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12 Pages Price 50,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 42nd year No.13720 Sunday JULY 26, 2020 Mordad 5, 1399 Dhul Hijjah 5, 1441 Muharram rituals to U.S. agents occupy Golmohammadi Mahmudi brothers to make be held by observing Chinese consulate dedicates IPL title to series on coronavirus for healthcare protocols 3 in Houston 10 Persepolis fans 11 IRIB release 12

Free hepatitis care on agenda, end of Syria: U.S. move against disease by 2030 By Faranak Bakhtiari Organization,” Rashid Ramezani, head TEHRAN – Iran is planning to provide of the hepatitis of the infectious diseases free diagnosis and treatment services to management department of the Ministry people who are suffering from hepatitis of Health, explained. Iranian plane is a terrorist act and eradicate the disease by 2030. “Some 1.5 million Iranians are di- “By 2030, if we could reduce the in- agnosed with hepatitis B and less than cidence of hepatitis by up to 90 percent 200,000 people with hepatitis C; nearly See page 2 and decrease mortality by 65 percent, we 3,000 people are infected with hepatitis would have implemented the elimination C each year,” he stated, IRNA reported program as planned by the World Health on Saturday. 9 Lebanon to sue U.S. for harassing Iranian plane Iran, Uzbekistan stress expansion of transport ties UN: ‘Safety of civilian TEHRAN — During a meeting of Iran-Uz- as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Iran, and bekistan Joint Road Transportation the representative of Iran’s Embassy in air travel should be Committee held via video conference, the Uzbekistan. Iranian and Uzbek officials emphasized Addressing the virtual meeting, the respected by all’ the significance of boosting bilateral ties Iranian deputy transport minister said in transportation sector, IRNA reported that expansion of economic relations on Saturday. between Iran and Uzbekistan has been As reported, the meeting was at- always emphasized by the two sides’ se- tended by Iran’s Deputy Transport nior officials, and in this due, boosting Minister Abdolhashem Hassan-Nia transport ties between the two countries is and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of seriously pursued by the Iranian Transport Transport Davron Dekhkanov, as well Ministry. 4

Iran, Tunisia to expand tourism ties TEHRAN – Iran and Tunisia have recently saying on Saturday. signed a memorandum of understating Despite the spread of the corona- (MOU) to expand tourism ties despite virus in the world and restrictions on the coronavirus pandemic. international tourism communications, The MOU was inked by Iran’s ambas- tourism ministry tries to achieve its goals

sador to Tunisia Mohammadreza Rauf of foreign tourism development through Sheibani and Tunisian Minister of Tourism the ambassadors and representatives of Mohamed Ali Toumi, ILNA quoted Iran’s Iran in the target countries, the official File photo deputy tourism chief Vali Teymouri as added. 8

ARTICLE COI director calls on Resistance filmfest to Protests hit Portland for 56th day; Trump Yuram Abdullah Weiler promote culture of resistance in region plans ‘surge’ of agents Analyst and journalist TEHRAN – Director of the Cinema Organ- concepts of the Islamic Revolution.” By staff & agencies and other cities not to use disproportionate ization of Iran has called on the organizers The director of the festival, Mehdi Az- The U.S. city of Portland witnessed another force or unlawful detention against protesters. of the Resistance International Film Festival imi Mirabadi, said that the event has been night of anti-racism rallies on Friday, with The deployment of federal troops, ordered by Trump’s troops: to put their focus on plans for promoting welcomed by filmmakers around the world thousands of protesters calling for an end to President Donald Trump, has drawn widespread the culture of resistance in the region. based on the numerous submissions the police brutality and racial injustice. backlash from various popular rights groups and Fast forwarding “Iran is the motherland of resistance and organizers have received. The demonstrators, for the 56th consecutive organizations, pitting state authorities against the Resistance festival can and should be The 16th edition of the Resistance In- day, flocked to the streets in Portland, Oregon, the White House. fascism across the promoter of the culture of resistance ternational Film Festival is scheduled to and peacefully marched to the federal court- Democratic leaders in Oregon say federal in the region,” Hossein Entezami said in take place in Tehran from September 21 house late on Friday. intervention has worsened the two-month America a meeting with the organizers of the 16th to 27. They chanted slogans against federal agents crisis, and the state attorney general sued to n a brash show of force to pro- edition of the Resistance International Film The festival has allocated a special sec- that have been deployed to the city by the US allege some people had been whisked off the mote a “law and order” image, Festival on Saturday. tion to films on health workers this year. administration to quell protests triggered by the streets in unmarked vehicles. rogue U.S. President Donald “This festival should play a key role in The category named “Health Defenders” brutal murder of unarmed African American Trump announced plans on Wednesday to I developing and naturalizing the culture has been established in honor of the medical George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody dispatch a “surge” of federal agents to U.S. cities Trump has dispatched federal troops to Portland, Oregon to quell ongoing of resistance, and also provide patterns workers on the front line of the campaign in May. amid widening crackdown on anti-racism protests. protests against racism and police for producing films in the future,” he against COVID-19. The federal forces once again fired teargas The U.S. president, who is running for re-elec- brutality. The city’s mayor, who had added. It also plans to honor innovative film- canisters and rubber bullets on a number of tion in November on a campaign of law and not requested assistance from the He said, “The Cinema Organization of makers with the Rasul Award named after occasions to break up the rallies. order, has threatened to deploy federal forces federal government, joined with pro- Iran strongly supports the festival, because the Iranian war film director Rasul Mol- The UN human rights office has already called in more “Democrat-run cities” accused of being testors only to become a victim of a it deems resistance as one of the valuable laqolipur. on U.S. police and security forces in Portland soft on crime. 10 tear gas attack himself. Trump has vowed to dispatch troops to Chicago, Albuquerque and other American Euro-Med Monitor calls on ICAO to investigate U.S. harassment of Iranian plane Persian Gulf states cities to suppress protestors, which he characterizes as violent, left-wing TEHRAN — The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights of civilian passengers,” he added, according to put lives of civilians in danger. working hard to cause extremists. Monitor has said the United States’ harassment of Euro-Med Monitor’s website. The Montreal Convention of 1971 and its sup- Since the brutal extrajudicial execution an Iranian passenger plane over Syria on Thursday A number of the Iranian plane’s passengers plementary protocol stipulate that, “unlawful acts clash between Turkey of George Floyd by Minneapolis, Minnesota evening constitutes a serious violation of international were injured, including children, the elderly and against the safety of civil aviation jeopardize the and Egypt over Libya: police on May 25, 2020, protests have erupted agreements relating to the safety of civil aviation. women, as the pilot took the aircraft to a lower safety of persons and property, seriously affect across America demanding an end to vicious Euro-Med Monitor’s legal adviser Tariq Hajjar altitude. The American jet came within 100 meters the operation of air services, and undermine the Turkish analyst has said that “the U.S. military command’s descrip- of the Iranian plane. confidence of the peoples of the world in the and violent law enforcement policies and By Mohammad Mazhari procedures. Unified calls by demonstrators tion of the incident as ‘professional’ is inaccurate.” According to the Convention for the Suppres- safety of civil aviation… Considering that, for to defund police and transfer badly needed “It is not professional for an armed military sion of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil the purpose of deterring such acts, there is an The assassination of Jamal Khashoggi on October funds to programs that meet more press- plane to harass a civilian plane that poses no Aviation of 1971 (referred to as the Montreal urgent need to provide appropriate measures 2, 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to ing social needs, such as expanding health danger at all, thus endangering the lives of dozens Convention), the incident is a criminal act as it for punishment of offenders…” 3 political conflict between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. care and educational facilities, have been Ankara blamed Crown Prince Muhammad bin met with a show of force by the radical, fas- Salman over the killing and stagnation in Saudi-Turk- cist-leaning Trump regime. On May 29, ish relations. Trump exposed his sentiments by posting Army general Interestingly, the pro-government Turkish media a slogan borrowed from a racist U.S. police recently shifted their focus from the Saudi crown chief, which read “when the looting starts, visits military prince to Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Mohammed the shooting starts.” bin Zayed, and described him as the actual evil man Having bungled the effort to control the who is stirring up hostility against Turkey. COVID-19 pandemic in America and wit- production Nevertheless, the latest conflicts between Turkey nessing declining numbers in the political and the UAE-Saudi bloc is over Libya. polls, Trump has settled upon a re-election center While the Egyptian parliament on July 20 gave a campaign strategy of inciting violence in TEHRAN — Deputy Chief of the Iranian Army green light for possible military intervention in Libya, inner cities and then cracking down hard for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Say- Erdogan’s top security adviser, Ibrahim Kalin, warned with heavily-armed federal personnel. In his yari paid a visit to an army production center any Egyptian deployment in Libya would hamper ef- first attempt at promulgating his tough, “law that produces medical equipment required to forts to end the fighting and would be risky for Cairo. and order” image, Trump coerced Pentagon combat Covid-19. “I believe it will be a dangerous military adven- officials, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and “Initially, the purpose of our visit was ture for Egypt,” Aljazeera quoted Kalin as saying. Joint Chief chairman Mark Milley, to walk to evaluate the capability and expertise of Yassin Aktay, the Turkish president’s advisor, with him across the street from the White this center’s staff in the combat against the accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of inciting the House to St. John’s Episcopal Church as Park coronavirus, and to assess the production of Egyptian president to “invade and occupy Libya Police and other agencies forcibly cleared a disinfectants and masks in the center and to on their behalf”. path through peaceful protestors with tear- improve our preparations,” IRNA quoted the In this regard, Onur Sinan Güzaltan, a Turkish lawyer gas, flash-bang grenades and pepper balls. Aref Fathi commander as saying on Saturday during a tells the Tehran Times that “some Persian Gulf (Arab) Trump denied the use of tear gas, despite visit to the army’s Shahid Zarharn Center for countries, and the United Arab Emirates in particular, being clearly visible, and even demanded are doing their best to cause a clash between Turkey Mehr/ Optimization, Renovation and Construction and Egypt over Libya, with the mentorship they got a retraction by “every news organization of Parts. 2 which reported the tear gas lie.” 7 from the United States and Israel.” 7 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS JULY 26, 2020

Lebanon to sue U.S. for Tehran-Beijing partnership is ‘a turning harassing Iranian plane

POLITICAL TEHRAN — Lebanese Health Minister Hamad deskHassan announced on Saturday that Lebanon point’, says Iran’s ex-ambassador to UN will file an international lawsuit against the United States for its harassment of an Iranian passenger plane over Syria. POLITICAL TEHRAN — The 25-year Therefore, the 25-year cooperation is “I will spare no means to file a complaint in any international deskcooperation agreement a “very good opportunity,” the former top forum or court to obtain the right of these citizens who were between Iran and China marks a “turning diplomat remarked. terrorized on board this peaceful Iranian civil plane,” Hassan point” in the development of bilateral ties, “During the last two decades, China has told al-Alam news network in a televised interview. Iran’s former ambassador to the UN has said, made extraordinary progress in technological, noting that the cooperation is of “strategic” industrial and knowledge-based sectors, and importance. now it’s the largest exporter to the European “The cooperation with China is strategic, Union, the U.S., Germany and Japan,” he and that the U.S. has failed to isolate Iran,” explained. Gholamali Khoshroo told the IRIB news “On the other hand, due to Iran’s strategic agency on Saturday. oil and gas reserves and its position in the He said that the 25-year cooperation plan Persian Gulf, we can have a very extensive is a roadmap for the two countries to take cooperation with China under this agree- advantage of their capabilities to expand the ment,” added the former envoy. regional and bilateral cooperation. Khoshroo further said that China is no “Because of its economic position over longer a closed agricultural society. Instead, the last two decades, China is now the sec- he said, it’s making a very fast progress in ond-largest economy in the world, and if it various sectors and this is why the U.S. has continues this way, it will become the world’s adopted a confrontational policy against it. first economy,” noted the former envoy, add- “One of the reasons of the U.S. opposition ing that the Islamic Republic if Iran can be to China is that the U.S. has reached a con- Two U.S. warplanes dangerously came close to Mahan Air’s China’s big trade partner, given its oil and clusion that China, with its current pace of Airbus A310 passenger plane over Syria on Thursday, forcing gas reserves as well as its petrochemicals. progress, will become the world’s first economy the pilot to suddenly change altitude to avoid a collision. The Iran and China are negotiating over a within 5 years, and will surpass the U.S. after plane was en route from Tehran to Beirut. At least 12 people long-term cooperation agreement that is plan,” Rabiei added. and development of infrastructure, including a century, ” the former diplomat pointed out. onboard were injured. Iran strongly denounced the U.S. move yet to be finalized. The cabinet of Hassan In a cabinet meeting on June 21, Rouhani the large ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, and an He further said, “The U.S. opposes this as a “terrorist act” and submitted a letter of complaint to the Rouhani approved the draft of the 25-year elaborated on the strategic partnership, saying opportunity to attract investment in various level of cooperation between Iran and China, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). comprehensive cooperation plan on June that the agreement is a positive step towards economic fields, including industry, tourism, as it believes that with this agreement,... the The minister also considered the interception of the Iranian 21 and tasked Foreign Minister Mohammad increasing the importance of global energy information technology, and communication,” Islamic Republic of Iran will further expand plane by American jet fighters as an infringement of the inter- Javad Zarif with negotiating with China over and sustainable development of oil and gas the presidential website quoted Rouhani as its ties with the international community.” national civil aviation rules and a violation of all international the plan in order to finalize it. resources, as well as renewable energy and saying. Khoshroo went further to say that the norms and conventions. Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said joint investment in free zones. Khoshroo also said that the Belt and Road U.S. is an isolated country that keep bullying He also called the interception a “flagrant aggression”, adding on June 23 that Iran and China have draft- “This cooperation is a ground for Iran Initiative (BRI) can bring Iran and China other countries. that Lebanon will soon take an official stance towards the incident. ed the plan for comprehensive partnership and China’s participation in basic projects closer together. The U.S. is saddened to see that its policies Hassan visited some of the plane passengers who are receiving and it is based on a win-win approach which have failed, and as a result of its pressure on treatment in a Beirut hospital for the injuries they sustained “heralds long term cooperation”. Iran, Tehran is making a 25-year deal with during the U.S. harassment of the Iranian plane. He wished “Recognizing cultural commonalities, Khoshroo says the Belt and Road China, the former ambassador remarked, them a speedy recovery. encouraging multilateralism, supporting Initiative (BRI) can bring Iran and China adding the U.S. also feels that its “foolish UN: ‘Safety of civilian air travel should be respect- equal rights of the nations, and insisting closer together. and naive plans” against Iran have gone up ed by all’ on domestic development are parts of this in smoke. The United Nations also urged all countries to respect the safety of civilian air travel, without referring to the United States. “As a matter of, of principle, the safety of civilian air travel should be respected by all,” said UN spokesman Stephane Du- Iran-China partnership shows futility of maximum pressure: article jarric during a daily press briefing on Friday, when he was asked about the incident. “To avoid even worse failure in the future, we must change course immediately,” the writer says Dujarric stressed that the world body had “no specific in- formation on that incident” yet, adding that what he said about By staff and agency “United States will continue to impose costs on Chinese the safety of civilian air travel was “just a principled position”. Writing an article in the Business Insider on July 22, Daniel companies that aid Iran.” On Friday, Lebanese Hezbollah also condemned as “dangerous L. Davis, a senior fellow for Defense Priorities and a former “But towards what end?” asked the writer. and terrorist” the U.S. harassment of Mahan Air’s Beirut-bound Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army, acknowledges that the 25-year “The cost of our failed strategy is now expanding to the plane, calling on the international community to take a stance cooperation plan between Iran and China shows futility of point that it not only fails at its intended purpose but has on the U.S. harassment. Washington’s policy of maximum pressure against Iran. expanded to include strengthening bonds between our In a statement released on Friday, Hezbollah described the “This month, it was reported that China and Iran had all adversaries at our expense,” the retired Lt. Col remarked. attack as “terrorist and dangerous that could have unknown but completed a long-rumored security and economic pact, “It is crucial, therefore, that we stop repeating failure and repercussions on the entire region.” again showing the consequences of our steadfast refusal to start using more powerful and beneficial tools of statecraft. The U.S. interception of the Iranian plane carrying on board recognize the futility of the ‘maximum pressure’ campaign We will always have a need to back up any diplomacy with a Lebanese passengers requires an international stance, Hezbollah against Iran which relies on sanctions and the threat of mighty military, but it’s time to rediscover effective diplo- said, underlining that the U.S. is an occupation power in the military attack,” says L. Davis. macy, of engaging in more open discussions where others Syrian territories and airspace. “To avoid even worse failure in the future, we must change can come out with something they want, and start allowing 25-year strategic partnership deal between Iran and China, course immediately,” L. Davis wrote in the article titled other countries to take responsibility for their own security.” saying the deal is a “massive failure” of the U.S. maximum “A deal between Iran and China shows that ‘getting tough’ Former Pakistani army chief General Mirza Aslam Beg pressure policy against Tehran. Army general visits military doesn’t solve the US’s problems”. has said that Iran-China 25-year cooperation plan shows “U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration pursued “The deal between Beijing and Tehran extends into the failure of the U.S. policy of maximum pressure on Tehran. a policy of economic sanctions in an attempt to bring Iran production center ‘sectors of trade, economy, politics, culture and security’ “Tehran-Beijing partnership shows the United States’ to the negotiating table, but such approach pushed Tehran and is reportedly worth $400 billion over 25 years,” the strategic failure and the country’s policy of maximum pres- towards signing an accord with Beijing rather than Wash- 1 Rear Admiral Sayyari said that producing face masks writer said. sure,” IRNA quoted Aslam Beg as saying on Friday in an ington,” The Chicago Tribune wrote. and other medical gear is not part of the center’s original mission, It is said in the article that to a New York Times request article published by the Pakistani media. “The new China-Iran partnership represents a massive but it’s doing so to help combat the novel coronavirus. for a response, a State Department spokesman said the A U.S. newspaper has underlined the importance of the failure of the administration’s Iran policy,” it said. He also said that the center produces a variety of military equipment including tanks, armored personnel carriers, air defense systems, aircrafts Syrian ambassador: U.S. move against Iranian plane is a terrorist act and boats. POLITICAL TEHRAN – The Syrian ist actions against civilians, including Syrian people’s wealth, insisting on the board in danger. According to the command- deskambassador to Tehran women and children, and is also vio- need that all foreign forces who are ille- Syria’s permanent representative to er, these productions are in line has said that the harassment against the lation of law and international agree- gally in Syria leave the country. the United Nations has said that the with the instructions that they Iranian passenger plane in the Syrian ments on non-military flights,” Adnan He said the presence of occupation United States must be held accountable follow to meet their needs and sky by the United States was a terrorist Hassan Mahmoud said in a statement forces in Syria threatens “security and for threatening the Iranian passenger achieve independence in terms act against the innocent civilians. on Saturday. stability in the region”. plane, noting presence of the U.S. forces of producing arms. “Harassment against the Iranian pas- Mahmoud also said the aggressive Two U.S. warplanes conducted danger- in Syria is “an illegal occupation”. Sayyari also stated that the senger plane of Mahan airline by the action against the Iranian civilian flight ous and aggressive maneuvering closed to “It is not a presence, it is an occupation center produces parts needed United States’ fighter jets in Syria’s sky was in line with the United States’ actions an Iranian airliner on Thursday, putting according to international law,” IRNA by many civilian firms. is a symbol of the United States’ terror- in supporting terrorism and looting the lives of tens of civilian passengers on quoted him as saying on Saturday. “Before the [1979 Islamic] revolution, foreign forces were in charge of repairing [our equipment], but today we are proud that all software and hardware repairs are done by our own Ex-diplomat says harassing Iranian passenger plane is in line with maximum pressure forces, and this is one of the blessings of the revolution. Today POLITICAL TEHRAN – Abdolreza Farajirad, Iran’s He said that Iran should send letter to heads of European we are not in need of any country in this regard,” pointed out the deskformer ambassador to Norway, has said countries as well as Russia and China and explain about general who served as Navy chief for some years. that the harassment against the Iranian passenger plane by the danger of such moves. a United States’ fighter jets was in line with Washington’s ‘No one has let the U.S. inspect passenger plane’ policy of maximum pressure against Iran. Farajirad also said that no one has let the U.S. inspect This reckless behavior has to end In an interview with IRNA published on Saturday, he passenger planes of other countries. said that the U.S. adventurism and pressure have become “Presence of the United States’ forces in Syria and also As more information comes out about this incident, it is obvious more dangerous as the presidential election in the country its fighter jets’ air missions are illegal,” he noted. the pilot of the Iranian passenger airplane must be given a is getting close. U.S. warplanes operating illegally in Syria conducted medal. For averting the U.S. reckless provocation, for saving However, the former ambassador noted that the U.S. aggressive maneuvers close to an Iranian Mahan Air flight his passengers and for preventing what could have escalated has not been able to reach its objective through maximum over Syria’s al-Tanf region on Thursday. The plane was en into an unavoidable destructive confrontation, none of us wants pressure. route to the Lebanese capital, Beirut. to see in our region. Elsewhere, Farajirad said, “The United States’ dangerous Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations Had the worst happened, it is unlikely that Iran would have actions against Iran have been coordinated with Israel has said that the United States must be held accountable been able, or expected to tolerate another downing of its passenger and it seems that Washington and Tel Aviv have divided for threatening the Iranian passenger plane. aircraft by U.S. forces in the region. The first was also in July, the job. Even there is possibility that the actions against response.” “If we don’t call them accountable [for] this act, they 1988 by USS Vincennes over the Persian Gulf waters. the Mahan plane was done by Israelis but it was carried He suggested that the international community must will repeat it again,” IRNA quoted Bashar al-Jaafari as Responsible and right thinking Americans, before some out by the United States, because Israel is fearful of Iran’s condemn the U.S. act. saying on Friday. catastrophic incident happens, must act to rein in the cowboy mentality and thuggery that seems to direct America’s current regime. It is not patriotic nor should it be considered “American” to sit silently as your government acts irresponsibly globally Harassment of Iranian plane amounts to ‘aerial banditry’: human rights official to serve its short term electoral objectives or internal political TEHRAN (Tasnim) — The Head of of aerial banditry and a serious threat to in violation of aviation security, freedom of seriously pursue the case against those who fights, even to American’s own detriment. It is one thing to allow the Iranian Judiciary’s High Council for global aviation security, saying lack of civilian flights, and the fundamental and ordered, perpetrated, aided and abetted Coronavirus politicization and circus for partisan and media Human Rights slammed the harassment of severe action against such an American basic rules and principles of international the harassment of the Iranian jetliner for benefits, it is quite another to push global events dangerously an Iranian passenger plane by two American move would violate international peace humanitarian law.” the threat of violation of the passengers’ to the edge of the cliff. fighter jets over Syria as a brazen example and security. Baqeri-Kani also emphasized that right to life and for the physical and mental Responsible people, especially those who claim they have of aerial banditry. Denouncing the U.S. government the Iranian Judiciary will resort to the damages to them. freedoms of expression denied others, should demonstrate how In remarks on Friday, Ali Baqeri-Kani for “systematic rudeness” in breaching domestic legal procedures, such as the “law Prosecution of the violators of public they can use that freedom to control the forces they have unleashed denounced the dangerous maneuvering international rules and regulations, he said, on counteraction against the violation of rights will be on the agenda of the Iranian on the rest of the global community. It’s not just your right to do by the U.S. warplanes close to the Iranian “The terrorist CENTCOM’s harassment of human rights and the U.S.’s adventurist Judiciary at the international level according so; more important, it is your obligation to do so. airliner in the Syrian airspace as an example the Iranian passenger plane over Syria was and terrorist measures in the region,” to to the law, Baqeri-Kani concluded. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 26,26, 20202020 IRAN IN FOCUS 3

U.S. must be held accountable for Muharram rituals to be held by observing healthcare threatening Iranian passenger plane: Syria protocols: Rouhani POLITICAL TEHRAN — President Hassan Rouhani said on POLITICAL TEHRAN — Syria’s per- “This act number one was violation of desk deskmanent representative to international law, violation of the Chi- Saturday that Muharram mourning rituals will the United Nations has said that the United cago Convention” to which the United be held with observing healthcare protocols and social distancing. States must be held accountable for threating States is an integrated party, the Syrian During a meeting of the National Task Force for Fighting the Iranian passenger plane. envoy noted. Coronavirus, Rouhani said that the mourning ceremony of Imam “If we don’t call them accountable [for] The Chicago Convention, a convention Hussein (AS) must be held throughout the country gloriously this act, they will repeat it again,” IRNA quot- on International Civil Aviation signed by 54 with precise observation of healthcare protocols. ed Bashar al-Jaafari as saying on Saturday. states at Chicago on December 7, 1944, was The president noted that the ritual should be held in a way On the U.S. presence in Syria and Wash- established to promote cooperation and “create that it will not give a pretext to the enemies, but make Iran a ington’s claim that it is fighting the terror- and preserve friendship and understanding role model for other countries and Shiites who hold mourning ists in the war-torn country, Jaafari said the among the nations and peoples of the world,” ceremony for Imam Hussein (AS). presence of U.S. forces in Syria is “an illegal according to ICAO. During the Muharram rituals, millions of Muslims commemo- occupation”. “They didn’t even respect their own com- rate martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson “It is not a presence, it is an occupation” mitments towards the safety of the civilian of Prophet Muhammad. in accordance with international law, the airlines,” he said while referring to the Chi- ambassador added. cago Convention signed in the Unites States. On Thursday night, U.S. warplanes oper- “This is not the first time that they are U.S., Israel concerned about ating illegally in Syria conducted aggressive threatening the safety of the Iranian passen- maneuvering close to an Iranian Mahan Air gers,” he said, pointing to the year of 1988 Iran’s influence in West Asia: flight over Syria’s al-Tanf region. when they [American forces] shot down the Mahan Air’s Flight 1152 had taken off from Iranian passenger plane over the Persian ex-diplomat Tehran and was en route to the Lebanese Gulf and killed 290. capital, Beirut, when the incident happened. The Syrian envoy stressed that incidents POLITICAL TEHRAN — The United States and Israel are desk Iran said harassing a passenger plane is a should not be forgotten, because “If we concerned about Iran’s influence in West Asia, violation of the principles of international law. don’t hold them accountable to this act, says a former Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman. “The harassment of the Iranian passenger their acts through the Syrian territory, are aggressive policy towards the Iranian ci- they will repeat it.” The American and Israeli officials feel that their plans for the plane by U.S. warplanes constitutes clear illegal and should be condemned. vilian airliner.” He appreciated the speech made by Iran’s region have no result, Ramin Mehmanparast said in an interview violation of international law as well as avi- He further said, “Condemnation actually “This act was a double criminal act” that Ambassador and Permanent Representative with ILNA published on Saturday. ation standards and regulations,” Iran Civil is a legal term but it is not enough to qual- was not done accidentally, he said , adding to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi Referring to the recent incidents to Mahan Air passenger plane, Aviation Organization said in a statement. ify exactly the aggressive act represented rather it was due to “cowboy mentality” of to the UN Security Council on Thursday for the ex-diplomat added, “In order to keep the Islamic Republic of It also urged the ICAO to look into the by the American occupation of part of a the United States. describing the U.S. unilateral sanctions against Iran away from the region, they do not even hesitate to threaten issue as soon as possible. Syrian territory.” The ambassador stressed, “It wasn’t the Syrian people as “shameful”. our passenger planes.” In his remarks, Jaafari said that all U.S. “Here we can understand much better only addressed towards violating the Syri- Jaafari thanked Iran for stressing that all Mehmanparast, who also served as Iran’s ambassador to Poland, acts, which include jeopardizing safety of what they did yesterday to the Iranian ci- an sovereignty, but it was also jeopardizing foreign forces whose presence is not permitted said, “They shaped the biggest anti-human terrorist movement civil airliner or jeopardizing the safety of the vilian airliner of Mahan Air company,” he the safety of civilian airlines crossing the by the Syrian government must leave the in our region; we will not forget the crimes committed by Daesh Syrian people or helping the terrorists expand said, describing such act as “the American Syrian airspace.” Syrian territory. group (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.” He said the presidential election in the U.S. is approaching fast “and Trump is not in a strong position due to his failed policies in the regional and domestic sectors, including the fight against ‘We are witnessing international and moral decline of United States’ coronavirus, as well as the racist debate that he and his friends POLITICAL TEHRAN — The Office for the Protection law and can be pursued in related international bodies,” have supported.” deskof the Interests of the Islamic Republic of said the tweet. So Washington is trying to divert the public opinion from Iran in Cairo has said in a tweet that the world is witnessing In a statement on Thursday night, Iranian Foreign realities, he added. the United States’ international and moral decline. Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Iran will take Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador to the Vienna-based “The United States’ fighter jets harassed Iranian pas- the necessary political and legal actions once the investi- international organizations, said on Friday that threatening ordi- senger airline in the Syrian sky. A country which was once a gation is completed. nary people, including children and women, to achieve political superpower harasses a passenger airline. We are witnessing Laya Joneidi, the presidential aide for legal affairs, has gains is the dirtiest kind of politics that will surely fail. international and moral decline of the United States,” said also said the action against the passenger plane is a violation Mahan Air passenger plane was en route to Beirut, Lebanon, the tweet, ISNA reported on Saturday. of the principles of international law. when it was threatened by two military jets. The pilot of the Iranian The U.S. warplanes conducted aggressive maneuvering She said the actions taken by the U.S. fighters are a plane has said when he was talking to the pilots of the fighter close to the Beirut-bound Iranian passenger airplane on violation of Articles 3 and 44 of the International Civil jets to ask them to keep their distance, to which they replied that Thursday. The incident involved two warplanes and Mahan Aviation Convention (Chicago Convention). they were “American”. Air’s Flight 1152 which had taken off from Tehran and was According to Joneidi, the explanations provided so far On Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said a protest had been en route to the Lebanese capital. are unjustified and unconvincing, so the actions taken lodged with the International Civil Aviation Organization – a ‘Harassing Iranian airline violates intl. law’ by the fighters will cause the international responsibility UN agency – and the Swiss embassy in Tehran that handles U.S. Also in a tweet on Friday, Iran’s embassy in Japan said of their respective governments and will lead to legal affairs in Iran since ties were cut in the aftermath of the 1979 that the U.S. harassment of the Iranian passenger plane “The United States’ action in harassing the Iranian Mahan action by Iran, including in the ICAO Council and the Islamic revolution. violates international law. airline in a third country is clear violation of international International Court of Justice (ICJ). The United Nations also urged all countries to respect the safety of civilian air travel, without referring to the United States. “As a matter of, of principle, the safety of civilian air travel should be respected by all,” said UN spokesman Stephane Du- Victims of terror slam Iran Iran to ‘decisively respond’ to U.S. jarric during a daily press briefing on Friday, when he was asked harassment of passenger plane: MP about the incident. International for promoting terror cult Dujarric stressed that the world body had “no specific in- record of resorting to violence and ter- of Falavarjan in the Parliament. formation on that incident” yet, adding that what he said about rorism against Iranian citizens. He also called the “cowardly harass- the safety of civilian air travel was “just a principled position”. Last week, Iran’s Ambassador to the ment” of the Iranian plane a “state terror- “I don’t have any [information], at this point, we don’t have UK Hamid Baeidinjad reacted to the live ism”, adding that the U.S. must wait for any specific information on this incident,” he further said. broadcast, saying the Saudi-funded Iranian response to “this barbaric act”. “I checked with my colleagues in Montreal at ICAO [Inter- channel showed its utter obscenity and “This is not the first time that [the U.S.] national Civil Aviation Organization]. They have nothing. They indecency by the act. terrorist administration [commits such a have not received anything as of yet,” Dujarric added. After they had an interview with a crime] and it will not be the last spokesman for the Al-Ahvazieh terrorist time. Therefore, it shouldn’t group, the live broadcast of this gathering be allowed to get away with was commissioned by the Saudi owners of its barbaric acts without cost,” Expression of Interest (EOI) POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian the channel, Baeidinjad wrote in a tweet POLITICAL TEHRAN— Seyyed cautioned the MP. deskvictims of terrorism on July 18. deskNasser Mousavi Lar- He also alluded to IRGC World Health Organization through its country office in Iran in collaboration and their families have written a letter The MEK was established in the 1960s egani, a member of the Parliament’s pre- Quds Force commander Lt. with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) is seeking the to the Judiciary and the Foreign Ministry to express a mixture of Marxism and Is- siding board, said on Saturday that Iran will Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who calling for legal proceedings against the lamism. It launched bombing campaigns decisively respond to the U.S. harassment was assassinated by an Amer- services of a company for Third Party Verification of activities and deliverables management of the Iran International TV. against the Shah, continuing after the 1979 of an Iranian passenger airliner over Syria. ican drone near Baghdad’s In- of the WHO Iran COVID19 emergency response project (ICERP). ICERP is “We, the signatories of this letter Islamic Revolution, against the Islamic “Definitely, this criminal act of the U.S. ternational Airport on January a USD 50 million project implemented by WHO with a duration of one year and request, are part of the big family Republic. Iran accuses the group of being will not go unanswered. The Islamic Re- 3, 2020, saying that “the U.S. that procures live saving medical equipment and reagents for COVID-19 of 17,000 victims of terror in Iran, who responsible for 17,000 deaths. public of Iran will decisively respond to this will pay the price for these acts.” lost our fathers or children in the terror Based in Iraq at the time, MEK mem- U.S. act, which is illegal and in violation On Friday, Seyyed Abbas diagnosis and treatment for installation and use in some 180 hospitals and attacks of groups such as Monafeqin,” the bers were armed by former Iraqi dictator of international law,” Mousavi Laregani Mousavi, the spokesman for laboratories selected by the MOHME covering all 31 provinces. letter read, Mehr reported on Saturday. Saddam Hussein to fight against Iran told the Fars news agency. Iran’s Foreign Ministry, strongly Earlier, the London-based TV chan- during a war that lasted for 8 years in Two U.S. warplanes dangerously came denounced the U.S. “adventurist The task of the Third Party Verification company will be inter alia: (i) nel was strongly criticized for its live the 1980s. close to Mahan Air’s Airbus A310 passenger and dangerous” move against post-delivery visits to all beneficiary hospitals and laboratories (around coverage of a gathering of the MEK In 2012, the U.S. State Department plane over Syria on Thursday, forcing the Mahan Air’s Beirut-bound (Mujahedin-e Khalq) terrorist group, removed the MEK from its list of des- pilot to suddenly change altitude to avoid a passenger plane, saying the 180 in total) to verify that the distributed equipment is installed and used which is also known as “Monafeqin” ignated terrorist organizations under collision. The plane was en route from Tehran U.S. had no rights to inspect as intended; (ii) verification of eligible goods procured; stock balances (hypocrites) in Iran. intense lobbying by groups associated to Beirut. At least 12 people onboard were civilian planes in the sky. by storage locations, and distribution of eligible goods to beneficiary “Unfortunately, we saw in recent days with Saudi Arabia and other regimes injured. Iran strongly denounced the U.S. “Both the presence of U.S. facilities; and (iii) environmental and social performance. that one of the satellite channels named opposed to Iran. move as a “terrorist act” and submitted a troops in Syria and the air mis- Iran International, which is broadcast A few years ago, the MEK operatives letter of complaint to the International Civil sions of their warplanes were by Saudi money from London, has given were relocated from their Camp Ashraf in Aviation Organization (ICAO). illegal. More importantly, no We are looking to identify companies that are active and specialized in live coverage of the gathering of the Mu- Iraq’s Diyala Province to Camp Hurriyet “The Americans have always been one has allowed the U.S. to in- the above fields. Interested companies should be able to provide services jahedin-e Khalq,” the signatories said. (Camp Liberty), a former U.S. military base domineering and aggressive and they spect passenger planes in the such as demonstrated contextual monitoring expertise, mobilize rapidly They also condemned the coverage as in Baghdad, and were later relocated to aren’t going to give up their behavior,” sky using its fighter jets,” the a project team with appropriate qualifications, manpower and technical “unacceptable”, citing the group’s long Albania. said Mousavi Laregani, the representative spokesman said in a statement. experts with experience of conducting field-based survey, monitoring and evaluation, analysis and reporting, data manager, procurement specialist, infrastructure specialist, medical and laboratory equipment specialist, Euro-Med Monitor calls on ICAO to investigate U.S. social sector/environment specialist, quality control specialist, finance specialist and GIS specialist. harassment of Iranian plane The whole contract would be for a period of approximately 9 months 1 The agreement confirms that independent investigation to expose present the results to the United Na- take the necessary measures to punish for accomplishing the all components of the tasks. Interested companies “any person commits an offence if he the circumstances of the incident, and tions General Assembly, asking that it the perpetrators to deter such acts from should send their letter of interest along with their resume, team unlawfully and intentionally performs an recurring in the future. composition and related experiences through the email address act of violence against a person on board “It is not professional for an armed It added that if the international com- [email protected] by CoB 1 August 2020. an aircraft in flight if that act is likely military plane to harass a civilian munity, especially the United Nations, to endanger the safety of that aircraft.” fails to take measures to deal with the The short-listed companies will be invited to submit their proposals According to Euro-Med Monitor, rel- plane that poses no danger at all, thus incident, it may encourage similar ac- evant national and international bod- endangering the lives of dozens of civilian tions, which could lead to serious dest- based on more detailed information on the project which will be shared ies, in particular the International Civil passengers,” says Euro-Med Monitor’s abilization of civil aviation and other with them in later stage. All communicated documentations must be Aviation Organization (ICAO), should security, economic and consequences submitted in English. open an immediate, transparent and legal adviser Tariq Hajjar. at the global level. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY JULY 26, 2020

Iran’s exports to Russia rise Rebuilding 270 passenger wagons 20% in a quarter

ECONOMY TEHRAN— Iran’s exports to Russia have deskincreased 20 percent during the first quarter by next March projected of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-June 20), the chairman of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce ECONOMY TEHRAN — Head of months of the current calendar year announced. deskthe Islamic Republic (March 20-June 20) has increased by Hadi Tizhoosh Taban told IRNA on Saturday that the growth of Iran Railways (known as RAI) said 78 percent compared to the same period in the exports indicates that the coronavirus pandemic has that RAI has rebuilding 270 passenger last year. not affected trade between the two neighbors. wagons a top agenda of its activity in the The new additions included 53 freight current Iranian calendar year (ends on wagons, two passenger wagons, and two March 20, 2021), which is named the locomotives, as well as eight reconstruct- year of “Surge in Production”. ed wagons. Saeed Rasouli said that the project Railway fleet has received three of rebuilding the passenger wagons was groups of new wagons and locomotives started on June 3 and many of these since the beginning of the current Iranian wagons will join the national fleet after year, the first of which was on April 29 being completely rebuilt, IRIB reported. when 56 units worth 1.25 trillion rials Saying that the wagons had been out (about $29.76 million) were added to the of service for ten years, the official said country’s rail fleet; in the second phase, they are now under rebuilding operation 30 units worth 1.44 trillion rials (about by the domestic companies. $34.28 million) were added on May 19. Iranian railway fleet received 65 Meanwhile, in late December 2019, new domestically-made locomotives RAI celebrated the addition of 243 do- and wagons in a ceremony on June 30, mestically-made wagons and locomotives the third group of additions this year. to the country’s fleet. As reported by the portal of Transport Valued at 3.4 trillion rials (about $80.9 During a video-conference between Iran’s Ambassador Ministry, the ceremony was attended million), the mentioned wagons and lo- to Moscow Kazem Jalali and Russian officials at Federal by Transport Minister Mohammad Es- comotives were made by three different Customs Service including Vladimir Vladimirovich Ivin, the lami and the head of Islamic Republic companies namely, Wagon Pars, Iranian deputy head of the customs, two weeks ago, the two sides of Iran Railways. Rail Industries Development Company, investigated ways of boosting bilateral customs cooperation. Speaking in the ceremony, Rasouli and Foolad Derakhshan Arak Company. Addressing the conference, Jalali said that Iran is ready said, “With the new additions, so far, The value of the third group of loco- (about $37.14 million). Back in September 2019, another to create customs “Green Corridor” with Russia in the pan- a total of 209 wagons and locomotives motives and wagons, which were man- According to the official, the number 213 domestically-made wagons and demic occasion when many international activities have have joined the country’s railway fleet ufactured by domestic companies, was of new locomotives and wagons added locomotives had been added to the been brought to lockdown. in the current Iranian calendar year.” estimated to be over 1.56 trillion rials to the railway fleet in the first three country’s fleet. To have multilateral cooperation with the Eurasian Eco- nomic Union (EUEA) in the framework of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to create the customs “Green Corridor” in coronavirus and post-coronavirus periods is among the main agenda of development of economic TPO to hold 3rd meeting of Commodity-Country Desk on trade with Iraq next week relations, the ambassador said. ECONOMY TEHRAN- Iran’s Trade Promotion Minister and the accompanying delegation to Tehran,” During the talks, the two sides exchanged views about deskOrganization (TPO) will hold the third Ghanbari said. fostering customs cooperation and solving some problems meeting of its Commodity-Country Desk on trade with Also on Tuesday, head of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the Iranian lorry drivers. Iraq next week, Farzad Piltan, the director-general Customs Administration (IRICA) and the Iraqi Finance The two sides stressed the need to have constant contact. of TPO’s Office of Arabian and African Countries, Minister held talks, calling for strengthening customs Russia suggested considering President Putin’s initi- announced. and border cooperation between the two countries. ative to create “green corridors” for delivery of essential As reported by the website of TPO on Saturday, the In the meeting, which was on the sidelines of a goods that would be unimpeded by sanctions and trade meeting will be mainly focused on investigating the meeting between Iraq’s Prime Minister Mostafa al-Ka- wars, news agency “TASS” quoted Russia’s Organization ways for increasing garments export to Iraq. dhimi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Mehdi for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) envoy Al- Despite the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions against Mirashrafi and Ali Allawi emphasized the reopening of exander Lukashevich as saying in late April. the Islamic Republic, Iraq has been getting closer to Iran-Iraq borders and boosting customs cooperation. Putin talked of the initiative at the emergency summit Iran both politically and economically. During the meeting, the Iraqi minister underlined of the G20 group last March. There is also the same approach adopted by Iran, his government’s interest in joint cooperation and According to the official data, trade turnover between as many Iranian companies are now eager to conduct using Iran’s customs experiences, especially in the Russia and Iran amounted to $1.74 billion in 2018 and $1.589 trade with Iraq, especially with the Kurdistan region ment, based on which several billions of dollars will field of electronic procedures and automation. billion in the period between January-September 2019. where there is a great demand for Iranian products. be injected into Iran’s market in the near future, an Regarding his country’s borders with Iran, he an- Iraq is currently Iran’s biggest trade partner and official with the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) said. nounced the Iraqi government’s decision on reopening the two countries have been taking significant steps Hamid Ghanbari, who accompanied Foreign Affairs southern borders as soon as possible. Iran, Uzbekistan stress to improve their mutual trade over the past few years. Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the mentioned Regarding the technical cooperation between the expansion of transport ties Heading a high-ranking delegation, Iraqi Prime visit to Iraq on Sunday, said the two sides held posi- two countries, Allawi called for sending Iraqi customs Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi arrived in the Iranian tive talks and agreed on expanding foreign currency experts and staff to Iran to use the technical experi- 1 Hassan-Nia further announced his country’s read- capital Tehran on Tuesday noon. and banking ties. ences of the Iranian customs. iness to transfer knowledge and experience in the field of The trip followed the Iranian foreign minister’s “During this visit, useful and constructive talks The establishment of a joint trade gateway was also transportation to Uzbekistan. visit to Baghdad and Erbil last Sunday. were held with the Iraqi side, the results of which emphasized between the Iraqi minister of finance and The Uzbek official for his part emphasized the significance Iran and Iraq are finalizing a foreign currency agree- will be finalized during the visit of the Iraqi Prime the IRICA head. of holding such meetings in removing the problems in terms of transport cooperation between the two countries and ex- pressed hope that such meetings will lead to laying a better ground for the expansion of bilateral ties. Pistachio exports bring Iran over ‘Tax exemption expands Iran and Uzbekistan emphasized the expansion of relations trade in FTZs’ in all economic areas during the two countries’ 13th Joint $154m in a quarter Economic Committee meeting in Tashkent in mid-December ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iran ECONOMY TEHRAN — Tax ex- last year. deskexported 21,720 tons deskemption in the coun- of pistachio worth more than $154 million try’s free trade zones (FTZs) will increase during the first quarter of the current Irani- the volume of trade in these zones, an an calendar year (March 20-June 20), the official with Iran’s Free Zones High spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Council stated. Customs Administration (IRICA) announced. Speaking in an interview with IRNA Rouhollah Latifi said Iran’s pistachio on Friday, Ahmad Jamali, the deputy was exported to 54 countries during the secretary-general of the council for the first quarter, IRNA. economic affairs, stressed that the laws Importing 5,547 tons of pistachio valued and regulations in the free zones, includ- at $35.4 million, China was the first export ing the tax exemption law, have been set destination of the Iranian product, while Ger- the country, according to Shajari. considering the potential for trade and this exemption. many, Iraq, Russia, and Kazakhstan came Watermelons, apples, tomatoes, potatoes, employment in these areas. If the 20-year tax exemption in the next through importing 2,982 tons, 1,866 onions, and shallots were the top five exported Development of existing free trade country’s free trade zones is removed, tons, 1,455 tons, and 1,129 tons of pistachio, products in the previous year in terms of zones and establishment of new FTZs the investment making will be limited in respectively, from Iran in the three-month weight, while in terms of value, pistachios, is currently one of the major economic these areas, according to Abazar Azarboun, period, the official stated. apples, tomatoes, pistachio kernels, and approaches of Iran and in a bid to attract an expert with Iran’s Free Zones High The acting head of Iranian Agriculture watermelons were the five major exported more investments to these zones Iranian Council. The meeting was chaired by the former Iranian Industry, Ministry’s Economic Affairs Department products, the official said. government offers various incentives to The expert said that those active in Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani and Uzbekistan’s Shahrokh Shajari has put Iran’s exports Shajari further pointed to the major the investors. the free zones prefer to do business in Deputy Prime Minister Elyor Ganiyevand, and representatives of the agricultural products at about 7.104 imported items in terms of weight, saying, Tax exemption is one of those incen- these areas rather than the mainland of several renowned companies from both sides attended the million tons worth $5.8 billion in the past corn, barley, soybean meal, soybean, and tives which has been offered for more than because taxes and duties do not limit event. Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19). untreated sugar were the top five import- a decade to the investors in the free zones. their activities there, but if there are no Speaking in the meeting, the Iranian minister pointed to the In the previous year, over 6.941 million ed items, while in terms of value livestock This incentive has been recently crit- such incentives, investment making in the presence of 50 Iranian companies in the meeting and holding tons of agricultural and foodstuff products corn, rice, barley, and soybeans were the icized by some officials and economists, free zones will be risky for them, IRNA mutual trade conferences as well as Iran’s exclusive exhibition worth $6.392 billion were also imported into top imported products. while there are still many supporters of has previously reported. in Tashkent as indications of the importance that Iran puts on mutual trade and economic collaboration with Uzbekistan. “Over the past few years, major documents have been signed by the two countries in a variety of areas including trade, transportation, and joint investment, some of which have Iran, Afghanistan discuss ways to complete Khaf-Herat railway been already operationalized”, he said. ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian and Afghan Khaf-Herat railway will become operational before the other countries so that a treaty inked between India, Rahmani further expressed hope that holding such com- deskofficials investigated the ways to end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2021). Afghanistan, and Iran will have an effective role in this mittee meetings would help the two sides to take major steps complete Khaf-Herat railway on Friday. The minister announced that a part of the Khaf-Herat regard, he added. for boosting collaboration between the two countries’ private Afghan official with Herat Governor’s Office Jilani railway will be constructed by Iran while the remaining Khaf-Herat railway, as long as 35km, will connect sectors. Farhad told IRNA that a joint committee was set up part will be built by neighboring Afghanistan, Mehr the Iraqi rail network to Central Asia. Later that month, the board chairman of Iran’s Chabahar following the emphasis of the Afghan president to news agency reported. Khaf-Herat is part of the Iran-Afghanistan rail corridor. Free Trade–Industrial Zone Organization announced that accelerate construction and completion of the project Construction operation of the part related to Iran is The project started in the fiscal year of 2007-2008, Uzbekistan has reached an agreement with Iran for transiting considering its significance to improve transit between on the verge of completion, Eslami emphasized. connects Iran’s eastern city of Khaf to Afghanistan’s agricultural products and minerals to India through Iran’s Iran and Afghanistan. He put the length of the railway from border to Khaf western city of Ghoryan. Chabahar Port. Vahid Ghatali, the governor of Herat, appreciated city at 66km and stated, “The significance of this giant In a meeting with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Affairs According to Abdolrahim Kordi, the agreement was made the efforts made by the Iranian consulate in Herat to project is that the railway in Afghanistan will be revived Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar in Tehran on June during the Iran-Uzbekistan’s 13th Joint Economic Committee help accelerate the “national project”. so that Afghanistan will be connected to Iran’s national 22, Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said that meeting in Tashkent. Construction of Khaf-Herat railway, which is underway railway network as well as other parts of the world.” the third section of Khaf-Herat railway project which “We reached an agreement with Uzbekistan’s Navoi Free in four parts and is 193 km, began in 2007. Elsewhere in his remarks, Eslami pointed to the transit connects the rail networks of Iran and Afghanistan will Trade Zone for cooperation in transiting agricultural products Two parts of the railway (77 km), which is located in and added, “Iran has a variety of routes such as North- come on stream in the third quarter of the current Iranian and minerals,” he said. Iran, has been completed a long time ago but the two South Corridor and also East-West Corridor in a way that calendar year (September 22-December 20). “In the Iran-Uzbekistan Cooperation Document [which was other parts (116 km), on the Afghan soil, are yet to be transiting Afghan territory and investing in Afghanistan Underlining the significance of the two countries’ signed in the end of the 13th committee meeting] three specific worked out. is essential for Iranian traders and also this country.” economic relations, the official said that completing clauses were dedicated to cooperation between free zones, Earlier this month, Iranian Transport and Urban Afghanistan government has commitments to this section is aimed at accelerating the development of development of logistic hubs and joint ventures,” Kordi added. Development Minister Mohammad Eslami said that transfer the country’s mining and mineral capacity to economic relations between the two countries. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 26, 2020 ENERGY 5

Daily gas supply to power Brazil’s oil giant to boost production at deepwater field

Brazil’s state-held oil firm Petrobras launched on Friday a tender plants up 14.5% in a month for three new Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSOs) units for one of the largest deepwater oilfields in the world, Búzios, ENERGY TEHRAN- Gas supplied gas network are currently met unless they as part of a development plan to have the field pump more than deskto the country’s power are going through minor repairs in their gas 2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed). plants by the National Iranian Gas Com- sector. The tender for the three new FPSOs is part of Petrobras’ plan pany (NIGC) has risen 14.5 percent in the Currently, 85 power plants across the to have a total of twelve units installed at the Búzios oilfield by past Iranian calendar month (ended on July country are using natural gas as fuel. the end of this decade, the Brazilian oil firm said in a statement 21) compared to its preceding month, the Back in May, Jamshidi Dana announced on Friday, oilprice.com published. company’s spokesman told IRNA. that the transmission capacity of the national Once development is completed, the Búzios field is expected to Mohammad Asgari put the gas supplied to gas network was raised to one billion cubic produce more than 2 million boed, becoming Petrobras’ largest the power plants at 275 million cubic meters meters per day (bcm/d). production asset. (mcm) per day in the past month, while the Noting that several projects were carried figure was 240 mcm in its preceding month. out last Iranian calendar year (ended on March According to the official, gas supply to 19) to increase the country’s gas network power plants reaches its maximum level capacity, the official said: “Many of the men- during the summer peak consumption period. tioned projects have been implemented in As reported, currently all the country’s the ninth national line, most of which will gas and thermal power plants are connect- be operational this year.” ed to the national gas network, however, in The official had previously said that 61 the cold seasons, with the increase in gas billion cubic meters of gas was supplied to consumption by the domestic sector, the the country’s power plants during the past supply to the power plants will be reduced Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19). and replaced with liquefied fuel. Iran is currently producing over 810 mcm Earlier in May, Caretaker Manager of of natural gas daily which is mostly used in- Iranian Gas Transmission Company (IGTC) side the country for the domestic sector and The field currently has four operational FPSOs. Mehdi Jamshidi Dana had said that during the also as fuel for the power plants and a small The first of the three new units will be the FPSO AlmGte Tama- peak consumption period in summer power figure that could be easily met by the National According to the official, all the fuel needs portion is also exported to the neighboring ndaré with startup scheduled for the second half of 2024, while plants would need 310 mcm of gas per day, a Gas Company given its network capacity. of the power plants connected to the national countries like Iraq. the other two units, P-78 and P-79, will be contracted under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model and are expected to start operating in 2025. FPSO Almirante Tama- ndaré will have a daily processing capacity of 225,000 barrels Oil and natural gas industry struggles through first half of 2020 of oil, while the other two will have the capacity to process daily 180,000 barrels of oil each, Petrobras said. By Alex Mills quotas, and it formed a committee to monitor compliance. Petrobras also aims to make better use of the associated natural The committee reported June compliance was an impressive gas in its prolific oil-rich pre-salt area by having offshore liquefied Crude oil prices are making a comeback, but natural gas 112 percent. Three countries – Iraq, Nigeria, and Angola – natural gas (LNG) units to process the gas, whose production has has the summer blues. did not stay within their quotas, but said they would reduce been rising with growing oil output in the area. Crude oil prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange production in the future to make up the difference. Offshore LNG liquefaction could be a solution to the associated closed Wednesday at $41.96 for 30-day delivery, which is U.S. and global oil inventories are near record levels, gas from oil fields 100 miles off the coast and could reduce flaring, a $1.67 increase over last week, but natural gas dropped but the three forecasts believe the production cuts and the Viviana Coelho, Corporate Emissions and Climate Change Manager again to $1.675 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). increase in demand because of increased economic activity at Petrobras, said at a webinar earlier this month. Even though crude oil inventories continue to be high, will reduce the oversupply and return to pre-coronavirus Petrobras currently ships the natural gas produced in the pre- traders believe demand will continue to rise in the U.S. and levels by the third quarter of 2021. salt area via pipelines to the coast, where it is processed. In the globally narrowing the oversupply gap. Natural gas suffers some of the same problems as crude oil. past, the Brazilian oil firm has said that insufficient infrastructure Three recent reports from the International Energy Agency The primary market for natural gas is electricity generation. for natural gas production could limit its efforts to boost crude (IEA), the Energy Information Administration (EIA), and Demand for electricity is down because economic activity oil output in the pre-salt area. the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is down. Liquified natural gas (LNG) exports to other are key reasons for the optimism. countries have dropped, too. Natural gas inventories are All three organizations recently revised their second quarter at record levels. disease 2019 (COVID-19) contributed to lower demand, India June oil imports lowest demand figures resulting in a smaller demand decline than Natural gas prices at the U.S. Henry Hub benchmark further lowering prices.” originally projected. The initial demand decline was as much reached record lows during the first half of this year, according “Contributing to high U.S. storage levels and lower prices in nearly 9 years; none from as 20 million barrels per day (b/d). Their current estimate to EIA. “The average monthly Henry Hub spot price in the has been a decline in LNG exports,” EIA stated. Demand for is 7.9 million b/d. first six months of the year was $1.81 per MMBtu,” EIA U.S. LNG exports has fallen by half in the first half of 2020, Venezuela On the supply side, U.S. oil production has declined about reported. “Monthly prices reached a low of $1.63/MMBtu from 9.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in late March to India’s oil imports fell in June, hitting their lowest since October 2 million barrels per day from roughly 13 million (b/d) to in June, the lowest monthly inflation-adjusted (real) price less than 4.0 Bcf/d in June. 2011, as refiners curbed purchases due to maintenance turnarounds 11 million b/d currently. since at least 1989. Drilling for new production and well completions are off and weaker fuel demand, data from industry sources showed. OPEC and some other oil producing countries reduced Prices started the year low because of mild winter weather, more than 50 percent. Many companies have slashed budgets India, the world’s third biggest oil consumer and importer, production by 9.6 million b/d in May, June, and July, but will which resulted in less natural gas demand for space heating. in an effort to avoid bankruptcy. Surviving the economic received 3.2 million barrels per day (bpd) oil in June, a decline change to 7.7 million b/d starting in August. OPEC’s leadership Beginning in March, spring weather and the economic crunch is top priority. of 0.4% from May and about 28.5% from a year ago, the data was concerned about some countries over producing their slowdown induced by mitigation efforts for the coronavirus (Source: Times Record News) showed, Reuters reported. Last month, India did not import oil from Venezuela for the first time since June 2009, the data also showed. Reliance overtakes Exxon as second Ukraine opposes U.S. LNG pricing Refiners including Indian Oil Crop, the country’s top refiner, Reliance Industries, operator of the world’s biggest refining complex, most valuable energy firm formula and Bharat Petroleum Corp plan to shut units for maintenance. Indian fuel consumption, a proxy for oil demand, typically India’s oil-to-telecoms conglomerate Ukraine’s state-held gas firm Naftogaz is tapers during the four-month monsoon season from June as rains Reliance Industries surpassed on Friday reportedly opposed to the pricing formula hit construction and transportation. Exxon as the world’s second most valuable for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) it could firm doing business in energy after Saudi receive under a long-term contract, while Arabia’s oil giant Aramco. there isn’t enough infrastructure ready Reliance Industries is the most valua- to ship American LNG from Poland into ble company in India and has diversified Ukraine, analysts have told DW. operations, including oil refining. Its mar- The U.S. is eager to supply its LNG to ket capitalization hit US$189 billion (14.1 central and eastern European markets, trillion Indian rupees) on Friday, overtak- market rally in recent weeks was thanks especially Poland and Ukraine, arguing Ukraine has been seeking for years to ing Exxon’s market capitalization, Indian to its digital and retail operations, not the that American gas is superior to gas from diversify its oil and gas supplies away from media report. oil industry. Russia, which binds economic contracts Russia after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Early on Friday, Exxon’s market capi- Regardless, Reliance Industries became with politics. The Russian annexation of Crimea drew talization was US$185.58 billion. the second most valuable company involved However, talks between Louisiana reactions from the U.S. and the EU, which Reliance Industries became the first in the energy business in the world. Natural Gas Exports Inc and Ukraine’s imposed sanctions on some Russian energy Indian company to hit a market capitaliza- Saudi Aramco of Saudi Arabia, which Naftogaz have stalled, reportedly because firms and projects, prohibiting Western tion of more than 14 trillion Indian rupees, has been trading on the Saudi Stock Ex- the Ukrainian company doesn’t agree with firms and banks from working with Rus- equal to US$187 billion. Its shares have change, Tadawul, since December 2019, the U.S. firm’s proposal to have the price of sian projects. In the first of half July, India’s fuel demand slowed compared been rising in recent weeks after tech gi- has a market capitalization of more than the LNG under a 20-year contract linked Ukraine and Poland, both of which seek with the previous month due to high retail prices and renewed ants such as Google invested in Reliance’s US$1.7 trillion and is not only the most to the U.S. natural gas benchmark Henry diversified energy supplies, signed in Au- coronavirus lockdowns in parts of the country. Jio Platforms, while Amazon is reportedly valuable energy company in the world but Hub, without any reference to European gust last year a trilateral memorandum Private refiner Nayara Energy, part owned by Russian oil considering buying a stake of 9.9 percent also the most valuable company in any gas prices, analysts told DW. of cooperation with the United States to major Rosneft, last month imported a cargo of Khafji oil from in Reliance Retail. sector. Saudi Aramco is more valuable than In May, the government of Ukraine, enhance the regional security of natural Neutral Zone, whose production belongs to both Saudi Arabia Over the past five weeks, Reliance In- the likes of Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, or which is keen to wean itself off Russian gas supply. and Kuwait, making it India’s first purchase from the region since dustries has added US$39 billion to its Alphabet. energy supplies, approved a plan to im- Earlier in May, the Ukrainian port Odes- September 2015. market value, according to The Econom- Earlier this month, Apple was close port LNG from the United States. Under sa on the Black Sea also received its first-ever In June, Iraq replaced Saudi Arabia as top oil supplier after ic Times. In the past 14 trading sessions to overtaking Aramco when its market the memorandum approved by the govern- crude oil cargo of WTI Crude from the Unit- a gap of two months, while UAE and Nigeria retained the third alone, Reliance Industries’ shares surged cap jumped to just over US$1.7 trillion, ment, Ukraine would be importing at least ed States, after the U.S. shipped its first oil and fourth slots, the data showed. so much that they added US$29 billion to compared to Aramco’s US$1.78 trillion 5.5 billion cubic meters of LNG annually, to Ukraine just last year. Ukraine’s first-ever The United States was in fifth place, a position held by Ven- the company’s market cap. based on current exchange rates. Early on while the seller will be Louisiana Natural U.S. crude oil cargo was received in July ezuela in May. The Indian conglomerate, however, is Friday, Apple’s market cap was US$1.58 Gas Exports, according to acting energy last year when a tanker carried 80,000 not an energy firm per se, and most of the trillion. minister Olga Buslavets. tons of Bakken crude to the port of Odesa. Iraq denies it’s not committed to OPEC+ reduced production pact

Schlumberger books second consecutive loss amid shale bust The Iraqi Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) denied reports claim- The world’s largest oilfield services provider, Schlumberger While Schlumberger gets more revenues from outside the ing it had violated the OPEC+ production cut agreement in July. (NYSE:SLB), reported on Friday a second straight quarterly American market, the company was affected by the collapse Earlier this week, financial data site Refinitiv Eikon, Iraq’s loss on the back of a dramatic revenue slump in U.S. shale and in drilling activity in the United States and the cut in spending oil exports increased in the first 20 days of July, suggesting that asset impairment charges in what “has probably been the most plans outside North America of major oil and gas companies Baghdad may have abandoned its commitment to reduce crude challenging quarter in past decades,” as CEO Olivier Le Peuch said. after the price crash. production under the OPEC+ agreement. Another report posted The company also announced it would get rid of 21,000 “This has probably been the most challenging quarter in past on Attaqa website under the heading “Iraq increases oil exports jobs as oil producers rein in spending. decades. Schlumberger second-quarter revenue declined 28% in July, still pumps above OPEC+ target”. Schlumberger reported on Friday a net loss of US$3.434 sequentially, caused by the unprecedented fall in North America In response, SOMO issued a statement saying it would like to billion for the second quarter, after a US$7.376-billion loss for activity, and international activity drop due to downward revisions clarify that the Attaqa report and its findings are “unprofessional Q1, which was the result of a US$8.5-billion impairment charge. to customer budgets accentuated by COVID-19 disruptions,” and far from the reality”. As a result of the market conditions, Schlumberger recorded chief executive Le Peuch said. “At the time when the news confirmed that exports from the US$3.7 billion of pretax restructuring and asset impairment “North America revenue declined 48% sequentially with southern ports of Iraq recorded a rate of 2.7 million barrels per charges in the second quarter, including US$1 billion of sev- land revenue falling 60% as customers dramatically cut back day, it had neglected the fact that this rate in itself was 100,000 erance costs associated with the massive workforce reduction. spending,” the executive added. barrels per day less than June’s export rate,” the statement said, Schlumberger’s total revenues slumped by 28 percent quarter According to Schlumberger, there are conditions for a modest adding that “this rate in itself is not final and does not reflect the on quarter and by 35 percent year on year, to US$5.356 billion. increase in frac completion activity in North America in the third commitment of Iraq, which will be shown by the results of the The drop in North American revenue alone was much steep- quarter, but if the economic recovery is slower and a second July exports at the beginning of August. er—down by 48 percent compared to Q1 and down 58 percent wave forces new major disruptions, they would be downside The company called on media outlets to use credible informa- compared to Q2 2019. risks to its forecasts. tion sources in order not to affect their credibility. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 ADVERTISEMENTS JULY 26, 2020 TEHRAN TIMES Iran’s Leading International Daily Modern Stadium of Advertising Dept Martyrs of Khuzestan Football Club (KSC)

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tehrantimes79 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 26, 2020 ANALYSIS/INTERVIEW 7 Persian Gulf states working hard to cause clash between Trump’s troops: Fast forwarding fascism Turkey and Egypt over Libya: Turkish analyst across America

1 He believes that the United States and with international partners. 1 The resulting photo-op featuring Trump holding a Israel have launched a propaganda campaign “The United Nations report on this murder, Bible in his hand in front of the church was condemned by to promote this illusion among Arab countries, has stated that the murder could not be carried clergy and military officials alike, but seemed to play well especially Egypt, that their “arch-enemies are out without the notice of Saudi Crown Prince with Evangelical Christians. “I thought it was completely Turkey and Iran, not Israel”. They have been Mohammed Bin Salman,” Güzaltan states. appropriate for the president to stand in front of that church,” seeking such a project through the media power Saudi Arabia arrested 11 officials who were commented Trump ally and Dallas, Texas megachurch pastor of the Persian Gulf Arab countries. allegedly involved in the murder, but Saud Al-Qa- Robert Jeffress. “His presence sent the twin message that “For this purpose, many Arab intellectuals htani, who is claimed to be responsible for the our streets and cities do not belong to rioters and domestic are being hosted in Israel,” he adds. incident, has yet to be prosecuted. terrorists,” chanted Faith and Freedom Coalition chair Robert On reports the UAE is taking steps toward In this regard, the United States issued Reed. The bishop, Right Rev. Mariann Budde, in whose diocese recognizing Israel by using the so-called COVID statements in support of the Saudi Kingdom. the church is located, however, was less than enthused by diplomacy through some airlifts and is pre- “It is clear that the Saudis wanted to cover Trump’s grandstanding, charging that she “was not given paring the public opinion in the Arab world up this murder,” the Turkish writer adds. even a courtesy call, that they would be clearing with tear for such a move, Güzaltan says, “In the near Turkish courts began the prosecution of gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop.” future, the Persian Gulf countries may officially the 20 suspects on July 3, 2020, in absentia. Borrowing forces from different components of a compliant recognize Israel, which they already have secret Saud Al-Qahtani and Ahmed Bin Mohammed and complicit Department of Homeland Security (DHS), negotiations and agreements with.” al-Asiri are among the prosecuted names, at Trump sent his unrequested troops to Portland following “What they are afraid of is the reaction of the 11th Criminal Court of Istanbul. The vast almost two months of continual demonstrations, which the Arab nations when this moment comes,” he majority of these individuals held diplomatic have at times involved substantial, but understandable, notes. “The thing that lies beneath the Persian immunity at the time of the murder, which has civil disobedience. Portland mayor Ted Wheeler objected. Gulf’s desire to provoke Turkey and Egypt over paved the way for them to flee Turkey. “We didn’t ask for these troops in our cities,” he said in a Libya is actually an effort to create and guide “Turkish courts will independently continue Twitter post, “We don’t want these troops in our cities.” the perception that Turkey is the arch-enemy.” against imperialism today is through advocating Ottoman Empire, to follow up this brutal murder, but the obsta- Standing with protestors on July 22 against Trump’s private He argues that the U.S.-Israel bloc along with the Ankara-Tehran-Cairo dialogues.” “Turkey’s presence in Libya and its agree- cles within international law are likely to arise army, Mayor Wheeler stated unequivocally, “The reason I the Persian Gulf countries is seeking to isolate “If this dialogue ever starts, problems can ments have the intention to protect its legiti- in the conducting of a possible conviction,” am here tonight is to stand with you no matter what, and Ankara by provoking Egypt against Turkey. be easily resolved not only in Libya but also mate interests in the Eastern Mediterranean in Güzaltan notes. if they launch the tear gas against you, they’re launching “Turkey’s actions that contradict the Ameri- in Syria and Iraq and Palestine,” he argues. accordance with international law,” Güzaltan Answering the Tehran Times that why Bin the tear gas against me!” Shortly after 11 o’clock, the tear can interests in the region and its close ties with Referring to the UAE and Saudi allegations says. “Turkey is following a strategy that clashes Salman’s name was not mentioned on the ac- gassing began, and, to his credit, Wheeler held his ground. Iran and Russia have caused a deep disturbance that Turkey interferes in Arab affairs, the Turkish with the threats to its national security outside cused list, the Turkish lawyer says, “The lim- “This is abhorrent,” the mayor lamented, “This is beneath in the United States,” the Turkish analyst says. lawyer says, “Ankara is present in Libya with its borders but holds no intention of interfering itations from the diplomatic immunity is in us.” After Wheeler left, Trump’s private militia of thugs Turkey supports the Government of National the invitation of the Government of National in the internal affairs of other countries.” effect by international law. began tear gassing protestors at will. Accord in the Eastern Mediterranean, which Accord, which is the legitimate government From Güzaltan’s point of view, Turkey’s “This situation also occurs through bilateral made it confront the Saudi-led coalition. of Libya, recognized by the United Nations.” plan in the region should be aimed at creat- agreements between the two countries.” The U.S.-Persian Gulf coalition and some He stresses that the maritime boundary ing an Ankara-Cairo-Tehran bloc against the “There is a difference between politically European countries, France in particular, are treaty signed between Turkey and the GNA is U.S.-Israel axis. and legally convicting bin Salman.” unsettled by Turkey’s approach. also made in accordance with international law. “Such a front would definitely prevent the “Turkish courts are fully independent, and “They is trying to implement the concept “Turkey has no imperialist or invasive moti- intervention of any third power in the region,” I do not think there will be no such political of ‘creative chaos’ suggested by Condoleezza vations in Libya. In the Eastern Mediterranean, he points out. pressure,” Güzaltan believes. “But judging the Rice, the preferred environment for the Unit- the Turkish Armed Forces have taken action He thinks that if we apply a similar Astana second man of the Saudi Kingdom in a local ed States and Israel, by clashing Turkey and to protect our rights that are under the threat template with Egypt in Libya, the imperialist court is just symbolism, and there is no way Egypt, two well-established countries in the of Greece, Greek Cyprus, France, and Israel,” plans will be crushed in the region. of enforcing the sentence.” region,” Güzaltan stresses. “Turkey, however, claims Güzaltan. “It would be logical to cooperate with Russia Güzaltan calls for a special tribunal to try Bin is a country with enough state traditions, to not “Turkey is not fighting to interfere in other as well when fighting against imperialism. Our Selman and hold the Saudi regime accountable fall for these kinds of traps.” countries’ internal affairs but to protect its rights main goal should be to establish the largest for its conduct. The Turkish writer calls for direct dialogue that are guaranteed by international law,” he front,” he emphasizes. “The way to this tribunal, is through an between Turkey and Egypt “to overcome this maintains. Referring to the murder of Khashoggi at the all-out political and economic embargo that trap, which was put by the imperialism.” Founded on October 29, 1923, under the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul by order of Saudi can be implemented against the Saudi regime, Turkey, Iran, and Egypt are the countries leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Re- authorities, Güzaltan tells the Tehran Times, which is cooperating with the United States with great civilizations in the region. Unfortu- public of Turkey declared it has no intention to “It is now a fact that has resonated through the and Israel until it gives up on the cooperation Tom Ridge, former DHS chief under George Bush, nately, the relations between Iran and Egypt resurrect the Ottoman Empire, while Turkey international public opinion.” with these countries.” condemned the use of the agency’s personnel in Portland deteriorated after the 1979 Islamic Revolution under the Erdogan presidency is facing an The Turkish intelligence service got the audio The lawyer goes on to say that the United and expressed support for Mayor Wheeler’s objections to in Iran. accusation of following in the footsteps of the recordings of the assassination and shared it Nations report on Khashoggi’s assassination Trump’s troop deployment. “The department [DHS] was Turkish-Egyptian relations also suffered has stated that “the murder could not be car- established to protect America from the ever-present threat damages in 2013 after the overthrow of Mo- “In the near future, the Persian Gulf ried out without the notice of the Saudi Crown of global terrorism,” he explained. “It was not established hammad Morsi and Abdelfattah El-Sisi’s rise Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.”. to be the president’s personal militia.” Nevertheless, to power. countries may officially recognize Israel, H adds, “Some Persian Gulf countries, and acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf defended Trump’s actions, “The winners in the disputes between these which they already have secret negotiations the United Arab Emirates in particular, are claiming “These valiant men and women have defended three countries will be the United States and and agreements with.” doing their best to cause a clash between Turkey our institutions of justice against violent anarchists for 48 Israel,” Güzaltan says. “Therefore, the struggle and Egypt over Libya.” straight days.” Furthermore, Wolf warned, “We will not retreat. We will continue to take the appropriate action to protect our facilities and our law enforcement officers.” Wolf, incidentally, was the architect of Trump’s policy of separating migrant children from their families at the U.S. What were the protests in Serbia really about? border as a way to discourage immigration. By Marija Pantelic they were angered by Vucic’s disregard for the lives of Serbian sector. In 2014, Vucic unconstitutionally cut 700,000 pensions Demonstrating his distorted world view, Trump tweeted citizens in shifting measures to accommodate his political agenda. overnight by 25 percent. on July 19, “We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their On July 7, mass protests erupted in Belgrade after President This reckless move reflected the very logic of his long political The health system, which had been well-developed in socialist leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists Aleksandar Vucic announced that the government would re- career: Power by any means and at any cost, even people’s lives Yugoslavia, has been left to crumble, with Serbian citizens often and agitators.” Oregon attorney general Ellen Rosenblum impose a tough curfew on the country amid a rising number of and wellbeing. forced to pay exorbitant fees in private clinics and hospitals to disagreed and has filed a lawsuit against DHS, seeking a coronavirus cases. This came just two weeks after Vucic’s Serbian Although Vucic is now reporting an increase in COVID-19 receive proper care. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, restraining order and charging that Trump’s unidentified shock Progressive Party (SNS) won an undemocratic parliamentary cases and deaths, the numbers are still massively downplayed. private hospitals are reportedly further inflating their fees. troops have pulled people off the streets “without warning election, which the European Union readily accepted. On July 18, the official total number of COVID-19 deaths ac- Meanwhile, public hospitals are struggling with the growing or explanation, without a warrant, and without providing The police descended on the protests with brutal force, tear- cording to government data was 472, way below what BIRN number of patients and symptomatic cases who need to be tested. any way to determine who is directing this action.” Strange gassing, assaulting and arresting unarmed, peaceful protesters reported in June - 630. Epidemiologically, this can only mean Vucic has claimed that Serbian hospitals are better equipped than that the suddenly beneficent Trump had previously denied and even beating passive bystanders. one thing - that the current real number of COVID-19 deaths is those in Germany, but there have been continuing media reports any obligation to help U.S. cities and states with battling The media in both Serbia and the West was quick to characterize substantially higher than any available report. of shortages of personal protective equipment and medical staff. COVID-19. “I don’t take responsibility at all,” he declared, the protests as anti-lockdown riots, but this was far from the truth. Vucic’s EU-backed rule The president has also sought to make political gains with blaming his presidential predecessor for the pandemic. The immediate trigger of the protests was public anger over Vucic’s political career has been mired by contradicting ide- donations of medical supplies from abroad, trying to play com- Lurking behind this Trumpian show of force is the reality Vucic’s decision to lift the initial lockdown in May and to portray ologies and suppression of speech. He joined the ultranation- peting foreign interests - EU, U.S., Chinese and Russian - against of the U.S. presidential elections in November and an attempt himself as having successfully tackled the outbreak ahead of the alist militant Serbian Radical Party in 1993 which was then the each other, even amid the pandemic. by the floundering president to present a Nixonian “law and June 21 elections, thereby making political gains but also allowing second-largest parliamentary party after Milosevic’s Socialist Vucic’s unsustainable geopolitical game has resulted in a order” image to voters in a desperate ploy to prop up his slipping a new spike in coronavirus cases and deaths. Party (Milosevic allowed the rise and influence of SRS as it was political agenda that deprioritizes burning sociopolitical issues poll ratings. Given the disastrous state of the coronavirus But the roots of the mass civil disobedience lie in years of a vehicle for extreme nationalism while making him seem com- and civil rights in his country in order to focus on foreign policy pandemic in the U.S.—over 144 thousand deaths and 4 million political dissent among Serbians of all walks of life, fed up with paratively moderate). and investment. While Serbian protesters were being mercilessly confirmed cases of COVID-19—Trump desperately needs the rife corruption, media suppression, neoliberal policies and Just five years later, Vucic was appointed minister of infor- beaten up, Vucic was welcomed by French President Emmanuel something to divert the public’s attention from his failed creeping authoritarianism of the Vucic rule. This civil resistance mation. In the two years he occupied this position, journalists Macron in Paris to discuss EU enlargement and Kosovo nego- presidency. Consequently, he has chosen to target cities with is very much reminiscent of the grassroots revolution that over- criticizing the government faced mobbing, job loss and even tiations, as if no human rights violations were taking place in Democratic mayors in states with Democratic governors, threw Slobodan Milosevic in October 2000. murder, while propaganda spreading hate towards ethnic mi- the streets of Serbia. like Portland, Chicago and Albuquerque to name a few. Sacrificing lives to win an election norities was intensified in what was then left of Yugoslavia. These For many Serbs, this was symbolic of where Vucic’s and the He will then send in the shock troops, provoke increased At first, Serbia’s response to the pandemic was prescient and are considered to have been the toughest years for Serbian media EU’s priorities lie. The Serbian president clearly reports to out- violence and claim a heavy-handed response is needed to systematic. A full lockdown and strict border controls were in- under Milosevic. side powers, not the Serbian people. And the EU - along with stop the “anarchists and agitators,” while frightening white troduced on March 15, when the confirmed cases were still few. After the overthrow of Milosevic, Vucic spent 12 years in oppo- the U.S. - favors autocratic “stability” over democracy as long suburban voters into voting for him. Less than two months later and in preparation for the June sition: first criticizing the corruption, neoliberal profiteering and as its interests are protected. Another tactic of Trump’s re-election campaign is to elections, the government ended the state of emergency with no pro-EU politics of the ruling Democratic Party, then reinventing Vucic is scared and it is showing deflect attention from the mess he has made onto the clear epidemiological explanation. himself as a pro-EU figure, starting with his switch to SNS in 2008. After a week of police brutality, the protests have abated and presumptive Democratic nominee, former vice president Overnight, Serbia went from one of the world’s strictest lock- In 2014, Vucic became prime minister before running for Vucic has tried to pacify the public. The curfew that he announced Joseph Biden, by branding him a radical leftist. This is downs to permitting and encouraging super-spreader events, president in 2017, with a campaign characterized by media on July 7 was scrapped and a dozen or so of the 150 people de- clearly a ludicrous label, given that Biden is within the same including a Serbian Football Cup semi-final match with 20,000 dominance and voter intimidation. Vucic’s presidential election tained during the protests have been released. bandwidth of the political spectrum as his former boss, and spectators. Together, the sudden shift from lockdown to large victory sparked two months of protests against his authoritarian The president has also claimed that Serbia will be one of the recall that in 2011, Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein gatherings and the falsified sharp declines in COVID-19 statistics tendencies. first countries in the world to benefit from an effective vaccine categorized former president Barack Obama as a “moderate served to tell a simple lie: The government had defeated the virus. Despite his criticism of the post-Milosevic transition and this year with the help of an unnamed country that is, according Republican.” He also remarked, “A reality-television star As expected, on June 21, the SNS won by a landslide in rigged capitalist market reforms, since coming to power himself Vucic to him, already vaccinating vulnerable groups. who can’t persuade anyone that his hair is real is alleging elections with less than 50 percent voter turnout due to the op- has continued and expanded neoliberal policies that have earned Vucic appears quite desperate but his attempt to placate the that the president of the United States was born in Kenya.” position’s boycott and disillusionment fueled by a widespread Serbia a reputation for having “cheap but skilled labor” that people’s anger with more lies is unlikely to succeed. He is right to On July 19, that same reality-television star with the same belief that the vote would be undemocratic. Shortly after the is “attractive to business”. The government has given cash in- be scared: This is the beginning of the end of his grip over Serbia. hair now in the Oval Office, warned in a Twitter post, “The polls closed, videos emerged of COVID-unsafe celebrations with centives to foreign corporations as a way of attracting foreign He surely remembers what happened to Milosevic and is able Radical Left Democrats, who totally control Biden, will party leaders, including Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic. investment. For example, Korean company JURA and Italian to recognize the signs better than most. In the face of Milosevic’s destroy our Country as we know it.” With the exception of Having both criticized Serbian citizens for the boycott and carmaker Fiat have received as much as 10,000 euros ($11,455) tactics to crack down on opposition and media, resistance against a small number of progressives like Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), encouraged them to vote in the midst of the pandemic, U.S. and per job created. his administration grew steadily over the 10 years of his rule. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez EU officials readily endorsed the election results. But these government-subsidized corporations pay monthly Protests started in 1991 and culminated with the 2000 revolution. (D-NY), most Democrats feign left while assuring their But the day after the elections, the Balkan Investigative Re- wages as low as 250 euros ($286) and now are forcing factory Many of Serbia’s youth grew up protesting with their parents corporate masters unwavering allegiance, just like their porting Network (BIRN) published an investigation, which re- workers to labor in unsafe conditions during the pandemic. against Milosevic’s dictatorship in the 1990s. They know first- Republican counterparts. vealed that the real number of COVID-19 infection and mortality These investments have hardly improved the standard of living hand that the “beginning of the end” can mean years of resistance Now, Trump is fast-forwarding his fascist agenda by numbers were three times higher than what the government of Serbians. A 2018 Survey on Income and Living Conditions and they are ready for it. slowly deploying his private army across America, whether officially reported. Vucic adamantly denied this but nonetheless found that more than a quarter of Serbs are living on less than These most recent protests might have fizzled out but the leaders of states and municipalities like it or not. “I don’t need on July 7, he announced a new curfew, noting that the health 150 euros ($172) per month. A third of university students plan youth’s determination to see genuine political change has not. invitations by the state, state mayors, or state governors to system was overwhelmed due to citizens’ irresponsible behavior. to leave the country after graduation to find jobs within their Vucic may have successfully used the coronavirus outbreak to do our job,” pontificated acting DHS head Wolf, sounding This announcement triggered protests with tens of thousands profession, while some 50,000 Serbs emigrated in 2018 alone. expand his power in parliament, but this will not save him from more like a mafioso than a public servant. “We’re going to of protesters flooding the streets and entering the parliament. In parallel, as part of its austerity measures due to loan deals the inevitable. As public anger simmers, the full economic and do that, whether they like us there or not.” Such mobster It is important to point out here that the protesters did not with the International Monetary Fund, successive SNS govern- public health consequences of Vucic’s mishandling of the pan- tactics should come as no surprise from a president who oppose government intervention to combat the pandemic. Rather, ments have viciously dismantled social security and the public demic are yet to reach their peak. called his former security chief “Matty the Squid.” I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 HERITAGE & TOURISM JULY 26, 2020

Neanderthal-era tooth to go on show in Qazvin Ancient human skeleton

HERITAGE TEHRAN – A fossilized tooth, which is amongst deskearliest evidence of Neanderthal settlements in the Iranian plateau, will be displayed at a museum in Qazvin, west- unearthed in Isfahan central Iran, where it was discovered in a nearby cave. “Early human’s tooth discovered in this cave [Qal-e Kord Cave HERITAGE TEHRAN – The remains unearthed beneath a [modern] street. And the in Avaj county] has been sent to two laboratories in France and the deskof an ancient person, be- safeguard of this historical evidence depends United States, and the results of radiocarbon dating experiments lieved to date back to the Parthian era (247 on expanding the excavations.” show that it relates to the oldest-known Neanderthal civilization BC – 224 CE), has been discovered during Earlier this month, an ancient burial con- in Iran,” IRNA quoted provincial tourism chief Alireza Khazaeli as an archaeological season which is underway taining the remains of a horse -- estimated saying on Saturday. at Tepe Ashraf, the sole archaeological hill in to be four years old was found near a place Isfahan, central Iran. where a giant jar-tomb was unearthed weeks Though the gender of the skeleton has ago, which researchers believe could shed not been determined yet, it is likely that it new light on ancient human life in Isfahan. belonged to a Parthian woman based on spec- “Tepe Ashraf is the second place after ifications of its burial site, IRNA quoted senior the Tepe Sialk (in Isfahan province) that has archaeologist Alireza Jafari-Zand as saying yielded the discovery of such jar tombs that on Saturday. offers valuable clues to uncover the obscure Jafari-Zand, who heads the archaeolog- history of pre-Islamic Isfahan,” according to ical excavation at the hill, lamented that the the archaeologist. Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Excavations at Tepe Ashraf initially began Organization does not pay enough support to in 2010 when Jafari-Zand announced his team develop the archaeological project. found evidence at the site suggesting that the “I told the [Ministry of] Cultural Heritage Sassanid site had also been used during the that there is a need for an extensive excavation Buyid dynasty (945–1055). “We stumbled In November 2018, the first season of the joint Iran-France arche- because the speculations have provided a good upon a reconstructed part in the ruins of the ological exploration led to the discovery of over 6,000 cultural pieces prospect for widening excavations because castle, which suggests that the structure had in the area. It also yielded bone remains of horse, deer, bear, and some objected excavated so far have been been used during the Buyid dynasty.” many stone tools belonging to the Middle Paleolithic period (between 200,000 up to 40,000 years ago). A 2019 study published in the Journal of Human Evolution, sug- gests that Neanderthals were roaming at the Iranian Zagros Mountain sometimes between 40 to 70 thousand years ago. Iran, Tunisia to expand tourism ties Until the late 20th century, Neanderthals were regarded as genet- 1 He also noted that although there are many ob- impact on tourism.” ically, morphologically, and behaviorally distinct from living humans. stacles to the exchange of official delegations in the field of Experts expect Iran to achieve a tourism boom after However, more recent discoveries about this well-preserved fossil tourism at the moment, the ministry seeks to strengthen coronavirus contained, believing its impact would be tem- Eurasian population have revealed an overlap between living and international tourism ties by using various tools in cyber- porary and short-lived for a country that ranked the third archaic humans. space and indirect communication. fastest-growing tourism destination in 2019. Neanderthals lived before and during the last ice age of the Pleis- The United Nations World Tourism Organization has Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist tocene in some of the most unforgiving environments ever inhabited recently praised efforts made by Iran’s tourism ministry to spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bath- by humans. They developed a successful culture, with a complex stone manage the travel industry during the coronavirus pandemic. houses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and tool technology, that was based on hunting, with some scavenging and UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said in a mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO local plant collection. Their survival during tens of thousands of years letter to tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan that the World Heritage list. of the last glaciation is a remarkable testament to human adaptation. country’s measures have truly earned plaudits to mitigate Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, it aims to increase the impact on tourism. the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to “A series of measures that the Ministry of Cultural Her- 20 million in 2025. The latest available data show eight Restoration work resumed itage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran has taken, under million tourists visited the Islamic Republic during the on Iran’s second-largest the guidelines and recommendations of UNWTO, has tru- first ten months of the past Iranian calendar year (started ly earned plaudits as an effective practice to mitigate the March 21, 2019). mudbrick citadel

HERITAGE TEHRAN – A new round of restoration works deskhas been commenced on Belqeys citadel, known Over 54,000 museumgoers visit Spanish archaeological heritage show in Tehran as the second-largest mudbrick fortress in Iran after the UNES- CO-registered Bam citadel. TOURISM TEHRAN – A total caused a delay in returning the artifacts to “Iran, Cradle of Civilization” was “The project for the restoration and protection of Belqeys deskof 54,672 Iranians the Spanish museum, the National Museum previously on show at Drents Museum, citadel, located near the historic city of Esfarayen, which had been and foreign nationals paid visits to the of Iran launched an online visit and virtual Assen, the Netherlands, where it was well- halted for some time due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, is archaeological heritage exhibition of tour of the exhibit, he added. received by museumgoers from June to resumed in accordance with health protocols,” CHTN quoted a Spain’s Archeological Museum of Alicante However, it was finally decided to November 2018. local official in charge of cultural heritage as saying on Saturday. (MARQ), which was held in Tehran for collect the works without the presence “Iran, Cradle of Civilization” turned seven months. of the representatives of the Archeological the spotlight on the earliest developments Hosted by the National Museum of Museum of Alicante and the objects were of agriculture and livestock farming from Iran, the large-scale exhibition displayed returned to Spain on Wednesday, the official the very beginning to cuneiform clay around 300 objects, some of which dating mentioned. tablets, gold beakers and ornaments, for millennia, ISNA reported on Saturday. The exhibit was in return for a landmark bronze weapons and beautifully painted The exhibit was scheduled to be held Iranian exhibit titled “Iran, Cradle of ceramics associated with successive Iranian from September 22 to April 14, but as the Civilization” that the Spanish museum kingdoms as it featured nearly two hundred coronavirus outbreak in the country put the director of the National Museum of Iran. had hosted from March 14 to September pieces of a large span of Iranian history, everything on a halt, the exhibit came to an While international flight suspensions 1, pulling in 101,108 visitors Spain and starting from pre-historical era to the end in mid-March, said Jebrail Nokandeh, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, other nationalities. Islamic period.

“Currently, an emergency operation to buttress tower and Stone vessels, utensils found at Persepolis World Heritage being documented fortification No. 24, which is located on the eastern side of the monument, is atop agenda. Moreover, additional measures will TOURISM TEHRAN – Fragments of stone ves- ended up their ways to be stored in Persepolis for future be carried out in this phase to set up preliminary tourism infra- desksels and utensils, unearthed during investigations,” the official explained. structure to better host visitors and researchers.” archeological excavations at the magnificent UNESCO Persepolis, also known as Takht-e Jamshid, whose The ruined citadel, which is sometimes referred to as Shahr-e World Heritage site of Persepolis in the southern Fars magnificent ruins rest at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat Belqeys (“The city of Belqeys”) is located in northeastern North province, are being documented and re-arranged by a (Mountain of Mercy), was the ceremonial capital of the Khorasan province. It lies at a short distance from the city of team of experts. Achaemenid Empire. It is situated 60 kilometers northeast Esfarayen. Remnants of the citadel, family lodgings, irrigation The pieces were discovered during excavations con- of the city of Shiraz in Fars Province. The royal city was channels, a cistern, and a hypostyle hall are amongst objects ducted in close collaboration with the Oriental Institute burnt by Alexander the Great in 330 BC apparently as so far been unearthed in Belqeys during rounds of excavation. of the University of Chicago in Persepolis in the 1930s, a revenge to the Persians because it seems the Persian CHTN quoted Hamid Fadaei, the director of the World King Xerxes had burnt the Greek City of Athens around Heritage, as saying on Saturday. 150 years earlier. Massive windcatcher, reminiscent Fadaei said that evidence suggests the vessels have Persepolis was the seat of the government of the Achae- deliberately been smashed into pieces millennia ago. menid Empire, though it was designed primarily to be a of genius architecture in oasis, “The interesting and important thing about these showplace and spectacular center for the receptions and being restored pieces is the deliberate crushing and breaking of these festivals of the kings and their empire. The terrace of containers because, regarding the material and thick- Persepolis continues to be, as its founder Darius would TOURISM TEHRAN – The main and the tallest badgir ness of the shreds, their fragmentation and crushing have wished, the image of the Achaemenid monarchy desk(windcatcher) of the Qajar-era (1789–1925) Nema- due to the passage of time is a false and unlikely theo- deliberately shattered and crushed them.” itself, the summit where likenesses of the king reappear tollahi mansion in the central province of Yazd has undergone some ry. Probably after looting the valuable treasures of the “According to the studies, most of these pieces have unceasingly, here as the conqueror of a monster, there rehabilitation works, a provincial tourism chief has said. Achaemenids, including gold and silver vessels in the been collected from the two halls of the Persepolis treas- carried on his throne by the downtrodden enemy, and Badgirs are the traditional air-conditioning systems of local houses treasury of Persepolis, these stone vessels appeared to ury….. In those years, some of the pieces were assembled where lengthy cohorts of sculpted warriors and guards, around the desert in Iran, which are the essential elements at the be worthless and insignificant so that looters and were to go on display at museums. And many of the fragments dignitaries, and tribute bearers parade endlessly. residential structures. The restoration project aims at reviving, preserving, protecting, and strengthening the historical structure, Ali Asghar Samadiani said, CHTN reported on Saturday. Building’s architecture follows the traditional characteristics of Iran is a kaleidoscope of color: Amir Chakhmaq Mosque Complex the structures of the buildings in desert areas with the materials of TOURISM The 19th-century Amir the darkening sky and copper-colored desert landscape. The city has an raw clay, mud and brick, and plaster. deskChakhmaq Complex sunlight is captured within each alcove. interesting mix of people as well, some The mansion has wind catchers, a hall, five-door and three-door with its imposing three-story facade is A pedestrianized square overlooking 10 percent of whom follow the ancient rooms as well as summer and winter rooms and a central yard. one of the abundant tourist hotspots the complex is usually full of visitors. It is religion of Zoroastrianism. The historical house was inscribed on the National Heritage list of Yazd, an oasis city in central Iran. landscaped with a vast pool, illuminated In July 2017, the historical structure in 2008. Located on a square of the same fountains, well-manicured trees and of the city of Yazd was named a UNESCO In July 2017, the historical structure of the city of Yazd, which is name, the prominent complex is noted shrubs that lend an attractive foreground World Heritage. Wedged between the the capital of Yazd province, was named a UNESCO World Heritage. for its eye-catching rows of symmetrical to the splendid vista at night. northern Dasht-e Kavir and the southern The oasis city is wedged between the northern Dasht-e Kavir and the sunken alcoves, which are perfectly lit Underneath the complex is a small Dasht-e Lut on a flat plain, the oasis southern Dasht-e Lut on a flat plain ringed by mountains. Its historical up following the sunset. bazaar with rows of two-story arcades. city enjoys a very harmonious public- structure enjoys a very harmonious public-religious architecture that The structures that make up Once an important station on the religious architecture that dates from dates from different eras. the complex include a mosque, a Silk Road, the historical structure of different eras. The city of Yazd is usually referred to as a delightful place to stay, caravanserai, a bathhouse, a cold- the Yazd was named a UNESCO World Yazd is usually referred to as a or a “don’t miss” destination by almost all of its visitors. It is teemed water well and a tekyeh where Shiite Heritage site back in July. It is home to delightful place to stay, or a “don’t with mudbrick houses that are equipped with innovative badgirs Muslims come together for observing plentiful historic mosques, minarets, miss” destination by almost all of its its traditional districts, the qanat (wind catchers), atmospheric alleyways, and many Islamic and Iranian special religious ceremonies, all of which and public-religious buildings visitors. It is teemed with mudbrick system, traditional houses, bazaars, monuments that shape its eye-catching city landscape. have been designed in accordance with Most buildings boast the presence houses that are equipped with innovative hammams, water cisterns, mosques, The province has an interesting mix of people as well, some 10 traditional layout principles. of gorgeous wind-catchers (badgirs) badgirs (wind catchers), atmospheric synagogues, Zoroastrian temples, and percent of whom follow the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism. The perfectly proportioned niches on atop their rooftops. The walls of the alleyways, and many Islamic and Iranian the historic garden of Dolat-Abad. The Yazd Jameh Mosque, Dowlatabad Garden, the Yazd Atash Behram, the façade may seem at their best and ancient city are adobe and mud brick, monuments that shape its eye-catching city enjoys the peaceful coexistence of also known as Atashkadeh-e Yazd, Towers of Silence, and adjacent most photogenic late in afternoon, when which seem glittering under the sunlight city landscape. three religions: Islam, Judaism, and desert landscape are among its tourist sites. towering exterior appears to glow against and blending naturally into the adjacent The city is known today with Zoroastrianism. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 26, 2020 SOCIETY 9

Iran, UNFPA to build partnerships Making food cheaper won’t solve world hunger in support of women breadwinners According to a new United Nations report, global rates of hunger and malnutrition are on the rise. The report estimates that in 2019, 690 SOCIETY TEHRAN — The United on a socio-economic approach, stressing the million people – 8.9 per cent of the world’s population – were under- desk Nations Population Fund bridging between humanitarian and longer nourished. It predicts that this number will exceed 840 million by 2030. (UNFPA) and the Ministry of Cooperatives, term development interventions, to address If you also include the number of people who the UN describes Labor and Social Welfare of Iran held a joint the need of the most vulnerable women. as food insecure, meaning that they have trouble getting access to webinar on Wednesday aimed to build part- In the same line, Maryam Mirmalek, di- food, over 2 billion people worldwide are in trouble. This includes nerships to help boost the resilience of female rector general of the office of Support and people in wealthy, middle-income and low-income countries, heads of households. Empowerment, informed participants about the Independent reported. To mark World Population Day in Iran, the first on-line dashboard developed by the The report further confirms that women are more likely to face UNFPA and the Ministry of Cooperatives, ministry in order to monitor the socio-eco- moderate to severe food insecurity than men, and that little progress Labor and Social Welfare jointly held the nomic and health status of female heads of has been achieved on this front in the past several years. Overall, its webinar on 22 July, to raise awareness about households on real time basis. findings warn that eradicating hunger by 2030 – one of the UN’s the economic impact of the COVID-19 pan- “The socio-economic recovery plan main “Sustainable Development Goals” – looks increasingly unlikely. demic on female heads of households. requires $50 million. $15 million have Covid-19 has only made matters worse: the report estimates Female heads of households are a vul- already been mobilized by UN agencies that the unfolding pandemic and its accompanying economic nerable population group that faces greater in Iran”, concluded Ugochi Daniels, UN recession will push an additional 83 million to 132 million peo- challenges in accessing health and reproduc- Resident Coordinator in Iran, and one of ple into undernourishment. But based on our work serving as tive health services, and a steady income and the panelists. “UN agencies in Iran stay independent experts to the UN on hunger, access to food and livelihood during the pandemic, according committed to complement government’s malnutrition, under the mandate of the “Special Rapporteur on to UNFPA. efforts to leave no one behind”. the Right to Food”, it’s clear to us that the virus is only accelerating The online event took place in the presence World Population Day is an annual event, existing trends. It is not driving the rising numbers of hungry of high level authorities from the Ministry of observed on July 11 every year, which seeks and food-insecure people. Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare, UN emphasizing on the importance of unin- Government panelists, Ahmad Meidari, to raise awareness of global population Experts have debated for years how best to measure hunger heads of agencies, and the diplomatic corps. terrupted sexual and reproductive health Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Issa issues. The event was established by the and malnutrition. In the past, the UN focused almost exclusively Leila Joudane, UNFPA Representative services, including prevention of violence Mansouri, Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur- Governing Council of the United Nations on calories – an approach that researchers and advocacy groups in Iran moderated the panel, all the while against women, during the COVID-19 crisis. ship presented their complementary views Development Programme in 1989. criticized as too narrow. This year’s report takes a more thoughtful approach that focuses on access to healthy diets. One thing it found is that when governments primarily focused on making sure people had enough calories, they Free hepatitis care on agenda, end of disease by 2030 did so by supporting large transnational corporations and by mak- 1 World Hepatitis Day, July 28, is an opportunity to step of million dollars. ing fatty, sweet and highly-processed foods cheap and accessible. up national and international efforts on hepatitis, encourage Iran’s challenges in full elimination of hepatitis C This perspective raises some important issues about the global actions and engagement by individuals, partners and the Complete control of hepatitis C in Iran with the global political economy of food. As the new report points out, people public and highlight the need for a greater global response “point elimination” strategy needs to address several key who live at the current global poverty level of $1.90 per day as outlined in the WHO’s Global hepatitis report of 2017. challenges. One of these challenges is the lack of accurate cannot feasibly secure access to a healthy diet, even under the The date was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize statistics on people at high risk for hepatitis C, Amir Ali most optimistic scenarios. winning scientist Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who discovered Sohrabpour, the head of the Iranian Hepatitis Network said. More broadly, the UN report addresses one of the longest-run- hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test While it is necessary to identify 20,000 patients with ning debates in agriculture: what is a fair price for healthy food? and vaccine for the virus. hepatitis C in Iran annually, only 10 percent of hepatitis C One thing everyone agrees on is that a plant-heavy diet is Low coverage of testing and treatment is the most im- patients have been identified; Therefore, it seems that the best for human health and the planet. But if prices for fruits and portant gap to be addressed in order to achieve the global challenge of identifying and accurate statistics of high-risk vegetables are too low, then farmers can’t make a living, and will elimination goals by 2030. groups in Iran needs a more immediate solution, he added. grow something more lucrative or quit farming altogether. And “Following the vaccination plan and blood transfusion On the other hand, the provinces with high hepatitis C costs eventually go up for consumers as the supply dwindles. safety, we have vaccinated 300,000 blood donors last year, prevalence have not yet been fully identified but is planned to Conversely, if the price is too high, then most people can’t afford he noted, adding, 400,000 prisoners were also vaccinated 65 percent. With these goals in mind, the world now has be done, and the country’s medical universities can play an healthy food and will resort to eating whatever they can afford and in total, 35 million Iranians under the age of 30 were high hopes for opening new doors to reduce the number of important role, while the prison organization can also help – often, cheap processed foods. immune by vaccination.” sufferers, especially with the developments that have taken hepatitis network by identifying patients to determine how Food prices don’t just reflect supply and demand. As the He went on to say that “to remove hepatitis, we need place in the field of diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis and many prisoners are infected with hepatitis C, he emphasized. report notes, government policies always directly or indirectly medicine and a quick diagnosis kit because patients do not making them completely controllable. There are 1.5 million drug users in Iran, 300,000 of whom influence them. have the financial means to treat themselves.” According to the WHO, 12 countries will achieve the goals are injecting drugs, but one of the challenges is the need Some countries raise taxes at the border, making imported food Pointing out that treating hepatitis is investing and con- in complete control of hepatitis C by 2030. Iran, which has for a full treatment of these high-risk groups, including more expensive in order to protect local producers and ensure serving resources, he said that every dollar spent on hepatitis a 30 percent reduction in new hepatitis cases and a 10 per- adequate funding for diagnostic tests and distribution of a stable supply of food. Rich countries like the US, Canada, and C eradication can lead to$18 cost reduction for the countries. cent reduction in hepatitis deaths by 2021, is now one of 17 free medicine, he stated. in the EU heavily subsidise their farming sectors. Ramezani continued “Every hepatitis C patient can in- countries working to achieve the goal of full hepatitis control. fect 12 people a year, so we must treat them to stop the Domestically-made medicine raise hope to transmission cycle.” cure hepatitis He pointed to the elimination of malaria and said that A study, on 1,361 patients with hepatitis C with a mean AIDS is also under control in the country and the eradication age of 50 years in 46 treatment centers treated with new of malaria is our achievement, but the hepatitis death rate domestic medicine, showed that Iranian-made medicine has is increasing and we need national determination and the been effective on all hepatitis C genotypes and has shown 98 help of authorities to control and eliminate it. percent success in treating patients, deputy health minister So far, 124 countries in the world have put the hepatitis Reza Malekzadeh has said. elimination program on the agenda; Iran is also committed With the help of these medicine, hepatitis C can now be to take steps in this regard, he noted. treated in 8 to 12 weeks, and the study showed that it has no Lamenting that many patients are not aware of their side effects; However, treatment with previous medicines disease, Ramezani said that the disease is asymptomatic, caused numerous side effects and made the treatment of especially in the elderly, and If the virus stays in the body hepatitis C difficult and tedious. for 6 months, it becomes chronic. Malekzadeh also pointed to the cheap price of domestic Only 10 percent of patients are aware of their disease, drugs compared to very expensive foreign ones and said “it which increases the importance of awareness and diagnostic will reduce the cost of complete treatment of hepatitis C d programs, he said, regretting, 1.4 million deaths per year to one hundred dollars.” are caused by hepatitis. It will also reduce the number of patients with liver cancer WHO goals of controlling hepatitis C that are added to the transplantation list each day, he added. An estimated 325 million people worldwide live with Simple diagnostic test the most important step hepatitis B and/or C, and for most, testing and treatment in hepatitis control remains beyond reach. Referring to Iran’s important measures in controlling Some types of hepatitis are preventable through vacci- hepatitis C, he said that the most advanced public health nation. A WHO study found that an estimated 4.5 million policy to reduce drug harm in the region by establishing premature deaths could be prevented in low- and middle-in- more than 4,000 methadone treatment clinics, and 700 come countries by 2030 through vaccination, diagnostic harm reduction centers. tests, medicines and education campaigns. WHO’s global Implementing national plans such as “free control and hepatitis strategy, endorsed by all WHO Member States, treatment of prisoners and addicts with hepatitis C”, “plan aims to reduce new hepatitis infections by 90 percent and on improving liver health”, the pilot city-to-city plan for deaths by 65 percent between 2016 and 2030. hepatitis C, the plan to identify hepatitis C patients in the The World Health Organization is focusing on full control target population of HIV patients were among the major of hepatitis C by 2030. Statistics also show that the num- measures taken in this regard, he highlighted. ber of people living with infectious diseases in the world is Just as Iran has succeeded in producing generic drugs currently declining, but the number of people infected with for the definitive treatment of hepatitis C under U.S. sanc- hepatitis C is rising; Therefore, the WHO, while inviting tions, it is now considering eliminating the costly hepatitis all countries in the world to fully control hepatitis, has set C test by researching to develop a simple, low-cost blood guidelines in this regard. test. The project has begun and is in the process of being According to WHO’s three goals of controlling hepatitis C, tested on samples. the incidence of new cases of hepatitis C infection should be He estimated the credit needed for this project at 500 reduced by 90 percent, 80 percent of infected people should million rials (nearly $11,000 at an official rate of 42,000 be treated, and hepatitis C mortality should be reduced by rials) and said that but its foreign currency savings are tens Isfahan University, ECO to hold webinar on Covid-19 As a financial center, the ECO Foundation coordinates the activities of member countries to strengthen scientific, engineering, research and development institutions, de- velop economic projects, enhance scientific cooperation through the exchange of scientists, and hold joint semi- nars, conferences, science, and technology exhibitions. Aiming for the sustainable economic development of its member states and the region as a whole, ECO was established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey and was later joined by seven new members, namely Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turk- menistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2019, Iranian science minister Mansour Gholami became Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ECO Foundation for the next two years. The foundation is headquartered in Islamabad, Pakistan. SOCIETY TEHRAN — The University of Isfahan The city of Isfahan will also host a meeting of mayors of deskand the Science Foundation of the Eco- the ECO member countries to discuss ways to overcome the nomic Cooperation Organization (ECO) will hold a joint complicated coronavirus crisis through developing urban webinar on August 10 on the economic and health effects diplomacy in the Iranian calendar month of Shahrivar of Covid-19 in the region, ISNA reported on Saturday. (August 22- September 21). I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 INTERNATIONAL JULY 26, 2020

Virus surges worldwide U.S.-led forces withdraw from as public loses faith in authorities Iraqi military base near Baghdad A surge in coronavirus cases across the United States and Europe has forced governments to strengthen containment The U.S.-led military coalition, purportedly their consignments. measures as a survey released Saturday showed support formed to fight the Daesh Takfiri terrorist A week earlier, the Lebanese Arabic-lan- for the handling of their pandemics has slipped. group, has officially handed over a military guage al-Mayadeen television news network, The disease has now killed almost 635,000 people around base south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad to citing Iraqi tribal sources, reported that an the world and infected more than 15.5 million, according the country’s security forces. explosion had targeted a U.S. convoy carry- to an AFP tally, with America the hardest-hit nation. “Combined Joint Task Force – Opera- ing logistic supplies in Iraq’s north-central tion Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) turned province of Salahuddin. It was not imme- over its facilities in Besmaya Range Com- diately known if the attack had resulted in plex to Iraqi security forces, thanks to the any casualties. successes achieved by the troops in the The resistance group Ashab al-Kahf later campaign against ISIS (Daesh),” the of- claimed responsibility in a statement, say- ficial Iraqi News Agency quoted Major ing, “We confirm the destruction of a large General Gerald Strickland, the Deputy logistical support convoy with its materials Commander-Strategy of CJTF-OIR, as in Salahuddin.” saying in a press release on Saturday. Anti-U.S. sentiment has been running Strickland said he is “working to high in Iraq following the assassination of re-position his forces inside Iraq,” top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieu- noting that “these military moves were tenant General Qassem Soleimani, the planned long ago in coordination with commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s the government of Iraq.” Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and his The statement said the coalition was Iraqi trench mate Abu Mahdi al-Muhan- “handing over the seventh site this year to dis, the deputy head of the PMU, and their Iraqi security forces, as part of an ongoing companions in a U.S. assassination drone For the second straight day Friday the U.S. reported partnership between the Iraqi forces and airstrike authorized by President Donald more than 70,000 new cases and over 1,000 deaths as the the international coalition against ISIS a statement published on its official Twitter sibility for the rocket attack. Trump near Baghdad International Airport virus takes hold in the country’s south and west. (Daesh,” praising the crucial role of Iraqi page that one of the projectiles landed on On July 22, a convoy carrying logistical on January 3. A similar resurgence in Europe prompted the World soldiers in the liberation of the strategic a warehouse, while another hit caravans support for American troops was struck Iraqi lawmakers approved a bill two Health Organization to sound the alarm over the spread, as northern city of Mosul three years ago. belonging to the protection regiment of by two roadside bombs on the al-Bathaa days later, demanding the withdrawal of Britain joined France, Germany and Austria in tightening On Friday afternoon, four Katyusha the base. The other two rockets fell in an road in Iraq’s southern province of Dhi Qar. all foreign military forces led by the United rules on masks and rolling out greater testing. rockets struck Besmaya base, where Spain open area. The rockets only caused some Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency, States from the country. Populations in France, Germany, Britain, Japan, Sweden had led the training of Iraqi security forces material damage, and there was no mention citing an unnamed Iraqi security source, The U.S. responded to the move by and the U.S. widely believed death and infection figures since 2015, Press TV reported. of casualties. reported at the time that the explosive de- threatening crippling sanctions against to be higher than recorded, according to the study, which Iraq’s Security Media Cell announced in No group claimed immediate respon- vices had damaged some of the trucks and the Arab country. polled 1,000 people in each nation. Europe accounts for a fifth of the world’s case count so far. The WHO’s European chapter expressed concern Fri- day about the rise in cases on the continent in the past U.S. agents occupy Chinese consulate in Houston two weeks and warned tighter restrictions may be needed. A three-year-old girl this week died in Belgium, becoming By staff & agencies set the stage for federal agents to enter the diplomatic com- the country’s youngest victim of the virus. U.S. federal agents and local law enforcement entered the pound on Friday afternoon. It also triggered a Chinese demand Outbreaks have been seen recently in the Spanish regions Chinese consulate compound in Houston earlier Friday in a earlier Friday that the U.S. close its consulate in Chengdu. of Aragon and Catalonia where officials have reintroduced series of black SUVs, trucks, two white vans and a locksmith’s Late Tuesday evening, police in Houston said they re- curbs on daily life and urged Barcelona residents to only van as a crowd of observers and news cameras observed sponded to reports of smoke in the courtyard outside the leave home for essential trips. from the edge of the diplomatic compound. consulate, located on Montrose Boulevard, in the city’s Mid- French Prime minister Jean Castex said on-the-spot According to CNN, U.S. officials speaking to report- town area. Local media shared video of what appeared to be testing would be rolled out for travellers arriving in France ers Friday said the consulate had been implicated in a officials inside the compound burning documents. from 16 high-risk countries. fraud investigation at a Texas research institution and U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus Masks are now mandatory in enclosed spaces across that Chinese consulate officials “were directly involved said Wednesday the consulate was directed to close “in order the nation and there are fears that the summer holiday in communications with researchers and guided them on to protect American intellectual property and Americans’ season could see a new spike in the disease as people flock what information to collect.” private information.” to beaches and tourist spots. The activities of consulate officials in Houston “are a The idea to close the Houston consulate emerged this Britain on Friday also made it compulsory to wear a face microcosm, we believe, of a broader network of individuals spring after China interfered when U.S. officials returned covering in shopping centres, banks, takeaway outlets, in more than 25 cities that network is supported through according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which called the to the consulate in Wuhan to retrieve diplomatic materials, sandwich shops and supermarkets. the consulates here,” a U.S. Justice Department official move an “unprecedented escalation” amid ongoing tension according to a senior State Department official. Exceptions have been made, including for children said Friday. “Consulates have been giving individuals in between the two countries. Chinese authorities refused to let the U.S. officials leave under 11 or people with respiratory problems, but others that network guidance on how to evade [and] obstruct our Relations between China and the United States have Wuhan with the pouches, saying they had to search them who refuse to cover their nose and mouth in the UK risk investigation. And you can infer from that the ability to task plummeted in the past year, amid an ongoing trade war, before leaving, an aggressive move that violates the Vienna a fine of up to £100 ($130). that [a] network of associates nationwide.” the coronavirus pandemic, and U.S. criticism of China’s Convention which governs diplomatic relations. The en- Austria has reimplemented a similar policy with face The U.S. had given China roughly 72 hours to “cease all human rights abuses in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. counter left Secretary of State Mike Pompeo irate, the State masks mandatory again in a range of places from su- operations and events” at the Houston facility on Tuesday, Washington’s demand for the Houston consulate to close Department official said. permarkets to pharmacies -- the rule previously having been relaxed. New outbreaks continue to wreak havoc elsewhere Hezbollah capable of targeting Israeli offshore OPCW leaks show U.S. cover-up of illegal around the world, with fresh clusters emerging across Asia. gas rigs in Mediterranean: Israeli commander Syria bombing: American weekly South Korea on Saturday reported its highest infections figure in nearly four months, and in Vietnam the first -lo A senior Israeli military official says the army has learned lessons from the Hez- Leaked documents from the Organization weapons attack occurred in Douma and cally-transmitted case in nearly 100 days was detected. Lebanese Hezbollah resistance move- bollah anti-ship missile attack on INS for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that “the toxic chemical was likely molec- Authorities in China said Friday they would introduce ment now has the capability to attack Hanit corvette on July 14, 2006, during (OPCW) show that the administration of ular chlorine.” a new wave of testing in the port city of Dalian, home to Israeli offshore natural gas platforms in Israel’s 33-day war on Lebanon. U.S. President Donald Trump bombed Syria But, subsequent internal OPCW doc- about six million people, after fresh infections were de- the Mediterranean Sea in case of a future The Israeli naval commander highlight- in 2018 on false grounds and pressured uments, including a trove published by tected there. confrontation. ed that the vessel was struck 16 kilometers officials at the chemical weapons watch- WikiLeaks, revealed that the Douma The local government’s health commission said the Israeli Hebrew-language Israel Hay- (9 miles) off the coast of the Lebanese dog to cover it up, an American weekly investigators’ initial report had reached city must “enter wartime mode” to prevent any spread om daily newspaper quoted the commander capital Beirut, and that four Israeli marines magazine reports. different conclusions from their organi- as it announced on-the-spot nucleic acid tests for people of the Israeli navy’s Haifa base, Brigadier were killed in the incident. Analyzing the leaks, The Nation reported zation’s published version. using the subway system and new lockdowns for some General Gil Aginsky, as alleging on Friday “The threat remains and is serious, but on Friday that the OPCW had manipulated According to the report, the leaks reveal communities. that Israeli naval forces are ready to face we monitor and guard gas platforms. If the original report on the alleged chemical that senior OPCW officials “reedited” the off any potential threat, noting that the Hezbollah wants to do strategic damage, it attack in the city of Douma near the capital Douma investigators’ original report, “re- Tel Aviv regime currently “faces two chal- will try to harm these platforms…,” Aginsky Damascus on April 7, 2018. moved or misrepresented” key facts and Resistance News lenges at two levels: One on the surface pointed out. The U.S. and its allies were quick to rewrote conclusions in a bid to support of the water and one beneath. We know According to Press TV, Back in Febru- blame the incident on the government of the allegation that a chlorine gas attack Israeli police brutally beat, how to deal with any complex and thorny ary 2018, Hezbollah released a video that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. had occurred in Douma. scenario. In relation to what is under the showed what appeared to be drilling plat- Damascus, however, said that no chemical “Yet the team’s initial report did not con- detain three teens in J’lem surface of the water, we are getting prepared forms floating above Israeli gas fields attack happened and that the incident was clude that a chemical attack occurred, and Old City and acquiring weapons to confront this with targeting sights superimposed on staged by foreign intelligence agencies to left open the possibility that victims were stiff challenge,” the London-based and the images. pressure the government in the face of army killed in a ‘non-chemical related’ incident,” INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN— The Israeli occupation police pan-Arab al-Araby al-Jadeed media The video, aired by Israel’s Hadashot advances against foreign-backed terrorists. it added. deskon Friday evening physically assaulted outlet reported. TV news at the time, also included quotes One week after the Douma incident, The report also referred to a toxicology and kidnaped three Palestinian teenagers in the Old City Aginsky noted that Hezbollah is working from Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed the U.S., Britain and France launched a review which found that observed symptoms of Jerusalem. on an undersea attack tunnel that crosses Hassan Nasrallah’s speech, in which he coordinated missile attack against sites of the civilians in Douma, particularly the The detainees were identified as Hatem Bashiti, Ab- into the occupied territories. warned that the group would retaliate and research facilities near Damascus and rapid onset of excessive frothing, as well dul-Rahman Bashiti and Nabeel Sidr. “They are active in sea water…. They against any Israeli strike on Lebanon by Homs with the purported goal of paralyz- as the concentration of victims filmed in Video footage that has gone viral online showed police intend to prevent us from being here, and attacking Israel’s offshore platforms. ing the Syrian government’s capability to the apartment building so close to fresh officers savagely beating, subduing and detaining the young if they can, they will do it. Our job is to “If you attack, we will attack. If you produce chemicals. air, “were inconsistent with exposure to men in al-Wad street in the Old City. prevent such a thing. We maintain and bomb, we will bomb you…. I promise you, In March 2019, the OPCW concluded chlorine, and no other obvious candidate The detainees were hauled to a police interrogation cover the northern border wall,” he said. within hours [the platform] will cease op- in its final report that there are “reason- chemical causing the symptoms could be center, with no information about the reason for their Aginsky went on to say that the Israeli erating,” Nasrallah said then. able grounds” to believe that a chemical identified.” detention. Protests hit Portland for 56th day; Trump plans ‘surge’ of agents Thousands of Muslim Christopher Columbus Statues Removed From 2 Chicago Parks worshipers preform Friday 1 U.S. charges 18 Portland protesters In the complaint filed in a federal court in New York pedestal as a small crowd gathered to watch. The crowd prayer at Aqsa On Friday, U.S. authorities leveled federal charges against City, the plaintiffs censured the U.S. president’s plan as cheered and passing cars honked as the statue came down 18 protesters in Portland as Trump presses ahead with the “unconstitutional” and stressed that everyone in the country about 3 a.m. Several work trucks were seen in the area, but INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN— Thousands of Muslim worshi- deployment of federal troops to U.S. cities. must be counted regardless of their legal status. it was unclear where the statue would be taken. deskpers observed the Friday khutba (sermon) Five people were charged with suspicion of assaulting The complaint said Trump’s directive could hurt commu- The Associated Press sent an email Friday seeking com- and prayer yesterday at the Aqsa Mosque, amid tight Israeli a federal officer, trespassing and creating a disturbance nities by deterring immigrants from responding to the census ment from Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office. movement restrictions in the holy city. during the protest nights, and seven people were charged in now under way. The move, as critics have said, is designed Plans to remove the statue were first reported Thursday According to local sources, about 10,000 worshipers connection with criminal conduct. Another six were charged to favor Republicans since the Trump’s plan could cause a night by the Chicago Tribune and the removal followed hours performed the Friday prayer at the Mosque, while following over failing to comply with a lawful order. few House seats to shift from Democratic-leaning states with of vocal confrontations between opponents and supporters of health guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The U.S. Department of Justice said all of those charged large immigrant populations to Republican-leaning states. the statue. And on July 17, protesters had clashed with police, The worshipers started to flock to the Mosque in the had been released and that their trials or other court ap- Christopher Columbus Statues Removed From who used batons to beat people and made arrests after they say early morning hours from Jerusalem and the 1948 occu- pearances are pending as their cases are being investigated. 2 Chicago Parks protesters targeted them with fireworks, rocks and other items. pied lands. Trump sued over immigrants exclusion order Meanwhile, a statue of Christopher Columbus in down- “This statue coming down is because of the effort of Dozens of young volunteers were also seen throughout In a separate development on Friday, a coalition of 35 town Chicago’s Grant Park was taken down early Friday, Black and Indigenous activists who know the true his- the Mosque’s courtyards handing out protective masks and U.S. states, cities and counties sued Trump over his directive a week after protesters trying to topple the monument to tory of Columbus and what he represents,” Stefan Cue- prayer mats and working on ensuring physical distancing not to count undocumented immigrants when apportioning the Italian explorer clashed with police. vas-Caizaguano, a resident watching the removal, told between worshipers. the 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Crews used a large crane to remove the statue from its the Chicago Sun-Times. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 26, 2020 SPORTS 11

Golmohammadi Ali Daei among the Asian legends with successful dedicates home return SPORTS TEHRAN — Ali Daei, the former player of deskIran national team, has been chosen by the AFC website, as one of the Asian football legends who have returned to their countries after years of playing abroad. IPL title to The return of the prodigal son. It is a footballing plot point nearly as old as the game itself, with the reappearance of a long-de- parted local hero possessing a special ability to stir the passions Persepolis fans of even the most jaded of fans. SPORTS TEHRAN — Persep- selves to win the title. I want to dedicate deskolis football team head the title to all fans and all former players coach Yahya Golmohammadi dedicated who supported us,” Golmohammadi said. their league triumph to the fans. “We faced the shortage of players Persepolis claimed Iran Professional due to the injury of our players but Persepolis also set a record in IPL The competitions are being held be- League (IPL) title Friday night for the these players sacrificed themselves in since it was quickest title wins in the hind the closed doors due to coronavirus fourth time in a row after beating Naft this match and I am proud of what they history of the competition. outbreak and Golmohammadi says their Masjed Solyman 2-1 in their away match. did,” he added. “I am very happy because of setting fans were really missed. With four matches to spare, the Reds “We were motivated to keep winning “I wished our fans to attend the ti- the new record. Also, I am so happy be- Asia has had no shortage of these storylines, with a range of clinched the title with 62 points, 17 points the title for the fourth time in a row and tle-winning celebration and it’s a pity cause it was Persepolis’s first win against pioneering football exports and national team icons going back above Sepahan. made it happen,” the ex-Iran defender that they were absent,” Golmohammadi Masjed Solyman in the history of the to where it all started to cap off their careers. “Persepolis players sacrificed them- said. concluded. Iran league,” he stated. To coincide with FC Seoul’s signing of former Korea Republic captain Ki Sung-yueng, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website has looked at eight local heroes who returned and thrived, after years abroad. Parviz Mazloumi named Iran 19 Persepolis claim fourth successive The story of Ali Daei goes as following by the AFC: “One of the biggest names of all when it comes to Asian football, Ali Daei team coach IPL title was already 27 when he departed Persepolis for Qatari outfit Al SPORTS TEHRAN — Parviz SPORTS TEHRAN — Persepo- Sadd, but he was only a fraction of the way to establishing the deskMazlomi has been desklis football team claimed legendary statistics he is known for today. named as new head coach of Iran Iran Professional League (IPL) title for the Daei left the Iranian club game with 21 international goals U19 football team on Friday. fourth time in a row on Friday. to his name. When he returned seven years later, that tally had The 65-year-old coach said he will With four matches to spare, the Reds ballooned to 81, with the prolific striker also winning a Bundesliga start his job from Monday. clinched the title in Masjed Soleyman with title with Bayern Munich in the intervening years. Since parting company with 62 points, 17 points above Sepahan. He scored 16 league goals in his return season with Persepolis, Esteghlal in 2016, Mazloumi has Persepolis defeated Naft Masjed then bagged 35 goals in all competitions in two seasons with Saba not worked in any team in Iran Soleyman 2-1 at the Behnam Moham- Battery, before scoring 10 times to help his final club Saipa win football. madi Stadium. the Iran Pro League title as a 38-year-old in 2007. Iran U19 football team have been Ali Alipour put the visiting team into the Daei also added another 28 international goals during without a coach since Sirous Pour- lead in the 39th minute and Mehdi Abdi his four-season farewell to Iranian football, finishing with mousavi stepped down from his role made it 2-0 in the 58th minute. a world record 109, and a reputation as one of the global in early June. Masjed Soleyman midfielder Hossein game’s great scorers.” As an experienced coach, Mazloumi Ebrahimi halved the deficit in the 71st Younis Mahmoud (Iraq), Roda Antar (Lebanon), Tim Ca- has already served as coach at several candidates to lead Iran U19 team. minute from the penalty spot. in January after financial problem with hill (Australia), Igor Shkvyrin (Uzbekistan), Zheng Zhi (China), Iranian teams such as Esteghlal, Mes Iran will take part in the 2020 AFC It was quickest title wins in the his- the team’s officials. Shunsuke Nakamura (Japan), Sun Jihai (China), are among the Kerman, Aluminium, Sanat Naft and U19 Championship in Uzbekistan in tory of IPL. Former Persepolis defender Yahya other Asian football heroes mentioned by the AFC. Iran B national team. October, where the Persians are drawn Persepolis started the 2019-20 IPL Golmohammadi was named as new head Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh, Hamid in Group A along with Indonesia, Cam- under stewardship of Gabriel Calderon coach for his second stint and led them to Estili and Alireza Mansourian were bodia, and Uzbekistan. but the Argentine left the Iranian giants win the title for the fourth successive time. Vouria Ghafouri chosen the best right-back for ACL2018 Team

Manchester United in nearly-$100 million game against Leicester Esteghlal defender Vouria Ghafouri has been voted as the best right-back for all-star XI in 2018 AFC Champions League. Manchester United, Chelsea and Leicester City would Improved results immediately followed when the Ghafouri appeared in all 10 of Esteghlal’s games as the Teh- have likely -- to use the expression -- “bitten your hand Norwegian replaced Jose Mourinho last season but ran giant reached the quarter-finals for only the second time. off” to be in the position they are now in the English by season’s end, his job appeared to be under threat The full-back’s energy down the right was a constant threat to Premier League. as United dipped. opposition defenses while he also weighed in with two goals, On the final day of the season, the three teams That carried over into this season and there were including a match-winning strike against Al Hilal. know a win Sunday would guarantee them a lucrative many who felt Solskjaer would be replaced in January In a poll conducted by the-afc.com, 92 percent of participants Champions League spot -- against the odds. after a 2-0 loss to arch-rival Liverpool was followed voted for the Iranian right-back. Indeed few might have predicted such a scenario, by a 2-0 loss at home to Burnley. Ghafouri vied with Japanese Koki Anzai, Lee Yong from South given Manchester United languished for much of the But buoyed by the arrival of Portuguese midfielder Korea and Zhang Linpeng from China. first half of the season, Chelsea dealt with a transfer Bruno Fernandes, the Red Devils have thrived since (Source: the-afc) ban and Leicester City isn’t part of the traditional “Big the season restarted in June after it was halted by the six” despite its improbable title in 2016. coronavirus pandemic. They’ve won five and drawn Only two of the three will qualify, since champion three in the league to catch Leicester, which held an Liverpool and runner-up Manchester City have already 11-point advantage in the middle of January. Sydney FC clinch Premiers Plate sealed the first two berths. Fernandes, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood Manchester United sits third on 63 points, the same reasons. and Marcus Rashford have made for a strong attack- Sydney FC were confirmed as A-League Premiers after their as Chelsea and one more than Leicester. “That is pretty clear. For us we would want to be ing quartet, while World Cup winner Paul Pogba has closest challengers Wellington Phoenix drew 1-1 against a revi- And to make things even more interesting, Leicester in it. We will give everything we can. If we fall short also returned and showed flashes of brilliance. Not talised Adelaide United on Saturday. hosts Manchester United on Sunday. then we have still had a really good season.” as rosy for Solskjaer has been the form of longtime Wellington now trail the runaway leaders by 11 points with “We want to be in the Champions League and we Chelsea meanwhile have a tough-looking home No. 1 goalkeeper David De Gea. only three games left to play after substitute Ulises Davila saw would love to be able to do that,” Leicester manager game against sixth place Wolves. Not qualifying for the Champions League would his 88th-minute penalty saved by in-form Reds gloveman Paul Brendan Rodgers told reporters Friday, putting the Resurgence under Solskjaer see the pressure on Solskjaer increase once again, Izzo at Bankwest Stadium. pressure on United. “But when you are a club like Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has especially since missing out could cost the club a re- Jaushua Sotirio levelled five minutes after Kristian Opseth Manchester United, or one of those super clubs, there hardly had a smooth time managing the club he shone ported 70 million pounds ($90 million). had put Adelaide ahead on the hour mark and, although the is a need to be in the Champions League for many for as a striker, mostly as a substitute. (Source : CNN) draw lifts Phoenix ahead of Melbourne City into second place, the Sky Blues cannot be caught in the race for the Premiers Plate. Talay rung the changes, bringing in six fresh faces from the midweek win against Perth Glory, and Carl Veart’s side had the Tokhteh’s time has come better of a closely-contested first half with Opseth landing the only attempt on target with a bullet header that forced a fingertip The best underlying storyline in Iran’s campaign “The most memorable tournament with the save from Stefan Marinovic as half-time approached. in the past year is the transition of young players in senior men’s team was when I played the VNL in Mexican playmaker Davila sparked Wellington into life when the senior national team, among them is 19-year-old Russia. We played against Brazil and I played my he came off the bench at half-time but Opseth dented the ’Nix’s Amir Hossein Toukhteh, whose time has come after best game as a 17-year-old despite that loss against chances when the Norwegian forward ghosted between two de- his successes in age-group competitions. a powerhouse team.” fenders to convert Ben Halloran’s cross on the hour. The middle blocker’s coaches in the youth and junior The young lad also saw action at the World Cham- Sotirio hit back on 65 minutes and the Kiwi club piled teams deserved a chunk of credit for their fine work pionship where he delivered a stellar performance, forward in the closing stages, as Davila saw his curling strike as Toukhteh was molded for success. taking the place of injured middle blocker Moham- parried on to the crossbar by Izzo. The Aussie ’keeper would “I believe a player can be like raw clay and the coach mad Mousavi. not be beaten again as a late spot-kick save earned a point like a potter which can mold the clay into a beautiful Last year, he returned to Bahrain for the U21 for the Reds, who tighten their grip on sixth place with their piece of art,” the 19-year-old said. “I listened to my World Championship and his growing confidence first draw in 23 matches this campaign. coaches and trained following all their instructions, helped his team overcome a rough start to still come (Source: Sydney FC) so I could earn my first age-group World Champi- out on top for their first world title in that age cat- onship title.” egory. So what else is in store for the youngster? Toukhteh was just turning 16 when he made “It is the desire of every athlete to climb all the his debut in Naypyidaw, Myanmar at the 2017 peaks of success. After winning two (age-group) Spain and Barcelona great Xavi Asian Boys’ U19 Volleyball Championship, where world championship titles, I would love to be in Iran’s fourth place finish secured a spot at the the Olympic Games.” tests positive for COVID-19 “I would dare say I am my own idol because I know U19 World Championship in Bahrain that same Toukhteh counts his teacher as his biggest influence, Amir Hossein Toukhteh the most.” year. The result was far better than expected as his mother as the one who he owed his success to, his He is young but he has wisdom beyond his years. DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Former Spain and Barcelona midfielder the Iranian team captured the world title for the coaches and teammates as his guides for improvement, He is confident and strong like an adult, but never Xavi Hernandez has tested positive for the coronavirus. second time since 2007 along with a special re- and himself as his own idol. deprived of his enjoyment of his youth. The 40-year-old Xavi, now the coach of Qatari club Al-Sadd, said ward for the young middle blocker. “I really loved volleyball and chose to play because “One of the biggest challenges of an athlete is to Saturday that he was tested according to the Qatar league protocol “The first tournament was the Asian Boys’ U19 I was really interested in it. One of my teachers, Mr stay away from their family and not being able to and that the latest test showed he had contracted COVID-19. Volleyball Championship in Myanmar, where we Adli, encouraged me to play volleyball when I was in find the opportunity to study well. There were many “Fortunately, I’m feeling OK, but I will be isolated until I am given finished fourth. That paved the way for me to work primary school. things that motivated me along the way, but it was the all-clear. When the health services allow it, I will be very eager harder and win the U19 World Championship title “When asked about what sets me apart from the my family who pushed me to be self-confident and to return to my daily routine and to work,” Xavi said on Instagram. in Bahrain. I was also selected as the Best Middle other players, I would say who made me special have belief in my abilities. Al-Sadd announced on its website that Xavi would not Blocker there.” instead of what made me special. I owe all my “I am serious and very much disciplined as an ath- be joining the rest of the team for its league game against Igor Kolakovic, then coach of the senior men’s na- success to my mother. I appreciate the coaches lete and as a person. I always do sports, but the sports Al-Khor later Saturday. tional team, took notice of the young middle blocker’s who worked hard to teach me to this day, as well I like aside from volleyball are billiards, swimming It is third-place Al-Sadd’s first game since the league was suspend- talent. The Montenegrin mentor gave the 17-year-old as the players who I look up to. I realized that I and table tennis.” ed in March due to the pandemic. The league resumed on Friday. boy from Urmia a spot in the senior team at the 2018 have become more distinctive because I have all (Source: Asianvolleyball.net) Qatar has recorded 109,036 positive cases and attributed FIVB Volleyball Nations League. of them in my life. 164 deaths to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University. Prayer Times Noon:13:11 Evening: 20:34 Dawn: 4:30 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:09 (tomorrow) JULY 26, 2020 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Mohammad Shojaeian Editor-in-Chief: Ali A.Jenabzadeh Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 Mahmudi brothers to make series [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051430 on coronavirus for IRIB release Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 ARTTEHRAN – Tehran- by the healthcare staff, and the series will desk Webmaster: [email protected] based Afghan brothers make its utmost efforts to portray part of Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 Jamshid and Navid Mahmudi will be making their sacrifices over the past months,” he said. a drama series on coronavirus, which will “The sympathy of people to help the needy be released by Islamic Republic of Iran people during the coronavirus days, and the Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimes79 Broadcasting (IRIB). charity teams producing face masks for health The series has been titled “Empathizer”, the workers combatting the coronavirus observed No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran director Of IRIB studio Sima Films, Behrang in every corner of the city are among the P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Malek-Mohammadi, announced on Saturday. main motivations for the crew to make this Zip Code: 1599814713 Malek-Mohammadi added that the series,” he concluded. filmmaking crew has had several meetings The 15-episode series will be aired during with the IRIB Health Channel to better review winter. the events and the aftermath of the new virus. “A Few Cubic Meters of Love” was He said that the story of the series is set the Mahmudi brothers’ first film, which in a hospital and added, “The series narrates was selected for screening in the official three parallel stories: one is about a nurse, competition section of the Fajr Film one is about the son of a businessman, and Festival in 2014. one is about a young team of researchers.” Their drama “To Die in the Pure Water” “The characters enter the hospital based also competed in the official competition of the GUIDE TO on a series of events, but their attitudes 38th edition of the festival in January 2020. SPIRITUAL AWAKENING towards different issues change while in Their “Rona, Azim’s Mother” won the hospital, leading to changes in their the Ecumenical Film Prize at the 68th One can purchase the world with decisions in their lives,” he explained. International Film Festival Mannheim- He noted that the series will be reflecting Heidelberg in November 2019. contentment, and live in happiness the current condition of the society in the The film also received the Cultural Diversity with benevolence. hard coronavirus days. Award under the Patronage of UNESCO at the “After the spread of coronavirus in the Tehran-based Afghan brothers Jamshid and Navid Mahmudi in an 13th Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane, country, we have witnessed a big sacrifice undated photo. Australia also in November 2019. Imam Ali (AS) Sofia hosts Iranian Film Week The Embassy of Iran is organizing the weeklong festival They do care about the honor of their family, however. Iranian, American musicians in collaboration with the Sofia Middle East & North African When a video of their sister revealing her hair ends up team up to perform opera Region (MENAR) Film Festival, the Iranian Cultural Center on the internet, the brothers become the protagonists of in Sofia announced on Saturday. some strange incidents. in pandemic Seven acclaimed movies by Iranian filmmakers have Roqayeh Tavakkoli’s “Motherhood”, which is about been selected to be screened at Dom na Kinoto Cinema Nava who tries to convince her sister to get back with ARTTEHRAN — A number of Iranian and House during the week. her husband, while her own fiancé is cheating on her, deskAmerican musicians have teamed up A highlight of the lineup is the drama “The Castle of will also be screened. to perform an opera during the pandemic to keep the Dreams” by Reza Mirkarimi. It is about two young children The lineup also includes “Season of Narges” by Negar solidarity of the two nations in these hard days of battling whose mother has just died, and their father, Jalal, after Azarbayjani, “316” Peyman Haqqani and “The Five-Star” with the coronavirus. long years of absence, returns to sort things out, but he by Mahshid Afsharzadeh. The North American Iranian Friendship Association in does not want to take the children with him. Five films from Iran were screened in various sections Washington has invited a number of Iranian and American Director Soheil Movaffaq’s comedy “Pastarioni” will of the Sofia MENAR Film Festival, which was held from musicians to perform the last two parts of Serse, an opera also be screened. It tells the story of an intense rivalry January 14 to 30. series in three acts by George Frideric Handel, the German- Hamed Behdad acts in a scene from Reza Mirkarimi’s between a luxury Italian restaurant and a small family “The Castle of Dreams” and “Pastarioni” were among the born English composer of the late Baroque era. drama “The Castle of Dreams”. restaurant in Tehran, which leads them to unite. films. “Weightlessness” by Mehdi Fardqaderi, “Domino” “The invitation was warmly received by the musicians of the ARTTEHRAN – The Bulgarian capital of Also among the selected films is Hooman Seyyedi’s by Laleh Barzegar and “The Underwater Cypress” by two countries, leading to the establishment of the Solidarity deskSofia is playing host to the Iranian Film drama “Sheeple” about brothers Shakur and Shahin, two Mohammad-Ali Bashe-Ahangar were also competing Chamber Orchestra with 19 musicians in Tehran in collaboration Week, which opened on Friday evening. lowlifes who run a crystal meth laboratory hidden in Tehran. in the event. with Iran’s Rudaki Foundation,” Vahid Abideh, founder and the CEO of the association, has told the Persian service of IRNA. “The orchestra has performed the music, which was recorded at the Rudaki Hall in Tehran, observing the health protocols and social distancing,” he added. Over 30 animations under production at IIDCYA “Afterwards, the video of the performance was sent to the ARTTEHRAN — Iran’s several international events, including the But the only part offered to him is to play U.S. where seven top American singers joined to sing and deskInstitute for Intellectual Supertoon International Animation Festival the role of a crab. perform the opera under the supervision of the IN Series, Development of Children and Young Adults in Croatia and the Annecy International The movies by young filmmakers also a company for innovative opera theater in Washington,” (IIDCYA) announced on Saturday that it is Animated Film Festival in France. include “The Lovely Sky” by Amir-Hossein Abideh explained. producing 31 animated films in a new project. Among the veteran animators are also Mehran, “Hush, We Have a Plan” by Fatemeh “A video of the work is under final production and will “Several veteran filmmakers along with a Mahin Javaherian with “By What?”, Alireza Gudarzi, “Bang Bang” by Lida Fazli, “The soon be released after the final editing,” he said. number of promising young animators have Golpayegani with “My Little Garden’s Friend” Happiest Chair of the World” by Mohammad “After the rapid spread of coronavirus in the world, many commenced making the collection, which and Abdollah Alimorad with “The Successor”. Moqaddam, “A Gift for You” by Samaneh countries have been battling with this new virus, and have will be released in the next few months,” In addition, “Uninvited Guests” by Asadi, “A City Built with Gold” by Ahmad tolerated great social and human damages. That is why paying an IIDCYA deputy director Mohammadreza Ravanbakhsh Sadeqi, “I Wish I Had a Brother” Soflai and “Poison Sprayer” by Farnush Abedi. due attention to unity and solidarity between people of the Karimi said in a press release. by Nahid Shamsdoost, “Three Flowerpots” Most of the animated films will be made countries is felt more now than at any other time,” Abideh said. “The Eleventh Step” by Maryam by Hossein Saafi, “The Bird, the Little Boy based on books by Iranian writers published Abideh called the collaboration between Iran and North Kashkulinia is one of the animations being and the Train” by Rashin Kheirieh and “Once “The Eleventh Step” by director Maryam by the IIDCYA. America very important and said, “The opera has been produced produced in this project. It is based on Upon a Time a Dragon” by Mohammad-Ali The animators are trying to complete Kashkulinia. by the North American Iranian Friendship Association in children’s writer Susan Taqdis’s acclaimed Soleimanzadeh are the other old-timers their works in time to screen their collaboration with Iran’s Rudaki Foundation.” story “The Eleventh Step”. The story is about working on this project. Shanghai International Film Festival, which movies at the 12th Tehran International a lion cub that never dared to take one more “The Crab” is one of the movies made by opened in the Chinese metropolis on Saturday. Animation Festival, which is organized step toward its freedom when the zookeeper young animators. Directed by Shiva Sadeq- The short animation tells the story of a shy by the IIDCYA every year in March. forgot to lock its cage’s door. Asadi, it is contending for the Golden Goblet schoolboy who is interested in performing However, it may be postponed due to Iranian institute publishes “The Eleventh Step” has been screened in Award in the short film section of the 23rd in a play with his school’s theater troupe. the COVID-19 pandemic. Braille books by top children’s writers

CULTURE TEHRAN — Iran’s Institute for “The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018” deskIntellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) has published a Braille version appears in Iranian bookstores of a selection of nine books. The collection includes poetry collections and stories written CULTURE TEHRAN — “The O. Henry Prize by Marjorie Celona, “Nayla” by Youmna Chlala, “Lucky by Iranian and world children’s book writers. deskStories 2018” compiled by Laura Dragon” by Viet Dinh, “Stop ’n’ Go” by Michael Parker, Two collections of poetry by Khatun Hosseini from Iran Furman has recently been published in Persian by “Past Perfect Continuous” by Dounia Choukri, “Inversion and Akiko Kageyama from Japan are among the books. Neyestan Publications in Tehran. of Marcia” by Thomas Bolt and “Nights in Logar” by Jamil The book has been translated into Persian by Ali Famian Jan Kochai are some of the books. under the title of one of the stories, “Lucky Dragon”. Also included are “How We Eat” by Mark Jude Poirier, “The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018” contains twenty prize- “Deaf and Blind” by Lara Vapnyar, “Why Were They Throwing winning stories chosen from thousands published in literary Bricks?,” by Jenny Zhang, “An Amount of Discretion” by magazines over the previous year. Lauren Alwan and “Queen Elizabeth” by Brad Felver. The winning stories come from a mix of established Furman is the winner of fellowships from the Guggenheim writers and emerging voices, and are uniformly breathtaking. Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts They are accompanied by essays from the eminent jurors for her fiction. on their favorites, observations from the winning writers As the author of several books, including the story on what inspired their stories, and an extensive resource collection “The Mother Who Stayed”, she taught writing list of magazines that publish short fiction. for many years at the University of Texas at Austin. She Front cover of the Persian version of Laura Furman’s “The Tomb of Wrestling” by Jo Ann Beard, “Counterblast” lives in Central Texas. collection “The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018”.

This photo shows the front covers of a collection of Braille books published by Iran’s Institute for Intellectual Develop- New Persian translation of Dostoevsky’s ment of Children and Young Adults. The poetry collection “An Umbrella of Petals” by Afsaneh “The Brothers Karamazov” published Shabannejad, “Yellow Crow” by Nasser Keshavarz and “Once There Was a Dog, There Was a Jungle” by Mostafa Rahmandoost CULTURE TEHRAN – A new Pavlovich Karamazov and his three true to the verbal inventiveness of are also included. deskPersian translation of sons – the impulsive and sensual Dostoevsky’s prose, preserving the “The Hunger of the Little Man” by Pierre Delye, “God’s Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Dmitri; the coldly rational Ivan; and multiple voices, the humor, and the Cookies” by Claire Joubert and “Tickle” by Sepideh Khalili “The Brothers Karamazov” Asghar the healthy, red-cheeked young novice surprising modernity of the original. It is are seen in the collection. Rastegar has come out in Tehran. Alyosha. Through the gripping events an achievement worthy of Dostoevsky’s Also included is “Carriage-Riding Sun” by Hossein Bokai. Negah is the publisher of the novel, of their story, Dostoevsky portrays the last and greatest novel. The young adults can also enjoy “In the Silence of Sands” which has been rendered into several whole of Russian life, is social and Dostoevsky spent nearly two years by Kamal Shafiei, “Goodbye on Autumn Street” by Maryam other Persian translators. spiritual striving, in what was both writing “The Brothers Karamazov”, Eslami and “I Am Less a Man and More a Sparrow” by “The Brothers Karamazov” is a the golden age and a tragic turning which was published as a serial in Habib Nazaari. murder mystery, a courtroom drama, point in Russian culture. The Russian Messenger from January The IIDCYA has released many audiobooks over the past Front cover of a new Persian translation of and an exploration of rivalry in a series An award-winning English 1879 to November 1880. Dostoevsky year and hopes to publish books for children with low visual Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The of triangular love affairs involving the translation by Richard Pevear died less than four months after its acuity and low hearing ability. Brothers Karamazov” Asghar Rastegar. “wicked and sentimental” Fyodor and Larissa Volokhonsky remains publication.