligates the government to halt Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Pas Gorgan had also won promotion to the Super League “The Atomic Energy Organization regular review to ensure it continues to implementing the Additional Protocol on Javad Zarif said on Friday that the U.S. after defeating Iranshid Chalous in the semi-final match. of Iran (AEOI) and the International achieve its purposes.” February 23, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s should lift all sanctions if it wants Iran The Iranian Super League (ISL) is a professional volleyball Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recalled This deal was reached only two days Ambassador and Permanent Represent- to reverse its nuclear measures. league in Iran at the top of the Iranian volleyball league system. and reaffirmed the spirit of coopera- before Iran starts the implementation ative to international organizations in “U.S. acknowledged Pompeo’s claims It was founded in 1975 as the Pasargard Cup, but after the tion and enhanced mutual trust that of the nuclear law. Vienna, said on February 15. regarding Resolution 2231 had no legal Iranian Revolution it was renamed to the first Division. In led to the Joint Statement in Tehran The law, officially called “Strategic “Act of Parliament will be executed validity. We agree. In compliance with 1997 the league system was revamped and the Iranian Super on 26 August 2020, and the impor- Action to Lift Sanctions and Protect the on time (23 Feb) and the IAEA has been 2231: U.S. unconditionally & effectively League was established. Paykan Tehran have won the most tance of continuing that cooperation Nation’s Rights,” stipulates that the Ira- informed today to ensure the smooth lift all sanctions imposed, re-imposed titles in the new Super League with 12 titles. and trust,” the statement said. “The nian government should take certain transition to a new course in due time. or re-labeled by Trump. We will then AEOI informed the IAEA that in order nuclear measures such as raising the After all, goodwill brings about good- immediately reverse all remedial meas- to comply with the act passed by the level of uranium enrichment to 20% will!” Ambassador Gharibabadi tweeted. ures. Simple: #CommitActMeet,” Zarif Parliament of the Islamic Republic of and suspending the voluntary imple- In a Twitter thread on Sunday night, said in a tweet on Friday. Asian Youth Handball Iran called “Strategic Action to Cease mentation of the Additional Protocol Gharibabadi gave more details about Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Championship delayed due to Actions and Protect the interest of Ira- if the Western parties failed to honor the content of Iran’s agreement with the said in a recent telephone conversation nian Nation” (The “Law”) Iran will stop their obligations under the 2015 Iran IAEA. He said this agreement is consist- with his Swiss counterpart Guy Parmelin COVID-19 sears the implementation of the voluntary nuclear deal, formally called the Joint ent with the Parliament’s nuclear law. that it’s up to the U.S. to make the first measures as envisaged in the JCPOA, Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). “The Agency will not be given any move toward reviving the JCPOA. SPORTSTEHRAN — The Asian Handball Feder- as of 23 February 2021.” The law was adopted in December. access beyond the [IAEA] safeguards. “The ball is in the U.S. court now. deskation (AHF) has decided to postpone the The statement added, “In view of the The sixth article of the law clearly The continuation of the Agency’s verifi- When it lifts illegal sanctions in practice, 17th Asian Youth Handball Championship as result of the above and in order for the Agency to stipulates that if the remaining parties to cation, as per the technical annex to the everything will return to the right path,” Covid-19 Pandemic. continue its verification and monitoring the JCPOA – Germany, France, China, Joint Statement, is solely for the purpose the Iranian president pointed out. The competition, which acts as a qualifier for the World activities, the AEOI and the IAEA agreed: Russia and the UK- failed to facilitate of maintaining information on certain With Iran stopping the implementa- Cup in Hungary 2021, has been delayed until further notice. 1. That Iran continues to implement fully Iran’s oil exports and the return of Iranian activities and monitoring equipment by tion of the Additional Protocol on Feb- The competition was originally scheduled to be held in and without limitation its Comprehensive oil revenues in two months, the Iranian Iran for three months. The Agency has ruary 23, the West now has a period of Shiraz from March 20 to 29 but the Asian Handball Federation Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA government would be obligated to stop no access to this information and the about three months to address Iran’s (AHF) moved the event to Bahrain. as before. 2. To a temporary bilateral inspections beyond the IAEA safeguards, information remains exclusively with concerns. Otherwise, Iran will continue The top four teams from the tournament will qualify for technical understanding, compatible including the voluntary implementation Iran. If the sanctions are lifted com- to restrict cooperation with the IAEA the Junior World Championship which is scheduled to be with the Law, whereby the IAEA will of the Additional Protocol, which allows pletely within three months, Iran will until it gets the sanctions lifted. held from June 22 to July 21 in Hungarian capital Budapest. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY FEBRUARY 23, 2021

IME’s value of monthly Iran, S. Korea discuss details trades rises 16%

ECONOMY TEHRAN — The value of trades at Iran Mer- deskcantile Exchange (IME) rose 16 percent during about transferring frozen funds the eleventh Iranian calendar month of Bahman (January 20 – February 18). ECONOMY TEHRAN – The Gover- this restriction as soon as possible.” As reported by the Public Relations and International Affairs desk Department of the IME, during the past month 2.96 million tons nor of the Central Bank of Following the intensification of disputes of commodities worth $1.62 billion were traded at the exchange, Iran (CBI) Abdolnaser Hemmati met with between the two sides, South Korean Vice while the weight of traded goods shows a two-percent growth the South Korean Ambassador to Tehran Foreign Affairs Minister Choi Jong Kun vis- as well. Ryu Jeong-Hyun on Monday to discuss the ited Iran in January and met with senior details regarding the transfer of Iranian frozen Iranian officials including the CBI governor assets in the Asian country. for discussing ways for resolving the issue. As reported by IRNA, in the meeting which In the meeting with Choi, Hemmati called was held on the invitation of the South Ko- on the South Korean government to take an rean embassy, the two sides negotiated the independent approach towards the issue of ways and protocols for allocating a part of releasing Iran’s resources in the country, Iranian funds in South Korea for purchasing saying: “Seven billion dollars belonging to essential goods from third countries. the Iranian nation has been blocked in South Hemmati, in this meeting, presented CBI’s Korean banks for more than two years, this demands regarding the volume of funds and is unacceptable and Iran definitely will not the names of the foreign banks to which the be indifferent towards this issue.” money should be transferred. Referring to a previous visit to Seoul, Ryu Jeong-Hyun for his part expressed his Hemmati said: “A year and a half ago, I had country’s readiness for taking all the necessary talks with South Korean officials, including measures for ensuring the transfer of the the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of mentioned funds to the destination banks. Economy, about this issue, and they promised According to CBI, over seven billion dollars assistance and cooperation, which unfortu- The IME’s mineral and industrial trading floor witnessed of Iranian oil revenues have been frozen in South Korean Ambassador to Tehran Ryu Jeong-Hyun (1st R) and CBI Governor Abdolanser nately were not realized.” trade of 1.349 million tons of commodities worth more than two South Korean banks since September Hemmati (C) meet in Tehran on Monday. After the Korean official’s visit to Iran, $875 million. 2019, when Washington’s sanctions waiver for the two sides finally agreed that South Ko- U.S. sanctions so that Tehran can step up saying: “South Korea’s ban on Iran’s use of This floor was a platform to sell 236,000 tons of steel, 26,040 South Korea’s imports of Iranian oil expired. rea should provide the necessary monetary its fight against COVID-19. its central bank resources to buy basic goods, tons of copper, 54 tons of precious metals concentrate, 510 tons Iran has repeatedly called on Seoul to channels for Iran to be able to use its assets in Earlier, President Hassan Rouhani had medicine, and humanitarian items is by no of molybdenum concentrate, 24,500 tons of aluminum, 500 tons abandon its “illegal” policies and release the this country for purchasing essentials goods reacted to Seoul’s blocking of Iranian assets, means acceptable, and we expect Seoul to lift of coke, 18,100 tons of zinc, 50,000 tons of iron ore concentrate, Iranian assets that it has frozen due to the through third countries. 100 tons of cast iron, 50 tons of lead and 65 kg of gold bars. In addition to that, the IME traded on both domestic and export pit of its oil and petrochemical trading floor 1,589,000 tons of commodities worth more than $740 million. Iran’s non-oil trade stands at $65.5b in 11 months Commodities sold here were 494,337 tons of bitumen, 331,664 tons of petrochemicals, 152,840 tons of chemicals, 13,382 tons of 1 Meanwhile, the country’s top five sources of The imports of non-oil goods in this time span decreased base oil, 423,050 tons of vacuum bottom, 18,790 tons of sulfur, imports during these 11 months were China with $8.8 by six percent and 15 percent in terms of weight and value, 200 tons of argon, 250 tons of insulation and 159,500 tons of billion, the UAE with $8.4 billion, Turkey with $3.8 bil- respectively, compared to the same period last year. lube cut. lion, India with $2 billion, and Germany with $1.7 billion Of the total imported commodities in the mentioned Last but not least, the exchange saw trade of 21,645 tons of worth of imports. 11 months, some 21.4 million tons worth $11 billion were commodities on its side market. The mentioned countries exported a total of 15.2 million basic goods. As previously reported, over 2,893 tons of commodities worth tons of commodities to the Islamic republic to account for Like all other countries around the world, Iran’s trade nearly $1.5 billion have been traded at IME during the tenth Iranian 50 percent and 72 percent of the country’s total imports with its foreign partners has been affected by the coronavirus calendar month of Dey (December 21, 2020-January 19, 2021). during the said period in terms of volume and value, re- pandemic, however, the situation is getting back to normal The exchange hosted trading of 1,176,000 tons of commodities spectively. and the country’s trade is reaching its pre-pandemic levels. with a trading value of more than $740 million on its mineral and industrial trading floor. On this floor the IME sold 1,093,000 tons of steel, 5,160 Oil industry exhibition underway in Housing rental falls in Tehran city in a tons of copper, 30 tons of precious metals concentrate, 480 tons of molybdenum concentrate, 15,955 tons of aluminum, southwestern Iran quarter on year 800 tons of coke, 20,500 tons of zinc dust, 40,000 tons of iron ECONOMY TEHRAN – The 12th ECONOMY TEHRAN — The Statis- ore concentrate, 300 tons of cast iron and 54 kg of gold bars. deskedition of South Pars Pe- desktical Center of Iran (SCI) On its oil and petrochemical trading floor, the IME traded troleum Exhibition (SPPEX 2021) kicked has announced that the housing rental in more than 1,707,000 tons of commodities worth nearly $749 off on Sunday in the southwestern city of the capital city Tehran has fallen 3.1 percent million, which included 602,855 tons of various types of bitumen, , Province. in the third quarter of the current Iranian 257,511 tons of polymeric products, 124,965 tons of chemicals, The opening ceremony was attended by calendar year (September 21 – December 6,300 tons of slop wax and 503,760 tons of vacuum bottom. senior officials from the mentioned prov- 20, 2020) from its previous quarter, while Moreover, the exchange sold on this floor 11,825 tons of base ince and the Oil Ministry, IRNA reported. rising 40.9 percent as compared to the oil, 69,725 tons of sulfur, 200 tons of argon and 129,000 tons Over 110 domestic knowledge-based third quarter of the past year. of lube cut. companies are showcasing their latest The center has previously announced The next trading floor of the IME was agricultural with 10,500 products and achievements in the oil, gas, that the inflation rate of housing rentals kg of saffron sold on it. and petrochemical industries, during this refining, and petrochemical industry ex- in the country reached 24.3 percent in the Last but not least, the IME’s side market saw trade of 9,510 to Sistan-Baluchestan province with an four-day exhibition. hibition is to complete the supply chain in 12 months ended on September 20 (end of tons of various types of commodities within the same month. increase of 3.8 percent. According to the Secretary of the Exhi- these industries and to introduce domestic the first half of the current Iranian year). IME is one of the four major stock markets of Iran, the other The housing market in Iran has been bition Hossein Daris-Zadeh, some of the manufacturing companies in the South As reported, point-to-point inflation three markets are Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), Iran’s over- experiencing inflation and rise in prices, exhibiting companies in this exhibition Pars Special Economic Zone, according rate for house rent rose 28.9 percent in the-counter (OTC) market known also as Iran Fara Bourse (IFB), both in terms of rentals and sales in the have saved the country millions of dollars to the official. summer (June 21-September 21) compared and Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX). current Iranian calendar year (started on with their innovative products even during With the coronavirus pandemic seem- to the same period past year. March 20). the U.S. sanctions. ingly under control, physical exhibitions The rental price index of residential According to Hesam Oqbaei, the deputy Regional CIRED conference “The existence of capable companies and affairs are once again resuming in the units in urban areas reached 195.8 in head of Tehran Real Estate Association, 37 and suppliers of items needed by the oil, country in full compliance with the health the summer of this year, registering an percent of the country’s urban population underway in Tehran gas, and petrochemical industry is an and safety protocols. increase of 2.7 percent compared to the are tenants, who are from the low and opportunity to materialize the slogan of Due to the special conditions created previous season. middle classes of the society and their ECONOMY TEHRAN – The 8th edition of Regional Confer- “surge in production” by taking advantage by the pandemic, only certain groups of In the mentioned season, the high- salary increase has been up to 22 percent, deskence on Electricity Distribution (CIRED IRAN) of the capabilities and capacities of domestic people including managers, experts and est seasonal inflation rate was related to so if the rent prices were supposed to grow was opened in Tehran on Monday. experts,” Daris-Zadeh said. scholars are allowed to visit most of the Hamedan province with an increase of along with the house prices people won’t The opening ceremony was attended by senior officials from The purpose of holding the oil, gas, exhibitions. 16.4 percent, and the lowest was related be able to afford it. the country’s electricity industry, including the Deputy Energy Minister Homayoun Haeri. As one of the most important electricity distribution industry associations in the world, CIRED (Congrès International des 3 key pipelines launched to transfer oil products Réseaux Electriques de Distribution) has been set up as an in- ternational association and since October 2004, it takes the legal ECONOMY TEHRAN — During a ceremony held The three pipelines are the 26-inch Shazand-Qom-Rey desk form of de facto association (association de fait) based in Belgium. via video conference, three major pipe- pipeline for the transfer of oil products with a length of 293 As one of the major electric- lines for the transfer of oil products were launched on km and a capacity of 300,000 barrels per day; the 20-inch ity hubs in West Asia, Iran is Monday. Naein-Kashan-Rey pipeline with a length of 420 km and a the only country in the region The ceremony was attended by Oil Minister Bijan Namdar capacity of 204,000 barrels per day of oil products; and the which is licensed to hold the Zanganeh, and National Iranian Oil Refining and Distri- 14-inche Tabriz-Khoy-Urmia pipeline with a length of 220 CIRED conference biannually. bution Company (NIORDC) Managing Director Alireza km from Tabriz to Urmia with a total capacity of 65,000 Iranian researchers have Sadeq-Abadi. barrels per day. been continuously among the countries with the most num- ber of research papers present- ed to this international event. Output of 86 major production units doubled in 10 months By attending this confer- ECONOMY TEHRAN – Iranian Dep- the country’s industrial sector.” iran) for registering the country’s produc- ence, Iranian researchers, deskuty Industry, Mining, and As reported by ISNA, the latest data re- tion units’ information in order to create engineers and scholars will Trade Minister Saeed Zarandi said on Monday leased by the Industry, Mining and Trade a database for future references has been stay in touch with the latest that the output of 86 major production units Ministry has shown that the production of also one of the major steps taken by the achievements in the world’s across the country has more than doubled 20 major industrial commodity items in the industry ministry in order to promote do- electricity industry and also in the first 10 months of the current Iranian country has increased by a range between 0.3 mestic production. share their knowledge and calendar year (March 20, 2020-January 19, percent and 554 percent during the first 10 Back in January, the Industry Minis- experiences with their counterparts all around the world. 2021) compared to the same period in the months of the current Iranian calendar year. try had announced that the production of Electric vehicles, responding to demand in the distribution previous year. Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mining, and six major mining industry products has market, using new equipment and technologies in the country’s According to Zarandi, the production Trade has implemented several programs increased by an average of 16 percent in distribution industry, reducing losses, capital management, data pertaining to 319 major units in the for promoting domestic production and the first nine months of the current Iranian new solutions and equipment for smart grids, evolution of country during the mentioned 10 months increasing exports in the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-December 20, 2020). standards, economic issues in distribution business, electric- has shown that the output of 148 units has products, health products, and so on. calendar year (started on March 20, 2020). Based on the mentioned data, during the ity market, smartening grids, electricity market regulations, increased by 20-50 percent, the production He further noted that the Industry Min- Supporting small and medium-sized first nine months of this year, production smart metering experiences and future orientations, as well by 40 units has risen by 50-70 percent, while istry monitors the production of 40 major enterprises (SMEs), reviving the country’s of crude steel and steel products, copper as network development are among the important topics that 45 units have registered a production growth industrial and mining commodity items on idle production units and small and medi- cathode, cement, aluminum ingots, as well are discussed in this event. of 70-100 percent. a monthly basis and in this regard over 1000 um-sized mines, supporting domestic auto as alumina increased compared to the same CIRED works for the purpose of increasing the business “The production by 86 major units has production units go through the monitoring part manufacturers, holding exhibitions period in the previous year. relevant competencies, skills and knowledge of those who see more than doubled in this period,” Zarandi process. for encouraging domestic production, sign- Also in August 2020, the ministry data themselves as a part of the electricity distribution community, told ISNA. Stating that the mentioned 1000 units ing cooperation agreements with knowl- showed that the production of 22 major min- whether they are from the utility, product, consultancy, service, The official underlined that the units account for more than 60 percent of the val- edge-based companies and universities ing and industrial products in the country business or academic sector. under review are among the country’s top ue-added production of the industry and are among the major steps taken by the had increased during the first five months CIRED is dedicated to the design, construction and operation producers in the industry and mining sector mining sector, Zarandi said: “Therefore, the Industry Ministry in order to promote of the current Iranian calendar year (March of public distribution systems and of large installations using which are active in a variety of areas includ- statistics of these 1000 units can be considered domestic production. 20-August 21, 2020), compared to the same electrical energy in industry, services and transport. ing automobiles, home appliances, mineral a representative of more than 60 percent of Launching a system (known as Tavan- period of time in the past year. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 23, 2021 ANALYSIS/INTERVIEW 5

U.S. pushed to irreversible U.S.-backed SDF militants steal 140,000 barrels per day decline due to its policies: analyst of Syrian oil in Hasakah 1 The Syrian government at the time denounced in the By M.A Saki ably not going to reunify the country.” He strongest terms the agreement inked to plunder the coun- says, “As the American condition worsens, try’s natural resources, including Syrian oil and gas, under TEHRAN — American political analyst the divisions will only increase. It’s just a the sponsorship and support of the administration of former Martin Love believes that the U.S. is being matter of time.” U.S. president Donald Trump. pushed towards an irreversible decline due to In the past and in the current time the According to Press TV, since late October 2019, the U.S. has its harsh policies, especially when it started U.S. have undermined many opportunities, been redeploying soldiers to the SDF-controlled oil fields in east- to threaten and use military power. including the nuclear deal - officially known as ern Syria, in a reversal of Trump’s earlier order to withdraw all After the collapse of the Soviet Union the JCPOA- that was inked with Iran in 2015. troops from the war-torn country. in 1991 the debate on U.S. decline which “The JCPOA may be dead, but it won’t be The Pentagon claims that the move aims to “protect” the fields had characterized the 1980s was succeeded because of Iran. We wait to see whether Biden and facilities from possible attacks by the Daesh Takfiri terror- by a debate on the new and unchallenged drops sanctions, as the U.S. should,” Love says. ists, while Trump famously said that the U.S. seeks economic dominance of the United States, following To make matters worse, the Biden admin- interests in controlling the oil fields. the implosion of its serious military rival. istration seems hesitant to lift sanctions on A U.S.-led military coalition has been pounding what it However, some observers say that the U.S. Iran in an effort to add preconditions to the claimed was positions of Daesh inside Syria since September now seems to be embedded in an irreversi- nuclear pact before rejoin it. 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus govern- ble decline unless Joe Biden can manage to “I suppose with the JCPOA dead; the ment or a UN mandate. The strikes have on many occasions allow positive perceptions of the country by question then becomes can Iran defend itself resulted in civilian casualties and failed to fulfill their declared shrewd deeds and realignments overseas. against further attacks by the U.S., Israel? aim of countering terrorism. “For one, the U.S. now seems to be embed- One certainly hopes so. Meanwhile, how can ded in an irreversible, self-inflicted decline,” anyone trust the U.S. government,” he adds. Martin Love tells the Tehran Times. Love expects Iran to be pleased if sanctions “There is no question the country is in “One must credit Iran for its capacity to are dropped, but “Iran will be wary, too.” ‘Israel won’t be able to decline. Any country that has to resort to He adds, “Iran really can’t justifiably reject threats and military power to maintain its endure. But Iran has been around for the JCPOA if the U.S. does its part. But no survive for next generation’ edge is already suffering a decline,” Love notes. over 2000 years and I believe if it can one is holding their breath.” Three decades after the collapse of the Nevertheless, the U.S. “maximum pressure” A former senior Israeli security official said that ‘Israel’ will not Soviet Union, America has acted the world’s hold out a few more years, if necessary, showed that the sanctions always do not prove be able to survive for the next generation. ” hegemon. In fact, the end of the Cold War it will be a leading country in Asia.” effective to change other countries’ behavior, The Israeli official explained the reasons for that, according to was an ideological and political triumph for and the era of unipolar hegemony is gone. his estimation, and expressed his fear of the Zionist occupation the United States and was widely celebrated due to its unilateral policies and sanctions and has no backing.” “Economic sanctions applied so widely entity’s demise “for internal reasons and influences.” as a vindication of the long-term strategy of against other countries all around the world. Though the new administration makes across the world by the U.S. are insane This former Israeli official added that “most of the economic containment and pressure which the Amer- Trump tried to exploit the dollar as a every effort to repair the international rep- and not helping the U.S. make friends and military burden in ‘Israel’ will soon be borne by only 30% of icans had pursued over four decades. leverage to threaten or pressure countries utation of the U.S., superficial steps may anywhere,” Love points out. the Israelis, and in this way, the Israeli society will not be spared At the same time, it created a vacuum that don’t follow U.S. orders. not change the situation. “The ‘maximum pressure’ campaign from the problems that await it.” in U.S. policy, raising questions of whether “The U.S. really has few real friends nowa- “Biden is already reversing some of Trump’s against Iran has not worked and never will,” Yuval Diskin, the former head of the ShinBet, confirmed the elaborate system of bases and the huge days, and it is not offering the world anything policies but the most important ones he seems he maintains. “One must credit Iran for its in his article in the newspaper “Yediot Ahronoth” that there military budgets established during the Cold but further conflict,” Love argues. unwilling to change, especially regarding the capacity to endure. But Iran has been around is a “strategic existential question that has made clear the War were any longer necessary. “The most important factor is probably Middle East (West Asia) and absurd support for over 2000 years and I believe if it can extent of its seriousness. Under the Trump presidency, the U.S. the fact that the dollar is probably going to of the Zionists,” the American analyst notes. hold out a few more years, if necessary, it Diskin added that he is talking about demographic, social, faced more difficulties in its international ties die this decade. It’s been printed to oblivion “However,” Love says, “Biden is prob- will be a leading country in Asia.” and economic trends that are already changing the essence of ‘Israel’, and can endanger its existence within one generation He warned that the division between Israelis deepens, and the division between right and left has become dominant much more Biden admin not serious to stop war in Yemen: Yemeni politician than the dispute between Jews and Arabs, and the lack of trust. Regimes of government are increasing, corruption is spreading 1 The Iranian position during Griffith’s visit to Tehran He announced that he met Iranian officials to talk in the government, and social solidarity is weak.” about possible ways of stopping the war in Yemen, sup- reflects a logical and fair response to those who claim peace porting an agreement between the warring parties for a while practicing aggression, killing, and continuous block- ceasefire, sending humanitarian aid to the country, and ade for six years. resuming the political process. What is your comment on the new U.S. adminis- Italian ambassador killed in The following is the text of the interview: tration’s decision to reverse Trump’s designation How do you evaluate the efforts of the United of Ansarullah as a foreign terrorist organization? Congo while in UN convoy Nations to end the war on Yemen? Trump’s decision to classify Ansarullah as a terrorist The Italian ambassador to Congo and an Italian carabineri police The international role is very unproductive and almost organization came on the last days of his administration; it officer were killed Monday during an attack on a UN convoy in an represents the interests of Western powers, where the UN came in the context of the state of confusion and crisis that area that is home to myriad rebel groups, the Foreign Ministry envoy Martin Griffiths as a British national always gives Washington experienced politically, and the repercussions and local people said. the political cover for aggression launched by the Saudi-led of that classification would have been negative for the Biden The ambush on the World Food Program convoy that killed coalition and provides justifications for all war crimes com- administration and the American people. Ambassador Luca Attanasio and the officer occurred near Goma, mitted against our people. Removing Ansarullah from terrorist groups did not come Congo’s eastern regional capital in the territory of Nyiragongo, The killing is ongoing through an unjust and suffocating as a desire to talk or a preparation to bring peace to Yemen. in North Kivu, Congolese civilians said, AP reported. siege that violates international and legal norms, and in all They are not serious in stopping the aggression and lift- It is the same area, known as the “three antennas,” where two his briefings to the Security Council, Griffiths praises the an impression that the Yemeni people who defend themselves ing the siege on the Yemeni people, otherwise Biden would Britons were kidnapped by unidentified armed men in 2018, criminal Saudi regime, describing its role in Yemen as hu- are being led under the direction of Tehran. make the decision to end the war and lift the siege directly. said Mambo Kaway, president of a local civil society group in manitarian even after massacres against children and women. It was a move to give legitimacy through media to How would you describe the role Saudi Arabia the Nyrangongo territory. In his visit to Tehran, Griffiths discussed ways the regimes that launched an aggression on Yemen in is playing in the war on Yemen? to end the war in Yemen with Iranian Foreign an effort to justify their interference and crimes against The Saudi regime serves the U.S. and Britain in the re- Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif and other offi- the Yemeni people. gion and is not able to take any decision independently and cials. What were the results of the visit? He knows well that the solidarity of the Islamic Republic has no control over its territory, so it is not entitled to be a Lebanese activist Anis al- Unfortunately, Griffiths represents the United Kingdom, with the Yemeni people doesn’t mean dictating policies and decision-maker for war or peace. not the United Nations. In fact, he failed in his mission as directing the Yemeni leaders, especially since the Yemeni Trump has previously stated that had it not been for Naqqash dies of Coronavirus an international mediator. people are in a position to defend themselves in the face of Washington, Saudi Arabia would not have been able to He tried, through his visit to the Islamic Republic, to give foreign aggression waged by 17 states, led by the U.S. fly its planes. Anis al-Naqqash, a political Lebanese activist in the field of Is- lamic resistance, died at the age of 70. He died on Monday after contracting the coronavirus, el- Nashra website reported. Thinking outside the mediated box: Why the EU shouldn’t condemn China’s BBC ban Naqqash was a veteran activist in the Islamic resistance front. He was also a comrade of Imad Mughniyeh, a senior Hezbollah By Keith Lamb leads to greater arms sales. These wars could not have happened ing Europe who they see as diluting European member who was assassinated in Syria in 2008, and the CIA In addition, Xinjiang is the key gateway without a cooperative media. True, in the identity and a threat to the achievements of the claimed credit for his unlawful murder. The EU’s urging of China, to reverse the ban for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that will UK there is often debate in the media leading European welfare systems. Simultaneously, on the BBC is misplaced considering how often bring to development and poverty alleviation to up to war. However, this merely gives a false liberals, who see homogenous European so- Britain has gone against European’s interests. Central Asia. In the case of Europe being at the impression of where power lies. In fact, the cieties as an inherent evil, support the influx Resistance News China’s banning of BBC World News comes as a other end of Eurasia it will also benefit greatly debate is just dressing to manage the illusion of the world’s desperate. reaction to Ofcom’s recent banning of the Chinese from increased connectivity and trade. This is of democracy while the imperial policy of war However, their righteousness, in part, is Court invalidates Balfour media outlet CGTN from broadcasting in the UK. why Eastern European EU members have so has been predetermined. also misplaced for these liberals do not recog- The EU said that Beijing’s move restricted enthusiastically joined BRI. One must always keep in mind that the weap- nize the hard power that lies behind their soft Declaration, holds UK “freedom of expression and access to infor- However, for states whose power tradition- ons of mass destruction claims, which justified the ideology. While the right is still coopted by the responsible for Palestinian plight mation inside its borders.” However, the BBC, ally rests on controlling the sea lanes, such as invasion of Iraq, proved to be false. Ominously, ideology of the former liberal empire, modern in conjunction with deep state transatlantic the UK and the US, inland development rep- hanging over the events of 911, which justified liberals (often called the left) are unaware that INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN— A Palestinian court has de- interests, has been engaged in a psyops prop- resents a geopolitical challenge to their order. the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, are the they have bought into the propaganda of the deskclared as invalid the Balfour Declaration, aganda war against China. Consequently, they seek to keep the continental over 3000 architects and engineers, represented new liberal empire. a document issued by the British government in 1917 that Take Xinjiang, where the BBC has parroted inlands in a state of uneven development. Thus, by Architects and Engineers for 911 Truth, who Western invasion based on the white man’s paved the way for the creation of Israel, as it violates the claims of genocide and concentration camps. BRI which most of the Global South is signed contest the official narrative of the 911 event. civilizing burden has now transformed into in- rules of international law. This is a naked attempt to link China’s image, up to must be countered. At any rate, the imperative question is how vasion based on a new civilizing mission. This The Court of First Instance in the city of Nablus in the in the consciousness of Westerners, with the One could argue that the BBC has been cleverly could any section of a responsible media en- civilizing mission seeks to bring Western univer- occupied West Bank on Sunday also held Britain legally re- policies of Nazi Germany. Despite such serious taken in by such propaganda. Maybe some will tertain calls for the illegal invasions of another sal freedoms and the liberal political-economic sponsible for the consequences of the Balfour Declaration, allegations, the BBC has never once looked into incredulously argue that the BBC exists separately country? Such a nefarious debate should simply form through the atrocity of war. demanding an apology to the Palestinians. who produces and funds these claims, let alone from the British state. However, the BBC’s staff not be able to take place. Any media worth its Clearly, when it comes to freedom of ex- The Balfour Declaration came in the form of a letter from examine closely the findings. are closely vetted by MI5. As such, one can only salt, conscious of the fact that false evidence and pression in China, there are evidently certain Britain’s then-foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour, addressed to It is the right-wing Christian Adrien Zenz assume that at the top of the organization there atrocity propaganda has been used to justify war, expressions such as the call to war, such as divide Lionel Walter Rothschild, a figurehead of the British Jewish and the think-tank Australian Strategic Policy must be some consciousness at what is at hand. would surely try to make amends for past failings? and rule tactics, and outright propaganda, paid community. It was published on November 2, 1917. Institute (ASPI) who produce the reports on Perhaps the EU has simply fallen for the Tragically, imperial policies decorated with for by those who wish to spark conflict, that ACCORDING TO The declaration was made during Xinjiang. Importantly, Zenz is paid for by the propaganda war directed against China that the frills of liberal democracy and media which China could do without. World War I (1914-1918), and included in the terms of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation emanates from Anglosphere states. After all, sells itself as free perpetuates a democratic For the EU or at least the EU citizens they British Mandate for Palestine after the dissolution of the (VCMF) and ASPI is funded by government and the art of propaganda and psyops was invent- illusion that hides deep state imperialism to this too should look at the shambles their elites, Ottoman Empire. military-industrial-complex sources. ed in the UK. These psyops operations have day. For example, in 2020, leaked documents backed by forces in the U.S. and the UK, have It is widely seen as the precursor to the 1948 Palestinian The VCMF is linked to the former think-tank been used effectively in Europe and around show that UK government contractors devel- created around Europe from Libya to Syria and Nakba, when Zionist armed paramilitary groups, who were Project for a New American Century which drew the world for the cause of empire. oped an advanced infrastructure of propaganda Iraq. It is these Europeans who in fact need trained and created to fight side by side with the British in up the plan to overthrow Syria, Iraq, Libya, The EU stands with the UK despite forces to stimulate support in the West for Syria’s a greater plurality of views and not a chorus World War II, forcibly expelled more than 750,000 Pales- North Korea and prevent China’s rise. Fur- within Britain campaigning for Brexit based on political and armed opposition. of a multitude of similar hues representing a tinians from their homeland, captured huge swathes of the thermore, the VCMF, funded by Washington, disseminating the view that the EU is a corrupt This has led to mainstream outlets across thin spectrum of debate. Arab land, and proclaimed existence of Israel. classifies all deaths including Nazi deaths, to and undemocratic organization. Be that as it the world, including the BBC, producing a once Unfortunately, the banning of CGTN from the The lawsuit was filed by Palestinian lawyers in October the Soviet Union, as victims of communism. It may, Westminster can hardly be described as a sided narrative supporting forces which seek UK will delete one of the few remaining voices last year on behalf of the National Assembly of Independents, is a right-wing propaganda organization that bastion for justice when it comes to the interests to upend the Syrian state, which like Gadhafi’s that do not entertain debates about neo-colonial the International Foundation for the Follow-up of the Rights seeks to demonize socialist states which it is of Europe and those further afield. Libya, rejects the Western banking system. This invasions which do nothing but bring misery to of the Palestinian People, and the Palestinian Journalists now doing through Adrien Zenz. Let us not forget that Britain, along with the chaos in Syria has brought the destitute from Europeans and non-Europeans alike. Syndicate, against the British government. ASPI, funded by the likes of Lockheed Martin US, stormed into Iraq killing thousands just after Syria into Europe as refugees. It has robbed Syria Keith Lamb is a political affairs writer who “Britain and its foreign minister at the time, Arthur and Raytheon, has an obvious agenda to stir up Saddam had started selling oil in Euros rather of its best as their skilled labor flees to Europe. concentrates on the international relations of James Balfour, from whom the ‘Balfour Declaration’ was a hostile narrative against China. This is because than dollars. Yet such tragedies including the For Europeans, this has brought the imperial China, neoliberalism, and socialism with Chinese issued at the time, neither owned Palestine nor did they such a narrative result in false heightened per- never-ending occupation of Afghanistan seem policy of divide and rule into the imperial core. characteristics. have the right to determine the fate of its people,” the ceptions of an aggressive China which in turn easily forgiven and forgotten. The right demonizes the innocent enter- (Source: Press TV) court ruled Sunday. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 HERITAGE & TOURISM FEBRUARY 23, 2021

Police arrest seven excavators, antique Eight historical mosques smugglers in northern Iran

HERITAGE TEHRAN – On Sunday evening, Irani- deskan police arrested seven illegal excava- made national heritage tors and antique smugglers while digging for historical objects on the outskirts of a tourist village in northern . TOURISM TEHRAN – A total of Stretched on a steep slope in Uraman The accused people were traced and finally arrested deskeight historical mosques Takht rural district of Sarvabad County, in district of after the authorities in different villages of the Uraman cultural the village is home to dense and step-like received reports from cultural heritage aficionados about landscape in western Iran have recently rows of houses in a way that the roof of their lawbreaking, IRNA reported. been added to the National Heritage list each house forms the yard of the upper with the aim of better maintenance and one, a feature that adds to its charm and preservation, the director of the cultural attractiveness. landscape has announced. The cultural landscape covers 300 Mohammadi Olia and Mohammadi So- villages and in terms of architecture and fla mosques in Dulab village, Mohammad landscape, it is one of the most beautiful Rasul Allah and Jameh mosques in Palan- and presentable heritages in the world. gan, Abdollah Omar mosque in Tangivar, Iran submitted the UN body a dossier Pir Omar in Galin, Abdollah Ibn Omar in for the Uraman cultural landscape in 2019. Ta and the historical mosque of Bozlaneh Some eighty experts in various fields village were inscribed on the prestigious compiled and developed the dossier in list, Pouya Talebnia said on Monday. terms of anthropology, archeology and The mosques belong to different his- history, natural sciences, architecture, torical eras, however, the oldest one dates historical documents, and other related back to the Ilkhanid era (1256–1353), while fields. some others date back to the Safavid-era Local officials believe that inscription (1501–1736) and Qajar period (1789–1925), of the property on the prestigious list of the official explained. the UN body could jumpstart tourism in Many religious ceremonies are held in the region and also look at it as a tool Some excavation tools and equipment have been seized this region, which has made the role of for better conservation of its natural from the culprits who were surrendered to the judicial mosques more important, he added. landscapes and unique cultural scenes system for further investigation, the report said He also noted that over the years people scribing the historical ones on the National Pirshalyar, which is named after a legend- for the next generations, saying its unique Soaked in a vibrant history, Mazandaran (also known have built new mosques on the remains of Heritage list seems necessary. ary local figure, is amongst time-honored rural texture, architecture, lifestyle, and as Tabarestan) was a cradle of civilization since the begin- the historical mosques instead of restoring Uraman is considered a cradle of Kurd- celebrations and rituals that are practiced agriculture is a prominent example of the ning of the first millennium BC. According to Britannica and renovating the old ones, therefor in- ish art and culture from the days of yore. annually across the region. integration of man into nature. Encyclopedia, it was almost overrun in about 720 CE by the Arab raiders. Its insecure eastern and southeastern borders were crossed by Mongol invaders in the 13th and 14th centuries. Cossacks attacked the region in 1668 but were repulsed. Archaeologists to restore ancient cemetery in Shiraz Tabarestan was ceded to the Russian Empire by a treaty in 1723, but the Russians were never secure in their oc- TOURISM TEHRAN – A team of archaeologists engraved on some other graves. desk cupation. The area was restored to Iran under the Qajar and cultural heritage experts will re- Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for dynasty. The northern section of the region consists of a store an ancient cemetery in Shiraz, southern Iran. over 2000 years, the southern Iranian city of Shiraz lowland alongside the Caspian and an upland along the “The 1200-year-old cemetery of Dar ol-Salam, which in Fars province has become synonymous with edu- northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains. is one of the historical treasures of Shiraz, will undergo cation, nightingales, poetry, and crafts skills passed some rehabilitation works in near future,” a member down from generation to generation. It was one of the of Shiraz City Council said on Monday. most important cities in the medieval Islamic world Moreover, historical structures including two old church- and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty Persian handicrafts: es, a fire temple, and a synagogue are also scheduled to from 1751 to 1794. go under restoration, Seyyed Ahmadreza Dastgheib said. Shiraz is home to some of the country’s most magnif- Chamush of Gilan A budget of 28 billion rials ($667,000 at the official icent buildings and sights. Increasingly, it draws more exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) has been al- and more foreign and domestic sightseers flocking into HERITAGE TEHRAN — Chamush is a kind of tra- located to the restoration projects, the official added. this provincial capital. deskditional footwear that has long been Dar ol-Salam cemetery is one of the oldest cemeter- Eram Garden, Afif-Abad Garden, Tomb of Hafez, crafted in some northern regions of Iran, particularly ies in the world, which dates back to the Islamic era, Tomb of Sa’di, Jameh Mosque of Atigh, and Persepolis in the province of Gilan. however, some archeologists believe that it belongs to are among the historical, cultural, and ancient sites in Fars Province. The footwear, which is made of leather, is traditionally the pre-Islamic era. of Shiraz that are of interest to domestic and foreign Shiraz is also home to some magnificent historical worn by local villagers and farmers. The most prominent There are several graves of scientists, mystics, lit- tourists. gardens such as Bagh-e Narenjestan and Eram Garden, center where Chamush is made in the village of Masuleh erati, and clergymen from different historical eras in The UNESCO-registered Persepolis, also known as which are top tourism destinations both for domestic of Fumanat county that is known for its beautiful and the cemetery. Takht-e Jamshid, whose magnificent ruins rest at the and international sightseers. unique architecture. The old gravestones are carved with different styles foot of Kuh-e Rahmat (Mountain of Mercy), was the UNESCO describes the Persian Garden as an idea that of calligraphy such as nas’taliq, naskh, and tholth, and ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It is combines natural elements with manmade components images of scissors, combs, mirrors, and work tools are situated 60 kilometers northeast of the city of Shiraz to materialize the concept of Eden or Paradise on Earth.

More illegal constructions tore down near glorious Sialk hills HERITAGE TEHRAN – Other il- Sialk and the importance of the Pro- Sialk is a treasure trove of information desklegally-built structures to-Elamite period in Iran; the Iron Age in about diverse subjects such as paleobota- -- previously constructed within the legal Sialk; and anthropological collections of ny, palaeozoology, palaeoanatomy, diet, boundaries of Sialk hills, were brought down Sialk preserved at the Paris-based Homme climate change, and ancient metallurgy. to earth on Monday. Museum were among topics discussed at Several excavation projects at the site “Two villas were destroyed on the judicial the conference. have so far been conducted, beginning with order by [Kashan’s] municipality…. They Situated halfway between Kashan and a 1933 French Louvre delegation led by were illegally constructed in an area of Fin in Isfahan province, Tapeh Sialk has Roman Ghirshman; capping with a most 1500 square meters in 1396 (2017) inside yielded interesting pottery pieces, metal recent project in 2009, which was led by the properties of the ancient site of Sialk,” tools, and domestic implements made from Hassan Fazeli-Nashli, a faculty member of CHTN quoted a local official as saying on stone, clay, and bone that date from as the Archaeology Department, University Monday. early as the 4th millennium BC. of Tehran. One of the traits of Chamush, which is a result of shrinkage or expansion of natural leather in different temperatures, is that they keep the feet cool in the warm seasons and warm, when it is cold, according to Visit Iran, the official travel guide of the country. Private sector establishing tourist complexes in Ardebil The Chamush are most commonly made by young TOURISM TEHRAN – A total of six tourist province and make it the winter tourism hub of the girls and women of Gilan, who use natural material that deskcomplexes are under construction in country. is produced locally. By practicing this craft, which is northwestern Ardebil province, the provincial tourism Back in November Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and passed from one generation to the next, they help raise chief has said. Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said that the income of the family. “With private sector investment, three complexes investment in the tourism sector and boosting tourism An interesting trait of Chamush is that, in terms of in Sarein and three complexes in Meshkinshahr are infrastructure hasn’t stopped despite the outbreak of looks, there is no difference between men’s or women’s, being built,” CHTN quoted Nader Fallahi as saying the coronavirus in the country. however, it is usual for men’s to be made from buffalo on Monday. Over the past years, a large number of tourism pro- leather, and women’s from goat leather. A budget of 4.3 trillion rials ($102 million at the jects have been commenced across the country, some of official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) has which have come on stream, he added. This volume of been allocated to the projects, some of which are com- investment indicates that investors have high hopes for Gigantic kilim carpet plete by 70 percent, the official added. the future of this industry in the post-coronavirus era The projects are expected to generate over 340 job and for the next years to come, the tourism minister said. unveiled in southern Iran opportunities as well as attract more tourists and trav- Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardebil is elers to the region after the coronavirus crisis comes well-known for having lush natural beauties, hospitable 1 Medallion carpet is any floor covering on which the to an end, he explained. people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition. It is also decoration is dominated by a single symmetrical centerpiece, Earlier in January, the official announced that more home to the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din such as a star-shaped, circular, quatrefoil, or octagonal figure. than 150 tourism-related projects are underway across when the number of tourists and travelers is expected Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble. the province although the COVID-19 pandemic has to rise magnificently. The province is very cold in winter and mild in sum- brought travel and tourism to a near-standstill. Last April tourism authorities of the province an- mer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city He also noted that the projects would prepare the nounced that they have developed extensive plans to of Ardebil is usually recorded as one of the coldest province’s tourism sector for the post-coronavirus era, draw more tourists during the winter season to the cities in the country in winter.

Ancient vessels recovered from smugglers in Fars HERITAGE TEHRAN – Five ancient judicial system for further investigation dom in 312 after Alexander’s death. The deskvessels have recently and prosecution, the official added. Parthian empire (247 BC– 224 CE) of the been confiscated from smugglers in the The ancient region, known as Pars (Fars), Arsacids (corresponding roughly to the southern city of Abadeh in Fars province, or Persis, was the heart of the Achaemenid modern Khorasan in Iran) replaced the a local tourism official has said. Empire founded by Cyrus the Great and had Seleucids’ rule in Persis during 170–138 The earthenware objects, which are of its capital at Pasargadae. Darius I the Great BC. The Sasanid Empire (224 CE–651) historical value, are now under assessment moved the capital to nearby Persepolis in the had its capital at Istkhr. Not until the 18th at Abadeh’s office for the cultural heritage, late 6th or early 5th century BC. Alexander century, under the Zand dynasty (1750–79) The name, however, is sometimes also given to a carpet on tourism, and handicrafts, Davoud Jafarpour the Great defeated the Achaemenian army of southern Iran, did Fars again became which the decoration consists of several forms of this kind said on Monday. at Arbela in 331 and burned Persepolis. the heart of an empire, with its capital at or even of rows of medallion figures. The culprits were surrendered to the Persis became part of the Seleucid king- Shiraz. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 23, 2021 SOCIETY 7

Iran proposes creating intl. How bad is bitcoin for the environment really?

In little over a decade, bitcoin has risen from a fringe technology fund for climate change popular with cryptographers, to the world’s ninth most valuable SOCIETY TEHRAN – Iran has Global Carbon Project, the top five countries asset by market cap. deskproposed setting up an that produced the most CO2 are China, the The cryptocurrency’s dramatic ascent has created millionaires, international fund to tackle climate change U.S., India, Russia, and Japan. reimagined money, and launched a multi-billion dollar industry and taxing all countries in proportion to While the U.S. has become the first nation inspired by its revolutionary decentralised technology. But it has their share of environmental pollution, in the world to formally withdraw from the also brought with it some unwanted side effects. IRNA reported on Monday. Paris climate agreement. In June 2017, for- The computing power required to support bitcoin’s underlying Those who harm the environment must mer United States President Donald Trump network now requires nearly as much energy as the entire country be held accountable by an international announced that the U.S. would cease all of Argentina, leading to criticism about its environmental footprint. body independent of powers and govern- participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement ments, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the on climate change mitigation, contending Expediency Council said. that the agreement would “undermine” Pointing to the industrialized nations of the the U.S. economy, and put the U.S. “at a United States and China as the main sources permanent disadvantage.” of climate change, he noted that some in the The U.S. is the second-largest emitter of world believe that all countries should reduce CO2, with approximately 5.41 billion metric greenhouse gas equally, but we cannot simply tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2018. accept it because we are at the beginning of The largest sources of CO2 emissions in development and on the other hand, some the U.S. come from power generation, countries have a much greater share in en- transportation, and industry. vironmental pollution and climate change. Iran is the seventh-largest emitter of CO2 Most environmental hazards are caused worldwide, producing 0.72GT of carbon di- by the Industrial Revolution, and the Unit- oxide in 2018. ed States plays a role in 20 percent of the report also found that the rate of emissions ed in the sky. Some of the heat-trapping However, Iran has in place legislation world’s climate change but does not pay growth is slowing down among some of the gases in the air right now date back to the obliging the Ministry of Energy to increase Analysis by the University of Cambridge suggests the bitcoin for it, Rezaei highlighted. world’s largest emitters. Industrial Revolution. And since that time, the share of renewables and clean power network uses more than 121 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, Carbon dioxide emissions reached a But climate change is a cumulative some countries have pumped out vastly plants to at least 5 percent of the country’s which would rank it in the top 30 electricity consumers world- record high in 2019, according to a report problem, a function of the total amount more carbon dioxide than others. capacity until the end of 2021, according to wide if it were a country. published by the Global Carbon Project. The of greenhouse gases that have accumulat- According to the most recent data from the the International Energy Agency. The energy demands have been fuelled by the surging price of bitcoin in recent months, which has seen it rise from below $5,000 (£3,600) last March to close to $50,000 today. Concerns about bitcoin’s energy demands have been around Iran closes Iraq border points to contain UK mutant coronavirus since the very beginning, with crypto pioneer Hal Finney tweeting about potential future CO2 emissions on 27 January 2009 – just according to the spokesman of Iran’s Customs Administration On February 13, President Hassan Rouhani emphasized two weeks after receiving the first ever bitcoin transaction from Rouhollah Latifi. the necessity for people to follow health protocols, as a the cryptocurrency’s pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto. However, the border customs offices are open to commerce new wave of coronavirus may hit the country within the The amount of energy bitcoin’s network consumes did not so that traders and businesspersons from both countries can next two months. rise to serious prominence until 2017, when a major price rally carry out border trade observing health protocols, he stated. He called on the people to observe the hygiene principles, drastically pushed up its energy needs to the level of a small Seyed Mohammad Alavi, Head of Khuzestan Health insisting that anyone who enters the country should undergo country. As the market cooled off in the years following, so did Center said that so far, 62 cases of UK mutated virus the COVID-19 test. “We should all join hands to prevent the the energy demands, but the latest all-time high hit this week have been identified in the country, 22 of whom were in fourth wave of the outbreak,” he asserted. is more than double that of three and a half years ago. And this Khuzestan province. New cases and mortalities time its energy requirements are even greater. Khuzestan is in a dangerous situation with 11 high- In a press briefing on Monday, Health Ministry’s spokesper- “Bitcoin’s energy consumption has more than quadrupled since risk “red” cities and 8 medium-risk “orange” cities, son Sima-Sadat Lari confirmed 8,263 new cases of COVID-19 the beginning of its last peak in 2017 and it is set to get worse because he lamented. infection, raising the total number of infections to 1,582,275. energy inefficiency is built into bitcoin’s DNA,” Charles Hoskinson, Iraqi nationals visiting Iran have worsened the coronavirus She added that 1,351,390 patients have so far recovered, but CEO of leading cryptography firm IOHK, tells The Independent. pandemic in the southwestern Khuzestan province, IRNA 3,685 remain in critical conditions of the disease. “Bitcoin’s carbon footprint will get exponentially worse be- quoted the province’s governor general, Qassem Soleima- During the past 24 hours, 89 patients have lost their lives, cause the more its price rises, the more competition there is for SOCIETY TEHRAN – Iran has closed five crossing ni-Dashtaki, as saying on Saturday. bringing the total number of deaths to 59,572, she added. the currency and thus the more energy it consumes.” deskpoints with Iraq to prevent the spread of More than 300 Iraqi nationals cross Chazzabeh and So far, 10,501,415 COVID-19 diagnostic tests have been Bitcoin’s environmental impact is exacerbated by the fact that the UK variant of coronavirus, ISNA reported. Shalamcheh borders on a daily basis, he said, adding performed in the country. a majority of miners are based in China, where over two thirds Border points of Kileh, Piranshahr, Chazzabeh, and that the issue has contributed to a rise in the number Lari noted that currently, 11 cities are at high-risk “red” of power is from coal. Shalamcheh were closed to travelers, and on Tuesday Meh- of coronavirus cases. zones, 52 cities in medium-risk “orange” zones, 217 cities The mining process required to generate new units of the ran border in the nearby province of Ilam will shut down, Eleven cities of the province are in the “high alert” situation. in low-risk “yellow” zones. cryptocurrency involves solving complex but arbitrary math- ematical equations, which currently requires vast amounts of computer processing power. Bitcoin miners therefore gravitate to where electricity is cheap- Engineers endeavor to change the world for the better est, meaning the fundamental issue is not with bitcoin but with 1 Engineering encompasses a whole Engineers must be critical yet creative; central to modern life and for sustainable a lack of cheap renewable energy production. range of industries that could include on- curious yet capable; as well as ready to development. Fortunately, there are solutions being put in place, with some site, practical construction work as well as handle the constantly changing world. The World Engineering Day 2021 eco-friendly mining facilities already operating at a massive scale. evaluating safety systems from an office. In an advanced technological world, we (WED2021), with the theme “Engineer- In Iceland and Norway, where nearly 100 per cent of all energy They use the knowledge they have within need engineers to bring ideas into reality. ing for A Healthy Planet- Celebrating the production is renewable, cryptocurrency miners are taking ad- a specific industry in order to make things By applying the principles of mathematics UNESCO Engineering Report”, will focus vantage of cheap hydro-electric and geothermal energy to power work and solve problems, whether this is with and science, engineers develop solutions on celebrating the launch of the 2nd UN- their machines. The low temperatures in the countries also help transport, medicine, entertainment, space, to the world’s biggest technical issues. ESCO Engineering Report “Engineering reduce costs by cooling the computer servers naturally. or the environment. In fact, engineering is The engineering portfolio knows no for Sustainable Development: Delivering Last year, the University of Cambridge’s third Global Cryp- behind everything. bounds, but these people are all work- on the Sustainable Development Goals”. toasset Benchmarking Study found that 76 per cent of crypto- Healthcare has also improved dramat- ing to the same common goal: building a The Day is also an opportunity to engage currency miners use electricity from renewable sources in their ically thanks to advancements in medi- sustainable world. Whatever you wish to with government and industry to address operations. This figure was up from 60 per cent from the same cal technology thanks to engineers. The contribute to society through your engi- of scientific articles produced, he noted, the need for engineering capacity and the benchmarking study in 2018. improvement of medical technology has neering dedication, nothing compares to adding, we have registered more than quality of engineers around the world and This trend is expected to continue, according to projections meant that the discovery of illnesses and the knowledge that you’ve achieved some- 6,000 scientific articles and documents develop strategic frameworks and best prac- from the International Renewable Energy Agency, which reported treatment has helped to save and improve thing that’s impacted people’s lives for in the world’s reputable scientific data- tices for the implementation of engineering last year that renewable energy sources are increasingly more the lives of many people. the better. bases in 2020. solutions for sustainable development. cost-efficient than fossil fuels. The importance of engineering Iran’s ranking in engineering World Engineering Day The celebration of World Engineering “In its current status, the infrastructure that supports the bitcoin in the modern world Iran is ranked 10th in the world in the The World Engineering Day for Sus- Day is also about promoting engineering protocol cannot be sustained, but the beauty of the protocol is that The world is changing, and engineers field of engineering, and in some scien- tainable Development was proclaimed by as a career and how it is an opportunity the incentive structure will force miners to adopt the cheapest form are the ones behind so much of this de- tific fields, it also ranked below 10, Gho- UNESCO at its 40th General Conference in to change the world for the better. There of electricity, which in the near future will be renewable energy,” velopment. The majority of today’s ser- lam-Hossein Rahimi, deputy minister of 2019. It is celebrated worldwide on March is a great deal to be done especially to Don Wyper, COO of DigitalMint, tells The Independent. vices and products had some element of science for research and technology told 4 of each year since 2020. The day offers achieve the UN Sustainable Development “I think the latest University of Cambridge study is misguided, engineering involved in their conception ISNA on Wednesday. an opportunity to highlight engineers and Goals in developing countries to ensure as bitcoin is acting as a ‘digital gold’ and therefore should be at least, paving the way to long, fulfilling, In 2020, Iran was ranked 15th in ISI engineering achievements in our modern that everyone has access to clean water, compared to the energy consumption of other store-of-val- and healthy lives for the people influenced and 14th in Scopus (International Cita- world and improve public understanding sanitation, reliable energy, and other basic ue-assets... The gold mining industry consumes 475 million by them. tion Database) in terms of the number of how engineering and technology are human needs. GigaJoules worth of electricity annually. LET’S LEARN PERSIAN ENGLISH IN USE (Part 134) (Source: saadifoundation.ir) LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION

۵۶ درصــد موتورســیکلت هــا در ۵ اســتان of motorcycles running in only 5 56% تردد دارند provinces رییــس مرکــز شــماره گــذاری و تعویــض پــاک پلیــس راهــور ناجــا گفــت: بنابــر آمارهــا، Some 56 percent of the total motorcycles in the country are run- ۵۶ ning in only five provinces, Ali Mohammadi, a senior traffic police درصــد موتورســیکلت هــا تنهــا در ۵ اســتان تــردد مــی کننــد. official has said. ســرهنگ علــی محمــدی روز یکشــنبه افــزود: از ۳۲ میلیــون و ۹۰۰ هــزار دســتگاه انــواع Of all 32.9 million vehicles in the country, motorcycles amount وســایل نقلیــه در کشــور، ۱۱ میلیــون و ۶۵۰ هــزار دســتگاه یعنــی معــادل ٣۵ درصــد را to 11.6 million, accounting for 35 percent of the total vehicles موتورســیکلت هــا شــامل مــی شــوند. .moving in the country, he stated وی اظهــار داشــت: برابــر آمارهــا تهــران بــزرگ، خراســان رضــوی، اصفهــان، فــارس و According to the statistics, 56 percent of motorcycles are plying خوزســتان ۵۶ درصــد موتورســیکلت هــای کشــور را در خــود جــای داده انــد. ,the roads in 5 provinces of Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, Isfahan رییــس مرکــز شــماره گــذاری و تعویــض پــاک پلیــس راهــور ناجــا گفــت: تهــران بــزرگ بــا .Fars and Khuzestan, he added حــدود ۲ میلیــون دســتگاه موتورســیکلت، خراســان رضــوی ۱.۳ میلیــون دســتگاه، اصفهــان There are 2 million motorcycles in Tehran, 1.3 million in Khorasan Razavi, 1.2 million in Isfahan, 916,000 in Fars, and 564,000 in ۱.۲ میلیــون دســتگاه، فــارس ۹۱۶ هــزار دســتگاه و خوزســتان بــا ۵۶۴ هــزار دســتگاه Khuzestan, he also said. موتورســیکلت بیشــترین موتورســیکلت هــای کشــور را بــه خــود اختصــاص دادنــد. -The capital city of Tehran alone has the biggest share of motor محمــدی بــا بیــان اینکــه بیــش از ۲۱ درصــد موتورسـ ـیکلتهای کشــور در تهــران بــزرگ تــردد cyclists constituting 21 percent of the estimated 56 percent, he مــی کننــد، اظهــار داشــت: تهران بیشــترین ســهم موتورســیکلت را در ســطح کشــور داراســت. .noted, IRNA reported on Sunday Prayer Times Noon:12:18 Evening: 18:12 Dawn: 5:17 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:41 (tomorrow) FEBRUARY 23, 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 Complutense University of Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051430 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Madrid to review Majidi’s films Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 ARTTEHRAN — The Majidi’s child labor drama “Sun deskComplutense University Children” is among the 15 movies shortlisted of Madrid will be hosting an international in the foreign-language film category at Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 webinar on Iranian cinema opening today the 93rd Academy Awards. with a focus on three films by filmmaker “Sun Children” tells the story of No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran Majid Majidi. 12-year-old Ali and his three friends. P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Zip Code: 1599814713 Several Iranian and Spanish scholars Together, they work hard to survive and are expected to attend the webinar, which support their families, doing small jobs has been organized by Iran’s Cultural in a garage and committing petty crimes Office in Madrid in collaboration with to make fast money. the Farabi Cinema Foundation and Casa Everything changes, however, when Asia, a Barcelona-based center promoting Ali is entrusted to find a hidden treasure Spain’s relations with Asian countries. underground but must first enroll at the Sun Farabi Cinema Foundation director School, a charitable institution that tries Alireza Tabesh, Cinema Organization of to educate street kids and child laborers. Iran director Hossein Entezami and José The movie had its Iranian premiere GUIDE TO Antonio, a scholar from Complutense during the 38th Fajr Film Festival in Tehran University, are expected to make in February 2020, garnering the Crystal SPIRITUAL AWAKENING speeches at the webinar. Simorghs for best film, script and set design. Majidi’s “Color of Paradise” will be Numerous international events, Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and screened on the first day and reviewed including the 77th Venice Film Festival, prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between by Bernardo Herrera, a scholar from have also screened the movie. The festival people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind. Venezuela, as well as Francisco Garcia, A scene from “The Willow Tree” by Iranian director Majid Majidi. honored the film’s star Ruhollah Zamani Prophet Muhammad (S) and Iranian scholars Zahra Razi and The second day will be followed by blind middle-aged university professor with the Marcello Mastroianni Award. Damun Afkari. screening and reviewing Majidi’s “The who regains his vision after surgery. The 33rd International Film Festival “The Color of Paradise” is a fable of a Willow Tree”, while “Baran” will also be “Baran” is set during recent times in for Children and Youth in Isfahan also blind child’s innocence and a complex screened and reviewed on the third day. which there are many Afghan refugees awarded Majidi as best director and Al-Kawthar making sequel look at faith and humanity. “The Willow Tree” is about Yusef, a living on the outskirts of Tehran. Zamani as best actor. to series on victim of Saudi sectarianism Zakaria al-Jaber Movies from Iran line up for Taos Shortz Film Fest ARTTEHRAN – Al-Kawthar TV, the Tehran-based deskArabic-language television channel, is making a Consequently, the organizers have decided to combine to be screened at the festival. It is about Reza and Tuba, sequel to “Zakaria Jaber”, an animation series on Zakaria al-Jaber, the 14th and 15th editions, which will be held online. a young couple that owns a house mortgaged with a a six-year-old Shia boy who became a victim of sectarianism in The Taos Shortz Film Fest, the longest continually bank. Reza enters a gambling game to pay the bank Saudi Arabia in 2019. running film festival in New Mexico, will be held for installments, but he lost his wife without knowing it. “The first season was made 22 days from March 19. Now, he comes back home and understands the depth for children and young adults “Doll” by Nasrin Golreyhan is a highlight of the of the tragedy and looks for a way to escape and run to promote the culture of Iranian lineup. It is about a woman journalist who away from gamblers, but it’s too late and they are martyrdom and sacrifice and finds a child on the battlefield and is forced to leave behind the door. Tuba realizes the facts, little by little. support of the oppressed, and and abandon her. “You’re Still Here” by Katayun Parmar and the second season is now in “A Roofless House” by Shayan Shahverdi about two Mohammad Ruhbakhsh will also compete in the event. the pre-production stage,” the young adults who learn about each other through an When the relationship of a young couple is on the verge director Al-Kawthar Children’s unexpected evening. of collapsing in the face of one man’s blindness, the “Forbidden to See Us Scream in Tehran” by Farbod only thing that will save them is their common past. and Young Adults Department, “Doll” by Nasrin Golreyhan. Somayyeh Morovati, said in Ardebili is also competing in the festival. “Inner Self” by Mohammad Hormozi, “Ava” a press release published on ARTTEHRAN – Nineteen movies by The film tells the story of the frontwoman for an by Sasan Karimi, “Even an Hour Later” by Parviz desk Monday. Iranian filmmakers will be screened Iranian death metal band, who risks everything as Shojaei, “Sfumato” by Amir-Ali Mirderikvand “The “Director of the first at the Taos Shortz Film Fest in the United States. she plots to call the cops on her own underground Granddaughter” by Mohsen Habibi and Mostafa series Reza Fasahat will also Due to the pandemic, the 2020 edition of the festival concert in the hopes that the raid will help her secure Daryadar, “The Rotation” by Hazhir As’adi, “Our collaborate in the second series, was postponed indefinitely, however, it was never her asylum in another country. Out of Five” by Bahar Tofiqi and “Past Continuous” which will be produced in 100 was organized. “Haunt” by Siamak Kashefazar has also been selected by Shiva Taheri are also on the lineup. An image of the animation episodes, with each episode series “Zakaria Jaber” produced lasting seven minutes,” she said. by Iran’s Al-Kawthar TV. The series is due to be broadcasted in the summer. Mowj Intl. Short Film Festival honors winners According to reliable sources the boy, Zakaria al-Jaber, was in CULTURE TEHRAN – Winners promote the natural beauty of the island of “Dabor” is about how parents deal with the holy city of Medina with his mother to visit the shrine of Prophet deskof the 4th edition of the Crete on which the father left his imprint. their children’s puberty. Muhammad (S) when the tragic incident took place in February 2019. Mowj International Short Film Festival The awards in the Tourism category were According to director of the festival The boy and his mother were in a taxi on the way to the green- were honored during a closing ceremony next announced. Ebrahim Hesari, a lineup of 41 films in domed shrine, one of the two holiest shrines for Muslims, when held on the island on Sunday. The best artistic achievement award was the national section and 20 films in the the driver got an inkling that they were Shia. “Lene 1927”, a documentary by Iranian given to “Chauffer” by Arman Fayyaz. international section were competing at The taxi driver immediately stopped the car near a coffee shop filmmaker Behruz Abbas Dashti, focusing The award for best screenplay was handed the festival this year. in the Al-Tilal neighborhood and forced the boy out. Then he on the journey of the Austrian painter Lene to Mahyar Mandegar for “White Winged The films were coming from Sweden, Iraq, smashed a glass bottle and with a shard of broken glass slit the Schneider-Kainer (1885- 1971) to Iran, won Horse”, while Mandegar also received the Morocco, Spain, Tanzania, France, Lebanon, boy’s throat and stabbed him in front of his screaming mother. the award for best documentary in the award for best director in this section. Austria, Syria, Peru and several others. The helpless mother tried to stop the assailant but he managed international section. Named the best film of the festival was the Founder of the River Film Festival in Italy to overpower her. She cried out for help but nobody came. Then she “Kavez”, a documentary featuring the efforts film “White Winged Horse”, which, as a result, Emilio Della Chiesa, film producer Irina collapsed on the ground, next to the bleeding body of her tender-aged son. by a tortoise which is trapped in a net and tries can directly attend the Slemani International Ruiz Figueroa from Panama and actress An honoree receives his award at the to save itself by director Reza Akbarian won Film Festival in the Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah. Fatemeh Motamed-Arya from Iran were the closing ceremony of the 4th edition of the the special documentary award. “Ojagh” by Iranian filmmaker Ali jury members of the international section Mowj International Short Film Festival The special award is a one-week trip Bolandnazar won the award for best short of the festival this year. Woody Allen’s “Death” on February 21, 2021. (Kish.ir) to the islands of Kish and Hendurabi for documentary. It is a study of the rituals of the Kianush Ayyari, Turaj Aslani, Hooman at Tehran theater research works. from Greece. Qashqai Turkic tribe regarding fire. Seyyedi, Mahvash Sheikholeslami and The award for best short fiction was given The movie is about the father of the director, The best fiction award was also handed Mohsen Ostadali were the jury members ARTTEHRAN – Woody Allen’s 1975 comedy to “Just like Water” by Manos Triantafillakis Spyros, his life and experiences, seeking to to “Dabor” by Saeid Nejati. of the national section. deskplay “Death” is on stage at Jamshid Mashyekhi Theater in Tehran. Alireza Ahmadi-Kheiri is directing the play based on a Persian translation by Shahram Zargar. “Hayek on Liberty” by John Gray comes into Iranian bookstores “Death” is a comedic version of Eugène Ionesco’s 1959 play “The CULTURE TEHRAN – A Persian translation of the debate over the future of conservatism, as Gray argues Killer”. His 1991 film “Shadows and Fog” was based on this play. deskJohn Gray’s “Hayek on Liberty” has that Hayekian liberalism, the most well-articulated recently been published by Now Publications in Tehran. political theory of the new right, is flawed. The book has been translated into Persian by John Gray is Emeritus Professor of European Khashayar Deihimi. Thought at the London School of Economics. He Not available since the 1980s, this updated edition is a regular contributor to the Guardian and the by the leading political philosopher, John Gray, Times Literary Supplement and the author of over a outlines his new position on Hayek. In a substantial dozen books, including “Heresies” and the bestselling new chapter, Gray assesses how far the historical “Straw Dogs”. development of the last ten years can be deployed His other noteworthy credits are “False Dawn: in a critique of Hayek’s thought. the Delusions of Global Capitalism”, “Black Mass: His reassessment is not only a provocative study of a Front cover of the Persian translation of John Gray’s Apocalyptic Religion” and “The Death of Utopia”, and classical philosopher, it is also a timely contribution to “Hayek on Liberty”. “Al Qaeda and What It Means to Be Modern”.

A poster for Woody Allen’s play “Death” at Tehran’s “Brooklyn Girl” surfaces in Iranian bookstores Jamshid Mashyekhi Theater. CULTURE TEHRAN – “Brooklyn married in three weeks. Of course, I would by Aria Nuri was previously published The play is about Kleinman, a meek salesman that is awoken deskGirl”, a novel by love her, regardless of what she had done. by Alborz in 2016. late one night by a mob led by a man named Hacker, who forces Guillaume Musso, one of the most popular At least that’s what I thought, but she From his early childhood with reading him to join their vigilante group dedicated to catching a serial authors in France today, has recently feverishly rummaged through her bag books and plays, Guillaume Musso killer who frequently changes his modus operandi. been published in Persian. and held out a photo to me. became convinced that one day, he too Hacker claims to have a plan to catch the maniac, but when Abbas Agahi is the translator of the ‘I’m the one who did this.’ would write novels. Kleinman asks about what he has to do, each man in the group book published by Jahane Ketab. “I gazed upon her secret, stunned, After finishing high school in France, says that they are only aware of their own part of the plan so the This novel has been published in more and knew that our lives had been shaken he left for the United States at the age of killer won’t catch on. They march him to the street to stand guard than 40 countries around the world, and forever. In my state of shock, I got up 19. He spent several months in New York and leave him on his own to await his part in the plan. is particularly exciting because it is more and left without saying a word. When City, living with other young foreigners Amirreza Kushani, Seyyed Moslem Hojjati, Amir-Mohammad thrilling than any other work. I returned it was too late: Anna had and earning his money by selling ice- Azizi, Nasim Nasiri, Parmida Shayan, Mohammad-Javad Rezvani, The following excerpt is from disappeared. And I’ve been looking for cream. Ali Bigdeli, Zahra Jafari and Mohammad Rezai-Moqaddam “Brooklyn Girl”: her ever since.” He came home to France with his head are the members of the cast. Allen’s plays have always been “I remember the moment very well. Metronews describes the novel as filled with ideas for novels. The readers regarded by Iranian theater troupes and theatergoers. We were looking out over the sea, the “A dizzying psychological thriller with can easily see the influence his time in A group by director Sajjad Qatei performed a reading of Allen’s horizon shining, when Anna asked the a staggering ending!” the United States has had on him, as the “Old Saybrook” at Shahrzad Theater in Tehran in March 2019. question: ‘If I did something terrible, “Unbearable suspense! Once you open action in his books takes place overseas. In addition, director Shaahin Ramezani staged his “Death would you still love me?’ the novel, you won’t put it down until you He currently teaches in a high school in Knocks” during the 38th Fajr International Theater Festival “How would you have answered? Anna know who this Brooklyn girl really is.” the south of France, all the while working Front cover of the Persian translation of in Tehran in 2020. was the lady of my life. We were getting A Persian translation of “Brooklyn Girl” on his novels. Guillaume Musso’s novel “Brooklyn Girl”.