WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

8 Pages Price 50,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 42nd year No.13901 Tuesday MARCH 9, 2021 Esfand 19, 1399 Rajab 25, 1442

Iran to unveil come third Exports from Iranian Sadi Foundation hovercraft in next at Sofia Taekwondo ports up 7% in 11 honors Japanese artist calendar year Page 2 Open Page 3 months on year Page 4 Hisako Tsunoda Page 8

Biden pursues Trump’s policy against Iran: Foreign Ministry TEHRAN – The new U.S. administration others who are on the right path are going of Joe Biden pursues the same policy wrong. The sooner the United States real- A blessing in disguise that the Trump administration pursued izes the right direction of the highway, the against Iran, Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokes- better for the international community See page 3 man for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said and multilateralism.” on Monday. The spokesman said the U.S. should U.S. provides Saudi Arabia with Speaking at a weekly press conference, change its path, fully implement its com- Khatibzadeh said, “For several years, the mitments, and lift sanctions, which he opportunity for a face-saving United States has been driving in the wrong described as “crime.” exit from Yemen quagmire direction on the highway, thinking that Continued on page 3 Majlis wraps up reviewing next year’s budget bill TEHRAN - Iranian parliament’s budget present its report on the bill within a week. review committee on Saturday evening Speaking in a press conference on Sunday, wrapped up its final session for reviewing the official noted that the the details of the national budget bill for report on the bill will be also reviewed in an the next Iranian calendar year 1400, which open session of the parliament next Saturday. starts on March 21, 2021, the spokesman The parliament had rejected the general of the committee announced. outlines of the budget bill in early February, According to Rahim Zare’, the bill has urging the government to reform the bill now been submitted to the Guardian Coun- and submit it to the parliament again; cil for final approval and the council will Continued on page 4

Iranian children honored at Ie-no-Hikari World Children’s Picture Contest TEHRAN – Several Iranian children have 2019, and children were free to choose been honored with prizes at the 27th and the theme. 28th editions of the World Children’s Pic- Mehrsana Beigzadeh, Amir-Ali Mot- ture Contest, which is organized every taqizadeh, Hasti Jahanbani, Siran Molla- year by the Ie-no-Hikari Association in zadeh and Zeinab Kianinejad won silver Tokyo, Japan. prizes. Seven-year-old Tara Jafari won a gold Setayesh Ghaffari, Mehdi Qorbani prize while Soheild Abuali received a and Fatemeh Sedqi received honorable silver prize of the 27th edition of the mentions. thetimes.co.uk competition, which was organized in Continued on page 8

Derek Chauvin 2,400 CBR centers inaugurated Protesters gather in Minneapolis on eve of trial an important nationwide George Floyd murder trial test for America: TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani inau- By setting up these centers, persons with Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of “Maybe we should take time to reflect on gurated 2,400 community-based rehabilitation disabilities can receive the services at their Minneapolis on Sunday, as tension builds on the how frequently it happens,” demonstrator Ilyas Hamline University (CBR) centers across the country through a video place of residence, as the staff will go to the eve of ex-cop Derek Chauvin’s trial in the death Wehelie told the Tribune. conference on Monday. clients’ house and assess their condition, he of George Floyd. Protesters then gathered outside the Hen- professor The CBR centers, called Mosbat-e Zendegi added. The marchers displayed a white coffin draped nepin County Government Center, site of the (literally meaning life plus), are small welfare Over 1.3m persons with disabilities with flowers and called for racial justice and upcoming trial that is due to begin with jury BY REZA MOSHFEGH organizations that provide about 22 services live in Iran a halt to police brutality, one day before jury selection on Monday morning, WCCO said in professor from Hamline to clients, including responding to clients, Pirouz Hanachi, the mayor of Tehran, said selection is to begin in the volatile case, NY a report. University says that the tri- assessing local needs, identifying volunteers in December 2019 that over 1.3 million people Post reported Chauvin, 44, is charged with second-degree A al of Derek Chauvin is a big and donors, educating the disabled, training suffering from disabilities live in the country “We have to remember that a man lost his murder and second-degree manslaughter in test for America to hold police re- life skills, etc. and the figure rises by 50,000 every year. life, a family lost a brother, a family lost a father, Floyd’s death. Viral video of the incident shows sponsible. Of these, 208 centers have been set up in Majlis [the Iranian parliament] approved they lost a son, they lost an uncle,” Mohamed the ex-cop with his knee on Floyd’s neck for “The Derek Chauvin trial that begins 16 cities of Tehran province, Amin Shahrokhi, both general outlines and details of a bill on Ibrahim, deputy director of CAIR-MN, told the nearly nine minutes while he pleads for air. in Minnesota is an important test of the head of Tehran welfare organization said, IRNA the rights of persons with disabilities in Jan- Star Tribune. The incident sparked worldwide protests ability to hold police responsible for the use reported. uary 2018. Development of disability-friendly The march remained peaceful and includ- condemning police brutality. of force against persons of color,” David The lack of infrastructure and urban adap- cities, free transportation, health insurance, ed the music of Bob Marley, Prince, and Sam Minneapolis officials have beefed up secu- Schultz tells the Tehran Times. tation had created problems for the disabled to free education, job creation, housing loans, Cooke. It followed a prayer by clergy members rity for the trial, bringing in National Guard According to NPR, an appeals court move around the city and refer to the welfare and fewer working hours are some of the ar- with Pray for MN, an interfaith group formed troops, and state, county, and city police, and has ordered a Minnesota judge to consider organization so that these centers will support ticles of the law. after Floyd’s May 25 death that now has 150 reinforcing the courthouse and police precincts charging Derek Chauvin, former Minneap- their surrounding neighborhoods, he explained. Continued on page 7 member churches. with barricades, security fencing, and barbed wire. olis police officer, with third-degree murder in the death of George Floyd last May. Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill had dismissed that charge in October, UNESCO celebrates 1,750th anniversary of Iran university Every religion is siding with Chauvin’s defense team who TEHRAN – UNESCO Director-General on Gundi-Shapur, which opens today in Tehran. “Indeed, the university has played a crucial political: professor argued the officer didn’t put anyone other Audrey Azulay has expressed delight over The history of science in Gundi Shapur, which role in Iran’s historical excellence in science. In than the victim at risk. But a three-judge the 1,750th anniversary of the University of its origin dates far back in time, and its impact ancient times, Persia was a center for scientific BY MOHAMMAD MAZHARI panel of the Minnesota Court of Appeals Gundi-Shapur, which has long been a major on the world are among the topics which are to achievement and a conduit of knowledge – from TEHRAN - Noting that claim of being apolitical said Cahill failed to follow precedent. forum for science. be discussed in the two-day congress, according China and India in the East, to Greece and Rome is a political statement, a University of Michigan Discrimination against people of color “Since its creation, this university, the intel- to organizers. in the West.” professor of Islamic studies says that “every religion in America is not a novel problem. Its lectual capital of the Sassanid , has been “This fundamental principle echoes the motto Moreover, the general director of the UN is political”. roots date back to slavery. a major center for producing knowledge, a truly inscribed at the entrance of the University of body reminded that the Islamic Republic is Talking to the Tehran Times, Alexander Knysh “America has faced significant struc- universal forum for science. It is this idea that we Gundi-Shapur in Iran, 1,750 years ago: Science one key partner of UNESCO in knowledge says, “Every religion is political, even when its fol- tural racism since the founding of the na- celebrate today,” Azoulay said in a written mes- and knowledge, virtue and wisdom, are more and science. lowers claim it is not.” tion. It was a country born with slavery, sage, addressing the 3rd international congress important than force and sword,” Azulay said. Continued on page 6 “The claim of being apolitical is itself a political specifically slaves from Africa,” Schultz statement and political stance,” Knysh adds. remarks. In recent years the Islamic world has witnessed America still faces a problem of the bloody conflicts under the pretext of religion while color line; in cities across the country the real reason for these conflicts lies in geopolitical and in rural areas of the Old South, the struggles between regional actors. black underclass’s situation is bad and Mobarak “The current geopolitical situation is conducive getting worse. to conflict because of the geopolitical players’ ine- While the U.S. has abolished slavery Puppet Theater quality,” the professor of Islamic studies emphasizes. and adopted many civil rights laws, much Following is the text of the interview: work still needs to be done. Festival honors What are the origins of mysticism in Is- The American professor says, “There lam? And in which countries or regions was are significant racial disparities in terms of it more influential? economics, income, health care, criminal winners Mysticism emerged as an ascetic (world-renounc- justice, and use of force by police officers ing) way of life and system of mystical thought and TEHRAN— Iran’s 18th Mobarak Pup- against people of color.” practice during the first two Islamic centuries (8th and pet Theater Festival was brought to an The suffocation of George Floyd high- 9th centuries CE). The exact time and place in which end on Sunday honoring the winners lighted rampant racism in the United mysticism made its first appearance are impossible in an award-wining ceremony held at States. to determine. It seems that there have been several the Vahdat Hall in Tehran. Professor Schultz says Donald Trump centers in which the first Muslim ascetics-mystics Speaking at the ceremony, the di- brought racial rhetoric to the surface during were active, especially the Levant (Greater Syria), Iraq rector of Iran’s Dramatic Arts Center, his presidency. (Basra and Kufa, and later on ), Khorasan, Qader Ashena, said that they are happy “The racial division in the U.S. has al- and . Egypt was another such center, that they could hold the festival online, ways existed, but there is no question that but we do not have much evidence textual about

Saeed Reza Razavi adding that the shows were warmly it has increased in the last few years, espe- the activities of local ascetic-mystical communities received by the viewers on different cially under Donald Trump. His rhetoric until the early ninth century (third century of the platforms. inflamed racial tensions,” Schultz argues. Mehr/ Hijra calendar). Continued on page 8 Continued on page 5 Continued on page 5 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS MARCH 9, 2021

Blinken proposes to include Ex-U.S. intelligence officer advises Biden Iran among others in Afghan peace talks to rejoin JCPOA with no preconditions POLITICAL TEHRAN — Secretary of State Antony Blinken deskis proposing a series of steps to restart Afghani- ‘Biden has boxed himself into a corner on Iran’ stan’s stalled peace process between the government and Taliban, POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iran will IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi according to a letter from Blinken to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani desknot accept the Biden ad- in a statement made to the Board of Gover- published Sunday by ’s TOLONews, Politico reported. ministration’s unrealistic and unreasonable nors. Grossi highlighted his concerns over The letter calls for bringing the two sides together for a UN-fa- demands for the U.S. to rejoin the nuclear Iran’s decision to stop its implementation cilitated conference with foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, agreement, former U.S Marine Corps intel- of the provisions of the Additional Protocol China, , Iran, India and the United States “to discuss a ligence officer Scott Ritter wrote in Russia and Modified code 3.1 of the subsidiary ar- unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan.” Today on March 5. rangements to the Safeguards Agreement, Politico reminded the Biden administration is determined “So the president is going to have to show conditions it had voluntarily agreed to comply to bring peace to Afghanistan and wrote, “Blinken also calls for some pragmatism and flexibility to move with as part of the JCPOA.” holding talks between the Afghan government and Taliban in a things forward,” said Ritter who served as “Tehran feared a repeat of a precedent senior-level meeting in Turkey in the coming weeks to hammer a UN weapons inspector from 1991-1998. set by the U.S. in 2005-2006, where it was out a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence. The The U.S. Senate confirmation hearings able to transform technical concerns over secretary of state has also called on special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for President Joe Biden’s nominee for the Iranian compliance into a political issue that to share with both the Afghan government and Taliban written position of deputy secretary of state, Wendy eventually saw the Iran nuclear file transferred proposals to help accelerate discussions.” Sherman, suggested interesting insights into away from the IAEA Board of to Blinken also made clear in the letter that the Biden adminis- the quandary facing the Biden administration the UN Security Council,” he added. tration continues to consider a “full withdrawal” of the roughly in fulfilling a campaign pledge to rejoin the He asserted Iran’s major demands as 2,500 U.S. forces in the country by the May 1 deadline negotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), part of the JCPOA was to have its file trans- by the Trump administration. he wrote. ferred out of the Security Council and back The State Department declined to comment on the reports He acknowledged Sherman faces an up- ‘I will offer Tehran a credible path back to out over a longer period, limits on its ballistic to the IAEA Board of Governors and wrote, concerning the efforts of U.S. towards peace in the region. hill fight given her prior role in negotiating diplomacy,’ Biden noted then. ‘If Iran returns missile program, and restraint when it comes “Facing the repeat of history, Iran let it be “We have not made any decisions about our force posture in the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and noted, to strict compliance with the nuclear deal, the to support for its regional allies – or no deal.” known that if the IAEA Board of Governors Afghanistan after May 1,” the State Department announced in a “Many senior Democrats, including Senator United States would rejoin the agreement as Ritter admitted the outcome of this ap- were to take up this U.S.-backed resolution, statement. “All options remain on the table.” Bob Menendez, the Chairman of the Senate a starting point for follow-on negotiations. proach is obvious- no deal will be reached- and it would cease all cooperation with the IAEA Politico acknowledged that Afghanistan presents one of the Foreign Relations Services Committee over- With our allies, we will work to strengthen and emphasized, “A Biden administration offer on JCPOA-related activity, in effect killing new administration’s most difficult foreign policy decisions and seeing her hearing, are vehemently opposed extend the nuclear deal’s provisions, while to join Iran, together with the other parties the agreement. Yielding to this reality, the stressed, “The U.S. public is weary of a war nearly 20 years old, to the deal.” also addressing other issues of concern’.” to the JCPOA, in direct talks was rejected by UK, France, and Germany withdrew their but pulling out now could be seen as giving the Taliban too much Ritter emphasized Menendez’s arguments “Prior to 2014, the Obama administration Iran. Far from a blanket rejection, however, support for the U.S. resolution.” leverage and casting a shadow over the sacrifices made by U.S. against the Iran nuclear deal, initially articu- had insisted on Iran’s total abandonment of the Iranian decision was because the U.S. Ritter hopeful that the IAEA and Iran and coalition troops and Afghan civilians.” lated during a floor speech in May 2015, have nuclear enrichment as a precondition for the would not provide assurances that the talks have an agreement in place to keep the in- Blinken urged Ghani to quickly embrace the proposal and un- not changed over time and wrote, “He does lifting of sanctions. Ultimately, Iran refused would be limited to the JCPOA. Iran has frastructure that serves as the framework derscored his concern that the security situation in the country not trust Iran to comply with the deal, and to yield, while actually expanding the size made it clear that it is ready to engage in for inspection-based compliance verification could quickly deteriorate as the weather warms in Afghanistan is fearful of any movement toward rejoining and capabilities of its indigenous enrichment discussions concerning the unconditional of the JCPOA intact and underlined, “Iran “Even with the continuation of financial assistance from the United the agreement that would keep Congress out capability,” Ritter wrote. return to the JCPOA by the U.S., inclusive has committed to instantly returning to full States to your forces after an American military withdrawal, I am of the loop.” He argued Biden boxed itself into a cor- of the lifting of all sanctions. However, Iran compliance with its obligations under the concerned that the security situation will worsen and the Taliban “He also believes that there can be no ner where the only path out was an unwin- feared that the Biden administration and its JCPOA once all sanctions are lifted. The could make rapid territorial gains,” Blinken wrote in the letter. agreement on Iran’s nuclear program that does nable war that would devastate West Asia European allies would use any formal meet- quickest way for this to happen would be not consider its ballistic missile capabilities and reminded, “The Obama administration ing as a vehicle for redefining the conditions the unconditional return of the U.S. to the and so-called ‘malign’ activities in Lebanon, capitulated on its demands of zero enrich- for the U.S. rejoining the JCPOA, thereby JCPOA. The IAEA-Iranian agreement, how- Iran to unveil hovercraft in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, among others,” the ment, agreeing to permit Iran to engage in providing legitimacy to these conditions. ever, comes with a three-month deadline, next calendar year former American intelligence officer noted. limited enrichment activity which would be The Biden administration offer was a trap, after which Iran will permanently scrap the He reminded that Menendez’s position is subjected to restrictions that would ease and one which was identified beforehand by Iran frozen inspection framework. Iran has made POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iran’s first homegrown hovercraft not far removed from that of Joe Biden and eventually expire over time. This was the and disarmed.” it clear that it will not yield on its demands.” deskwill come into operation within the next year, stressed, “While the public perception is that JCPOA, which Sherman helped negotiate.” Pointing to anti Iran efforts of Western Ultimately, he concluded, “The Biden ad- Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi announced on candidate Joe Biden made a straightforward He criticized the Biden administration for powers in the International Atomic Energy ministration is left with two choices – stand Monday, says according to Tasnim news agency. campaign pledge to rejoin the Iran nuclear making a similar “red line”-based argument Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors, he wrote, its ground and see the JCPOA collapse and Addressing a meeting of Navy agreement if elected, the reality is somewhat when it comes to rejoining the agreement “The U.S., together with the UK, France and the probability of conflict with Iran increase, commanders, Khanzadi noted the different. In a September 2020 op-ed penned and underlined, “Either Iran agrees to pre- Germany, had put forward a resolution to or issue an executive order that has the U.S. first hovercraft made in Iran will for CNN, Biden outlined a course of action conditions regarding the JCPOA’s de facto the IAEA Board of Governors which was very rejoining the JCPOA without preconditions. join the Navy’s fleet in the next that reflects the thinking of his administration renegotiation – which would include greater critical of Iran. The proposed resolution would These are the ‘facts on the ground,’ and no Iranian year, which will begin when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program. restrictions on its nuclear program spread have echoed the concerns expressed by the amount of ‘nostalgia’ can change them.” on March 21, Tasnim reported. Pointing to the Navy’s self-suf- ficiency in the maintenance and repair of military vessels and It’s a wonder Iran has not ditched the JCPOA… sub-surface watercraft, the com- By Martin Love The blatant truth is that the Republicans and the handful of has propped up or installed dictators in other countries. This mander stressed, “The Navy has Democrats who are bleating like sheep for a harder line against included Iran with the former Shah. So, what does the U.S. brought glory to the Armed Forc- Old man Joe Biden is showing a lack of fresh thinking more Iran are quite literally in thrall to Israel and the Zionists who truly despise? es by unveiling forward than anyone suspected he would, given his campaign promises, don’t want the revival of the JCPOA at all even if the world Countries and people who simply don’t submit to U.S. base ship and the Zereh (Armor) and this so soon in his own bizarre presidency. Some of his best does. If you have to guess why then you need to be educated. commands and decrees. And this applies to polities where it missile-launching frigate.” promises have turned to dust. It’s because the Apartheid entity wants to attack Iran eventually does not matter how democratic and generally peaceful they All units of the Iranian Navy The promised $15 per hour minimum wage has been put on and it cannot if the JCPOA has been revived. It does not get are. All that seems to matter to become an enemy of the U.S. are currently equipped with hold and Biden has not come out swinging for it as it seemed any more complicated than this at bottom. government is a failure to submit to whatever the U.S. demands. homegrown missiles, he reader admiral said, unveiling plans to he might have last fall before his election although many Dem- The absolute truth is that the U.S. does not at all oppose And this is quite simply insane. And one huge reason why the furnish the military ships with missiles with vertical launch system. ocrats in Congress have. (Given inflation in recent years, the tyranny nor human rights violations. The idea that it does is U.S. is becoming a failed and reviled country. On Monday, the Navy and IRGC naval force signed a memorandum true fair number for adjusted hourly wages is actually $24 an a complete myth. Yet this myth is believed because the U.S. It’s a wonder Iran has not said goodbye to the JCPOA and of understanding in areas of education, intelligence and research. It hour in the U.S.) has used it to justify wars, bombings, sanctions and chaos for with great energy shored up its relations with Russia and China took place as Rear Admiral Khanzadi and IRGC Navy Commander Even worse is the pass he gave to Muhammad bin Salman, decades, and especially during this century. It’s not difficult as a bulwark against attack by the U.S, and its criminal allies Alireza Tangsiri held a meeting to for closer coordination. the Saudi crown prince, whom the CIA with obvious evidence to look back since Worth War 2 and see how often the U.S. such as Saudi Arabia and Israel. During the meeting, Khanzadi said the prevalent security condi- charged with ordering the assassination of Saudi jour- tion in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman nalist and Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi. is due to continued and powerful presence of the navies from the This matter is especially interesting to this writer two military branches in strategic waters. because the biggest unofficial apologist for the Saudi’s medieval kingdom happens to be a former student in 1972 in Beirut at the fancy private school called Inter- Zarif: JCPOA opponents’ national College, one ‘Ali Shihabi. purpose is to securitize Iran Shihabi was around 12 years old in 1972, the son of a Norwegian mother and Saudi father. He did not look POLITICAL TEHRAN — Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Irani- Arab. He was a blonde back then and widely traveled deskan foreign minister, says opponents of the 2015 and rich. He even sported an expensive Rolex watch nuclear deal – JCPOA – are seeking to make Iran a security issue. on his diminutive wrist and he wore Western garb. He “The problems of the foreign opponents of the JCPOA are not was a fair student, too, at 12 in an English class but also nuclear issue; their purpose is to securitize Iran,” Zarif said in an somewhat full of himself. Later, he went to Princeton interview with the newspaper Mardomsalari and Harvard Business School. And later still after time published on Monday. as a banker, he started something (now defunct) called The chief diplomat also said the opponents of the JCPOA in the “Arabia Foundation”, an alleged “think” tank but Iran who were thinking that the JCPOA favored the United States really just an operation apologizing for and defending had predicted that Donald Trump will not abandon the agreement. the Saudi state. At any rate he became and remains a Zarif also strongly refuted his possible candidacy in the June slick, unofficial and well-known pundit and “ambas- presidential elections, saying he is adamant in his view. sador” of sorts speaking out positively for the Saudis He also said all the claims about the projected 25-year partnership in Washington. No doubt this is lucrative. agreement between Iran and China are not true. On the Khashoggi murder he has been vehemently The foreign minister also warned that the recent U.S. airstrikes defending MBS. Right after the event in 2018 he claimed, against Syria can spread insecurity to all regional states. aw shucks, everyone makes a mistake from time to time. ‘I feel Biden admin has not yet reached a conclusion Lately, he is saying: on foreign policy’ “The U.S. government went in and destroyed Iraq” “It seems that Mr. Biden still continues to pursue the maximum and then he asks rhetorically who was held responsible pressures policy through sanctions and regional mistakes despite for that? Shihabi has also just warned that if real pressure officially acknowledging the failure of Mr. Trump’s policy of maximum is brought to bear on the Saudis and especially MBS pressure. Their move against Syria’s territorial integrity and sover- by the Biden Administration that Riyadh’s displeasure eignty was highly dangerous and will yield no results but spreading with the U.S. would push the Saudis under MBS to look insecurity in the region,” Fars quoted Zarif as telling Mardomsalari. beyond the U.S. for support. Slick Shihabi also pointed “I feel that Mr. Biden’s administration has not yet reached a con- out that China is already Saudi Arabia’s largest trading clusion on foreign policy,” he noted, saying that he is also pressured partner. It’s hard to imagine this is not a threat to the U.S. by different groups, including the extremists in the U.S., Israel, and Another notable Biden failure so far is his lack of certain regional countries. formerly promised immediate movement on the revival On a question that Americans says the Iranian parliamentary of the JCPOA. So far the Biden gang and Iran have been ratification is an ultimatum and they don’t give in ultimatum, Zarif stuck in a standoff, each declaring that the other should said, “We believe that these remarks are not true, because it was an make concessions first. Of course, it stands to moral issue between the government and Majlis [Parliament] and that reason that the U.S. act first and drop the sanctions Majlis has set a date for the government and its addressee is not first since it was the U.S. that destroyed the carefully the foreign side” crafted nuclear deal, and not Iran. Of course, the Re- “I think that they have not yet been able to make a decision publicans are as usual saying that Biden must take a because of the pressures and that they are not yet convinced that harder line and not lift sanctions until Iran agrees to the maximum pressure is a failed policy. Of course, they have stated broad concessions on its missile arsenal (Iran’s sole this, but they have not yet become convinced practically.” serious defense against attack!) and regional military The veteran diplomat made a philosophical statement saying, policies. Also, there are some Democrats in Congress “A good result cannot be expected from a wrong policy.” who have aligned with Republicans on the Iranian issue. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 9, 2021 IRAN IN FOCUS 3 SPORTS A blessing in disguise Iran come third at Sofia Taekwondo Open

SPORTSTEHRAN – Iran finished in the third U.S. provides Saudi Arabia with opportunity for a face-saving exit from deskplace at the eighth edition of the Sofia Taekwondo Open. Yemen quagmire The Iranian taekwondo practitioners claimed two gold medals in the event and came third with 230 points. POLITICAL TEHRAN – The Bid- debris that fell in close proximity to civilians desk Hossein Lotfi at -54kg and Amirmohammad Bakhshi at en administration has and civilian objects,” the Saudi defense of- -80kg categories won two gold medals. ramped up diplomatic pressure on the Saudis ficial claimed. Iran has sent six taekwondo practitioners to Bulgaria. to convince them into bringing an end to The Yemeni forces claimed responsibility Iran taekwondo national team will also hold a 10-day the Yemen war. for the attacks on Aramco facilities in Eastern training camp in Sofia after the Open. The Saudis have grudgingly accepted Saudi Arabia. They said the attack, codenamed Jordan won the tournament’s champions with 530 points, to go along with the American initiative on 6th Operation of Balanced Deterrence, came grabbing three gold, three silver and one bronze medals. Yemen but this initiative could redound to in response to Saudi continued aggression Team GB came second with 450 points, taking three gold their advantage. and siege against Yemen. medals, one silver and two bronze. In his early days as president, Joe Biden The recent attack was the latest sign that This event brought more than 100 athletes from 12 coun- sent a clear message to Saudi Arabia that Saudi Arabia has not only failed to defeat the tries together in Sofia. the days of Washington giving unwavering Yemeni forces but it also failed to protect itself support for Saudi military operations in from Yemen’s retaliatory strikes. Yemen are over. Instead of coming to their senses and end- “This war has to end. And to underscore ing the war on Yemen, the Saudis continue to Iran to send 13 karatekas our commitment, we’re ending all American level accusations on Iran. Al-Maliki claimed support for offensive operations in the war on Monday that the missile and drones used to Karate 1-Premier in Yemen, including relevant arm sales,” by the Yemeni forces to target Saudi Arabia’s League Istanbul President Biden said in a recent speech at oil port and facilities were supplied by Iran, the State Department while underling the a claim that Iran has repeatedly rejected. SPORTSTEHRAN –Iran will send 13 male and U.S. commitment to ensuring Saudi Arabia’s Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran’s deskfemale karate practitioners to the 2021 security and territorial integrity. Foreign Ministry, said on Monday that finding Karate 1-Premier League Istanbul. The Biden administration also removed that continues today. was attacked this morning by a drone. The a political solution is the only way out of the The city of Istanbul in Turkey will become Karate’s capital Yemen’s Ansarullah movement from the U.S. The Saudi war on Yemen was waged to official claimed that the drone was coming Yemen crisis. from March 12 to 14 as the first international event after the government’s list of foreign terrorist organi- achieve one major goal: eliminate the An- from the direction of the sea. Commenting on the Yemeni attacks on pandemic outbreak will take place there. Expectations are zations. Further highlighting the change in its sarallah and the Sanaa-based government The official added that another deliberate the Aramco facilities, Khatibzadeh said, “The running high among the whole Karate family since the wait is Yemen policy, the U.S. also named veteran U.S. it helped establish. attempt was also made this evening to attack reason for what is happening in Yemen to- finally over. The last international competition took place in diplomat Timothy Lenderking as the U.S. special In an attempt to justify its aggression on Saudi Aramco’s facilities. The spokesman day is the aggression that has been going on Salzburg, Austria) from Feb. 28 to March 01, 2020. envoy for Yemen in a bid to step up American Yemen, Saudi Arabia claimed that Ansarallah said Shrapnel from a ballistic missile fell near for six years and the blatant injustice that Nearly 600 karatekas from 72 countries are registered diplomacy “to end the war in Yemen, a war is backed by Iran and that the war on Yemen Saudi Aramco’s area in the city of Dhahran. millions of Yemenis are being subjected to, to participate in the event. Seven Grand Winners including which has created humanitarian and strategic was primarily focused on eliminating foreign The spokesman said that both attacks did not and what we are witnessing is the indiscrim- local star Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu and World title-holders catastrophe,” according to a Reuters report. influence in the Arab country. To this end, the result in any injury or loss of life or property. inate bombing operations that take place in Sandra Sanchez of Spain and Irina Zaretska of The new U.S. approach to the Yemen war Saudis and their allies besieged Yemen and Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki, spokes- separate areas of Yemen.” and no less than nine World champions such as Jonathan came after the new U.S. administration came prevented free coming and going to Yemen. man for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense, Saudi Arabia now can quit the Yemen Horne of Germany and Bahman Asgari Ghoncheh of Iran to terms with the fact that Saudi Arabia can Despite the blockade on Yemen, the Saudis confirmed the attack on the oil facilities at quagmire by seizing on the American pres- have confirmed their presence in Istanbul. never win this war and that there is an urgent failed to defeat the Sanaa government. In Ras Tanura port. sure to end its military operations in Yemen Iran will send seven male and six female karatekas to the need to end the war in a face-saving way. fact, this government now seems to be even In a statement carried by the Saudi state and leave Yemeni factions to pursue a polit- prestigious event. The Saudis, however, don’t seem to have stronger than ever given its recent attacks on news agency, he said the attack targeted ical solution on their own. The Saudis have Amir Mehdizadeh, Aliasghar Asiabari, Bahman Asgari reached that conclusion yet. They still insist several strategic targets deep inside Saudi “one of the Petroleum Tank Farms in Ras failed to find a way out of the Yemen crisis Ghoncheh, Zabihollah Poorshab, Sajad Ganjzadeh, Saleh on excluding the Ansarallah movement and Arabia. Tanura Port in the Eastern Province using a so far. Now that the U.S. is pushing for an Abazari and Abolfazl Shahrjerdi will represent Iran’s men’s returning the obsolete, self-proclaimed gov- On Sunday, Saudi Arabia announced that bomb-laden UAV that came from the sea.” He end to the Yemen war, the Saudis can seize team. ernment of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who its strategic oil facilities at Ras Tanura port also confirmed the second attack on Aramco on this momentum and put an end to an And Rozita Alipour, Sara Bahmanyar, Shima Alesaadi, resigned in 2015 and ultimately fled Yemen were targeted by drones, according to the facilities in Dhahran. unwinnable war. Fatemeh Sadeghi, Negin Bagheri and Mahsa Afsaneh are in an effort to invite foreign intervention. Saudi energy ministry. “The attacking bomb-laden UAV that came This will redound to their advantage be- members of Iran’s female team. The tournament is sched- Saudi Arabia and its allies invaded Yemen An official spokesman at the ministry via the sea was intercepted and destroyed prior cause if they continue the war, they will likely uled to start on Friday, March 12. The finals are slated for in March 2015. The invasion was supposed told Saudi Press Agency on Sunday that to reaching its target. The ballistic missile lose the war and their credibility at once. The Sunday, March 14. to quickly oust the new Sanaa government one of the petroleum tank farms at the Ras that was launched to target Aramco facilities Saudis have grumbled about the American Istanbul is hosting the Karate 1-Premier League for the and return Hadi to his former position. But Tanura Port in the Eastern Region, one of in Dhahran was intercepted and destroyed as efforts in this regard, but for Saudi Arabia, seventh time. The last time that the Turkish city welcomed the invasion turned into a years-long war the largest oil shipping ports in the world, well. The interception resulted in scattered these efforts may prove a blessing in disguise. Karate’s biggest event was in 2018. Iran topped the medal table with three golds followed by Japan and Turkey both with two gold medals. Biden pursues Trump’s policy against Iran: Foreign Ministry POLITICAL TEHRAN – The new U.S. administra- stressed, “Despite the suspension of the implementation of Saket Elhami named desktion of Joe Biden pursues the same policy the Additional Protocol, Iran is still determined to cooperate Nassaji coach that the Trump administration pursued against Iran, Saeed with the International Atomic Energy Agency.” Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said The President continued, “Iran is ready to take immediate SPORTSTEHRAN –Saket Elhami was named as on Monday. compensatory measures in accordance with the provisions desknew head coach of Nassaji football team Speaking at a weekly press conference, Khatibzadeh said, of the JCPOA and fulfill its obligations after the lifting of on Monday. “For several years, the United States has been driving in illegal U.S. sanctions and their abandonment of the policy The 50-year-old coach replaced Majid Jalali at the the wrong direction on the highway, thinking that others of intimidation and pressure.” Ghaemshahr based football team. who are on the right path are going wrong. The sooner the Rouhani also called for the development and deepening Jalali replaced Vahid Fazeli in January but the team just United States realizes the right direction of the highway, the of Tehran-Dublin relations in all fields, especially econom- bagged one point in six matches. better for the international community and multilateralism.” ic and trade relations, and stressed the use of all existing Former Tractor coach Elhami, who had been nominated The spokesman said the U.S. should change its path, fully capacities in this field, stating, “The two countries have a to lead Esteghlal and Aluminum, will resume his job after implement its commitments, and lift sanctions, which he lot of untapped capacities in all dimensions that we should six months. described as “crime.” policy on the need for the removal of illegal U.S. sanctions attempt to tap.” He was banned from all football activities by the Discipli- “The United States must know that the people of Iran fully and effectively as a step that would, in turn, see Iran During the same meeting, the foreign minister of Ireland nary Committee of the Iranian Football Federation for three will never forget the current U.S. crimes,” Khatibzadeh said, reverse the measures it has adopted to scale down its obli- referred to his country’s role as a non-permanent member of months after pushing the officials in Hazfi Cup final between adding, “Up until today, the Biden administration has pursued gations under the JCPOA. the UN Security Council for the next two years and the role Tractor and Esteghlal. exactly the path of the Trump administration.” Coveney, for his part, said Ireland stands ready to facil- of facilitating the implementation of UN Security Council Elhami has a difficult task ahead since Nassaji are 15th He also suggested that Iran will not meet with the U.S. itate the process as a non-permanent member of the UN Resolution 2231, saying, “Trump’s withdrawal from the deal in Iran Professional League and he must keep battling to so long as the Biden administration continues to implement Security Council and a facilitator of the implementation of was a historic mistake and the new U.S. administration is avoid relegation. the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against Iran. the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and as a member determined to return to the deal.” “If a meeting were to take place, it would certainly have of the European Union. Underlining that Dublin values the JCPOA as an inter- happened with Trump’s better funambulism,” Khatibzadeh Among other topics discussed was ways of helping ease national agreement for peace, Foreign Minister Coveney noted, calling on the Biden administration to change tack, regional tensions where the two sides discussed developments added, “We will do our best to maintain the JCPOA and we Ghanbarzadeh named acting effectively implement its commitment and then talk about in the Persian Gulf, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, occupied are ready to play any role that can help improve the situation secretary general of Iran being a member of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known Palestine, Afghanistan and the . and resume talks between all JCPOA members.” as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The Irish foreign minister also met with Iranian President Referring to the changes in the U.S. administration and football federation He also said there were no contacts between Tehran and Hassan Rouhani. During the meeting, Rouhani announced the desire of the country’s statesmen to return to the JCPOA, Washington about the nuclear deal. Iran’s readiness to cooperate with international institutions the Irish foreign minister said, “With the new conditions, SPORTSTEHRAN – Mansour Ghanbarzadeh was “We have not had and don’t have any direct or indirect to resolve regional crises, and stressed, “The best way to re- there is a good opportunity for negotiation and dialogue, desknamed as acting secretary general of the contact with the United States on the JCPOA or non-JCPOA solve problems with European partners at various bilateral, which should be used to require all members to implement Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) issues,” the spokesman said. regional and international levels is negotiation based on the deal.” on Monday. But he said that Iran is holding “very sensitive” talks mutual respect and the avoidance of any threat or pressure.” Prior to securing a seat on the UN Security Council in At the Board of Directors meeting held in the federation’s with the JCPOA parties. Referring to the failure of illegal sanctions and the early January, Ireland had said it will work to preserve the headquarters, he was named as FFIRI acting secretary general. “What is going on in this area about the JCPOA is very maximum pressure of the United States against the Ira- JCPOA, vowing to do everything in its power to preserve On Sunday, Mehdi Mohammadnabi stepped down as sensitive. We have very close talks with the remaining parties nian people and the admittance of the new administration the nuclear deal. his role after one year. in the JCPOA, but we did not have talks with the United on this issue, Rouhani said, “The activation of the Joint Ireland became a UN Security Council member from Ghanbarzadeh has previously worked as chairman of States,” Khatibzadeh pointed out. Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a multilat- January 1 alongside Norway. Two weeks before Ireland took Naft Tehran club. He was responding to what Iranian Foreign Minister eral international agreement, is subject to the lifting of its seat on the Security Council, Geraldine Byrne Nason, Last week, Shahabeddin Azizi Khadem was elected as Mohammad Javad Zarif meant by his latest tweet that Iran sanctions by the United States and the full observance of Ireland’s permanent representative to the UN, told the Oire- football federation for a four-year term. is preparing a “concrete plan of action” on the nuclear deal. commitments by all members,” according to a statement achtas foreign affairs committee that Ireland will work to “Iranian polity is vibrant & officials express diverse opin- issued by the Iranian presidency. preserve the Iran nuclear deal. ions. But those opinions should NOT be confused with state Criticizing the inaction of Europe towards their commit- “One key area we will watch very carefully will be Iran, policy. As Iran’s FM & chief nuclear negotiator, I will shortly ments under the JCPOA, the president added, “The Islamic and the future of the JCPOA nuclear deal, in the context Iran volleyball league final to present our constructive concrete plan of action—through Republic of Iran is committed to the deal and its preservation, of possible U.S. re-engagement,” Nason said, adding that be held on Friday and Sunday proper diplomatic channels,” Zarif said in a tweet on Friday. and is the only party that has paid for it, but this cannot 2021 is “likely to be a critical year and a difficult year for the According to Khatibzadeh, some deliberations about the continue this way, and full implementation of UN Security Iran nuclear deal,” given Iran’s next presidential election. JCPOA are going on in Iran and will be completed soon. Council Resolution 2231 by all members is essential for “The window for both sides to re-engage is narrowing,” SPORTSTEHRAN –The final match between “Inside Iran, some points are being reviewed and com- maintaining and reviving the JCPOA.” she continued. deskFoolad Sirjan and Shahrdari Urmia at pleted. Zarif’s tweet was in the same direction. Let the media Referring to Iran’s move to suspend the implementa- Nason vowed that Ireland will work at the UN body to the Iran Volleyball Super League will be held on Friday allow this sensitive issue to move forward in its context, and tion of the Additional Protocol based on the resolution of ensure the survival of the JCPOA. and Sunady. the media will be informed when the outcome is reached,” the Islamic Consultative Assembly (parliament), Rouhani “As an EU country, Ireland will, of course, do everything it Shahrdari earned a hard-fought 3-2 (23-25, 26-24, 25-17, Khatibzadeh remarked. can at the Security Council to preserve the JCPOA agreement,” 23-25, 15-10) win over Labaniat Haraz at the Iran Volleyball Earlier on Sunday, Zarif and his Irish counterpart Simon “If a meeting were to take she pointed out, noting that Ireland sees the JCPOA as a Federation Hall in Tehran on Sunday. Coveney discussed issues of mutual interest in bilateral, regional major diplomatic achievement and the best way to constrain Foolad also defeated Sepahan in straight sets (27-25, 25- and international affairs as well as the 2015 nuclear deal. place (with the U.S.), Iran’s nuclear program and to help bring peace to the region. 15, 25-21) to advance to the final. The two sides emphasized the necessity of continuing it would certainly have Nason stated, “Our long history of support for nuclear The Iranian Super League (ISL) is a professional volleyball political consultations as well as economic exchanges, ac- disarmament and non-proliferation allows us to play an im- league in Iran at the top of the Iranian volleyball league sys- cording to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. happened with Trump’s partial but principled role in the Council’s role on this issue.” tem. It was founded in 1975 as the Pasargard Cup, but after The top Irish diplomat underlined that as arranged, Ire- better funambulism,” The European signatories to the JCPOA have called for the it was renamed to the first Division. land’s embassy will gradually reopen in Tehran. Foreign Ministry spokesman a meeting between Iran and the U.S. within the framework In 1997 the league system was revamped and the Iranian The two top diplomats also exchanged views on the JCPOA. of the P5+1. But has Iran said the U.S. must lift sanctions Super League was established. Paykan Tehran have won the The Iranian foreign minister reiterated Tehran’s principled Khatibzadeh notes. before any such meeting can take place. most titles in the new Super League with 12 titles. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY MARCH 9, 2021

TEDPIX climbs 24,000 Majlis wraps up points on Monday

ECONOMY TEHRAN — TEDPIX, the main index of Tehran deskStock Exchange (TSE), rose 24,344 points to reviewing next 1.199 million on Monday. Over 7.888 billion securities worth 110.827 trillion rials (about $2.638 billion) were traded at the TSE on Monday. The first market’s index rose 20,763 points, and the second year’s budget bill market’s index gained 39,063 points. After several days of decline, growth finally returned to TSE, 1 after making the necessary amend- was mainly focused on the expense aspects Iran’s major stock exchange, as TEDPIX gained 5,861 points to ments, the government resubmitted the bill of the national budget bill. 1.175 million on Sunday. to the parliament, and Majlis approved the The proposed bill for the next fiscal year, The index had dropped 2.3 percent during the past Iranian amendments of the national budget bill in first submitted to Majlis in early December calendar week (ended on Friday). mid-February. 2020, amounted to about 24.357 quadrillion After approving the general outlines, the rials (about $579.928 billion at the official budget review committee has been holding rate of 42,000 rials), with a 20-percent rise Exports from Iranian ports several sessions for reviewing the details from the current year’s approved budget. from 454.9 trillion rials (about $10.83 bil- publishing treasury bonds by 530 trillion up 7% in 11 months on year of the bill. The bill estimated the government’s budget lion), approved in the current year’s budget. rials (about $12.6 billion). The first session of the budget review at 9.298 quadrillion rials (about $221.38 bil- The bill was mainly criticized for being “The most important factor in the amend- ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian Transport and Urban committee was held on February 20 in which lion), with an increase of 47 percent from the unrealistic about the oil revenues and the ment was the discussion of the subsided for- deskDevelopment Minister Mohammad Eslami said the parliament determined the share of the figure of the current year. It envisaged 3.175 government expenses. eign currency and the amount of oil revenues; that exports from the ports of country have risen seven percent National Development Fund (NDF) from quadrillion rials (about $75.595 billion) of In the reformed bill, the government pro- the oil revenues in the amended bill were during the first 11 months of the current Iranian calendar year the country’s oil and gas export revenues incomes, while 6.37 quadrillion rials (about posed to reduce its expenses by 400 trillion not changed, and the subsidized foreign (March 20, 2020 – February 18, 2021), as compared to the same in the newly amended budget bill. $151.666 billion) of expenses. rials (about $9.5 billion) to prevent the need currency would still be allocated for essen- period of time in the past year. Majlis continued to review the details of Revenues from exporting oil, gas, and gas for increasing tax incomes. tial goods like medicine and crops” Mojgan Meanwhile, as announced last month by the head of the coun- the national budget bill for the year 1400, in condensate were estimated at 1.99 quadrillion It also reduced the NDF resources and Khanlou, spokeswoman of the Parliament try’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), the capacity of an open session on February 28. This session rials (about $47.3 billion), up 323 percent increased the ceiling of the incomes from Budget Committee said. Iranian ports is expected to increase to 280 million tons by the end of the current government’s incumbency (early August). Mohammad Rastad put the current loading and unloading capacity of the country’s ports at 250 million tons. Execution of Siahmakan oilfield development project started “We have signed 300 contracts with the private sector for ECONOMY TEHRAN — The engineering, procure- ropars Group, which is the Monitoring and Controlling (MC) conducting development projects including the construction of desk structures, equipment, and even infrastructure in ports,” Rastad ment and construction (EPC) and engineer- body in the 28-reserve program, said all the projects defined said. ing, procurement and drilling (EPD) project for development in this program will be handled by domestic firms. According to the official the private sector has currently invested of Iran’s Siahmakan oilfield in Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad “The project which includes more than a hundred sub-pro- over 160 trillion rials (about $3.8 billion) in the country’s ports. province has been started, Shana reported on Monday. jects, including drilling of about 280 new wells and repairing Mentioning the restrictions created by the U.S. sanctions in According to National Iranian South Oil Company hundreds of wells, could boost domestic trade and employ- the country’s ports and maritime activities, the official said: “In (NISOC)’s Office of Public Relations, the development pro- ment,” Hamidreza Masoudi said. all areas which were affected by the U.S. sanctions we tried to ject for this field includes drilling four development wells, Also in May 2019, NISOC’s former Managing Director rely on domestic capacities and managed to keep the ports active construction of a segregation complex, the booster cluster Bijan Alipour had announced that with the new reserves and the country’s imports and exports afloat.” and oil pressure booster with a capacity of 10,000 barrels developed in the region, the company’s oil production The capacity, infrastructure, and equipment of the ports have per day, as well as a 12-inch underground gas pipeline and capacity would increase by 340,000 barrels over the next made it possible for them to be able to load and unload goods in 8-inch oil pipeline. two years. accordance with international standards, he stressed. This project was awarded to Pasargad Energy Develop- “About 70 percent of the program is implemented in “For all kinds of goods and all types of vessels, including light ment Company (PEDC) under the framework of a program [southwestern Iran] and 30 percent in to heavy goods and also super-sized commodities and vessels, for maintaining and enhancing oil production in 28 reserves other neighboring provinces in the vicinity of the National there are berths and special terminals in the country that can in southern Iran. Iranian South Oil Company’s territory,” he said. NISOC which contributes to nearly 80 percent of Iran’s provide the necessary services,” Rastad added. The agreement for the field’s development was signed In the preparation and implementation of this program, crude oil output has defined 28 such project packages to The official put the total length of the Iranian port wharves at between NISOC as the main employer and PEDC as contrac- promoting domestic production through the use of the be implemented in the fields it operates in southern Iran. 39 kilometers, saying that this has made it possible for different tor on May 12th, 2020. The field development program is domestic workforce, domestic technology, and Iran-made Back in January 2020, managing director of Iran’s Pet- types of ships and vessels to be able to dock and load or unload underway in the form of an integrated EPD / EPC package. equipment has been a priority for NISOC. their cargoes. NIGC head praises gas industry’s performance during winter ECONOMY TEHRAN —The Manag- “Producing, refining, transmitting and regard, making sure that this access stays desking Director of National daily distribution of more than one billion uninterrupted during the pick consumption Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Hasan Mon- cubic meters of natural gas in domestic, periods is a top priority for NIGC. tazer Torbati said that his company has industrial, commercial, export and other To this end, every year NIGC makes done a good job in sustainable supply and sectors is a very difficult, sensitive, and hard the necessary preparations in production, transmission of natural gas during the cold work and all employees and managers at transmission, and distribution sectors for season. the NIGC are working around the clock to the winter from months before; that is in Speaking in the NIGC’s last winter meet- provide stable natural gas to the people of addition to conducting a comprehensive ing, Montazer Torbati expressed gratitude the country,” the official said. annual overhaul, the company implements for the hard work done by all employees in According to Torbati, the achievements various programs to further develop the the field of supply, refining, transmission of the NIGC in the current Iranian calendar network and improve its services. and distribution of natural gas, especially year (ends on March 20) are also the result Holding weekly meetings between the the management and dispatching staff of of proper planning, and benefiting from the ensure the sustained supply of gas during NIGC head and the managers of the compa- the company, saying that passing through experiences of managers as well as proper the cold season. ny’s subsidiaries over the winter has been “Today, we have no problems regarding the loading and un- the cold season without any disruption in cooperation in all sectors. Having the biggest network in the re- one of the programs implemented to ensure loading of basic goods, bulk goods, and containers in the country’s the gas supply was the result of the team NIGC and all its subsidiaries have been gion, Iran is one of the leading countries secure and sustainable supply of gas during ports, and the commodity owners are not obliged to pay demurrage effort by all NIGC employees. working hard in the past few months to in terms of gas accessibility, and in this the cold season. charges (damages for delayed unloading and loading) to ships because of port operations, and this shows how standard the Iranian ports are,” the PMO head added. Over the past eight years, the capacity of Iranian ports has Heads of chambers of commerce gather to discuss private sector issues increased by more than 80 million tons, which means on average every year 10 million tons have been added to the capacity of the ECONOMY TEHRAN — Heads of Iran’s chambers He called on the heads of chambers across the country to country’s southern and northern ports. deskof commerce gathered on Monday to dis- cooperate with the ICCIMA Research Center in completing Highlighting the good performance of the country’s ports in cuss major economic issues related to the country’s private this project. the current year, Iran’s First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri has sector, the portal of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, The ICCIMA head also pointed to the new banking check said that 122 million tons of commodities have been loaded and Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) reported. regulations and said basic infrastructure for the implemen- unloaded at the ports during the first ten months of the current The meeting of the heads of chambers’ council was at- tation of these regulations is not prepared in the country’s Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2020 – January 19, 2021). tended by ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie, ICCIMA economic system. Making the remarks when visiting a port in the southwest of Deputy Head Hossein Salahvarzi and heads of the provincial “This issue will be raised at a meeting of the Central Bank the country last month, Jahangiri said that during the last three chambers. of Iran (CBI)’s Monetary and Credit Council and a letter years and in the most severe and unprecedented sanctions against Recent earthquake in Sisakht region and its impacts on on this subject would be also prepared and sent to the CBI the country, the Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has the activities of the private sector, new regulations regarding ,” he said. been able to perform very well in unloading and loading goods, the payment of bank checks, smartening of the country’s Shafeie also referred to a recent meeting of the heads health insurance system and elimination of physical health of the country’s joint chambers with the deputy Foreign and this is commendable. ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie (C) meets with insurance cards were among the issues discussed in this Affairs Minister and the ministry’s decisions for preparing PMO head has recently said that the country’s trade gateways heads of the country’s chambers of commerce in Tehran meeting. the infrastructure for issuing e-visas and facilitating the visa were not closed even a moment despite the sanctions and pan- on Monday. demic, adding that loading and unloading of goods, especially Speaking in the meeting, Shafeie referred to the recent issuance process, especially for businessmen. the essential goods, are continuously conducted at the ports. measures taken by the ICCIMA Research Center and said: This study is being done in order to examine the performance In their previous meeting back in December 2020, the As announced by Rastad, loading and unloading of commod- “A study is to be conducted on the Iranian economy and the of the ICCIMA, and the obstacles, challenges and successes heads of the country’s chambers of commerce had discussed ities are being conducted continuously at the ports of Iran while country’s private sector performance over the past century. of the private sector in this hundred-year period.” the preparation of the Seventh National Development Plan. the health requirements are completely met. Rastad has reiterated that all port operations are done observing healthcare protocols and the principles set by the Coronavirus Containment Headquarters. In a statement in mid-October last year, PMO declared that 48 idle production units revived in Ardebil province loading and unloading of commodities are underway continuously ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian dar year (began on March 20) has been has more than doubled in this period,” at the country’s ports. deskindustry, mining and named the year of “Surge in Production”, Zarandi told ISNA. While the enemy is trying to halt Iran’s exports and imports trade minister announced that 48 idle and all governmental bodies, as well as The official underlined that the units through imposing sanctions, operation at Iranian ports are un- production units have been revived in the private sector, are moving in line with under review are among the country’s top derway without interruption as the result of the all-out efforts of Ardebil province, in northwest of the the materialization of this motto. producers in the industry and mining sec- the organization’s personnel, the statement reads. country, since the beginning of current Last month, Deputy Industry, Mining, tor which are active in a variety of areas Meanwhile, as the PMO head has announced, 11 new development Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2020). and Trade Minister Saeed Zarandi said that including automobiles, home appliances, projects with 59 trillion rials (over $1.4 billion) of investment are Alireza Razm Hosseini made the remarks the output of 86 major production units mineral products, health products, and currently underway at the Iranian ports. after inaugurating a weaving plant in one across the country has more than doubled so on. Not only the sanctions could not stop development activities of the industrial parks of the province. in the first 10 months of the current Iranian He further noted that the Industry at the ports of Iran, some new development projects have been The latest report released by the min- calendar year (March 20, 2020-January Ministry monitors the production of 40 also defined, Rastad has underscored. istry indicates that 1,170 idle industrial 19, 2021) compared to the same period major industrial and mining commodity The third phase of the development plan of Shahid Rajaee Port units have been revived in the country through boosting production, which is a in the previous year. items on a monthly basis and in this regard is one of the major projects which is going to go operational by the since the beginning of the current year, major strategy of Iran to combat the U.S. According to Zarandi, the production over 1000 production units go through end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20). crating 19,400 job opportunities. sanctions. data pertaining to 319 major units in the the monitoring process. While Iran is combating the U.S. unilateral sanctions on its econ- Based on the Industry, Mining, and In fact, strengthening domestic pro- country during the mentioned 10 months Stating that the mentioned 1000 units omy, the country’s ports as the major gates of exports and imports Trade Ministry data, the ministry was in- duction to achieve self-reliance is the most has shown that the output of 148 units account for more than 60 percent of the play some significant role in this battle, and the ongoing operation itially planning to revive 1,500 idle units important program that Iran is following has increased by 20-50 percent, the pro- value-added production of the industry and at the ports indicates that they are playing their part perfectly. in the current year, but then it revised its up in its industry sector in a bid to nul- duction by 40 units has risen by 50-70 mining sector, Zarandi said: “Therefore, As reported, loading and unloading of commodities at the ports programs to revive 2,000 units. lify the effects of the U.S. sanctions on percent, while 45 units have registered the statistics of these 1000 units can be of Iran have risen six percent during the past Iranian calendar Iran’s industrial parks play a significant its economy. a production growth of 70-100 percent. considered a representative of more than 60 year (ended on March 19, 2020). role in making the country independent In this due, the current Iranian calen- “The production by 86 major units percent of the country’s industrial sector.” I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 9, 2021 ANALYSIS/INTERVIEW 5

Every religion is political: professor Saudi Arabia confirms 1 It is safe to say that the Quran sphere. It does exist, but clandestinely. and the Sunnah of the Prophet contain In many other countries, however, ruling Yemeni drone, missile statements that could be interpreted as elites seek to empower Sufi communities attacks on oil facilities encouraging renunciation of this world in to counterbalance the influence enjoyed favor of the world to come, frugal life and by various Salafi groups, especially among Saudi Arabia has confirmed that a Yemeni drone attack targeted self-abnegation, love of God, and seeking those who are discontent with the political a petroleum tank farm at Ras Tanura port and a ballistic missile intimacy with Him through canonical and and economic status quo. In general, the targeted Saudi Aramco’s facilities in the city of Dhahran. supererogatory (additional; optional) acts rulers are eager to manipulate the differ- In a statement on Sunday, a spokesman for the Saudi Energy of piety and worship. Initially, mysticism ences between Sufis and their opponents Ministry acknowledged that a drone coming from the sea hit one followers were active and relatively numer- in accordance with the famous principle of the petroleum tank farms at the Ras Tanura Port – one of the ous in the geographical areas I have just “divide and rule.” While their potential largest oil shipping ports in the world, in the morning. mentioned. Later on, it spread widely across opponents are fighting, they have no time The spokesman also said a “ballistic missile’s shrapnel” fell the entire Muslim world to become, in the to address the ruling establishment’s in- near Saudi Aramco’s residential area in the city of Dhahran after words of the American historian of , justices, corruption, and failures. We find it was intercepted. Marshall Hodgson (1922-1968), the main- this situation in many Muslim countries None of the attacks resulted in any injury or loss of life or stay of social order in Muslim communities as well as countries in which Muslims are property, the spokesman added. worldwide. I can add that mysticist idea a minority. According to Press TV, Saudi Defense Ministry spokesman and practices also profoundly impacted Some observers say Islam is po- Brigadier General Turki al-Malki claimed in a statement Muslim culture, especially poetry, figu- litical in its nature. What is your later on Sunday that both attacks were intercepted before ral/representation arts, and architecture. comment? reaching their targets. Their communities and shrines can still All I can say is that every religion is “The attacking bomb-laden UAV that came via the sea was be found in the overwhelming majority political, even when its followers claim intercepted and destroyed prior to reaching its target. The of Muslim countries, except for those in it is not (for example, the ill-fated Gulen ballistic missile that was launched to target Aramco facilities which their governments officially banned movement in Turkey or the Madkhaliyya in Dhahran was intercepted and destroyed as well,” al-Malki Sufism. In terms of numbers, the majority Wahhabism is a special Arabian version movement within Wahhabism in Saudi said, state news agency SPA reported. of Sufis today live in Pakistan, India, In- of Salafism that developed within the Arabia). The claim of being apolitical is The oil market reacted to the news as details of the retal- donesia, and Africa, including Egypt. It is Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. itself a political statement and political iatory attack trickled in. common knowledge that mysticism ideas stance. Brent crude futures surged above $70 a barrel on Monday and images have had a lasting influence on are divided by the overall doctrinal disa- say that Wahhabism is a special Arabian How could some extremists like for the first time in more than a year. While Brent jumped 2.65% Persian-speaking societies of Iran, Central greement between Islam’s respective un- version of Salafism that developed within ISIS exploit and misuse Islamic edu- to trade at $71.20, U.S. crude futures also rose 2.56% to $67.78. Asia and India, before and after the modern derstandings. At the same time, mysticist the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, in cation and ideas to exercise violence? age that started in the eighteenth century metaphysical and philosophical ideas have common parlance, Salafism is a catchall What are the geopolitical grounds and continues today, although some so- made their way into Shia communities’ term applied, often indiscriminately, too and causes? ciologists prefer to describe our current intellectual and spiritual lives. To dissociate many different trends within Salafi Islam. Any Muslim movement may claim to be Meghan accuses UK royals of condition as “post-modern.” them from Sunni Sufism, they are usually Even within the Wahhabism of Saudi Ara- acting or speaking in the name of Islam. What are the differences and referred to as hikmat/hikmet and attributed bia, we can find mutually incompatible This is part of the age-old Islamic world’s racism over son’s skin color commonalities between Shia and to Imam Ali and his descendants. In this interpretations of Salafism, such as the polyphony and lack of a recognized central- Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and the wife of Britain’s Sunni when it comes to Sufism and way, the philosophical and spiritual as- Sururiyya (politically active Salafis, who ized authority that determines what correct Prince Harry said there were concerns about how dark her son mysticism? pects of mysticism have eventually become are critical of the ruling regime/family) doctrine and practice are and what is not. Archie’s skin would be before his birth and that such worries Mysticism and Shia have many com- fully integrated into Islam’s Shia vision. and the Madkhaliyya (politically inactive, This feature, that is, the Islamic doctrinal explained why he was not given the title of prince. monalities, especially as far as mysticist One can, of course, argue that these ideas quietist Salafis, who endorse everything field’s decentralized nature, has set it apart Markle, whose mother is Black and father is white, said she philosophical ideas and refined spirituality were originally voiced by Imam Ali and his the ruling regime/family does). There are from a more hierarchical structure such as was naive before she married into the British royal family in 2018, are concerned. However, there was also descendants, especially the Imam Ja’far other branches of the Salafiyya, including the Roman papacy. Yes, we can declare ISIS but that she ended up having suicidal thoughts and considering opposition to Sufism, especially its popular al-Sadiq, but I do not want to dwell on militant jihadists and peaceful conserva- to be heretics and deviants to our heart’s self-harm after asking for help but getting none. forms (dervishism), on the part of many this controversial issue here because it tive preachers of what they call the “pure” content, but they and their followers will “They didn’t want him to be a prince or princess, not knowing influential Shia theologians and jurists. belongs to the sphere of theology, which Islam of the Prophet and his companions. respond in kind, claiming, for instance, what the gender would be, which would be different from pro- They rejected Sufi claims to the spiritual is not my field of expertise. Lumping them under the same conceptual that we are neglecting the pillar of Islam. tocol, and that he wasn’t going to receive security,” Markle said authority and guidance (walaya) of the What is the role of Wahhabism umbrella is problematic because it obscures They can also justify their violence by the in an interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey that aired masses that, in Shia Islam, are seen as (in Saudi Arabia) and Salafism in the movement’s internal diversity in ques- violence inflicted on the West’s Muslim on broadcaster CBS late on Sunday in the United States, where the exclusive prerogative of the descend- other Arab countries in confronting tion. Yet, opposition to and even outright world (as Usama Bin Ladin and Ayman she and Harry now live. ants of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima. In other Islamic sects and narratives? condemnation of Sufism and its followers al-Zawahiri did). They would also claim to “In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same Sunni Sufism, any pious individual and There are many speculations around is something that the overwhelming ma- be restorers of the dignity of the Muslims time, so we have in tandem the conversation of, ‘you won’t be miracle-worker can claim such authority. the notions of Salafism and Wahhabism. jority of the Salafists all over the world and Islam in the face of Western ideo- given security, not gonna be given a title’ and also concerns and The Shia opponents of Sufism found such Sometimes they are used as synonyms; other have in common. In Saudi Arabia, Sufism logical, political, economic and cultural conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.” claims groundless and even intolerable. times, they are separated and treated as is officially declared to be a heretical inno- domination. We can claim that they are She declined to say who had aired such concerns. Asked if Thus, Sunni Sufism and Shia mysticism distinct movements within Islam. I would vation (bid’a) and banned from the public dead wrong, but they will tell us the same thing. And, yes, the current geopolitical she was silent or had been silenced, she replied: “The latter”. situation is conducive to conflict because The highly anticipated interview comes amid an acrimonious of the inequality of the geopolitical play- dispute between Markle and Harry on one side and the British ers. Some nations are rich and powerful, monarchy on the other. whereas others are poor, marginal, and The couple, who married in 2018, have stepped down from powerless. Some are masters and others their royal duties and are now living in California. are their willing or unwilling clients. This realization is painful for the latter. Ine- quality breeds conflict and violence among U.S. says decision unclear advantaged and disadvantaged countries and the rich and poor classes in the same on May 1 ‘force posture’ country/nation. in Afghanistan IN THE NAME OF GOD Second Announcement The United States says it has made no decision about its military ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN BROADCASTING commitment in Afghanistan over a May 1 deadline for pulling Chauvin trial an out its remaining 2,500 troops from the country. INTERNATIONAL TENDER No:99/108-58/10 Tender Holder: important test for ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN BROADCASTING (IRIB) America: Hamline Subject of Tender : PurchasingSite equipment to convert archived video resources in accordance with the technical specifi- University cations and other terms and conditions mentioned in the tender documents

Deadline and how to receive the tender documents: professor From 9.3.2021( 1399/12/19) by 14 p.m.untill on Monday15/3/2021 (1399/12/25)with presentation of introductory letter by company or its representative and the receipt of paying the documents fee. The Department of State’s comments to the Reuters news agency came after reports emerged that U.S. Secretary of State Place of receiving the tender document: Antony Blinken had made an urgent push for peace efforts in a Interested participants may refer to purchasing (KALA) Dept. ,4th Floor of IRIB Administration Complex ,Hotel Esteghlal letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani published on Sunday St. Vali –Assr Ave,Tehran, Iran by TOLOnews, an Afghan news outlet. The letter, confirmed by senior Afghan officials, was sent to The fee of the tender documents and how to deposit it: Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the peace council, and was discussed with Afghan leaders by U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Submission of payment receipt for the amount of 1,000,000 Rials to account No.4101029171204273 (IBAN: Khalilzad during his visit to last week, the officials said. IR310100004101029171204273) with CENTERAL BANKOF IRAN in the name of IRIB. “The letter was handed over to President Ghani and my- self two days before the visit of Khalilzad,” Abdullah told a Type and amount of guarantee for participation to tender: gathering in Kabul on Monday. The amount of deposit for participant in tender is USD20200 fixed or its equivalent in Rials A U.S. state department spokeswoman said on Sunday 5/050/000/000 which should be in the form of Bank Guarantee. Washington has “not made any decisions about our force 1 The Chauvin trial could be a start to posture in Afghanistan after May 1”. talk about some problematic challenges in the “All options remain on the table,” she said. Time and place of delivering priced bid: American society, like police use of force against The sealed evaluation qulitative envelop inaddition A, B&C packages/envelopes should be submitted no later than 9 a.m. people of color. Resistance News on 17st Apr 2021 (1400/1/28) and at the address mentioned in 4th clause. According to American media, police violence is a leading cause of death for young men in Protest sit-in in Yatta to Time and place of opening evaluation qulitative envelopes: the United States. The date of opening the evaluation qulitative envelopes is on 17nd Apr 2021 (1400/1/28) Over the life course, about 1 in every 1,000 reject land confiscation black men can expect to be killed by police. at 10 a.m. in the office of purchasing manager . Risk of being killed by the police peaks between INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN— Dozens of Palestinians on the ages of 20 to 35 for men and women and deskMonday morning organized a protest sit- Time and place of opening envelopes: all racial and ethnic groups. Black women and in in Masafer Yatta, south of al-Khalil, to reject the Israeli The date of opening the envelopes A&B is on 18nd Apr 2021 (1400/1/29) at 3 p.m. in the office of Financial Vice President. men and American Indian and Alaska Native occupation authority’s confiscation of lands in this area and The biders must be have independent auditor’s report and also qualification documents from related authorities for acting women and men are significantly more likely the construction of Jewish settlements. in the Field of the Tender Subject in obligatory than white women and men to be killed by Many members from the families of Buhais, Adais, and police. Latino men are also more likely to be Fore more information please see :www.iriboffice.ir/tendersandhttp://iets.mporg.ir/ Abu Zahra staged the sit-in in the lands of al-Ain Al-Baida and killed by police than white men. Khilah Al-Adra, east of Yatta, protesting the IOA confiscation Schultz concludes that “the laws regarding of large swaths of lands. Purchasing (Kala) Dept.,IRIB police use of force have often insulated police The citizens prevented settlers’ bulldozers from leveling officers from liability in terms of when they the confiscated lands but big numbers of Israeli occupation shoot suspects, including persons of color.” forces arrived and quelled the citizens and provided protection No doubt the problem is going to deepen more for the settlers and their vehicles. and more as President Joe Biden has inherited On Sunday, Jewish settlers leveled thousands of dunums of multiple political and societal challenges. citizens’ lands in Masafer Yatta. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 HERITAGE & TOURISM MARCH 9, 2021

UNESCO celebrates 1,750th Fossil found in Iran cave part of ‘missing anniversary of Iran university

1 “Today, in keeping with this heritage, Iran is one of UNESCO’s key partners in knowledge and science. The country link’ in human migration: archaeologist hosts 8 Category II Centres and 11 UNESCO Chairs in the science field. It is also home to 13 Biosphere Reserves – one of the highest HERITAGE TEHRAN – A human fos- Excavations at the site in 2014–2015 led numbers among Member States.” desksil found in Kaldar cave, to the discovery of cultural remains gener- This great tradition of promoting peace and prosperity through western Iran, is part of a “missing link” in ally associated with anatomically modern science, knowledge, and culture is central to UNESCO’s role. It Homo sapiens’ migrating, Iranian archae- humans (AMHs) and evidence of a proba- is also more precious than ever, as the international communi- ologist Behrouz Bazgir has said. ble Neanderthal-made industry in the basal ty faces new challenges: climate change, biodiversity collapse, “Given the handful of Homo sapiens hu- layers. It also offers an opportunity to study technological disruptions, widening inequalities, she added. man fossils so far revealed across the world, the technological differences between the Azoulay noted that all such challenges call for the contributions the discovery of human fossils not only in Mousterian and the first Upper Paleolithic of researchers, academics, inventors – the universal republic of the Kaldar cave but anywhere in the world technologies as well as the human behavior knowledge “that we are celebrating today”. could reveal a large part of the missing link in in the region. the migration of intelligent humans,” CHTN In taxonomy, Homo sapiens is the only quoted Bazgir as saying on Monday. extant human species. The name is Latin The discovery was made during the third for “wise man” and was introduced in 1758 archaeological season conducted in Kaldar by Carl Linnaeus (who is himself also the cave seeking to achieve the historiography of type specimen). Neanderthals are an extinct the Middle Paleolithic strata, and to obtain species or subspecies of archaic humans in human fossils, the archaeologist explained. the genus Homo, who lived within Eurasia He made the remarks during the 18th An- from circa 400,000 until 40,000 years ago. nual Symposium on the Iranian Archaeology, Lorestan was inhabited by Iranian In- jointly organized by the Iranian Center for do-European peoples, including the , Archaeological Research (ICAR), Research c. 1000 BC. Cimmerians and in- Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism Paleolithic transition in Iran. The cave is yielded fresh evidence for its Paleolithic termittently ruled the region from about 700 (RICHT), and National Museum of Iran. situated in the northern Khorramabad valley residents; including traditions of making to 625 BC. The Luristan Bronzes noted for Nearly one decade of archaeological - of Lorestan province and at an elevation of [stone] tools related to the Middle Paleolithic their eclectic array of Assyrian, Babylonian, veys at Kaldar cave has concluded that parts 1,290?m above sea level. It measures 16?me- and Upper Paleolithic eras. In the same year, and Iranian artistic motifs, date from this “These challenges have been amplified by the COVID-19 pan- of this western Iranian shelter date more ters long, 17?meters wide, and seven?meters archaeologists excavated stone tools and a turbulent period. The region was incorporat- demic. Humanity must make choices, and in doing so, overcome than 63,000 years. high. fragment of a fossilized skull, attributed to ed into the growing in its differences by defining which values we want to guide us, and Kaldar is a key archaeological site that In 2019, in one of the significant archae- Homo sapiens. The cave has also yielded about 540 BC and successively was part of the what kind of world we want to live in.” provides evidence of the Middle to Upper ological finds of Iranian history, the cave weapon fragments crafted by Neanderthals. Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanid dynasties. “At UNESCO, we have long believed in the potential of science, provided that it evolves within an ethical and humanistic frame- work. As we face a new period of uncertainty, it is more necessary than ever to recall this idea of cooperation and solidarity,” the UNESCO chief added. Sydney exhibit to showcase rarely-seen Persian arts In conclusion, she voiced UNESCO’s reediness to expand TOURISM TEHRAN – A collection of rarely-seen textiles, embroidery, and foundry. support for the promotion of science and technology, saying: deskPersian arts and crafts will go on show at Iranzamin examines how the influence of Persia, situated “UNESCO stands ready to support the Islamic Republic of Iran in Australia’s Powerhouse Museum, which is the major branch between two major trade routes – the Silk Road and the its efforts to promote science and technology, to create knowledge, of the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences in Sydney. Indian Ocean – spread out into the world. and to share it. In this way, we will not only support scientific Titled “Iranzamin” (“Land of the ”), the exhibit Special attention is paid to the influence of Persian culture progress, but also the progress of all mankind.” will be opening to the public on March 19. And according on non-Iranian craftsmen and artists such as Australian Last August, a documentation project commenced at the ancient to the organizers, the event is the first survey exhibition of painter and textile designer Florence Broadhurst. This in- university to prevent possible damage from agricultural activities. Persian arts and crafts acquired by the Powerhouse Museum cludes original Broadhurst wallpaper prints titled Persian Gundi Shapur, also spelled as Jundi Shapur, which is located since its founding in 1880. Phoenix (Simorgh), Persian Birds, and Persian Pomegran- in Modern Dezful, southern Iran, was one of the world’s birth- It explores the stories behind rarely seen artifacts from ates and Flowers. places of knowledge and wisdom, which is a source of national the middle of the 19th century to now, shedding light on The opening of Iranzamin coincides with the Persian pride and enthusiasm for Iranians. the diverse social and cultural history of Persia – today’s new year Noroz. Programs will include the celebrations of The city was the intellectual center of the Sassanid Empire Iran – and its people. Noruz, Haftsin, a table traditionally set for the Persian new (224–651) and the home of the Academy of Jundi Shapur Uni- The exhibition examines how objects inspired by tradi- year on 20 March, and Sizdehbehdar, the Persian national age tied them to the long history of Persia and its ancient versity, which offered education and training in medicine, phi- tional arts and crafts were used in Persian society, focus- day for the celebration and admiration of Mother Nature, dynasties, but another component of their identity was as losophy, theology, and science. ing on seven themes: joy and happiness; purification and which will be held in the Powerhouse Museum on 3 April modernizers and reformers. The university was home to a teaching hospital, and also cleansing; spirituality and devotion; poetry and calligraphy; 2021, according to the museum. This involved both changes to the government and the comprised a library and a center of higher learning. It has been rituals and performance; patronage and craftsmanship; After the turmoil and strife of the eighteenth century acceptance of new technologies such as the railroad and the identified with extensive ruins south of Shahabad, a village 14 nature and design. in Persia, the rise to power of the Qajar dynasty (1789 to telegraph. In the arts, this meant support of the new tech- km south-east of Dezful, to the road for Shush, in the present-day Furthermore, Iranzamin encompasses a diversity of 1925) signaled a new peace and unity for the country. The niques of lithography and photography, as well as innovative province of Khuzestan. materials and techniques, including hand-woven crafts, Qajar shahs relied heavily on the visual arts to confirm and applications of existing forms in Iran such as portraiture The town fell into decline after the Muslim conquest of Persia carpets and rugs; arms and armor; glass, ceramics and tiles; solidify their new position. One aspect of their public im- and oil painting. (633–654), the city surrendering in 638, however, it continued to remain an important center in the Muslim period. Yaqub Layth Saffari, the founder of the Saffarid dynasty, made Jundi Shapur his residence three years before his sudden death. His tomb Iran to allocate some $240,000 for Great Wall of Gorgan restoration became one of the most prominent sites in the city. TOURISM TEHRAN – Iran will list would be discussed and possibly approved is remarkable not only in terms of its physical deskset aside ten billion rials by the end of the next summer. scale but even more so in terms of its tech- Statue of Sassanid monarch (some $240,000 at the official exchange rate Also known as Red Wall, which in some nical sophistication. To enable construction of 42,000 rials per dollar) for the restora- ancient texts is referred to as the Red Snake, works, canals had to be dug along the course Khosrow Parviz made tion of the Great Wall of Gorgan, Cultural this wall is the longest brick ancient barrier of the defensive barrier, to provide the water Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister between Central Europe and China, longer needed for brick production. These canals national heritage Ali-Asghar Mounesan said on Sunday. than Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall received their water from supplier canals, Situated in the city of Gorgan, the capital put together and the third-largest wall in the which bridged the Gorgan River via qanats. HERITAGE TEHRAN – A life-size statue of Khosrow of northern Golestan province, the defensive world after the walls of China and Germany. One of these, the Sadd-e Garkaz, survives deskParviz, who is widely considered as the last wall is about 200 km in length and it was built Most parts of the gigantic monument are to 700 m in length and 20 m in height but great Sasanian king of Iran, has been added to the national cul- to prevent the invasion of the northern tribes. still hidden underneath the surface through was originally almost one kilometer long. tural heritage list of the country. It is said to be the longest architectural work brick barriers of the ancient world -- is not some segments that have so far been un- The Gorgan Wall and its associated Under Khosrow II, byname Khosrow Parviz (“Khosrow the of ancient Iran, which was built in 90 years. hard as it is comparable to the Great Wall earthed and even restored to former glory. ancient military monuments provide a Victorious”), ruling from 590 to 628, the Sassanid empire achieved “We will allocate one billion tomans (ten of China in terms of age, function, and size.” Archaeological excavations have so far identi- unique testimony to the engineering skills its greatest expansion. Defeated at last in a war with the Byzantines, billion rials) of credit for the restoration of Although there are some issues and obsta- fied ditches, brick kilns, earthen dams, water and military organization of the Sassanian he was deposed in a palace revolution and executed. the Great Wall of Gorgan, so that with this cles, further efforts to preserve and restore canals, 38 forts, and watchtowers attached Empire. They help to explain its geographic Khosrow was a serious patron of the arts; silver-working and credit, the measures for the restoration of the millennia-old wall could be an acceptable to the wall, and more than 25 castles in the extent, from Mesopotamia to the west of carpet weaving reached their peak during his reign. Sources tell this wall, along with aerial imaging and map- justification for UNESCO to add this structure southern margin of the wall as well as several the Indian Subcontinent, and how effective of the enormous “Spring of Khosrow,” a carpet whose design was ping, will be carried out as preliminaries to the World Heritage list, Talebian explained. ancient sites from prehistoric, historic, and border defense contributed to the Empire’s a garden. A splendid silver dish in the Bibliotheque Nationale for [the possible] UNESCO registration,” To get to that point, complete and accu- Islamic eras. prosperity in the interior and its longevity. is thought to depict him in the traditional Sasanian royal hunt. Mounesan said. rate mapping of the remnants of the wall is The gigantic barrier is also more than These monuments are, in terms of their scale, The minister made the remarks in a meet- needed, for which a budget of 20 billion rials three times the length of the longest late historical importance, and sophistication, ing with provincial officials and cultural figures ($476,000 at the official rate of 42,000 rials) Roman defensive wall built from scratch, of global significance. during his visit to the lush green province. has been allocated so far, the official added. the Anastasian Wall west of Constantinople. Golestan is reportedly embracing some Last December, Mounesan’s deputy for He also noted that if the mapping project The combined area of the forts on the Gorgan 2,500 historical and natural sites, with cultural heritage, Mohammad-Hassan Tale- comes to an end by the end of the current Wall exceeds that of those on Hadrian’s Wall UNESCO-registered Gonbad-e Qabus – a bian, said: “Gaining a UNESCO tag for the Iranian year 1399 (March 20, 2021), the in- about threefold. one-millennium-old brick tower – amongst Great Wall of Gorgan -- one of the longest scription of the wall on the World Heritage According to UNESCO, the Gorgan Wall its most famous.

Prehistoric Iranian toys or votive carts? HERITAGE TEHRAN — These pictured prehistoric continuously inhabited since 4,200 BC placing it among the deskanimal figurines mounted on little car- oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Besides, riages are part of a valuable deposit that is on display at there are traces at Susa of a village inhabited around 7,000 the Louvre Museum in Paris. The relics were unearthed in BC and painted pottery dating from ca. 5,000 BC at the site. Susa, southwestern Iran, in the early 20th. The archaeological site includes the ruins of the Achae- The mobile objects that might be either toys or votive carts menid palace complex of Darius I, the Great, and is located are a subset of a larger collection that was assembled under on a fifteen-meter high artificial raised 100-hectare terrace. Most authorities attribute to Khosrow II the grottos at Taq-e the Shutrukid dynasty in the late second millennium BC. It has suffered greatly in the past seventy years. Bostan (Kermanshah), taking them as evidence of a renaissance The collection was unearthed by French mining engineer Susa became part of the Persian Empire under Cyrus of rock sculpture in his reign. and archaeologist Jean-Jacques de Morgan (1857 – 1924) II, the Great in 538 or 539 BC. During the balance of the The Sassanid era (224 CE–651) is of very high importance in at Susa, southwest Iran, near the temple of Inshushinak. Achaemenian period (to 330 BC), Susa functioned as one the . Under Sassanids, and architecture According to the Louvre, Susian children in the Mid- of the rotating capitals (a winter capital) of the Achaeme- experienced a general renaissance. dle-Elamite court may have played with them, pulling the nian Kings. Architecture often took grandiose proportions such as pal- little carts along with a piece of string. It is said that Alexander of Macedonia captured Susa in aces at Ctesiphon, Firuzabad, and Sarvestan that are amongst “Scholars have also pointed to the religious connotation 330 BC and plundered the city, seizing some 40,000 talents highlights of the ensemble. of human or animal figurines on wheels, suggesting they of gold and silver from the treasury. Crafts such as metalwork and gem-engraving grew highly were purely votive offerings. Of course, a toy could become According to UNESCO, “the excavated architectural seventh century to fight against the Arabs, who neverthe- sophisticated, yet scholarship was encouraged by the state. In an offering, dedicated to a divinity or buried alongside a monuments include administrative, residential, and palatial less captured the city which remained important until the those years, works from both the East and West were translated deceased person.” structures” and the site contains several layers of urban thirteenth century CE. into Pahlavi, the language of the Sassanians. The UNESCO-registered bears exceptional testimony to settlement dating from the 5th millennium BC through the Different archaeological seasons in Susa have yielded Rock-carved sculptures and bas-reliefs on abrupt limestone the Elamite, Persian, and Parthian civilizations and cultural 13th century CE. ample relics including pottery, arms, ornamental objects, cliffs are widely deemed as characteristics and striking relics of traditions. The modern Iranian town of Shush is located The finest pottery was found in the lowest strata and metalwork, bronze articles, as well as clay tablets. Susa is the Sassanian art, top examples of which can be traced at Bis- at the site of ancient Susa. It was one of the city-states of belonged to two different civilizations, both Neolithic, ac- also a gateway to several worthy destinations such as the hapur, Naqsh-e Rostam, and Naqsh-e Rajab in southern Iran. ancient (2700 – 539 BC), which later became a winter cording to Britannica. During the Sasanian age, the city had UNESCO-tagged ziggurat of Tchogha Zanbil, the ruins In 2018, UNESCO added an ensemble of Sassanian historical capital of the Persian Achaemenid kings, who ruled Iran a large Christian community. It was sacked by the Sasanian of Achaemenid Apadana Castle, Shush Castle (Akropol), cities in southern Iran -- titled “Sassanid Archaeological Land- from c. 550 to 330 BC. king Shapur II, who transferred the population to Iwan-e Prophet Danial Shrine, Museum of Susa, the archaeological scape of Fars Region”-- to its World Heritage list. Archaeological evidence suggests that Susa has been Karkheh, but Susa was sufficiently recovered in the early mount of Haft Tapeh. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 9, 2021 SOCIETY 7

UN appreciates Iran’s ‘leading Extinction threatens third of freshwater fish species, report finds role’ in fight against AIDS Nearly a third of all freshwater fish species are threatened by extinction, according to a new report released by 16 SOCIETY TEHRAN – The Joint the patients age 20-35. conservation groups on Tuesday. desk United Nations Program Referring to the newly diagnosed cases of “The World’s Forgotten Fishes” says that 80 freshwater on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has praised Iran’s HIV in the first six months of this year, she species — which make up more than half of all the world’s leading role in the fight against the virus. said that about a thousand people have been species — have already been declared extinct, with 16 dis- UNAIDS executive director Winnie By- diagnosed during this period, 31 percent of appearing in 2020 alone. anyima, in a letter to Esmaeil Baghaei-Ha- whom were women and 69 percent were men. maneh, permanent representative to the UN HIV prevalence in the world in Geneva, appreciated Iran for its efforts in The human immunodeficiency viruses eradication of HIV and welcomed a visit to are two species of Lentivirus that cause HIV the country. infection and over time acquired immuno- Highlighting that Iran’s model for fight- deficiency syndrome. AIDS is a condition ing HIV is “harm reduction”, she lauded the in humans in which progressive failure of country for pioneering the unique model of the immune system allows life-threatening AIDS management and expressed appreci- opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. ation for Iran’s support, as a member of the Since the beginning of the epidemic, 75 UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board (PCB), million people have been infected with the in the global fight against AIDS. HIV virus and about 32 million people have She further thanked the active and con- died of HIV. structive role of the Islamic Republic in pre- Globally, 37.9 million people were living paring the strategic documents of the Joint with HIV at the end of 2018. An estimated United Nations Program on AIDS. 0.8% [0.6-0.9%] of adults aged 15–49 years Earlier, Morten Ussing, Director of Over 59,000 people diagnosed with since the beginning of the epidemic, a total worldwide are living with HIV, although the Governance and Multilateral Affairs said HIV of 40,735 cases of HIV have been registered burden of the epidemic continues to vary that “in terms of harm reduction, Iran is According to the data released in 2019 in the country, 60.1 percent of which were considerably between countries and regions. Migratory populations have declined by more than one of the best counties in West Asia, but by the UNAIDS, some 59,000 people are infected with drug injection equipment and The WHO African region remains most three-quarters since the 1970s, while populations of larger also in the world; Iran’s intervention in the diagnosed with HIV in Iran. 22.2 percent due to high-risk sexual behavior. severely affected, with nearly 1 in every 25 species, weighing more than 60 pounds, have fallen by an prisons proved to be the best, therefore, Parvin Afsar Kazerouni head of the AIDS Men held a share of 82 percent and wom- adults (3.9%) living with HIV and accounting even more “catastrophic” 94 percent, it said. it should be presented as a strategic plan and sexual disease control department at the en 18 percent among people infected with for more than two-thirds of the people living While freshwater fish are important for the healthy func- worldwide. Ministry of Health, said in December 2019 that HIV, she lamented, adding, 50 percent of with HIV worldwide. tioning of the world’s rivers, lakes and wetlands, millions of people around the world also depend on them for food security and their livelihoods, including in vulnerable and indigenous communities. Their rapid decline could 2,400 CBR centers inaugurated nationwide therefore put societies and economies across the globe in peril, the report said. Conservation groups behind the report, includ- 1 Since the approval of the law, education for Disability prevalence worldwide ing World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Global students with disabilities has been provided in Azad About 15 percent of the world’s population lives Wildlife Conservation, point to a combination of pres- universities, subsidies for patients with spinal cord with some form of disability, of whom 2-4 percent sures on global freshwater fish populations, including injury as well as disability care centers have been in- experience significant difficulties in functioning. habitat degradation, damming and draining of riv- creased, in addition to residential units to families The global disability prevalence is higher than previous ers and wetlands, pollution, introduction of invasive having members with disabilities. WHO estimates, which date from the 1970s and suggested species, wildlife crime and the ever-increasing threat Asghar Shirzadi, chairman of the board of the Iranian a figure of around 10 percent. This global estimate for of climate change. association of the disabled, said on Saturday that it disability is on the rise due to population aging and the Of more than 10,000 species whose conservation status still seems that the related organizations are not very rapid spread of chronic diseases, as well as improvements has been assessed by the International Union for Con- willing to implement the law. in the methodologies used to measure disability. servation of Nature, 30 percent are considered at risk of extinction, the report said. The study calls freshwater fish “undervalued,” with the Iran committed to intl. counter-narcotics goals WWF’s Stuart Orr saying freshwater fish are often forgotten in global debates about climate, biodiversity and global TEHRAN – Despite have been 50-folded, he lamented. March 20, 2020), putting the country in first SOCIETY development. deskthe difficult conditions Anti-narcotics police have also seized place in the world, Momeni said in July 2020. “I think this report is 16 organizations coming togeth- caused by the global pandemic, Iran man- illegally acquired assets of drug traffickers After the Islamic Revolution (in 1979), 3,800 er to highlight on the one hand the incredible diversity aged to discover 1,200 tons of narcotics in worth 120 trillion rials (nearly $2.8 billion were martyred, 12,000 were wounded and of freshwater fish species, but on the other hand remind 2020, an increase of 41 percent compared at the official rate of 42,000 rials) over the disabled in the fight against drug trafficking, people that these species are in decline and linked to a lot to 2019, showing Iran’s adherence to inter- past 10 months, he added. Momeni announced. of food security, jobs and cultural services,” Orr told NBC national obligations, Eskandar Momeni, the He went on to note that unfortunately, The United Nations Office on Drugs and News on the phone from Gland, Switzerland. director of headquarters for the fight against nine persons were martyred and tens were Crime (UNODC) has praised Iran’s efforts “As we look to adapt to climate change and we start to narcotics, said. wounded or disabled in the fight against drug to fight against narcotics trafficking on the think about all the discussions that governments are going “The world has been fighting against drugs trafficking over the current [Iranian calendar] occasion of International Day Against Drug to have on biodiversity, it’s really a time for us to shine a for more than a century, but unfortunately, year, IRNA reported on Monday. Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. light back on freshwater,” he added. we are witnessing an increase in the produc- Iran is highly committed to international The organization also officially announced UNODC World Drug Report 2020 estimates The report calls for an emergency recovery plan to reverse tion, trafficking, and consumption of drugs, obligations in the fight against narcotics, unlike that the world’s first place in the discovery of that in 2018, 91 percent of world opium, 48 decades of decline by protecting and restoring natural river so that over the past 10 years, drug use has other parts of the world, as some 11 related opium, heroin, and morphine belongs to Iran. percent of the world morphine, and 26 per- flows, water quality and critical habitats while undoing doubled,” he added. organizations are endeavoring to counter the According to UNODC, Iran remains one cent of the world heroin were seized by Iran. the harm caused by overfishing. Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, production of issue, he highlighted. of the major transit routes for drug trafficking Iran’s drug control efforts led to the seizure Orr said a United Nations biodiversity conference narcotics is increasing, while over the last two Iran’s anti-narcotics measures from Afghanistan to European countries and of 266 tons of different types of drugs during taking place in China later this year will be a chance decades, with the presence of the occupiers Iran seized some 1,000 tons of narcotics has had a leading role at the global level in the period of April-June 2020, a 20 percent for governments to talk about the crisis and, for the in this country, production and cultivation in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended the drug-control campaigns. increase compared to the same period in 2019. first time, pay just as much attention to protecting and restoring freshwater life support systems as the world’s Huge floating solar farm at sea in bid to tackle climate crisis forests and oceans. A growing push in Singapore to reduce the city-state’s greenhouse AFP that the sea had presented a solution for a country with oxide emitters. LET’S LEARN PERSIAN gas emissions and combat climate change has seen a sea of limited space on dry land for producing renewable energy. With limited space, along with a lack of options for (Part 142) (Source: saadifoundation.ir) glimmering solar panels built off the country’s northern coast. “The sea is a new frontier for solar to be installed,” hydro-electricity and wind power, Singapore has faced Reaching into the Johor Strait, which lies between the city- Mr Tan said. logistical challenges in the push towards renewable energy. state and Malaysia, construction of the solar farm has seen 13,000 “After exhausting the rooftops and the available land, Environmental advocacy groups have long accused solar panels laid out at sea, according to a report from AFP. which is very scarce, the next big potential is actually the country of failing to do enough to address climate With the ability to produce up to five megawatts of elec- our water area,” said Jen Tan, senior vice-president and change, even as rising sea levels have become a growing tricity, the solar panels can provide enough energy to head of solar in southeast Asia at Sembcorp Industries, a threat to Singapore’s future. power at least residential 1,400 flats year-round. business working on another solar project for Singapore. Climate Action Tracker (CAT) said in its analysis that Shawn Tan, vice-president of engineering at Sunseap Group, The new effort comes as Singapore seeks to address while Singapore has strengthened its efforts to combat the Singaporean firm tasked with carrying out the project, told its record as one of Asia’s biggest per-capita carbon di- climate change, its 2020 and 2030 targets have been “weak”. ENGLISH IN USE LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION

آغــاز طــرح برقــی کــردن موتورسـ ـیکلتها بــا E-motorbikes come to curb air هــدف کاهــش آلودگــی هــوا pollution in metropolises مرحلــه نخســت طــرح برقــی کــردن موتورســ یکلتها بــا هــدف -The first phase of electric motorcycles development pro ject will be implemented aiming at reducing air pollution کاهــش آلودگــی هــوای تهــران و دیگــر کالنشــهرها آغــاز مــی شــود. in Tehran and other metropolises, IRNA news agency بــه گــزارش ایرنــا، رضــا اردکانیــان وزیــر نیــرو روز ســه شــنبه .reported گفــت برقــی کــردن موتورســیکلت هــا بــا همــکاری وزارت صنعــت، Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said on Tuesday that electric motorcycles will be promoted in big cities in collab- معــدن و تجــارت انجــام خواهــد شــد. .oration with the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade وی افــزود: هــدف این طرح در گام نخســت، برقی کردن موتورســیکلت -Through the first phase of the project, electric motorcy هــای مــورد اســتفاده وزارت نیرو و شــرکت های دولتی اســت. cles will replace the regular ones used by the Ministry of اردکانیــان اضافــه کــرد بــر ایــن اســاس عــالوه بــر اینکــه از ایــن پــس .Energy and state-run companies, he explained Ardakanian went on to say that, in addition to electric mo- موتورســیکلت برقــی تولیــد و وارد بــازار مــی شــود، موتورســیکلت ,torcycles being manufactured and marketed from now on هــای موجــود نیــز بــرای مالــکان آنهــا برقــی مــی شــوند. .existing motorcycles will also change to use electricity sources Prayer Times Noon:12:15 Evening: 18:07 Dawn: 5:00 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:22 (tomorrow) MARCH 9, 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 Iranian children

Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 honored at Ie-no-Hikari Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051430 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 World Children’s Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737

Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Picture Contest 1 Mahan Parsa is the sole Iranian honoree implementing various cultural activities, the No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran organizers of the contest said. P.o. Box: 14155-4843 of the 28th edition of the contest organized Zip Code: 1599814713 in 2020, winning a silver prize. As a part of its diversified activities, the The children are members of the various association has held the World Children’s Picture branches of Iran’s Institute for Intellectual Contest since 1993 with the hope of creating Development of Children and Young Adults friendships and mutual understanding between (IIDCYA), which submitted works by over children all over the world and enabling them 500 members to the contest. to become better adults. Ie-no-Hikari is a monthly Japanese family Iran IIDCYA members are frequent magazine published in Tokyo, Japan. It is one participants of the World Children’s Picture of the oldest and best-selling magazines in the Contest every year. country. The magazine is part of and published Setareh Shahveisi received a gold prize at by Ie-no-Hikari Association, founded as part the 26th edition of the contest for her painting GUIDE TO that shows some women on a sunflower farm. SPIRITUAL AWAKENING of the Central Industrial Union. The association works hard to foster the Helia Karimi, Artin Soleimani, Hasti cultures of rural villages by publishing books Rudbarani, Ilia Cheraghi and Fatemeh An untitled painting by the 7-year-old Iranian girl, Tara Jafari, won a gold Loving humanity is second only to having faith such as the Ie-no-Hikari magazine and by Moammar were awarded bronze prizes. prize at 27th World Children’s Picture Contest in Tokyo, Japan. in Allah as one of the best deeds in Islam. Prophet Muhammad (S) Sadi Foundation honors Japanese artist Hisako Tsunoda with lifetime achievement award Intl. sports film festival to foundation presented to her by Iran’s cultural attaché in eastern Iranian city of Mashhad. Japan Hossein Divsalar, the office announced in a press The Iranian National Commission for UNESCO was the honor veterans release published on Monday. main organizer of the exhibition. Speaking at the ceremony, Divsalar said, “Iranologists The walls across the city of Mashhad, as well as sev- ARTTEHRAN — The organizers of the 12th Tehran and masters of and language in Japan as eral historical monuments in Tehran and several other desk International FICTS Festival will honor former well as Iranian experts of Japanese language and literature cities displayed a selection of works through video map- head coach of Iran national football team Heshmat Mohajerani, have had great roles in introducing the history and culture ping, a system using light and movement as media and radio anchor Masud Oskui and actor Jamshid Hashempur with of the two nations.” buildings or other surfaces as a canvas for some huge, lifetime achievement awards at the closing ceremony on Thursday. He added that Ms. Tsunoda has been active in the field attention-grabbing statements. of Persian language and literature for about 30 years while The ancient Silk Road has existed for thousands of years, she is also active in Persian calligraphy. passing through many different , kingdoms, dynas- For her part, Ms. Tsunoda expressed thanks to the Iranian ties and societies throughout history. cultural attaché in supporting her activities and expressed At certain times in its long history, traders could travel hope she can help promote Persian art and culture to the freely along these routes, whereas at others, travel was dif- Hisako Tsunoda (R) receives an honorary diploma interested Japanese people. ficult or dangerous. of Sadi Foundation from Iran’s cultural attaché The Japanese artist is currently teaching Persian callig- According to UNESCO, the Silk Road enriched the coun- in Japan Hossein Divsalar. raphy to interested Japanese applicants in online courses. tries it passed through, transporting cultures, religions, Her selection of calligraphy went on view in the Raqs-e languages and, of course, material goods to societies across CULTURE TEHRAN – The Sadi Foundation, a Teh- Qalam International Exhibition of the Silk Road Calligraphy Europe, Asia and Africa, and uniting them all with a common deskran-based organization that promotes the held in Iran in January. thread of cultural heritage and plural identities. Persian language abroad, honored Japanese artist Hisako Calligraphy works by 203 artists from 30 countries There are over 40 countries today along the historic Tsunoda with a lifetime achievement award during a cer- were showcased at the First Raqs-e Qalam International land and maritime Silk Roads, all still bearing witness emony held at Iran’s Cultural Office in Japan. Exhibition and Conference of the Silk Road Calligraphy in to the impact of these routes in their cultures, traditions Hisako Tsunoda received an honorary diploma of the a virtual exhibition, which officially opened in the north- and customs.

This combination photo features images of Jamshid Hashempur (Up Left), Masud Oskui (Down Left), Ali Ansarian (UP Right) and Mobarak Puppet Theater Festival honors winners Heshmat Mohajerani. 1 The award-giving ceremony began Utterance: Technique Acquisition at a at Viktor & Rolf Fashion Shows” and The festival opened with a tribute to The organizers will also pay tribute to actor and former footballer with honoring the winners in the photo Puppet Theater” by Haruka Okui. Mir Mohammadreza Heidari and Salma puppet show director Golzar Mohammadi, Ali Ansarian who died of COVID-19 last month. section. The winners honored in this sec- Parto Purqarai was honored for trans- Mohseni for “A Review of the Historical who was the secretary of the 18th edition The Iranian honorees of the Milano International FICTS Festival, tion were Maryam Qahremanizadeh for lation of “The Puppet as a Paradigm of the Course of the Wood Horse Game in of the festival. which is dedicated to sports movies, will also be honored at the her photo collections of the puppet shows Contemporary Living Body” by Noemie Iran and its Mythical Roots as One of The 42-year-old puppeteer died in closing ceremony that will take place at the Enqelab Sports Complex. “Love Puppet Opera” and “A Small Theater Lorentz, and Amin Mohammadi for “Pup- the Types of Puppets in Iran”. March 2020 after months of suffering The Federation Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs from the End of the World”. pet as a Pedagogical Tool: A Literature The third award was given to Faezeh from cancer. (FICTS) is the organizer of the sports film festival, which is a Seyyed Zia Safavian was honored for Review” by Tarja Krogera and Anne-Maria Shahhosseini for the article “Avatars of A lineup of 57 Iranian puppet shows part of the World FICTS Challenge that runs in 16 countries photo collection “Hug Me before Slip- Nupponen. Plasticity of Imagination”. were selected to be performed during the around the world. pers Come” and “Song of the Sun and In the compilation section, Moham- The winners of the playwriting section festival running from February 28 to March The Iranian edition of the festival is held in collaboration the Moon”. mad Ohadi took first place for the article were Milad Hosseini for writing the play 7 available at Tiwall, Namayeshnet and with Iran’s National Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Iran’s Mehdi Ashena was also honored for “The Way of Dancing Soul: A Phenome- “Haftvad Fortress”, Reza Garshasb for Hashure, the Iranian platforms providing Ministry of Sports and Youth, IRIB, Cinema Organization of Iran his photo collection of the puppet shows nological Review on Doll’s Restlessness “Matati” and Baqer Sorush for “Dash Akol”. video on demand (VOD) service for films. and Qeshm Free Zone Organization. “Exuvia” and “It Doesn’t Take Me”. in Contemporary Man”. The veteran artists of Puppet Theater, However, “Babysitter Curtain” from A lineup of features, short films, animations and documentaries The winners of the translation section The second award was shared by Iraj Mohammadi and Mohammad-Hassan Brazil and “Somewhere Else” from Slovenia with central themes of Olympic, Paralympic, sports and struggle with were Majid Kianian for translation of the Negin Kashfi for the article “Fashion Abuyi Mehrizi, were also honored with were also staged online at the festival on drug addiction as well as local and regional games were competing article “Transforming Body, Emerging shows as Puppet Shows, with a Glance lifetime achievement awards. the last two days. in this edition of the festival with 700 films from 54 countries. McDonagh’s black comedy “Behanding in Spokane” goes on stage in Tehran Tehran Japan Cultural ARTTEHRAN – Irish playwright Martin The play premiered at the Schoenfeld Theatre on Broad- Month goes online deskMcDonagh’s the 2010 black comedy way in 2010. “A Behanding in Spokane” is on stage at Tehran’s Divare Iranian director Ahmad Bistuni directed “A Behanding in ARTTEHRAN — The Japan Cultural Month 2021 Chaharom. Spokane” at Tehran’s Mehregan Theater in January 2020. deskopened online on February 28 to showcase a number Rojin Karimlu is the director of the play starring Ali-Asghar Earlier in 2016, Siavash Bahadori-rad staged the play at musical performances and art exhibitions for the Iranian audience. Sarai, Mohammad Hemmati, Elaheh Lari and Ali Tabibi. Teharn’s Arghanun Theater. In a platform designed by the Embassy of Japan in Tehran, Set in Spokane, Washington, this is McDonagh’s first play McDonagh’s play “The Pillowman” has also been per- Japanese artists have been invited to teach origami, the Persian that takes place in the United States. Toby has a hand that formed by Iranian theater troupes over the past few years. service of IRNA reported on Monday. he’d like to sell Carmichael for the right price. Marilyn wishes Mohammad Yaqubi and Aida Keikhai co-directed the A number of Japanese chefs and Iranian martial arts experts will that Toby had never stolen that hand from the museum. play at the 2nd International Festival of Martin McDonagh organized workshops, and several documentaries produced at NHK, Mervyn thinks Marilyn is pretty hot. He works reception, in Perm, Russia in 2016. Japan Broadcasting Corporation, are scheduled to be screened. though he wouldn’t call himself a receptionist. Life and “The Pillowman” tells the story of a writer who is inter- The organizers are slated to hold a mini-short film competition death are up for grabs, and fate is governed by imbeciles rogated about her short stories and their similarities to a on the theme of “What things make me as a Japanese in Tehran and madmen. number of child murders occurring in his town. feel at home?” “A Behanding in Spokane” turns over American daily Ali Sarabi restage “The Pillowman” at Tehran’s Vahdat The organizers have also asked the Iranian audience to take existence, exposing the obsessions, prejudices, madness, A poster Martin McDonagh’s black comedy “A Hall during April 2020. He directed the play at Tehran’s part in a poll to help improve the next Japanese festivals in Iran. horrors and, above all, absurdities that crawl beneath it. Behanding in Spokane” at Tehran’s Divare Chaharom. Shahrzad Theater the summer 2019. In order to promote mutual understanding between Iranian and Japanese people, the two countries organize mutual cultural events every year. The Japanese capital of Tokyo in Minato City on August “Humankind: A Hopeful History” by Rutger Bregman appears in Persian 2020 hosted the 3rd Iranian Film Festival, which opened by screening “Villa Dwellers”, Monir Qeidi’s debut feature film CULTURE TEHRAN – A new But what if it isn’t true? International it’s realistic. on the Iran-Iraq 1980-1988 war. deskPersian translation bestseller Rutger Bregman provides new Moreover, it has huge implications for The festival was organized by the Iranian Culture Center and of “Humankind: A Hopeful History” perspective on the past 200,000 years how society functions. When we think Farabi Cinema Foundation in collaboration with the Motion by Rutger Bregman has recently been of , setting out to prove the worst of people, it brings out the Picture Producers Association of Japan and UNIJAPAN, a non- published by Logos Publications. that we are hardwired for kindness, worst in our politics and economics. But profit organization that organizes the Tokyo International Film The book has been translated into geared toward cooperation rather than if we believe in the reality of humanity’s Festival and promotes Japanese films abroad. Persian by Sohrab Khalili Shurini. competition, and more inclined to trust kindness and altruism, it will form the In December 2017 and January 2018, the Iranian cities If there is one belief that has united rather than distrust one another. In fact foundation for achieving true change of Tehran and Kashan played host to the Japanese Cultural the left and the right, psychologists and this instinct has a firm evolutionary basis in society, a case that Bregman makes Month, which opened with a duet by Ichitaro, the renowned philosophers, ancient thinkers and going back to the beginning of Homo convincingly with his signature wit, Japanese taiko-drummer, and shinobue virtuoso Koji Kishida modern ones, it is the tacit assumption Sapiens. refreshing frankness, and memorable at Tehran’s Arasbaran Cultural Center. that humans are bad. It’s a notion that From the real-life Lord of the Flies storytelling. Performing Japanese folk music concerts and the Japanese drives newspaper headlines and guides to the solidarity in the aftermath of the Rutger Bregman, a historian and tea ceremony and holding origami workshops were some of the laws that shape our lives. From Blitz, the hidden flaws in the Stanford writer at The Correspondent, is one of the programs arranged for the festival. Machiavelli to Hobbes, Freud to Pinker, prison experiment to the true story of twin Europe’s most prominent young thinkers. Paintings by a number of Japanese artists, photos of tourist the roots of this belief have sunk deep brothers on opposite sides who helped His last book, “Utopia for Realists”, which attractions of the country and a collection cultural products into Western thought. Human beings, Mandela end apartheid, Bregman shows was translated into thirty-two languages, Front cover of the Persian translation were also showcased in an exhibition during the festival, which we’re taught, are by nature selfish and us that believing in human generosity is a New York Times bestseller. He lives of “Humankind: A Hopeful History” by was organized by the Japan Foundation. governed primarily by self-interest. and collaboration isn’t merely optimistic, in Holland. Rutger Bregman.