IRAN
October 16-21, 2016 FOCUS A LOOK AT REAL IRAN IN WEEKLY NEWS Issue No.3
CULTURAL CONSULATE OF EMBASSY OF I.R. IRAN – PRETORIA
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Introduction:
Iran: A concise History
“Certain regions of the world are distinguishable as being associated with a particular human culture pattern, which is at once distinctive in character and also sufficiently strong to have survived as a readily identifiable entity over many centuries… Of these regions, Iran is certainly one”. Cambridge History of Iran Known as Persia until 1935, Iran is a country with a history of over 10000 years and home to one of the oldest known civilizations. Persia, or Iran, as the country is more appropriately called, presents a lexicon of human history matched only by a handful of other countries in the world. The name Persia is derived from the Persis, a province in southern Iran from which a southern Iranian tribe, known as the “Persians” created a world empire in the sixth century B.C. The name Iran, pronounced “Eran”, however, comes from the term “Aryan” meaning “the land of nobles”, a name first used about the first millennium B.C. ‘Iran’ as a territory has multiple meanings. Broadly and devoid of any sort of political or territorial claims, one can see it as three regions. First, there is modern Iran, within its international borders. Then there is ‘Greater Iran or / ‘Iran exterieur comprising the additional areas that once formed part of the Iranian world at various times in history. Lastly, there are the areas, sometimes very remote from the center, including parts of Europe and India that exhibit Iranian influence. In the seventh century A.D. the new faith, Islam, which was based on Monotheism, offered the Iranian population an excellent opportunity whence for several centuries Iranian arts and acumen crystallized and became paramount in the Islamic world. The following centuries witnessed the development of distinctive traditions in pottery and ceramics, tile work, stucco, brickwork, metalwork, glassware, carpets, textiles, jewelry, music and poetry. In antiquity, and again during the Islamic period, Iran’s position between the West and China helped to transform this land into “a crossroad of civilizations” and one of the great sources of art and thought. Iran’s originality is such that it continuously invented new forms while maintaining its distinct character, as its influence extended over immense regions. 3
Content
ART & CULTURE
“Lanturi”, “The Sound and the Fury” win audience award at CineIran Festival
Iranian animations win awards at Australian festival
Tehran to host meeting of execs in performing arts of West Asia
Cartoonist Kambiz Derambakhsh offers collection for sale in Tehran gallery
Painting by Hossein Zenderudi sells for $307,500 at Christie’s in Dubai
Mumbai festival to screen Iranian films
Antenna festival jury impressed by “Starless Dreams”
Iranian films competing in Greek festival
Italy’s Pietro Floridia to stage “The Violin of the Titanic” with Iranian cast
Brno film festival honors “Survival”
“Breath”, “Starless Dreams” receive nominations at APSA
Iran’s “Malaria” wins grand prix at Warsaw Film Festival
SOCIETY
Culture, history, landscape, food and people amongst compelling reasons for traveling to Iran
Free tuberculosis testing at Tehran subway
Iran, Luxembourg to broaden ICT cooperation
Iran, Mexico ink joint action plan on labor affairs
Iran becoming a major destination for European tourists: EU official 4 10th Tehran Intl. Tourism Exhibit to run in Feb.
Over $4m channeled into ecotourism projects in Iran
S. Korean, Russian university officials to come to Iran
Iranian female entrepreneur to receive EBC*L Prize
Under Tourists Eyes: Grand bazaar in Tehran
ECONOMY
Vision 2025 to facilitate reaching ECO targets: Iranian fin. min.
Iran Hospitex being held in Tehran
Kish Island hosting IRANIMEX 2016
Some Japan trading houses eye resuming Iran oil imports: sources
Iran’s economy has beat expectations: IMF
Platform 17B to add 14.5mcm/d of gas to South Pars output
Iran’s year to date electricity generation up over 1% y/y
Iran’s exports to South Africa up 93%: official
Persian Gulf Star Refinery’s distillation unit to come online 3rd all-Iran Tehran hosting regional railroad meeting Iran container ship launched
Iran aims to boost trade ports capacity to 217m tons
POLICY
‘Defense power underpins diplomacy’
Iran’s FM discusses Syria with European diplomats
Physical eradication of Daesh doesn’t mean security will prevail: Iran
Zarif wants obstacles to Iran-EU ties removed
Nuclear chief says Iran exports 25 radiopharmaceuticals
International police exhibition opens in Tehran
Iran security matchless: intelligence minister
Iranian Navy repels pirate attack on merchant ship 5
Art & Culture
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“Lanturi”, “The Sound and the Fury” win audience award at CineIran Festival October 21, 2016
TEHRAN – Reza Dormishian’s “Lanturi” and Hooman Seyyedi’s “The Sound and the Fury” shared the audience award at the 2nd CineIran Festival, which was held in Toronto, Canada from October 14 to 16.
Over 10 Iranian films, including “Daughter” by Reza Mirkarimi, “Rabies” by Amir- Ahmad Ansari, “Polaris” by Sudabeh Moradian and “Born in 1987” by Majid Tavakoi, were screened during the festival.
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Iranian animations win awards at Australian festival October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – Two Iranian animated films, both directed by Mona Shahi, won awards at the Veterans Film Festival (VFF), which was held in Canberra, Australia from October 13 to 15.
“The Little Boy” won the Red Poppy Award for best animation.
The movie is about the residents of a city who evacuate their hometown upon repeated warnings by the army about the danger of a time bomb. However, a little orphan boy disregards the calls as he wants to finish doing something.
8 Amir-Hossein Jalili won the the Red Poppy Award for best composer for his collaboration on Shahi’s another animation “The Red Line”.
The film is about a turtle and a salamander who are friends in a war zone, but after the war they are separated by a red line as the border.
“Hyena Road” by Paul Gross from Canada received the Red Poppy Award for best international feature film while “The Carter” by David Bradbury won the award for best Australian feature film.
The Veterans Film Festival is an annual event, dedicated to sharing stories that explore real or imagined perspectives, in and out of war.
Tehran to host meeting of execs in performing arts of West Asia October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – Executives of theatrical organizations working in the West Asian countries will come together in Tehran on October 30 to give reports on their activities.
Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is the organizer of the three-day meeting, which will discuss ways to expand relations among the countries, Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization announced on Wednesday.
9 Cartoonist Kambiz Derambakhsh offers collection for sale in Tehran gallery October 19, 2016
TEHRAN -- Kambiz Derambakhsh, a cartoonist famous for his quick and simple cartoons, will offer a collection of his original works for sale in an exhibition opening in Aryana Gallery on Friday.
A collection of 500 works including photos, cartoons, comic strips and paintings will be offered for sale at very reasonable prices.
“The works going on display will include those created between the years 1971 and the present, most of which will be shown for the first time,” Derambakhsh said in a press release published on Wednesday.
“This is the first time I have exhibited such a large quantity of works in a single exhibit at different prices ranging from 70,000 rials (about 2 dollars) to over 10 million rials (about $280),” he added.
“Interested visitors can purchase works at the exhibit and take them home, only the paintings will remain until the end of the exhibit,” he remarked.
“This exhibit is the first part of a long project of mine to sell my works and I will probably hold several more in winter,” he concluded.
The exhibit will run until November 4 at the gallery located at No.9, Fereshteh St., in the Elahieh neighborhood. 10 Painting by Hossein Zenderudi sells for $307,500 at Christie’s in Dubai October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – “De Chaque Cote, Les Etoiles Fusent” (“On Each Side the Stars Fuse”), a painting by Iranian artist Hossein Zenderudi was sold for $ 307,500 at Christie’s Dubai sales of Modern and Contemporary Art on October 18.
The painting stands as the second-highest-priced item sold at the auction after “Les Années de l'oiseau” (The Years of the Bird) by Lebanese artist Shafic Abboud (1926-2004), which was sold for $391,500.
A total of 113 items by the artists from the Middle East were sold at $6,473,250, Christie’s has announced on its website.
Christie’s celebrated its 250th anniversary in Dubai sales, putting the spotlight on art of Saqqakhaneh, an artistic movement that began in Iran during the 1960s.
Out of 41 artworks by Iranian artists offered at the auction, 39 were sold all at good prices.
Works by Faramarz Pilaram, Parviz Tanavoli, Farhad Moshiri and Nasser Ovissi were among the highlights of the auction.
Works by artists from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and Saudi Arabia went under the hammer at the auction.
11 Mumbai festival to screen Iranian films October 18, 2016
TEHRAN – Three Iranian films will compete in various sections of the 18th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star, which will open in the Indian city tomorrow.
Asghar Farhadi’s “The Salesman”, which is Iran’s submission to the 89th Academy Awards in the best foreign-language film category, will be screened in the World Cinema category.
The movie won awards for best screenplay for Farhadi and best actor for Shahab Hosseini at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in May.
“The Salesman” is about Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidusti) who move into a new flat in the center of Tehran. An incident linked to the previous tenant dramatically changes the young couple’s life.
The section will also screen Reza Dormishian’s acclaimed drama “Lanturi”.
The film narrates a love story turned tragic by external circumstances. Gang member Pasha runs amok because Maryam, a socially committed, self-confident journalist, does not reciprocate his feelings. The badly injured young woman demands lex talionis – the law, applicable in Iran, of “an eye for an eye”.
Another Iranian film, “ValDerama” by Abbas Amini, is scheduled to be shown in the Half Ticket section of the festival, which will run until October 27.
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Antenna festival jury impressed by “Starless Dreams” October 18, 2016
TEHRAN – Acclaimed Iranian documentary “Starless Dreams” directed by Mehrdad Oskui received the special jury award for the best international documentary at the 6th Antenna Documentary Film Festival, which was held in Sydney, Australia from October 11 to 16.
The film, which has been acclaimed at several international festivals, shows the lives of seven young teenage girls sharing temporary quarters at a rehabilitation and detention center on the outskirts of Tehran.
The best international documentary award of the festival went to “Behemoth” by Chinese director Zhao Liang and the award for the best Australian documentary was given to “Mother with a Gun” by Jeff Daniels.
The festival also paid tribute to recently deceased Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami by screening his 1990 masterwork “Close-Up”.
“Close-Up” is a documentary drama about Hossein Sabzian’s real-life impersonation of the famous Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf and lying his way into the life of a family.
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Iranian films competing in Greek festival October 18, 2016
TEHRAN – Four Iranian films are competing in the 10th International Meeting of Archaeological Films of the Mediterranean Area and Beyond known as the Agon Archaeological Film Festival running from October 17 to 23.
“Let Our Men Dance” by Hiva Amin-Nejad, “Caspian Fishermen” by Mohammad Hossein Abedini, “Guardian Angel of Water” by Talayeh Atlasi and “Fest of Duty” by Firuzeh Khosravani are scheduled to go on screen at the festival.
Over 100 films from 17 countries including Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece and Germany will be screened in this edition of the festival.
14 Italy’s Pietro Floridia to stage “The Violin of the Titanic” with Iranian cast October 18, 2016
TEHRAN -- Pietro Floridia, the director of the Italian theater company Cantieri Meticci, in collaboration with the Iranian Mowj Theater Troupe, will be performing “The Violin of the Titanic” with a number of Iranian actors in Tehran’s City Theater Complex in December.
The performance is part of the “Making Out of Nothing” project, which is due to run in the Qashaqai Hall of the complex from December 1 to 19, director of the project Arash Abbasi told the Persian service of ISNA on Tuesday.
“Interested applicants can register for a workshop at www.arashabbasi.com, and a few actors will be selected for the week-long workshop followed by the performance,” Abbasi added.
“Pietro Floridia has performed the play in several countries including France, Poland, Brazil and Italy. He will be performing the play this time in Tehran,” he added.
Inspired by the story of the famous ocean liner, the show is an adaptation of “The Sinking of the Titanic” by German author Hans Magnus Enzensberger.
The show will place the audience aboard the same boat with the actors-refugees in order to allow them to experience from within the dynamics that the sinking and fighting for their lives can generate.
Photo: Italian director Pietro Floridia in an undated photo
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Brno film festival honors “Survival” October 17, 2016
TEHRAN – Iranian director Masud Hatami received an honorable mention for his “Survival” at the 57th Brno16 International Short Film Festival, which was held in the Czech city from October 12 to 15.
Produced by the Iranian Youth Cinema Society (IYCS), the film is about the concepts of empathy and human dignity.
Iranian shorts “Ardak” by Esmaeil Monsef, “Exterior Wash” by Jaber Ramezani and “Like Father” by Siavash Shahabi were also screened during the festival.
The award for best film was given to “Terrier” by Ozan Mermer from Germany.
16 “Breath”, “Starless Dreams” receive nominations at APSA October 17, 2016
TEHRAN – Iranian films “Breath” by Narges Abyar and “Starless Dreams” by Mehrdad Oskui received nominations in two major categories of the 10th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), the organizers announced on Monday.
“Breath” will be competing for the award for APSA Best Youth Feature Film and “Starless Dreams” for the award for APSA Best Documentary Feature Film.
The winners will be announced at the prestigious APSA ceremony on November 24 in Brisbane, Australia, with nominees in attendance.
“Breath” tells the story of four children whose mother had died a few years ago and their father decides to join the Iranian volunteers on the warfront following Iraq’s attack in September 1980.
A haunting portrait of stolen childhood, “Starless Dreams” plunges us into the lives of seven young teenage girls sharing temporary quarters at a rehabilitation and correction center on the outskirts of Tehran.
“The Quest” and “The Trap”, both from India, “Wolf and Sheep” from Afghanistan, Denmark, France and Sweden, and “The World of Us” from South Korea are four other nominees competing in the APSA Best Youth Feature Film category. 17 The other nominees in the APSA Best Documentary Feature Film category are “City of Jade” from Taiwan, “Exile” from Cambodia and France, “Snow Monkey” from Australia and Norway, and “Under the Sun” from Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, Latvia and South Korea.
Photo: Actress Gelareh Abbasi (R) and some extras are seen in a scene from “Breath”.
Iran’s “Malaria” wins grand prix at Warsaw Film Festival October 16, 2016
TEHRAN – “Malaria” by Iranian director Parviz Shahbazi won the grand prix of the 32nd Warsaw Film Festival, the organizers announced on Saturday.
Starring Saghar Qana’at and Saed Soheili, the film tells the story of a young woman who elopes with her boyfriend to spend her time in the company of a band of street musicians in Tehran. 18 Afterwards, she plans to hoodwink her father and brothers by claiming that she has been kidnapped and wants them to promptly send the ransom money.
The award for best director was presented to Guomundur Arnar Guomundsson for “Heartstone”, a joint production of Iceland and Denmark.
Actor Ahmad Thaher received the special jury award for his portrayal of Ahmad, a construction worker in “Blessed Benefit”, a comedy drama by Mahmoud al Massad from Jordan, Germany, the Netherlands and Qatar.
In addition actor Baldur Einarsson won an honorable mention for his role in “Heartstone”.
Photo: Saed Soheili (L) and Saghar Qana’at act in a scene from “Malaria”.
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Culture, history, landscape, food and people amongst compelling reasons for traveling to Iran October 19, 2016
By Justine Oliver - With sanctions on Iran being relaxed and airlines including British Airways reintroducing direct flights to Tehran, Iran is once again attracting foreign businesses and travelers. Having just returned from a one-month self-drive tour of the country, I can assure you the destination has much to offer.
Business, culture, history, landscape, food and the people are just some of the compelling reasons to travel to Iran, but one of the main barriers to visiting the country for many people is often their colleagues and friends asking ‘is it really safe to travel there?’
Western media often portrays Iran negatively. There is a widespread misunderstanding about the true nature and safety of the country, which is tainted by the reputation of some of its more politically unstable neighbors.
That’s why people are often stunned when they are told Iran, with the exception of a few locations, is considered a low-risk country and a safe destination to visit. 21 Iran is a fantastic country to visit. Certain nationalities still have visa complications and journalists or those involved in human rights can face greater risks, but for the average traveler, a wonderful trip awaits.
Justine Oliver is an independent travel security specialist with extensive global expertise, who specializes in solo female travel. For the last 16 years she has advised multi-nationals, NGO’s, media organizations, educational establishments, companies and individuals how to operate safely abroad
(source: eTN: Global Travel & Tourism News)
Free tuberculosis testing at Tehran subway October 19, 2016
TEHRAN — Temporary units which test for tuberculosis (TB) free of charge are set up at three stations of Tehran subway, IRIB reported on Tuesday.
The units are designed to heighten public awareness with experts explaining TB risk factors, its diagnosis, prevention and reasons for developing such a disease using brochures. 22 The scheme is co-planned by Tehran subway company department for social and cultural affairs and western Tehran healthcare center.
The units will offer free of charge services for three days at Shahid Beheshti, Sharif University, and Sadeqiyeh stations.
Iran, Luxembourg to broaden ICT cooperation October 19, 2016
TEHRAN — Iran and Luxembourg reached an agreement on enhancing cooperation and embarking on a joint venture in information and communications technology, IRIB reported on Tuesday.
Iranian Communication and Information Technology Minister Mahmoud Vaezi made the remarks in Tehran following a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider.
Vaezi further explained that “We are going to talk through and exchange views on all future cooperation on ICT over a joint committee which will be set up tomorrow (Wednesday).”
“We have also considered the possibility of joint research projects and student exchange programs with the Luxembourger delegation,” the Iranian minister said. 23 Schneider, for his part, emphasized the great potential of the young well-educated Iranians and expressed hope for the economic relations to maintain.
Mentioning the joint committee which was scheduled to meet on Wednesday he reiterated that the two countries have agreed on developing ICT cooperation.
The deputy prime minister of Luxembourg also offered cooperation in fields of biotechnologies, automotive industry, communications and information technology for the future.
Accompanied by a big economic delegation and representatives from 40 private companies including those active in the field of ICT, Schneider stated that regarding removal of sanctions (Banque de) Luxembourg Investment Funds with an annual turnover of 3,500 billion euros is keen on cooperating with Iran.
“Iran can open gates for us to enter the Asian market and that’s why we are interested in investing in Iran,” he highlighted.
Iran, Mexico ink joint action plan on labor affairs October 19, 2016
TEHRAN — Iran and Mexico signed a joint plan of action on labor affairs, IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday.
Mexican Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare Alfonso Navarrete Prida and the visiting Iranian Labor and Social Welfare Minister Ali Rabiei signed the document on Tuesday.
The two ministers discussed cooperation on labor related affairs such as occupation, social security, vocational education, social pathology, and other related issues. 24 Mentioning Iran’s positive experience in both political and business issues in the post-sanction era, Rabiei reflected Iranian officials’ tendency for establishing good relations and cementing ties particularly economic and commercial ones with Mexico.
Prida, for his part, expressed his country’s readiness for cultivating closer relations with Iran and called on recognizing exact fields of interest for facilitating cooperation by the end of the year.
The Iranian labor minister is also scheduled to visit Mexican Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarrea, Secretary of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, and Social Security Institute Director Mikel Andoni Arriola Penalosa.
According to IRNA, Iran exported some $10.7 million of goods to Mexico in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year, started on March 20, while imported around $200,000 of goods from Mexico in the same period.
Iran becoming a major destination for European tourists: EU official October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – The European Union commissioner for industry and entrepreneurship said on Tuesday that Iran is being turned into a major tourism destination for European travelers.
Although some sticking points, such as investment problems, still remain with the EU side, but “The EU in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization and other global establishments tries to overcome the barriers,” said Elzbieta Bienkowska, in a meeting with Masoud Soltanifar who presides over the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicraft Organization of Iran. 25 Soltanifar, for his part, underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation while putting forward working out on a memorandum of understanding in tourism grounds, a proposal that was warmly welcomed by Bienkowska as well.
“Time is ripe for European investors and companies who are willing to enter Iranian market,” Soltanifar remarked, calling Iran a “countrywide museum”, which boasts numerous historic places, scenic yet very diverse natural beauties with a history that stretches 10,000 years back in time.
Bienkowska referred to the measures taken by Iran regarding visa issuance as ‘very effective and important’.
In July, Iran increased its visa on arrival extension from 1 month to 3 months.
For the time being, citizens of 190 countries can obtain visa on arrival at the country’s airports with one-month validation.
The EU official also separately met with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the same day during which she attached great importance to deepen collaboration in tourism sector, adding that the EU seeks to establish long-term cooperation with Iran in various spheres.
The Iranian officials turned the spotlight on capacities that lie beyond Iranian and EU’s private and public sectors, meanwhile they stressed the need to seize the opportunity created with the implementation of the JCPOA.
Foreign tourist arrivals in Iran has been more than double that of the global average since the implementation of the JCPOA, Soltanifar announced earlier this month.
In a recent move, Iran has also offered to grant years of tax exemption to both domestic and foreign businesses and individuals as an incentive for ramping up investments in its tourism sector.
The picture above depicts Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicraft Organization Director Masoud Soltanifar (L) presenting a gift to Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European Union commissioner for industry and entrepreneurship, during their meeting in Tehran on October 18, 2016.
26 10th Tehran Intl. Tourism Exhibit to run in Feb. October 18, 2016
TEHRAN – The 10th Tehran International Tourism Exhibit will be held at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground from February 6 to 9, 2017, IRIB news reported on Sunday.
A poster for the exhibit bearing the motto of “See Iran Differently” was unveiled on Sunday at Tehran’s Laleh Hotel by Deputy Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization (CHTHO) Director Morteza Rahmani-Movahhed.
Several foreign ambassadors and diplomats together with a number of Iranian officials and tourism activists attended the event. 27 “The number of foreign participants [this year] has increased 158 percent compared to the year before,” said Farhad Aminian, the secretary of the exhibit.
Malaysian Ambassador Raja Noshirvan Zain ul Abedin delivered a speech, saying that based on official statistics global tourism has witnessed 4 percent growth over the past two years.
He also pointed out that fortunately the time is ripe for Iran to develop its tourism sector.
In September, Rahmani-Movahhed said over 16 million foreign tourists have visited the country over the past three and a half years, in that regard some $24 billion came into the country.
Earlier in October, CHTHO Director Masoud Soltanifar said foreign tourist arrivals in Iran has been more than double that of the global average since the implementation of the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.
The picture above shows a poster for the 10th Tehran International Tourism Exhibit.
Over $4m channeled into ecotourism projects in Iran October 17, 2016
TEHRAN – In line with the goal of promoting ecotourism industry, Iran has allotted 140 billion rials (over $4 million) to the construction of 258 lodging facilities across the country. 28 The allocation has been made by Omid Entrepreneurship Fund as part of an agreement with the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicraft Organization (CHTHO), IRNA quoted CHTHO Deputy Director Morteza Rahmani-Movahhed as saying on Saturday.
Meanwhile, 40 billion rials (around $1.2m) more is planned to be allocated to the projects, he added.
A total of 327 certified lodging facilities in 24 provinces and free zones nationwide showcases flourishing tourism in rural areas, natural landscapes, and historical sites of the country, he stressed.
Provinces of Kerman, Isfahan, and Yazd with respectively having 81, 63, and 49 such dwellings are the most thriving ecotourism spots in the country, while Qeshm Free Zone, provinces of Mazandaran and Semnan are next in the ranking, he explained.
Back in September, the Qeshm Free Zone Organization in close collaboration with the private sector started creating eight eco camps along the coastlines of the vast island, which is sprawled in the Persian Gulf.
Ecotourism in Iran:
Due to a very diverse natural setting, Iran offers a lively and interesting environment to the natural loving travelers. It embraces temperate forests in the north with relatively high humidity and rainfall, deserts and salt lakes in the central parts, towering mountain ranges and picks, as well as glaciers and coastal areas.
Popular ecotourism activities in Iran include mountain and desert treks, bird watching in coastal areas and wetlands as well as diving.
There are a number of natural parks and protected areas such as Golestan, Kavir, Lar, Khosh Yellagh, Bakhtegan and Bamoo, which offer ecotourism attractions.
The undated photo above shows travelers trekking on the Kavir National Park, a protected ecological zone located 120 kilometers southward Tehran. The park known as “Little Africa” encompasses desert and steppe landscapes and it is also home to variety of local fauna.
29 S. Korean, Russian university officials to come to Iran October 16, 2016
TEHRAN — South Korean and Russian university officials are set to come to Iran in the near future, IRNA news agency reported.
University chancellors from top 14 South Korean universities will pay a four-day visit to Iran on Wednesday, the Iranian deputy science minister has said.
The chancellors will hold talks with their Iranian counterparts to boost bilateral cooperation and interaction, Hossein Salar-Amoli added.
During their stay, the Korean officials will take a two-day trip to the central province of Isfahan to visit academics as well, he highlighted.
The visit can pave the way for more in-depth cooperation as the Science Ministry is determined to promote Iran’s Islamic culture and Persian language actively, Salar-Amoli said.
Mentioning the memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and Korea upon Korean president Park Geun-hye visit to Iran in May, he explained that faculty and student exchange programs, holding conferences, and executing joint research projects are of the fields Iran is willing cooperate with South Korea.
Additionally in a meeting with Lee Joon-sik, Korean Education Minister, Iranian Science Minister Mohammad Farhadi discussed possibility of setting up a center for Korean studies in Iran which was welcomed by the Korean side. 30 Moreover, 23 Russian delegations with 20 chancellors are also scheduled to travel to Iran on Wednesday.
The Russian delegation is going to take part in the second summit of the Islamic Republic of Iran top universities’ chancellors on Thursday, the summit secretary Ahmadreza Khazravi has said.
Iranian female entrepreneur to receive EBC*L Prize October 16, 2016
TEHRAN – Iranian businesswoman Soheila Pirmoradian is amongst selectees who will be honored with European Business Competence* License) EBC*L Women Entrepreneur Awards, during a ceremony scheduled to be held in Paris on November 3.
Pirmoradian, who holds a nurse midwifery degree from an Italian university, has served as a tour guild for Italian travelers for about 15 years. She is currently manager of a thriving travel agency in her homeland, Iranian Students News Agency reported on Saturday.
The EBC*L website says there will be some Iranian entrepreneurs who will be awarded the prize but has not revealed their names yet.
The website describes them as: “Talented and ambitious Iranian women have proved competent in various social, economic, and political areas. They have made inroads in business field and many are entrepreneurs today, providing employment to men, further enjoining their equal halves to be involved in the national development process.” 31 “Following the removal of anti-Iran sanctions, the EBC*L management has decided to present the prestigious prize to several female Iranian entrepreneurs,” IRNA quoted Azim Fazlipour, the EBC*L CEO for Persian language countries as saying in a press conference earlier in August.
The EBC*L considers several indicators for presenting prizes to different companies including entrepreneurship, innovation, branding, development of domestic industries, development of crafts, customer satisfaction, compliance with environmental and human values and social responsibility.
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report, the rate of entrepreneurship in Iran among women between the ages 18 to 64 fluctuated from 4 to 6 percent between 2008 and 2012.
Based on the Fifth Socio-Economic Development Plan of Iran (2010-2015), the rate of female entrepreneurs has increased from 7.1 percent in 2010 to 8.4 percent in 2015.
The EBC*L jurors believe that Iran’s talent for workarounds has drastically shaped its new business culture and years of economic isolation created both duress—and opportunity.
They assess that the result of these changes has culminated in a wave of business activity and optimism, while also consider Iran an exciting environment for foreign investors, especially in the financial, energy and transportation industries.
European Business Competence* License is established internationally as standard of education in business administration.
It offers, with its three levels A, B and C, the possibility to prove exactly practice- relevant economical core knowledge which is necessary in economic life. At the moment the EBC*L examination is done in 31 countries and in 24 languages.
An undated picture above provided by viaggioiniran.com shows Iranian entrepreneur Soheila Pirmoradian (C) surrounded by local schoolgirls pose for a photo. The colorful Noruz spread in the foreground indicates they are celebrating Iranian new year.
32 Under Tourists Eyes: Grand bazaar in Tehran October 16, 2016
TEHRAN – The relatively historic grand bazaar in the heart of Tehran boasts various mazes, corridors, lanes, intersections, entrances and passageways with hundreds of shops offering different types of goods and services.
While most of its covered structures and marketplaces are associated with the 19th century onwards, the history of trade in the bazaar is rooted much deeper in time. Some visitors to the bazaar refer to it as “a city within a city” because it also includes several mosques, guesthouses, banks, and once thriving caravansaries. Most mazes and lanes are particularly allocated to commodities such as carpets, metalwork, spices, toys, clothing, jewelry, woodturning, and kitchen appliances. One can also encounter with grocery stores, bookbinders, blacksmiths, tinsmiths, coppersmiths, tobacconists, tailors, flag sellers, broadcloth sellers, carpenters, shoemakers, and knife-makers, among others.
A majority of traders in the bazaar, better known as bazaaris, played a pivotal role in the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution as they strongly backed Islamic and social movements spearheaded by the clergy elites in the country. Here is a select of comments that visitors to the grand bazaar have posted to
TripAdvisor, one of the most popular travel websites in the world:
“Daily life of Tehran”
If you want to see the life of everyday people in Tehran - visit the main city bazaar. It’s a warren of narrow streets heaving with people. I unlike the grand 33 bazaar in Istanbul, this bazaar is very much for the locals. There are just a few shops catering to the tourist and best of all - no one hassles you to come in and buy. The place is full of everyday items and it fills exactly how a bazaar should - a place to shop, to work and to socialize... (Duncan W. from Thailand, visited September 2016)
“Amazing sights”
Like any market, you can buy just about anything. But this is quite something. In one section you can get some of the best carpets in town. Take a local specialist to do the business for you - quite a spectacle and an experience. There are spice stalls selling the most beautiful and aromatic dried flowers, seeds, herbs - worth just standing there and taking in the colors and smells.
Don’t forget to look up at the traditional vaulted ceilings as you walk down the bustling inner streets… (Insyzor from the UK, visited August 2016)
“The good memory I keep from Tehran”
During my short stay in Tehran, that’s the only good thing I remember. The bazar is huge, not really beautiful, but incredibly picturesque. That’s not a place for tourism attraction, so don’t expect finding souvenirs, but it’s wonderful just to sneak in the middle of the crowd and observe the people bargaining, the various communities present, the delivery of goods, merchant offering pastries to people, etc. Do go there, you’ll find the attractiveness the rest of the city lacks of! (Jerome C. from Serbia, visited August 2016)
“Interesting market to visit”
It’s a topical local market, most of the parts are cover[ed]. You can find many things...all kind of local food, craft item, textile, watches and fake fashion products... (Chinatie from Italy, visited August 2016)
“Average in most respects but good selection of food, friendly people, and safe.”
I am not much of a bazaar aficionado or I might have rated it higher or lower. In fact, I am not much of a shopper. That said, I have been to many bazaars and many of them just have items that hold no interest for me and have folks wondering around that seem more interested in my back pocket than what’s in the shops. Here, I felt safe and was especially drawn to some of the food products that fresh and in a wide variety… (AbleDanger from Maryland, visited November 2015)
The photo above depicts a view of the bustling grand bazaar in the heart of Tehran 34
Economy
35
Vision 2025 to facilitate reaching ECO targets: Iranian fin. min. October 19, 2016
TEHRAN- Addressing the 7th meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Council of Heads of Customs Administration (CHCA) in Tehran on Wednesday, the Iranian Finance Minister Ali Tayyebnia expressed hope that the preparation of the formulation of a new ECO Vision for the period 2016-2025 would ease reaching the organization targets, IRIB news reported.
“Expansion of trade relations among regional countries and worldwide as well as developing projects in transportation, agriculture, energy, general services, infrastructure and etc. have been among the primary agreements made by ECO members and implementing such projects demands executing regulations thoroughly and avoiding restrictive rules,” Tayyebnia said.
“ECO members, regarding their geographical adjacency, have a high capacity to improve trade ties among themselves,” he said, “via improving infrastructure in transportation sector, easing customs regulations, coordinating trade documents, and making their domestic regulations transparent.”
“If so, goods can be transported with a higher pace and their final prices would decrease,” he added. The Iranian minister hoped that ECO could reach its pre-set goals via taking advantage of electronic data transfer, making more trade agreements in future, and imposing preferential tariffs. 36 The meeting focuses on easing customs cooperation among ECO members including electronic data interchange, implementation of Transportation Trust Fund Authority (TTFA) and etc.
Last year, Eco members’ trade turnover was reported $845.247 billion and Iran ranked second in terms of foreign trade among the countries.
ECO is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the member states.
In 1992, the organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.
Iran Hospitex being held in Tehran October 19, 2016
TEHRAN- The 2nd International Exhibition of Hospital Building, Infrastructure, Installation, Equipment, and Related Industries (Iran Hospitex) was inaugurated the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds on Tuesday, IRIB news reported.
Some 90 Iranian and 7 foreign companies from Germany, Spain, England, Italy, Turkey, China, France, and Oman are presenting their recent products in Hospitex.
Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), Iran International Exhibitions Company, and Sepantas Kish Exhibition Consulting Company are the organizers 37 of this exhibition. The exhibition will wrap up on Friday.
Kish Island hosting IRANIMEX 2016 October 19, 2016
TEHRAN- The 18th International Marine Industries Conference and Offshore Technological Exhibition of Iran (IRANIMEX 2016) started operation on Iranian southern island of Kish on Tuesday.
Some 260 Iranian companies and 110 foreign ones, form different countries namely Romania, Turkey, Russia, Singapore, France, Italy, Greece, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, China, Belgium, Norway, Germany, England, Australia, Croatia, Estonia, Serbia, Portugal, Spain, India, South Korea, and Ukraine, are taking part in the four-day event. The exhibition, organized by the Iranian Association of Naval Architecture and Maritime Engineering in collaboration with other national marine organizations, industries and businesses, majorly seeks to showcase latest Iranian marine products to the attendees.
38
Some Japan trading houses eye resuming Iran oil imports: sources October 19, 2016
Japanese traders including Marubeni Corp and Sumitomo Corp that stopped buying Iranian oil during western sanctions are looking to resume imports, potentially by year-end, industry sources said.
Conservative Japanese firms have so far held off taking Iranian crude due to a lack of internationally acceptable insurance coverage, but are looking at ways of using cover provided by the Japanese government, the sources said.
The traders seeking to restart purchases together imported around 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil before sanctions were imposed and renewed purchases would give a boost to Tehran's aim of increasing its exports to four million bpd.
Other Asian buyers have stepped up purchases of Iranian oil since sanctions were lifted in January, with Iranian imports to Asia, excluding Japan, jumping to 1.60 million bpd in August, up 92 percent on a year ago.
Buyers have taken advantage of a scheme put together by ship owners to plug a shortfall in insurance cover due to ongoing restrictions on U.S.-domiciled reinsurers, but Japanese firms have been reluctant to take part. 39 Trading houses have been waiting for private shipping insurance to return to full coverage, which could come as early as this year. But some traders now hope to piggyback on a Japanese government scheme that has been providing ongoing cover for so-called "essential" imports of Iranian oil throughout the sanctions.
The government-cover enabled refiners and trading houses such as Mitsubishi Corp and Toyota Tsusho to import Iranian oil even after the sanctions were imposed in 2012.
"One solution would be to co-load oil with other buyers," said a source with a trading house. Oil loaded on vessels already covered by the government scheme would also be fully insured, they said.
Earlier this month, Mitsui & Co resumed taking Iranian oil for the first time since at least 2012, co-loading Iranian condensate with a major Japanese refiner on a tanker, a source familiar with the shipping schedule said. Mitsui declined to comment.
Marubeni, which bought Iranian crude, condensate, naphtha and fuel oil until 2012, confirmed it had been working to restart purchases. A company source told Reuters it hoped to resume imports by the end of the year.
Sumitomo, which bought liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Iran before the sanctions, was also looking to buy Iranian oil and LPG as long as prices were competitive, an industry source close to the matter said. The company declined to comment.
Itochu Corp said it was considering resuming imports of Iranian oil, while trading house Kanematsu Corp which last bought Iran crude in 2010, is also looking to resume purchases at an early date, but has not yet lined up any customers, a company source told Reuters.
(Source: Reuters)
40 Iran’s economy has beat expectations: IMF October 19, 2016
The head of the International Monetary Fund in the Mideast said Iran’s economy has beat expectations by growing by 4.5 percent this year.
The Islamic Republic could keep that pace if it can “move on addressing some of the other restraints in their economy.”
Chief among them is modernizing both its banking system and its manufacturing industry, both of which were affected by sanctions, Masood Ahmed told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Iran’s economy has charged ahead through boosting oil production close to levels seen before Western nations imposed economic sanctions over its nuclear program. Iran will have to modernize both its banking system and its manufacturing industry, as well as allow more foreign direct investment in the country, to continue that growth.
“The big challenge for Iran is can you sustain that 4-, 5-percent growth over the medium term or is it just a one-time increase you get?” Ahmed asked. “They can, but they have to move on addressing some of the other constraints in their economy.”
He also said that Mideast countries are making efforts to cope with low oil prices, though more needs to be done.
Oil-producing countries “still have some way to go” in reforming the government sector and cutting spending, he noted.
(Source: AP)
41
Platform 17B to add 14.5mcm/d of gas to South Pars output October 19, 2016
BANDAR ABBAS- Platform 17B of Iran’s South Pars gas field (in the Persian Gulf), which was loaded at Bandar Abbas yard on Tuesday, will produce 500 million cubic feet (around 14.5 million cubic meters) of gas per day.
The 2,300-ton structure, the last platform of South Pars phases 17 and 18 of development, is scheduled to be installed on its designated offshore spot on November 10, and once starting operation it will complete development of the mentioned phases.
Phases 17 and 18 are set to produce 56.6 million cubic meters of sweet gas, 75,000 barrels of gas condensate and 400 tons of sulfur per day in addition to one million tons of ethane and 1.05 million tons of propane and butane per annum.
South Pars gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf, is estimated to contain a significant amount of natural gas, accounting for about eight percent of the world’s reserves, and approximately 18 billion barrels of condensate.
‘70% Iranian equipment used in platform 17B’
Some 70 percent of the equipment applied for constructing platform 17B have been domestically manufactured and just those equipment that manufacturing 42 them required some high technology have been imported, Mohammad Meshkinfam, the managing director of Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) told the Tehran Times in a press conference in Bandar Abbas on Tuesday after loading the platform.
He also put the average application of domestically manufactured equipment in development of South Pars at 60 percent.
The official further said that construction of platform 17B has taken 31 months and announced that the platform will start operation within 45 days after being installed.
Meshkinfam put the cost of constructing each platform of South Pars gas field at $150 million.
‘$85b required for development of South Pars’
Elsewhere in his remarks, the POGC managing director said that completing all development phases of South Pars, except for phase 11, requires $81 billion investment and $4 billion is required for development of phase 11.
He also announced that by the next five years pressure drop control is necessary to be launched in South Pars, “In this regard, such control will be launched first in phase 11 and then it will be applied in the other phases.”
‘Iran to reach Qatar by March 2017’
Meshkinfam also announced that Iran’s production of gas from South Pars will reach 500 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) by the end of autumn and it will reach 540 mcm/d by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2017).
Qatar’s production from the field is 600 mcm/d and given the shut downs in Qataris operations, Iran’s output from the joint field will equal that of Qatar by the end of current calendar year, the official announced, while saying that if the objective won’t achieved by the yearend, it will surely come true in the next spring.
‘South Pars to yield 30,000bpd of oil’
Addressing the same press conference, Gholamreza Manouchehri, the deputy managing director of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for development and engineering affairs, said that Iranian Oil Ministry is determined to start production of 30,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from South Pars field (which has also oil deposit) by the end of the current calendar year.
The official also said that Iran plans to raise the figure to 200,000 bpd by the next 20 years. 43 He said the project for production of oil from South Pars will be offered on tender to the foreign companies in the framework of Iran’s new model of oil contracts known as IPC (Integrated Petroleum Contact).
Iran’s year to date electricity generation up over 1% y/y October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – Iran’s year to date electricity generation increased by 1.15 percent compared to the same period last year, IRIB news reported on Wednesday citing Energy Ministry’s portal (known as PAVEN).
According to the report, the country has produced about 185,494 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity as from the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20).
Of the total power generation during the mentioned time span, 172,775 GWh was generated in thermal plants and 10,089 GWh was the output from hydroelectric units.
During this period, the output of thermal power plants increased by 0.71 percent compared to the same period last year and the output of hydroelectric plants also grew by 7.02 percent. 44 Earlier in August Mehr news agency reported that 12 new power plant construction projects were inaugurated during the Government Week (August 23- 29) and with those plants added to the network, Iran’s nominal electricity generation capacity is going to reach 80,000 megawatts (MW) in near future,
The country plans to boost its electricity generation capacity to more than 100,000 MW within the framework of the sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (2016-2021). Iran’s exports to South Africa up 93%: official October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – The value of Iran’s exports to South Africa rose by $10.4 million in the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-Septemebr 21), a 93 percent increase year on year, Shana quoted an official with the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran as saying.
During the first six months of the current year, the country exported $21.4 million worth of goods to South Africa while the figure stood at $11 million in the same period last year, Farzad Piltan said. “Petrochemical products, petroleum, ceramic tiles, palm, power transformers, flooring and carpet, pistachio, industrial oils, powder and extract of licorice are among the main items sent to the region,” the official said. “Iran’s potentials for exports to South Africa are way beyond the current level and we should take every measure to reach an ideal level” he added. Further in his remarks Piltan mentioned enhancement of banking relations, 45 establishing shipping lines and direct flights as well as marketing of Iranian products as the necessary steps to be taken to boost the exports to South Africa. The director general also noted that the two countries have put a $2 billion trade turnover by 2020 on the agenda, saying “hopefully in a near future Iranian companies active in various fields such as construction materials, food, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and medical equipment, etc. will have an significant presence in South Africa,”
Persian Gulf Star Refinery’s distillation unit to come online October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – The distillation unit of the Persian Gulf Star Refinery will come on stream today, Shana news agency reported on Monday.
The unit has a daily refining capacity of 120 thousand barrels of gas condensates and an initial daily production capacity of 12 million liters of naphtha, 4.5 million liters of gasoline, 3.5 million liters of kerosene and 300,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri and Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh are planned to officially inaugurate the unit. 46 According to the managing director of Persian Gulf Star Refinery, Ahmad Adib, the project has thus far shown 85 percent progress and the first phase of the refinery with a capacity to produce 120,000 barrels of gas condensates has shown more than 95 percent progress.
The refinery is the first of its kind designed based on the gas condensate feedstock to run with the capacity to produce 360,000 bpd product.
Once the refinery is operational, 35 million liters of gasoline and 14 million liters of gasoil will be added to daily production of oil products in Iran. It will daily yield four million liters of liquefied gas, three million liters of jet fuel, and 130 tons of sulfur.
3rd all-Iranian container ship launched October 18, 2016
TEHRAN - Kashan, the third container ship fully designed and built by Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex Company (ISOICO), was launched in the southern port of Bandar Abbas on Tuesday.
With a capacity of 2,200 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), the ship is 158 meters long and 30 meters wide, with cruising speed of 21 knots, IRIB reported.
47
Tehran hosting regional railroad meeting October 17, 2016
TEHRAN – Railways of Iran, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan started a two-day meeting in Tehran on Monday, aiming to give a boost to rail transactions between Central Asia and Europe.
“The meeting majorly sought to improve railroad cooperation among the countries in Central Asia and also to create the necessary infrastructure for trains coming from Central Asia to pass through Iran toward Turkey and Europe afterwards,” Hossein Ashoori an official at the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways said.
“Turkey and European countries have their own transportation regulations that are different from those in Asian countries, while Iran follows both of types of rules, thus Iranian railways can act as a bridge to link the Central Asia to Turkey and Europe,” he added. As reported, on the way to foster rail transportation in the region, the participating countries negotiated on preparing a draft agreement on railroad cooperation among themselves during the meeting.
48
Iran aims to boost trade ports capacity to 217m tons October 17, 2016
TEHRAN – Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has it on the agenda to increase the current 209 million-ton capacity of the country’s trade ports to 217 million tons, IRNA reported on Monday quoting PMO’s Managing Director Mohammad Saeednejad.
According to Saeednejad, PMO also aims to increase the container capacity of Iran’s trade ports from 4.86 million to 5 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2017).
The official also underscored investment, implementation and management projects related to the container terminals of Shahid Rajaee port in south of Iran as vital for the organization.
“PMO is also seeking investment to manage and develop Anzali and Amirabad ports in north and Shahid Beheshti port in south of the country,” he said.
Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization eyes to attract 30 trillion rials (about $850 million) worth of foreign and domestic investments this year.
49
Policy
50
‘Defense power underpins diplomacy’ October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry has said the diplomatic body considers defense power as a support for diplomacy.
Speaking to Hamshahri newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday, Bahram Qassemi also said that the ministry has no plan to hold talks with the United States.
On Turkey’s policy vis-à-vis regional developments, he said, “I believe we can now discern more realism in Ankara’s outlook.”
He also expressed hope that Iran and Canada can reach an agreement to establish consular cooperation.
51
Iran’s FM discusses Syria with European diplomats October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – Iran’s foreign minister on Tuesday talked with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier over the Syrian crisis, the IRIB reported.
Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday evening also discussed the same topic with European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.
On the same day he also called the foreign minister of the Netherlands, Bert Koenders, over Syria.
The telephone conversations came a few days after a new round of diplomatic talks on Syria in the Swiss city of Lausanne.
52
Physical eradication of Daesh doesn’t mean security will prevail: Iran October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary said on Tuesday that destroying Daesh militarily and recapturing the lands that they have occupied does not mean that security will prevail.
“Physical and geographical eradication of Daesh does not mean provision of security,” Ali Shamkhani said as Iraq has launched a large-scale military offensive to dislodge Daesh from Mosul.
Shamkhani also said ISIL have been seeking to marginalize the issue of Palestine.
Shamkhani, a defense minister from 1997 to 2005, also said the Iraqi people, from all religious and ethnic groups, along with the army are determined to cleanse the country of the terrorists.
He predicted that the crisis in Iraq will be settled if extra-regional interferences come to a halt.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Marine Industries Conference on Kish Island, Shamkhani also said that the Iranian Navy’s defense power is acknowledged by the world.
During his speech at the conference, Shamkhani said that Iran’s military presence in the Persian Gulf has provided the oil tankers with security and laid the ground for expansion of business. 53
Zarif wants obstacles to Iran-EU ties removed October 19, 2016
TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that obstacles to expand relations between Iran and the European Union should be removed.
“The European Union should not be influenced by the other countries and powers’ actions in cooperating with Iran,” he said during a meeting in Tehran with Elzbieta Bienkowska, the EU commissioner for industry and entrepreneurship.
Highlighting the need to use the situation created with the implementation of the JCPOA, the official name for the nuclear deal, Zarif said there are many capacities in Iran and the EU’s private and public sectors for deepening cooperation.
For her part, Bienkowska called for expansion of cooperation between Iran and the EU.
The EU seeks to establish long term cooperation with Iran in various spheres, she said. 54 She added the EU attaches great importance to increase in cooperation in tourism industry.
The EU official also met separately with Iranian Tourism and Handicraft Organization Director Masoud Soltanifar on Tuesday.
Iran and the 5+1 group - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany - finalized the text of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna in July 2015 and the nuclear deal took effect in January 2016.
The European Union, represented by its chief diplomats Catherine Ashton and later Federica Mogherini, also was a key partner in nuclear talks with Iran. It actually represented the 5+1 group in the talks with Iran.
Nuclear chief says Iran exports 25 radiopharmaceuticals October 18, 2016
TEHRAN – Iran’s atomic energy chief said in comments on Tuesday the country produces and exports 25 radiopharmaceuticals to Asian and European countries.
“Currently, 25 radiopharmaceuticals are produced inside the country and exported to countries of Iraq, Egypt, and Germany,” Ali Akbar Salehi told the press on the sidelines of the 10th national talent seminar.
The country has large export capacity for radiopharmaceuticals much beyond its current level, according to Salehi, but “new facilities have to be established to produce the radiopharmaceuticals on the basis of GMP standards.”
GMP, which stands for Good Manufacturing Practices, is a quality standard which ensures the consistent production and quality of medicinal products 55 appropriate to their intended use and as required by the product specification, according to the World Health Organization.
To step up export quota, Iran will need something between €60-70 million in investment over the next five years to build facilities which produce items with GMP standards, the nuclear chief added.
Iran has gone a long way to produce the technological items, from international sanctions against the country over its nuclear program to the nuclear deal it signed with world powers in July 2015. Under the deal, Iran, in the form of an international partnership, will redesign and rebuild the Arak heavy water reactor to support nuclear research and radioisotope production for medical and industrial purposes.
In August, Iran announced it had acquired the know-how to produce stable isotopes, launching a facility to produce raw materials for stable isotopes in close collaboration with Russia.
Iran has also announced plans to establish a hospital as a research and therapeutic center for nuclear applications.
The hospital, according to Salehi, will be established with the technical support of an Austrian partner, making Iran the sixth country with such facilities.
International police exhibition opens in Tehran October 18, 2016
TEHRAN — An international police exhibition showcasing police equipment opened in Tehran on Monday. 56 The exposition officially called “International Police, Safety, and Security Equipment Exhibition (IPAS 2016)” will run until October 20, the YJC reported.
Some 302 companies, both from Iran and 27 other countries, have participated in the exhibition.
A great number of companies present in the exhibition are Iranians, therefore the lion’s share of the showcased equipment is domestically produced, according to the report.
Road and border control equipment, uniforms, armor, and optical equipment are on display in the exhibition.
Iran security matchless: intelligence minister October 18, 2016
TEHRAN – Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi has described security in Iran as “unique” in a war-infested Middle East. Alavi made the remarks on Monday in a meeting with the Leader’s representative to South Khorasan province.
“While the whole region is insecure, there is matchless security in Iran,” he said.
This is while the enemy has been on the lookout to breed insecurity inside country, although “they have never been and will never be successful,” he added. Over the past five years, the Middle East has been burning in fire. Yet Iran has been safe with terrorist cells being smashed by security forces.
57 Iranian Navy repels pirate attack on merchant ship
October 18, 2016 TEHRAN – Iran’s Navy repelled pirate attacks against an Iranian oil tanker on Monday morning, Fars reported. The new agency said a group of pirates launched three attacks on the oil tanker, however they had to flee after the Iranian Navy’s 44th Flotilla opened heavy fire.
The incident took place in the Gulf of Aden, which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.
The 44th Flotilla comprises Alvand destroyer and Bushehr logistic warship.
Cultural Consulate of Embassy of I.R. Iran – Pretoria 350 Cameron Street Brooklyn , Pretoria 0181 [email protected] Tel : 012 346 3877