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8 Pages Price 50,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 42nd year No.13908 Saturday APRIL 3, 2021 Farvardin 14, 1400 Sha’aban 20, 1442

Certain groups, countries Iran’s Foolad ask AFC Iran to start producing Islamic Revolution unhappy over growing to change venue in Sputnik V vaccine this Art Week set for Tehran-Kabul ties Page 2 Saudi Arabia Page 3 month Page 7 April 7-14 Page 8

JCPOA Joint Commission to meet in Vienna, Iran’s inviolable JCPOA policy there won’t be direct Iran-U.S. talks TEHRAN - Officials from Tehran and Analysts said even without face-to-face Washington will travel to Vienna on talks, which Tehran has ruled out, the Tuesday as part of efforts to revive the presence of both of Iran and the United in words of Ayatollah Khamenei 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 States in Vienna would mark a step for- countries, though they will not hold direct ward in efforts to bring both sides back See page 3 talks, diplomats said on Friday. into compliance with the accord. The decision was taken after the Joint “Iran and the U.S. will be in the same Commission of the JCPOA – the official town, but not the same room,” a European name for the 2015 nuclear deal – which diplomatic source said. A Western diplo- is led by the European Union foreign mat said a shuttle diplomacy approach Iran-China cooperation policy chief held a virtual meeting on would be adopted. raises concern in the West Friday. Continued on page 2 IMF should respond to Iran’s legal request: CBI governor TEHRAN- The governor of the Central He made the remarks in a virtual meeting Bank of Iran (CBI) said that the Inter- held on Thursday on the sidelines of the 2021 national Monetary Fund (IMF) should Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group respond to Iran’s legal request. and the International Monetary Fund. Abdolnaser Hemmati said, “We expect During the meeting, which was participated the International Monetary Fund to re- by the governors general of the central banks spond to Iran’s legal request as soon as of the MENAP region, the CBI governor said possible, without discrimination or intru- since the outbreak of the coronavirus, sion or pressure from the United States”. Continued on page 4

TEHRAN – Over history, Iran and China to a new, strategic level. have always enjoyed good relations but The plan, officially known as the “Com-

their recent cooperation deal will upgrade prehensive Cooperation between the Is- their ties to a strategic level, something lamic Republic of Iran and the People’s that the West never wanted to see. Republic of China,” manifested a strategic History took a new turn on March decision by Iran. 27 when Iranian Foreign Minister Mo- “The document focuses on the capacities hammad Javad Zarif and Chinese State and perspectives for bilateral cooperation Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang between the two countries in various areas Yi signed a document on a long-term including economic and cultural fields, Mohammadreza Abbasi cooperation plan that would boost Teh- among others. ran-Beijing relations in various fields Continued on page 3 Mehr/

Promising future Iranians mark Nature Day at home amid U.S. pulls three Patriot anti-missile batteries ahead of Iran coronavirus fears from Persian Gulf region football team TEHRAN – As the government has imposed a the global coronavirus pandemic has forced The United States has removed at least three Pa- High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) was also ban on outdoor get-togethers, people in Iran people to stay home this year and observe triot anti-missile batteries from the Persian Gulf proposed to be removed, but officials said it BY MASOUD HOSSEIN celebrated the national festival of Nature Day, self-isolation protocols in the fight against region, in a first step under U.S. President Joe would remain in the region for now. ran national football team called Sizdah Bedar, to help curb the spread of the viral disease. Biden to pull the U.S. forces away from West Asia. At the end of the Trump administration, there showed a promising perfor- the coronavirus. ‘Sizdah’ means thirteen, and ‘Bedar’ means One of the Patriot anti-missile batteries was were about 50,000 U.S. troops in the region. mance against Syria in a friend- Every year on the 13th day of spring, which is to get rid of, bearing the meaning of ‘getting rid removed from Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air As a result of the new move, several thousand I an official holiday in Iran known as the Nature of thirteen’. Sizdah Bedar also marks the end Base, which had been put in place in recent years U.S. troops are expected to leave the region ly match held in Tehran on Tues- day as part of preparation for the Day, Iranian families go on a picnic at parks or of Noruz celebrations, which begin on the first to help protect American forces. over time. 2022 World Cup qualifiers. in the countryside in celebration of the ancient day of spring. The changes come while Saudi Arabia has The U.S. officials said the withdrawal is an It was Dragan Skocic’s third match in festival. It is the second consecutive year that the been targeted with drone attacks from the Yemeni effort to further reduce the U.S. posture in West charge of Iran. The team had previously To prevent the spread of coronavirus, author- virus has altered the age-old traditions. Also last forces in acts of retaliation against the Saudi Asia after decades of military engagement in defeated Uzbekistan and Bosnia and Her- ities have closed all parks and public places in year, in an act that was far different from the sole war on Yemen. the region. zegovina in two friendly matches. Iran on April 2 and have imposed severe penalties of the age-old Noruz traditions, a majority of Other U.S. military capabilities, including The Journal said the changes come while Iran look forward to participate in for picnicking. Iran’s Health Ministry said on people stayed home instead of coming together, an aircraft carrier and surveillance systems, Saudi Arabia endures rocket and drone attacks the FIFA World Cup for the third time Thursday that the total number of coronavirus visiting loved ones, or spending time in nature. are being diverted from the region to answer from inside Yemen. in a row but they have a difficult task cases in the country has exceeded 1,897,000 On the 13th day of Farvardin, which falls on military needs elsewhere across the world, U.S. reports say American leaders have ahead since the remaining matches and the death toll has reached 62,759. April 2 in normal years and April 1 in leap years, the Wall Street Journal quoted US officials as realized that the kingdom is waging a losing will be held at the centralized venue in While Iranians have always upheld the every Iranian people try to spend and enjoy this claiming on Thursday. war in Yemen and want Washington to desist Bahrain in June. time-honored tradition on the thirteenth day in the best possible way. According to the paper, an anti-ballistic from the conflict. The ‘Persian Leopards’ are scheduled day of Noruz by spending the day outdoors, Continued on page 6 missile defense system known as a Terminal Continued on page 5 to play Hong Kong and Cambodia on June 3 and 7 in Manama.The matches against Bahrain and Iraq will be also held on June 11 and 15.For the match against Syria, Sko- ‘Fakhra’ vaccine to be mass-produced by late May Muslims have become cic showed that he is not afraid to blood TEHRAN – Iran will start mass production of home- The vaccine has been injected into 15 volunteers, COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus the new scapegoats in young talent into his senior team. Jafar grown ‘Fakhra’ vaccine for COVID-19 by the end of the IRNA quoted Ahmad Karimi, manager of Fakhra vaccine made by researchers at the Headquarters Salmani, Omid Noorafkan, Mehdi Tikdari third Iranian calendar month of Khordad (May 21). vaccine production project, as saying. for Executing the Order of the Imam which was Europe: historian Fakhra vaccine, named after martyred nuclear In the first phase, 135 volunteers will get the unveiled on December 29, 2020, started to be and Mehdi Ghaedi, who are aged 24 and BY MOHAMMAD MAZHARI scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was unveiled and vaccine, he said, adding that the second phase will mass-produced on Monday. below, were invited to the team. TEHRAN - An American historian says Muslims started the clinical trial on March 16. start 35 days later. The process of research and The second Iranian coronavirus vaccine, Razi The Croat didn’t call up veterans Ma- have been used as scapegoats for the failures of The first dose of the vaccine was injected into development of the Fakhra vaccine began in March Cov Pars, started the clinical trial by injecting it into soud Shojaei and Ashkan Dejagah and European policies. the son of martyr Fakhrizadeh. 2020, by isolating the virus from among 35,000 two volunteers during a ceremony on February 27. it means that he is keen to build on the “In many ways, in contemporary Europe, Muslims The production of various diagnostic kits of samples of Iranian patients and performing various On January 27, Health Minister Saeed Namaki success of the previous warm-up match- have been unfairly blamed for the failures of recent Eu- COVID-19 and mobile specialized laboratories tests to identify the virus, so that the vaccine reached said Iran will soon be one of the world’s important es. Even though some of the experts are ropean politics,” Richard Wolin tells the Tehran Times. was the starting point of this fight. the experimental production stage in June 2020. manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccine. not optimistic about Skocic’s team in the “They have become ‘scapegoats’ whom right-wing qualifications, his outfit are talented enough politicians - and, increasingly, politicians aligned to book a place at the final round of World with the center-right and center-left – have held Cup qualifications. Industry, accountable for numerous contemporary political Iran are well-equipped to handle the impasses,” Wolin notes. four games since the team benefit from While contemporary Europe claims equality, jus- the players who are playing on a regular mining, trade tice, and the rule of wisdom, the current situation basis in their teams. Sardar Azmoun is a that minorities, including Muslims, face reveal the key member of Zenit, while Mehdi Taremi projects worth true face of European demagogues. has played a key role in helping Porto win The scholar says history is repeating itself. For a place in the UEFA Champions League over $1b example, the historian says, once the Jews were quarter-finals. Alireza Beiranvand also blamed for problems in Europe and now Muslims. plays regularly at Antwerp. inaugurated in “Today, there are few Jews remaining in Europe; The team could be even stronger by consequently, Muslims have become the new scape- Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Saeid Ezato- 5 provinces goats,” Wolin emphasizes. lahi. Iran National Team need support Following is the text of the interview: for the four games. They should play one TEHRAN- Iranian President Hassan Rou- How do you see Muslims’ position in con- or two more friendly matches to prepare hani inaugurated some major projects temporary Europe? better for the Qualifiers. of the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and In many ways, in contemporary Europe, Muslims Iran, who are going to continue their Trade in five provinces via videoconference have been unfairly blamed for the failures of recent quest for a sixth World Cup appearance, on Thursday. European politics. They have become “scapegoats” sit five points behind leaders Iraq in Group The projects worth 45.3 trillion rials whom right-wing politicians - and, increasingly, C but having played one game fewer. (about $1.078 billion) were inaugurated politicians aligned with the center-right and center- The eight group winners and four in Fars, North Khorasan, Semnan, Qazvin, left – have held accountable for numerous contem- best runners-up will advance to the AFC and Kerman provinces, creating jobs for porary political impasses. Many of these impasses Asian Cup China 2023 Finals and the final 1,290 persons. are related to the unprecedented levels of social round of qualifying for the FIFA World Continued on page 4 dislocation caused by globalization. Cup Qatar 2022. Continued on page 5 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS APRIL 3, 2021

Foes can’t win war against Iran Certain groups, countries unhappy over even in dreams: top general

POLITICAL TEHRAN – The enemies have realized that desk growing Tehran-Kabul ties, Zarif says even in their dreams they cannot defeat Iran militarily, the IRGC chief said on Tuesday. Referring to Saddam Hussein’s war against Iran in the early POLITICAL TEHRAN – Foreign In late January, Iran hosted the political years of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Major General Hossein deskMinister Mohammad leader of Afghanistan’s Taliban, offering Salami said the enemies “experienced the military war and no- Javad Zarif said on Monday that cer- Tehran’s own help as a mediator in peace ticed that this country win over enemies even at the beginning of tain countries and groups are not happy talks between the insurgents and the Af- war and it is due to this reason” that no one can imagine military about the growing ties between Iran and ghan government. action against Iran and “the enemy cannot win over the Iranian Afghanistan. Iran has been openly meeting with nation in military war even in dreams.” Zarif made the remarks during a meeting Taliban leaders for the past few years as Speaking at a conference to mark the memory of martyrs, the with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad the United States has started negotiating top general said a combination of faith and powerful weapons Haneef Atmar on the sidelines of the “Heart the exit of its troops from Afghanistan. has turned Iran into an invincible nation. of Asia” conference on Afghanistan hosted Zarif met Taliban political chief Mul- The commander also highlighted the diminishing impact of by Dushanbe, Tajikistan. lah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Tehran, and sanctions against Iran, saying the country does not care about For his part, Foreign Minister Atmar told him that Washington was not a “good the sanctions and does not need the Joint Comprehensive Plan thanked Iran on behalf of the Afghan govern- mediator” for the conflict. of Action (JCPOA) anymore either, Tasnim reported. ment and nation for helping extinguish gas Iran supports an inclusive Afghan gov- tanker explosions at Afghanistan’s customs ernment that would include all ethnic groups posts in Afghanistan on the Iranian border. and sects, Zarif was quoted as saying. Lavrov to visit Tehran on The senior diplomat also called Iran Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem April 13 one of the “closest friends” of Afghanistan. said on Twitter that the meetings had taken Atmar also called for developing cooper- place “in a good atmosphere”. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey ation and consultation between Kabul and “The situations in Afghanistan, Intra-Af- deskLavrov will pay a visit to Iran on April 13 for Tehran on areas of politics and economy. ghan negotiations, the full implementation talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, The Afghan foreign minister also said Zarif and Atmar also reviewed the lat- the Afghan peace talks. of the Doha agreement and Afghanistan’s & Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova an- his country is fully ready to establish a est political and security developments in Iran has been seeking to help reconcile region’s need (for) peace were discussed,” nounced on Thursday. joint commission with Iran in future weeks. Afghanistan and exchanged views about warring sides in neighboring Afghanistan. he added, according to Reuters. “On April 13, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay a working visit to Tehran, at the invitation of the Iranian foreign minister,” Zakharova told a briefing. According to Zakharova, the foreign ministers will discuss Tehran urges U.S. to take ‘political decision’ to abide by UN resolution endorsing nuclear deal implementation of joint energy and transport projects, prospects POLITICAL TEHRAN – The Iranian mission to the UN tweeted. such as work on advanced centrifuges and the enrichment of strengthening cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and deskUnited Nations said on Tuesday that it is Tehran’s mission to the UN added, “Iran is in touch with of uranium to 20 percent purity, in exchange for some relief further partnership in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. necessary that the United States make a “political decision” the remaining participants in the #JCPOA on issues.” from U.S. economic sanctions, said one of the people, who “They plan to continue exchanging opinions on a range of to “fully and immediately” honor all its commitments to the The remaining parties to the JCPOA are the three Euro- stressed that the details are still being worked out. pressing international issues, including the situation around 2015 nuclear deal endorsed by UN Security Council Reso- pean states of Britain, Germany and France, the European It’s not at all certain that Iran will accept the terms. Earlier the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and, of course, the lution 2231. Union, Russia and China. this year, Tehran rejected a U.S. proposal it deemed unac- situations in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and the Persian Gulf President Joe Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, quit In a statement on March 24, EU foreign policy chief Josep ceptable, then offered its own idea that Biden’s team declared area,” Zakharova added, according to UrduPoint News/Sputnik. the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Borrell, who acts as coordinator of the JCPOA Joint Commis- a non-starter, two people familiar with the situation said. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman also said on Thursday that Plan of Action (JCPOA), and reimposed sanctions on Iran and sion, described the JCPOA as “a masterpiece of diplomacy”. Still, officials in both countries are aware that if no break- Zarif and Lavrov will also discuss the latest developments in the added new ones under his “maximum pressure” campaign “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) re- through takes place over the next few weeks, little is likely Caucasus region, cooperation at regional and international levels against Tehran. mains a key achievement of multilateral diplomacy despite to happen until September at the earliest, and that’s if the as well as resistance against U.S. unilateral and illegal sanctions. As a presidential candidate, Biden had promised to rejoin existing difficulties. There are difficulties, but despite that, I deal can be saved at all. The warnings come as progressives the nuclear deal if he is elected president. However, since think that this agreement is a masterpiece of diplomacy,” the pressure Biden to rejoin the deal and as some officials and he took the helm at the White House his administration has statement said, according to eeas.europa.eu. analysts wonder if Biden is genuine about his stated desire Iran says era of Western taken no concrete step to honor the U.S. commitments under The tweet by the Iranian mission to the UN followed af- to see the agreement revived. monopoly has ended the JCPOA. ter Biden administration officials, mindful of the increasingly “Iran is poised to blow through additional nuclear deal “No proposal is needed for the U.S. to rejoin the JCPOA. unfavorable calendar, plan to put forth a new proposal to restrictions in the next few weeks. This is the crucial time to POLITICAL TEHRAN – The West no longer has a monop- It only requires a political decision by the U.S. to fully and jump-start the talks as soon as this week, two people familiar avoid an escalation of the situation,” said Daryl Kimball, exec- deskoly on international relations, Iranian Foreign immediately implement all of its obligations under the ac- with the situation told POLITICO. utive director of the Arms Control Association, an organization Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday, highlighting cord and abide by UNSCR 2231,” the Iranian mission to the The proposal asks Iran to halt some of its nuclear activities, that has closely tracked nuclear negotiations involving Iran. the growing role of Asian states on the global scene. Zarif made the remarks in a meeting with CICA secretariat executive director Kairat Sarybay on the sidelines of the “Heart of Asia” conferenced on Afghanistan hosted by Tajikistan. Iran formulating its foreign policy based on national interests, MP says CICA, or the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building POLITICAL TEHRAN – A member of is making Iran dependent on itself,” Iran’s He also refuted rumors that Iran has given Measures in Asia, is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing deskthe Parliament National former ambassador to Afghanistan explains. control of free trade zones such as Chabahr cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Security and Foreign Policy Committee said Maleki said it is a fact that Iran enjoys port, Qeshm or Kish islands to China, saying Asia. It is a forum based on the recognition that there is close on Friday that Iran formulates its foreign a “unique strategic situation” in the region even an inch of these zones has not been link between peace, security and stability in Asia and the rest of policy based on national interests. and it should have commercial, economic, given to the Chinese. the world. The key idea of the conference is based on the prior- Fada Hossein Maleki made the remarks in political and even military relationship with The MP said as India is now developing ity of the indivisibility of security, joint initiative and mutually an interview with IRNA regarding the signing neighboring and regional countries and “this Chabahr port cooperation with China will beneficial interaction of small and large states. CICA was first of a 25-year comprehensive strategic part- is the will of the Islamic Republic of Iran and also be in the same framework. proposed by former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on nership between Iran and China. it is acting according” to this vision. Foreign Minister Zarif has said partner- October 5, 1992 at the UN General Assembly. Hours after the foreign ministers of Iran Maleki, who represents Zadehan in the ship is neither an agreement nor a treaty and Zarif expressed Tehran’s support to strengthen CICA and and China signed the strategic partnership on parliament called the partnership with China doesn’t entail commitment by each side. The cooperation among its member states. March 27, U.S. President Joe Biden said he “historic” and said, “The document of Iran-Chi- chief Iranian diplomat also said the document Elsewhere in his remarks, the chief diplomat thanked Ka- has “been concerned about that for a year.” na cooperation is strategic that defines the In the light of the fact that cooperation in does not include any figure or number and zakhstan for its role in the talks on Iran’s nuclear program and Fada Hossein, a former diplomat, said, prospects of cooperation between the two the fields of commerce, economy, politics and doesn’t relinquish control of any part of land the Syria peace negotiations within the Astana format. “Americans are worried about this (partner- countries and can provide a good impetus energy has been included in the comprehen- to any country. For his part, Sarybay acknowledged Iran’s participation in ship) because they always want Iran to be to cooperation between the two countries in sive document, he said these are things that The senior diplomat also said relations and contribution to CICA regional activities, and briefed Zarif hung in the air.” areas of commerce, politics and economy.” related bodies in each country should pay with China don’t negate having good ties with on the organization’s plans for upcoming ministerial meetings. Now China’s economic ties with Europe Noting that China as a great economic pow- due attention to when drafting agreements. other countries or economic blocs, saying CICA has 27 member countries and 8 observers. exceeds 500 billion dollars and the Westerns er needs Iran as trade partner, he dismissed On reports that the document with China they are interdependent. Ambassador Sarybay was appointed as CICA executive di- say nothing about it and don’t say that Eu- speculation that Iran has given unilateral may limit Iran’s cooperation or halt invest- “In order to have good relations with China rector at the special meeting of the CICA foreign ministers on rope is being reliant on China or even don’t concessions to China. ment by other countries, he said, “This is we should have good relations with Europe. September 24, 2020 and assumed his duties from the beginning say anything about the great volume of Chi- The interests of Iran have been surely a reality that for years we had put what we And if we want to have good relations with of October of the same year. na-U.S. trade ties but “when Iran wants to taken into consideration more than what had in Westerners’ basket but we did not get Europe, we should have good relations with sign an agreement with China, they say China certain people claim, he added. anything instead.” China,” Zarif pointed out. It’s not Washington’s stance that Iran must take first step Zarif to Biden: Your admin following Trump’s footsteps to revive JCPOA: U.S. official POLITICAL TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mo- which he said, “It’s sadly ironic that the State Department Also, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei warned desk Who might take the first step to resume compliance with the 2015 hammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that is now calling on Iran to abide by the very deal the Trump the West on Tuesday that more delays in removing sanctions Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the JCPOA, is not an issue President Joe Biden’s administration is following Donald administration abandoned.” against Iran will make the chances for reviving the 2015 for the United States, a U.S. official said on Friday, suggesting Trump’s policy by capitalizing on the illegal sanctions as a At the time, Biden also wrote, “By walking away from nuclear deal, which he described as the only way to resolve greater flexibility on the part of Washington. “leverage” against Iran. diplomacy, Trump has made military conflict more likely. differences, more elusive. “That’s not the issue, who goes first,” the official told Reuters “Your admin follows Trump’s footsteps while trying to Another war in the Middle East is the last thing we need.” However, he added the U.S. administration has no “logical on condition of anonymity. use his unlawful sanctions as ‘leverage’,” Zarif tweeted by Zarif advised Biden to quit this approach, saying, “Nasty alternative” other than returning to the JCPOA and lifting “Like, we are going to go at 8, they are going to go at 10? Or making a reference to Biden’s tweets on June 20, 2019 in habits die hard. Time to kick this one.” all sanctions. they go at 8, we go at 10? That’s not the issue,” the official said. “The issue is do we agree on what steps are going to be taken mutually.” The Biden administration has been seeking to engage Iran JCPOA Joint Commission to meet in Vienna Tuesday, there won’t be direct Iran-U.S. talks in talks about both sides resuming compliance with the deal, 1 Iran, China, Russia, France, Ger- Iran, Iran started to gradually remove ban ment. The Joint Commission was chaired, under which U.S. and other economic sanctions on Tehran were many and Britain – the remaining parties on certain aspects of its nuclear activities. on behalf of EU High Representative Jo- removed in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear program. to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Iran’s remedial measures were based on sep Borrell, by the EEAS Deputy Secretary Donald Trump, President Joe Biden’s predecessor, quit the - discussed on Friday the possible return to it paragraph 36 of the JCPOA. General Enrique Mora and was attended deal in 2018 and reimposed U.S. sanctions, prompting Iran, after by the United States, and how to ensure full German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas by representatives of China, France, Ger- waiting more than a year, to remove some of the pact’s nuclear and effective implementation by all sides. said it was good that talks were resuming, many, Russia, the United Kingdom and Iran restrictions in retaliation. The EU, which is coordinating efforts to but time was of the essence. at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers/ The United States and Iran have yet to agree even to meet revive the deal, said next week’s participants Russia’s ambassador to the UN atomic Political Directors. about reviving the JCPOA and are communicating indirectly via in Vienna would seek to “clearly identify watchdog said Friday’s talks had given him In line with the joint ministerial state- European nations, Western officials have said. sanctions-lifting and nuclear implementation the impression they were on the right track ment of 21 December participants recog- In a speech on March 21, Leader of the Islamic Revolution measures,” including through convening verified,” Araqchi said. but the way ahead would not be easy. nised the prospect of a full return of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the U.S. must lift sanctions before meetings of relevant expert groups, Reu- Writing on his Twitter page, Iranian Senior European Union diplomat En- US to the JCPOA, and underlined their Tehran would resume compliance. ters reported. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif rique Mora chaired the talks on Friday. readiness to positively address this in a joint The U.S. official sought to dispel what he said was an erroneous “In this context, the coordinator will said “at virtual JCPOA Joint Commission In a tweet, Mora said, “Positive meeting effort. Participants also emphasised their view that the United States insists on Iran’s full compliance before also intensify separate contacts in Vienna meeting Iran and EU/E3+2 agreed to resume today. We will reconvene in Vienna next commitment to preserve the JCPOA and Washington would take any steps to resume its own commitments. with all JCPOA participants and the United in-person talks in Vienna next Tuesday.” week. Substantial work ahead for a key discussed modalities to ensure the return He also said it was not the U.S. stance that Tehran must take States,” it added in a statement. Zarif also said the aim of meeting is to opportunity to bring #JCPOA back to life.” to its full and effective implementation. a first step to comply before Washington would take a step. After Friday’s meeting, Iran’s Deputy “rapidly finalize sanction-lifting and nu- After the conclusion of the virtual meet- Participants agreed to resume this session “It is absolutely not our position that Iran has to come into Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, a senior clear measures for choreographed removal ing, the EU issued a statement which reads of the Joint Commission in Vienna next full compliance before we do anything,” the official said. negotiator in the talks, said the United States of all sanctions, followed by Iran ceasing as follows: week, in order to clearly identify sanctions “As for, if we agree on mutual steps, like we’ll do X, they do would not be present at any session attended remedial measures.” A meeting of the Joint Commission of lifting and nuclear implementation measures, Y, the issue of sequence will not be the issue. I don’t know who by Iran in Vienna and affirmed Iran’s stance Zarif added direct meeting between Iran the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action including through convening meetings of would go first. I mean we could – it could be simultaneous,” he on what needed to be done. and the United States in Vienna will be (JCPOA) was held virtually on Friday, 2 the relevant expert groups. In this context, said. “There’s a thousand iterations but ... I can tell you now, if “Iran will suspend its steps (scaling back “unnecessary”. April. Under the terms of the JCPOA, the the coordinator will also intensify separate this breaks down, it’s not going to be because of that.” compliance with the deal’s terms) as soon A year after the Trump administration Joint Commission is responsible for over- contacts in Vienna with all JCPOA partici- (See full text at tehrantimes.com) as (U.S.) sanctions are lifted and this is quit the JCPOA and slapped sanctions on seeing the implementation of the agree- pants and the United States. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 3, 2021 IRAN IN FOCUS 3 SPORTS Iran’s inviolable JCPOA policy Iran’s Foolad ask AFC to change venue in Saudi Arabia in words of Ayatollah Khamenei By Farrokh Hesabi TEHRAN — Iranian club, Foolad Khuzestan have asked POLITICAL TEHRAN – Leader of the resume our commitments,” the Leader said the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to change the ven- desk Islamic Revolution Ayatol- on March 21. ue of their AFC Champions League (ACL) play-off match lah Seyed Ali Khamenei has outlined Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that “this against the UAE’s Al-Ain due to the security concerns. policy on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, paving policy will not be violated in any way.” The match is due to take place on April 10 at Prince Faisal the way for Iranian diplomats to pursue the The Leader’s comments came at a time Bin Fahad Stadium in Riyadh, country’s interests in a more effective way. when Iran and the United States are at log- Saudi Arabia. However, the The Leader laid out Iran’s policy on the gerheads over how to revive the nuclear deal Iranian club have voiced their nuclear deal -officially known as the Joint and that the comments may be intended to concerns to the AFC through Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)- in make the Americans understand that Iran the Football Federation of a recent speech delivered on the occasion will not make the first move toward reviving the Islamic Republic of Iran of the Persian New Year. the JCPOA because it was not the party that (FFIRI) over the recent safety He outlined a process in which the U.S. violated the deal first. and security matters in Sau- should lift all sanctions first in order for Iran This policy was articulated at a very im- di’s capital city. to resume fully implementing the JCPOA. portant time. Iranian and U.S. diplomats are Saeid Azari, general man- “This policy is that the Americans should going to visit Vienna next week in a bid to ager of Foolad Khuzestan lift all sanctions. After that, we will verify. If discuss ways to revive the JCPOA, although club, believes that given the the sanctions have been lifted, we will return they will not hold direct talks. The JCPOA seriousness of the incidents to our Barjam [JCPOA] commitments. We parties and the U.S. will be in Vienna on that took place in Riyadh, the will return without any problem. This is a Tuesday in what appeared to the first seri- match must be held in a se- definite policy. We do not consider American ous efforts to overcome difficulties arising cure venue. promises to be valid. If they say that they will from the U.S.’s unilateral withdrawal from “Based on the interna- lift them on paper, this is of no use. What the JCPOA. Iranian officials said that there tional media reports, we have been informed that Riyadh is necessary is action! They should lift the will be no meeting between the U.S. and Iran. has been attacked by rockets just in recent days. So, we sanctions in practice. Subsequently, we will “No Iran-US meeting. Unnecessary,” Ira- are very worried about the security condition of the host verify their statements to make sure that nian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad city and our request is that due to the current confusion the sanctions have been lifted. Then, we will Zarif said in a tweet on Friday. on the ground, the venue of our match against Al Ain to be moved to another safe and secure one,” Azari said in an exclusive interview with Tehran Times. “It’s the best solution for both teams,” he added. “It’s Iran-China cooperation raises concern in the West the most logical solution given that security has to be the 1 We believe this document will further contrib- Iran-China comprehensive cooperation will further cooperation in the East is accelerating the U.S. decline,” number one priority. We hope that the AFC will work on ute to the continued development and comprehensive reinforce relations between the two countries, Zarif Shamkhani tweeted on March 29. choosing the most suitable alternative venue for the match. partnership of Iran and China, and will bring about referred to China as the “friend of hard times”, according Active resistance is a policy that Iran adopted “it’s necessary to mention that in the 2019 ACL, the prosperity for the two nations,” the Iranian Foreign to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. in the wake of Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 match between Iran’s Zob Ahan against Saudi’s Al Nassr, Ministry said in a statement following the signing of “Accordingly, we praise the stances and measures nuclear deal, formally called the JCPOA. It helped which had initially been scheduled to be played in Karbala the document. of China at the time of cruel sanctions against Iran,” Iran resist U.S. bullying and cement its ties with City in Iraq, was postponed and moved to another neutral The China-Iran cooperation plan was warmly the chief Iranian diplomat said. other countries, including China. Now, with the so- venue in Dubai, UAE just because of the missile attacks on welcomed by all Iranian officials across the political Facing Iran-China’s growing cooperation, the U.S. called “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran another city of Iraq, namely Baghdad,” Foolad GM added. spectrum, something that set a new precedent for how expressed concern over the signing of the 25-year plan. in tatters, the U.S. hopes that Iran will relinquish “The Asian Football Confederation has always put the all Iranian political factions can join forces to support Asked if he was concerned about the emerging part- this policy and accept a U.S. return to the nuclear safety and security of all stakeholders at the center of all its a major foreign policy decision even during an elec- nership between Iran and China, U.S. President Joe deal without the lifting of U.S. sanctions, something decisions. We appreciate the AFC to evaluate our request tion season, which is usually characterized by bitter Biden said a few hours after the plan was signed that that Iran keeps rejecting. and to take into account the safety situation in the region infighting among various political factions. he has been “concerned about that for a year.” In addition, the U.S. sought to downplay the impact to make the best decision in this regard.” Azari concluded. This consensus reflected a deep understanding of Iran said Biden’s concern was right. of the Iran-China cooperation plan on Washington-Bei- Esteghlal, the other Iranian representative in the 2021 the importance of upgrading relations with China, Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National jing ties. Commenting on the Iran-China partnership AFC Champions League, are also scheduled to play their a move that Zarif described as a “strategic choice” Security Council, responded to the U.S. president’s plan, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price Group C matches in Jaddah, Saudi Arabia in a centralized made by Iran. remarks by saying that that enhancing cooperation claimed that the U.S. and China have a shared interest format. The question is whether the Blues will also request “Iran attaches great importance to its relations with with the East will hasten the U.S. decline. in curbing Iran’s nuclear program. the AFC to change their host city to a safer one or not. China, and strengthening cooperation with China is “The signing of Iran and China Strategic Partner- However, Iran and China have expressed interest a strategic choice made by Iran,” the Iranian foreign ship Roadmap is part of the Active Resistance policy. in working on reviving the JCPOA. According to the minister was quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as The world isn’t just the West and the West isn’t just Chinese Foreign Ministry, during Zarif’s meeting with saying during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart. the lawbreaking America, UK, France and Germany. Wang, Iran expressed interest in working with China Ghaemi announces Underlining that the signing of the roadmap of Biden’s concern is correct: the flourishing of strategic to revive the JCPOA. retirement from national duty

SPORTSTEHRAN – Iran national team volley- Russia underlines need to take ‘initial’ steps to revive JCPOA deskball player Farhad Ghaemi announced his retirement from national duty via his Instagram account. POLITICAL TEHRAN – Russia has 2. The participants will discuss how to know that it was Iran that adhered to all The 31-year-old outside spiker has ended his career in deskhighlighted the need to ensure full restoration of JCPOA im- its obligations one year after the with- the National Team due to the personal problems. take initial steps to revive the 2015 Iran plementation by all sides. It will also drawal of the United States and today, Ghaemi has been a vital member of Iran national team nuclear deal after news media reported provide an opportunity to exchange after 3 years, we announce that once over the past years. that Iran suggested that all parties to views on possible return of U.S. to the the Americans return to fulfilling their “I’ve played 14 years for the National Team and served the nuclear deal directly move to the nuclear deal,” Ulyanov said. obligations, Iran will immediately fulfill as a soldier for my country but it’s time to call it a day. From full implementation of the deal. “U.S. failing to seize the gold- all its obligations as well.” now on, I am a fan of Iran volleyball team and support my Russia’s representative to the Interna- en chance for securing a win-win “Full restoration” country as the other Iranian people. I’m sure more achieve- tional Organizations in Vienna Mikhail bargain” In addition to Iran, other signatories to ments are ahead of the team. I’ve recently married and Ulyanov said in a tweet on Thursday The process of reviving the nuclear the JCPOA including Russia fully support need more time to spend with my family,” Ghaemi wrote. night that directly moving to the final deal has suffered setbacks after the Biden reviving the JCPOA. Russian Foreign Ghaemi helped Iran win two gold medals at the 2014 stage in implementing the nuclear deal administration failed to change tack on Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow is and 2018 Asian Games as well as a bronze medal at the -officially known as the Joint Compre- Iran. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in favor of restoring the 2015 deal in its World Grand Champions Cup. hensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – is an said in remarks delivered on Thursday initial form that was endorsed by a UN option, but reaching the point of com- that the U.S. is failing to seize the golden Security Council resolution. pletely implementing the JCPOA may by removing all the sanctions that were chance for securing a win-win bargain Speaking at the Middle East Confer- require initial steps at first. imposed on Iran during the Trump ad- on the JCPOA. He criticized the Biden ence of the Valdai Discussion Club in Para canoeist Behrouzi Rad The Russian diplomat was comment- ministration. But the Biden adminis- administration’s foot-dragging on a re- Moscow on Wednesday, the top Russian ing on a scoop by Amwaj Media saying tration refused to lift sanctions, calling turn to compliance with the nuclear deal. diplomat called for “full restoration” of eyes Paralympics gold that Iran has suggested that all sides on Iran instead to make the first move. “As Leader [of the Islamic Revolu- the JCPOA, stressing that the deal should “should probably move directly to the tion Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei] be restored in its initial form as it was SPORTSTEHRAN –Para canoeist Shahla Behrou- The U.S. said the ball is in Iran’s court, a deskzi Rad is going to become the first Ira- final stage,” and hinted at the possibility claim that Iran sees as procrastination. announced, if they (the U.S.) return to approved by the UN. of rapid progress if the U.S. moves first. the JCPOA, Iran will also return to its “We have proposed an informal road nian para athlete to win a gold medal in the sport in Although the U.S. was not invited to Paralympic Games. “This is an option. But probably be- participate in the Friday meeting, it wel- commitments,” the Iranian president map, envisioning Iran’s and the United fore moving to the final stage, it could said, according to Press TV. “This would States’ simultaneous gradual return to Behrouzi Rad will represent Iran at the Tokyo Games. comed the meeting as a “positive step.” She partook in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio at the be prudent to agree on initial and sig- “We obviously welcome this is a mean a win-win bargain for the region the implementation of their obligations. nificant steps in order to create much and the entire world, which would ben- French colleagues help us formulate the Women’s KL3, where she failed to qualify for the final. Now, positive step,” U.S. State Department the Para canoeist is going to make a splash in the Tokyo. more favorable climate to go fast to spokesman Ned Price told reporters in efit them. The Americans were not able steps, especially the first step, which the destination point which is full im- to understand that and failed to seize should launch the process of JCPOA “Winning a gold medal is my aim in Tokyo. I train hard Washington on Thursday. “We have been because I want to hoist my country’s flag in the Games,” plementation of #JCPOA by all sides,” clear for weeks now that we are ready to this golden opportunity. They have been full restoration,” he said. Ulyanov tweeted. dragging their feet, and we have been Lavrov is expected to discuss, among Behrouzi Rad said in an interview with IRNA. pursue a return to compliance with our “I’ve been trying to keep up my fitness with hard train- The tweet came one day before a JCPOA commitments consistent with getting messages and news, which show other issues, the JCPOA during a visit virtual meeting of the JCPOA Joint this new [US] administration is far from to Iran scheduled for April 13, accord- ing during the coronavirus pandemic. I think the Games’ Iran also doing the same.” postponement helped me improve,” she added. Commission was held. “We have also been open about the the reality about Iran.” ing to a statement issued by the Iranian The European Union said in a state- fact that we have been talking with our He pointed out that the U.S. officials’ Foreign Ministry on Thursday. ment on Thursday that the meeting will partners in the P5+1 context and else- “lack of knowledge” about Iran is ridic- “The visit will be made as part of po- take place on Friday to discuss a possible where about the best way to achieve this, ulous, adding that if they could get to litical consultations between the foreign Machine Sazi football team U.S. return to the Iran nuclear deal. including through a series of initial mu- know the great nation of Iran, its great ministers of Iran and Russia and upon “The Joint Commission will be chaired tual steps,” Price added. civilization, and its golden homeland, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad on verge of disbanding on behalf of EU High Representative “We’ve been looking at options for they would treat the nation with humility. Javad Zarif’s invitation. Consultations Josep Borrell by the Deputy Secre- doing so, including with indirect conver- “Biggest honor of the Iranian on various aspects of bilateral relations, SPORTSTEHRAN – Iranian top flight football tary-General and Political Director of sations through our European partners.” nation in moral, political and his- regional issues especially the latest deskclub Machine Sazi are on the verge of dis- the European External Action Service Ulyanov also commented on the State torical terms” developments in the Caucasus, Syria, banding due to the financial problems. Enrique Mora. It will be attended by Department’s stance, describing it as yet Rouhani reminded all those who call Yemen, and Afghanistan, Iran-Russia The Tabriz based football club were founded more representatives of China, France, Ger- another sign that the U.S. has changed the JCOPA one of the most significant cooperation at international and regional than half a century ago but they will reportedly be dis- many, Russia, the United Kingdom, and its approach to the JCPOA. international agreements that it is the bodies as well as important issues like banded soon. Iran,” the statement said. “The U.S. Department of State wel- Iranian nation that has been shouldering the JCPOA, countering the United States’ Machine Sazi were founded by Taqi Tavakoli, a pioneer “Participants will discuss the pros- comed the virtual meeting of the Joint the burden of the deal since Washing- unilateral moves and unlawful sanctions of modern industry in Iran, in 1969 but they cannot survive pect of a possible return of the United Commission of JCPOA with participation ton’s withdrawal about three years ago. will be among the most pressing topics of due to the financial problems. States to the JCPOA and how to ensure of Iran and other Parties to the nuclear Pointing to the economic war waged negotiations between Zarif and Lavrov,” Machine Sazi were owned by Iranian businessman Mo- the full and effective implementation of deal. Another confirmation of signifi- by enemies on the Islamic Republic, the the statement said. hammadreza Zonuzi but he has transferred them to a new the agreement by all sides.” cant changes in the U.S. position which president said, “We did not begin this Ulyanov highlighted the close diplo- ownership, however the new governmental owner cannot Iranian Foreign Ministry also issued need now to be translated into practical war. Even after this war was imposed on matic contacts between Iran and Russia. afford to pay their debts. a statement on Friday announcing the actions,” the Russian diplomat tweeted us, we continued to fulfill all our com- “Russia and Iran maintain very in- Zonuzi is owner of another Tabriz based football club start of the meeting. on Thursday. mitments [based on the JCPOA] for a tensive dialogue at all levels, including Tractor and has said he is unable to manage two clubs at The meeting was held amid renewed Earlier on the day, Ulyanov had said full year,” describing the patience as “the the Ministerial level. The Ministers of the same time. efforts to revive the nuclear deal, which that the Friday meeting provides an “op- biggest honor of the Iranian nation in Foreign Affairs meet on a regular ba- Machine Sazi sit at the bottom of Iran Professional is now on life support due to Washing- portunity” to discuss the U.S. return to moral, political and historical terms.” sis, many times per year. This dialogue League table and are on the brink of being relegated from ton’s reluctance to lift sanctions. Iran the JCPOA. He added, “Those who are discussing goes far beyond the most topical issue the league. has called on the White House to make “A virtual meeting of the Joint Com- who should return to their obligations of JCPOA. Very valuable practice,” the The team will likely pull out of the current season and the the first move towards reviving the deal mission of JCPOA will be held on April first, Iran or the United States, should Russian diplomat tweeted. league could be in trouble with the withdrawal of the team. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY APRIL 3, 2021

Issuance of industrial unit IMF should respond to Iran’s establishment permits increases 40%

ECONOMY TEHRAN – According to the latest data desk legal request: CBI governor released by Iran’s Industry, Mining and Trade Ministry, during the first 11 months of the past Iranian calendar year 1399 (March 20, 2020-February 1 the economies of all countries, to block Iran’s request. 18, 2021), 36,162 permits have been issued for establish- especially developing countries, have been The U.S. reaction was seriously blamed by ing new industrial units in the country, which marked a severely damaged, and Iran is one of the the Iranian officials, saying that the United 40-percent increase year on year. countries most affected by the epidemic in States has no right to prevent the International The units are predicted to create jobs for 810,178 per- the region. Monetary Fund from giving loan to Iran. sons, indicating 37.6 percent growth year on year. Referring to U.S. sanctions against the Later in April last year, Hemmati wrote During the said period, also 6,491 licenses were issued country, he said: “Despite the sanctions im- on his Instagram page, “We expect the IMF for the commission of newly completed industrial units, posed by the U.S. and the policy of maximum to immediately respond to the request of indicating an increase of seven percent compared to the pressure, Iran has been able to overcome the Iran which itself is a founding member of same period of 1398. problems and take appropriate measures, the fund.” but like most developing countries, it needs In an interview conducted by Bloomberg financial resources to implement its policies.” and published at that time, Hemmati said, Hemmati said that the International “We have not asked the United States for Monetary Fund has so far provided more help! We have asked the IMF for support: an than $100 billion in loans to 85 countries, international, apolitical institution affiliated adding, “The fund has lent nearly $16 billion with the UN, and for which, we were one of the to the countries of the MENAP region, but founder members and contributors over the Iran, which was one of the first countries past 75 years. The United States is a member to request emergency funds, has not been of the IMF as all 190 or so other countries. provided any facilities, while receiving no The last time I checked, the United States is logical reason in this due.” not running the IMF, and the management Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has and the Board of Governors are those who called on the International Monetary Fund oversee the work and ensure that the IMF (IMF) to defy U.S. resistance and grant the has said in a statement shown on state TV. Fund’s Rapid Financing Initiative (RFI), delivers on its mandate. But I would like to country the $5 billion loan which Iran re- Fighting the coronavirus outbreak in the an emergency program that gives loans to repeat that all UN organizations say the IMF quested to relieve the economic pressure country, in last March, Iran asked IMF for an countries facing with sudden shocks such or WHO, should stay away from politics and caused by the pandemic. emergency loan to help it contain the pan- as natural disasters. deliver on their institutional mandates.” “We’re hoping the IMF board won’t re- demic and lessen its economic consequences. Although this was Tehran’s first request The U.S. approach toward Iran’s request main under U.S. pressure and will live up to In a letter to IMF in early March 2020, for an IMF loan in nearly six decades, it raised also evoked reactions from other countries, As previously announced by the ministry, the issuance its commitments to all countries,” Rouhani Hemmati requested $5 billion from the opposition from the U.S. that said it planned as they strongly blamed this stance. of permits for setting up industrial units in the country increased 16 percent in 1398. Most of the issued permits were related to the food industries; and Semnan, Qom, and Khorasan Razavi were the provinces receiving the highest number of permits. Industry, mining, trade projects worth over $1b inaugurated in 5 provinces According to Asghar Mosaheb, the acting head of Iran 1 First development phase of Garmsar Special Since the U.S. re-imposition of the sanctions, the self-re- Small Industries and Industrial Parks Organization (ISIPO), Economic Zone in Semnan province, and two major min- liance strategy of Iran has been followed up by all state-run preventing the inactive status of the industrial units is ing complexes in Kerman province were among the main and private bodies. a major plan of ISIPO, while lack of liquidity, problems projects inaugurated by the president in an online ceremo- In the past Iranian calendar year, which was named as in terms of supplying raw materials and machinery, and ny also attended by Industry, Mining and Trade Minister the year of “Surge in Production” by the leader of the Islam- absence of market are the main reasons making the units Alireza Razm Hosseini. ic Revolution, all ministries defined their comprehensive inactive. Razm Hosseini said last week that the industrial growth programs to pursue for materialization of that motto. ISIPO’s Previous Head Mohsen Salehinia had said will accelerate in the country in the current Iranian calendar Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry, as one of the major that providing liquidity is the main issue for many of the year (began on March 21). players in this due, also outlined an all-out plan in this regard. country’s production units, so based on the arrangements Making the remarks on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, Since the beginning of the past year, the government has made, these units can receive part of their needed liquidity the minister announced his ministry’s target of boosting urged various bodies and ministries to take the necessary through bank facilities. production and achieving industrial growth in this year measures for the realization of the year’s motto. “Currently, the share of the country’s production and through removing the barriers as well as red tape, unnec- In this regard, every week several major projects have industrial units in receiving bank facilities is about 31 essary rules and regulations. gone operational all over the country in different sectors. ous projects so far. percent and it is necessary to allocate a larger share of The official said that an industrial growth of 7.5 percent was The Energy Ministry has implemented a program called The Leader named the present year as the year of “Pro- banking facilities to the country’s production and indus- achieved in the past year, which will be increased this year. “A-B-Iran” based on which the ministry inaugurates sev- duction: Support and the Elimination of Obstacles.” try,” he had stated. The U.S. sanctions have targeted Iran’s all aspects of eral energy projects every week, and the Industry, Mining, Regarding this year’s motto, the industry minister said Strengthening domestic production to achieve self-reli- economy and industry, but the “self-reliance” approach and Trade Ministry is also following a new scheme called that his ministry along with other ministries like oil and ance is the most important program that Iran is following that the Islamic Republic has taken to nullify the sanctions “Persistent Production-Effective Employment-Sustainable agriculture ministries will make every effort to support up in its industry sector in a bid to nullify the effects of has proved that nothing can impede Iran from progress. Exports” under which the ministry has inaugurated numer- production and eliminate the obstacles. the U.S. sanctions on its economy. Bushehr province accounts for one sixth of Iran’s annual Over 10m villagers to enjoy stable drinking water network by Aug. ECONOMY TEHRAN — The popula- erating 20-23 percent of the value added (started on March 20). non-oil trade desktion in the rural areas, who in the country, development of rural areas The minister said that power supply to will access to stable drinking water network, has been always a top agenda of the govern- these villages and also supplying electricity ECONOMY TEHRAN — As announced by a provincial will reach over 10 million by the end of the ments’ activities. to the nomadic areas through mobile solar deskofficial, Bushehr province, in the south- current government’s incumbency (August). The sustainable economic, social, and panels are among the major priorities of the west of Iran, accounted for one sixth of the country’s Each year, averagely about 1.1 million cultural development of the villages is one ministry’s A-B-Iran program. non-oil trade in the past Iranian calendar year (ended people (34 villages each week) have been of the major priorities of the current gov- A-B-Iran program (the acronyms A and B on March 20). supplied with the stable drinking water in ernment, and many projects implemented stand for water and electricity in Persian) was Behrouz Qareh-Beygi, an official with the province’s the villages of the country during the current and underway in this regard have led to out- initiated in the Iranian calendar year 1398 customs department, said that 24.564 million tons of government’s incumbency. standing development in the rural regions. (ended on March 19, 2020), during which products have been exported from Bushehr, and 482,000 Villages are often mentioned as some Last week, Energy Minister Reza Arda- the minister made several trips to various tons of commodities have been imported to the province keys to the development of countries, and kanian announced that electricity will be provinces for inaugurating over 220 major in the previous year. the allocation of a proper amount of budget economic results. supplied to the villages with less than 10 projects with a total investment of 335.6 As announced by the head of Islamic Republic of Iran to rural development always brings fruitful In Iran, where villages account for gen- families in the current Iranian calendar year trillion rials (about $7.99 billion). Customs Administration (IRICA), the value of Iran’s non- oil trade stood at $73 billion in the past year. Inflation rate stands at 36% in urban areas of Tehran province ECONOMY TEHRAN — The Statistical Center of month. deskIran (SCI) has put the inflation rate at The SCI put the inflation rate at 53.3 percent in the 36.7 percent in the urban areas of Tehran province in the last rural regions in the last month. month of the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20). The center has announced that the inflation rate in the The center put the figure at 35.8 percent in the rural twelve-month period ended on March 20, which marks regions of the province. the end of the last month of the past Iranian calendar year, The SCI has announced that the inflation rate has risen stood at 36.4 percent, rising 2.2 percent from the figure 0.6 percent in the country’s urban areas in the last month for the twelve-month period ended on the last day of the of the past year. eleventh month of that year. The center put the inflation rate at 47.8 percent in the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) in a statement last April had urban regions in the last month. announced that the annual inflation rate for the current It has also announced that the inflation rate has fallen Iranian calendar year (ends on March 20) is set to be 22 0.3 percent in the country’s rural areas in the mentioned percent.

Mehdi Mir-Ashrafi also put the weight of non-oil trade at 146.4 million tons, and said that the figure shows a ‘Removing private sector’s problems, new approach of Free Zones High Council’ 25-million-ton annual decline, which is the result of sanc- ECONOMY TEHRAN — The Secre- created jobs for 5,400 persons. Zone established the year after on Qeshm tions and coronavirus pandemic. desktary of Iranian Free Zones The development of free trade zones and Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s non-oil export was 112 million tons valued at High Council Hamidreza Mo’meni said that special economic zones through production, Some five other free trade zones have been $34.5 billion, and that of import was 34.4 million tons removing the problems of private sector is exports and investment is one of the goals of also established in the country since then, in- worth $38.5 billion in the past year, the official added. the new approach of this council. creating these zones in the country. cluding Chabahar in southeastern Sistan-Bal- Among the country’s non-oil export destinations, China Making the remarks in a meeting with To achieve this target, different measures uchestan Province, Arvand in southwestern was the first, with importing $8.9 billion worth of prod- some investors in Aras Free Zone in northeast were taken in the past two years, such as Khuzestan Province, Anzali in northern Gilan ucts, Iraq was the second with importing $7.3 billion, of the country, the official said that with this attracting innovative and technological units Province, Aras in East-Azarbaijan Province the United Arab Emirates the third with importing $4.6 approach the affairs of entrepreneurs will to these areas, and introducing investment and Maku in West-Azarbaijan Province, both billion, Turkey the fourth with importing $2.5 billion, be eased and facilitated in the free zones. opportunities and advantages in these zones. in the northwest of the country. and Afghanistan the fifth with importing $2.2 billion, He further highlighted the projects recently The establishment of free trade zones Considering the important role that the Mir-Ashrafi announced, and named gasoline, natural gas, inaugurated by President Hassan Rouhani in Iran dates back to the Iranian calendar free zones play in promoting the country’s Although the sanctions have disrupted polyethylene, propane, and pistachio as Iran’s major ex- in some of the free trade zones and special year 1368 (March 1989- March 1990) fol- export and employment, Iran is seriously Iran’s economic activities, they could not ported products during the past year. economic zones of the country. lowing the fall in the country’s oil income pursuing the development of its existing zones impede the development of Iranian free zones; He further named Iran’s top sources of non-oil imports Last week, the president inaugurated 39 in the preceding year which prompted the and the establishment of new zones as well. in fact, the development of these zones has in the said time, as China with exporting $9.7 billion projects worth 58 trillion rials (about $1.38 government to promote non-oil exports. More development measures in this field been even accelerated. worth of products to the Islamic Republic, the UAE with billion) in the free trade zones and special The first two free trade zones of Iran were have been taking since the U.S. re-imposi- Many strides made for increasing activities $9.6 billion, Turkey with $4.3 billion, India with $2.1 economic zones of three provinces through established in the south of the country. The tion of sanctions on the Iranian economy in the free zones have played a significant billion, and Germany with $1.8 billion, respectively, and video conference. first one was Kish Free Trade Zone established in November 2018, as Iran is reducing its part in boosting the country’s non-oil ex- mentioned corn, cellphone, rice, oil meal and oil seeds, The projects put into operation in Hor- in 1368 on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf dependence on the oil income while elevating ports and brought prosperity in the other wheat, and raw oil as the major imported items. mozgan, East Azarbaijan, and Qom provinces and the second one was Qeshm Free Trade its domestic production and non-oil exports. economic sectors. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 3, 2021 ANALYSIS/INTERVIEW 5

Muslims have become the new U.S. pulls three Patriot anti-missile batteries from scapegoats in Europe: historian Persian Gulf region 1 According to Washington-based conservative defense 1 Attacks on Muslims and Islam in con- the problem of political demagoguery that policy think tank the Jamestown Foundation, “Yemen’s temporary Europe represent a “typical†I mentioned in my earlier answer. established and emergent elites are more willing than they maneuver on the part of political demagogues Do you think that conflicts and be- have been for years to set aside old grievances”. who seek to avoid taking direct responsibil- havior of governments are inevitable “The driving force behind these moves to reinvigorate ity for political problems they are unable to historical fate? political processes is the recognition that the Houthis (a.k.a. constructively resolve. Hence, they seek to I believe in enlightenment and truth, al- Ansarullah) are not going to be defeated militarily. Thus, the blame those who are ethnically or religiously though I am aware that different cultures Houthis’ influence and grip on northwest Yemen must be “other.†They incite a “politics of have different belief systems and therefore dealt with politically, if it is to be dealt with at all,” it wrote. fear.†And as we have seen in the past, define truth in different ways. Nevertheless, Since 2015, outside powers like the UAE and Saudi during periods of political and economic all cultures use the word “truth,†so, at Arabia, have armed and funded proxies in their battle uncertainty, populations are especially sus- the base, there must be a common meaning. against Yemen’s resistance forces because they viewed ceptible to fear-mongering. In the West, we All of this is to say that because I believe kinetic military action as more expedient than politics. have seen these tactics at work before: for in enlightenment and truth, I do not believe The flow of funds and weapons from foreign powers has example, during the 1930s, when European in fate, if by “fate,†one means that helped sustain a war economy and fed the growth of armed fascist regimes also searched for a scapegoat we are powerless to change the historical factions in Yemen. to blame for the social disequilibrium that circumstance. I am not naïve; I am well In June 2019, the UAE began withdrawing most of its accompanied the Great Depression of 1929. aware that historical circumstances can be forces from Yemen. Tensions with Saudi Arabia, interna- At the time, political demagogues like Hitler very powerful and very difficult to alter. At tional fallout from the UAE’s involvement in Yemen, and blamed the Jews. Today, there are few Jews the same time, usually, if one looks hard changing regional dynamics all contributed to the UAE remaining in Europe; consequently, Muslims enough, prospects for meaningful historical decision. While the UAE remains involved in Yemen as have become the new scapegoats. change can often be found. a key supporter of the separatist Southern Transitional One aspect of the scapegoating of Mus- Are political behaviors by govern- Council (STC), the country’s leadership has adopted a lower lims that is especially regrettable and unfair spot in my view was German Prime Min- role in world affairs in response to the onset ments mostly reasonable? Why radi- profile role in the war and reduced the amount of money pertains to the unwillingness to acknowledge ister Angela Merkel’s decision to accept of the cold war. cal views and far-right narratives are and materiel that it provides. the legacy of European colonialism in the over 1 million Syrian refugees. Although Do you think that we are in a phase usually dominant in our world. Middle East (West Asia): colonialism’s Merkel acted compassionately, she was of clash of civilizations, as Samuel Hun- To answer this question, I would need to brutality, its racism, and the legacy of political unfairly punished for this decision by the tington had said? return in part to my earlier response about misery that engendered. What I am getting at German electorate. I have always thought that Hunting- the challenges of globalization and neolib- Dozens killed, many trapped is that the West has a special responsibility in In the U.S., the sources of Islamophobia ton’s “clash of civilizations†the- eralism. The social and economic disloca- after Taiwan train derails light of its colonial past to reconcile with the are someone different; in part, they corre- sis was very dangerous and that it risked tions these approaches have provoked all peoples and religious groups it has wronged. spond to different historical experiences becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. One of over the world have produced record levels in tunnel What are the roots of Islamophobia as well as differences in geography. Most the dangers of making such generalizations of inequality and existential insecurity. As in Europe and the U.S.? American Muslims are “middle class†is that they tend to neglect or suppress more wealth accrues to those who are better At least 48 people were killed and over a hundred injured The legacy of European colonialism also and well-integrated within American so- important details and specifics. For ex- off and to a handful of extremely powerful after a packed express train derailed in a tunnel in eastern helps us understand the roots of contemporary ciety, which significantly diminishes the ample, as you well know, prior to Donald corporate actors, the life conditions of av- Taiwan on Friday morning, the country’s Central News Islamophobia. Much of the contemporary chances of any “real “, rather than Trump’s disastrous presidency, Europe and erage citizens have badly deteriorated. This Agency reported, in the worst train crash on the island in opposition to Islam represents a continua- “imagined “conflict. the United States seemed to be moving situation has forced “average citizens†at least 40 years. tion of prejudices that originated during the As I see it, American Islamophobia also toward rapprochement with Iran, as in- to cast their lot with authoritarian leaders At least 70 other people are also believed to be trapped heyday of European colonialism. Of course, derives from American provincialism, by dicated by the anti-nuclear treaty that was who, theoretically, might be able to take in the wreckage. since 2015 and the escalation of the Middle which I mean American insularity and a signed under the Obama administration. matters into their own hands and, thereby, The transport ministry also said some 40 injured pas- East (West Asia) refugee crisis, European lack of familiarity with other cultures and I think it is safe to say that Donald Trump remedy the excesses of the financial sector sengers had already been sent to hospital with others in Islamophobia has had a new “excuse†other ways of life- the deficiency that, in knows nothing about Islam or about the and oversized corporate actors. the process of being admitted. About people are thought to whip up anti-Islamic sentiment. At the part, is geographically conditioned; but pros and cons of the nuclear deal virtually. The problem, however, is that, as we know, to remain trapped, al Jazeera reported. time, what was needed was compassion and geographical isolation should not be used (Throughout his presidency, he showed that these authoritarian political leaders are of- Emergency services earlier reported “multiple persons acceptance with respect to refugees who, as an “excuse,“ in light of the fact that, he had a horror of expertise.) What’s ten self-interested and corrupt; therefore, with no vital signs” of life. through no fault of their own, were forced after World War II, as Iranians well know clear, therefore, is that Trump sought to as we have seen in the cases of Trump and The Central Emergency Operation Center said rescuers to flee a war zone. from their own historical experiences, the whip up anti-Islamic sentiment for pur- Bolsonaro in Brazil, they end up making a were trying to get to four carriages inside the tunnel that Amid this sorry picture, the one bright United States assumed an interventionist poses of political gain. This goes back to bad situation much worse. were badly damaged and difficult to access. A brief video released by the centre from inside the tunnel showed rescuers arriving on the scene and a twisted carriage door. Staggered cooperation in a competitive environment between major powers Images showed an injured passenger being stretched out of the crash scene, her head and neck in a brace, pas- By Professor Zhang Yuan without expansion. Compared to the previous administra- sengers gathering suitcases and bags in a tilted, derailed tion, the current U.S. is beginning to return to the arena of carriage and others walking out of the tunnel on the roof In the high-level strategic dialogue between China and international cooperation and is placing greater emphasis of the train. the U.S. in Anchorage, Alaska, which ended on March 19, on close relations with traditional allies. China and the United States showed a very frank and full Biden’s view of international cooperation is obviously of difference attitude. The Biden administration’s Interim deliberately exclusive. It is a manifestation of a strategic National Security Strategic Guidance recognize China as cooperation view that strengthens cooperation between Al-Shabaab militants call the top strategic competitor America faces and a sustained allies with similar ideologies and stigmatizes competitors. challenge to a stable and open international system. To the However, international cooperation that excludes key powers, for attacks on U.S., French pessimists, the Biden administration did not immediately including China, would only be an unbalanced and incom- bring a reboot of friendly relations between the U.S. and plete multilateralism. interests in Djibouti ahead of China after the strained Sino-U.S. relations during the Trump Indulging in unnecessary competition would worsen the administration. However, disputes and disagreements among symbiotic domestic social environment. The recent occur- country’s presidential vote major powers do not mean the loss of the international en- rence of violent hate crimes in the U.S. is an externalized The al-Shabab militant group has called for attacks on vironment that promotes transnational cooperation, much Dr. Zhang Yuan is a professor in the Middle East Studies manifestation of internal racial discrimination. Internation- less a simple analogy to the Cold War of the last century. al xenophobia can metastasize into domestic xenophobia, interests of the United States and France in Djibouti, al- Institute of Shanghai International Studies University. She most two weeks ahead of the presidential election in the Strategically searching for different cooperation content also serves as the director of the Middle Eastern Religious backfiring on domestic governance. and partners in a competitive environment may be a useful Behind the malicious interpretation of the goodwill of East African country. Studies Project, visiting researcher of religion and China’s In a video released late Saturday, al-Shabab’s leader idea to solve the dilemma. National Security Research Center of University Think other countries is a deep-rooted cultural discrimination Facing up to differences between major powers and is a means of covering the lack of domestic governance Abou Obaida Ahmad Omar told his followers to “make Tank in Shanghai and visiting researcher of the Center for American and French interests in Djibouti the highest but abandoning Cold War mentality Religion and International Relations at Fudan University. capacity and diverting public discontent. International coop- China does not subscribe to the law of the jungle. China is eration relies on following principles of equality and mutual priority of your targets.” not, and has no desire to challenge the current international international cooperation should not stop at stressful co- respect among countries. Mutual respect means respecting He lambasted Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh order. Instead, China is a defender and active participant in operation on a single issue. the distinctive culture of each country, respecting the choice for turning the Horn of Africa “into a military base,” from the current international order, and is a member of almost At present, it is relatively easy to reach a consensus on of development paths and not interfering in internal affairs. which “every war … is planned and executed” against the all major global organizations. China is highly integrated cooperation between major powers in areas such as climate Economic recovery in the post-epidemic era cannot African nations in East Africa. with the global economy. China has benefited greatly from issues, poverty eradication and the fight against epidemics, be achieved without cooperation between major powers Guelleh has been in power since 1999 and is set to win a opening up to the outside world, from international co- while there is a need for continued in-depth exchanges and Human beings are living in a community of shared fu- fifth term in April 9 elections in Djibouti, whose strategic operation, and from globalization. Every rational country communication in areas such as the management of new ture. Major powers should provide global public products to location as a gateway to both Africa and the Arabian Pen- would recognize that avoiding any form of Cold War is a technologies, maritime security, the cessation of tariff wars promote the common development of mankind and jointly insula has made it a sought-after destination for foreign good thing for the world. and the establishment of strategic mutual trust. Staggered maintain world peace in particular. military bases. Unfortunately, the U.S. foreign rhetoric in recent years cooperation means, first, broadening the field of cooperation; China attaches great importance to both cooperation with Being a former French colony, Djibouti is now home has been full of Cold War mentality shaping non-existent second, expanding the scale of cooperation; third, deepening other countries on the platform of international organiza- to France’s largest contingent in Africa -- around 1,500 threats and creating enemies. Not only on the China is- the depth of cooperation with friendly countries; and fourth, tions and maintaining friendly bilateral cooperative relations troops. The U.S. has also a permanent base there, hosting sue, but also pressuring Iran and intensifying conflict with finding new patterns for cooperation. with countries. Taking the bilateral relations between China some 4,000 troops. Russia, the U.S. has shown a pattern of urgency to divert In the past, even if there were competitive relations be- and Iran as an example, 2021 marks the 50th anniversary domestic attention, suppress public grievances, and con- tween governments, it did not mean that cooperation at the of diplomatic relations between China and Iran. Over the Resistance News ceal domestic incompetence in internal affairs. The flag of civil level stopped. Regrettably, although civil exchanges past 50 years, bilateral relations have developed soundly multilateralism advocated by the United States is actually have a non-negligible positive role in advancing cooperation and there are many consensuses in cooperation. A five-point limited multilateralism, which is confined within close al- at the official level, it is true that to some extent business initiative on achieving security and stability in West Asia Gaza protesters demand liances and focuses only on the interests of the core country travel, tourism, and study abroad have all been restricted proposed by Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit to the release of Hamas officials occasionally taking into account the interests of some other due to the epidemic, hindering interactions at the non-gov- six West Asia count, the Iranian nuclear issue and resuming allies. Biased multilateralism is essentially an extension of ernmental level and laterally contributing to the current compliance with the JCPOA was specifically addressed. from Saudi jails U.S. unilateralism and hegemonism front. misunderstanding and misjudgment between countries. China’s domestic economy is currently recovering with Competition does not mean giving up cooperation Xenophobia is not in the public interest remarkable vigor. Take the movie market as an example, TEHRAN— Hundreds of Palestinians have staged a protest The Biden administration has explicitly claimed to be Hegemony, the law of the jungle and chauvinism are not in during the past spring festival season, China’s box office in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, urging Saudi Arabia to in long-term strategic competition with China, but even the global public interest. The development of a responsible hits record high (over $ 1.2 billion within 7 days). China release two officials from the Hamas resistance movement so, the crossfire of public opinion does not mean that all great power is not to deprive other countries of development is willing and capable of cooperating with other countries who are imprisoned in the kingdom. willingness to cooperate has disappeared. The U.S.-China opportunities, but rather to enhance the chances of global to achieve global economic and social recovery. Putting The demonstration took place with the participants high-level strategic dialogue is ostensibly controversial, but peace and stability with cooperative and win-win develop- aside the so-called disputes over values, working together chanting slogans against Saudi King Salman bin Abdu- the very act of engaging in high-level dialogue implies that ment. China adheres to the path of peaceful development. with a tolerant and open attitude, communicating actively, laziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, there is a willingness to communicate. The dialogue releases Exchanges and cooperation obviously help countries pursuing mutual benefit and complementarity to boost the al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper reported. the effort to find potential areas of cooperation. The Biden increase understanding and mutual trust. And coopera- economy is the priority in the coming post-epidemic era, They called on the Riyadh regime to release Mu- administration does not deny that it needs to cooperate tion among major powers should be conducted under the rather than forcing the countries to choose side between hammad al-Khudari, 83, and his son Hani, who are with China in fighting against the epidemic. But of course, premise of mutual respect and control the disagreement so-called competing great powers. being kept behind bars in Saudi Arabia over the past three years. Abdul Majid al-Khudari, a brother of the elderly in- mate, told reporters during the protest that his family had Saudi-led war inflicted $111bn in damage to Yemen’s agriculture sector: ministry repeatedly sent messages to Saudi officials demanding The Sana’a government’s Agriculture and en’s al-Masirah news agency on Sunday, The ministry added that 2,314 agricul- Agriculture Minister Abdul-Malek al-Thur the detainees’ immediate release, but it had received no Irrigation Ministry has enumerated the the Yemeni ministry said 172 governmen- tural warehouses, 75 markets, 45 agricul- said the damage done to the agriculture sec- response, Press TV reported. harm caused by the Saudi-led military co- tal agricultural buildings and facilities, 204 tural unions, and 29 agricultural export tor was very large and that more than 56 “Today, we gathered here to tell the world that there alition against Yemeni people, saying that non-governmental agricultural buildings and centers and cold storage facilities were percent of those working in this sector had is a human being (Muhammad al-Khudari) who was the Riyadh-led aggression has, directly and facilities, and 89 water facilities, including also demolished. been negatively impacted. subjected to oppression and is now in a Saudi prison. indirectly, inflicted $111 billion in damage dams and water conservation projects, were Elsewhere, the Yemeni Agriculture and Al-Thur said indirect damage in this sec- He is suffering from cancer,” he said, noting that his to Yemen’s agriculture sector. destroyed in Saudi-led coalition’s airstrikes Irrigation Ministry said 3,213 agricultural tor includes loss of production capacity and brother’s presence in Saudi Arabia was legal and coor- At a press conference released by Yem- during past six years. equipment and tools have been destroyed. alternative opportunities. dinated with the kingdom. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 HERITAGE & TOURISM APRIL 3, 2021

Iranians mark Nature Day at Coronavirus cases rise in Iran as home amid coronavirus fears

1 As in many other cultures, the number thirteen is unlucky in the Iranian tradition. Iranians believe that by going outdoors, they welcome the spring, and leave behind millions travel during holiday all the bad luck associated with the number thirteen. TOURISM TEHRAN – The number Gilan, and Khorasan Razavi were named deskof coronavirus cases has top-three travel destinations during the been rising in Iran after millions traveled Noruz vacations. across the country during the Noruz holiday, On Tuesday evening, Teymouri an- which officially began on March 20. nounced that some 650,000 people have The Islamic Republic reported its highest traveled in Iran since the beginning of the number of daily coronavirus infections in new year holidays, adding “Over 1.8 million more than three months period after mil- overnight stays have been registered so far lions challenged government guidelines and in the official accommodation centers across traveled during the two-week holiday. the country.” “More than 11,700 new coronavirus cases Prior to the new year holiday, Teymouri were detected in the country during the past announced that people, who would go on 24 hours,” the Health Ministry’s spokeswom- a trip during the Noruz, would be strictly an, Sima Lari, announced on Thursday. She supervised by a committee of travel servic- further put the death toll from COVID-19 es coordination. “The committee, which in Iran at 62,759, adding “The disease has includes members from the tourism and taken the lives of 94 patients over the past health ministries as well as the police per- 24 hours.” sonnel, will monitor the implementation On the eve of Sizdah Bedar, many typically thinking about According to official data, over 60,300 of the health protocols by the tourists and choosing an appropriate place to spend the day. Some choose people have died from the virus across the travelers during the holiday.” parks, some go to the countryside and others come together country since the start of the pandemic a In Feburary, the tourism minister, Ali-As- in a garden to celebrate the day. Usually, several families plan year ago. More than 1,750,000 cases have ghar Mounesan said: “Noruz ceremonies to gather in a place to spend the day outdoors. It is believed been reported. and trips, if practiced under health pro- that joy and laughter clean the mind from all evil thoughts, Before Noruz, health officials voiced con- tocols, could be beneficial for the revival and a picnic is usually a festive, happy event. cerns about the fourth COVID wave due to Rouhani called on people to avoid trave- these cities,” he stressed. of the tourism industry and handicrafts, People spend the day playing traditional games, singing, the traditional travels, mostly to visit family ling during the Iranian New Year holidays to The most dangerous areas were con- which have been severely affected by the and listening to music, chatting, or simply resting along the and loved ones. help contain the spread of coronavirus. He centrated in the southwest of the country, coronavirus pandemic in many provinces.” banks of the river. The joy of the day is supposed to ward Authorities had urged people to limit travel said it would be forbidden to make trips to particularly in Khuzestan province. Iranians traditionally make hundreds of off an evil that the unlucky number thirteen might bring and in-person visits, saying that travels during cities marked as “red” and “orange” in terms The Ministry of Health has classified thousands of domestic trips during the New along with it. the Noruz festival could lead to another wave of the prevalence of COVID-19. districts based on the rate of coronavirus Year holidays, when most businesses and of infections across the country. “We request people to avoid traveling infections with red color indicating high workplaces are closed, as are schools. The Before Noruz, President Hassan Rouhani during Noruz holidays for the sake of their risk, orange meaning medium, while yellow ancient celebration of the vernal equinox Famed Iranian archaeologist declared new travel bans for cities situated own health… It will be forbidden to travel implied low risk and blue being the least. marks the first day of spring in the Northern Mir-Abedin Kaboli dies at 76 in the “red” and “orange” zones to combat to red and orange towns and cities,” he said. According to the deputy tourism minister Hemisphere; the moment when the length the new COVID-19 variant. “No one should make any plans to travel to Vali Teymouri, the provinces of Mazandaran, of day and night are almost equal. HERITAGE TEHRAN – Mir-Abedin Kaboli, a cele- deskbrated Iranian archaeologist who took part in various excavations across the Iranian plateau, died on Thursday at the age of 76. 1.3m overnight stays registered across Iran within week Born in 1943 in Babol, northern Iran, Kaboli started his TEHRAN – Iranians made some 1.3 mil- zones to combat the new COVID-19 variant. professional career at the general directorate of archeology TOURISM desklion overnight stays in the official accom- Rouhani called on people to avoid traveling during the in 1971 and since then he has participated in many arche- modation centers across the country during the first week Iranian New Year holidays to help contain the spread of ological excavations in Haft Tappeh, Tapeh Abu Fandowa, of the Persian New Year (Noruz) holidays, which started coronavirus. He said it would be forbidden to make trips and Shahdad, amongst some other sites, ISNA reported. on March 20, the deputy tourism minister has announced. to cities marked as “red” and “orange” in terms of the Average occupancy rate of the residential centers has prevalence of COVID-19. reached around 30 percent during the mentioned period, “We request people to avoid traveling during Noruz ILNA quoted Vali Teymouri as saying on Sunday. holidays for the sake of their own health… It will be for- Appreciating tourists and travelers who followed health bidden to travel to red and orange towns and cities,” he protocols during their trips, the official also thanked those said. “No one should make any plans to travel to these who delayed or postponed their travels to help the tourism cities,” he stressed. industry deal with the coronavirus outbreak. Late in February, the tourism minister, Ali-Asghar Last year the country went into lockdown during Noruz Mounesan, said despite all the obstacles and issues and holidays due to the coronavirus pandemic. Iranians made the outbreak of the coronavirus, the country’s tourism affected by the coronavirus pandemic in many provinces, over 74 million overnight stays during the two-week Per- sector is still alive and dynamic. the minister explained. sian New Year holidays in 1398 (March 21-April 2, 2019). Noruz ceremonies and trips, if practiced under health Iranians traditionally make hundreds of thousands of Early in March, President Hassan Rouhani declared protocols, could be beneficial for the revival of the tour- domestic trips during the New Year holidays, when most new travel bans for cities situated in the “red” and “orange” ism industry and handicrafts, which have been severely businesses and workplaces are closed, as are schools.

Excavations at Shahdad, an ancient site in southeast historical monuments in Zanjan gain former glory 15 Kerman province, was one of his most famed missions, TOURISM TEHRAN – Some 15 The culture and civilization of the scholars like A.U. Pope have described the which yielded jewelry from the 3rd millennium BC. An deskhistorical buildings and province are intertwined with historical building as “anticipating the Taj Mahal”. archaeological team, led by Kaboli, discovered the ruins aging structures in northwestern Zanjan structures, which need to be promoted and The UN cultural body adds the Mauso- of a developed ancient city with industrial and residential province were restored during the pre- preserved more properly, the official added. leum of Oljaytu as an essential link and key areas and a graveyard after fourteen stages of excavations vious Iranian calendar year 1399 (ended The UNESCO-registered Mausoleum of monument in the development of Islamic in Shahdad. March 19). Oljaytu, locally known as Gonbad-e Soltani- architecture in central and western Asia. Kaboli was honored in 2016 as one of the greats of Iran’s Jameh Mosque, Shariati School, parts of yeh, is the highlight of Zanjan’s tourist Zanjan is one of the cities founded by cultural heritage. He died of kidney failure in his hometown. the Historic Bazaar of Zanjan, the mosques attractions. Dominating the skyline, the Sassanid King Ardashir I (180-242 CE). of Chehel Sotun and Mir Bahaeddin, Khadivi 14th-century monument is highly recognized The province makes a base for wider ex- Mansion, and parts of the southeastern as an architectural masterpiece particularly plorations with the architectural wonder Plasterworks, potteries in towers of Gonbad-e Soltaniyeh are among due to its innovative double-shelled dome of Soltaniyeh, the subterranean delights Ilam made national heritage the restored sites, the provincial tourism and elaborate interior decoration. of the Katale-Khor caves, colorful moun- chief has said. registered on the national heritage list, According to UNESCO, the mausoleum’s tains, and the UNESCO-registered Takht-e TOURISM TEHRAN – A total of nine movable his- All the restored monuments have been Amir Arjmand said on Thursday. interior decoration is so outstanding that Soleiman ruins are nearby. desktorical objects in the western province of Ilam have been inscribed on the national heritage list, CHTN reported on Friday. Four decorative plasterworks, discovered in various ancient sites across the province, and a centuries-old gravestone are Over 6,000 overnight stays recorded in Lorestan in Noruz among the properties added to the prestigious list, according TOURISM TEHRAN – Iranians made 6,339 over- lesser-known travel destinations in Iran, which mainly to Abdolmalek Shanbezadeh, the provincial tourism chief. desknight stays in the western province of acts as a gateway to the sweltering plains below in ad- Lorestan during the first ten days of the Persian New joining Khuzestan province. Lorestan is also a region of Year (Noruz) holidays, starting March 20, the provincial raw beauty that an avid nature lover could spend weeks tourism chief has said. exploring. The data has been collected from various residential It was inhabited by Iranian Indo-European peoples, centers including hotels, eco-lodge units, guest houses, including the Medes, c. 1000 BC. Cimmerians and Scythi- and tourist complexes, Seyyed Amin Qasemi announced ans intermittently ruled the region from about 700 to 625 on Thursday. BC. The Luristan Bronzes noted for their eclectic array of The accommodation centers across the province host Assyrian, Babylonian, and Iranian artistic motifs, date tourists and travelers under strict health protocols in from this turbulent period. order to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Lorestan was incorporated into the growing Achae- official added. menid Empire in about 540 BC and successively was Soaked in history and culture, Lorestan is one of the part of the Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanid dynasties.

Beautiful Iran: Ashuradeh Island TOURISM TEHRAN – Ashuradeh hectares and only the employments of the pelican as well as aquatic animals like deskIsland is the name of Iran Fisheries Organization live on the salmon, starry sturgeon also live in this an Island in the Miankaleh peninsula, island and the local people have left it. environment. Among the vegetation of Four earthen objects and clay vessels have been made located 10 km west of Bandar Torkaman, One of the historical landmarks Ashuradeh, sour pomegranate trees and national heritage as well, the official added. northern Iran. in Ashuradeh is the ruins of Safavid raspberry bushes can be named but a few. By registering these properties on the national heritage Some people believe that the word fortresses that remain. Ashuradeh was Ashuradeh can be reached via list, they would benefit from better protection and mainte- “Ashuradeh” means “hunting ground” a royal hunting ground in the Safavid era Torkaman Island. If you want to travel nance, he noted. or “pasture”. There is also historical (1501-1736). The “Russian Fortress”, the and visit this marvelous attraction by your Home to almost half of Iran’s UNESCO sites, western speculation that Ashuradeh was a place “House of the Russian Minister” and the vehicle, you should park and leave your Iran is a land of hospitable people, wild extremes, and wilder where one of the kings of the Khwarazmian “Wooden Church” are the relics from the car in the Bandar Torkaman and use boats history, and it may be an independent traveler’s adventure dynasty (1077-1231) fled after his defeat Russian invasion of Iran in 1837. During to cross over the sea through Ashuradeh playground. The region also witnessed the rise and fall of during the Mongol invasion of Iran, the Pahlavi era (1925-1979), the Russian Island. While visiting this island, you can many great empires once bordering Mesopotamia, Ottoman according to Visit Iran, the official travel castle was used as an outpost, many parts get a lot of pleasure from browsing the Turkey, and Czarist Russia. guide to the country. of which are now destroyed. local market, the dunes of Ashuradeh, After returning from the Island, it is highly From the fecund Caspian coast to the stark, mountain- Ashuradeh is one of the most prominent The fauna of the island includes fox, and watching hunting sturgeons. recommended to visit the local Bazaar ous northern borders, and the crumbling desert ruins of the wetlands in the world, with an area of jackal, wild cat, pig, wild horse, etc. It is worth mentioning that about half in Bandar Torkaman. The best time of southern plains, the region hosts everything from paddy fields 1200 meters in the past. These days, Indigenous and migratory birds such as of the starry sturgeon caviar of Iran is visiting this attraction is during spring to blizzards to Persian gardens. Ashuradeh covers an area of about 320 pheasant, white and black geese, flamingo, hunted from the shores of Ashuradeh. until early fall. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 3, 2021 SOCIETY 7

Iran to start producing Sputnik V $857m allocated to school renovation in 8 years

SOCIETY TEHRAN – A total of 36 trillion rials (nearly vaccine this month desk$857 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been allocated to renovate the schools nationwide SOCIETY TEHRAN – An Iranian COVID-19 began with “Sputnik V” vac- desk over the past 8 years, Seyed Mohammad-Ali Afshani, former company is cooperating cine on February 9. head of the Organization for Development, Renovation, and with Russia to produce the “Sputnik V” COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coro- Equipping Schools, said. vaccine this month, the Iranian ambas- navirus vaccine made by researchers In the Iranian calendar year 1382 (March 2003- March sador to Russia has announced. at the Headquarters for Executing the 2004), about 70 percent of the country’s schools were not “Cell culture process will probably Order of the Imam which was unveiled meeting the safety standards and were in need of demolition, begin next week and production will start on December 29, 2020, started to be reconstruction, and renovation so that a bill was approved to by the next month,” IRNA quoted Kazem mass-produced on March 29. allocate $4 million in this regard, he explained. Jalali as saying on Thursday. The second Iranian coronavirus vac- The number of old classrooms in need of reconstruction In addition to joint-production, cine, Razi Cov Pars, started the clinical and renovation has been reduced from 30 percent to 19.5 Iran has received the fifth shipment trial by injecting it into two volunteers percent over the past four years, Mehrollah Rakhshanimehr, of “Sputnik V” containing 100,000 during a ceremony on February 27. director of the Organization for Development, Renovation, doses, he added. Fakhra vaccine, the third homegrown and Equipping Schools, said. According to the first agreement signed vaccine, was unveiled and started the In fact, over the past 8 years, more than 29,000 classrooms between the Ministry of Health of Iran clinical trial on March 16. have been rehabilitated nationwide, IRNA reported. and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, On January 27, Health Minister Saeed Tehran has the highest number of old schools. In this province, a total of 2 million doses of vaccine will Namaki said Iran will soon be one of the measures have been taken to reconstruct the schools, but the be delivered to Iran, he stated. world’s important manufacturers of the capital still has the highest number of old schools, Rakhshani- Vaccination of Iranian citizens against COVID-19 vaccine. mehr he lamented. The national budget bill for the next [Iranian calendar] year (March 2021-March 2022) has foreseen a 21-percent rise Over 6,000 passengers tested for COVID-19 at Iranian borders for the renovation and retrofit of schools compared to a year before, as a total of 51 trillion rials (nearly $1.2 billion at the for the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), has said. of IRCS said on March 26. official rate of 42,000 rials) was proposed for school renovation During the period, 16,630 rapid tests have been done In February, Khuzestan province’s governor general said in the budget bill. at the country’s 33 official borders and 33 individuals have Iraqi nationals visiting Iran have worsened the coronavirus 107,000 schools need renovation nationwide been temporarily quarantined, Mohammad-Hassan Qousian pandemic in the southwestern province. There are some 107,000 schools nationwide with Moghaddam stated. More than 300 Iraqi nationals cross Chazzabeh and 530,000 classes, 160,000 of which are dilapidated, not So far, 87,786 passengers have been monitored through Shalamcheh borders per day, Qassem Soleimani-Dashtaki meeting safety standards, accounting for 30 percent of the plan, he added, IRNA reported on Friday. said, adding that the issue has contributed to a rise in the the schools nationwide. With the cooperation of ministries of health and transport, number of coronavirus cases. Rakhshanimehr said in August 2020 that some 30 percent of a plan was implemented with the goal of rapidly identify- New cases and mortalities the country’s schools have been constructed by school-building ing and testing incoming passengers and keeping them in In a press briefing on Monday, Health Ministry’s spokesper- benefactors; there are 450 school-building charities in Iran. quarantine facilities, if necessary. son Sima-Sadat Lari confirmed 11,660 new cases of COVID-19 Iran has many school-building benefactors amounting Thirty border checkpoints have been selected, including infection, raising the total number of infections to 1,908,974. to 650,000 people inside and 1,000 people outside the 18 land borders, nine air borders, and three sea borders, She added that 1,633,949 patients have so far recovered, but country. all incoming passengers will be tested and referred to the 3,784 remain in critical conditions of the disease. President Hassan Rouhani officially inaugurated some 1,550 quarantine facilities in case of necessity. During the past 24 hours, 117 patients have lost their lives, educational, training, and welfare projects across the country in SOCIETY TEHRAN – Some 6,173 suspected passen- Some 5,000 members of the IRCS cooperate for carry- bringing the total number of deaths to 62,876, she added. November 2020 via video conferencing. deskgers have undergone PCR tests for coronavi- ing out the plan; while around 8,000 individuals enter the So far, 12,963,778 COVID-19 diagnostic tests have been The projects included 1,422 educational places with 8,051 rus at the country’s official borders since March 20, a spokesman country via borders on a daily basis, Karim Hemmati, head performed in the country. classrooms, 124 training centers, and 4 welfare centers, meas- uring a total of 1.1 million square meters. The Organization for Development, Renovation, and Equip- Thousands of migratory birds reach Literacy programs provided for 1.3m ping Schools started operating in the Iranian calendar year 1396 (March 2017-March 2018), which received a budget of 8.5 trillion wetland in southern Iran prisoners, armed forces rials (about $200 million).

ENVIRONMENT TEHRAN – Some Hormozgan province, with more than SOCIETY TEHRAN – The Liter- rate of literacy among Iranians between desk10,000 migratory birds 2,000 kilometers of coastline and 14 islands deskacy Movement Organ- 10-49 years has reached 96.6 percent. flying from Siberia and Central Asia have so far in addition to 4 international wetlands, is ization of Iran has so far provided more “Before the [1979] Islamic Revolu- ‘Fakhra’ vaccine to be mass- reached Khor Azini wetland in the southern the most important migratory bird habitat than 1.3 million prisoners and armed tion, according to a census conducted Sirik county, Hormozgan province. in winter. forces with literacy programs. in 1976, over 51 percent of the people produced by late May The birds, including pelicans, eagles, In Iran, 141 wetlands with ecological value The Organization, which was estab- were illiterate.” gulls, swallows, flamingos, and herons with an area of over 3 million hectares have lished on December 28, 1979, has held Over the past four decades, in the Irani- SOCIETY TEHRAN – Iran will start mass production of desk will remain at the wetland until the end been identified, of which 25 wetlands are des- literacy courses for around 800,000 an calendar year 1395 (March 2016-March homegrown ‘Fakhra’ vaccine for COVID-19 by of April, IRNA reported. ignated as wetlands of international impor- prisoners and 500,000 armed forces, 2017), the average literacy rate in the the end of the third Iranian calendar month of Khordad (May 21). Measuring 27,000 hectares, Khor Azini tance (registered in the Ramsar Convention) head of the Organization, Shapour Mo- age group of 10 to 49 has reached 94.7 Fakhra vaccine, named after martyred nuclear scientist wetland is a pristine and unique habitat covering more than 1.4 million hectares and hammadzadeh, said on Tuesday. percent, he noted. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was unveiled and started the clinical for migratory birds in the country. four sites are biosphere reserves. In addition to illiterate armed forces, “In deprived areas, we will cover up trial on March 16. About 90 species of aquatic birds an- Chief of the Department of Environment the plan also covers prisoners between to 70 percent of the education cost, and The first dose of the vaccine was injected into the son of nually migrate to Hormozgan province, (DOE) Issa Kalantari has said in order to re- 10 and 60 years of age, he added, IRNA all our efforts are to solve the problem martyr Fakhrizadeh. which is one of the important wintering store wetlands in the country a budget of 600 reported. of illiteracy across the country,” he The production of various diagnostic kits of COVID-19 and grounds for migratory birds. trillion rials (nearly $14 billion) is required. In January, Mohammadzadeh said the highlighted. mobile specialized laboratories was the starting point of this fight. The vaccine has been injected into 15 volunteers, IRNA quoted Ahmad Karimi, manager of Fakhra vaccine production project, as saying. In the first phase, 135 volunteers will get the vaccine, he said, Police arrest 301 individuals for smuggling goods adding that the second phase will start 35 days later. The process of research and development of the Fakhra vac- SOCIETY TEHRAN – The Iranian police arrested parliament, has said. desk301 individuals for smuggling goods In the Iranian calendar year 1396 (March 2017-March cine began in March 2020, by isolating the virus from among worth 278 billion rials (about $6.5 million) on Thursday. 2018), $12 billion was smuggled into Iran and $900 35,000 samples of Iranian patients and performing various tests Kinds of goods, including home appliances, cosmet- million out of the country, according to the Headquar- to identify the virus, so that the vaccine reached the experimental ics, computer equipment, cell phones, medical devices, ters for Combating the Smuggling of Commodities and production stage in June 2020. clothing, fuel, and animal feedstock were discovered and Foreign Exchange. COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by confiscated from the smugglers, IRNA quoted police Iran, which has a 900-kilometer border with Afghan- researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the official Sohrab Bahrami as saying. istan, has been used as the main conduit for smuggling Imam which was unveiled on December 29, 2020, started to be Smuggled goods and currency worth 126 trillion ri- Afghan drugs to narcotics kingpins in Europe. mass-produced on Monday. als (nearly $3 billion) have been discovered across the Despite high economic and human costs, Iran has The second Iranian coronavirus vaccine, Razi Cov Pars, start- country over the past eleven months, Mohammad Reza been actively fighting drug-trafficking over the past ed the clinical trial by injecting it into two volunteers during a Moghimi, the police chief, said on March 12. decades. ceremony on February 27. Every year, $20-25 billion are smuggled in and out In June 2020, the first phase of the national anti-smug- On January 27, Health Minister Saeed Namaki said Iran of the country, which, if stopped, will create hundreds gling plan was implemented with the priority given to will soon be one of the world’s important manufacturers of the of thousands of jobs, Hassan Norouzi, a member of the customs, tobacco, and transit goods. COVID-19 vaccine. LET’S LEARN PERSIAN ENGLISH IN USE (Part 150) (Source: saadifoundation.ir) LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION Iran spends $477m on refugee ایــران ســالی 2 هــزار میلیــارد تومــان بــرای education annually دانــش آمــوزان اتبــاع خارجــی هزینــه مــی کند Iran spends about 20 trillion rials (nearly $477 million at ایــران هــر ســال حــدود 2 هــزار میلیــارد تومــان بــرای ۵۵۸ هــزار دانــش the official rate of 42,000 rials) every year on the education of foreign national students residing in the country, head آمــوز اتبــاع خارجــی در مــدارس سراســر کشــور هزینــه مــی کند. of the international affairs department of the Ministry of بــه گــزارش روز چهارشــنبه ایســنا، غالمرضــا کریمــی رئیــس مرکــز .Education has said امــور بینالملــل و مــدارس خــارج از کشــور وزارت آمــوزش و پــرورش -Over 558,000 foreign national children are receiving educa گفــت از ایــن تعــداد ۴۷۴ هــزار نفــر آنهــا اتبــاع افغانســتانی هســتند. tion in Iran completely free of charge, 474,000 of whom are کریمــی بــا بیــان اینکــه در حــال حاضــر ۱۳۷ هــزار دانــش آمــوز Afghan children, ISNA quoted Gholamreza Karimi as saying غیرمجــاز در کشــور داریــم گفــت پــدر و مــادر ایــن افــراد مــدارک .on Wednesday اقامتــی معتبــر ندارنــد امــا مــا شــرایط ثبــت نــام آنهــا را مــدارس -Karimi said that there are currently about 137,000 undoc فراهــم کردیــم. umented Afghan students in the country, adding that their parents do not have valid residency documents, “but we have تعــدادی از اتبــاع کشــورهای همســایه بــه خاطــر بحرانهــای متعــدد منطقــه ”.provided the conditions for enrolling them in schools ای و جنگهــای داخلــی در طــول چهــار دهــه گذشــته بــه ایــران آمدنــد. A number of foreign nationals from neighboring countries پــس از صــدور فرمــان مقــام معظــم رهبــری در پایــان ســال ۱۳۹۳ هیــچ came to Iran over the past four decades due to numerous کــودک ایرانــی و خارجــی مســتقر در ایــران نبایــد از تحصیــل محــروم بمانــد. .regional crises and civil wars, he lamented Prayer Times Noon:13:08 Evening: 19:46 Dawn: 5:21 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:47 (tomorrow) APRIL 3, 2021 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Mohammad Shojaeian Editor-in-Chief: Ali A.Jenabzadeh Islamic Revolution Art Week set Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051430 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 for April 7-14 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 ARTTEHRAN – The Holy Quran, including “The Woven Shoes” Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 deskIslamic Revolution Art and “Small Drops”. Week has been set for April 7 to 14 as the Director and screenwriter Jalil Saman organizers unveiled a poster for the event has been nominated for his trilogy, “Gift Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 on Tuesday. of Darkness”, “Butterfly” and “Breath” on The art week is organized every year to the Islamic Revolution, and the popular No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran P.o. Box: 14155-4843 commemorate the martyrdom anniversary TV series “The Antique”. Zip Code: 1599814713 of documentarian Morteza Avini who Author and storyteller Mohammadreza was killed by a landmine in 1993 during Sarshar has received a nomination for his last trip to the former Iran-Iraq war having written 143 books for children zone in southwestern Iran while making and young adults. a documentary about soldiers who were Director and screenwriter Siavash Sarmadi still listed as missing in action. was selected for his 8-episode documentary, The Islamic Revolution Artist of the Year “Syria: A Report on a Major Crisis”. will also be announced during this festival, The list also features graphic artists which is organized by the Art Bureau of the Mikail Barati and Mohammadreza Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization. Doostmohammadi, photographer Ali Haddadi, GUIDE TO The longlist of nominees for the title was animators Mohammadreza Hesai and Hossein SPIRITUAL AWAKENING announced in mid-March and the winner will be Saffarzadegan, producer Mohammadreza selected from among the five finalists, the names Shafah, authors Zeinab Erfanian and Vahid of whom will be disclosed in the near future. Yaminpur, painter Abdolhamid Qadirian, There are five activities that I won’t leave off Poet Afshin Ala is on the list that features and poet Ali-Mohammad Moaddab. till I’m alive so that they would become part 14 artists and cultural figures. A poster for the 2021 Islamic Revolution Art Week. The organizers also plan to select the Ala has been selected for “his timely literary Soldiers’) in mourning for General Qassem illustrator Claire Joubert is also among the Islamic Revolution Artist of the Year for of my tradition. [One of them] is greeting response to events in society and creating Soleimani.” nominees. She has received the nomination 2020. The 2020 Islamic Revolution Art children. the poetry book ‘Sarbaznameh’ (‘Book of Tehran-based French writer and for her books based on stories from the Week was canceled due to the pandemic. Prophet Muhammad (S) Iranian photographers Mehdi Kazemi, Kiarang Alai win FIAP Gold Medals at Kyrgyzstan exhibit WHAT’S IN ART GALLERIES won the FIAP Gold Medals at the 2nd Naryn International village woman emptying out a bucket of water on a Painting Exhibition of Photography in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. fine, foggy morning. An exhibition of paintings Kazemi Bumeh won the honor for his photo “Soar” in the In addition to the creative – altered reality section, the by Saeid Gholami is currently Creative – Altered Reality Section, in which Alai also received competition organized by the Federation Internationale de underway at Sharif Gallery. the FPC Trophy, and his fellow Iranian photographer Sina l’Art Photographique (FIAP) and the Photographic Society The exhibit will be running until Khanbabai grabbed the FIAP Ribbon. of America (PSA) was also held in the three other categories April 9 at the gallery that can be They received the honors for the photos “The Sign” and of open monochrome, open color and photojournalism. found at 11 Mahruzadeh Alley, “Healing” respectively. In the categories open monochrome and photojournalism Shariati Ave. near Quds Square. “Birth” by Alai, “Graduation” by Benjamin Al-e Ali and Ehsan Jazini and Baset Mahmudi, both from Iran, won Bavan Gallery is playing host “Suspension Bridge” by Ehsan Jazini, all from Iran, won honorable mentions, while the open color section had no to an exhibition of paintings by a honorable mentions in this category. winner from Iran. group of artists, including Adena Alai won the FIAP Gold Medal in the people section for The Best Author Award – FIAP Light Blue Badge – went Mirzakhanian, Puneh Oshidari, his photo “The Beauty of Women”, which depicts a group to Hungarian photographer Istvan Kerekes. Elham Purkhani, Elham Etemadi, of women in an Iranian village. A jury of the Iranian photographers Asghar Sameti, Iranian photographer Kiarang Alai’s photo “The Beauty Mahshid Roshantabar and Shabnam Mahdi Aqiqi’s “Old Couple” was awarded the FIAP Ribbon Ahmad Khatiri and Mohammadreza Masumi judged the of Women” won the FIAP Gold Medal in the people Jahanshahi. in the people section, which also gave honorable mentions submissions. section of the 2nd Naryn International Exhibition of The exhibit named “There Are to Farzad Farzaneh’s “Natural Spa” and Baset Mahmudi’s A selection of the accepted images and all award winning .Photography in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan No Rules for Connecting Us” will “Pir-e Shalyar”. images will be projected at public showings on May 31 at the continue until April 19 at the gallery ARTTEHRAN – Iranian photographers Mehdi Alai’s “When Morning Begins” in the life section Asian Photographers Association in Bishkek. Also photos located at 7 Abdo off Lareztan St. deskKazemi Bumeh and Kiarang Alai have also won the FIAP Gold Medal. This photo shows a will be published on the exhibition site. off Motahhari Ave. An exhibition of paintings by Ali Golestaneh, Bahman Mohammadi, Zahra Qarakhani, Shohreh Book on Iran published in Dhaka Mehran, Puya Razi, Sassan Nasiri, Rasul Akbarlu, Rozita Nosrati, CULTURE TEHRAN – Kakoli, a a professor at the Faculty of Humanities key roles in clarifying this topic for their desk Parvaneh Etemadi and several leading publisher based at Tehran’s Tarbiat Modares University countrymen,” he added. other artists is underway at Inja in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, has where Mumit Al-Rashid studied the Persian There has been a close cultural relation Gallery. recently published a book on Iranian studies. language, has written a preface to the book. between Iran and Bangladesh over the The exhibit named “Perspective: “A Review of Iran” has been authored In addition, the book also has prefaces past few years. The Painter” will run until April 16 by Muhammad Mumit Al-Rashid, an by Ebrahim Khodayar of Tarbiat Modares Rodela, a leading publisher in at the gallery located at 4 Pedram assistant professor at the Department of University and Nematollah Iranzadeh, the Bangladesh, published Leader of the Alley, Neauphle-le-Chateau St. Persian Language and Literature at the dean of the Faculty of Persian Literature & Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali A group of artists, including University of Dhaka. Foreign Languages at Allameh Tabatabai Khamenei’s memoirs “The Pains that Mohammad-Ebrahim Jafari, Shirin The book carries the latest studies on University. Changed into Gains” in early 2021. Pilevari, Mohammad-Ali Bani-Asadi, the geography of Iran as well as tourist “What our world of today needs is to love Pendulum Publications previously attractions and ancient sites. humanity, regardless of differences, and released a Bengali translation of a book Shahin Tabanfar, Bahman Niku, Reza Cover of “A Review of Iran” by Bang- Mafi, Siavash Kasrai and Nosratollah A chapter in the book has been dedicated to promote an affectionate dialog to live containing 10 stories by the renowned Iranian to the religious sites of Zoroastrians, ladeshi author Muhammad Mumit gracefully and avoid wars and violence; the novelist and short story writer, Jalal Al-e Moslemian, are showcasing a .Al-Rashid collection of their paintings in an Christians, Muslims and followers of other very same glorious heritage our ancestors Ahmad in Bangladesh. exhibition at the Imam Ali (AS) monotheistic religions. cinema, traditional games, Persian music, left for us in the common civilization from The book has been translated by Religious Arts Museum. The book also contains a brief history of women’s status in Iran, Iranian cuisine Bosnia to Bengal,” Khodayar wrote his Muhammad Abdus Sabur Khan, who is The exhibition will continue until the country, whose civilization dates back and many other topics on the country are introduction. a faculty member at the Department of April 20 at the museum located several millennia. discussed in the book. “Muhammad Mumit Al-Rashid and other Persian Language and Literature of the at 35 Esfandiar Blvd., off Vali-e Traditional rituals, Persian satires, Iranian Gholam-Hossein Gholamhosseinzadeh, scholars living in other countries have had University of Dhaka. Asr Ave. A collection of paintings by Alireza Chalipa, Kolsum Salehi, Elham Yazdanian, Ali Ganjavi, Maryam Divan of Iranian-Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy rendered into Persian Sabbaghpur, Mahbubeh Karamli, CULTURE TEHRAN – The divan of Magtymguly Madrassah in Khiva and Gogeldas Madrassah in Bukhara. Amir Karim and dozens of other desk artists is on view in an exhibition Pyragy, an Iranian-Turkmen poet who After returning home, Magtymguly worked as a silversmith, at O Gallery. lived during the 18th century, has been translated into Persian. and taught and wrote poetry. He developed a realistic style The exhibitions will run until April A team of translators consisting of Mashhadqoli Qezel, of writing about 18th-century Turkmen that became very 19 at the gallery located at 18 Shahin Musa Jorjani, Hajji Mohammad Qaranjik, Khal-Mohammad popular and led him to become one of the most cherished St., Sanai St. Peqeh and Asher-Mohammad Raufi has spent eight years Turkmen poets of all time. rendering the collection into Persian, the team announced Some of his poetry, along with stories collected from Multimedia in a press release published by IRNA on Wednesday. Turkmen oral traditions, suggests that he was taken prisoner, Artworks by a group of artists in The collection translated in 95 sessions will be published most likely in Mashhad, Iran. It is unknown who took him various media are on display in an in four volumes in the near future. captive but such events were common in 18th-century Iran exhibition at Liam Gallery. Magtymguly Pyragy, also spelled Makhtumqoli Faraghi, and the Turkmenistan region. The exhibit runs until April 13 at was a Turkmen spiritual leader, philosophical poet and Magtymguly’s poetry is often personal and takes up the gallery located at No. 118, Fathi Sufi who is considered to be the father of Turkmen universal themes. His work includes elegies on the deaths Shaqaqi St. near Salmas Square. literature and the most famous figure in Turkmen of his father and children, the disappearance of his brothers, literary history. incitements to Turkmen unity, tirades against unjust Muslim Emkan Gallery is playing host Born in C. 1733 in Hajjigowshan, a village near Gonbad-e teachers of religion and khans, praises of Muslim religious to an exhibition of artworks in Qabus in the modern-day province of Golestan, Iran, figures, and laments over losing his lover to another man. various media by Habib Farajabadi, Magtymguly received his early education in the Persian and His mausoleum is located in Aq-Tuqai village in Iran’s Asareh Akasheh, Ashkan Abdoli, Arabic languages from his father, Dowletmammet Azady, Golestan Province. Vahid Hakim, Shahla Hosseini, Ali a leading Turkmen scholar. A 4-meter concrete sculpture of Magtymguly is scheduled Magtymguly studied in various madrassahs, including A portrait of the Iranian-Turkmen poet Magtymguly to be set up in a major square of Gonbad-e Qabus, in the Beheshti, Elmira Iravanizadeh, and Pyragy. Morteza Ardalan. Idris Baba Madrassah in the village of Gyzyl Ayak, Sirgazy near future. Entitled “Black Square”, the exhibit will be running until April 6 at the gallery that can be found at No. Islamic arts: zenith of Islamic literature 3, Second Alley, Mirza Shirazi St. The mystical poem poet of the Ghaznavids, composed the first the Place of Return”) deserves special mention. It is the story of 30 birds who, in search of their Photo Whereas the mystical thought stemming mystical epic, the didactic Hadiqat al-Haqiqat Its theme is the journey of the spirit through the spiritual king, journey through seven valleys. A collection of photos Amir from Iran had formerly been written in Arabic, wa Shariat al-Tariqah (“The Garden of Truth spheres, a subject dear to the mystics and still The poem is full of tales, some of which Alimi, Masud Qarai, Sorush writers from the 11th century onward turned and the Law of the Path”), which has some employed in modern times as, for example, by have been translated even into the most remote Kiai, Bita Hushmand, Mohsen to Persian. 10,000 verses. Iqbal in his Persian Javidnameh (1932; “The Islamic languages. (The story of the pious Sheykh Yazdipur, Behnam Sediqi, Golnaz Along with works of pious edification and In this lengthy and rather dry poem, Song of Eternity”). San’an, who fell in love with a Christian maiden, Zibandehkhu, Majid Farahani and theoretical discussions, what was to be one of the pattern for all later mystical masnavis Sanai’s epic endeavors were continued is found, for example, in Kashmiri.) several other photographers is on the most common types of Persian literature is established: wisdom is embodied in stories by one of the most prolific writers in the Attar’s symbolism of the soul-bird was display in an exhibition at Vali-e came into existence: the mystical poem. and anecdotes; parables and proverbs are Persian tongue, Farad ad-Din Attar (died perfectly in accord with the existing body Asr Street Museum. Khwajah Abdullah al-Ansari (died 1088), a woven into the texture of the story, eventually c. 1220). He was a born storyteller, a fact of imagery beloved of Persian poetry, but The exhibit will be running until prolific writer on religious topics in both Arabic leading back to the main subject, although the that emerges from his lyrics but even more it was he who added a scene in which the April 14 at the museum located and Persian, first popularized the literary “prayer”, argument is without thread and the narration so from his works of edification. birds eventually realize their own identity Karimitinat Alley near Monirieh or mystical contemplation, written in Persian in puzzling to follow. The most famous among his masnavis is with God (because they, being si morgh, or Square. rhyming prose interspersed with verses. Among Sanai’s smaller masnavis, Sayr al- the Manteq at-Tayr (The Conference of the “30 birds”, are identified with the mystical Sanai (died 1131?), at one time a court Ibad ila al-Maad (“The Journey of the Servants to Birds), modeled after some Arabic allegories. Simorgh, who represents God).