اخبار ایران به زبان انگلیسی ( Iran News )

[Persia1]

Iranian interior minister attends anti-drugs conference in Vienna

Iranian interior minister attends anti-drugs conference in Vienna

TEHRAN – Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar has visited Vienna to attend the fifty-sixth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) that kicked off on Monday and ends on Friday.
More than 1,000 representatives from across the globe are attending the meetings to discuss issues ranging from international cooperation in combating drugs to public health and safety concerns, including the threat of new psychoactive substances.

The executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov, has said this year's CND session "has a primary institutional role to play in defining the international drug control system of the 21st century."

Previously, Fedotov had called Iran a “leading country” in illicit drug seizures.

“Iran is our important partner in the war on drugs,” he had said during a meeting with Mohammad-Najjar in Tehran in July 2011. He also said Iran is a “good and reliable” partner for the international community as well.”

According to the latest data published by the UNODC, Iran seizes more than 87 percent of the seized drugs in the world.

With a 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Afghanistan, the biggest producer of opium in the world, Iran has been used as the main conduit for smuggling illicit drugs from its neighbor to drug kingpins in Europe.

In response, the Iranian government has spent over $700 million to seal its borders and prevent the transit of illicit drugs destined for European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian countries.

Despite the presence of U.S. and British troops in Afghanistan and their extensive public relations campaign about their efforts to eliminate the production and smuggling of drugs, 3,600 tons of opium was produced in Afghanistan in 2010, based on UN statistics and estimates.



source
tehran times newspaper


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[Persia1]

Ground broken for Pakistan section of IP pipeline

Ground broken for Pakistan section of IP pipeline

TEHRAN - Construction of the Pakistan section of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline officially started on Monday.
The project was launched during a ceremony on the Iran-Pakistan border attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

High-ranking officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Turkmenistan, Oman, and Afghanistan also attended the ceremony, the Mehr News Agency reported.

“The completion of the pipeline is in the interests of peace, security, and progress of the two countries… it will also consolidate the economic, political and security ties of the two nations,” the two presidents said in a joint statement, AFP reported.

The 900-kilometer Iranian section of the pipeline is almost complete.

The Pakistan section of the pipeline, which will stretch for 780 kilometers, will be built over the next two years.

In November 2012, during a trip to Pakistan, Ahmadinejad emphasized the need to complete the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline on schedule.

The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, which is projected to cost 1.2 to 1.5 billion dollars, will export 21.5 million cubic meters of Iranian natural gas per day to Pakistan when it comes on stream.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has offered to give Pakistan a $250 million loan to help finance the project.

Iran has pledged to secure $500 million to complete the Pakistan section of the project and the rest will be provided by the Pakistani government.

Meanwhile, the U.S. says the project would enable Iran to sell more of its gas, undermining efforts to step up pressure over Tehran’s nuclear activities.

But power shortages have become a pressing issue in Pakistan, and Islamabad insists it will not bow to the pressure and will not cancel the project.




source
tehran times newspaper
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[Persia1]

Iran to become leading urea fertilizer producer: official

Iran to become leading urea fertilizer producer: official

TEHRAN - Iran plans to double its urea fertilizer production capacity by the next two years and become the world’s major producer of this petrochemical product, the Mehr News Agency quoted Iranian deputy oil minister Abdolhossein Bayat as saying.
Urea fertilizer production capacity is currently about 4.5 million tons per year and the capacity is projected to be increased by 8 million tons, he noted.

According to Customs Administration data, the country exported over $1.45 billion worth of urea fertilizer in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2011-March 2012), mainly to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.

Iran has significantly expanded the range and volume of its petrochemical products over the past few years, and the National Iranian Petrochemical Company (NIPC) has become the second largest producer and exporter of petrochemicals in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia, Press TV reported.

The Islamic Republic exported a total of 18.2 million tons of petrochemical and polymer products, worth about $14.2 billion, to more than 60 countries in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended March 19, 2012).

Iran's petrochemical products mostly include ethylene, methanol, urea, polyethylene and polyolefin, according to the NIPC.





source
tehran times newspaper
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[Persia1]

Hollywood plans for new Iranophobic films discussed in Tehran

Hollywood plans for new Iranophobic films discussed in Tehran

TEHRAN -- Hollywood’s plans for the production of films which promote Iranophobia were scrutinized during a conference in Tehran on Monday.
The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance was the main organizer of the one-day conference that was entitled “The Hoax of Hollywood”, Persian-language media outlets announced.

“The distortion of historical facts in movies such as ‘Not Without My Daughter’, ‘300’, and finally ‘Argo’ convinced us to hold the conference, which is Iran’s first collective and strong response to the populist approach,” conference secretary Mohammad Lesani said in a press release.

“One of the main aims of the meeting is to unify all cultural communities in Iran against the attacks of the West, particularly Hollywood,” he added.

He said that the conference plans to sue Hollywood.

French lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, who also attended the conference, will represent Iran in an international court.

She represented Zacarias Moussaoui early on during his imprisonment, while he was awaiting trial for his role in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Lesani also said that the conference plans to send a statement to the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council, which opened in Geneva on February 25 and will run until March 22.

UN special rapporteur for human rights in Iran Ahmed Shaheed presented a report at the session on February 28, in which he voiced concern over what he called an apparent rise in the frequency and gravity of abuses in Iran, and claimed that the Islamic Republic had failed to investigate “widespread, systemic, and systematic violations of human rights.”

An official campaign has been mobilized against Hollywood after Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage drama “Argo” was selected as best picture at the Academy Awards on February 24.

In Iran, “Argo” was officially viewed as an “anti-Iranian” film after it premiered in the U.S. on October 12.



source
tehran times newspaper
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[Persia1]

“A Cube of Sugar” crowned best film at Spanish fest

“A Cube of Sugar” crowned best film at Spanish fest

TEHRAN -- The Iranian family drama “A Cube of Sugar” has been picked as the best feature film at the 4th Ibn Arabi International Film Festival (IBAFF) in Murcia, Spain.
In “A Cube of Sugar”, members of a large family come together in a happy friendly atmosphere to make preparations for their youngest sister’s engagement party. However, a series of bad news ruins everything planned.

Negar Javaherian, Rima Raminfar, Saeid Pursamimi, Parivash Nazarieh, Reza Kianian and Hedayat Hashemi are the A-list cast of the film.

World-renowned Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami also held a series of workshops, which are composed of theoretical and practical sessions, on the sidelines of the festival.

The festival is named after the great Andalusian philosopher, poet and mystic, Ibn Arabi, who was born in Murcia in 1165.

Mirkarimi’s “A Cube of Sugar” and “So Close, So Far” will also go on screen at the Cine Doré Hall in Madrid on March 12 and 13.

“The Saharawi Master” by Nicolas Muñoz from Argentina was selected as the best documentary at the festival.

The festival was held from March 4 to 9.




source
tehran times newspaper
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[Persia1]

Leader praises Iranian medal winners

Leader praises Iranian medal winners

TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei met the Iranian Olympic and Paralympic medal winners and officials on Monday.
“The champions are symbol of our nation’s potential and boost our confidence,” the Leader said.

Paying tribute to the Iranian women athletes, who take part in the competitions wearing hijab, said, “To compete in the international event with hijab is so important and valuable. While the some veiled women are in danger of being assaulted across Europe, an Iranian woman stands on the podium and the others have been impelled to respect her. We ought to be grateful to her,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.

Praising the Iranian disabled athletes, the Leader said, “When the war disabled and disabled athletes win the championships, despite the physical challenges, it shows our nation’s dignity and determination.”

Admiring the athletes, he stated, “I sincerely thank all the athletes, who mention the names of imams at the sports fields as well as all the sportspersons, who pray to God after winning the medals, and all the sportswomen who respect religious ethics at the competitions.”




source
tehran times newspaper
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[Persia1]

Haddadi criticizes Grizzlies coach for not giving him more chance

Haddadi criticizes Grizzlies coach for not giving him more chance

Phoenix Suns center Hamed Haddadi criticized Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins and said the coach didn’t give him enough chances.
Hamed Haddadi played a career-high 28 minutes off the Suns' bench on Saturday, scoring six points with 11 rebounds, one steal and three blocks.

"When I was in Memphis the coach always took me out after the first mistake, but here the first mistake they don't take me out," Haddadi said after 107-105 win against the Houston Rockets.

"I was feeling good and I played all four quarters. I was in Memphis for four or five years, over time I learned something. You have to be patient," he added.

The 7-2 center became the first Iranian-born player in NBA history when he made his debut with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008-09.




source
tehran times newspaper

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[Persia1]

Xi promises peaceful, prosperous China helping neighbors

Xi promises peaceful, prosperous China helping neighbors

BOAO, China (Reuters) - China's President Xi Jinping pledged on Sunday that change and peaceful development will power his country's economic rise and sustain growth within its borders and beyond.
Stressing that peace was pivotal for the future of the world's second biggest economy, Xi appealed to business and political leaders to use diplomacy and dialogue to resolve disputes and allow wealth to spread and solve problems.

"For Asia, development is still the top question, development is still crucial for solving many problems and conflicts," Xi told a forum in Boao on the southern Chinese island province of Hainan.

"Without peace, there is no need to talk about development," to added, speaking to an audience of executives and foreign leaders including Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Myanmar President Thein Sein and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde.

Painting a picture of a richer China in 2020, when the government expects average rural and urban incomes will be double 2010 levels, Xi said his country would increasingly export its wealth to its neighbors.

China will import $10 trillion worth of goods a year five years from now, he said, and outbound investment will rise by a big margin. Domestic consumption, particularly retail consumption, will also continue to expand.

China imported $1.8 trillion worth of goods and services last year, up a meager 4.3 percent from a year ago as its economy slumped into its worst downturn in 13 years.

But Xi was upbeat about the future, saying growth would follow when his government changes China's economic structure and financial system. He did not give details.
"China's economy will continue to maintain a healthy growth rate," Xi said. "We will persist with reforms and doggedly pursue the path of changing our economic ways."
In contrast, an ailing global economy faces a difficult recovery fraught with risks, he said.

Xi's message of China's peaceful and inclusive rise was echoed earlier when nearly a dozen senior executives from Chinese state-owned firms met peers from top Australian banks and companies.

Andrew Forrest, an Australian iron ore magnate and founder of Fortescue Metals Group, who chaired the closed-door meeting, told reporters that Chinese state firm executives wanted Australians to know that China was not "expansionist" or "aggressive".
"They do not understand how people could look at China through anything but friendly eyes," Forrest said.

Security concerns in other countries have hampered or overshadowed the overseas expansion of several large Chinese companies, including telecoms equipment firm Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and state-owned oil company CNOOC Ltd.



tehrantimes.com
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[Persia1]

Iran to unveil five new radioisotopes soon

Iran to unveil five new radioisotopes soon

TEHRAN – Iran will unveil five new domestically produced radioisotopes in coming days, Vice President for Scientific and Technological Affairs Nasrin Soltankhah announced on Sunday.
Soltankhah also said that Iran would unveil 28 science-based products in the near future.

The deputy director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced on March 3 that the production of a number of new domestically produced radioisotopes had started.

Radioisotope is a radioactive isotope which is used in physical and biological researches and therapeutics.

The radioisotopes which are produced in Iran are mainly used for diagnosis and treatment of various cancers or are used to alleviate cancer-related pains.

tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

U.S. says door still open on Iran nuclear talks

U.S. says door still open on Iran nuclear talks

TEHRAN – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday world powers would pursue further talks with Iran to resolve a decade-old dispute over its nuclear program, but stressed the process could not go on forever, Reuters reported.
Iran and world powers failed to reach any agreement during two days of talks over Tehran’s nuclear program in the Kazakh city of Almaty on Friday and Saturday. No new talks were scheduled between Iran and the six powers.

“This is not an interminable process,” said Kerry after arriving in Istanbul on Sunday on the first leg of a 10-day trip to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

He said President Barack Obama was committed to continuing the diplomatic process despite what he called the complicating factor of an Iranian presidential election in June.

“Diplomacy is a painful task… and a task for the patient,” Kerry told a news conference.

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz urged the powers on Sunday to set a deadline of weeks for military action to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear enrichment activity.

Steinitz, who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Army Radio action should be taken within “a few weeks, a month” if Iran did not curb its nuclear program.

Western powers suspect Iran is trying to develop the means to produce nuclear weapons behind the guise of a declared civilian atomic energy program. Iran denies the accusation.

“It is important to continue to talk and to try to find common ground,” Kerry said. “So we hope that out of Almaty will come a narrowing of some of the differences. We remain open and hopeful that a diplomatic solution can be found.”

The six powers want the Islamic Republic to suspend its higher-grade uranium enrichment work in return for modest relief from international sanctions, an offer Iran did not accept.

“Obviously there is an election and that complicates the choices with respect to the politics of Iran, and we are aware of that,” Kerry said.

“But we will continue. The president (Obama) is determined to continue to pursue the diplomatic channel… We remain open and hopeful that a diplomatic solution can be found.”

tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

Iran inks €2.6b deal to revamp Abadan refinery

Iran inks €2.6b deal to revamp Abadan refinery

TEHRAN – A consortium of Iranian and foreign companies has signed a €2.6-billion deal with Iran’s Oil Ministry to revamp Abadan refinery, located in the southwest of the country, ISNA quoted Iranian deputy oil minister Alireza Zeighami as saying on Sunday.
The consortium is tasked with implementing the second phase of the refinery’s development plan, which is aimed to increase daily gasoline output by 6 million liters to 21 million liters, he noted.

All the old establishments in the refinery will be replaced with modern facilities to boost production capacity, Zeighami said.

Moreover, 15.5 million liters of diesel fuel, 7.1 million liters of furnace oil, 3.9 million liters of jet fuel, and 1.5 million liters of liquefied gas will be added to the refinery’s production capacity, he added.

In October 2012, ISNA quoted Zeighami as saying that Iran is currently producing 25 million liters of premium gasoline per day, meeting Euro-4 and Euro-5 standards.

The country's gasoline output is projected to hit 70 million liters per day by the end of the next Iranian calendar year (March 2015), he added.

Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said in September 2012 that Iran will boost its gasoline production capacity by 10 million liters in the near future.

According to official government data, Iranian gasoline imports have slumped by as much as 95 percent over the last four years as rising refinery capacity and lowering fuel subsidies help neutralize Western sanctions aimed at starving Tehran of fuel.

tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

Iran to boost gas production capacity by 150mcm per day

Iran to boost gas production capacity by 150mcm per day

TEHRAN - Three phases of Iran's South Pars gas field will come on stream in the current Iranian calendar year, which will boost the country’s natural gas production capacity by 150 million cubic meters per day, National Iranian Oil Company managing director Ahmad Qalehbani stated.
The current Iranian year started on March 21.

The phases 12, 15, and 16 will be tapped in the current year, ISNA quoted him as saying.

Once the three phases start production, the country's gas output will increase significantly, he noted.

Iran is currently producing 300 million cubic meters per day of gas from the South Pars.

The managing director of Pars Oil and Gas Company Mousa Souri said in September 2012 that Iran can earn $8 billion in revenue from every phase of the South Pars gas field.

He noted that the gas field accounts for eight percent of the global gas reserves, adding that the development of every one of the 24 phases of the gas field can cause a one-percent growth in the national economy.

The country, which sits on the world's second largest natural gas reserves after Russia, has been trying to enhance its gas production by increasing foreign and domestic investments, especially in the South Pars gas field.

The South Pars gas field covers an area of 9,700 square kilometers, 3,700 square kilometers of which are in Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.

The remaining 6,000 square kilometers, i.e. North Dome, are in Qatar's territorial waters.

The Iranian gas field contains 14 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, about eight percent of the world's reserves, and more than 18 billion barrels of LNG resources.


tehrantimes.com
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[Persia1]

Two ambassadors hold Iran photo exhibit in Tehran

Two ambassadors hold Iran photo exhibit in Tehran

TEHRAN -- Tehran’s Niavaran Cultural Center has showcased a collection of photos of Iran taken by the ambassadors of Indonesia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina at an exhibition.
A number of Iranian cultural officials and foreign envoys attended the opening ceremony exhibit at the Gallery 1 of the center on Sunday, the center announced in a press release.

Indonesian Ambassador Dian Wirengjurit and the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Emir Hadzikadunic have travelled across Iran to take the photos for the joint exhibit, which has been entitled “Iran: East and West Perspectives”.

The exhibit, which will run until April 13, explores attractions and various aspects of life in Iran.

Wirengjurit and Hadzikadunic are skilled in photography and have held exhibitions at several art centers and galleries in various countries.

tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

Haddadi needs more time in Phoenix Suns

Haddadi needs more time in Phoenix Suns

Phoenix Suns center Hamed Haddadi said that he needs more time to be a better player in the NBA team.
Haddadi, who is the only Iranian to play in the NBA, joined the Phoenix Suns in a trade deadline deal with the Toronto Raptors in late February.

“When I joined Phoenix Suns the center of the team was injured and I had a good chance to play. I’ve always tried to do my best. I want to show I deserve to play in NBA,” Haddadi said.

“I play very well in one match and play very weak in another match. I must take full advantage of my time in the field. In my opinion, I could be better and I should try more. With six games still to play, I will try hard to be a helpful player for my team,” the 7-2 center added.

“I will return to Iran after the end of the season. I miss my family so much. Also, I have to prepare myself for the Iran national team. We have important matches in the summer. I want more and will never give up. I have good teammates here,” Haddadi was quoted by ISNA as saying.

tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

Persepolis into Iran’s Hazfi Cup final

Persepolis into Iran’s Hazfi Cup final

RASHT – Persepolis football team booked a berth in the Iran’s Hazfi Cup final after defeating Damash of Gilan in penalty shootout.

On Saturday, the Iranian giant beat its host Damash 6-5 in penalty shootout at the Shahid Azodi Stadium.

Substitute Amin Motevasselzade scored for Damash with a header in the 71st minute.

Midfielder Mohammad Nouri, who came off the bench, brought Persepolis back from the brink on a goal with nine minutes remaining in regulation to tie the score at 1-1.

Then, after 30 tense minutes of overtime, visiting Persepolis defeated Damash 5-4 in the shootout.

“We are going to win the championship. Persepolis cannot win the title in the league. We are concentrating on Sepahan match and we want to claim the title in Hazfi Cup,” Persepolis coach Yahya Golmohammadi said in the post match news conference.

Persepolis will face Sepahan, who defeated Esteghlal in shootout last week, in final.

The exact time of the final match has yet to be announced

tehrantimes.com
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[Persia1]

Hackers target Israeli government websites

Hackers target Israeli government websites

A weekend cyber attack campaign has targeted Israeli government websites but failed to cause serious disruption, officials say.
Yitzhak Ben Yisrael, of the government's National Cyber Bureau, said on Sunday that hackers had mostly failed to shut down key sites.

“So far it is as was expected, there is hardly any real damage,” Ben Yisrael said. “Anonymous doesn't have the skills to damage the country's vital infrastructure. And if that was its intention, then it wouldn't have announced the attack of time. It wants to create noise in the media about issues that are close to its heart,'' he said.

The cyber attacks followed a warning from the hacker group Anonymous, which said it would launch a massive attack on Israeli sites in an “operation” called #OpIsrael.

“You have shown that you do not respect international law,” said the group in a video released online addressing the Israeli government.

“This is why that on April 7, elite cyber-squadrons from around the world have decided to unite in solidarity with the Palestinian people against Israel as one entity to disrupt and erase Israel from cyberspace,” it added.

Israel's Bureau of Statistics was down early on Sunday but it was unclear if it had been hacked.

Media reports also said the sites of the Defence and Education Ministry as well as banks had come under attack the night before but were mostly repelled.

Haaretz newspaper said almost 19,000 Israeli Facebook accounts had been attacked by hackers affiliated with Anonymous.

Last November, hackers broke into Israeli websites during fighting in Gaza but failed to cause serious disruption, according to AP news agency.

(Source: Agencies)

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[Persia1]

Swiss offer to mediate in North Korea crisis

Swiss offer to mediate in North Korea crisis

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland has offered to mediate with North Korea as tension rises on the Korean peninsula following UN sanctions imposed in response to a North Korean nuclear weapon test in February.

The Swiss foreign ministry recently made contact with the North Korean authorities but there are no current plans for any talks, a spokeswoman said.
"Switzerland is willing to contribute to a de-escalation on the Korean peninsula and is always willing to help find a solution, if this is the wish of the parties, such as hosting meetings between them," she said in an emailed statement.
North Korea has issued increasingly strident warnings of imminent war with South Korea and the United States, urging diplomats on Friday to consider leaving Pyongyang.

Swiss media say that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who took over in December 2011 after the death of his father Kim Jong-il, apparently spent several years in Switzerland being educated under a pseudonym.
Neutral Switzerland often hosts peace talks and mediates in international conflicts, more recently between Russia and Ukraine and between the United States and Iran and Cuba.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry said it had been involved in more than 15 sets of peace negotiations in the past seven years, including in Sudan, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Nepal.

Former Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, who in 2003 became the first foreign government official to cross the demarcation line separating North and South Korea, said Pyongyang's wishes had not changed much since then.
"For North Korea, symbols are very important," she told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper in an interview. "What the North Koreans still want is recognition and security guarantees from the United States."

Five Swiss and five Swedish officers monitor the demilitarized zone between the North and South. Urs Gerber, the Swiss head of the operation, said not much has changed in recent months. "We are just monitoring the situation more intensively," he also told the SonntagsZeitung.


tehrantimes.com
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[Persia1]

Iran steps up relief efforts for quake survivors

Iran steps up relief efforts for quake survivors

BUSHEHR - Aid agencies have stepped up relief efforts for survivors of a powerful earthquake that killed 37 people and injured 950 others in Bushehr Province in southwest Iran.
Water and food are being distributed among survivors and about 2,100 tents have been set up in the quake zone, emergency officials said.

Less than 24 hours after the quake happened rescue operations ended on Wednesday.

The relief operation covers more than 90 villages which were hit hard by the quake.

The quake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, hit at 4:22pm (1152 GMT) at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) near the town of Kaki on Tuesday. Aftershocks continued into Wednesday morning.

750 suffered minor injuries

According to ISNA new agency, six of the injured are in a critical condition.

Bushehr’s governor said 750 had suffered minor injuries.


At least 700 homes had been destroyed in the quake, the governor said.

The first vice president, interior minister and health minister also visited the quake-hit region on Wednesday.

According to Al Jazeera, the quake was felt across the Persian Gulf in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, where workers were evacuated from high-rise buildings as a precaution

source
tehran times
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[Persia1]

European Council appeals against court annulling sanctions on Iran bank

European Council appeals against court annulling sanctions on Iran bank

On Monday, on the last day to file an appeal, the European Council has appealed against the European Court’s decision annulling the EU sanctions against Bank Mellat, Iran’s largest private bank. The EU Court originally annulled sanctions against the bank in January of this year after finding that the sanctions were unlawfully imposed by the EU Council, with no evidence that the bank directly or indirectly facilitated Iran’s nuclear program.
The move comes just days after the U.S. State Department urged the EU to maintain the pressure against Iran by finding a route to maintain sanctions against private banks. Following the U.S. State Dept urging the EU Council to change its rules to maintain sanctions, Reuters reported an EU diplomat as saying that any major work relating to the maintaining of Iranian sanctions can only be considered after the next round of negotiations between Tehran and six powers which were concluded in the Kazakh city of Almaty on 6 April. This shows that the EU Council’s decision to appeal is based on political considerations and not on the Principal of the Rule of Law. If that is correct then the EU Council has in filing an appeal against the EU Court’s decision in favor of Bank Mellat, acted in breach of A2 of the Treaty of the European Union which requires all states to act in accordance with the Principal of the Rule of Law.

“The EU Council’s decision to fold under pressure from the United States is a worrying development for international law and a breach of A2 of the Treaty of the European Union which states that all states should act in accordance with the Principal of the Rule of Law,” says Sarosh Zaiwalla, director of a law firm in London.




source
tehran times
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[Persia1]

Iranian novel to vie for Best Translated Book Award

Iranian novel to vie for Best Translated Book Award

TEHRAN -- The English version of the novel “The Colonel” by Iranian author Mahmud Dolatabadi is among the finalists of the 2013 Best Translated Book Award, a literary event held by the University of Rochester in the U.S.
“The Colonel” by Mahmud Dolatabadi has been translated from the Persian by Tom Patterdale and the Melville House released the book in the U.S.

The book, which has not been published in Iran yet, is a powerful novel onthe life of colonel who remembers his memories of families and friends in his solitude. The book concerns issues like nation, history and family.

The fiction and poetry shortlists for the 2013 Best Translated Book Awards (BTBA) were revealed simultaneously on Three Percent, an online resource for International Literature at the University of Rochester on April 10.

The 2013 shortlist includes ten works from eight different countries, ranging from Russia to Argentina to Djibouti.

“The Planets” by Sergio Chejfec, translated from Spanish by Heather Cleary; “Prehistoric Times” by Eric Chevillard, translated from French by Alyson Waters; and “Maidenhair” by Mikhail Shishkin, translated from Russian by Marian Schwartz are the among the finalists.

The winning title will be announced on May 3 at the PEN World Voices/CLMP Fest taking place at the Washington News in New York.

Launched by the weblog Three Percent in 2007, the Best Translated Book Awards aim to bring attention to the finest original works of international fiction and poetry published in the U.S. during the previous year.




source
tehran times​

 

[Persia1]

G8 foreign ministers fail to agree on Syria

G8 foreign ministers fail to agree on Syria

LONDON - Foreign ministers from the G8 group of rich countries -- the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia -- failed to patch up deep divisions over Syria during a meeting in London on Thursday.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague, speaking after talks with his counterparts, said the world had done too little to try to resolve Syria's two-year-old conflict, Reuters reported.

"The United Nations Security Council has not fulfilled its responsibilities because it is divided. That division continues. Have we solved that division at this meeting? No. We didn't expect to do so," Hague told reporters. "The world has failed so far in its responsibilities and continues to do so."

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Damascus says outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorists are the driving factor behind the unrest and deadly violence while the opposition accuses the security forces of being behind the killings.

Western states have been calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down. However, Russia and China are strongly opposed to the Western drive to oust Assad.

The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the armed militants are foreign nationals, mostly from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan.

North Korea's threats of war were also high on the agenda of the ministers' talks in London.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, foreign ministers from the G8 urged North Korea to "refrain from further provocative acts".

"If the DPRK (North Korea) conducts another missile launch, or nuclear test, we have committed ourselves to take further significant measures," Hague said, without giving more details.

A U.S. official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the ministers had discussed the role of China in addressing North Korea's threats.



source
tehran times​

 

[Persia1]

Iran’s quarterly non-oil trade exceeds $19b

Iran’s quarterly non-oil trade exceeds $19b

TEHRAN - Iran conducted $19.1 billion in trade of non-oil goods with other countries during the first three months of the current calendar year which began on March 21, Iran’s Customs Administration reported on Monday.
The country exported $9.75 billion worth of non-oil goods (including gas condensates) and imported $9.39 billion of non-oil goods during the 3-month period.

Methanol, iron ore concentrate, and bitumen were the main goods exported, and rice, wheat, soy meal, and corn fodder were the main items imported.

China, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates were the three top importers of Iranian goods during the period, while the United Arab Emirates, China, and India were the leading exporters of goods to Iran.

In July 2012, Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Shamseddin Hosseini said Iran conducted economic transactions with 150 countries in the previous Iranian calendar year (March 2011-March 2012). And about 80 countries transited their products through Iran, he added.

Iran continues trading with the world at a brisk pace, even though certain countries are currently trying to create obstacles in order to hinder the country’s economic progress, the finance minister said.

Iran exported around $43.7 billion worth of non-oil goods in the previous Iranian calendar year and imported about $61.8 billion worth of non-oil goods to hit the unprecedented mark of $105 billion in annual trade.

In May 2012, Trade Promotion Organization of Iran Deputy Director Kiyumars Fat’hollah Kermanshahi said that annual imports and exports are projected to reach $77 billion and $83 billion respectively by March 2016.

source
tehran times
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[Persia1]

Mohammad Rahmanian to stage “Ballad of Aurash” in Canada

Mohammad Rahmanian to stage “Ballad of Aurash” in Canada

TEHRAN -- Celebrated Iranian director Mohammad Rahmanian will stage “The Ballad of Aurash” in Vancouver’s Kay Meek Center from July 12 to 14.
The full name of the play, which is written by the acclaimed director and playwright Bahram Beizaii, is “Ballad of Aurash as Performed by the Inmates of the Half-ruined Asylum of Freedom with the Look to the Drama ‘Marat-Sade’”.

Beizaii has written the play based on a Persian myth and German dramatist Peter Weiss’s “Marat-Sade”, which is set in 1808 in a Paris asylum after the French Revolution, and is a depiction of class struggle and human suffering.

The Vanac Theater Group, a troupe composed of young Vancouver-based Iranian actors and actress, will perform the play.

Some minor alterations have been made in the dialogues of the play, Rahmanian told the Persian service of ISNA on Monday.

“But the manner of performing in Weiss’s ‘Marat-Sade’ will dominate the play,” he added.

“The Azadi Psychiatric Hospital in Tehran was destroyed by loaders in January 2013. However, the patients were not completely evacuated from the building. The image of frightened patients who passed the night in the neighboring streets ties in my mind with Beizaii’s ‘Aurash’,” he said.

He said that Beizaei’s wife actress Mojdeh Shamsaii helped the troupe during its rehearsals, which were performed by about twenty actors.

Most members the cast have been trained in courses held by actress Mahtab Nasirpur, Rahmanian’s wife. She is also one of the main members of the cast.

The play will be performed in Persian with English subtitles.

Legend has it that Arash or Aurash shot an arrow from the peak of Mount Damavand (Iran’s highest mountain) to mark the border of Iran and Turan after the long-lasting war between the two countries. He had pulled his bow with all his strength, collapsed to the ground on Mount Damavand and passed away.

In Bahram Beizaei’s perception of the myth of Aurash, he is not a hero but a horseman who forced by Turanian king Afrasiab to be the archer. In Iran’s army everyone accuses him of being a traitor. Everyone has excluded him and he finds himself isolated. He sees himself as the sole individual to do this task.

SB/YAW
END

source
tehran times
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[Persia1]

Persian translator of “One Hundred Years of Solitude” announces retirement

Persian translator of “One Hundred Years of Solitude” announces retirement

TEHRAN -- Bahman Farzaneh, known for his Persian translation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s widely acclaimed novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, has said that he does not plan to work anymore.
“I have translated over 80 books and I have become old,” Farzaneh told the Persian service of ISNA on Monday.

The 75-year-old translator, who returned to Iran from a long stay in Italy in March, added, “I do not want to translate anymore. I am tired after years of working and I prefer to stay in Iran and to rest.”

He provided the first Persian translation of “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, which many readers and critics consider it the best ever Persian translation.

“In my view, literature and cinema have reached the end of the line. No good novels are written anymore. If some good works are occasionally created, they are the sparks from the fire just before it is put out,” Farzaneh stated.

His first translation was American writer Tennessee Williams’ “Sweet Bird of Youth” (1959), which was published in 1964.

He has translated works by Cuban-Italian writer Alba de Céspedes y Bertini, British novelist Roald Dahl, Italian writers Luigi Pirandello, Ignazio Silone, Vasco Pratolini, Gabriele D’Annunzio and several other world-renowned literati.

Farzaneh has also authored two short story collections “From Hole to Well” and “The Lost Needles”, and the novel “Rough Draft”.

MMS/YAW
END

source
tehran times
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[Persia1]

Leader calls for unity, brotherhood among Muslims

Leader calls for unity, brotherhood among Muslims

TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called for unity and brotherhood among Muslims all over the world, noting that they should make efforts to foil the plots hatched by the enemies of Islam.
The Leader made the remarks in a message to the people who are participating in the annual gathering of Muslims in the hajj pilgrimage.

Following are excerpts of the text of the message released by the English service of the Leader’s website, Khamenei.ir, on Monday:

The existence of civil wars, religious and denominational prejudices and political instabilities, the prevalence of cruel terrorism, the emergence of extreme groups and orientations- which like savage tribes in history, cut open the chests of human beings and rip their hearts out with their teeth- the emergence of armed mercenaries who kill women and children, cut off the heads of men and rape women and who do such horrible and disgusting crimes in the name of religion are all the products of the satanic and arrogant plots of foreign intelligence services and their regional agents.

Such plots are implemented in countries in which the ground is prepared before-hand and as a result, they create a disastrous situation for these nations and peoples. In such conditions, it is clear that one cannot expect Muslim nations to remedy their material and spiritual shortcomings and to achieve security, welfare, scientific progress and international dignity which are the results of achieving awakening and finding one's true identity.

These disastrous conditions can abort the progress of Islamic Awakening, destroy the mental awareness which has been created in the world of Islam, drag Muslims- once more- towards stagnation, isolation and decline and consign to oblivion important and fundamental issues such as the liberation of Palestine and other Muslim nations from the transgressions of the USA and Zionism.

The most important cure for this situation can be summarized in two key phrases, both of which are among the clearest lessons of hajj:

First: unity and brotherhood of Muslims under the flag of monotheism.

Second: knowing the enemy and confronting his plans and methods.

Strengthening the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation is a great lesson of hajj. During hajj, even quarrelling and arguing with others is forbidden. During hajj, wearing the same clothes, following the same practices, making the same moves and behaving in a kind way, all mean equality and brotherhood for all those who believe in and rely on monotheism.

This means that Islam strongly rejects any idea and belief which views a number of Muslims and believers in Ka'bah and monotheism as people who are outside the circle of Islam. These orientations which are based on takfirism, which have become playthings in the hands of the treacherous Zionist politicians and their western supporters- commit serious crimes and shed the blood of Muslims and innocent people, and the people who claim to be religious, who call themselves clerics and who fuel the fire of fitna between Shia and Sunni and other denominations- should know that the hajj pilgrimage will thwart their claims.

I, like many Islamic scholars and sympathetic personalities in the Islamic Ummah, announce that any statement or action which fuels the fire of discord among Muslims, any insult to the sacred beliefs of each one of the Muslim denominations and any act of takfirism against Islamic denominations equals serving the camp of atheism and polytheism and betraying Islam. All of these things are haraam.

Knowing the enemy and its methods is the second important factor. First, we should not forget about the existence of a spiteful enemy. Performing the ritual of the stoning of the jamarat during hajj is a symbolic sign of this awareness. Second, we should not make a mistake in knowing the main enemy, who in the present time is global arrogance and the criminal Zionist network.

Third, we should properly identify the methods of this hostile enemy which is creating discord among Muslims, promoting moral and political corruption, threatening and tempting outstanding personalities, exerting economic pressures on all nations and arousing doubts about Islamic beliefs. Moreover, we should identify their agents and those who are, knowingly or ignorantly, dependent on them.

Arrogant governments, headed by the USA, conceal their true character with the help of comprehensive and advanced propaganda tools. By claiming that they support human rights and democracy, they deceive public opinion in different countries. They speak about the rights of all nations while each day Muslim nations feel- with their bodies and souls- the fire of discord more than the past.

For decades, the oppressed Palestinian nation has been receiving strikes as a result of the crimes of the Zionist regime and its supporters. In the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, terrorism - which originates from the policies of global arrogance and its agents in the region - has ruined the lives of the people.

Syria has come under the attack of arrogant powers and their regional agents because of supporting anti-Zionist orientations and it has experienced a bloody civil war. In Bahrain and Myanmar, Muslims have been ignored and their enemies are supported. Other nations are threatened by the USA and its allies with military attacks, economic sanctions and different acts of sabotage. Taking a general look at all these countries can reveal to all people throughout the world the true face of these leaders of global arrogance.

Political, cultural and religious personalities throughout the world of Islam should consider it their responsibility to draw everyone's attention to these facts. This is the moral and religious responsibility of all of us. North African countries, which are unfortunately suffering from deep domestic conflicts today, should pay attention to this responsibility more than other countries. They should pay more attention to the issue of knowing the enemy and its plots and methods.

The continuation of these conflicts among nationalist orientations and Muslims' negligence about the threat of domestic wars in such countries is a great danger. The loss that may be inflicted on the Islamic Ummah because of such events will not be quickly compensated for.

Of course, we have no doubts that the people who have risen against global arrogance and who have become the embodiment of Islamic Awakening in such countries will not, by Allah's favor, allow time to go back so much so that the era of the corrupt, dependent and dictatorial rulers starts again. However, ignorance about the role of arrogant powers in creating discord and bringing about destructive interference will create a difficult situation for such countries and will cause a very long delay in achieving an era of dignity, security and welfare.

We believe, from the bottom of our hearts, in the capability of nations and in the power, faith, determination and foresight which Allah the Omniscient has offered to the masses of the people.

For more than three decades, we have seen this in the Islamic Republic with our own eyes and we have experienced it with all our hearts and souls. Our determination is an invitation for all Muslim nations, to this experience of their brothers in this dignified and indefatigable country.

I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow peace on Muslims and to foil the plots of the enemies. I ask Him to accept your hajj pilgrimage and bestow physical and spiritual health on you. I ask Him to provide you pilgrims of the House of God with an overflowing supply of spiritual blessings.


http://tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

Iran’s proposal is logical, balanced: nuclear negotiator

Iran’s proposal is logical, balanced: nuclear negotiator

TEHRAN – The Iranian deputy foreign minister has said that Iran’s new nuclear proposal is logical, balanced, and realistic.
Abbas Araqchi, who will be Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator in upcoming talks between Tehran and world powers on the country’s nuclear program, made the remarks in a televised interview late on Sunday.

Iran and the six major powers, namely the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, plus Germany, which are known as the 5+1 group, are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Iranian nuclear negotiators have announced that they have prepared a new proposal to help resolve the country’s nuclear issue, which will be put forward during the two-day talks.

Araqchi said that according to Iran’s proposal, the process of talks should have two stages.

He said, “In the first stage, we should specify the final purpose of the talks and reach a common understanding.

“The talks should have a common purpose, and we should define a win-win game… and this does not mean that we will make concessions and give up our rights.

“In the second stage, we will decide which direction we will move in.”

He went on to say that Iran’s proposal envisaged “logical, balanced, and realistic” steps which would make it possible for the two sides to easily take the first steps.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Foreign Ministry official said that uranium enrichment in Iran would not be suspended even for a single day.

Earlier on the day, Araqchi had said that Tehran would not accept any proposal calling for the shipping out of the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium.

“We will negotiate about the volume, levels, and methods of enrichment but the shipping out of the (enriched) material is a red line for Iran,” he said.

http://tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

Tehran gallery to celebrate 80th birthday of master miniaturist Amir-Hushang Jazizadeh

Tehran gallery to celebrate 80th birthday of master miniaturist Amir-Hushang Jazizadeh

TEHRAN – The 80th birthday of master miniaturist and Persian carpet designer Amir-Hushang Jazizadeh will be celebrated at Tehran’s Shokuh Gallery on Friday.
The gallery will also honor Jazizadeh by holding an exhibition of his works, which will open at the same time, the gallery announced on Monday.

Jazizadeh who is from Isfahan and has been living there will be displaying about 20 of his paintings, representing over 50 years of his artistic endeavors, at the gallery, the gallery announced in a press release on Monday.

Jazizadeh was born in 1933 in Isfahan. He received his degree in fine arts in Isfahan and continued his studies in England where he studied design and ceramic arts. He then returned to his country and has been working on Persian paintings for years.

He has been teaching art for over 40 years and was the founder of the Academy of Visual Arts in Meibod, Yazd.

The master has held several exhibits in Iran and several other countries and his prized paintings are found in England, Belgium, Finland and Turkey.

The Economy and Art Advisor of the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Morteza Kazemi has praised the artistic status of the master and his specific attention to tradition in his paintings in a text published on the brochure of the exhibit.

The exhibit will be running until October 29 at the gallery located at 19 Amir Nuri Alley, North Salimi St., and Andarzgu Blvd.

tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

Iran defeats Thailand in Asian Cup qualifier

Iran defeats Thailand in Asian Cup qualifier

TEHRAN – Iran beat Thailand in a 2015 AFC Asian Cup Group B qualifier at the Azadi Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Iranian team defeated Thailand 2-1 and remained at the top of the table with seven points, followed by Kuwait and Lebanon with five and four points respectively. Thailand has any point in the group.

Iran defender Jalal Hosseini gave a lead the Persians in the 67th minute. Three minutes later Reza Ghoochannejhad extended the lead.

With ten minutes remaining, Teerasil Dangda pulled a goal back for the visiting team with a powerful shot.

Jalal Hosseini was chosen as man of the match.

The top two teams of each of the five groups, plus the only best third-placed side among all groups, advance to the final.

tehrantimes.com

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[Persia1]

164 newborns every hour in Iran

164 newborns every hour in Iran

TEHRAN - The head of the population and immigrant statistics at the Census Organization says that every hour 164 children are born in Iran or 3,947 in 24 hours.

In an interview with the ISNA news agency published on Thursday, Ali Akbar Mahzoun announced a 2.5 percent jump in birth rate in the first six months of the year (starting March 21 in the Iranian calendar) compared to that of last year.

Mahzoun added that for every 100 girls, 106 boys are born in the country.

In terms of death rate, he said death number has spiked by 2 percent and for every 100 women, 130 men get death certificate.

He added that every 24 hours 971 people die which means every hour the number comes to 40 nationwide.


http://tehrantimes.com
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[Persia1]

Persepolis moves up to second in IPL

Persepolis moves up to second in IPL

TEHRAN – The Persepolis football team moved up to second place in the Iranian Professional League (IPL) standings after beating Damash.
On Friday, the Tehran giant beat Damash 2-0 at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

Persepolis defender Jalal Hosseini was on target just seconds before the interval.

At the 75th minute, Persepolis midfielder Mehrdad Kafshgari was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.

The visiting team was reduced to 10 men after Mohammad Mokhtari received his second yellow card in the 82nd minute.

One minute later, Hamid Ali-Asker found the back of the net, curling a beautiful right-footed free kick over the wall.

Elsewhere, IPL pacesetter Foolad battled to a 2-2 draw against Tractor Sazi in Tabriz.

Sepahan played out a goalless draw against Saipa in Karaj and Fajr Sepasi defeated Mes 2-1 in Kerman.

Esteghlal will face Naft on Saturday.

Foolad remains at the top of the IPL standings with 26 points, followed by Persepolis at 24 points and Sepahan at 23 points.




http://tehrantimes.com
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