January Issue No.10 IRAN FOCUS A LOOK AT REAL IRAN IN WEEKLY NEWS

Transcription

1 January Issue No.10 IRAN FOCUS A LOOK AT REAL IRAN IN WEEKLY NEWS

2 Certain regions of the world are distinguishable as being associated with a particular human culture pattern, which is at once distinctive in character and also sufficiently strong to have survived as a readily identifiable entity over many centuries Of these regions, Iran is certainly one. Cambridge History of Iran b

3 Charles-Henri de Fouchecour honored for translation of Shams-i Tabrizi articles... 6 Iranian cinematographer talks about Oscar-nominated The Silent Child... 7 Invasion from Iran joins Berlin Panorama lineup... 8 Brazilian storyteller Barbara Amaral tops at Tehran festival foreign experts selected for Tehran Video Game Festival jury Iranian, Greek theater festivals sign MOU in Tehran Italian translator Giacomo Longhi working on Persian novel Iranian movies scoop awards at Intl. Peace & Film Festival Photographers to mark World Wetlands Day in Ramsar Raz-o-Niaz performs at Muscat Sufi music festival Movies from Iran competing in intl. events Iran s Book of the Year Awards releases nominees in literature category TMCA to host Intl. Festival of Radical Performance Iran s cultural attaché in Serbia Mohsen Soleimani dies at Greek director Georgina Kakoudaki to hold workshop at Fajr Fajr Intl. Festival of Visual Arts kicks off Dhaka festival honors Iranian cinema Leader's letter to filmmakers published Rotterdam festival to screen films from Iran Farhad Hassanzadeh nominated for Hans Christian Andersen Award Iranian premiere of Beyond the Clouds set for Feb AVA receives 8 nominations from Canadian Screen Awards Six Iranian shorts go to Italy s Cefalù Filmfest Iranian handicrafts to go on exhibit in Japan Iranian animated Bystander awarded in Canada Iran to host Japanese New Age composer Kitaro for 2nd time Life in the mountains: Skiing in Iran A brief look at biblical tomb in Iran What names Tehrani parents choose for their children? Eating like an Iranian: A survey on Persian food Iranian researchers to breed scorpion, milk venom for medical purposes Iran s 9-month handicraft export rises 70% yr/yr University of Tehran among Webometrics world top universities Iranian traditional medicine: Natural antibiotic Persian traditional medicine: Chicory distilled water Library and Documentation Center for Natural Resources of Iran Iranian artisans to show skills at Japan exhibit Iran wins Energy Globe World Award Flixweed seeds: Iranian khakshir CULTURAL CONSULATE OF THE EMBASSY OF I.R. IRAN PRETORIA

4 4 Iran sophisticated with advanced breast cancer treatment surgery: report Iranian universities rankings at Webometrics Allameh, Sofia universities sign MoU on expansion of coop Tehran Univ. researchers win int l energy prize Domesticated artificial blood vessels unveiled Iranian-made Nano glass exported to 35 countries Iran s Safdarian makes history to win Ice Climbing World Cup gold Zahra Nemati to vie for World Archery s 2017 Athlete of the Year award Iran win Takhti Cup Greco-Roman Tournament Fernando Santos wary of dangerous Iran Iranian fencers win medals at 2018 Tournoi Satellite Iran to host U23 World Ch ships after 18 years Iran plans to add 1GW solar, wind capacity to current 400MW in a year Iran s exports to Qatar rise 126% in 9 months Iran exports steel to 15 countries in 9 months Iran ranks 18th among world s top economies Iran outstrips U.S. in gold, forex reserves: CIA Saffron exports up 26% in 9 months Exports of dairy products up 30% in 9 months yr/yr Pistachio exports exceed $677m in 9 months Exports to South Korea up 30% Tehran to host ICAPP conference Sputnik boosts media coop. with Iran Iran's policy to help bring peace, stability, security in region Guinea interested in cooperating in automotive, steel industries Iran ready to export cooperatives products to Kenya Iran, Guinea-Bissau to strengthen ties through parl. coop Iran, Japan s JICA signs agreement on power plans... 87

5 5 Art & Culture

6 6 Charles-Henri de Fouchecour honored for translation of Shams-i Tabrizi articles January 27, 2018 French Orientalist and Hafez expert Charles-Henri de Fouchecour has been honored for translating the articles of Shams-i Tabrizi, the wandering sage who later became the mentor of the Persian poet and mystic Molana Jalal ad-din Rumi in the 13th century CE. The honoring ceremony took place at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (Inalco) in Paris last Wednesday in collaboration with Iran s cultural office in the French capital. De Fouchecour has published the book under the title La Quête du Joyau: Maqâlâte Shams al-din Tabrizi in October 2017.The book contains the direct teachings of the outstanding master Shams, having been restored through notes taken by his disciples. Born in the city of Tabriz, Shams lived together with Rumi in Konya for several years, and has been immortalized in Rumi s collection of poetry named the Divan of Shams ad-din of Tabriz. A number of Iranian and French scholars including the France-based Iranian scholar Leili Anvar and French philosopher and Islamologist Christian Jambet attended the ceremony. Speaking at the ceremony, Iranian Islamologist Mohammad Amir-Moezzi, who has been friends with De Fouchecour for over 40 years, called the book unique for a distinctive character like Shams.

7 7 Jambet also regarded the translation as clear and lucid due to his comprehensive knowledge of Persian history and culture. De Fouchecour for his part called the book full of secrets and mysteries that feature traditions and thoughts. De Fouchecour is also famous for his translation of the Divan of Hafez. He served as the director of the Iranology Department of l Institut Français in Tehran from 1975 to From 1972 to 1985, he also held the chair of Persian literature at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales in Paris. His work in the field of classical Persian literature is vast. He was the founder and director of Abstracta Iranica, a bibliographical and critical review of Iranian studies. He has published over 50 articles on Persian literature. Iranian cinematographer talks about Oscar-nominated The Silent Child January 30, 2018 Award-winning Iranian cinematographer Ali Farahani, who photographed Chris Overton s short film The Silent Child, talked with MNA about this Oscarnominated live-action. 'The Silent Child' is a British short film written by and starring Rachel Shenton and directed by Chris Overton. It tells the story of Libby, a deaf four-year-old girl, who lives a silent life until a social worker, played by Shenton, teaches her how to communicate through sign

8 8 language.the film is one of the five nominees for the Live Action Short Film category for the 90th Academy Awards. Speaking to Mehr News correspondent on Tuesday, Ali Farahani, Iranian cinematographer described by Overton as nothing short of a genius, said he was offered to photograph The Silent Child after his work on a research documentary about people with hearing and speech difficulties in the UK. The film s Oscar nomination will increase the audience's awareness of the subject matter and create a new opportunity for societies attitude toward people with hearing and speech difficulties, Farahani said. Based on the film s narrative, hearing and speech impairments are not a physical disability. The Silent Child teaches the proper way of treating people with hearing and speech difficulties, so instead of rejecting them, the audience is taught how to create appropriate opportunities for including them in social activities. The Silent Child has been produced with a low budget but with high standards, he added. Farahani s next projects include feature film Dead Man Walking directed by Richard Taylor which will begin production in London by February, as well as a short romance, A Glimpse, directed by Tom Turner and produced by Rebecca Harris. Invasion from Iran joins Berlin Panorama lineup January 26, 2018

9 9 Invasion by the award-winning Iranian director Shahram Mokri will be screened in the Panorama section of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival. A total of 47 films from 40 countries will be screened in the section. Invasion is about Saman who has been murdered and the police are investigating in a club, the scene of the crime. They have arrested Ali as the murder suspect and are trying to uncover the method used in the murder. However, the case becomes quite complicated and the friends of the murdered person are not very cooperative. the festival announced that Dressage by Puya Badkubeh and Hendi & Hormoz by Abbas Amini, both from Iran, will go on screen in the Generation 14plus competition. Photo: A poster for Invasion by director Shahram Mokri Brazilian storyteller Barbara Amaral tops at Tehran festival January 26, 2018 Barbara Amaral from Brazil won first prize in the international section of the 20th International Storytelling Festival in Tehran. Second prize was presented to Parisa Sedai-Azar from Iran, and third prize went to John Namai from Kenya. Over 50 storytellers from Iran and other countries took part in the festival this year.

10 10 In the national section, Mohsen Sajedifar won first prize while Robabeh Hashemi and Tuba Shirkani shared second prize. Third prize was also shared by Mohammad-Javad Jafari and Arezu Haqiqi. Grandfather Soltanalai Daryadel and grandmother Maryam Ali-Mohammadi were among the honorees this year. In the young adult section, Mahana Aqadavud, Sajjad Esmaeili and Asal Azami won first, second and third prizes respectively. A number of workshops were arranged on the margins of the festival by Iranian and foreign storytellers. The festival is organized every year by the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults. Photo: Barbara Amaral from Brazil accepts her prize from a jury member at the 20th International Storytelling Festival in Tehran. 20 foreign experts selected for Tehran Video Game Festival jury January 24, 2018 Twenty foreign experts will judge entries at the 7th edition of the Tehran Video Game Festival. The Technical Art Director at The Coalition (Gears of War), David Coleman, and a game designer at Ubisoft studio, Max Pears, are among the experts.

11 11 The jury also has Giuseppe Trapani, a senior game designer at Gram Games; Tom Putzki, communication director for Europe East at Wargaming; and Brie Code, the CEO of the TRU LUV studio. The panel also is composed of 15 Iranian experts, including Payam Azadi, Vahid Yusefi, Matin Izadi, Sajjad Qolizadeh, Shiva Moqanlu and Ali Kiani-Amin. Eighteen game scripts, 20 PC games and 152 mobile games, all produced over the past year, are competing at the festival. Winners will be honored during a special ceremony at Tehran s Vahdat Hall on March 10. The festival is organized every year by the National Foundation for Computer Games. Iranian, Greek theater festivals sign MOU in Tehran January 24, 2018 A memorandum of understanding was signed by the organizers of Iran s Fajr International Theater Festival and the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, the organizers of the Fajr festival. The director of Iran s Center for Dramatic Arts, Mehdi Shafiei, and the artistic director of the Greek festival, Vangelis Theodoropoulos, inked the MOU in a

12 12 meeting at Tehran s City Theater Complex, which is currently hosting performances from the Fajr festival. The MOU will provide guidelines for effective mutual cooperation between the two events in the future. Plans to stage plays by famous Greek directors at the Fajr annual festival was also discussed at the meeting. Theodoropoulos called the MOU a valuable document and said that it is an honor to expand relations with Iran. He pointed to From the Basement to the Roof, a play staged by female Iranian director Afsaneh Mahian at the Athens and Epidaurus Festival in 2017, and said that women play major roles and are very active in contemporary Iranian dramatic art.greece is participating most actively in this year s Fajr festival. Plefsis, major troupe from the country, is scheduled to perform Blue Line at Hafez Hall. In addition, the renowned theater theorist Georgina Kakoudaki, director Katerina Evangelatos, choreographer Patricia Apergi and lighting designer Vasilis Apostolatos are in Tehran to hold workshops at the festival. Photo: Organizers of Iran s Fajr International Theater Festival and the Athens and Epidaurus Festival pose after signing a memorandum of understanding at Tehran s City Theater Complex on January 23, Italian translator Giacomo Longhi working on Persian novel January 23, 2018

13 13 Italian scholar Giacomo Longhi is translating Iranian writer Mostafa Ensafi s novel You Will Return to Isfahan. Edizioni e/o, a Rome-based publishing house, will publish the book, Ensafi has announced in a post published on his Instagram. You Will Return to Isfahan centers on Eliza, a Polish girl who traces her grandmother back to Isfahan. Her grandma along with a number of Polish people and children took refuge in the central Iranian city of Isfahan during World War II. A Persian version of the book was published by Qafaseh Abi Publications. Longhi has previously translated books from Persian contemporary literature. Among them are Mahsa Mohebali s Don t Worry and Mohammad Toloei s short stories, Made in Denmark. Photo: The front cover of a Persian version of Mostafa Ensafi s novel You Will Return to Isfahan. Iranian movies scoop awards at Intl. Peace & Film Festival January 29, 2018 Three Iranian films won several awards at the International Peace & Film Festival held in Orlando, in the U.S. state of Florida from January 18 to 22, the organizers announced. Release from Heaven, an acclaimed animated movie by Ali Nuri Oskui, won the awards for best narrative and best cinematography, and also the Avant-Garde

14 14 award, an honor given to the film with the highest level of technical achievement used to present a story. The acclaimed animation is about a female writer and teacher, who accompanies two of her students on an inner spiritual journey in a war-torn country. Track by Reza Golchin, won the award for best short documentary. The film follows elementary school children on their ways to school in the northern Iranian region of Talesh. Hypnotism by Arshia Zeinali also received the Judges Choice Award. The film tells the routine story of the people who are thoroughly involved in modern life in which their human identity is being manipulated by changes in their subconscious mind and all seem to have fallen into a self-made sleep. Photo: A poster for Release from Heaven by Ali Nuri Oskui. Photographers to mark World Wetlands Day in Ramsar January 29, 2018 An exhibition of photos by Iranian photographers celebrating World Wetlands Day (WWD) opened in the northern Iranian city of Ramsar on February 2. A collection of 29 photos on the theme of wetlands went on view at the Ramsar Grand Hotel on the sidelines of a conference on World Wetlands Day, the Persian service of IRNA has announced.

15 15 World Wetlands Day was celebrated every year on February 2. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Since 1997, the Ramsar Secretariat provides outreach materials to help raise public awareness of wetlands in the world. The Standing Committee of the convention approved Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future as the theme for World Wetlands Day in Photo: A man walks on the bottom of the dried out wetland of Gomishan in Golestan Province in an undated photo by Ali Qasemali. Raz-o-Niaz performs at Muscat Sufi music festival January 29, 2018 The Iranian ensemble Raz-o-Niaz accompanied by vocalist Salar Aqili gave a performance on Monday at the First Bait Al Zubair Festival for Sufi Music in Muscat, Oman. The performance took place at the Shangri-La Hotel, the organizers have announced.the ensemble features Aqili s wife, Harir Shariatzadeh on piano, his son Mahur on tombak, Alireza Daryai on kamancheh and Hossein Mahmudi-Majd on santur. The Bait Al Zubair Foundation organizes the festival in cooperation with the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa. Bands from Morocco, Oman, Pakistan and several other counties are participating in the event.

16 16 Bait Al Zubair is a cultural and heritage complex that is also home to a private museum. Photo: Vocalist Salar Aqili in an undated photo. Movies from Iran competing in intl. events January 28, 2018 Several movies by Iranian filmmakers will be competing in international festivals around the world. Mehrdad Oskui s acclaimed documentary Starless Dreams is competing in the Budapest International Documentary Festival, which is currently underway in the Hungarian capital. Starless Dreams, which has been awarded at many international events, shows the lives of seven young teenage girls sharing temporary quarters at a rehabilitation and detention center on the outskirts of Tehran. In addition, With Me, Azadeh Qochaq s short film telling the indecisive story of a girl who runs from her past, will be screened at the Cinequest Film & VR Festival in the United States, the organizers announced. The festival will be running in the Silicon Valley in the northern part of the U.S. state of California from February 27 to March 11. The festival will also screen Mother, I m Joseph, a co-production of Iran, Iraq and Kuwait by Mohammadreza Fartusi. Based on true events, Joseph decides to hide in a hole for 21 years to avoid fighting in the Iran-Iraq war. Photo: A scene from With Me by Azadeh Qochaq.

17 17 Iran s Book of the Year Awards releases nominees in literature category January 28, 2018 The organizers of the 35th Iran s Book of the Year Awards have announced the nominees in the literature category. The nominees will be competing in the history and critic section, the classical text section and the literature of other languages section. Essays on Style and Language: Linguistic and Critical Approaches to Literary Style by Roger Fowler and translated into Persian by Maryam Moshref, How to Read Literature by Terry Eagleton and translated by Mohsen Maleki and Behzad Sadeqi, as well as Problems of Dostoevsky s Poetics by Mikhail Bakhtin and translated by Saeid Solhju are the three nominees in the history and critic section. The nominees for the classical text section are Dastoor ul-katib Fi Ta yeen il- Maratib by Muhammad Bin Hindu Shah Nakhjivani and translated by Ali-Akbar Ahmadi Darani, Hayat al-hayawan by Kamal ud-din al-damiri and translated by Mohammad-Taqi Tabrizi and New Correction of Rumi s Writings composed by Tofiq Sobhani. Books also competing in the classical text section are Epic of Qiran-i Habashi corrected by Milad Jafarpur, and Ancient Ship of Rubaiyat compiled by Arham Moradi and Mohammad-Afshin Vafai.

18 18 Americanah, a novel by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, translated into Persian by Ruhollah Sadeqi, has been nominated in the literature of other languages section. Four Quartets written by T. S. Eliot and translated by Javad Danesh-Ara, Curfew by José Donoso and translated by Abdollah Kowsari, and The Box: Tales from the Darkroom by Gunter Grass and translated by Kamran Jamali are competing in this section. Also included are The Buried Giant, a fantasy novel by British writer Kazuo Ishiguro translated by Amir-Mehdi Haqiqat, and White Noise by American author Don DeLillo translated by Peyman Khaksar. No works merited a nomination for the award in the Arabic literature section. TMCA to host Intl. Festival of Radical Performance January 28, 2018 The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA) will host the first edition of the International Festival of Radical Performance. The festival that focuses on interdisciplinary arts will be held from February 1 to March 1, the TMCA New Media Department announced on Sunday. Art projects on alternative performance, performance art, video performance, and cyberformance will be implemented during the festival. Azam Tabatabai, Parisa Sadeqi, Mehdi Asadi and Pejman Hosseini will carry out projects in the performance art category. In the alternative performance art section, Jalal Hashemi and Hossein Mohajer will display their works. Faraz Fallah and Hesam Nazari both from Iran, Alejandro Zertuche from Mexico, Manuel López from Spain, Zlatko Cosic from Serbia and Tony Schwensen from Australia will showcase their works in the video performance art category. Yolanda Benalba from Spain and the international group of Distant Feeling(s) are taking part in the cyberformance section.several other artists from Turkey, the U.S. and Germany will participate in the event. The organizers also plan to hold the 7th edition of the International Festival of 30 Performances 30 Artists 30 Days on the sidelines of the festival at the same time. A jury composed of Nasim Ahmadpur, Azadeh Ganjeh, Elyas Aminian, Saeid Behnam, Asghar Dashti, Mehdi Sadr, Reza Ghayur and Ali Firuzjang will judge the works in the various sections. The best work in each category will be awarded a Golden Radical.

19 19 Iran s cultural attaché in Serbia Mohsen Soleimani dies at 58 January 22, 2018 Iran s cultural attaché in Serbia Mohsen Soleimani died of heart failure in the capital of Belgrade on Monday, the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization announced. He was also a prolific writer and translator. Among his credits are Eye to Eye with Mirror and How to Write a Biography. Born in 1960 in Tehran, Soleimani was a graduate of English language. He also worked for several Persian newspapers such as Hamshahri. Photo: Mohsen Soleimani in an undated photo Greek director Georgina Kakoudaki to hold workshop at Fajr January 22, 2018 Greek director and theater theorist Georgina Kakoudaki will hold a workshop during the 36th Fajr International Theater Festival in Tehran. The workshop titled Antigone, Right of Speech will be organized at the Samandarian Hall of the University of Tehran.

20 20 The ideas of Sophocles Antigone are scheduled to be discussed during the 7-hour program, which will start at 10 a.m. Kakoudaki focuses on adolescent audience education through theatrical productions and creative workshops. Photo: Greek director Georgina Kakoudaki in an undated photo Fajr Intl. Festival of Visual Arts kicks off January 22, 2018 The 10th edition of the Fajr International Festival of Visual Arts, displaying over 90 works from Iran and different countries, opened in Tehran. The works are on display at the Saba Art and Cultural Institute of the Iranian Academy of Arts. The festival has also organized exhibitions in cities in over 20 provinces. The festival is showcasing works by artists from Mexico, Turkey, Russia, Greece, Spain, Turkey and several other countries. In addition, a selection of works displayed over the past nine editions of the festival is being exhibited at the Palestine Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran. Tehran s Niavaran Cultural Center also is hanging works by those Iranian artists who have won prizes at national and international events.

21 21 Each participating country has a chance to celebrate a day during the festival as its national day. Cartoonist Kambiz Derambakhsh, who is also a member of the festival s Artistic Council, has said that the festival has provided an opportunity for young Iranian artists to showcase their works alongside veteran artists in an exhibition at the same time. The festival helps the young artists to flourish, he added. He also noted that a good point about the festival is that artists from across the country are taking part in the event. We should not limit the entire festival to artists from Tehran, he said. A selection of works by Deramabskah is also on display during the festival that will run for one month. Photo: A poster for the 10th Fajr International Festival of Visual Arts Dhaka festival honors Iranian cinema January 22, 2018 Iranian films garnered three awards at the 16th Dhaka International Film Festival in Bangladesh. The Best Children Film Badal Rahman Award was presented to White Bridge by Ali Qavitan.

22 22 The film tells the story of Bahareh, an Iranian girl who is disabled in an accident just a few months after the start of the school year. According to the Ministry of Education, she must continue her education in a special school. Bahareh refuses to go to the special school and tries to convince her former school to accept her. However, existing laws prevent Bahareh s return to the regular school and she remains suspended. Bahareh and her mother fight to solve this problem. Masud Salami won the award for best cinematographer for his collaboration in Asphyxia directed by Fereidun Jeirani. Parinaz Izadyar and Mina Sadati shared the award for best actress for their roles in Searing Summer directed by Ebrahim Irajzad. Asphyxia and Searing Summer were screened in the Australasian Film Section, in which Onur Saylak from Turkey received the award for best director for More and Zer by Kazim Oz from Turkey was picked as best film. The award for best actor went to Allen Dizon for his role in The Bomb directed by Ralston Gonzales Jover from the Philippines. Photo: Bahareh Noruzi acts in a scene from White Bridge. Leader's letter to filmmakers published January 21, 2018 Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has formulated guidelines for Iranian documentary filmmakers in a letter, which has been referred to by Persian news agencies as The Revolution s Charter of Documentary. He sent the letter to the documentary filmmakers just one day after a meeting with a group of them on January 11.

23 23 The letter, which is comprised of five guidelines, was unveiled during a special ceremony at the Art Bureau on Sunday evening. In his first advice, the Leader asked filmmakers to Preserve carefully the revolutionary course. Do not displace the revolutionary morality with technical effects or professional renown. Confirm honorably by your tongue and your actions that you are a revolutionary believer. The enemy s soft war has been set up based on lies, distortion, rumors, censorship and boycotts. Your art can neutralize the enemy s actions, the second advice reads. In his third guidance, the Leader said, An intention of the enemy is to stimulate disappointment and pessimism. Reasons for hope are numerous in the country. Your art is able to kindle hope, zeal and movement based on the realities. A critical documentary film is useful and also necessary. It should be conscientious and redemptive in approach. An aggressive, demeaning and anarchistic manner of criticism turns its advantage into damage. Satirical language helps the documentary be more useful and efficient, the fourth guide reads. Consider God s satisfaction in your works and ask Him for help, the letter concluded. Rotterdam festival to screen films from Iran January 19, 2018

24 24 The 47th edition of the Rotterdam International Film Festival will screen several films from Iran. Mohsen Qarai s debut feature Blockage, which won an award at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, will go on screen in the Bright Future section dedicated to first feature-length films. Director Mohammad Rasoulof s drama A Man of Integrity, the winner in the Un Certain Regard category of the 70th Cannes Film Festival, and Vahid Jalilvand s acclaimed movie No Date, No Signature that won two top awards at the 74th Venice International Film Festival will go on screen in the Voices, a section dedicated to films with powerful stories, captivating subjects and important themes. Maryam Tafakkori s Absent Wound will be screened in the Bright Future Short, and her I Have Sinned a Rapturous Sin will go on screen in the Ammodo Tiger Short Competition. Iranian director Alireza Khatami s film Los versos del Olvido ( Oblivion Verses ) co-produced by France, Germany, the Netherlands and Chile will also compete in the Perspectives section. Photo: Hamed Behdad acts in a scene from Blockage that will screen at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Farhad Hassanzadeh nominated for Hans Christian Andersen Award January 19, 2018 Iranian author Farhad Hassanzadeh has received a nomination for the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award as the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) announced nominees last week. Marie-Aude Murail from France, Eiko Kadono from Japan, Joy Cowley from New Zealand and Ulf Stark from Sweden are the other nominees for the award that is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children s books. Hassanzadeh has authored over 80 books, including The Backyard, The 7th Bench by the Lake, Bambak s Scorpions, Watermelon with Love and Call Me Ziba.

25 25 IBBY presents the Andersen award to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children s literature. The two winners will be announced at the IBBY press conference at the Bologna International Children s Book Fair on March 26. The medals and diplomas will be presented to the winners during the 36th IBBY Congress in Athens, Greece on August 31. Photo: Farhad Hassanzadeh in an undated photo

26 26 Iranian premiere of Beyond the Clouds set for Feb. 14 January 16, 2018 Beyond the Clouds, a drama shot in India by Iranian director Majid Majidi, will have its Iranian premiere at Tehran s Kurosh Cineplex on February 14, Iran s Screening Council told the Persian service of ISNA. The Nourtaban Film Industry is the Iranian distributor of the movie produced by India s Zee Studios, and Shareen Mantri Kedia and Kishor Arora of Namah Pictures. Starring Ishaan Khattar, Malavika Mohanan and Sharada, the film revolves around the life of a young boy, Amir, and his sister, Tara, in Mumbai. When on the run from the cops, Amir finds his estranged sister, who in a bid to protect her brother lands in jail. Their entire lives are clouded by despair when unexpectedly, the light shines on them from beyond the clouds. Photo: A scene from Beyond the Clouds AVA receives 8 nominations from Canadian Screen Awards January 20, 2018

27 Ava, the first feature film by Sadaf Foroughi, received eight nominations from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television which gives the Canadian Screen Awards to the best films in Canadian cinema, has nominated Ava in eight categories. It is the first time an Iranian film has been nominated for these awards. Canadian Screen Awards, the most outstanding cinematic event in Canada, enjoys the same reputation as the Academy Awards in the US, and BAFTA in Britain. Ava has been nominated for the best Motion picture award, and Sadaf Foroughi has received nominations for the best original screenplay and the best director. Mahour Jabbari who plays the role of Ava has been nominated for the best actress award; Bahar Noohian has been nominated for the best supporting actress award; Kiarash Anvari has received a nomination for the best editing; Siamak Karinejad has won a nomination for the best production design; and Sina Kermanizadeh has been nominated for the best cinematography. Ava received FIPRESCI Discovery Prize and Honorable Mention for the Best First Film from Toronto International Film Festival. Ava tells the story of a 17 year old girl who decides to change her own life and the lives of her family and her friends, featuring Mahour Jabbari, Bahar Noohian, Vahid Aghapoor, Parnian Akhtari, Leili Rashidi and Shayesteh Sajadi. 27

28 28 Six Iranian shorts go to Italy s Cefalù Filmfest. January 20, 2018 The third edition of Cefalù Film Festival in Italy s Palermo will screen six Iranian short films in its main competition section. The six Iranian short films to compete with other titles from across the world at the Italian festival include: Sara s Voice directed by Reza Jamali, Sanctus directed by Hesam Rahmani, Moon by Ramin Mohammadyar, Live by Pedram Habib Piran, Helena by Amir Hossein Sajjadi, and An Unfinished Dream by Shiva Jamshidi. The third edition of Cefalù Film Festival will take place on a free theme from May 1 December 31, Screening short films of up to fifteen minutes, the festival awards the top films in the special jury prize, best director, best actress, best actor, best foreign short, best animation short, best screenplay, and best soundtrack.

29 29 Iranian handicrafts to go on exhibit in Japan January 17, 2018 Tokyo International Gift Show will for the first time play host to Iranian handicrafts in its 2018 edition. The Islamic Republic of Iran will attend the second week of the 42nd edition of Gift Show International Exhibition which has been called the best gateway to Japan s gift market. Iran s tourism information envoy to Japan Seyed Abbasali Emamiyeh said that 11 Iranian artists have participated in the exhibition and said in case Iran is interested in entering Japan s market, this exhibition is a way to do so. Iranian products must, however, be able to compete with foreign ones in terms of quality and quantity. The Gift Show exhibition has been held for two consecutive decades in Tokyo bay. The first week of the exhibition will be held from January 31, to February 3, 2018 in Tokyo Big Sight, the city s International Exhibition Center. The exhibition, dubbed Life and Design with the motto Good design for happy life, shows furniture and interior design in East hall 1-3. The second week which is slated for February 7-9, will be held in several sections including toys, stationery, license, fashion, beauty and overseas.

30 30 Iranian animated Bystander awarded in Canada January 31, 2018 Iranian short animated film Bystander directed by Sheyda Kashi has won the Best Short Animation award in the 2018 Picture this film festival. The 8-minute animation had previously received two awards for the best animated short films at the 3rd Cinemaway Film Festival in Ukraine and Sobytie Film Festival in Russia. The Canadian festival will be held in Calgary Canada on April 11-14, 2018 but the winners have been announced earlier so that they can be present in Canada on time to take part in the event. The Canadian festival features films that are about disability and/or films on any subject that were produced, directed and/or written by people with disabilities. Iran to host Japanese New Age composer Kitaro for 2nd time January 31, 2018

31 Celebrated Japanese New Age composer and recording artist, Kitaro, is scheduled to perform a number of concerts in Tehran and other Iranian cities sometime in May, Kitaro, 64, whose given name is Masanori Takahashi, has been invited to perform on the Iranian stage for the second time, following his highly successful and warmly-received concerts back in 2014 in Tehran. According to the concert s organizer, Ali Cheraghali, all required permits for Kitaro s concerts in Tehran have been issued and the tickets will be soon up for sale. After the previous performance in Tehran, we received a lot of requests from many other cities for a Kitaro concert in their hometowns as well, therefore this time around, the Japanese composer will also perform in several other provinces besides Tehran, Cheraghali explained. Kitaro has 17 Gammy nominations to this date, winning just once in the best New Age album category, for 2001 s 'Thinking of You'. He also has a Golden Globe win for best original score for his 1993 soundtrack for Oliver Stone s 'Heaven & Earth'. 31

32 Society 32

33 33 Life in the mountains: Skiing in Iran January 29, 2018 Maybe not the first that comes to mind, snow-capped mountains above Tehran are home to some of the world s best ski resorts where powder hounds can enjoy famous Iranian hospitality. Amongst uppermost are Dizin, Tochal, Shemshak and Darbandsar, all situated within some 100 kilometers of the capital city and up to international standards. The resorts also cater to desires of domestic holidaymakers and sightseers who seek to escape from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Being quite high, the ski areas retain their snow quite well as the season usually stretches from November all the way through to May. Here is a peek into the four ski resorts dotted in the Alborz mountain range. Dizin Located some 100km north of Tehran, Dizin is by far the biggest resort in Iran equipped with three gondolas and 12 chairlifts. It takes around 2 hours to get there if the road is quite clear. It is the liveliest of the cited resorts and is where the locals go to unwind on their weekend. If one is going to stay overnight up on the mountain, it may be the best place to do so.

34 34 Dizin reaches an altitude of 3,600 meter and therefore boasts more than a one kilometer of vertical difference. Terrain at this resort is great for those intermediate skiers and boarders trying to move into that more advanced category. It also has smaller and easier hikes for skiers and boarders beginning to dabble in backcountry terrain. Overall, Dizin may be best for intermediates. Shemshak and Darbandsar Along the way to Dizin, on a road that starts from northeast Tehran, one can find two resorts are located next to each other; Darbandsar and Shemshak. They are around 90 minutes from Tehran while Dizin is another 35 minutes on from Shemshak when the road is open. Despite Shemshak and Darbandsar both being quite a bit smaller than Dizin, they boast remarkable terrain on-piste and towering mountains behind the ski areas that will leave avid backcountry goers licking their lips. Shemshak has two main lifts which are double chairs. While they are quite slow, they take you quite high up the mountain and open up some nice intermediate runs on-piste and some very nice off-piste runs. Darbandsar is a little smaller than Shemshak with just one main lift. It is sloped on one side which means you are skiing on the side of the mountain a little bit. Tochal The smallest of the four resorts, Tochal can be reached via a four-mile journey by cable car that leaves from the northern suburbs of Tehran. At 3963m, Tochal ski

35 35 resort is the fifth highest resort in the world, ensuring a long season from December to at least April and sometimes June. Tochal is good for convenience and price, but the better terrain may be found at the other resorts. When it comes to comfortable accommodation, both Dizin and Shemshak have large hotels that will almost always have space. There are also several privatelyowned cottages around that can be rented out. Prices for these vary on the quality of the cottage. Nightlife can be limited in resorts as most Iranians prefer to socialize at home in the evening. A brief look at biblical tomb in Iran January 28, 2018 The tomb of the biblical prophet, Daniel, in southwestern Iran is daily revered by great numbers of domestic pilgrims including the Jewish community. Surmounted by a massive cone in white plaster, the mausoleum of biblical prophet attracts foreign travelers as well. The mausoleum cannot be missed while traversing Shush, though its architecture is of no great antiquity. It contains two courtyards, each encircled by adjoining chambers and porches.

36 36 The pilgrimage also offer some accommodations to visitors willing for an overnight stay.according to Atlas Obscura, there are many places that claim to be the traditional burial place of the biblical prophet. But the tomb located in Shush is the most widely accepted and the first that was mentioned by Benjamin of Tudela, a medieval Jewish traveler whose journeys preceded Marco Polo s by about 100 years, and who first visited Asia between 1160 and Shush, which was once a crossroads of various civilizations, is sprawled on parts of ancient Susa at the edge of the Iranian plateau in the lower Zagros mountain range. UNESCO says the region contains several layers of superimposed urban settlements in a continuous succession from the late 5th millennium BC until the 13th century CE. PHOTO: A view of Daniel mausoleum in Shush, southwest Iran What names Tehrani parents choose for their children? January 28, 2018 In all societies, the names people give to their children are subjected to different sociological and even political justifications. Besides, most of the times, picking a name reveals beliefs and history of the parents. Sociologist Abbas Abdi conducted a research on Tehrani babies born from Iranian calendar year 1375 (March 1996-March 1997) to 1394 (March 2015-March 2016) in a book titled An Evolution in Picking Names for Children in Tehran.

37 37 The book was discussed during a meeting last week at the Iran s National Library and Archives.He had previously conducted a research on the process of picking name in Tehran from Iranian calendar year 1345 (March 1966-March 1967) to 1375 (March 1996-March 1997) in a book named A Voice that never Heard. The names people pick to give their children have always been an important criteria for sociological studies of a community, Abdi said. We never fully understand the reasons of parents for choosing a name for their babies. The criteria for choosing names have a very wide range and are complex as well. He said that he considered items like the name of mother, father and the baby s birthplace, in this case Tehran, in his research. Three cultures impact picking names in Iran, which are divided into subcultures themselves. One is the Islamic culture, according to which, people pick names like Fatemeh and Hossein for their children that is understandable, he explained. Traditional Islamic and national Islamic are subdivisions for this kind of name picking, he added. Another one is the national culture, which leads to choosing names from sources like Shahnameh and some names with Zoroastrian roots have been added to this group in recent years. The third is the Western culture, which is controlled by laws imposed by National Organization for Civil Registration and mostly shows itself in names picked for baby girls, he explained. According to the National Organization for Civil Registration, Iranian Muslims cannot give names with non-persian, non-islamic roots to their children, however, folklore names are exceptions. Eating like an Iranian: A survey on Persian food January 27, 2018 In this series of articles you can trace cookery art in Iran during history up to present. The survey sheds light on different aspects of Iranian life, culture and civilization. Timurid Empire ( ) The Divan of Bos haq At ema, written by the 14th century satirical poet Fakhreddin Hallaj Shirazi, is one of the most ancient sources about Persian cuisine, offering information about a wide range of Iranian foods consumed during that time as well as past centuries.

38 Fakhreddin Hallaj Shirazi used Persian culinary vocabulary and kitchen terminology in his poetry. The book also is a great source for food manners and Iranian taste during past centuries. In his poems and proses, he describes different kinds of food by detail. He named the ingredients of the foods like meat, dairy, fruits, herbs, breads and sweets in his writings as well. Below you can find a general introductory to foods used during that era in different categories: 38

39 39 Meats: Meat, poultry and egg were frequently used for cooking during Timurid Empire. The meat was used by different social classes during the era and was one of the most important nutrition in that time. Roasted lamb was one of the most favorite foods. Meat of chicken, duck, goose, partridge and grane were also amongst the ingredients widely used during that era, especially in coastal cities. Kalleh pacheh (a dish of boiled cow or sheep's feet and head), tripe, lamb s heart and liver, and fat were also cooked during Timurid era. In the Divan, there is recipe in which, a complete egg is used in middle of Kufta, a kind of meatball, which is cooked in some parts of Iran today. Dairy: Milk and dairies have a great role in Persian cuisine from long time ago. Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, animal fat and doogh (a yogurt-based beverage) were used during that era.

40 40 Soaked figs in milk was one of the main breakfast items used during Timurid era. Shir Berenj (a kind of rice pudding), milk and date, and milk and honey were also used during that time. Cheese and bread accompanied with dates, walnut, fresh herbs and melon was considered as a complete meal. Charbeh, which means clotted cream, made from the milk of cows, sheep, or goats, was also named several times as breakfast in Divan of Bos haq At ema. According to his poems, borani (Persian appetizer made with yogurt and some type of vegetable such as spinach) with artichoke was also widely used during that time. As it seems, butter was used as a kind of frying oil. However, tallow and animal fat were mainly used for frying during that era. Doogh and Kashk (dairy product made from drained yogurt) were either used as the main meal with bread or as a side dish. Seeds and nuts: Different kinds of nut including walnut, almond, hazelnuts and pistachio and acorn as well as sesame, the black seeds, cardamom, lentil, mung and pea were widely used during that era. The popular fruits were grape, lemon, figs, pomegranate, pear, black and white berries, quince, citron, bergamot, watermelon, rhubarb, tamarind, date and lemon. As it is mentioned in the Divan, during Ilkhanate ( ) and Timurid Empire ( ) date played an important role in foods and was used as the meal during breakfast and dinner with cheese, walnut, yoghurt, tahini, Shir Berenj and animal oil.

41 41 Herbs: Chives (tareh), cilantro (geshniz), purslane (khorfeh), lettuce, radish, onion, beetroot, garlic, carrot, pepper, turnip, bean, carnation, oregano, eggplant, zucchini and artichoke were also used during that time. Breads and grains: During Timurid era, grains were more widely used than today. Wheat, rice, barely, corn and millet were used that time. Wheat was used more than rice due to its abundance in different parts of country and was used for bread.

42 42 Different kinds of Aash and halva as well as haleem (Persian stew with wheat or barley) were cooked with wheat during that time. The haleem was served with cinnamon during that time. Sometimes they made haleem with corn as well. In Persian cooking, rice has been always widely used as the main grain. Its flour was used for different kinds of food, halva and confectionaries. Rice was cooked and served during that time in different methods, including kateh - sticky rice cooked in small amounts of water and oil - as well as chelo - rice boiled in a lot of water and cooked afterwards. Iranian researchers to breed scorpion, milk venom for medical purposes January 26, 2018 A group of Iranian researchers at the Islamic Azad University of Najafabad, central province of Isfahan, succeeded in coming up with plans to maintain scorpions in captivity for venom extraction purposes. Currently a group of three researchers who have submitted the idea of scorpion captive breeding are growing the animals at the lab to collect scorpion venom. The whole project has cost some 1 billion rials (nearly $22,000) so far and the venom can be used for treatment of diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

43 43 Scorpion venom is a substance that has recently gone through testing to determine its possible benefits for human medicine. It seems that scorpion venom is more than a potentially dangerous defense mechanism for an arachnid. Current research on scorpion venom is slow going, but there are a number of medical possibilities. Some people believe scorpion venom can one day be used to cure Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. It has already been explored to help with some cases of multiple sclerosis and cancer, and to help with heart transplants. Some people hope scorpion venom will be used as a painkiller one day. Scorpion venom tops the list of world most expensive liquids. Scorpion venom costs $39,000,000 per gallon while human blood, valued at $1,500 per gallon, is at the bottom of the list. Iran s 9-month handicraft export rises 70% yr/yr January 31, 2018 The value of Iranian handicrafts exports, excluding suitcase trade, has witnessed some 70 percent hike in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year compared to the same period last year, an official said. The current Iranian calendar year started on March 21, The growth is associated with generating some 40,000 relevant jobs, Bahaman Namvar-Motlaq, deputy director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism

44 44 Organization (CHHTO), said while addressing the closing ceremony of the second Fajr handicrafts festival, held at the Iranian Artists Forum in downtown Tehran. Another speaker, CHHTO chief Ali-Asghar Mounesan reminded attendees of the organization s goal to increase handicraft exports per annum to $2 billion by We foresee that the figure will reach $2 billion by the [Iranian calendar] year 1404 if the country attracts 20 million tourists per annum, CHTN news agency quoted Mounesan as saying. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, Iran is expecting to increase its tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in Of the total sum, one billion dollars is expected to be earned from direct exports and the rest through the suitcase trade, he explained. Handicrafts exports from Iran hit a record high over the first four months of the current calendar year with 45.4 percent growth in contrast to the same period a year earlier. Traditional ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious gemstones are among Iranian exports to Iraq, Afghanistan and Germany, the U.S., the UK and other countries. Over the past couple of years, dozens of Iranian handicrafts have gained the UNESCO Seal of Excellence. PHOTO: A shop window displays handcrafted metalwork by Iranian artisans University of Tehran among Webometrics world top universities January 30, 2018 The University of Tehran is among the top 500 higher education institutes worldwide in the Webometrics Ranking. Since 2004, the Ranking Web (or Webometrics Ranking) is published twice a year (data is collected during the first weeks of January and July for being public at the end of both months), covering more than 27,000 Higher Education Institutions worldwide. Webometrics intends to motivate both institutions and scholars to have a web presence that reflect accurately their activities. If the web performance of an institution is below the expected position according to their academic excellence, university authorities should reconsider their web, open access and transparency policy, promoting substantial increases of the volume and quality of their electronic publications.

45 45 The Webometrics Rank of a university is strongly linked to the volume and quality of the contents it publishes on the Web. Size (number of pages) of the main web domain of the institution (presence), number of external networks (subnets) originating backlinks to the institutions webpages (impact), number of citations from top authors according to the source (openness), a and number of papers amongst the top 10% most cited in 26 disciplines (excellence) are the factors deciding universities ranking in Webometrics. The University of Tehran holds the 455th place, with continental ranking of 63. Moreover, the university is ranked 7th in the Middle East. Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Sharif University of Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tarbiat Modares University, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran University of Science & Technology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, and Shiraz University came in 566th, 582nd, 843rd, 855th, 895th, 922nd,963rd, 1074th, and 1197th places respectively. Harvard University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are the top three ranking universities in Webometrics. Iranian traditional medicine: Natural antibiotic January 30, 2018

46 46 Winter is associated with flu and cold in our minds. Antibiotics are one of the most prescribed medicines in cold seasons. Today many people are aware of the side effects of antibiotics, which hurts their digestive systems and ironically, have lowered their natural immunity to all types of infections in the future. Here is a number of suggestion proposed by the Iranian traditional medicine to get rid of infection without any side effect. The Iranian traditional medicine provides some advice for each season. By following the guideline, you can enjoy more during the cold season: Marjoram essential oil

47 47 It kills or inhibit the growth of bacteria and are used to treat bacterial infections and prevents gastrointestinal infections, sore throats, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever and urinary tract infection. Olive leaf extract In addition to be a natural antibiotic, it is also considered as an antiviral herb. It is also a great choice for the skin and body for its anti-aging characteristics. Garlic

48 48 Garlic is a potent antibiotic and it has antiviral and antifungal effects. Garlic is a source of potassium and germanium, which boost immune system. Persian traditional medicine: Chicory distilled water January 21, 2018 From past time, Chicory distilled water, called Araq-e Kasni in Persian, has been on hand in most Iranian houses. With its cooling characteristics, Chicory distilled water reduces body temperature and is great for liver diseases. It decreases the amount of yellow bile in the liver. Yellow bile facilitates the transfer of blood and nutrients from capillaries to the remote body organs and is also in charge of metabolism of fats and lipids and ease digestion. However, in case it gets abundant in the body it can trigger some health conditions such as liver disorders. Chicory distilled water is diuretic and has laxative effects. Chicory has been listed as one of the 38 plants that are used to prepare bach flower remedies, a kind of alternative medicine. However, according to Cancer Research UK, "there is no scientific evidence to prove that flower remedies can control, cure or prevent any type of disease, including cancer".

49 49 Library and Documentation Center for Natural Resources of Iran January 18, 2018 Located at the 150-hectare National Botanical Garden, the Library and Documentation Center for Natural Resources of Iran is the country s most important reference library in the field of natural resources. The library was founded in 1968 along with the establishment of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands (RIFR). Around five years ago, the library moved to the present 600-square-meter location. The new design of the two-story library provides ample space for the library collection for the next 50 years. The library s 23,150-plus volume collection is particularly strong in natural resources, with some publications dating back to the 19th century addressing plant culture, horticulture, deserts, medicinal plants, forestry and botany. Kept on the ground floor of the library, some of the references cannot be found elsewhere in the country as they offer a unique, one of a kind selection. The library also houses books featuring information about other subjects such as natural sciences, mathematics, physics, chemistry, geology, medicine, biology, animal sciences and zoology. The collection comes in the form of English and non-english references, Atlases, maps, research projects, scientific reports, dissertations, journals dating back to the late 19th century, CDs, books, and e-books. Since the library is on the outskirts of the capital, it mainly attracts students who pursue a degree in environmental engineering; although the collection also serves members, professional horticulturists, researchers, and the public as well.

50 50 A staircase in the middle of the library leads visitors to the lower story where all the non-circulating collection that is English and non-english references are shelved. Snake plants, otherwise known as mother-in-law s tongues or viper's bowstring hemp, along with some various sized pine cones, picked straight from the garden, are laid on the staircase with stainless steel handrails, decorating the library while creating a nature-friendly environment inside. The natural landscape of the garden offers a beautiful view from the library while providing a lovely, tranquil environment for visitors and students to sit at tables and enjoy hours of study. The library has exclusively 300 members who are entirely from the botanical garden and RIFA staff. Iranian artisans to show skills at Japan exhibit January 17, 2018 A group of 11 Iranian artisans will attend the second week of the 85th Tokyo International Gift Show, which will be held at the Tokyo Big Sight from February 7 to 9. In case Iranian craftspeople are interested in entering Japan s market, this exhibition is a way to do so. However, the products must be able to compete with

51 51 foreign counterparts in terms of quality, Mehr quoted Seyyed Abbasali Emamiyeh, Iran s tourism information envoy to Japan, as saying on Wednesday. It is the first time that Iran participates in the event, which comprises several sections including toys, stationery, and fashion with the motto of Good Design for Happy Life. The exhibit s first week will be held from January 31 to February 3 in Tokyo Big Sight, the city s international exhibition center. Dozens of high-quality Iranian handicrafts have been honored with the UNESCO Seal of Excellence over the past couple of years. Iran wins Energy Globe World Award 2017 January 17, 2018 Iran secured the first place in Energy Globe World Awards 2017 in the category of water here on Tuesday. Iran wins Energy Globe World Award 2017 Iran secured the first place in Energy Globe World Awards 2017 in the category of water here on Tuesday. Beating the other two finalists, the Philippines and Singapore, Iran jointly with Sri Lanka won the event s top prize in the mentioned category. The Energy Globe Award was founded in 1999 by the Austrian energy pioneer Wolfgang Neumann and is one of today s most prestigious environmental awards.

52 52 Over a ceremony held in Iran International Conference Center in Tehran on Tuesday, upgrade of tailings disposal and water management system project submitted by Kerman Copper Region as well as Puritas Sath Diyawara of Seri Lanka, a project aiming to providing clean drinking water to people affected by chronic kidney disease, came jointly in first. Projects from Afghanistan, India, Austria, and New Zealand also won the first place in other categories of earth, fire, air, youth respectively. Uganda also became the world winner. Flixweed seeds: Iranian khakshir January 16, 2018 Flixweed is the common name of the plant descurainia sophia. Its weed, known as khak-e shir or khakshir in Iran, is used with water as a drink, which is mostly used as thirst quencher in hot weather. However, khakshir is considered as a remedy for many other diseases according to Iranian traditional medicine. Khakshir should be washed from dirt and soil specs before use. Spoon a desired amount of khakshir and let it sit in a bowl of water, preferably plastic, for about 5 to 10 minutes.

53 Stir, and then pour the contents into another bowl of water, rinsing out any residue that is leftover in the first one. Repeat two or three times to insure that your drink is clean and safe. Its mixture with drinking liquid chicory extract (Kasni) and fumitory extract (Shahtareh) detox liver. Aqueous extracts of the manna of hedysarum (tarangabin) and khakshir is a great drink for those who suffer from kidney stones. If you mix khakshir with warm water, it becomes a laxative drink and its mixture with cold water turns it into a natural anti-diarrheal. 53

54 54 Science & Technology

55 55 Iran sophisticated with advanced breast cancer treatment surgery: report January 30, 2018 Foreigners will come to the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to undergo breast surgery, a member of Breast Cancer Research Center reported. A Breast Surgery Specialist Dr. Maryam Tabatabaeian said, Like in Europe, breast cancer surgery has made significant progress in Iran and there is no need to remove all the lymph glands in patient s armpit during surgery. In the past, swelling of hand, sense of heavy feeling and of course severe pain in patient s arm was one of the common complications after the breast cancer treatment including surgery or radiotherapy, the issue of which was caused by damage to the lymph vessels and armpit nerves, she maintained. She, who is a member of Breast Cancer Research Center in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, reiterated, as a result of surgery of lymph glands and/or radiotherapy, patient s armpit was always grappling with short-term and even permanent complications, the most important of which can be referred to the hand swelling. Tabatabaeian expounded on the new surgical method and said, in this method, only one to three lymph glands are removed with the minimal cutting, so that complications related to this part of surgery reach their lowest level, therefore, patients should not be concerned about the complications after surgery.

56 56 The method of lipid injection in the early and delayed regeneration is used as a complement to the surgical technique to improve the chest appearance, she said, adding, Fortunately, several surgeons and physicians in the country can do this treatment process for the patient successfully. She said, Breast cancer surgery in Iran is being updated in tandem with world s most modern technology, so that not only domestic patients use these facilities, but also foreign patients attend Iran in order to undergo breast treatment surgery. Iranian universities rankings at Webometrics January 27, 2018 Eight Iranian universities are included among the top one thousand universities of the World Ranking of Webometrics published in January Webometrics report is published by Cybermetrics Lab, a research group of the largest research institute of Spain, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). The research group evaluates the performances of the world universities based on their web presence. According to the latest edition of their evaluation in January 2018, the top 10 universities in the world are as follows: 1. Harvard University 2. Stanford University

57 57 3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4. University of California Berkeley 5. University of Michigan 6. University of Washington 7. University of Oxford 8. Cornell University 9. Columbia University New York 10. University of Cambridge. Moreover, eight Iranian higher education institutions are placed among the top one thousand universities of the World Ranking of Webometrics published in January Among Iranian universities, the University of Tehran ranked 455 among the world universites. Other Iranian universities rankings are: Tehran University of Medical Sciences (566), Sharif University of Thechnolgy (582), Amirkabir University of Technology (843), Tarbiat Modares Univeristy (855), Isfahan Industrial University (895), Iran University of Science & Technology Tehran (922), and Ferdowsi University (964). Allameh, Sofia universities sign MoU on expansion of coop. January 23, 2018

58 58 Iran s Allameh Tabataba'i University (ATU) signed a memorandum of understanding with Bulgaria s Sofia University for expansion of scientific and cultural cooperation. The MoU was signed on Tuesday in Tehran, in the presence of the ATU deputy head of research department, Hamidreza Oloumi Yazdi, who voiced ATU s readiness for any scientific and cultural cooperation with Sofia University in Bulgaria. He stressed the two sides resolve on bringing the contents of the agreements into implementation as soon as possible. Oloumi added that Bulgarian students can enroll in Persian language courses offered at ATU for non-persian speakers. During the meeting, the Bulgarian delegation invited ATU to take part in a conference on Iranian studies that will be hosted by Bulgaria in the future. Tehran Univ. researchers win int l energy prize January 22, 2018 Researchers with the Tehran University s Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies have won the International Energy Globe Foundation Award for the soft pressure reducing project.

59 59 In the 18th Energy globe foundation ceremony, which was held in Tehran, the researchers of Tehran University s Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies have won the International Energy Globe Foundation Award for the soft pressure reducing project. The project was jointly carried out by the faculty and Ministry of Energy's Tehran Province Water and Waste Water Company. The faculty s research team included Dr. Mojtaba Tahani, Dr. Younes Noorollahi, Dr. Hossein Yousefi and Mrs. Roshanak Fahimi. It took two and a half years to design and carry out the project, the first of its kind in Iran.This project is part of Iran's drive for self-sufficiency, and to develop and strengthen small hydroelectric turbines in urban water lines. The system would be used in distribution and transmission systems for extracting energy, reducing peak consumption times and pressure management. This project has been conducted at a higher level than Middle East. By using local technology for this project, Iran has been listed among the five premier countries that own such technologies. The international award is given each year. The goal is to recognize the projects that provide accurate and cost-effective use of resources and the use of alternative energy sources. The winners of the awards are chosen from one of the categories of land, fire, water, air and youth, by individuals selected from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, World Bank, and European Renewable Energy Council. Domesticated artificial blood vessels unveiled January 22, 2018 Two technological achievements were unveiled at Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute. According to an announcement, two technological achievements, artificial blood vessels and polymer adhesive bandage, were unveiled at Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute on Monday. The two new breakthroughs were unveiled at the presence of Mehdi Nekomanesh, the Head of the Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute. Polymer adhesive bandage has been developed for the treatment of skin lesions.

60 60 Artificial blood vessels is the second produced good of this institute, which is now ready to enter the clinical stage. So far this product used to be imported. In addition to medical applications, artificial blood vessels are used in the treatment of cardiovascular and kidney problems as well as textile industry for the production of footwear and sports jackets. Iranian-made Nano glass exported to 35 countries January 20, 2018 An Iranian industrial group has extended the reach of its Nano glass and Nano mirrors exports to 35 countries across the world. According to Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council, the industrial group, named the top exporter of Nano products in 2017 in Iran, has managed to extend the reach of its Nano glass and Nano mirrors exports to 35 countries including Italy, Germany, Sweden, Croatia, Poland, Greece, Spain, UAE, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Tanzania, Brazil and Canada.

61 These Nano products have a nanometer-thin layer, and are used in windows and the facade of buildings to control the heat and cold. They are also used in the production of double-glazed windows with a low heat transfer coefficient. This industrial group, with 30 years of continuous activity, has now 15 industrialmanufacturing factories inside and outside the country. Their nano products are exported to countries as wide spread as to include the four continents of Asia, Europe, Africa and America. Their latest products at the research and development unit include Eco Gold, Eco Bronze, Eco Blue, and Eco Silver, whose most notable features are appealing appearance and color, optimal energy efficiency in all seasons, high quality and better performance. 61

62 Sport 62

63 63 Iran s Safdarian makes history to win Ice Climbing World Cup gold January 28, 2018 Mohammadreza Korouyeh Safdarian made history at Rabenstein in Italy this evening becoming the first Iranian athlete to win an Ice Climbing World Cup gold medal. Having proved himself the best performer in the afternoon s lead semi-finals in this second leg of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) World tour, Safdarian continued his impressive, composed and calculated form into the final itself. The last climber to attack the ice wall of Rabenstein, Safdarian fell when one clip from topping the route with 60 seconds to go a performance that was enough to earn the 25-year old a gold medal, insidethegames.biz reported. South Korea s Kwon YoungHye claimed the bronze medal with Alexey Tomilov earning silver and in the process bettering his fourth position the previous weekend in Saas-Fee. Reigning World Tour champion Hannarai Song again took the gold medal in the women s competition. Repeating the podium of Saas-Fee, the South Korean finished ahead of compatriot Woonseon Shin and Russia s Maria Tolokonina.

64 64 Zahra Nemati to vie for World Archery s 2017 Athlete of the Year award January 27, 2018 Two-time Paralympic gold medalist Zahra Nemati will vie for the World Archery s 2017 Athlete of the Year award with four other archers. Zahra Nemati, Stretton Jessica (GB), Gogel Jane Karla (Brazil), Tatiana Andrievskaia (Russia) and Jiamin Zhou (China) have been nominated for the prestigious award. Nemati claimed a gold medal at the 2017 World Archery Para Championships held in Beijing, China in September after beating Merve Nur Eroglu of Turkey, 6-2, in the final and finishing with a perfect Public voting for six Athlete of the Year awards is open until 7 February 2018, worldarchery.org reported. Voting for World Archery s 2017 Athlete of the Year award winners was officially opened to the public on 24 January 2018 across six categories: recurve men, recurve women, compound men, compound women, para men and para women. Nominees include the four new World Archery Champions, plus World Archery Para Champions and world number ones. Voting is open until midnight central European time on Wednesday 7 February The winners will be announced during the Indoor Archery World Cup Final, held after the second day of The Vegas Shoot, on Saturday 10 February 2018.

65 65 There will be no World Archery Gala held at Vegas in 2018 due to the Winter Olympics. Iran win Takhti Cup Greco-Roman Tournament January 26, 2018 Iran claimed the title of the 38th edition of Takhti Cup International Greco- Roman Wrestling Tournament. The Iranian team won three gold medals, one silver and eight bronze in the twoday competition held in the southern port of Iran, Mahshahr. The tournament is the first UWW ranking series event in Greco-Roman. Mohammadali Geraei in 77kg, Saman Azizi in 87kg, and Behnam Mehdizadeh in 130kg won three gold medals. Mehrdad Mardani won Iran s sole silver in 60kg. Moslem Naderi and Reza Khedri in 55kg, Mohammad Nourbakhsh in 63kg, Mohammad Elyasi in 67kg, Farshad Belfeke in 72kg, Boroumand Aslan in 77kg, Aliakbar Heydari in 97kg and Shahab Ghourehjili in 130kg snatched bronze medals.takhti, the most famous wrestler in Iranian history, died on January 7, He claimed the gold medal in Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and won two silver medals in 1952 Helsinki and 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Team standings:

66 66 1- Iran 192 points 2- Turkey 171 points 3- Kazakhstan 145 points 4- Georgia 110 points 5- Kyrgyzstan 98 points 6- Azerbaijan 88 points 7- Ukraine 79 points 8- Bulgaria 62 points 9- Romania 42 points 10- Cuba 29 points 11- Italy 24 points Fernando Santos wary of dangerous Iran January 26, 2018 Portugal coach Fernando Santos has warned his team about Iran s threat in the 2018 World Cup. Portugal and Spain stand out as the favorites to progress from Group B, but in Iran and Morocco they have been drawn against two tricky teams who are absolutely capable of bloodying noses. Portugal will face Iran in their final group stage match in Saransk on June 25. Iran have a very experienced coach (Carlos Queiroz) and they are a dangerous team. Iran participated in the last World Cup and they had a chance to advance to the next round until their last game, Santos said in an interview with wort.lu.

67 67 I remember that when we arrived at the UEFA Euro 2016, they underestimated Icelanders. I was alert at that time and they are at the World Cup again. We will take nothing for granted when we face our rivals at the 2018 World Cup, he added. Iran are a very strong team. In qualifying round, they did not lose a single match and only conceded two goals in their last game with Syria, when everything was decided, Santos said. I think everybody knows what Carlos has done with his team. Iran without having won a great title, are a difficult team, the Portugal coach concluded. 2 Iranian fencers win medals at 2018 Tournoi Satellite January 29, 2018 Mohammad Rahbari and Ali Pakdaman from Iran won a gold and bronze medal at the individual category of Tournoi Satellite Fencing World Cup competitions currently underway in Georgia. Iranian national saber team took part in the Tournoi Satellite Fencing World Cup competitions with four athletes including Ali Pakdaman, Mohammad Rahbari, Mohammad Fotouhi, and Nima Zahedi. Nima Zahedi claimed the 11th place in the team competitions by winning against opponents from US, Chile, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Goergia in the preliminary stage. He yielded defeat against Mohammad Fotouhi of Iran 15 to 13 in the table 16.

68 68 Mohammad Fotouhi went on to claim the sixth place after defeating opponents from Georgia, Hong Kong, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. His defeat against Ali Pakdaman in the 8-person table earned him the 6th place. Ali Pakdaman defeated opponents from Belarus, Georgia, US, Hong Kong and Azerbaijan in the preliminary level. His victory against athletes from Kazakhstan, Belarus and Iran earned him a place among the top four fencers in the tournament. Pakdaman conceded defeat 13 to 15 against his powerful opponent from Georgia in the semifinals and earned himself a bronze medal. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rahbari defeated fencers from Goergia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Chile in the preliminary stage, and proceeded to win against opponents from Goergia, Hong Kong, and Belarus in the next round. He defeated Georgian fencer Sandro Bazadze in the final round 15 to 14 and earned the tournement s gold medal in the individual category. Iran to host U23 World Ch ships after 18 years January 20, 2018 United World Wrestling (UWW) has selected Iran as the host country for the U23 freestyle world wrestling championships in 2020.

69 According to a proposal presented by Iran on a collaborative holding of the U23 world wrestling championships of combined events, Iran will hold the championships in the freestyle category and Finland will host competitions in the Greco-Roman and women s wrestling categories in Iran had been unable to host the events since 2002, due to the requirement for holding the world wrestling championships concurrently in the three categories of freestyle, Greco-Roman and women s wrestling. The country has made a lot of efforts since then to be able to host the championships once more, and to that end, offered a proposal to the UWW on a collaborative holding of the events, which was approved during a session in 2016 in Hungary and later in 2017 in Paris. At the Paris session, Iran s representative noted the reducing number of applicants for hosting the international wrestling competitions due to financial and executive difficulties, and made the proposal for a collaborative holding of the championships with another country. The members of the UWW board of directors approved the plan and agreed on selecting Iran for the freestyle category of the events in 2020, while Finland would hold the other two categories. 69

70 Economy 70

71 71 Iran plans to add 1GW solar, wind capacity to current 400MW in a year January 31, 2018 Iranian deputy energy minister put the country s current solar and wind farms capacity at 400 megawatts (MW) saying that the figure will increase to 1.4 gigawatts (GW) in the next Iranian calendar year (March 2018-March 2019). Homayoon Haeri said: At the moment, Iran s power capacity is 80,000 MW and renewables have the potential to make up at least 20,000 MG of this number, IRNA reported on Wednesday. The official noted that the country plans to add 1,000 megawatts (MW) or 1 gigawatt (GW) of new renewable power capacity every year over the next five years. Of the country s total renewable capacity, wind power represents 141 MW, while the potential for wind power capacity in Iran is 100,000 MW. Renewables, including hydropower, account for just six percent of energy generation, versus natural gas 90 percent share. In September 2017, Mohammad Sadeqzadeh, the head of state-held Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization, known as Satba, claimed that Iran s renewables could come to account for a quarter of power generation by Overall, in the next five years, Iran is aiming for a 5,000 MW increase in renewable capacity to meet growing domestic demand and expand its presence on the regional electricity market.

72 72 Iran s exports to Qatar rise 126% in 9 months January 31, 2018 Iran s exports to Qatar increased 126 percent during the first nine months of the present Iranian calendar Year (ending on December 21, 2017), IRIB news quoted an official from Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPO) on Wednesday. According to Director General of TPO Arabic-African Affairs Office Farzad Piltan, Qatar s imports of Iranian goods was $188 million in the said time, registering percent growth in comparison with the same time in The official expressed hope that the value will hit $200 million by the current Iranian yearend (March 20, 2018). Bitumen, oil, vegetables, clinker, dairy products, cement, and steel were the major Iranian products exported to Qatar in this period, Piltan added. Iran exports steel to 15 countries in 9 months January 31, 2018

73 Iran exported 6.37 million tons of steel worth $2.34 billion to 15 countries during the nine-month period ended on December 21, The exports included different types of steel products such as ingot, wire, pipe, hot and cold-rolled sheets, and semi-finished casting products, IRIB news reported on Tuesday. United Arab Emirates, Italy, Thailand, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Oman, Egypt, Taiwan, Iraq, Turkey, India, Sudan, Jordan, Belgium and Spain were the export targets of Iranian steel products during the mentioned time span. Iran plans to increase its steel exports to 8 million tons valued at $3.4 billion by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2018) and to 14 million tons valued at $5.6 billion by the end of calendar year 1400 (March 2022). Meanwhile, the country s exports of crude steel stood at million tons in the mentioned nine-month period, with 80 percent rise from million tons in the same time span of the preceding year, Iranian Steel Producers Association has announced. Also, Iran s crude steel output witnessed a 16-percent growth in the mentioned nine-month period and stood at million tons, IRNA reported on Sunday. The country s crude steel output stood at million tons in the past Iranian calendar year 1395 (ended on March 20, 2017), showing 11 percent rise from million tons in

74 74 Iran exported 5.5 million tons of crude steel in the past year, with 27 percent increase from the figure of its preceding year. According to the latest report released by World Steel Association (WSA), Iran produced 21.7 million tons of steel in 2017, which showed 21.4 percent rise in comparison with 17.8 million tons in Iran ranks 18th among world s top economies January 27, 2018 Iran is ranked world s 18th biggest economy in 2017 based on gross domestic product (GDP) measured upon Purchase Power Parities (PPP), ISNA reported on Saturday citing World Bank s latest data. As reported by knoema.com, with a GDP totaled at $428 billion in 2017, Islamic Republic of Iran also occupied the 27th place in the world GDP ranking list based on current prices. The global GDP in current prices is expected to reach $79.3 trillion in 2017, $3.8 trillion more than 2016 s total $75.5 trillion. Compared upon current-prices-based GDP, The United States, China, Japan, Germany, and France are world s top five economies followed by Britain, India, Brazil and Canada.

75 75 The U.S. GDP reached a total of $ trillion and China as Asia s top economy registered $ trillion while Japan s GDP stood at $4.884 trillion. According to the report, world s top five economies account for 50 percent of the global GDP. Iran's GDP growth stood at 4.5 percent in the first half of the preset Iranian calendar year 1396 (ended September 22, 2017), based on the fixed prices in the Iranian year 1390 (ended March 19, 2012), Central bank of Iran (CBI) reported in mid-january. Iran outstrips U.S. in gold, forex reserves: CIA January 24, 2018 A document released on the website of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) shows that Iran outstrips the United States in terms of reserves of foreign exchange and gold. Iran s reserves of gold and forex in 2017 stood at above $133.7 billion and the country comes 19th among 175 countries in the world, according to CAI s released document known as the World Factbook. China tops the list with $3,098 trillion worth of foreign exchange and gold reserves, followed by Japan with $1,217 trillion. The U.S. comes after Iran in the list with $117.3 billion of gold and foreign exchange reserves.

76 76 Saffron exports up 26% in 9 months January 23, 2018 Iran exported over 160 tons of saffron worth more than $219 million to 56 countries during the nine-month period ended on December 21, 2017, with 26 percent growth in the value compared to the same time span in the preceding year. The weight of exported saffron also indicates 33 percent rise from the figure of its past year, ISNA reported. United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hong Kong, Spain, Afghanistan and China were the top importers of Iranian saffron during the nine-month period, importing 33 tons, 15 tons, 14 tons, five tons and four tons of the product, respectively. U.S., Germany, Britain, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada and the Netherlands are among the countries with more purchase of saffron from Iran compared to the year before and Madagascar is the new buyer of Iranian saffron. Iran s weight of saffron exports during the past Iranian calendar year (March March 2017) rose 60 percent compared to that of the previous year, according to Gholamreza Miri, the vice chairman of National Iranian Saffron Council. The official put the weight of the country s exported saffron at 176 tons in last year while the figure stood at 113 tons in its previous year. The value of saffron exports in the past year stood at $253 million, he added.

77 77 Exports of dairy products up 30% in 9 months yr/yr January 22, 2018 Exports of dairy products from Iran increased 30 percent during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2017) compared to the same period of time in the past year, according to an agriculture official. Deputy Agriculture Minister Hassan Rokni said the country has exported over 750,000 tons of dairy products during the mentioned time span, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday. The official said that the neighboring countries as well as Europe were the export destinations of Iran s dairy products in the nine-month period. Dairy products exports stood at 850,000 tons in the past Iranian calendar year (which ended on March 20, 2017), while the figure was 600,000 tons in its preceding year, Rokni has previously announced. The official said that Russia jointed the importers of Iran s dairy products in the past year.

78 78 Pistachio exports exceed $677m in 9 months January 22, 2018 Iran exported 84,000 tons of pistachio worth $677 million during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2017), IRIB news reported citing the data by Islamic Republic of Iran customs Administration (IRICA). Pistachio was the country s seventh top non-oil product exported in the mentioned time span. Iran exported 130,000 tons of pistachio worth $1.2 billion to 70 countries in the previous Iranian calendar year (which ended on March 20, 2017). Exports to South Korea up 30% January 17, 2018 Iran exported over $3 billion worth of goods to South Korea during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2017) up 30 percent compared to its preceding year. Meanwhile, Iran shipped in some $2.48 billion worth of goods from the Asian country, IRNA reported on Tuesday quoting an official at Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) of Iran.

79 As reported, foraldehyde, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers, gypsum, slag wax, white cement, floor coverings and dates were among top exported items to South Korea 79

80 Policy 80

81 81 Tehran to host ICAPP conference January 31, 2018 The 29th International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) will be held in Tehran on February 2 and 3, attended by leaders and secretary generals of 40 political parties and organizations from 25 Asian countries. Iran s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Leader s Advisor Ali Akbar Velayati, and Head of World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought Ayatollah Mohsen Araki will address the conference, Mehr reported. The topics that will be addressed in the conference include the role of parties in deescalating tensions and confronting extremism, parties and sustainable urban development, as well as the role of parties in political development, cultural interaction, and trade development on Silk Road. Sputnik boosts media coop. with Iran January 30, 2018 Russian Sputnik news agency has signed a cooperation agreement with Iranian Mehr News Agency, a key media outlet in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The parties agreed to share news and analysis products in several languages, including Farsi, and implement joint Russia-Iran media cooperation projects.

82 82 Following the signing, Dmitry Kiselev, the Director General of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, presenting Sputnik said we greatly value the professionalism of our colleagues from Mehr. I am sure that the future cooperation will benefit not only the Russian and Iranian audiences, but also many readers and listeners who are interested in unbiased and reliable information. Sputnik (sputniknews.com) is a news agency and radio broadcaster with multimedia information hubs in dozens of countries. Sputnik operates through websites in over 30 languages, analog and digital radio broadcasting, mobile applications and social media. Sputnik newswires are published in English, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese round the clock. Mehr (en.mehrnews.com) is a major news agency in the Islamic Republic of Iran, founded in Offers newswires in Persian, Urdu, English, Arabic, Turkish and German. Has a wide network of stringers in Europe, Latin America, Southeastern Asia and the Middle East. Iran's policy to help bring peace, stability, security in region January 29, 2018

83 83 In response to Jordan King Abdullah's anti-iran claims, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the principled, stable and unchanging policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been contributing to peace, stability and security in the region. Calling Jordan King Abdullah' claims at odds with realities and the demand of people and most countries in the region for the establishment of peace and sustainable security, Ghasemi said the Islamic Republic has always sought peace, stability and security in the region and takes advantage of every opportunity to promote dialogue aimed at solving regional problems. In a discussion session with CNN s Fareed Zakaria on Thursday at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2018 in Davos, Switzerland, Jordan's King claimed that Iran was meddling in the affairs of a number of Arab countries and exploiting militia and religion in regional conflicts. He also called Saudi Arabia'a role in the Middle East as positive which draws red lines for Iran s worrying activities. "Such unfounded statements cannot deny the stabilizing role of Iran in combating terrorism and contributing to security," he noted, adding "Jordan's statements made under the current difficult and perilous conditions can never serve the interests of regional governments and nations; they are only beneficial to ill-wishers, occupiers and aggressors who do not tolerate peace, economic development, territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries in this sensitive region of the world. Iran invites the world to constructive dialogues focused on constructive outcomes to eliminate misunderstandings and to initiate cooperation in the region, and "we,

84 84 as always, welcome any positive and soothing attitudes to strengthen peace and stability in the region." Guinea interested in cooperating in automotive, steel industries January 23, 2018 MP and a member of Iran-Guinea-Bissau Parliamentary Friendship Group says that Guinea parliamentary delegation has visited Iran s automotive and steel manufacturing sectors, and is interesting in cooperating in Iran in these sectors. In a meeting with his Guinea counterpart, MP and a member of Iran-Guinea-Bissau Parliamentary Friendship Group Iraj Nouri Gholipour said that Guinea-Bissau is interested in attracting Iranian investment. Noting that Guinea-Bissau has rich reserves of bauxite, potassium and uranium, he said that Guinea wants Iran to cooperate with it in these sectors. He said that Guinea-Bissau called for the transfer of technology from Iran to help the country s fisheries sector. He said that Guinea-Bissau delegation visited Iran's automotive and steel industry and want to cooperate with Iran in these sectors.

85 85 He said that Guinea-Bissau will officially invite the Iranian parliamentary delegation to visit that country to expand bilateral relations between the two countries. Iran ready to export cooperatives products to Kenya January 22, 2018 Chairman of Iran Chamber of Cooperatives Bahman Abdollahi pointed to make use of capacities of cooperatives sector between Iran and Kenya and export of products manufactured by the cooperative societies of the two countries and said, Islamic Republic of Iran has voiced its readiness to strengthen cooperation and interaction in the field of cooperatives. Broadening cooperation and interaction with other countries in the cooperatives sector is one of the main objectives of Chamber of Cooperatives, Abdollahi maintained. He put the total trade volume exchanged between Iran and Kenya in the past Iranian calendar year in 1395 (ended March 20, 2017) at $50 million and said, agricultural, industrial tourism and services sectors constitute the most important activities of the cooperatives sector, so that joint cooperation can be expanded between the two countries in the field of export of relevant products.

86 86 Since Kenya stands at the first rank among African countries in the cooperatives sector, Iranian cooperative societies are interested in organizing cooperatives in Kenya, he opined. Turning to the problems of banking exchanges between Iran and Kenya, he said, effective steps have been taken in this regard to set up a joint account in a thirdparty country in order to ease financial transactions between the two countries. We propose to hold a joint seminar between Iran and Kenya in order to introduce opportunities of cooperatives sector available in these two countries, he concluded. For her part, Kenyan Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran put the number of cooperative societies in Kenya at about 15,000 and said, currently, Kenya stands at the first rank among African states in terms of cooperatives and also 7th rank in the world. Iran, Guinea-Bissau to strengthen ties through parl. coop. January 21, 2018

87 87 Iranian parliament speaker said that Iran s foreign policy toward African countries is the expansion of parliamentary relations and cooperation that can strengthen bilateral ties. Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani met with the President of the National People s Assembly of Guinea-Bissau Cipriano Cassamá and the parliamentary delegation he headed on Monday, where he thanked his counterpart for participating in the 13th PUIC Conference and expressed hope that the countries can improve their economic, commercial relations. Iran s foreign policy is to expand coopertion with African countries and the increase in parliamentary ties between the two countries can enhance bilateral relations, Larijani asserted. For his part, the President of the National People s Assembly of Guinea-Bissau Cipriano Cassamá expressed satisfaction over travelling to Iran and said we made this trip both to participate in the Conference and to negotiate with Iranian officials over the expansion of economic and parliamentary relations with Iran. We hope that in future, we can have closer ties and enhanced economic cooperation with Iran through identifying the mutual commercial concerns, Cipriano Cassamá asserted. Iran, Japan s JICA signs agreement on power plans January 31, 2018