330 ha of Miankaleh peninsula turns into ashes

TEHRAN —The wildfire which started on Friday night in Miankaleh peninsula, northern province of Mazandaran, has so far burnt around 330 hectares, the province’s chief of the department of environment has said.

Relief foundation earmarks $10m for marriage of the underprivileged

TEHRAN – The Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation has allocated over 410 billion rials (nearly $10 million) in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (starting on March 21) to facilitate marriage for financially struggling individuals.

Tehran to host traditional medicine, medicinal herbs festival

TEHRAN – The fourth festival of medicinal herbs, natural products and traditional medicine aiming to showcase Iran’s potential in the field of medicinal herbs will be hold on November 12-15 in Tehran, secretary of headquarters for developing medicinal herbs and traditional medicine science and technology headquarters has said.

Iran’s stem cell council bidding for investment

TEHRAN – The Council for Stem Cell Sciences and Technologies plans to attract investors for research projects, the council’s secretary Amirali Hamidieh announced on Tuesday, Mehr reported.

Central Insurance of Iran’s services to go online

TERHAN -- Central Insurance of Iran, known as Bimeh Markazi, plans to provide a broad range of online services to its clients in the near future, the head of High Council of Insurance Gholamreza Soleimani said in a press release on Tuesday, ILNA reported.

Iran to promote export of nano-tech products

TEHRAN – The Communication and Information Technology Ministry plans to promote export of nanotechnology products.

Annual non-oil exports set to reach $50b by March 2019

TEHRAN- Iran’s value of non-oil exports is planned to reach $50 billion in the current Iranian calendar year, which ends on March 20, 2019, according to an official at Trade Promotion Organization (TPO).

Pakistan’s Imran Khan to visit Iran after swearing-in ceremony

TEHRAN – Pakistan’s prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan will visit Iran and Saudi Arabia following his swearing-in ceremony later this month.

U.S. must pay Iran $110 billion in damages: VP

TEHRAN – Laya Joneidi, the vice president for legal affairs, has said the U.S. government must pay Iran $110 billion in compensation over the damage it has done to the Iranian nation.

All-inclusive talks prerequisite for Caspian seabed carve-up: expert

TEHRAN - A senior political analyst believes all Caspian Sea littoral states should sit down for negotiations over carving up seabed of the Caspian Sea.

Shamkhani highlights role of private sector in ‘economic war’ on Iran

TEHRAN - Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Tuesday that the private sector plays an important role in countering the “economic war” launched against Iran by the Trump administration.

Zarif felicitates Lebanon on defeating Israel in the 2006 war

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday congratulated the Lebanese over their military victory over the invading Israeli army in 2006, known as the 33-day war.

Iran selects nominees for Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award

TEHRAN – Iran has announced its nominees for the 2019 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, a prestigious Swedish honor to promote children’s and youths’ literature in the world.

Seven animated movies to compete in Isfahan film festival

TEHRAN -- The organizers of the 31st International Film Festival for Children and Youth in Isfahan have released the international animation lineup.

Kerman museum to showcase illustrations from Bratislava biennial

TEHRAN -- A selection of works from the various editions of the Biennale of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) will be showcased in an exhibition in the Sanati Museum of Contemporary Art in Kerman.

“Subdued” named best film at Hafez Awards

TEHRAN -- “Subdued”, director Hamid Nematollah’s drama about an emotional journey, has been named best film at the 18th Hafez Awards, Iran’s first and only private awards in the film industry and TV productions.

Carlos Queiroz to stay as Iran coach until 2019 AFC Asian Cup

TEHRAN – Carlos Queiroz will remain as Iran national football team coach until the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Iraqi PM walks back on commitment to U.S. sanctions on Iran

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has contradicted his recent reluctant commitment to abide by renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran, saying his government only committed to not using dollars in transactions with Tehran.

Tourism projects worth $10b underway in Iran

TEHRAN — Some 1,884 tourism projects valued at 430 trillion rials (nearly $10.2 billion) are underway in Iran, tourism chief Ali-Asghar Mounesan said on Sunday.

Kimia Alizadeh could retire from taekwondo, coach says

TEHRAN – Iranian woman taekwondo athlete Kimia Alizadeh may be forced to retire from the sport forever, Mahroo Komrani said.

By Dr. James M. Dorsey

Yemen war challenges Saudi moral authority

Saudi conduct of its ill-fated war in Yemen coupled with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s alignment with the Trump administration and Israel, and his often coercive approach to diplomatic relations, has opened the door to challenges of the kingdom’s moral leadership of the Sunni Muslim world, a legitimizing pillar of the ruling Al Saud family’s grip on power.

By Hanif Ghaffari

U.S. Won't Benefit From Imposing Sanctions on Iran

TEHRAN - The United States' unilateral and secondary sanctions against Iran have been widely reflected in international media. Meanwhile, many Western analysts believe that the the international system isn't going to comply with Washington's sanctions against Tehran, and this will reduce the impact of these sanctions on our country.

On the occasion of marriage of Hazrat Fatima al-Zahra (SA) and Imam Ali (AS)

Many of us have probably placed ourselves and even others in difficult conditions and unnecessary expenses only to pass through the regular routines of life. Interestingly enough if we think clearly, many of these hardships we put ourselves through are rootless, and derive only from an unnecessary norm and culture that have found its way into society affecting our lives either willingly or unwillingly.

By Ramin Hossein Abadian

Iron dome; from mythology to falsehood

TEHRAN - Zionist officials have pretended to have the largest, most powerful and advanced missile defense system. It is known as the Iron Dome, and it is not what it’s cranked up to be.