By Faranak Bakhtiari

Not even one person deprived of PHC services

TEHRAN - Mohammad Shariati, associate professor at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences and former director of the national health network, believes that thanks to the expanded and efficient national healthcare system, not even one person is deprived of primary healt care (PHC) services.

Medicinal plants export fetches $500m 

TEHRAN- Iran earns some $500 million annually by exporting medicinal herbs, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology said.

Waste recycling can generate $10b in value-added products

TEHRAN- The development of the waste recycling industry can lead to $10 billion in value-added products per year, head of the Iranian Recycling Industries Association has stated.

Corona is a reality but it cannot stop traveling, tourism minister says

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister on Tuesday said that it is true that the coronavirus pandemic is a [bitter] reality but it cannot bring traveling to a complete standstill.

China-Iran Sinology Development and Culture Forum held online

TEHRAN – The fourth roundtable on China-Iran Sinology Development and Culture after the COVID-19 Pandemic was held online on Tuesday.

Muharram rituals in Yazd to be held differently due to coronavirus pandemic

TEHRAN – While Iran is still fighting the coronavirus outbreak, this year’s Muharram mourning rituals would be different from previous years.

Sistan-Baluchestan is a collection of tourist attractions: governor general

TEHRAN – The governor general of Sistan-Baluchestan province has said that the southeastern province is a collection of unique historical, natural, and tourist attractions, however, its tourism industry has not been developed due to “neglects and historical backwardness”.

COVID-19 increases PM concentration in Tehran by 20%: study

TEHRAN – The results of a study by Iranian researchers shows that the concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) as the most important pollutant in Tehran air during the coronavirus outbreak has increased by about 20 percent compared to the same period last year.

Academic co-op key element of Iran-China strategic partnership

TEHRAN – The most important element of the science and technology section of the Tehran-Beijing 25-year strategic partnership is the enhanced academic cooperation between universities of the two countries, deputy science minister Hossein Salar Amoli has said.

Iran rejects BBC Persian claim of under-reporting COVID-19 mortality

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Health has rejected a BBC Persian’s claim about under-reporting daily COVID-19 deaths and new cases in Iran, suggesting the British Broadcasting Corporation to reveal the doubtful coronavirus statistics reported by the UK government.

Over $117m approved to support corona-affected tourism businesses

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has approved a total budget of 4,920 billion rials (over $117 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) to support businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Nasir al-Molk amongst seven beautiful mosques in world: report

TEHRAN- Daily Art, a Warsaw-based online art magazine, has ranked Iran’s Nasir al-Molk Mosque, commonly known as “The Pink Mosque”, among seven beautiful mosques in the world on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, which was observed on Friday. 

FAO, WFP support livelihoods for Afghan refugees in Iran

TEHRAN – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) are working to improve the livelihoods of Afghan refugees living in Iran amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Non-revival of Lake Urmia could cause $1,000 billion loss

TEHRAN – Although Lake Urmia’s revival will cost around $1.5 billion, not implementing the revival plan would inflict a loss of $1,000 billion to the country, Issa Kalantari, chief of the Department of Environment, has said.

Iranian students win colorful medals at IChO 2020

TEHRAN – Iranian students snatched 4 medals at the 52nd International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2020) held in Turkey on July 6 to 15, ISNA news agency reported on Friday.

Over $2m earmarked to revive Gulf of Gorgan

TEHRAN – A budget of 9 trillion rials (nearly $2.1 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been earmarked to revive the Gulf of Gorgan in the Caspian Sea, northern Iran.

Two Iranian universities among top 100 in Asia

TEHRAN – Two Iranian universities have been ranked among the top 100 universities in Asia, according to Webometrics Ranking of World Universities for July 2020.

Zavareh’s traditional blacksmithing added to intangible cultural heritage list

TEHRAN- The centuries-old traditional blacksmithing in the oasis city of Zavareh on the edge of the central desert of Iran in Isfahan province has been inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a provincial tourism chief has said.

Iran welcomes international initiatives for tourism development

TEHRAN- Iran welcomes initiatives that contribute to the development of tourism and boost cooperation in the international arena, deputy tourism chief Vali Teymouri said on Wednesday.

WFP donates over $232,000 to refugees residing in Iran

TEHRAN – The World Food Program (WFP) donated a total cash worth of $232,282 and 274.4 metric tons of fortified wheat flour, vegetable oil, and lentils to the refugees residing in Iran in the month of June, according to a report released by the WFP.

UNESCO-tagged Imam Square in Isfahan being restored

TEHRAN – A restoration project has been commenced on the walls of the east side of the UNESCO-registered Imam Square in Isfahan, central Iran, CHTN reported.

Iranian virtual school to be launched for students abroad

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Education plans to hold online classes for Iranians abroad through a cell phone application, said Gholamreza Karimi, the head of the ministry’s international affairs department.

Kindness knows no border: German teacher builds school in Iranian village

TEHRAN – A German teacher and tourist who came to visit Iran in the Iranian calendar year 1385 (March 2006-March 2007), decided to build a school with three classes in the rural areas of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, southwest of the country.

Iran produces anti-corona medicine “Tocilizumab”

TEHRAN – The drug “Tocilizumab”, confirmed to be effective in the coronavirus treatment, has been produced in Iran and will be distributed in hospitals by the next two weeks, IRNA reported on Monday.

Over 30 Paleolithic sites discovered in eastern Iran

TEHRAN – More than 30 Paleolithic-era sites have been discovered during a recent archaeological survey in Ferdows county, eastern South Khorasan province.

Plan for returning drop-outs to school started

TEHRAN – A plan has just started to bring students who have dropped out of school in low-income and deprived areas of the country back to the education system, ISNA news agency reported on Sunday.

7 health projects to be inaugurated in northwestern Iran

TEHRAN – Seven health projects in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan will be inaugurated by President Hassan Rouhani through a webinar on Thursday, ISNA news agency reported.

Seljuk-era twin tomb towers in Qazvin being restored

TEHRAN – Rehabilitation work has begun on the historical Kharaqan twin tomb towers in Avaj, northwestern Qazvin province, a provincial tourism chief has said.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Building Back Better: UN supports Iran’s socio-economic response to COVID-19

TEHRAN – The United Nations System in Iran has launched a ‘Program on Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19’ which focuses on three particular areas of intervention, including combined employment generation, social protection, and strengthening the health system.

Ancient human skeleton unearthed in Isfahan

TEHRAN – The remains of an ancient person, believed to date back to the Parthian era (247 BC – 224 CE), has been discovered during an archaeological season which is underway at Tepe Ashraf, the sole archaeological hill in Isfahan, central Iran.