groups of society and politicians in the in politicians and society of groups certain among ripe is non-Christians Islamically oriented, as with Daesh and whether terrorism against fights that Iran of government Islamic the genuinely is it that understand would West region, significant pro-Western government in the for the West due to the collapse of the most in Iran was seen as a major geopolitical defeat Islam as a religion. Secondly, the revolution Arabs as a race, Palestinians as a nation, and was accompanied by the demonization of First, the legitimation in the West of Israel difficult. Several factors can be mentioned. West in the contemporary period is not so and present a distorted image of Islam? groups or politicians try to demonize Islam mostly directed against Islam. in the Leader’s letter, dated January 2015, is West. This feeling of hatred, as mentioned the same year. in Hebdo the followed letters The 2015. on January 21, 2015 and November 29, Khamenei’s letters to the youth in the West Ali Ayatollah Revolution Islamic the of The core of the interview is about Leader 21. June on published was Falk fessor exclusive interview. University, tells the Tehran Times in an professor of international law at Princeton a currently Falk, States,” United the or Taliban, or state terrorism as with Israel exercised by Israel and the United States. groups such as Daesh and state terrorism try that is “genuinely” fighting terrorist Iran as an Islamic system is the only coun- UN Special Rapporteur for Palestine, says former the Falk, –Richard TEHRAN U.S. ‘stateterrorism’ groups and Israeli and is fighting terrorist Palestine says Iran Rapporteur for Former UNSpecial Richard Falk terrorism: genuinely fighting It isIranthat File photo Prospects ofIran-Iraqties By

France in January and November of November and January in France A: Explaining the focus on Islam by the The first part of the interview with Pro the in we examined, are facts the “If Following is the text of interview: M.A.Saki

Discrimination or hatred toward hatred or Discrimination

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Charlie 3 WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM - had been sentenced to death. hossein Esmaeili announced that Mousavi-Majd announced on Monday. Judiciary the out,” carried was espionage, for to Mousavi-Majd, who was sentenced to death executed on Monday morning. CIA and was sentenced to death last and month, was Mossad for spying of convicted was who TEHRAN —Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, a man Tehran Times/ Samira Nazari In early June, Judiciary spokesman Gholam- “This morning, the ruling that was handed was that ruling the morning, “This to banIranianmovie“Muhammad” Indian Muslimscholarsopposegovernment’sbid So, there are ways to register the protest. You may disagreewiththemovieoritscontent. and Secularism, has criticized the demand. the director of the Center for Study of Society on online platforms on July 21. ported on Saturday. demand, the Mumbai Mirror newspaper re scholars and intellectuals have slammed the Muslim however, movie, the of release the for Study of Society and Secularism to prevent of Islam (S). 2015 movie about the childhood of the Prophet senger of God”, Iranian director Majid Majidi’s prevent the release of “Muhammad, the Mes opposed Maharashtra government’s attempt to have India in scholars TEHRAN – Muslim 12 Pages “I am against any kind of censorship. You Objecting to the censorship, Irfan Engineer, The government has requested the Center The movie is slated to be released globally Price50,000Rials Spy working for Mossad, CIA put to death: Judiciary expansion oftrade 3 working groupson Iran, EAEUtoset up 1.00EURO 4.00AED - - collected and transmitted intelligence on the on intelligence transmitted and collected nected with Mossad andCIAservices and had con been had who Mousavi-Majd, Mahmoud in early January. assassination of General Soleimani in Baghdad American the with do to nothing has vi-Majd Court,” Esmaeili said. given a death sentence by the Islamic Revolution location of Martyr General Soleimani, has been Rcnl a idvda nmd Seyyed named individual an “Recently The Judiciary later said the case of Mousa he said. objectionable. Why be a wrench in the gears?” its opinion on the movie and delete the scenes if banning the movie, a panel of experts could give first watch the movie to object to it. Instead of resentation or a wrong interpretation? One should tioned the objection to the movie. ques- Arzoo, Sarfaraz newspaper, Urdu an of hammad’s life, which is inspiring.” “Many Muslims are not aware of Prophet Mu raised if the movie narrates the life of Prophet. Mukadam questioned as to why an objection was Engineer said. past,” the in times several happened has it andwrong is movie the banning of thought educate people or protest on the streets. The content, the over debate lawsuit, a file can 42ndyear Terming the controversy unnecessary, editor “Does the movie have a historical misrep historical a have movie the “Does Writer and scholar on Islam, Abdul Kadar

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JULY development plan fortourism Iran preparesstrategic 21,2020 - - UNESCO World Heritage list. the on caravanserai Saltaneh Sa’d-al register to ment announced that it seriously pursues efforts name. famed for carpets and seedless grapes. and social centers in the ancient city which is also from 1548-98. the capital of the Persian Empire under Safavids tourist site in the city of Qazvin, which was once The 19th-century bazaar of Sa’d-al Saltaneh is a top ly restored Qajar-era caravanserai of the same the of caravanserai Qajar-era restored ly Sa’d-al Saltaneh, Sa’d-al Saltaneh, - - a top tourist site a top tourist site in Baghdad’s international airport. mand of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-com ordered airstrikes that killed General Soleimani apprehension. since custody from released been never has the Judiciary said, explaining that the convict 2019, 25, August on case his on ruling itial that incident and the court had issued an in Bazaars have traditionally been major economic The bazaar is located adjacent to a beautiful See page2 See

On January 3, U.S. President Donald Trump Mousavi-Majd was arrested months before In April, Qazvin province’s tourism depart

Tir31,1399 into unmarkedcars U.S. protests:Troops‘kidnap’protesters tutional rights”. a violation of their civil liberties and consti ble cause is “extraordinarily concerning and Boyle, said arresting people without proba of infections. pandemic, which is causing spiking numbers the from distraction a as serves of winning political points elsewhere, and also Trump is looking for a confrontation in the hopes Trump Ted Wheeler demanded from or have them leave our city,” Portland Mayor property they were sent to protect. ers have used unmarked vehicles to detain U.S. the in officers enforcement law Federal in Qazvin in Qazvin

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(bpd) at the field. dayper 320,000barrels of capacity a with (CTEP) Plant Export Treatment field as well as constructing a Central oil Azadegan South of development the completing for Monday on deal a (PEDEC) and Petropars Group signed gineering and Development Company TEHRAN — wins to book a place in the next round of support and care. if the federation gives them the proper Cup World FIFA 2022 the for qualify the Iranian players can help their team he is not familiar with him but he is sure cannot talk about Dragan Skocic since he that says Ghotbi Afshin team ball TEHRAN — than 500 less of volume a (with sample sputum the in (ROS) species oxygen reactive of sensor to selectively detect the intensity the real-time diagnosis of COVID-19. of Tehran managed to develop a system for at the Institute of Cancer and the University TEHRAN – Dhi AlQada By Masoud Hossein ByMasoud Domestic firmsinkdealtodevelopSouth h da, ot $6 mlin plus million $961 worth deal, The The “Persian Leopards” need four need Leopards” “Persian The Comparing the results of the sensor the of results the Comparing They designed a simple electrochemical Iranian scientists develop system for Iranian scientists developsystem for real-time diagnosisofCOVID-19

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- - not leave any harmful substances after use. he explained. green disinfectants based on natural materials, three prepare to field this in studies tensive ex conduct to company our led substances, non-toxicand natural on based coronavirus, on harmful microorganisms especially the new pollute groundwater and soil, he added. system disorders and cancer. increase the risk of respiratory and central nervous stances, they can irritate the eyes and skin, and quality; when they contain anthropogenic sub chemicals over time that will reduce indoor air germs, disinfectants can build up levels of toxic at Amirkabir University. safe, Mehran Javanbakht, Faculty of Chemistry fectants in their daily lives to keep themselves many people to use more cleansers and disin matically; the novel coronavirus has prompted dra increased has disinfectants for demand of Technology. University Amirkabir of chemists of team a by ardous nature and biodegradability are produced coronavirus, ISNA reported on Monday. and pollution risks of synthetic disinfectants amid natural resources to address the health hazards in developing eco-friendly disinfectants based on TEHRAN – in Iran disinfectants produced Eco-friendly - ih h ost f OI-9 pandemic, COVID-19 of onset the With The disinfectants with the virtue of nonhaz According to Javanbakht, these disinfectants do The idea of producing disinfectants effective Washing these accumulated toxins away can He went on to note that while effective at killing unanswered.” go not will and unconstitutional flat-out are ACLU of Oregon Jann Carson said. it kidnapping,” interim executive director of the cars forcibly grab someone off the street, we call everyone in the United States”. violating people’s rights, which “should concern of Oregon said the federal agents appear to be order against them. without probable cause. civil rights of Oregonians by detaining them theviolated have they alleging Service tion Customs Protec Federal and Protection Border and Service, Marshals the Security, Homeland of Department U.S. the against said she would file a lawsuit in federal court among AFC Asian Cup Cup Asian AFC among Ranjbar Mohajerani, top three coaches three top - - - “The actions of the militarised federal officers The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) “Usually “Usually when we see people in unmarked She will also seek a temporary restraining Director Touraj Dehqani and Petropars Managing PEDEC by signed was lion), mil- $281.66 (about rials trillion 11.83 period. pacity to 320,000 bpd over a 30-month increasing the field’s production ca Shana reported. of Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, CEO Hamidreza Mahmoudi at the presence Asian Football Confederation (AFC). on the new match dates scheduled by the on November 11 and 16 respectively based later. Iran will also face Bahrain and Iraq days five Cambodia to travel will and 7, can make it possible. players Iranian the that believe tion, Iran in the 2010 World Cup qualifica headed already has who Ghotbi, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification diagnosis in less than 30 were detected while the sensor declares the ple. More than 97% of true positive patients tracking of COVID-19 from the sputum sam- shed promising lights in ROS based real-time sensitivity both 97%. response calibration with accuracy and normal and involved cases resulted in a with clinical diagnostics of more than 140 As reported, the deal is aimed at aimed is deal the reported, As Iran will host Hong Kong on October October on Kong Hong host will Iran Testing the sensor in more than 4 hospitals Iranian researchers have succeeded

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Iraqi PM seeks balanced ties with Iraqi Kurdistan no staging ground Iran, S. Arabia and U.S.: analyst

POLITICAL TEHRAN – Amir Mousavi, an international deskrelations analyst, has said that Iraqi Prime for anti-Iran attacks: Barzani Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi seeks to create a balance in his Senior Kurdish political leader Masoud night, when we were attacked by ISIL country’s relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Barzani has given Iran an assurance that (Daesh), Iran sent us two airplanes full “In his visits to Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United States, the Iraqi Kurdistan region will never be of weapons. This was a great help for that Al-Kadhimi makes efforts to create a balance among these three used to threaten the Islamic Republic’s moment,” Barzani said at that time. countries in Iraq. If he succeeds, it will be a great achievement interests. At a joint press conference with Zarif in for him,” he told IRNA in an interview published on Monday. Barzani, the former President of the Erbil back then, Barzani said, “We asked for Mousavi added that Kadhimi believes that balanced relations Kurdistan Region from 2005 to 2017 and weapons and Iran was the first country to with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. will result in economic the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic provide us with weapons and ammunition.” development, stability and security in Iraq. Party (KDP), made the remarks in a Sun- In the Sunday meeting held in the Iraqi He also noted that the Iraqi day meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Kurdistan region, Zarif said for his part that prime minister seeks to play a Mohammad Javad Zarif in Erbil. Tehran has always sought friendly relations mediatory role between Iran “The Kurdistan region will never turn between Baghdad and Erbil. and Saudi Arabia. into a place to threaten the interests and The two sides also stressed the need The analyst said that a “po- security of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” for expansion of business relations while litical peace” between Iran and Barzani said in the meeting. observing health protocols in the wake of Saudi Arabia will benefit the He also pointed to strong bonds be- the COVID-19 outbreak. region and in that case Iraq can tween the Iranian and Iraqi nations, and Zarif arrived in Erbil on Sunday evening, benefit from Iran’s scientific and highlighted the unforgettable role played after a trip to Baghdad where he held several technologic capabilities and by Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani meetings with high-ranking Iraqi officials Saudi Arabia’s financial power. in the defeat of Daesh terrorists. including Prime Minister Mustafa al-Ka- Iraqi officials told The New In an interview with Sky News Arabic dhimi and President Barham Salih. Arab in June that Kadhimi was in 2014, when Daesh overran the Kurd- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meets with Masoud Barzani, the leader The Iranian top diplomat’s meeting planning his first foreign tour ish-populated northern Iraqi town of Sinjar, of Kurdish Democratic Party in Erbil on July 19, 2020 (Photo by IRNA) with PM al-Kadhimi was held ahead of with visits to and Saudi Arabia, then president of Iraqi Kurdish Regional Iran was the first country to provide Iraq’s to fight off the terrorist group. the latter’s trip to Riyadh. Iran and the United States in Government (KRG) Masoud Barzani said embattled Kurdish region with weapons “We have to tell the truth. On our first (Source: Press TV) July. Kadhimi was planning to visit Riyadh on Monday. However, his visit was postponed as the Saudi king was hospitalized. After his visit to Riyadh, the prime minister was scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Tuesday. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced Even U.S. allies are frustrated by sanctions, says presidential chief of staff on Monday that the prime minister’s visit to Iran will not be “Policy of sanctions is an inhuman, cruel and rotten policy and must be stopped. This is not just Iran’s view.” postponed. Kadhimi formally took office on May 7. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Presidential chief of staff European companies and interests,” Borrell said in a desk Prime Minister Kadhimi probably wants to mediate between Mahmoud Vaezi said on Monday that EU statement. Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S., what his successor Adel Abdul foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s criticism of Washington’s He said Washington’s secondary sanctions on those Mahdi tried to do. policy of sanctions shows that even the United States’ doing business with its foes was hitting European companies Iran has been open for dialogue with Saudi Arabia but Tehran allies have become frustrated by sanctions. carrying out “legitimate business.” has been a fierce critic of the Saudi-led war on Yemen. “The foreign policy chief’s protest over the United States’ “Where common foreign and security policy goals are However, Iran has rejected the notion of talks with the Trump use of economic sanctions shows that even the United shared, there is great value in the coordination of targeted administration, insisting that the U.S. must first make up for its States’ allies are frustrated by this country’s addiction to sanctions with partners. Where policy differences exist, illegal sanctions measures against Iran. sanctions,” Vaezi said in a tweet. the European Union is always open to dialogue. But this Moreover, some analysts and politicians are of the opinion He also said, “Policy of sanctions is an inhuman, cruel cannot take place against the threat of sanctions,” he said. that the U.S. killed off any chance of dialogue by assassinating and rotten policy and must be stopped. This is not just U.S. President Donald Trump quit the nuclear deal in Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in early January. Iran’s view.” May 2018 and introduced the harshest ever sanctions in Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Borrell said on Friday that the European Union opposes history on Iran as part of his administration’s “maximum Baghdad on Sunday. He held talks with senior Iraqi officials the United States’ policy of sanctions. pressure” campaign against Iran. during his one-day trip to Iraq. According to Malay Mail daily, Borrell pointed to Under the JCPOA, Iran was obliged to put limits on its He met the Iraqi president, prime minister, speaker of the sanctions on Iran, Cuba and the International Criminal nuclear activities in exchange for termination of economic parliament, foreign minister, head of the judiciary, chief of the Court, saying the EU opposed the U.S. policy of enforcing and financial sanctions. Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and other political officials its measures against companies and individuals around “I am deeply concerned at the growing use of sanctions, The U.S. has threatened to punish any company that of the country. the world. or the threat of sanctions, by the United States against do business with Iran. In his talks with al-Kadhimi, Zarif discussed the latest bi- lateral and regional issues as well as the Iraqi prime minister’s imminent trip to Iran. Zarif said Iran is looking forward to a “new and positive stage” Iran reiterates it is ready to hold talks with regional countries in its relations with Iraq, according to a statement issued by the POLITICAL TEHRAN — Foreign According to a report published by an Iraqi any foreign interference, he said. heads over a number of issues including the media office of the Iraqi prime minister. deskMinistry spokesman Ab- news agency, Zarif has reportedly delivered Mousavi added, “The only way to restore Saudi war on Yemen and Riyadh’s support Zarif also told the prime minister that Iran is interested at bas Mousavi has reiterated Tehran’s long-held a message from Iran to the Persian Gulf Arab security and even flourish regional economy for Donald Trump’s anti-Iran moves. the highest level in the upcoming visit by al-Kadhimi to Iran to position that Iran is ready to hold talks with states, specifically Saudi Arabia, that Tehran is cooperation.” Middle East Eye reported in May that start a new stage of cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad. regional countries, noting there is no way is ready to reach a common understanding He also said, “A powerful region is im- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al-Kadhimi also pointed to the importance of developing ties but dialogue to bridge differences. with them through Iraqi mediation. portant for Iran. If we have a powerful re- (MBS) has asked new Iraqi Prime Minister between Iraq and Iran in various sectors. The comments by the spokesman come In an interview with IRNA published gion, we will have powerful countries and Mustafa al-Kadhimi to mediate between the “Iraq is seeking to assert its balanced and positive role in making as Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Monday, Mousavi said that Iran has an- can cooperate.” Saudi kingdom and Iran. peace and progress in the region,” said the Iraqi prime minister. plans to visit Saudi Arabia and Iran to reduce nounced its principled policies and it depends Hossein Dehghan, a military advisor to “The first call Kadhimi got after his nom- President Salih also stressed the depth of Iraq’s historical relations tensions between Tehran and Riyadh. on Saudi Arabia how its wants to respond to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatol- ination was from the crown prince of Saudi with Iran, saying that cooperation between the two countries should Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Ja- Iran’s proposal for talks and cooperation. lah Ali Khamenei, said in June that Iran is Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, who asked be expanded in all sectors, according to a statement published by vad Zarif was in Baghdad on Sunday for talks He also said that Iran seeks peace, security ready to hold talks with Saudi Arabia without the new Iraqi prime minister to restart me- Iraq’s Presidential website. with top Iraqi officials. The visit took place and stability in the region. pre-condition. diation with Iran, the sources said,” Middle President Salih also said the region is in need of building balanced two days prior to Kadhimi’s trip to Tehran. Iran believes in regional talks without Iran and Saudi Arabia have been at logger- East Eye reported. ties, understanding and clear vision to reach fundamental solutions to the crises in the region through engaging in a constructive and honest dialogue between all parties. Salih also hailed Iran’s support to Iraq, especially in combating Daesh terrorists. Prospects of Iran-Iraq ties Zarif also expressed Iran’s readiness to help Iraq in various sec- In his first foreign trip, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Ka- Mahdi on November 29, 2019. As the Iraqi Parliament ap- Mousavi also said that during Zarif’s visit to Baghdad, tors, underlining the importance of strengthening ties between the dhimi is expected to visit Iran on Tuesday, a move that fur- proved Abdul Mahdi’s resignation, the race to name new the two countries reached an agreement on all issues and countries in the region for the sake of peace and combating terrorism. ther reiterates the strength and depth of Iran-Iraq bilateral prime minister began in earnest. At least two people were will continue their cooperation. relations in various sectors, despite the U.S. and its regional tasked by the Iraqi president to put together a cabinet. They “Al-Kadhimi will sign significant agreements in Tehran allies’ continued efforts to disrupt or at least undermine both failed to do so. Ultimately, the various Iraqi political on Tuesday,” said the former diplomat, adding that the Iran has managed to prove the neighborly ties between Iran and Iraq through media factions agreed to agree on Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the country’s Iraqi prime minister’s visit to Iran will include a meeting peaceful nature of its nuclear and sanctions campaigns, analysts tell the Tehran Times. intelligence chief who is famous for his behind-the-scenes with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali The visit came two days after Iranian Foreign Minister contacts with all major players in the region including Iran, Khamenei, who has not received any foreign leader since program: Russian analyst Mohammad Javad Zarif held extensive talks with almost all Saudi Arabia and the U.S. the outbreak of Covid-19. Iraqi political and military leaders on Sunday in Baghdad. Al-Kadhimi had a “close relationship” with Iran, even The Iraqi embassy in Tehran, which was kept in the dark POLITICAL TEHRAN — Gennady Avdeev, the head of the This was the first visit by Zarif to Iraq since the formation of before he took office, Amir Mousavi, who was Iran’s cultural about al-Kadhimi’s trip to Iran, didn’t respond to a request deskinternational office of the Liberal Democratic the new Iraqi government in May. It highlighted the close attaché in Algeria in 2015, tells the Tehran Times. He men- for comment. The embassy was not involved in the arrange- Party of Russia, has said that Iran managed to fully implement the contacts between the two countries despite the fact that tioned a meeting between al-Kadhimi and Iran’s Secretary ments of the prime minister’s trip to Iran. Al-Kadhimi has 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, and proved the peaceful travels and meetings between countries have been strict- of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani on said on many occasions that he is willing to activate the role nature of its nuclear program. ly restricted due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, May 8, 2020. of Iraq’s official institutions in dealing with other countries. In an exclusive interview which has infected up to 14.6 million and killed more than “In General Soleimani’s assassination, al-Kadhimi has But it’s not clear yet why he has chosen to keep the embassy with IRNA published on Sun- 600,000 people all over the world. also cooperated with Iran to help it get to the bottom of the out of the arrangements. day, he said that Iran fulfilled During has one-day visit to Baghdad, Zarif discussed assassination. That’s why Iran’s judiciary has very strong In his trip to Baghdad, Zarif discussed with al-Kadhimi its commitments and gained many political, economic, security, judicial as well as regional clues regarding the U.S. involvement in General Soleimani’s the latest bilateral and regional issues as well as the Iraqi international support, but the issues. His talks were “very successful”, especially in terms assassination. This is indicative of the very good judicial prime minister’s trip to Iran. He pointed out that Iran is United States pulled out of the of following up on the assassination of IRGC Quds Force cooperation between Iran and Iraq,” added Mousavi, who looking for a new chapter in its relations with Iraq, accord- deal and proved that it is not Commander Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani by an American is now director of the Tehran-based Center for Strategic ing to a statement issued by the media office of the Iraqi trustworthy for negotiations. drone strike on January 3, 2020 near Baghdad’s interna- Studies and International Relations. prime minister. Avdeev added that the U.S. tional airport, according to a diplomatic source who closely However, the U.S. and its regional allies, in particular Zarif has laid the groundwork for a new stage in Iran’s showed that it does not respect monitors the Iran-Iraq relations. Saudi Arabia, have sought to portray the premiership of relations with Iraq. According to Mousavi, the relations be- even the UN Security Council’s Speaking at a joint press conference with his Iraqi counter- al-Kadhimi as a major blow to Iran’s influence in Iraq. Their tween Tehran and Baghdad is no longer subject to security decisions. part in Baghdad, Zarif said, “Unfortunately, the assassination news media organizations regularly run articles suggesting considerations because the situation in Iraq is now normal, U.S. President Donald Trump of the two martyrs - Soleimani and al-Mohandes - is a great that Iran has lost its influence in Iraq after the country’s and that Iran has shifted from expanding security ties with quit the nuclear deal in May 2018 loss in the fight against Daesh, and that Iraq and Iran will protests made it impossible for Iran to determine who would Iraq to the development of economic and diplomatic ties and introduced the harshest ever follow up on this issue, which is a very important issue.” form the cabinet once Abdul Mahdi resigned, and that al-Ka- with that country. sanctions in history on Iran as Accompanied by Iranian ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi dhimi is distancing himself from Iran to avoid the wrath of According to Mousavi, in the years after the U.S. invasion part of his administration’s and several Iraqi officials, Zarif also paid homage to Gener- the protesters. Al-Kadhimi, the argument goes, is doing so of Iraq, security and military officials, such as martyr Gen- “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. al Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes by visiting the because he knows that he took office thanks to the protests eral Soleimani, were in charge of handling Iran’s relations The JCPOA is endorsed by the UNSC’s 2231 resolution. location where they were assassinated. against the Iranian influence in his country. with Iraq as the country was unstable and under the U.S. On May 8, 2019, exactly one year after the U.S. withdrawal Pundits believe that the assassination of General Soleimani “In an attempt to show that the protests have achieved occupation. from the JCPOA, Tehran said its “strategic patience” is over and and al-Mohandes marked a major “turning point in Iraq- their goals, the U.S. and Saudi media organizations, along However, as the situation in Iraq has improved in recent began to gradually reduce its commitments under the pact to both Iran ties” that would continue to shape the ties in the future. with the so-called ‘Iraqi Jokers’, make efforts to drive a years, political and diplomatic officials assumed a new role retaliate for Washington’s departure and Europeans’ failure to “In my point of view, the martyrdom of General Soleim- wedge between Iran and Iraq. They portray al-Kadhimi’s in Iranian-Iraqi relations. honor their commitments. ani in that country [Iraq] and the Iraqi government policy premiership as a victory to say that the protests have come It seems that al-Kadhimi is keen to seize on this opportunity On January 5 of this year, Iran took a fifth and last step in towards the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which is to fruition. But this is not the case because al-Kadhimi has to build what he calls “balanced relations” with countries reducing its commitments and said it would no longer observe close to the Islamic Republic of Iran, were a very big turning a good rapport with Iran,” Mousavi pointed out. like Iran, Saudi Arabia and the U.S., while keeping Iraq out any operational limitations on its nuclear industry, whether con- point,” Ali Shariati, a member of Iran’s Chamber of com- According to Mousavi, under al-Kadhimi, the Iran-Iraq of regional tensions that could have major implications for cerning the capacity and level of uranium enrichment, the volume merce, tells the Tehran Times. relations have become even stronger. Al-Kadhimi is also its fragile security. The prime minister is likely to discuss of stockpiled uranium or research and development. However, Al-Kadhimi succeeded Adel Abdul Mahdi, the former resuming the border trade with Iran. Moreover, Tehran this issue with the Iranian officials on Tuesday. It remains Iran has insisted if the Europeans honor their obligations it will prime minister in the midst of a wave of protests that racked and Baghdad are cooperating at the highest level in the fight to be seen whether al-Kadhimi succeed in achieving his immediately reverse its decisions. Iraq for nearly a year and led to the resignation of Abdul against terrorism. foreign policy goals. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULYJULY 21, 2020 IRAN IN FOCUS 3

IRGC chief lauds progress in General urges Supreme National Security Council to modernizing military equipment respond to U.S. threat POLITICAL TEHRAN — Head of Iran’s Civil Defense POLITICAL TEHRAN — Chief of the achievements in the presence of General desk desk Organization Brigadier General Gholamreza Islamic Revolution Guards Salami. Jalali has called on the Supreme National Security Council Corps has lauded the progress made by the One of the military equipment unveiled (SNSC) to respond to the threat of the U.S. Army against IRGC Ground Force’s Airborne Division was the amphibious armored vehicle, Makran, the Islamic Republic. in overhauling and modernizing military which is an efficient carrier equipped with a equipment. fire control system and a vision site, includ- In remarks on Monday, Major General ing a day camera and thermal sensor with a Hossein Salami said the Airborne Division detection power of up to 4,000 meters and has achieved self-sufficiency in manufactur- a laser rangefinder of 10 km. ing components as well as modernizing and Monitoring and shooting with a monitor, overhauling of aircraft, Tasnim reported. fast loading of ammunition, etc. are other He said it has also made headways in terms features of this personnel carrier. of overhauling attack, transport, rescue and Another equipment unveiled by the IRGC backup helicopters. Ground Force was Me’raj reconnaissance Salami underlined the major role of the drone that uses elevator camera technology, IRGC Ground Force in ensuring security in enjoys a flight duration of more than 10 hours Iran, saying the Airborne Division’s backup and has a range of 1,000km. for the land forces is of great significance. Other equipment produced and unveiled The general went on to say that the Air- by the IRGC Ground Force included mod- borne Division forces’ preparedness is in a ernized BTR-60 personnel carrier, Ra’ad In remarks on Sunday, Jalali said Iran’s defense infrastruc- very good state like that of other Ground 2 tower which can be mounted on military tures are relatively secure but the U.S. Army’s threat is a war Force units. vehicles, Explorer 1 which is a radar and threat that needs to be addressed at other levels, Mehr reported. Iranian military experts and technicians electro-optic system which can be used to He was responding to a recently disclosed order by U.S. have in recent years made great headways in Iran maintains that its military capabilities is entirely based on deterrence. discover mines, offensive gun named Sa’aban President Donald Trump to the CIA to orchestrate more cy- manufacturing a broad range of indigenous pose no threat to regional countries, stressing Last month, the IRGC Ground Force with a range of 800 meters and Hedayat 22 berattacks against Iran. equipment. that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine unveiled several military and defensive system to precisely guide Katyusha rockets. Last week, Yahoo News cited former U.S. officials as saying that the CIA has conducted a series of covert cyberattacks against Iran and other targets since 2018 when Trump gave sweeping authorization for such activities. Iran-China cooperation plan will break sanctions: analyst According to Yahoo News, the secret authorization gives the spy agency more freedom in both the kinds of operations it con- POLITICAL TEHRAN — Emad Abshenas, an ana- eration agreement. The document has not been finalized yet. disapproval from the West. China gets to offer countries ducts and who it targets. desklyst, has said that 25-year comprehen- It said, “It has been reported that China and Iran are a way out from American military adventurism and use The authorization allows the CIA to more easily authorize its sive cooperation agreement between Iran and China will negotiating a 25-year cooperation agreement named the of force contrary to international laws. China can play a own covert cyber operations, rather than requiring the agency break the sanctions. Sino-Iranian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The constructive role in safeguarding the peace and security of to get approval from the White House. “The United States is well aware that if this cooperation partnership is thought to be a continuation of the 600 the [Persian] Gulf region and promote it’s BRI [the Belt and It “gave the agency very specific authorities to really take the agreement is implemented, the sanctions will be broken. billion U.S. dollar trade deal agreement between the two Road Initiative],” it added. fight offensively to a handful of adversarial countries,” said a So, it [the U.S.] is trying to impede sale of Iran’s oil,” he told countries in 2016.” Iranian Ambassador to Beijing Mohammad Keshavarzadeh former U.S. government official. ISNA in an interview published on Monday. It noted, “China was the largest buyer of Iranian crude has said that China has provided Iran with the most corona- These countries include Russia, China, Iran, and North Ko- He noted that the hype against the agreement has been oil despite sanctions from the U.S. Apart from their virus aid, noting that in such a situation it is unacceptable to rea — which are mentioned directly in the document — but the created by the U.S. primary commercial purposes, the ports of Hamban- help tighten United States’ cruel sanctions on Iran. authorization potentially applies to others as well, according to In a commentary on its website on Thursday, the CGTN tota in Sri Lanka, Gwadar in Pakistan combined with The ambassador also criticized those at home and abroad another former official. (China Global Television Network) says the impending 25- ports at Jask and the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian who are trying to dishearten Iranian citizens about the yet- “The White House wanted a vehicle to strike back,” said the year comprehensive cooperation agreement between Iran Gulf and the Caspian Sea, would also create refueling to-be finalized agreement between Iran and China. second former official. “And this was the way to do it.” and China is “primarily pragmatic”. stations for the Chinese Navy. Chinese investments “In this critical situation in which health workers are The new cyber authorization further emboldened the CIA’s “The main reason for the controversy is that the deal paints will help Iran develop its telecommunication, banking, making efforts to defeat corona, we all are duty bound to operations against Iran, according to former officials. Even before China in a defiant role against the U.S. However, the deal and railway sectors.” reduce the people’s suffering and pain. It is unacceptable Trump signed the directive, administration officials were already is primarily pragmatic. Iran is one of the largest producers “The deal offers Iran a chance at development with mu- to help tighten the United States’ cruel sanctions under any encouraging the CIA to aggressively interpret preexisting secret of oil, and China imports 75 percent of its oil, allowing it to tual respect on its own terms without compromising on pretext. So far, most of the foreign help to Iran has been Iran-related authorities to help prosecute the administration’s diversify vendors,” said the commentary. its national interests. More importantly, it gives Iran the from China. Do not cause disappointment by unfounded “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran. Iran and China plan to sign a 25-year comprehensive coop- opportunity not to feel helpless against the onslaught of lies,” the ambassador tweeted. Using the Cold War strategy of rolling back the Soviet Union as inspiration, senior Trump national security officials believed that destabilizing Iran within its borders would force the Islamic Black boxes of downed Ukrainian U.S. sanctions dramatically hampering Republic to cease its activities abroad and, perhaps, collapse. The maximum-pressure campaign includes punishing economic plane arrive in France Iran’s coronavirus efforts: professor sanctions, but has also involved CIA cyberattacks on Iranian infrastructure, said former officials. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Canadi- POLITICAL TEHRAN — Even if “It was obvious that destabilization was the plan on Iran,” deskan Foreign Minister deskthe Iranian authorities said one former official, and Trump administration officials Francois-Philippe Champagne says have done non-understandable mistakes were eager to have the CIA conduct destructive cyber operations the black boxes of a Ukrainian plane in their attempts to control the corona- against targets inside that country. Bolton “wanted another that was accidentally downed in Iran virus, it is clear that the U.S. sanctions tool, he wanted another hammer. He was looking at Stuxnet in January has arrived in France for are dramatically worsening the country’s and how to be mean to Iran, so that was probably attractive analysis. possibilities to counter the pandemic, to him,” said another source. In a tweet on Sunday, Champagne according to a history professor. said the black boxes were expected to “This is particularly visible in the impor- be taken to France’s BEA air accident tation of drugs and medical equipment,” investigation agency on Monday. said Tuomo Melasuo, a professor in political Trump is not willing to ease the sanc- Tehran hails Syria’s He added that Canadian trans- If it confirms the fact of unlawful history at the University of Turku, in an tions despite international requests, portation officials would be present interference, it will be possible to interview with ILNA published on Monday. he said it is clear that the sanctions are successful parliamentary during the analysis. proceed to the second phase of Melasuo said due to the U.S. sanc- illegal because they do not respect the The remarks came after Iran’s the negotiation process and more tions and the coronavirus pandemic, UN Security Council resolutions. elections Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen specifically discuss the volume of Iran has found itself in a more and more “In reality, the congressmen have no compensation. It’s still too early to impact on Mr. Trump because the only POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry Baharvand announced that Iran difficult situation. desk has sent the black boxes to France. talk about something,” Yenin told Thus, in this health care situation, thing he is worried about is his re-elec- spokesman Abbas Mousavi has expressed Baharvand said the black boxes Ukraine 24 TV channel in an inter- the U.S. sanctions have no justification tion in November 2020. This situation Tehran’s happiness with the successful holding of parliamen- were taken to Paris on Friday and view published on July 6. whatsoever, he remarked. “They are sim- is, of course, a proof that there are many tary elections in Syria. would be deciphered on Monday. He also said, “Black boxes have ply irresponsible, illegal, and even coun- problems in the U.S. political culture and In a statement on Monday, Mousavi said the elections were The Ukrainian passenger plane, not been sent to France yet. As of terproductive. In the world coming after especially political system.” held at a time when Syrian people have suffered many pains with 176 people aboard, was mistaken today, we have another promise the corona pandemic, the international The professor added that the inhabitants and hardships because of the conflicts and damages imposed for an invading missile. The tragic from the Iranian side to do this on community could consider pursuing the of the U.S. should seriously consider making on them by the acts of terrorist groups, the presence of occupa- incident happened a few hours after July 20. A couple of days ago we USA the same way as certain regimes were an important reform of their Constitution tion forces, and cruel unilateral sanctions, the Foreign Ministry Iran fired missiles at a U.S. airbase received from the French authorities treated in war crime special court after the that starts to be a little bit old, outdated, website reported. in western Iraq in retaliation for the their consent to accept two of our Second World War.” and “retarded”. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is hopeful that the parliamentary January 3 assassination of General experts who will participate in the He also criticized the United States’ On the possibility of war, Melasuo said elections in Syria would be a positive step towards peace, stability, Qassem Soleimani. Following the process as members of the technical policies toward West Asia, citing the Ira- everything is possible because Trump is and progress of Syrian-Syrian political talks, and a relief for the retaliation attack, the Iranian military investigation group.” nian and Palestinian issues as examples. unpredictable. “Let us hope that there are pains of Syrian people,” he added. had been put on high alert. Head of the Judicial Organization The U.S. policies “have been and still are some civilized people in his vi- The victims of the crash included of the Armed Forces said on June 30 very immature as well as dangerous and cinity, if not in Washington DC, 82 Iranians, 63 Iranian-Canadians, that extensive investigations have even counter-productive at the same time.” and then maybe in California, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Af- been carried out over the Ukrainian “There have been sanctions against Iran Mexico, or Canada, who could Expression of Interest(EOI) ghans, three Germans, and three plane crash incident and the dossier because of its nuclear program at least advise him that the best way British nationals. will be sent to court after investiga- already since 2007,” he remarked. “During to lose the elections is a war World Health Organization through its country office in Iran in collaboration Earlier this month, Deputy Foreign tions are completed. all these years the sanctions have had a with Iran.” with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education is seeking for services Minister of Ukraine Yevhen Yenin “We have carried out extensive negative impact on civil society and on the He concluded, “A real full- of distribution of medical and laboratory items and equipment around said that the volume of compensation investigations in this dossier and have public health in Iran. I recall that some of scale war between these two for victims of the Ukrainian plane reached good results,” Shokrollah my Iranian friends here in Finland were countries would be a catastrophe the country (approximately 180 sites in 70 cities) for the duration of crash will be discussed when the Bahrami told reporters. worried about the health of their parents for both of them, but also to September 2020 to 28 February 2021. technical investigation is completed. Bahrami also noted that the fami- and that they sent drugs to their elderly the entire Middle East and to We are looking to identify companies that are active and specialized in the “At this stage, technical investi- lies of the victims will receive financial parents in the country.” the whole Euro-Mediterranean field of customs clearance, warehousing and distribution of medical goods. gation has not yet been completed. compensation for the incident. Asked why U.S. President Donald community.” Interested companies should be able to provide services such as manpower and technical facilities for unloading and loading at their warehouse Spy working for Mossad, CIA put to death: Judiciary and final destinations. The whole contract would be for a period of approximately 8 months 1 Tasnim news agency last month said it had intelligence for the U.S. and Israel and received a for accomplishing the whole task. obtained documents that showed Mousavi-Majd salary of $5,000 a month from the CIA and Mossad, was neither a military staffer, nor a member of Tasnim added. Interested companies should send their letter of interest along with their the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), The news of Mousavi-Majd’s execution comes resume, team composition and related experiences through the email nor even a member of the Basij forces who a week after Iran executed a retired employee of address [email protected] by CoB 24 July 2020. go to Syria voluntarily for the fight against the Defense Ministry for providing the CIA with terrorism. intelligence on Iranian missiles. The short listed companies will be invited to submit their proposals It said that the convict had left Iran before the Esmaeili said the spy, Reza Askari, has sold based on more detailed information on the project which will be shared victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 when information on the production of Iranian missiles with them in later stage. he was a child, and grew up in Syria, where he to the CIA, and received money in exchange. All communicated documentations must be submitted in English. established connections with a number of Iranian He said Askari was under intelligence surveillance military advisers in that country and began a career and was finally put to death after his trial. Companies who have applied in the previous round are encouraged to as a driver. Iran is serious about its security issues, the apply again. Under the guise of a driver, the spy was gathering spokesman highlighted. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY JULY 21, 2020

Iran to hold specialized Domestic firms exhibition in Kirkuk in late Oct.

ECONOMY TEHRAN – Trade Promotion Organization deskof Iran (TPO) in collaboration with a domestic ink deal to organizer is planning to hold the first specialized exhibition of Iranian goods and services in the city of Kirkuk in Iraq. develop South Azadegan oil field 1 Under the framework of the treatment plant. deal, the contractor is obliged to drill 35 Speaking on the signing ceremony, wells, install 50 downhole ESP pumps, Zanganeh underlined the importance of complete two intermediate separation Azadegan oil field for the country’s oil in- plants, construct 328 km of flow pipe- dustry and noted that improving the field’s lines, 45 km of communication pipelines recovery factor by 10 percent is going to and 65 km of gas and crude oil trans- increase the field’s output by 2.7 billion PEDEC Managing Director Touraj Dehqani (L), and Petropars CEO Hamidreza Mahmoudi mission pipelines from the CTEP to the barrels which means a $1-trillion increase sign a deal for development of South Azadegan oil field in Tehran on Monday. West Karoun Pumping House and to the in the country’s future oil revenues. According to an announcement published on the TPO portal on NGL 3200 plant. South Azadegan is one of the five ma- the country’s oil industry since according Iran’s oil output increases in the future. Monday, the exhibition is going to be held during October 27-31. The two sides also signed a nearly $300 jor oilfields Iran shares with Iraq at the to the latest studies, its in-situ deposit is Having an estimated 67 billion barrels The event is going to cover a variety of areas and sectors in- million contract for the construction of western part of Iran’s southwestern region estimated to be 67 billion barrels contain- of in-situ oil, West Karoun fields definitely cluding medicine, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, technical South Azadegan’s CTEP which is going of Karoun, known as West Karoun fields. ing both light and heavy crude oils, and deserve the spotlight which has been put and engineering services, machinery and industrial equipment, to be the country’s biggest upstream West Karoun holds great importance for therefore it could have a big impact on on them recently. construction, interior design and home appliances, agriculture, foodstuff and packing industries as well as textile, leather and handicrafts. Permits issued for establishment of 26 industrial, mining research centers in a year Quarterly coal extraction ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian Industry, Mining, These units were expected to create job opportunities deskand Trade Ministry has issued permits for 633,381 people, 14.2 percent more than the figure falls 16% for the establishment of 26 industrial and mining for the year 1397 (ended on March 20, 2019). research centers in the country during the past Iranian In the past year, the number of permits that were ECONOMY TEHRAN — Extraction of coal in Iran has calendar year 1398 (ended on March 19), according issued for the newly established industrial units to start desk dropped 16.3 percent during the first quarter of to an official with the ministry. operation also increase by 2.9 percent year on year. the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-June 20) compared Mehrdad Safavi Farokhi, the acting director-general of The investment in the newly established units to the first quarter of the previous year, IRNA reported citing Training and Research Department of the ministry, said increased 5.3 percent compared to the preceding the data released by Iranian Mines and Mining Industries that permits have been also issued for the establishment year, while job creation by the mentioned units fell Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO). of 335 technical and engineering services export units 1.2 percent. The IMIDRO data put the coal extraction in the first three in the previous year, which was 4.3 percent more than The average investment in the mentioned sector months of the present year at 396,626 tons, while the figure the permits issued in its preceding year, IRNA reported. also increased from 102.1 billion rials (about $2.43 was 474,202 tons in the same time span of the past year. As previously announced by the Industry, Mining, and million) in 1397 to 104.5 billion rials (nearly $2.5 As previously announced by IMIDRO, the annual production Trade Ministry, during the previous Iranian calendar million) in 1398. of coal in Iran reached 1.585 million tons in the previous year, 27,947 permits were issued for establishing new In April, the Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry Iranian calendar year 1398 (ended on March 19). industrial units which mark a 14.2-percent increase outlined its major programs for supporting the domestic year on year. production in the current calendar year. More than 3.63 quadrillion rials (about $86.52 The ministry’s programs included supporting the billion) were invested for setting up the mentioned country’s industrial units and facilitating permit units which shows a 26-percent rise compared to the issuances in order to promote domestic production preceding year. and non-oil exports.

Iran, EAEU to set up 3 working groups TEDPIX hits record high on expansion of trade of 1.9m points ECONOMY TEHRAN – Iran and the ECONOMY TEHRAN — TEDPIX, deskEurasian Economic Un- deskthe main index of Teh- ion (EAEU) will set up three more working ran Stock Exchange (TSE), hit a new groups on the expansion of trade ties be- record high on Monday, as it exceeded tween the two sides, the head of Iran’s Trade 1.9 million points. Promotion Organization (TPO) announced. As reported by IRNA, the index gained The country’s average annual coal concentrate production As published on the website of the TPO, 46,814 points to 1.911 million during is about 1.5 million tons, while the country’s current demand after holding the first meeting of Iran-EAEU the Monday trades. has reached two million tons. joint working group through video conference, Mobarakeh Steel Company, Persian Currently, Iran’s coal sector provides employment for 17,000 the two sides agreed on the establishment Gulf Petrochemical Industries Compa- people, however the capacity of the country’s coal mines is of three new working groups focusing on He noted that the protocol of the cur- ny, Tamin Petroleum & Petrochemical some time ago, came true in early May. much more than this figure, and development of the mining customs, standards, and health and safety rent meeting included Iran’s proposals for Investment Company (TOPPICO), Gol In a press conference on June 22, the sector and modernization projects can play an effective role measures. the formation of a banking working group Gohar Mining and Industrial Company, head of Iran’s Securities and Exchange in increasing employment in this sector. According to the TPO Head Hamid and a working group on transportation and and Parsian Oil and Gas Development Organization (SEO) announced that the Unofficial data indicate that there are 185 small and large Zadboum, at the end of the meeting which transit, as well as cooperation in the fields Group Company (POGDC) were the major amount of liquidity absorbed by Iran’s coal mines in the country, of which more than 59 percent was attended by the representatives of the of investment, and free trade zones; the contributors to the jump of TEDPIX in capital market has reached 500 trillion are currently active, while 10 mines are being equipped and two sides, the working group’s protocol was Eurasian Economic Union will respond a single day. rials (about $12 billion) during the first prepared, and the rest are idle. signed. to these proposals after reviewing them,” The index had hit the record high of quarter of the current Iranian calendar “Based on this protocol, which includes he added. 1.5 million points on June 30. year (March 20-June 20). the outcomes of the negotiations held in every During the online event, the parties While the past Iranian calendar year Hasan Qalibaf-Asl also said, “It is Iran exports tea to 12 meeting, the parties agreed to establish three stressed encouraging cooperation between (ended on March 19) was full of success while the total amount of liquidity entered countries in three months new working groups on customs coopera- the trade associations of the two sides to max- for the TSE, the market is also preserv- into this market stood at 300 trillion tion, technical measures, healthcare, and imize the capacity of the agreement between ing its successful performance in the rials (about $7.14 billion) during the ECONOMY TEHRAN — The spokesman of the Islamic plant health measures within the framework Iran and EAEU. current year, and the noticeable point past year.” deskRepublic of Iran Customs Administration (IRI- of the agreement between the two sides,” They also underlined the need for rais- in this due is that the other economic The official further noted that the CA) announced that Iran has exported tea to 12 countries during Zadboum said. ing awareness in the private sectors of Iran sectors are experiencing some declining high amount of liquidity that is entering the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March The meetings of the mentioned working and Eurasian Economic Union members trend due to the coronavirus pandemic. the capital market has provided some 20-June 20), IRNA reported. groups will be held between the representa- regarding the agreement and the two sides’ We have been witnessing new record good opportunity for this market, as it’s Rouhollah Latifi announced that over 575 tons of tea worth tives of the relevant bodies from Iran and the potential markets. highs continuously posted by the ex- being developed and flourished, for the $493,785 were exported during the three-month period. EAEU member countries in the near future The two sides also agreed to hold a busi- change since the year start, and climb- enterprises, as they’re securing their and after setting their goals, according to ness forum in the current Iranian calendar ing to the peak of one million points, required funds, and also for the gov- the official. year (ends on March 20, 2021). something almost unbelievable just ernment. Private sector criticizes CBI’s policies on returning export revenues ECONOMY TEHRAN – “Despite the requests of ICCIMA head deskRepresentatives of and also the head of Tehran Chamber of Iranian private sector have criticized the Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Central Bank of Iran (CBI)’s strict policies (TCCIMA), the Central Bank did not provide for the returning of the export revenues into us with additional and detailed information,” the Integrated Forex Management System Kashefi said. (locally known as NIMA). Referring to the CBI’s policy package In an online meeting of the heads of the on the return of export revenues in the Head of Iran’s Tea Organization (ITO) Habib Jahansaz has said country’s chambers of commerce on Sunday, current Iranian calendar year (started on that tea production in the country is expected to rise 10 percent the attendees voiced concern over the central March 20), Kashefi said: “despite the fact in the current Iranian calendar year (ends on March 20, 2021). bank’s performance and its pressures on that the policy package of the Central Bank The official has stated that 75 percent of the payment to the the private sector to return export revenues has recently been approved by the Article tea farmers will be made by the tea factories and the other 25 to the country’s economic cycle, ICCIMA 2 Committee, it has obliged exporters to percent is paid by the government. reported. return 80 percent of their export income Tea harvest season starts in farmlands across the northern The meeting was attended by the ICCIMA in the form of foreign currency remittances provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran in early May. board of directors, the heads of provincial and 20 percent in the form of banknotes More than 55,000 families grow tea over 28,000 hectares of chambers of commerce, as well as some as of the beginning of this year, which is farmland in the two provinces, accounting for 90 percent of the of the private sector’s businessmen and not practical.” country’s total tea production. entrepreneurs. The elimination of the export versus In late December 2019, Jahansaz said Iran exported over According to the participants in this import procedure was another criticism meeting, the continuation of the CBI’s expressed by the ICCIMA board member 4,000 tons of tea to the neighboring countries, in the previous ICCIMA Board Member Keyvan Kashefi (2nd L), ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie current policies will lead to the withdrawal regarding this package. Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19). (C), and TCCIMA Head Masoud Khansari (2nd R) According to the official, Azerbaijan, Iraq, and Afghanistan of real economic actors from the country’s Further in the meeting, ICCIMA Deputy were among the top destinations for Iranian tea exports. economic scene. the economy, and the government should Board Member Keyvan Kashefi noted that Head Masoud Khansari also criticized the Iran exports tea to India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmen- They claimed that in the current situation, not blame the shortage of foreign currency the CBI’s list [containing information on CBI’s list and called for transparency in the istan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Canada, Australia, Spain, the Czech the confrontation between the private sector on the private sector. the amount of revenues not returned to the list in terms of person, company and the Republic, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. and the government is not in the interest of Speaking in the meeting, the ICCIMA country] is not clear. amount of currency which is not returned. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 21, 2020 ENERGY 5

Major petchem plant to be China’s hunger for crude is waning constructed in northern Iran By Alex Kimani As the coronavirus epidemic brought the world’s second- ENERGY TEHRAN – Managing 900,000 tons of propylene by Iranian re- largest economy to a near-halt during the early part of deskDirector of National Pet- fineries and petrochemical plants, there is the year, Chinese crude importers engaged in a massive rochemical Company (NPC) said on Sunday a shortage of 175,000 tons of this product in buying spree, but now the Chinese bounty appears to that a petrochemical plant with a capacity the country, Shana has reported. be evaporating, and the bulls have been put on high for producing 120,000 tons of propylene In the calendar year of 1404, the amount alert by the weakening of a key oil price catalyst. In is going to be constructed in the northern of propylene production will reach 1.95 mil- May, China’s crude imports soared to an all-time high, Amir-Abad Port, IRNA reported. lion tons, while Iran will be facing an annual with imports clocking in at 47.97 million tons, or 11.34 Behzad Mohammadi made the remarks shortage of about 700,000 tons of the item. million barrels a day, according to Bloomberg. during a visit to the location in which the To tackle this projected shortage, the first complex is going to be constructed. step is to launch projects with methanol and Underlining the significance of propylene propylene output. production for the country’s petrochemical For the production of at least 3.5 million industry, Mohammadi said: “Increasing the tons of propylene in Iran, two propylene lines production of propylene is very important have been considered; First, the southern line for us in petrochemical industry; currently to the center, from Assaluyeh to Marvdasht, the production of propylene in the country which will be developed by the National Pet- stands at over 900,000 tons per year and we rochemical Company. are trying to increase this amount to three The methanol surplus in Assaluyeh will million tons per year.” be used to produce propylene to be injected “With a production capacity of 120,000 into the 430-km pipeline to Marvdasht to tons per year, this petrochemical complex be stored in a storage hub. that is going to be established in Amirabad Secondly, the Alborz pipeline, where Port is aimed at increasing the country’s opment of downstream industries. plant would be constructed in Miankaleh propylene will be produced from natural propylene production capacity,” he stressed. The proposal for the establishment of wetlands provided that the Department of gas in Amirabad and transferred from Ami- According to the official, the preliminary a petrochemical complex in Amir-Abad Environment agrees. rabad-Neka to Damghan, to be distributed researches for determining the location of Port was presented to the Oil Ministry in Iran has been facing a shortage of pro- later in the provinces of North Khorasan, the complex have been carried out and this the Iranian calendar year of 1396 (ended on pylene for years. Khorasan Razavi, South Khorasan, Semnan, project will be constructed to help the devel- March 20, 2018) and it was decided that the Currently, with the production of about and surrounding areas. The furious buying by the world’s largest crude importer was a key reason why oil prices were able to stage a quick come back from their historic lows NIOC to ink 12 major research-based deals with universities in April. But after two consecutive months of heightened ENERGY TEHRAN – Nation- rials (about $695.2 million), plus 19 purchases, Chinese imports of crude oil slowed quite deskal Iranian Oil Com- million Euros. dramatically in the month of June, with traders from pany (NIOC) is going to ink 12 major Back in August 2019, NIOC signed Houston to Geneva to Singapore reporting that the research-based deals with five of the major agreements with universities and country’s appetite for crude had cooled considerably in country’s universities in near future, knowledge-based companies to research recent weeks. Customs data from 27 producer countries Shana reported, quoting the NIOC head a variety of oil-related areas including shows that exporters loaded ~2.55 million barrels a as saying. geophysics, geochemistry, unconventional day, or 22 percent, less of crude headed for China Masoud Karbasian made the remarks hydrocarbon resources as well as drilling. during the month of May. in the signing ceremony of the South Later in November that year, Saeid There’s a method to the madness though (hint: the Azadegan oil field’s development pro- Mohammadzadeh, deputy oil minister second wave of Covid-19 is not to blame). ject deal, which was signed between two for engineering, research, and technology Unsustainable pace domestic firms on Monday. affairs had said that the ministry signed The export slump could be taken to mean either of The official mentioned the positive 26 deals with the country’s universities two things: China’s oil demand is hitting reverse gear results of Tehran University’s technical to conduct research projects in various once again, maybe due to the so-called second wave of studies on Azadegan oil field and said: areas of the oil ministry. Covid-19, or the pace of crude buying was unsustainable “With the signing of these new deals, it Speaking on the sidelines of a signing and is now reverting to the mean. can be claimed that there is no major ceremony for a memorandum of under- Luckily for the bulls, the second option appears hydrocarbon field in the country, the standing (MOU) between the Oil Ministry to be a more valid reason for the unfolding scenario. development of which is not pursued in and Iranian Mining Engineering Organ- China’s price-sensitive independent refiners--aka collaboration with prestigious universities ization (IMEO), Saeid Mohammadzadeh the teapots--took advantage of the oil price crash in and scientific centers.” said five of the mentioned deals were in April to stock up on cheap crude and cut their purchases Referring to the NIOC’s previous the field of exploration. sharply after crude prices rebounded. China imported technological study contracts for nine Since the re-imposition of the U.S. a record 19.1 million barrels of Russia’s Urals for April oil fields with eight universities and re- sanctions, Iran has been encouraging loading. The journey from Russia’s Baltic Sea ports search centers, the official put the value domestic companies’ presence in its oil research, exploration, and development centers has also been pursued as a major takes about 40-50 days, meaning much of the April- of these contracts at about 29.2 trillion and gas projects, in all sectors including sectors, and cooperation with knowledge strategy. loaded oil would have arrived at Chinese ports in June. What some traders are latching onto is the hope that China’s teapot refineries are still hungry--desperately so--for crude imports, if only to hold on to their government licenses to import at a certain quota. Can Saudi Arabia extend the OPEC deal until 2022? Further noted by traders is the fact that imports by the Chinese giants--China National Petroleum By Cyril Widdershoven recovery, bullish news from China and Corporation (CNPC), China National Offshore Oil the removal of major lockdowns in Europe Corporation (CNOOC), and China Petroleum & Chemical Oil market bulls are in for a surprise if have been feeding the bullish sentiment Corporation (Sinopec)--didn’t miss a beat. we believe the latest statements from within the OPEC+ group. The real economic This in turn means that imports are likely to remain OPEC+ leaders Saudi Arabia and Russia. recovery, however, remains fragile. Even lackluster in July and July and probably recover in The official views proponed by the in its own report, OPEC stated that it fears September. This optimism, however, fails to account OPEC+ JMCC during the last few days oil markets are still unbalanced, especially for the fact that the teapots make up over one-fifth of were looked at as a positive sign as ex- if a second wave of COVID-19 undermines Chinese crude processing capacity. isting production cuts are being relaxed the economic recovery. But there’s another problem on the horizon for in August as a result of higher expected OPEC’s decision to ease output cuts or teapots in particular, if not for global traders: China is demand. The Saudi Minister of Energy increase production is a unilateral decision. gearing up to build a mega refinery (400,000 barrel- and OPEC’s main power broker Prince The real problem is that once one OPEC per-day) in Shandong. That refinery is slated to come Abdulaziz bin Salman added fuel to the member raises production, others will likely online in 2024, and it would render a lot of teapots fire by telling Al Arabiya yesterday that follow suit. Then there’s the risk of a U.S. irrelevant. he could see a development in which shale comeback. Current oil prices are high Regarding demand being wrecked by the pandemic, the OPEC+ oil production agreement enough to bring back the production that China has been successful at dealing with its second will be extended to the end of 2021 or was shut-in during the oil crash. Further Covid-19 wave, quickly bringing the situation under even through the beginning of 2022. production increases by OPEC+ will result control in a matter of weeks and has remained relatively This news hasn’t been digested by the in a growing glut, as other oil-producing stable for at least a month now. markets yet and shows a possible split nations will not feel obliged to keep cuts Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the giant in views within OPEC+. The Saudi min- in place and will instead feel the need to North American markets. ister also reiterated that “we still have a save market share. Global demand still recovering long way to go and actions will continue. production cuts. Saudi Arabia’s grand International media have shown a Again, OPEC+’s success seems to be You can expect to see more of this kind of trader- Therefore, part of the recovery and co- oil strategy is facing critique at home lack of critical analysis of the underlying blinding advisors. The very fragile balance driven ebb and flow from the Chinese market in the existing with this situation until, God as export revenues continue to decline. critical developments inside of OPEC+. at present between supply and demand future. willing, this epidemic is gone, is that Official data provided by Riyadh and The current relaxation of output cuts is could easily turn into a glut. After months Despite a slump in demand by a key customer, the we decided to have a monthly meeting the Joint Organizations Data Initiative a full-scale sign of a belief in a global of oil storage crisis headlines, ration- price of Urals has held up pretty well. Russia’s flagship with the committee that monitors the (JODI) show that the Kingdom’s total oil economic recovery in the coming months. al reasoning now seems to be pushed brand as well as Saudi and OPEC crude have been market, to make sure of the obligations, exports, including crude and oil prod- This belief leans on somewhat shaky fun- overboard. Global inventories are still enjoying much better pricing power as we explained and to make recommendations to the ucts, fell to 7.48 million barrels per day damentals as a second wave of COVID-19 brimming and need to be drawn down here thanks to the deep production cuts. OPEC+ conference”. (bpd) in May from 11.34 million bpd in is already showing its ugly face in several to further stabilize the market. Overall, global oil prices appear to have consolidated Prince Abdulaziz’s statements differ April. Exports in June and July could places. Still, OPEC, Russia and its allies, The threat of a W-shape or even Tri- $40/barrel and are likely to remain range-bound until from Russian Energy Minister Novak’s end up being even lower, and the same have officially decided to change its rea- ple-V recovery is clear. OECD markets are another big catalyst emerges. view on the market. On Wednesday, Novak will apply to Russian oil production. The sonably successful strategy by August boosted by quantitative easing measures In the meantime, it’s worth keeping an eye on China’s said that the expected easing of oil output political and economic agendas, however, 1. Until now, oil production was cut by and markets are being artificially propped yuan-denominated crude-oil futures, launched in March cuts by the OPEC+ group from August to are now openly going into a different 9.6 million bpd, while the new target up by trillions euros and dollars of fed- 2018, because global interest is gathering--even if 7.7 million barrels per day is justifiable direction, judging Minister Novak and for August is 7.7 million bpd. eral funds. The negative signs of the real slowly. Challenges remain to this becoming a global and in line with the market trends. Novak Prince Abdulaziz’s statements. In order not to risk another internal economic impact of COVID in Europe benchmark, but it’s clearly headed in that direction. made his remarks at the opening of the Oil fundamentals are far from ‘normal’, crisis or outright oil price and market are beginning to show as bankruptcies Global interest has increased because of fairly stable Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee even if OPEC+ members are stating some- share war between Crown Prince Moham- are increasing and unemployment lev- Chinese oil prices this year thanks to price controls (JMCC) meeting. Russia’s views seem thing else in the media. OPEC’s monthly med bin Salman and Putin, a compromise, els continue to rise. The iceberg that that allowed it to slide through the oil price war that to be much more optimistic about the JMCC meeting outcome is a clear sign based on shaky fundamentals, is being the OPEC+ Titanic fails to see is that saw prices go negative for WTI in April, according to possible demand increase for oil and of a growing desire of Russia and some presented. Oil demand fundamentals China’s growth depends on its exports the Wall Street Journal. petroleum products globally. other OPEC members to relax the cur- remain rather weak, to say the least. to OECD markets. In 2018, there were only 45 international brokers Saudi Arabia has now made abun- rent oil production cut agreement. The The global economic recovery narrative The current OPEC+ approach is not offering up Chinese yuan-denominated oil futures. Now, dantly clear that it doesn’t want to current power struggle is masqueraded is currently being used to support the sustainable, there is no room for flex- there are 60, says WSJ, and they include JPMorgan be confronted by a possible W-shape in media-friendly statements, but there is relaxation of output cuts. ibility, and as long as oil inventories and Goldman Sachs. economic recovery and a possible 2nd a clear and present danger that Moscow Currently, oil markets are expected to remain elevated and demand remains Further, for the first time, it’s profitable for traders wave of Corona. At least that is the of- and Riyadh could be heading to a new be in deficit, resulting in a draw of crude lackluster, markets will not see a full to deliver this contract. Industry sources told Reuters ficial message. The underlying message collision. At present, there’s no direct oil in storage. In 2021, OPEC looks to recovery. Moscow and Riyadh must find on Tuesday that BP has now officially become the could be more diffuse and could cause risk of a breakup, but Riyadh is fed up further increase its overall production a long-term solution if they want to see first major global firms to deliver oil to the Shanghai an internal OPEC+ discussion, in which with taking the full brunt of the output by another 6 million bpd. The need for a real recovery in oil markets. If this contract in July. BP reportedly delivered 3 million Saudi Arabia could be threatening to cuts, while struggling to keep its economy higher revenues are the driver, not market doesn’t happen, a possible break-up barrels of Iraqi oil to the contract, and is set to deliver stop making the lion share of the oil afloat and the social contract in place. stabilization. Optimism about a V-shaped between Saudi Arabia and Russia looms. another million barrels next month.

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Tel: 021 - 430 51 430 [email protected] I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 21, 2020 ANALYSIS/INTERVIEW 7

It is Iran that is genuinely Iraq seeks to revive its regional role through Iran fighting terrorism: Richard Falk BY Mohammad Mazhari Iran is awaiting the first visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to Tehran on Tuesday, a trip de- “I believe Ayatollah Khamenei wants the youth of the West…. to create the basis for inter-civilizational understanding.” scribed as extremely important by analysts. The visit is 1 and posed a threat of further anti- the rise of the very Islamic extremist groups expected to lead to positive results for the two countries. Western political developments, especially that it alleges are guilty of becoming terrorist Al- Kadhimi is making his first foreign trip in the in Arab countries, but elsewhere as well. actors because of their jihadist orientations. The light of Iraq’s economic crisis and the spread of the Thirdly, in the aftermath of the Cold War, the reality is that Iran, despite its avowed Islamic Coronavirus. U.S. needed to find a new enemy to justify its structure of governance, has acted consistently “Al- Kadhimi’s visit is extremely important and would outsized military budget if there was no longer in opposition to such terrorist organization reflect positively on the level of political and commercial a Soviet adversary. Fourthly, the Western regardless of their claim of representing Islam relations between Tehran and Baghdad,” Hussein Al-Di- dependence on the oil reserves of the region as a religion. In effect, Ayatollah Khamenei is rani, an Iraqi political analyst, tells the Tehran Times. created strong strategic interests in finding ways calling upon the Western youth not only to Reportedly, al- Kadhimi also plans to visit the Unit- to maintain hegemony in the post-colonial era. grasp the true nature of Islamic religious faith ed States in July or August for the second round of the Fifthly, the resistance efforts of Palestinians and but also to be aware that terrorism comes in Strategic Dialogue between Baghdad and Washington. later emergence of extremist groups in Islamic many shapes and derives from governments as Before becoming prime minister and heading the countries culminated in the 9/11 attacks in 2001 well as extremist groups, indicting specifically Iraqi intelligence service, he was suggested as a mediator on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and the U.S. Government. between Tehran and Washington. Due to his record, Iran produced an orchestrated propaganda backlash U.S. hostility toward Islam arose for political and the U.S. may be interested in using al- Kadhimi’s that attributed terrorism to Islam rather than reasons, especially its unconditional support for strong relationship with both sides to reduce tensions. to extremism and the effects of prior Western Israel in its conflict with the Palestinian people interventions. The so-called ‘war on terror’ was and in relation to Iran after the revolutionary carried on exclusively within Islamic countries, movement in 1978-79 that overthrew the pro- including Iraq after the attack and occupation Western government of the Shah. To this day the of 2003 actually gave rise to ISIS. In other West has no problem having special relationships words, there are direct links between Western with Saudi Arabia despite its endorsement and intervention, alliances with indigenous terrorist practice of terrorist tactics. The whole alignment groups, and political extremism in some Muslim “The U.S. imposed an occupation regime (on of the West in the Middle East is based on countries, which can change their agenda to geopolitical opportunism and is unrelated to function as national resistance against Western Iraq) after its attack in 2003 that gave birth humane or anti-terrorist principles. I believe intervention as was the case in Iraq. to Daesh” Ayatollah Khamenei wants the youth of the In his second letter to the youth in the West West to understand this and act upon it to create on Nov. 29, 2015, that also followed terrorist asking youth to look into the layers of history in and, if the facts are examined, we in the West the basis for inter-civilizational understanding. attacks in France, Ayatollah Khamenei said, their Western countries, including the legacies of would understand that it is the genuinely Islamic A better future depends on looking inward “You (the youth in Western countries) are the colonialism and slavery, to uncover the intensity government of Iran that fights against terrorism at the legacies of abuse in relation to non- ones that have to uncover the apparent layers of of alienation that drives Islamic youth born whether Islamically oriented, as with Daesh Western peoples and outward at the present your own society and untie and disentangle the in Europe to have become ‘dangerously and Taliban, or state terrorism as with Israel manifestation of such deformed behavior. On the other hand, al- Kadhimi is not reluctant to knots and resentments”. Ayatollah Khamenei radicalized’ to such an extent as to seek or the United States. From this perspective, On the basis, then, of seeking rectification of portray himself as a mediator and is interested in play- made such a suggestion in reference to the youth solutions via extremist violence of the sort Iran is the victim of terrorism, not as Western past abuses a brighter future is possible. In this ing a role. who have been born in Europe but have become practices by groups such as Daesh. In effect, propaganda alleges, the sponsor and perpetrator regard, the current youth-led protests in the About a week ago, Iran’s central bank governor Abdul it is domestic injustices in their own societies of terrorism. Nasser Hemmati met Kadhimi in Baghdad. During the “The whole that prompts this sense of desperation by In the November 2015 letter, Ayatollah “To this day the meeting, the prime minister announced that Iraq would victimized outsiders who make their homes in Ali Khamenei also said, “Today, there are very back Iran in difficult circumstances, stressing the neces- alignment of the these Western settings without being accepted few people who are uninformed about the role West has no sity of resuming trade exchange between the two sides. West in the Middle by the majority national population. The of the United States of America in creating, problem having The trade exchange between the two neighboring East is based experience of such alienated non-indigenous nurturing and arming al-Qaeda, the Taliban special relationships countries has decreased significantly due to the spread youth that makes terrorism appear to be the and their inauspicious successors.” Please give of the coronavirus. It has led to economic and financial on geopolitical only way for them to fight back. I read the your comments on this. with Saudi losses for Iraq amid the sharp fall in oil prices. opportunism and is letter as suggesting that there are better A: This is, of course, a controversial assertion, Arabia despite its The prime minister is also going to visit Saudi Arabia, ways to address these issues by removing the yet sadly it contains elements of illuminating endorsement and which has very important messages and results. unrelated to humane persistence of injustice and discrimination, truths. There is no doubt that in the course The prime minister is trying to present Iraq as an or anti-terrorist and this require help of the mainstream youth of mobilizing opposition to Soviet influence practice of terrorist influential country due to its relations with the Sun- principles.” of these European societies to arise against and intervention in Afghanistan the U.S. lent tactics.” ni Arab countries as well as its and religious affinities the practices, policies, and belief of their own decisive material support to groups that later with Iran, which can pave dangerously radicalized and joined groups parents who are presiding over the governance were organized under the banners of al-Qaeda United States and the West seem responsive the way to reduce regional However, Iraqi such as Daesh due to inequality, prejudice, of these European societies. and the Taliban. As well, later in Iraq the U.S. to this challenge, and the positive connection tensions. discrimination, etc. How do you analyze this In effect, Ayatollah Khamenei is implying imposed an occupation regime after its attack in being drawn at protest events between Black Iraq’s foreign policy people never point? that it is the alienated Islamic youth in these 2003 that gave birth to Daesh. In other words, the Lives Matter and the Palestinian struggle is a is based on two different forget how A: It would seem that this second letter was countries that are drawn to terrorist solutions U.S. has a serious responsibility for supporting clear recognition of solidarity against racism identity factors. The first written several months later to reinforce the in all its forms, whether internal and historical is a religious factor in view Iran rushed to message of the earlier letter to the effect that it “Legitimation in the West of Israel was or external and contemporary. And it is the of the fact that a majority the help of its was up to the youth in the West to address the refusal to acknowledge such connections that of Iraqis are Shia Muslims. neighboring twin challenges of terrorism and Islamophobia, accompanied by the demonization of Arabs informs us that if we want to end injustice we Iraqi Shias mostly have a and to grasp the deep roots of terrorism in the as a race, Palestinians as a nation, and Islam need to do more than replace one old leader sympathetic view toward country in the behavior of Western governments accused of as a religion.” by another, but find leadership that is ready the Islamic Republic and most difficult ‘state terrorism.’ Ayatollah Khamenei is also to change the system. always consider Iran as a great supporter of them- security, selves. The historical economic, experience of relations and political U.S., Saudi Arabia doing utmost to “split Iraq away from Iran”: analyst between the two nations also proves this. situations, The United States and Saudi Arabia are doing their utmost to Iraq,” he added. The second factor is regardless of drive a wedge between Iraq and Iran, turning the former into Washington and Riyadh have long been the main beneficiaries rooted in Iraq’s Arabic an “American vassal state,” according to a former U.S. diplomat of mayhem in Iraq, where they have sought to bolster remnants identity and its histori- their religious in the Arab kingdom. of Daesh alongside other terrorist outfits. cal and geopolitical role background. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazemi plans to travel to Unrest and insecurity serve the U.S. goal to extend and justify in the Arab world. Some Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. next week with the declared aim its protracted military stay in Iraq, which is staunchly opposed Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia, are trying to use of discussing cooperation in various fields. by the Iraqi people. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia sees Takfiri this factor as a trump card to strengthen Iraq’s influence This will be Al-Kazemi’s first foreign tour since becoming prime groups as its best hope to wield influence in Iraq and prevent the and diminish Iran’s presence in the region. minister on May 7, after the Iraqi parliament approved a new empowerment of real stakeholders in the country. However, Iraqi people never forget how Iran rushed to government following nearly six months of political wrangling Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill on January 5, the help of its neighboring country in the most difficult and protests demanding economic reforms. demanding the withdrawal of all foreign military forces led by security, economic, and political situations, regardless “In my view, the new Iraqi prime minister’s trip to meet with the United States from the country. of their religious background. Iranian officials and then to go to Saudi Arabia and then later on The vote followed the assassination of Lieutenant General In fact, Iran has contributed to Iraq’s stability and to the United States on the surface looks good. It looks like good Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the paid a heavy price for establishing security in Iraq during diplomacy. But on the other hand, I don’t think you can read in Islamic and Arabic Studies, also said that the Iraqi premier Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, along with the deputy head the last six years. too much into this beyond the fact that the United States and intended to create a “balance” in political and economic relations of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), Abu Mahdi al-Mu- Whenever insecurity in the region spread due to the Saudi Arabia are doing their best to split Iraq away from Iran,” between Baghdad, Washington, and Riyadh. handis, and their companions in a U.S. airstrike authorized by emergence of ISIS, Iran did its best to support Iraq Michael Springmann, a Washington-based author and former “I assume that what he’s trying to do is to achieve a kind of President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport by arming Kurdish forces and strengthening Hashd U.S. diplomat in Saudi Arabia told Press T.V. balance and try to get the Americans and the Saudis to back off two days earlier. Al-Shaabi. However, Saudi Arabia was continuing to “I think the whole operation is designed to weaken Iraq, to a bit from their bad behavior, and in return, giving them a little Later on, January 9, former Iraqi prime minister, Adel Ab- train and fund Takfiri groups in order to send them to turn Iraq into more of an American vassal state than it’s been in bit of an entry in economic projects and so on like that. At least dul-Mahdi, called on the United States to dispatch a delegation Syria and Iraq. the past, at least in the last few months, there’s been evidence that’s what he’s trying to do with the Saudis, but whether that to Baghdad tasked with formulating a withdrawal plan. That is why the U.S. and Saudi Arabia exercise pressure of Iraq being sick and tired of being occupied by the American will work is an open question,” Barrett said. Iraqi resistance groups have vowed to take up arms against on the Iraqi government to reduce its relation with Iran, armed forces and wanting to maintain the sovereignty of their “In the U.S. case, they’re trying to maintain the hold of this U.S. forces if Washington fails to comply with the parliamentary and disband Hashad Al-Shaabi, the strongest popular country... So, I think the whole thing is going to be counterpro- completely illegal occupation that was created not to stabilize order calling for U.S. troops’ expulsion. force that succeeded to defeat ISIS. ductive and will not produce any effects whatsoever if it comes Iraq, but rather to destabilize Iraq to take down the achievements The U.S. has so far refused to withdraw its troops, with Trump Meanwhile, Al-Kadhimi is trying to reduce tensions in to that,” he underlined. of the very dubious dictator Saddam Hussein who at least had threatening to seize Iraq’s oil money held in bank accounts in Iraq and establish balanced relations with regional and Al-Kazemi after ‘balance’ in ties largely eliminated corruption except for within his own family, the United States. international powers through consolidating economic Kevin Barrett, an author, journalist, and radio host with a Ph.D. and he had succeeded in building a modern infrastructure for (Source: Press TV) relationship with Iran and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, Ali Shariati, a member of the Irani- an Chamber of Commerce, tells the Tehran Times that Iraq’s economy is based on oil. He says Iraq relies on Ismail Haniyeh: Unified Palestinian position thwarts Israel’s annexation plan oil revenues for 95 percent of its income. The Palestinian cause is going through its’ most “If there is a unified Palestinian position, Israeli regime and the PLO during the early-mid carry on with it. “After the oil crisis in the world, Iraq is facing a large dangerous’ phase, says the head of the political then surely we will be able to thwart this plan, 1990s to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict The top Hamas official said the second priority budget deficit, and Kadhimi tries to compensate it quickly, bureau of the resistance movement Hamas, urging and I can say that we have succeeded so far in and guarantee the Palestinians’ right to self-de- would be about all the means and mechanisms because the economic condition has a direct impact on a unified position to thwart Israel’s much-con- building one Palestinian position against the termination. to confront Israel’s annexation and how to ex- Iraq’s internal affairs, including its relationship with demned plan for annexing large parts of the annexation plan and the deal of the century.” The Palestinian Authority (PA), now led by ecute them. the Kurdistan region,” Shariati says. occupied West Bank. Haniyeh noted that this priority could be President Mahmoud Abbas, has limited gov- Hamas, he added, is ready to sit at a single He adds, “Al- Kadhimi is ready to work with Iran, Ismail Haniyeh was at a press conference achieved through renouncing the Oslo Accords, ernance over the occupied West Bank. It was table with other Palestinian parties and factions Saudi Arabia, and any country that can provide money with Qatari journalists earlier this week, where according to which the West Bank was divided established following the Oslo Accords. to agree on how to carry out the national fight and facilities for his country to overcome this crisis.” he highlighted Hamas’s three priorities to deal into areas under Israeli, Palestinian, and joint US President Donald Trump gave Tel Aviv the against Israel. Nevertheless, the development of Iran-Iraq relations in with the situation on the ground in a bid to foil controls. green light to annex large parts of the West Bank The third priority, Haniyeh said, is about various fields is another goal of the prime minister’s visit the annexation scheme, the Palestinian Infor- “All Israeli crimes were carried out under and Jordan Valley in his self-proclaimed “deal arranging the relationship with the Arab and to Tehran, and it requires a roadmap in both countries. mation Center reported on Monday. the guise of Oslo (Accords), so our people must of the century,” which was unveiled in January Islamic world. “It is related to organizing the Tehran-Baghdad relations should reach an accept- The top Hamas official said the first priority, abandon the entire Oslo process, and the Pales- with the aim of legitimizing Israel’s occupation relationship with our Arab and Islamic roots, able level because Iran-Iraq relations go beyond normal or “the most important factor,” is to work on tine Liberation Organization (PLO) must halt and re-drawing the Middle East map. and this is an important topic for two reasons: international protocols. rebuilding the national project on sound foun- any cooperation with the Israeli occupation and Although the highly-provocative plan drew First because the [Palestinian] cause has an Arab Iran shares cultural and religious affinities with as well dations based on the unchangeable principles revoke its recognition of Israel.” global condemnation, Israeli Prime Minister and Islamic dimension and the second, such as 1,400-kilometer border, which play an irreplaceable of the Palestinian cause. The Oslo Accords were signed between the Benjamin Netanyahu says he is determined to plans have repercussions for the entire region.” role in the relations between the two countries. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 HERITAGE & TOURISM JULY 21, 2020

Over $4m allocated to tourism Iran prepares strategic plan projects in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad

TOURISM TEHRAN — A budget of 180 billion rials desk for tourism development (over $4 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been allocated to tourism and development projects TOURISM TEHRAN – The admin- and economy in the global scene over that across southwestern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, deskistration of President past couple of months as passenger traffic a provincial tourism chief has said. Hassan Rouhani has prepared a strategic on airlines and hotel occupancy rates have plan for the development of tourism sector fallen off a cliff compared to the same peri- in the country through coordinated policy- ods previous years. However, some experts making by executive bodies, academics, and expect Iran to achieve a tourism boom after the private sector. coronavirus contained, believing its impact The plan focuses on the effective elements would be temporary and short-lived for a of the tourism sector such as management, country that ranked the third fastest-growing business environment, infrastructure, man- tourism destination in 2019. power, culture, advertising, and issues related Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its to foreign nationals, ISNA reported. numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, Defining main policies in the field of museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, tourism, creating the ground for develop- madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, ing a national tourism development plan, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed implementing goals most dynamically and on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under efficiently possible, more competitive en- the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, it aims to vironment, as well as empowering local increase the number of tourist arrivals from tourism, natural and cultural tourism are 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. among the other objectives of the strategic The latest available data show eight million The budget is planned to be spent on restoring and reviv- plan, the report added. tourists visited the Islamic Republic during ing historical buildings and structures as well as handicrafts The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus the first ten months of the past Iranian cal- and tourism sectors, CHTN quoted Majid Safai as saying has plunged the travel and tourism industry People cross Tabiat Bridge constructed over Modares Highway in Tehran. endar year (started March 21, 2019). on Monday. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province is known for its nomads and nomadic life. Sightseers may live with a nomadic or rural family for a while or enjoy an independent stay and assist them with day-to-day life. It also opens up an oppor- Ancient objects found at Iran’s mine to go on display in Germany tunity to feel rustic routines, their agriculture, traditions, HERITAGE TEHRAN — An exhibition of ancient relics This particular “saltman” was originally dated based on the arts, and culture. deskdiscovered from Iran’s Chehrabad Salt Mine archaeological material found with him. Later, the mummy was The province attracted over four million people, mostly is scheduled to be held in Germany in autumn. carbon dated, which placed him in 500 CE (1750 BP, that is, domestic travelers, during the Iranian year 1397 (ended March Organized by Ruhr-Universiat Bochum in collaboration “before present” or 1750 years ago), the height of the Sasanian 2019), according to data announced by the provincial tourism with Iran’s Research Center for Conservation of Cultural Relics Empire. The second “saltman” was carbon-dated to 1554 BP, department. and Zanjan’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts which placed him in the same era as the first “saltman”, the Department, the exhibit will display 200 objects and tools Sasanian era. discovered in the ancient mine in Zanjan province, CHTN quoted The third, fourth, and fifth “saltmen” were also carbon dated. Beyond Iran’s tourist Zanjan’s tourism chief Amir Arjmand as saying on Monday. The third body was dated and placed in 2337 BP, the fourth The research institute for the protection and restoration body in 2301 BP, and the fifth mummy was dated to 2286 BP, attractions: the people and of historical relics from the Ruhr-Universiat Bochum and the placing them all in the Achaemenid period. places to visit in Iran Archaeological Museum Frankfurt are collaborating with a The individual “Saltmen” have a few secrets of their own, team of Iranian experts on a project for purifying, cleansing, for instance, the first “saltman” that was discovered had the By Pashmina Binwani and restoring garments and personal belongings of ancient salt blood type B+, and 3D imaging of his skull revealed fractures mummies which were first found the salt mine in 1993, and around his eye and other damage that occurred before death (Part 5/8) the objects are in Germany since last year, the official added. by a hard blow to the head. His clothing (the impressive leather In 2017, the Global Energy Award was conferred to Yazd Salt mummies are the highlights of the findings in the mine. remains of a human body along with a large number of artifacts boot) and his gold earring, show a person of some rank; the for its advantages in conserving and making optimum use In 1993, miners in the Douzlakh Salt Mine, near Hamzehli and made of wood, metal tools, clothing, and pottery. reason for his presence in the mine still remains a mystery. of energy because of its architecture. It is also a UNESCO Chehrabad villages in Zanjan Province, accidentally came across In 2005, a systematic excavation began, three more mummies Saltman No. 5 had tapeworm eggs from the Taenia sp. World Heritage site known to have the oldest community a mummified head, dated to 300 CE. The head was very well were excavated, and a sixth remained in situ, due to lack of genus in his system. These were identified during the study in Iran, the Zoroastrians. preserved, to the extent that his pierced ear was still holding the funds for its storage. The context of the remains suggested of his remains. The find indicates the consumption of raw or Being part of the Zoroastrian community in gold earring. The hair, beard, and the mustaches were reddish, that a collapse in the mine had caused the death of the miners undercooked meat, and this is the first case of this parasite Nartitee’s 100-year eco-lodge and his impressive leather boot still contained parts of his in question. in ancient Iran and the earliest evidence of ancient intestinal Arriving in Taft, just 30km from Yazd, I was picked up leg and foot, according to the Ancient History Encyclopedia. The first mummy, dubbed the “Saltman”, is on display in parasites in the area. The best preserved and probably the most Ramtin, who took me to a quaint, beautiful mud-house at However, in 2004, the miners discovered yet another the National Museum of Iran in Tehran. He still looks very harrowing of the saltmen is Saltman No. 4. A sixteen-year-old “saltman”, which was followed by further excavation unearthing impressive. miner, caught in the moment of death, crushed by a cave-in.

“Hand of Achaemenid soldier” Over 100 historical monuments attached to bas-relief in Persepolis restored in Yazd

the Nartitee Ecolodge, a 100-year house which was built by the generations of Ramtin’s grandfather who was set on preserving the religion and culture of Zoroastrianism. As I walked the narrow lanes of Yazd, the oasis in the middle of the desert in central Iran on our way to Nartitee Ecolodge, the people and culture revealed the traditional and ancient life of pedestrians during the silk route era. I walked and walked with Ramtin and it felt like it was 770 TOURISM TEHRAN — Over 100 Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts CE. There was a 69-step walk-down to an ancient well, an HERITAGE TEHRAN – The Persepolis, also known as Takht-e desk deskhistorical buildings and Department during last Iranian year. old bazaar and a 1,400year-old Mosque, the old-town was left hand of a huge Jamshid, whose magnificent ruins rest structures have been restored across the In July 2017, the historical structure of the brimming with charm and a vast maze of small roads. Achaemenid-era (c. 550 - 330 BC) bas- at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat (Mountain central province of Yazd since the begin- city of Yazd was named a UNESCO World Awed by the endless passages, I finally reached Nartitee’s relief carving, depicting a soldier grabbing of Mercy), was the ceremonial capital of ning of the current Iranian calendar year Heritage. Wedged between the northern Ecolodge, and the beautiful interiors and cooling mud-walls a spear, has recently been attached to the Achaemenid Empire. It is situated 60 (started March 20), though the coronavirus Dasht-e Kavir and the southern Dasht-e Lut were a treat. These cool houses back in those days used to the rock-carved art after decades in the kilometers northeast of the city of Shiraz outbreak has brought the country’s tourism on a flat plain, the oasis city enjoys a very be damp, which made it easier to climb and watch matches. UNESCO-registered Persepolis, southern in Fars Province. to a standstill. harmonious public-religious architecture He gave me the Maidyozarem room which means “Rich Iran. The royal city of Persepolis ranks A budget of over 30 billion rials (about that dates from different eras. Spring’ and was located in the middle-yard, known to hold a “By providing the possibility of better among the archaeological sites which $700,000) has been allocated to the res- Yazd is usually referred to as a delightful feast, a Gamhambar feast during the ancient Persian times. protection of this bas-relief through the have no equivalent, considering its unique toration projects, provincial tourism chief place to stay, or a “don’t miss” destination Certainly, there was no feast in my room, as I was presented design and installation of a glass protector, architecture, urban planning, construction Ali-Asghar Samadiani said on Monday, by almost all of its visitors. It is teemed with with a charming bed, printed sheets, and a rickety vintage it became possible to re-install the separated technology, and art. The city’s immense CHTN reported. mudbrick houses that are equipped with inno- sewing machine as its iconic showpiece in the room. piece of stone [hand-shaped portion] in terrace was begun about 518 BC by Darius Bagh-e Gandom Bathhouse, Aqa Mosque, vative badgirs (wind catchers), atmospheric The next few days went by in a breeze, I was taken in, its original place,” CHTN quoted Hamid the Great, the Achaemenid Empire’s king. NAvvab Vakil, Salehi, Maryam Khanum man- alleyways, and many Islamic and Iranian fed an Iranian Zoroastrian feast with dried fruits, a cheese Fadaei, director of the World Heritage On this terrace, successive kings erected a sions, Shahrasb Fortress, and Fahraj Jame monuments that shape its eye-catching city platter, Barbadi (Iranian bread) and fruits. site, as saying on Monday. series of architecturally stunning palatial Mosque are among the restored monuments, landscape. In the blistering afternoon sun, I was met with surprising “The bas-relief of this Achaemenid buildings, among them the massive the official added. The city is known today with its traditional escapades and chatter from the locals in the surrounding spearman, which is attached on the wall Apadana palace and the Throne Hall Yazd is one of the top tourist destinations districts, the qanat system, traditional houses, Taft region with fond memories of being driven around in of the Queen’s Palace, now one of the (“Hundred-Column Hall”). in Iran as it embraces several ancient and bazaars, hammams, water cisterns, mosques, a motorbike at breakneck speed in the blistering afternoon entrances to the Persepolis Museum, This 13-ha ensemble of majestic historical monuments. synagogues, Zoroastrian temples, and the heat, helmetless to explore the ruins of Yazd, Iran. had been separated from its place since approaches, monumental stairways, Over 150 archaeological and historical sites historic garden of Dolat-Abad. The city enjoys 6 people on a bike in Iran’s countryside is a common the 1960s and was kept in the treasury of throne rooms (Apadana), reception rooms, were identified across the province through the peaceful coexistence of three religions: sight. With 4 of us, it’s a waste of space! When a bright- the Persepolis Museum for years,” Fadaei and dependencies is classified among the excavations and surveys conducted by Yazd Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. eyed, young family man gave us a lift after paying a visit to explained. world’s greatest archaeological sites. the dentist to get his wisdom tooth extracted, we were not sure if we were signing up for danger but what we thought was a quick drop off to the city, turned out to be the best afternoon spent with him and his family. Book on earthquake resistance of historical structures hits stores The twisting alleys of Abyaneh HERITAGE TEHRAN – A book containing 13 scientific Recognition and Restoration of Damage to Qazvin Kharqan It is a visual treat to come across an ancient village like deskpapers on earthquake resistance of historical Towers in the 2002 Earthquake”; “Methods of Enhancing this in Iran, called Abyaneh. Characterized by a peculiar structures has recently been published, introducing ways to Seismic Safety in e Traditional Architecture of Tabriz”; and reddish hue, the village is one of the oldest in Iran, attracting maximize the protection of potentially vulnerable structures. “The Empowerment of Historical Buildings: Introduction of numerous native and foreign tourists year-round, especially Compiled by Iranian researcher Alireza Anisi, the book A Smart Experimental Method of the Achaemenid Period” are during traditional feasts and ceremonies. has brought together a selection of essays presented during amongst essays published in the Persian section of the book. Due to its dwindling population, only about 300 families the first International Symposium on Seismic Rehabilitation Articles in the English section include: “A Masterpiece of live here as many of them had moved to cities due to better of Heritage Structures, which was held at the University of Early Muslim Architecture; Haji Piyada Mosque [in Balkh, The symposium revolved around properly employing seis- opportunities. But walking around here is quite a sight, Tehran in January 2017, CHTN reported. Afghanistan]”; “Seismic Study of Brick Tower No. 32, of Bam mic retrofits modifications that enable existing structures to you’ll notice [holy] Quranic verses on their doors, narrow “Earthquake in Minds”; “Gonbad [Dome of] Soltanieh Citadel, Iran”; and “he Seismic and Wind Performance of A be more resistant to ground motion and soil failure caused alleys, the elderly selling their local jewelry, and most of Structural Pathology and 3D Analysis”; “Seismic Improvement Five-Story Temple of Wooden Heritage Buildings Affected by earthquakes as Iran is one of the most seismically active them donning floral hijabs and pleated skirts. of Law Faculty of the University of Tehran”; “Overview of by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011”. countries in the world. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 21, 2020 SOCIETY 9 Parishan Wetland: West Asia’s largest Eco-friendly disinfectants freshwater at drought tipping point produced in Iran 1 SDC technology An eco-friendly disinfectant based on silver dihydrogen By Faranak Bakhtiari Fish, benthos, and phytoplankton have also been completely extinct and have not citrate (SDC) technology, which, unlike other disinfectants, TEHRAN —Parishan Wetland, the largest been seen since the early 1390s (falling on stabilizes silver ions along with citric acid, has a double freshwater lake in Iran and West Asia, dried 2011-2021), he lamented, adding, migratory effect on antiseptic properties. up in recent years and is struggling to death birds are no longer seen in the lake, but an- This green technology is monopolized by only 3 countries due to excessive groundwater withdrawal. imals such as monkeys and foxes and some in the world and due to the high global demand for green Parishan is located in Kazerun County, native birds are found in the area. disinfectants, which has also been approved by EPA and Fars Province, and receives only a very Due to the uncontrolled harvesting of FDA, the country can benefit from the export opportunity, small amount of water from Feeder Rivers agricultural lands, in recent years it has he highlighted. and the whole lake or wetland is a pro- increased from one crop to several; in addi- These products are also based on the latest global health tected area, as it is considered a globally tion to the groundwater resources declined protocols and contain completely non-toxic active ingredients significant wetland ecosystem. sharply, he regretted. and are classified as green products, he noted, emphasiz- Wetlands play a significant role in the Parishan wetland management plan and ing, on the other hand, the results of microbiological tests natural cycle and, as one of the most im- other plans to rehabilitate the wetland have in the reference and trusted laboratories of the Ministry portant natural habitats on earth are of been prepared, but some responsible bodies of Health showed that the disinfectants are effective on a great importance in sustaining wildlife, have not taken this issue seriously, he added. wide range of microorganisms. providing fresh water, and maintaining Programs such as dredging the lake bed SDC-based disinfectant kills the coronavirus within two biological balance, so their extinction has and waterways entering the lake, conduct- minutes and has a protective effect on the spot for up to devastating effects on nature. ing watershed management operations to 24 hours, he highlighted. Moreover, attracting tourists, mass mi- prevent sediment from entering the lake, The company’s third green product is based on the nat- gration of migratory birds from around the educational programs and training courses ural substance lactic acid and is produced in the country world, reproduction of fish and other aquatic for public awareness, implementing a sus- for the first time, he noted, adding, the product is designed species, and creating a suitable environment tainable agricultural pilot project in Qaleh and prepared for disinfecting fruits and vegetables and for the life of special plants in that area are Narenji village, preventing land-use change does not require rinsing after washing according to in- among other beneficiaries of these ecosystems. which was proportional to the rainfall of that Raeisi added that measures such as around the lake are among the plans that have ternational protocols. Ezatollah Raeisi Ardakani, professor at time, but in recent years water withdrawal shutting down illegal wells, placing meters been carried out in this regard, he concluded. While green products are more expensive in the world Shiraz University and Iran’s father of ground- from this wetland is not consistent with cur- on permitted wells, and setting a certain Why wetlands should be pro- than similar products, with the domestic production of water hydrology told IRNA on Monday that rent rainfall, he added. amount of quota for permitted wells could tected? 3 eco-friendly disinfectants, we are able to offer these wetlands evaporate water, water evapora- And more than 28 million cubic meters be a solution. Wetlands, as the most important nat- products at a price even lower than similar products in tion lowers the temperature and creates of water is extracted, which, along with “The Ministry of Energy intends to transfer ural ecosystem, are one of the most vital, the world, he concluded. humidity, the lake’s humidity satisfies the several cultivations, has been very effec- 10 million cubic meters of water from Nargesi fertile, complex, and sensitive habitats Mehdi Kashmiri, director for technology and planning at water needs of the plants around the lake, tive in emptying groundwater aquifers, he Dam to the lake, but given that the lake has on earth, which are of special importance the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, said in whether pasture, agriculture or forest. further regretted. a capacity of 70 to 80 million cubic meters, and their preservation and protection early July that about 450 knowledge-based companies are He went on to explain that migratory In salt lakes, the water becomes salti- probably cannot solve the problem,” he noted. is a basic goal. active in the country for manufacturing protective equip- birds that come around the lake spread er with a little more water withdrawal, so Over-harvesting by drilling wells Wetlands are of great economic, social, and ment and treatment products to fight the coronavirus. their feces around the lake, forest, and ag- water is harvested to a certain amount, There are about 300 illegal wells and 650 ecological importance. Local communities “Production of more than one million face masks per ricultural lands and as manure fertilize the while in freshwater lakes there is no such permitted ones around the lake that draw are also dependent on the functions of the day, over 1.5 liters of disinfectants per day, diagnostic kits, surrounding lands. restriction, and people deepen the wells to water without any restrictions or limitations, wetland in terms of livelihood and face prob- non-contact thermometers, protective clothing, ventilator In addition to Parishan, Fars province has have more water and this causes the lake Hamid Zahrabi head of the provincial de- lems with decreasing wetland production. are among the produces manufactured by these compa- two other freshwater lakes called Kaftar and water to dry out, he explained. partment of environment said. Parishan wetland is also of special im- nies,” he stated. Arzhan. But the most important wetland in “Currently, the groundwater level of The gas power plant, which is located near portance as the largest freshwater wetland He added that 150 companies are active in the field of the province is Parishan, which is recognized the lake is about 5 meters below sea level, the lake, has 2 wells, which draw 1,200 cubic in Iran and West Asia, but in recent years, hospital equipment production. in the Ramsar Convention as an interna- which if the water withdrawal continues meters of water in every 24 hours in winter this wetland has been depleted due to var- Besides, manufacturers have multiplied their production tional wetland of importance that must be in the same way, the water can drop by 10 and 1,700 to 2,000 cubic meters in summer, ious factors, and many plant and animal capacity and researchers have achieved the technology protected, but in recent years, the wetland or 15 meters,” he emphasized. he noted, stating, obviously, every year 500 species have been degraded. to produce three kinds of COVID-19 diagnostic kits that has faced severe crises. Strengthening groundwater to 600 thousand cubic meters of water is Human and natural causes of drought hit the market. Water withdrawal way above aquifer significant and will have dire consequences. in this wetland are both to blame, but poor The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in Iran rainfall rate Nothing is more effective than the level of Plant and animal species management is undeniable; actions such reached 276,202 on Monday, of whom 14,405 have died and In the past, the amount of water harvested the groundwater aquifer in the lake’s revival, Zohrabi also noted that after the lake as reducing planting periods, preventing 240,087 recovered so far. Over the past 24 hours, 2,414 new from the lake was proportional to the amount he stated, adding, even if the rainfall increas- has dried up, the submerged aquatic veg- new wells, and controlling the amount cases of people having the virus have been identified, and 217 of rainfall, Raeisi lamented. es, the problem will not be solved until the etation has disappeared, but reeds have of water withdrawn by wells can prevent died, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said. For example, in 1981, two million cubic groundwater aquifer is improved, and there grown more in the wetland, especially in further depletion of groundwater and help Currently, 3,583 patients with coronavirus are in critical meters of water was harvested from the lake, is no other way but to reduce the harvest. late winter and spring. revitalize the wetland. condition, she added.

Iranian scientists develop system for real-time diagnosis of COVID-19 1 In this system, a calibration was performed related to the COVID-19 by testing about 170 normal, suspicious, and virus-infected cases. It showed great promising results in the real-time screening of the people during this pandemic. Also, special software was designed based on experimental calibration to analyze the data and diagnose whether the responses are related to the positive or negative detection of COVID-19. This ability of the device provides a free and flexible method for the phlebotomist or physicians to utilize the device in the laboratories or clinics. It can be used as a power full assistant in the fast screening of the patients who need further medical examination during this pandemic and may be used in the future to reduce the number of cases that must be undergone CT-Scan for COVID-19 diagnosis. Trump can’t weaken California’s climate change carbon market, federal judge rules California beat President Donald Trump’s efforts to water U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb, however, said down its signature climate-change initiative, a market-based California hasn’t exceeded its legal limits or intruded on program that’s designed to reduce carbon emissions. Trump’s “foreign affairs power.” A federal judge in Sacramento on Friday dismissed a lawsuit The federal government has shown no “concrete evidence the Trump administration filed challenging California’s cap- that the President’s power to speak and bargain effectively and-trade program, which requires hundreds of businesses with other countries has actually been diminished,” the to purchase carbon credits or reduce their greenhouse gas judge wrote. emissions. The program, a centerpiece of the 2006 global In a tweet, Gov. Gavin Newsom called Shubb’s decision warming law signed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a “clear victory in an unwarranted and vindictive lawsuit has forced businesses to spend billions of dollars on the against California.” credits, phys.org reported. The decision comes as California officials ponder the The decision marks the latest chapter in the court effectiveness of the cap-and-trade program. battles between the Trump administration and the state The program revolves largely around a series of carbon- over a multitude of issues, including the environment and credit auctions held every three months by the California immigration. The two sides have spent much of the past Air Resources Board, the state’s air-pollution agency. two years in particular fighting over California’s efforts to In the most recent auction, barely one-third of the 57 rein in greenhouse gases. million carbon credits were sold, the result of the plunge in Friday’s decision stems from the White House’s lawsuit over demand for gasoline as the coronavirus pandemic brought California’s cap-and-trade initiative—in particular the state’s economic activity to a standstill. decision in 2014 to link its program with a comparable cap-and- Each credit enables the purchaser to emit a ton of carbon trade market operating in the Canadian province of Quebec. pollution. The amount of available credits ratchets down The alliance allows companies in both states to sell carbon with each auction, effectively forcing businesses to find ways credits to each other and, California officials say, broadens to reduce their carbon footprint or buy extra credits on the the market for credits and strengthens the overall program. open market. This market-based approach is designed to give The Trump administration argued that the alliance individual businesses flexibility while reducing the overall was the equivalent of California signing a treaty with a volume of carbon emissions. foreign government—something disallowed by the U.S. But with so many credits going unsold in the latest auction, Constitution, which says foreign policy is under the federal the pressure to reduce emissions has been relaxed, at least government’s jurisdiction. for the time being. The Newsom administration is looking In addition, federal officials said California officials are at whether other programs can do a better job of keeping the using the cap-and-trade program to defy the president’s heat on businesses to reduce carbon pollution, the nonprofit wishes on environmental matters, including his decision news organization Cal Matters has reported. to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate According to Cal Matters, California Environmental accord in 2017. Protection Agency Secretary Jared Blumenfeld has told “California’s Governors have defied this clear constitutional lawmakers he would work with the Air Resources Board to structure,” federal officials argued in court papers. “They consider “the extent to which the state’s climate strategy have positioned the State in open opposition to the foreign should rely on the cap-and-trade program reductions policy of the United States on greenhouse gas emissions.” relative to other approaches.” I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 INTERNATIONAL JULY 21, 2020

Saudi King Salman, 84, U.S. protests: Troops ‘kidnap’ admitted to hospital

Saudi Arabia’s 84-year-old ruler, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, has been admitted to hospital in the capital Riyadh, suffering protesters into unmarked cars from inflammation of the gall bladder, state news agency SPA 1 Detaining of protesters senators and two of its House members said on Monday. Federal officers have charged at least 13 demanded that U.S. Attorney General The king, who has ruled the world’s largest oil exporter and people with crimes related to the protests so William Barr and Homeland Security close U.S. ally since 2015, is undergoing medical checks, the far, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Acting Secretary Chad Wolf immediately agency added, without giving details. on Thursday. withdraw “these federal paramilitary forces After the news, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi post- Some have been detained by the federal from our state”. poned a visit scheduled to Saudi Arabia, said Foreign Minister courthouse, which has been the scene of The members of Congress also said Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said. protests. But others were grabbed blocks they’ll be asking the DHS inspector general King Salman, the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, spent more away. and the U.S. Department of Justice to than 2-1/2 years as the Saudi crown prince and deputy premier “This is part of the core media strategy investigate the presence and actions of from June 2012 before becoming king. He also served as governor out of Mr Trump’s White House: to use federal forces in Portland. of the Riyadh region for more than 50 years. federal troops to bolster his sagging polling “It’s painfully clear this administration The de facto ruler and next in line to the throne is the crown data,” Mr Wheeler said. is focused purely on escalating violence prince, Mohammed bin Salman, widely referred to as MbS, who “And it is an absolute abuse of federal without answering my repeated requests for has launched reforms to transform the kingdom’s economy and law enforcement officials.” why this expeditionary force is in Portland end its “addiction” to oil. One video showed two people in helmets and under what constitutional authority,” The 34-year-old prince, who is popular among many young and green camouflage with “police” Democratic Senator Ron Wyden said. Saudis, has won praise at home for easing social restrictions in patches grabbing a person on the sidewalk, On Thursday night, federal officers the conservative Muslim kingdom, giving more rights to women handcuffing them and taking them into deployed tear gas and fired non-lethal and pledging to diversify the economy. an unmarked vehicle. rounds into a crowd of protesters. To the king’s supporters, this boldness at home and abroad was a “Who are you?” someone asks the pair, Acting Secretary Chad Wolf visited welcome change after decades of caution, stagnation and dithering. who do not respond. At least some of the Portland on Thursday and called the But state control of the media and a crackdown on dissent in the federal officers belong to the Department demonstrators, who are protesting racism kingdom make it difficult to gauge the extent of domestic enthusiasm. of Homeland Security. and police brutality, “violent anarchists.” The crown prince’s reforms have been accompanied by a purge Customs and Border Protection said in got out “looking like they were deployed is a bunch of nothing.” Mr Wolf blamed state and city authorities of top royals and businessmen on charges of corruption, and a a statement that its agents had information to a Middle Eastern war.” After he asked for a lawyer, Mr Pettibone for not putting an end to the protests. But costly war in Yemen, which have all unnerved some Western indicating the person in the video was Mr Pettibone said he got to his knees was allowed to leave. Portland police said on Friday, 20 people allies and investors. suspected of assaulting federal agents or as the group approached. Call for investigation were arrested overnight. His prestige also suffered a blow after the murder of journalist destroying federal property. They dragged him into the van without “Authoritarian governments, not At least two protests occurred Thursday Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 at the hands of Saudi security personnel “Once CBP agents approached the identifying themselves or responding to democratic republics, send unmarked night, one near the federal courthouse and seen as close to him. suspect, a large and violent mob moved his questions and pulled his beanie over authorities after protesters,” Democratic the other by a police station in another towards their location. For everyone’s his eyes so he couldn’t see, he said. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley said in a tweet. part of the city. safety, CBP agents quickly moved the “I figured I was just going to disappear U.S. Attorney Billy Williams said Police told protesters to leave the site suspect to a safer location,” the agency said. for an indefinite amount of time,” Mr he has requested the Department after announcing they heard some chanting Sudan force says 160 Libya However, the video shows no mob. Pettibone said. of Homeland Security Office of the about burning down the building. bound ‘mercenaries’ arrested In another case, Mark Pettibone, 29, Mr Pettibone said he was put into a cell Inspector General to investigate the Protester Paul Frazier said the chant said a minivan rolled up to him around and officers dumped the contents of his actions of DHS personnel. was “much more rhetorical than an actual Sudanese forces arrested around 160 people on the border with Libya 2 am Wednesday and four or five people backpack, with one remarking “Oh, this In a letter on Friday, Oregon’s two statement.” who were en-route to the war-torn neighboring country to work as “mercenaries,” a state-linked paramilitary group said Sunday. “The joint security forces stationed at the Sudanese-Libyan UAE launches Arab world’s first Erdogan in surprise visit to Hagia Sofia border arrested 160 people who were going to work as merce- naries to fight in Libya, including two foreigners,” Sudan’s Rapid Mars probe after its reconversion into mosque Support Forces (RSF) said in a statement. The UAE has successfully launched a Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan The RSF is led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, a leading member rocket carrying a Mars orbiter from a site pays a flying visit to Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, of Sudan’s transitional ruling council. in Japan. The probe, which will moni- the country’s most outstanding landmark “Sending Sudanese to fight in Libya as mercenaries is unac- tor the atmosphere on the Red Planet, and a UNESCO World Heritage site, after ceptable,” said General Jaddo Hamdan, the RSF’s commander is the Arab world’s first interplanetary ordering revocation of the edifice’s nearly in North Darfur state. exploration mission. century-long status as a museum and its “We have been monitoring and securing the border with Libya The Emirati Hope (Amal) orbiter reconversion into a mosque. to combat illegal migration, human trafficking and all cross-border separated from the Mitsubishi H-IIA The visit came on Sunday, with the criminal enterprises,” he added. rocket and is heading for Mars, which president inspecting the underway re- Sudan is currently undergoing a fragile democratic transition it is scheduled to reach in February. The furbishment work, a week after Turkey’s after massive protests last year prompted the military to topple spectrometer and a camera. The orbit- into a museum. It was not clear whether mission is going according to plan, offi- top court green-lighted the process, the long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir. er will study the atmosphere condition Erdogan will join the prayers. cials said, as the ground team in Dubai president’s office reported. The office also In January, a United Nations panel of experts said many Arabs and record climate change on the Red The site was built as a cathedral during has established communications with provided pictures showing scaffolding in- from Sudan’s conflict-wracked region of Darfur and neighboring Planet, among other things. the Byzantine empire, but was converted the probe and received its first signal side the building. Chad were fighting as “individual mercenaries” in Libya. The launch marks the first interplanetary into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest transmitted to Earth, RT reported. Some 500 people are to join Muslim The panel said they belonged to the same tribes that made exploration mission by an Arab country. of Constantinople in 1453. The spacecraft is designed to monitor prayers in the building Friday, the first such up a majority of RSF personnel, but said there was no “credible The historic send-off was due to commence Erdogan, however, said last year that Mars from above the planet using an occurrence since 1934, when then-Turk- evidence” that the RSF itself had deployed in Libya. earlier this month, but was delayed several it had been a “very big mistake” to convert infrared spectrometer, an ultraviolet ish ruler Mustafa Kemal Ataturk turned it The UN experts’ report also said several Darfuri armed groups times because of bad weather. the Hagia Sophia into a museum. operating in Libya “have participated in various clashes and mil- itary operations alongside Libyan warring parties.” Sudan’s Darfur region itself remains scarred by war after a rebel- lion in the early 2000s against al-Bashir was brutally suppressed. Russia bounties story in U.S. media aimed at spoiling peace deal: Taliban Libya has turned into a regional proxy-war in recent years, A Taliban official has dismissed as fake a recent report in of long-awaited peace talks with the Afghan government, cused Kabul on Sunday of “creating hurdle” in the way of amid chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed the U.S. media that accused Russia of paying the militant sources with the group said Saturday. negotiations by refusing to release the remaining prisoners. dictator Moamer Kadhafi. group to kill American troops in Afghanistan, saying the Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, added four close aides Kabul has refused to release around 600 prisoners, Since 2015, a power struggle has pitted Libya’s UN-recognized, report was a byproduct of U.S. political infighting and aimed to the group and removed three to four earlier members of whom it says are “too dangerous.” Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) against forces at spoiling a Taliban-Washington peace deal. the team, AFP reported. The intra-Afghan talks have repeatedly been delayed loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, who is based in the east of the country. In a report last month, the New York Times, citing an According to the sources, the newly-appointed nego- as the Taliban continue their attacks across the nation. unnamed source, claimed that a top-secret unit within the tiators are all members of the militant group’s leadership The peace talks, which were abandoned by the Taliban Resistance News Russian military intelligence, or the GRU, had allegedly council, which should help the team make quicker decisions. back in April, were initially supposed to have started in offered monetary rewards to Taliban-linked militants to U.S., Taliban urge Kabul to complete pris�- March in Doha. kill U.S. troopers in the country last year. oner swap U.S. Special Representative on Afghanistan Zalmay Haneyya: Three priorities to Russia dismissed the report as a bunch of “lies.” On Sunday, acting U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Khalilzad, said last week that “large numbers” of Afghans face dangers threatening our In an interview with Russia’s RT news channel released Ross Wilson, called on President Ashraf Ghani and his continue to die without a reason. on Sunday, Taliban spokesperson and U.S.-Taliban negoti- coalition partner, Abdullah Abdullah to complete the “Violence has been high, especially in recent days and cause ator Suhail Shaheen said the story “has to do with internal exchange of prisoners and launch talks with the Taliban weeks,” he said. politics” in the U.S. without delay. U.S. cuts down troops, closes 5 bases in INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN— Head of Hamas’s political bureau “This Russian bounties, it is not true,” he said. “We are “The Afghan people have made clear their impatience,” Afghanistan desk Ismail Haneyya has described the develop- not fighting for anyone for money.” he said in a series of tweets. “Start intra-Afghan negotiations Last week, the Pentagon announced that it had closed ments which the Palestinian cause is going through as “the most He did not deny that the Taliban attack U.S. troops in now so that discussions on a permanent and comprehensive five military bases in Afghanistan as part of the agreement dangerous,” affirming that his Movement has three priorities to Afghanistan, but said that the group do so based on “ideology.” ceasefire can begin.” reached with the Taliban. deal with the situation on the ground. A peace deal was signed between the Taliban and the U.S. The peace negotiations hinge on the prisoner swap, in “U.S. forces in Afghanistan remain in the mid-8,000s In a recent meeting with Qatari journalists, Haneyya said in late February, in the Qatari capital, Doha, for a phased which Kabul pledged to free about 5,000 Taliban prisoners and five bases formerly occupied by U.S. forces have that the first priority is to work on rearranging the Palestinian U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. in return for around 1,000 Afghan security forces held by been transferred to our Afghan partners,” said Pentagon house and rebuilding the national project on sound founda- Taliban reshuffle team of negotiators the militants. chief spokesman Jonathan Hoffman. tions based the constants of the Palestinian cause, calling it Meanwhile, the leader of the Taliban militant group is Afghan authorities have so far released about 4,400 The bases were in Helmand, Uruzgan, Paktika and “the most important factor.” reported to have reshuffled his team of negotiators ahead Taliban prisoners, according to officials. The Taliban ac- Laghman provinces. “If there is a unified Palestinian position, then surely we will be able to thwart this plan (Israel’s annexation plan), and I can say that we have succeeded so far in building one Palestinian position against the annexation plan and the deal Trump not ready to commit to election results if he loses of the century,” the Hamas leader said. He explained that this priority can be achieved through U.S. President Donald Trump is refusing to The president described the nation’s view, which aired Sunday. “They were fake renouncing Oslo accords. “All Israeli crimes were carried out publicly commit to accepting the results of top infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony in 2016 and now they’re even more fake. The under the guise of Oslo, so our people must abandon the entire the upcoming White House election, recall- Fauci, as a “a little bit of an alarmist” about polls were much worse in 2016.” Oslo phase and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) ing a similar threat he made weeks before the coronavirus pandemic, and Trump stuck Trump was frequently combative with must halt any cooperation with the Israeli occupation and re- the 2016 vote, as he scoffs at polls showing to what he had said back in February - that Wallace in defending his administration’s voke its recognition of Israel.” him lagging behind Democrat Joe Biden. the virus is “going to disappear.” On Fox, he response to the pandemic, weighing in on the As for the second priority, Haneyya said that it is about how Trump says it’s too early to make such an said, “I’ll be right eventually.” The United Black Lives Matter movement and trying to to confront Israel’s annexation plan and about the means of the ironclad guarantee. States tops the global death toll list with portray Biden, the presumptive Democratic Palestinian struggle, stressing that his Movement is ready to sit “I have to see. Look ... I have to see,” over 140,000 and confirmed infections, nominee, as lacking the mental prowess to at one table with other parties to agree on how to exercise the Trump told moderator Chris Wallace dur- with 3.7 million. serve as president. national struggle against the occupation. ing a wide-ranging interview on “Fox News It is remarkable that a sitting president Among the issues discussed was the push The third priority, he said, is about arranging the relationship Sunday.” “No, I’m not going to just say yes. would express less than complete confidence which Trump disputes the election results. for wholesale changes in policing that has with the Arab and Islamic worlds. “It is related to organizing I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last in the American democracy’s electoral process. Trump has seen his presidential popularity swept across the nation. Trump said he could the relationship with our Arab and Islamic depth, and this is an time either.” The Biden campaign respond- But for Trump, it comes from his insurgent erode over his handling of the coronavirus understand why Black Americans are upset important topic for two reasons: First because the [Palestinian] ed: “The American people will decide this playbook of four years ago, when in the closing pandemic and in the aftermath of nation- about how police use force disproportionately cause has an Arab and Islamic dimension and second such plans election. And the United States government stages of his race against Hillary Clinton, he wide protests centered on racial injustice that against them. have repercussions for the entire region.” is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers said he would not commit to honoring the erupted after Floyd’s death in Minneapolis “Of course I do. Of course I do,” the presi- “We, in Hamas, believe that the strategy of being open to out of the White House.” election results if the Democrat won. nearly two months. dent said, adding his usual refrain that “whites everyone and relying on a strong bloc in the region is success- According to AP, Trump also hammered Pressed during an October 2016 debate Trump contends that a series of polls are also killed, too.” ful, so when we talk about the necessity of coordinating with the Pentagon brass for favoring renaming about whether he would abide by the voters’ that show his popularity eroding and Biden He said he was “not offended either by Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Iran and other countries, we are in bases that honor Confederate military leaders will, Trump responded that he would “keep holding an advantage are faulty. He believes Black Lives Matter,” but at the same time this direction,” he stated. - a drive for change spurred by the nation- you in suspense.” The president’s remarks to Republican voters are underrepresented defended the Confederate flag, a symbol of He also stressed the importance of working on developing al debate about race after George Floyd’s Fox are certain to fuel conversation on Cap- in such surveys. the racism of the past, and said those who the relationship with Europe and influential parties inside death. “I don’t care what the military says,” itol Hill, where lawmakers had already been “First of all, I’m not losing, because those “proudly have their Confederate flags, they’re America in order to confront Israel’s expansion plans. the commander in chief said. airing concerns in private about a scenario in are fake polls,” Trump said in the taped inter- not talking about racism.” I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 21, 2020 SPORTS 11

Iran enjoys a golden Mohajerani, Ranjbar among AFC Asian Cup top three coaches

SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian coaches Mohammad generation: Afshin Ghotbi deskRanjbar and Heshmat Mohajerani have been chosen among top three greatest coaches at the AFC Asian Cup. 1 In an exclusive interview with ardship, Iran lost to South Korea in the Saudi Arabia’s Khalil Al Zayani was voted as the greatest coach. Tehran Times, Afshin Ghotbi, coach of 2011 AFC Asian Cup quarter-final. Tell Al Zayani, who guided Saudi Arabia to the 1984 championship top-tier team Shijiazhuang Everbright, has us what happened. - the first of three AFC Asian Cup titles the West Asian nation has talked about his career in Iranian football - Your description of winning noth- won - collected 77 percent of the votes on a poll on the-AFC.com. clubs and National Team. ing is quite harsh. Success is defined and Tehran Times: It has been difficult measured differently at different times, for you and your players since you have and history is more a reflection of people’s been in isolation due to coronavirus for opinion rather than the facts. There were months. Let us know, what is your team’s extraordinary political, social, economical condition at the moment? and sporting circumstances during this Ghotbi: After the historic promotion period between April of 2009 and January on November 2, 2019, we diligently created 2011. Somethings are better left unsaid, a strategy to strengthen the selection to as my enduring love for my country and be able to compete in the Chinese Super national team will never allow me to speak League. Our budget is one of the lowest, negatively. if not the lowest, so we have had to be You returned to Iran after many years pragmatic, efficient and precise in every and took charge of Foolad but opted to decision. Corona virus created a global leave the team to join Shijiazhuang. Was pandemic our generation has never ex- financial reasons behind the decision? Mohajerani and Ranjbar came second and third, respectively perienced, so there has been a sense of - I truly enjoyed my short time at in the poll. uncertainty, isolation and loss of control. Foolad, but there are many reasons for Mohammad Ranjbar (winner in 1972) and Heshmat Mohajerani We have tried to take it one day at a time my departure. Please allow me to show (winner in 1976) were two Iranian coaches in the 10-man list. and focus on helping others, improving respect to Foolad football club and fans The list also included Carlos Alberto Parreira of Brazil (win- each players and through self-reflection watching for fans on television or online. ments of the match. and not discuss internal matters and ner in 1980 and 1988), Ange Postecoglou of Australia (winner discovering better and more effective ways We have a rare opportunity during this -This day will be remembered by all events. in 2015), Zico of Brazil (winner in 2004), Philippe Troussier in preparing the team. pandemic to be a symbol of hope for our Persepolis and football fans forever. And last question. Iran have a difficult of France (winner in 2000), Jorvan Vieira of Brazil (winner in COVID-19 has shut down the sports, fans and create a distraction for at least Winning is always important in sports, task to advance to the 2022 World Cup 2007), Alberto Zaccheroni of Italy (winner in 2011) and Felix however the many countries have started 90 minutes away from all the challenges but the way we triumphed on this day for the third time in a row. The ‘Persian Sanchez of Spain (winner in 2019). their competitions since last month. As a people are facing in their lives. of May 17, 2008 is the most important. Leopards’ will have to win their four re- (Source: the-afc) coach who has worked in many countries, As Pim Verbeek’s assistant, you Against all odds, heart of a lion, courage, maining matches. Do you think Dragan can be acceptable to play behind closed the helped South Korea to beat star-studded passion, team work, human spirit, and Skocic can make it happen? doors since many say football is nothing Iran in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. A year God’s intervention. - I am not familiar with Mr. Dragan without fans? later, you were appointed as Persepolis It was written in the stars, and for- Skocic’s work, so I cannot comment on Vahid Hashemian meets - Fans are the soul of the game. They coach and inspired them to win the league ever it will be a source of inspiration for his ability. But We are enjoying the avail- Dragan Skocic provide the sight and sounds inspiring title after six years. You made a great job everyone who witnessed and experienced ability of a golden generation in Iranian memorable performances from the players since Persepolis had suffered six-point this season. football. We have the top talent in Asia. If and teams. The players will have to find deduction at that time. Just tell us about You were chosen as Iran nation- the Iranian players are given the proper Tasnim — Iranian assistant Vahid Hashemian held talks with inspiration from within themselves and the last match against Sepahan, where al football team coach in 2009 but won support and care by the football federa- Croatian coach Dragan Skocic in Iran Football Federation’s their teammates to create a spectacle worth Persepolis won the title in the dying mo- nothing with the team. Under your stew- tion, I believe Iran will qualify for 2022. headquarters on Monday. Hashemian has returned to Iran after several months since leaving the country due to coronavirus outbreak. The ex-Iran striker was Marc Wilmots’s assistant in Iran Milad Ebadipour happy to be back in the game national football team and will continue his cooperation with Iran as Skocic’s assistant. SPORTS TEHRAN – Iranian PGE Skra Bel- “We all miss volleyball now. It is a difficult period Iran will host Hong Kong on October 7, and will travel to deskchatów outside hitter Milad Ebadipour especially for us. It wasn’t easy being suspended for Cambodia five days later. Team Melli will also face Bahrain and is happy to return to volleyball after the months. the weeks. It’s a difficult task to live without volley- Iraq on November 11 and 16 respectively based on the new match Volleyball games are slowly coming back in Po- ball,” he added. dates scheduled by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). land. Before the regular season starts, PLS has decided PGE Skra Belchatów is one of the participants in to hold a PreZero Grand Prix PLS to be held on the the PreZero Grand Prix PLS and it’s interesting for beach. The tournament will be played from July 24 the Iranian international. to 26 in Krakow. “It’s interesting for me because if I get the chance, it’s Iranian duo to participate “Volleyball is our job. Life is very difficult without my first time playing on the beach. The formula of a four- it,” said the Iranian in an interview with PZPS. against-four game is also nice,” Ebadipour concluded. at World Snooker Championship

IRNA — Hossein Vafaei and Soheil Vahedi will represent Iran No Ballon d’Or for 2020 after France Football cancel award at the 2020 World Snooker Championship. The prestigious Ballon d’Or, awarded by rules have been modified during the pan- Paris Saint-Germain. The competition is an upcoming professional snooker tour- France Football magazine, is cancelled this demic, the award itself was impacted. “Look at Lewandowski’s performances nament that is scheduled to take place from 31 July to 16 August year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the “The season started with certain rules this year, his form has been at the level at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. organizers confirmed Monday. and ended with other rules. In January of Messi and Ronaldo,” Ferré said. “And It was originally scheduled to take place from 18 April to 4 “There will be no edition in 2020, and February, soccer was played in front Paris players, imagine if they win the May, but qualifying and the televised rounds were postponed because it turns out, after thoughtful of full stands. Then from May and June it Champions League.” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. consideration, that all the conditions are was with empty stands,” Ferré said. “Then Players deliberately not in- The qualifying rounds, featuring 128 players, will take place not met,” said Pascal Ferré, the editor of we had the five substitutes rule and not formed in advance from July 21-28 at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. France Football. three. Then other changes happened in To maintain the award’s authenticity and The winner of the tournament picks up a £500,000 first prize The Ballon d’Or has been given out terms of the competitions, notably the level of suspense, players were not informed from tournament sponsors. every year since Stanley Matthews won final eight (eight-team knockout format) of the decision before the announcement. the first one in 1956. Lionel Messi has for the Champions League when it had “We are independent and autonomous won it a record six times — one more than started with home and away legs.” enough not to have to raise our little finger longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo. With the European Championship and and ask what they think,” Ferré said. “We Santi Cazorla joins Al Sadd The magazine started giving out a wom- the Copa America postponed this year, the will take their frustration as a sign of their en’s award in 2018, but that has also been Champions League would have massively attachment to the award.” Santi Cazorla has joined Al Sadd after leaving Villarreal, with put on hold. weighed on the award’s outcome but with a If the virus impacts next season the same Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta hinting he would like the mid- “It’s such a strange year that we couldn’t format inadvertently providing a shortcut way, however, the award will be awarded. fielder to join his backroom staff in the future. treat it as an ordinary one. Let’s say that we for an eventual victor. “It would be less of a problem in terms Cazorla, 35, enjoyed a remarkable career revival as he returned started talking about (making the decision) “The Ballon d’Or would have been de- best goalkeeper have also been canceled of fairness, because this time around we’ve to LaLiga following an injury-hit final two years with the Gunners. at least two months ago,” Ferré told The cided over just three games: quarterfinal, this year, Ferré said. had two parts to the season: normal and He revealed his Achilles issue became so bad he almost had Associated Press in a telephone interview. semifinal, final,” Ferré said. “There were Ronaldo, who will be 36 in February, not normal,” Ferré said. “Imagine that in his foot amputated - but, after signing for Villarreal in 2018, he “It isn’t a decision we took lightly but loads of changes [to the rules] which are can still win an Italian league-Champions 2021 all matches are played behind closed was soon back to his best. we had to accept it couldn’t be a normal totally legitimate and which we don’t League double with Juventus this season, doors (without fans) and with five subs. or typical Ballon d’Or winner, and what contest given the worldwide health crisis, but he is not the only player affected by We would adapt, because it would be really worried us is that it wouldn’t be but we couldn’t consider this as a typical France Football’s decision. comparable.” fairly awarded.” year. Exceptional circumstances led to Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewand- To fill this year’s gap, the magazine ’Exceptional circumstances led an exceptional decision.” owski reached 50 club goals for the first created another trophy: the France Football to an exceptional decision’ The Kopa Trophy for the best player time and can win a treble. Kylian Mbappé Dream Team. Ferré noted that because the game’s under 21 and the Lev Yashin award for and Neymar can clinch quadruples for (FRANCE 24 ) Olympics: Human Rights Watch report documents abuse of child athletes in Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) — A Human Rights Watch report change. It noted child abuse in sport is a global problem His performances were so eye-catching he earned an interna- has found child athletes in Japan often suffer physical and that the systems for reporting abuse are opaque, un- tional recall with Spain last year and was given a fine send-off by and verbal abuse and sometimes sexual abuse during responsive, and inadequate. his team-mates following his last game for Villarreal on Sunday. training after documenting the experiences of over 800 “Human Rights Watch is calling on Japan to take decisive Just 24 hours later and reigning Qatar Stars League champions athletes in 50 sports. action and to lead in tackling this global crisis,” Worden said. Al Sadd - managed by Cazorla’s former international team-mate The 67-page report released on Monday titled “I Was The JOC did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Xavi - announced his arrival. Hit So Many Times I Can’t Count” looks at Japan’s history The report was based on interviews with more than “We have reached an agreement with Santi Cazorla. He will of physical punishment in sport and includes first-hand 50 current and former athletes, an online survey that reach Doha soon to complete the formalities and join the team. accounts from athletes. drew 757 responses and meetings with eight Japanese Welcome to Al-Sadd, Santi!” they tweeted. The report comes in the week that would have marked sports organizations. Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arteta - who played alongside Ca- the start of the Tokyo Olympics had it not been for the Of the 381 survey respondents aged 24 or younger, 19% zorla in the Gunners’ midfield for four years - praised his former global coronavirus pandemic. The Games have now been indicated they had been hit, punched, slapped, kicked, colleague and suggested he could one day look to bring him back delayed a year. knocked to the ground or beaten with an object while to the Emirates Stadium. “The specific abuses we documented include punching, participating in sports. Asked if he had held discussions with Cazorla about a coaching slapping, kicking or striking with objects (and) excessive “The coach told me I was not serious enough with the role at Arsenal, Arteta replied: “Not yet. or insufficient food and water,” Minky Worden, director running, so we were all called to the coach and I was hit in “My opinion of Santi cannot be any higher. Personally, first, with of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch (HRW), told the face in front of everyone. I was bleeding, but he did not the type of person he is and what he brings to that dressing room, a news conference. It also cut funding to its judo federation for a time after stop hitting me,” the report quoted a professional athlete but then also as a player for what he did throughout his career. In 2013, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) prom- coaches were found to have physically abused female athletes. given the pseudonym of Daiki A. as saying. “About the coaching role and the future, we will see what ised to take steps to wipe out violence among its sports HRW said not enough had been done since then and Eighteen percent reported experiencing verbal abuse, happens. Right now, he’s just finished (at Villarreal) so let him federations after an internal survey revealed more than 10% demanded organizations such as the Japan Sports Council and five reported experiencing sexual assault or harassment enjoy that moment and we’ll see what happens in the future”. of its athletes had been victims of bullying or harassment. and the JOC use the upcoming Olympics as a catalyst for while participating in sport as children. (Source: Sky Sports) Prayer Times Noon:13:11 Evening: 20:37 Dawn: 4:24 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:05 (tomorrow) JULY 21, 2020 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Mohammad Shojaeian Editor-in-Chief: Ali A.Jenabzadeh Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 “Cast out of Heaven” nominated [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051430 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 for Oskar Barnack Award Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 Webmaster: [email protected] ARTTEHRAN — Iranian journey to Touba” and Luca Locatelli from Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 deskphotographer Hashem Italy with “Future Studies” are other nominees. Shakeri’s series “Cast out of Heaven” has Brazil-based Spanish photographer Christina Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 been shortlisted for the Leica Oskar Barnack de Middel’s series “Journey to the Center” and Award (LOBA) in Wetzlar, Germany. Russia-based Italian photographer Davide No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran The series depicts the aftermath of the Monteleone’s collection “Sinomocene” have P.o. Box: 14155-4843 expansion of Tehran satellite towns, which also nominated for the LOBA. Zip Code: 1599814713 occurred after the implementation of the Among the nominees are also “Red Island” government’s Mehr Housing Project in 2007. by Namhun Sung from South Korea and “5km The series composed of 18 images took the from the Frontline” by Anastasia Taylor-Lind runner-up prize in the Discovery category at from the United Kingdom. the Sony World Photography Awards in June. For the first time in the award’s 40 year The Oskar Barnack Award, presented history, the winner will receive a prize of almost continuously since 1979, recognizes €40,000, in addition to a Leica camera photography expressing the relationship worth €10,000, and the publication of the between man and the environment. photographs in an exhibition that will travel Shakeri’s collection is competing with across the Leica Galerie network worldwide. GUIDE TO eleven other series including “Black Summer” The ceremony to present both winners in SPIRITUAL AWAKENING by Matthew Abbott from Australia, “Arctic the official competition and the Newcomers Heroes – Where the world is melting” category will be held in Wetzlar on September by Ragnar Axelsson from Iceland, and 24, 2020. It is not right that a creature should be sure “Displacement – New Town No Town” by In celebration of 40 years of recognizing of two things: health and wealth. For, when Giovanni Cocco from Italy. talented photographers, a special exhibition Vincent Fournier from France with “Space will showcase photographs from the 2020 you feel certain of your health, you fall ill, Project”, Emil Gataullin from Russia with LOBA winner, as well as works from previous and as soon as you are wealthy, you go to- “Mezen: By Sky’s Edge”, Maimouna Guerresi winners at the Ernst Leitz Museum and Leica wards poverty. from Italy with “Beyond the Border – A An image from Iranian photographer Hashem Shakeri’s series “Cast out of Heaven”. Gallery Wetzlar. Imam Ali (AS) Shanghai festival picks movies from Iran ARTTEHRAN — The 23rd Shanghai that lead to his death penalty and execution, but along the deskInternational Film Festival (SIFF), which way, Samad comes to realize that Nasser was drawn to this Indian Muslim scholars will take place in the Chinese megalopolis from July 25 to path because of broken down social conditions, imposed August 2, has selected five movies from Iran to screen in on him. Nasser is ultimately executed, and Samad who oppose government’s its various categories. has been promoted to the station chief, resigns from his bid to ban Iranian movie “Najibeh” directed by Mostafa Gandomkar and “The post. He has come to believe all the arrests and executions Badger” directed by Kazem Mollai will be competing for in all these years, did not have any effect on society’s “Muhammad” the Asian New Talent Award. drug problems. Najibeh is a poor old woman who wants to commit a “Old Men Never Die” is about 100-year-old Aslan, the 1 After the demand from Raza Academy and a few other crime because she needs to go to prison for a while. To head of a death squad in youth who lives with his other Muslim organizations to ban the movie release, Home Minister accomplish her goal, she needs an aid, so she tries to get single old fellows in a remote village. Since he came to the Anil Deshmukh wrote a letter to the Ministry of Electronics and help from her friend. village 45 years ago, nobody has ever died in the village! Information Technology to lift the ban. “The Badger” tells the story of Sudeh, a 40-years-old Now, most of the population consists of old and disabled woman who faces a strange incident right before her second men. All being done with life, they believe the only way to marriage. Sudeh and her son Matiar lives in an old apartment. bring death back to the village is to commit suicide! One day, she hires a pest control company to solve the termite “Crab” by Shiva Sadeq-Asadi will be contending for the problems in the apartment. While the pest control company Golden Goblet Award in the official section. is working, Matiar is recording the procedures, as this is his The short animation tells the story of a shy schoolboy hobby. The next day, Matiar gets kidnapped after school, who is interested in performing in a play with his school’s and the kidnapper asks Sudeh to pay 10 bitcoins for her theater troupe. But the only part offered to him is to play son. Tremendous pressure is put on Sudeh, but the truth the role of a crab. hidden beneath will surprise everyone. The movies have been produced at Iran’s Institute for “Just 6.5” directed by Saeid Rustai and “Old Men Never Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults. Die” by Reza Jamali have been selected to be screened in A poster for “Old Men Never Die”. The 23rd Shanghai International Film Festival was the SIFF Highlights – Viva La Festival. first scheduled to be held from June 13 to 22, but it was In “Just 6.5”, the city is brimming with drug addicts, Nasser Khakzad. After several operations, Samad manages postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will many of whom are homeless. Samad, a member of Anti- to track him down at his penthouse, where he had attempted be held both offline and online in a bid to minimize the Narcotics Police Task Force, is looking for a drug kingpin, suicide but is still alive. Nasser goes through legal steps impact of the pandemic. A scene from Iranian director Majid Majidi’s “Muhammad, the Messenger of God”. “Muhammad, the Messenger of God” was Iran’s submission to the best foreign language film category at the 88th Iranian art galleries urge government support in COVID-19 era Academy Awards. Renowned international craftsmen and artists such as editor ARTTEHRAN — Owners days with the rapid spread of coronavirus and desk Roberto Perpignani, special effects designer Scott E. Anderson, of several art galleries even the galleries, which are open to visitors makeup designer Gianetto De Rossi and Indian composer A. R. in Iran have asked the government to have only a few visitors,” Mahnaz Javadi said. Rahman collaborated with Majidi in the production. support them during the hard days of the “Diba Gallery is located in an old building coronavirus pandemic. in the city and we had to pay a large sum They expect the government to purchase of money for its repair after a hard rain this artworks or extend loans to them so that year, and these on and off exhibits cannot Vocalist Salar Aqili to do they can continue their activities, or else compensate,” she added. they believe art and the artists will face She added that she has changed the online duet with pianist irreparable losses. gallery’s schedule and therefore, its two wife Harir Shariatzadeh Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic upcoming exhibitions will go online. She Guidance canceled all art, cultural and is planning to promote the exhibits on the ARTTEHRAN — Vocalist Salar Aqili and his pianist cinematic events across the country in February pages of several active artists and gallery deskwife Harir Shariatzadeh will be presenting an in an attempt to stem coronavirus’ spread. owners on social networks. online duet on Friday evening. Art galleries across Iran were allowed She asked the government to support the The concert will be available on an official application, which to resume activities since April 20 after an gallery owners through loans or else they will will be announced later. over two-month shutdown due to the new have big problems. coronavirus pandemic. Nazanin Asgharzadeh, the executive Aqili and his musician family have chosen to stay home during Artworks are on display at a Tehran gallery. (File photo) the pandemic. He had previously held a concert with wife and However, gallery owners prefer to director of the Mah Gallery in Tehran, son Mahur at home for his fans. continue the lockdown since there are no has also said that she believes nothing can continued their activities through podcasts appointment only,” she noted. Also he, along with musician visitors, buyers, or dealers. replace the attendance of visitors at galleries and virtual exhibits,” she said. She added that the number of visitors has Fazel Jamshidi and actor Parviz The director of Diba Gallery in the central and museums, however, organizing virtual “Mah gallery also resumed activity after decreased, and the artists who have spent Parastui who are members of Iranian city of Isfahan has said that she has exhibits is a breakthrough these days. the Culture Ministry allowed galleries one or two years to create their collections the nationwide #Moshahonar shut down the gallery for one year and plans “The spread of coronavirus made all careers to reopen observing health protocols. Of prefer to hold their exhibits at a time when movement, released a song to hold only online exhibits. seek new methods to continue their activities, course, we do not hold opening ceremonies there can be opening ceremonies with good named “Mate” in April during “Isfahan is not in a good condition these and galleries were no exception and have and art aficionados also visit the exhibits by number of visitors. the home quarantine for the coronavirus pandemic. They joined the movement launched by hundreds of Iranian Actor Ahmad Purmokhber dies at 80 artists to entertain people during the quarantine. ARTTEHRAN — Ahmad Purmokhber, Suspect Ran Away”. “We actually felt the need deskfamous for his roles in Iranian comic He received a nomination for the best actor award to keep the spirits of people series such as “Sour and Sweet”, died of a stroke on for his role in “Sour and Sweet” at the Hafez Awards, and the healthcare staff up Monday. He was 80 years old. Iran’s first and only private awards in the film industry these days. COVID-19 is a “My father was in Firuzgar Hospital in Tehran for and TV productions. Vocalist Salar Aqili performs tough virus and we are still a month and died of a stroke this morning,” his son He was most liked for his sweetness and that is why he in an undated photo. (Mehr/ battling with the disease. I Mohammad said. was also selected to play in comic series and comedies. Mohammad Moheimani) know some may have suffered Purmokhber made his debut in acting in 1996 by His roles in films such as “Women Are Angels”, “Milk more financially these days, however, it is a matter of life playing a cameo in director Majid Majidi’s acclaimed and Honey”, “Shy Groom”, “Big Trouble” and “The and death,” Aqili had said earlier. drama “Children of Heaven”. However, he shot to Outcasts” are also remembered well. He had called the collaboration with Parastui and Jamshidi fame years after with his roles in director/actor Reza He last appeared in director Saleh Deldam’s movie a good experience and hoped the song would be remembered Actor Ahmad Pumokhber in an undated photo. Attaran’s comic series “Sour and Sweet” and “The “Goose Kebab”. by the Iranian people. “After the song was released, I received many positive responses from people. I truly must thank the people who always support us. Jamshidi had a great role in the formation of this piece and Persian audiobook of Osamu Dazai’s “Setting Sun” released was the first who proposed the idea. It was a great honor for me CULTURE TEHRAN — A Persian and their allies. crux of Dazai’s novel. It is a sad story, and Kazuko’s mother falls ill, and due to to have done this for the people of my country,” he had said. deskaudiobook of Japanese Osamu Dazai’s “The Setting Sun” structurally is a novel very much within the their financial circumstances they are The song was written by Alireza Bahrami based on a poem by author Osamu Dazai’s “The Setting Sun” (“Shayo”) takes this milieu as its background confines of the Japanese take on the novel in forced to take a cottage in the countryside. Persian mystic and poet Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi. has recently been released by the Novin to tell the story of the decline of a minor a way reminiscent of authors such as Nobel Her brother, who became addicted to Hundreds of artists, including thespians, cineastes, painters, Ketab Publications in Tehran. aristocratic family. Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata – the social opium during the war is missing. When cartoonists and writers who launched the Moshahnoar movement, The post-war period in Japan was one of The story is told through the eyes of interactions are peripheral and understated, he returns, Kazuko attempts to form a have announced that they would produce artworks to showcase immense social change as Japanese society Kazuko, the unmarried daughter of a widowed nuances must be drawn, and for readers more liaison with the novelist Uehara. This on social networks for at least 100 days in order to make the stay adjusted to the shock of defeat and to the aristocrat. Her search for self meaning in used to Western novelistic forms this comes romantic displacement only furthers to at home almost tolerable. occupation of Japan by American forces a society devoid of use for her forms the across as being rather wishy-washy. deepen her alienation from society.