Eco-park opened in northern city of Astara 

TEHRAN — A wildlife eco-park was inaugurated in the northern city of Astara, Gilan province, on Friday, ISNA news agency reported.

Nationwide multi-sport event organized for the elderly 

TEHRAN — Iran’s national retirement fund will hold a nationwide multi-sport event in the Iranian calendar month of Ordibehesht (April 21-May 21), YJC reported on Friday. 

National optical fiber network to expand by 20% to 84,000km

TEHRAN -- The Telecommunication Infrastructure Company will expand the national optical fiber network by 14,000 kilometers to 84,000 kilometers by the next two months, the company’s managing director Sadeq Abbasi Shahkouh said, Mehr reported on Friday.

Knowledge-based power projects are supported

TEHRAN – Iran’s Energy Research Institute supports knowledge-based projects which promote and meet demands of the electric power industry, IRNA reported.

Iran promotes using remote sensing satellites in agriculture

TEHRAN -- According to a recent agreement signed between the Iranian Space Research Center and the Ministry of Agriculture, remote sensing satellites are planned to be used in different sections of the agricultural industry, Mehr reported on Wednesday.

WHO to laud Iran on elimination of trachoma

TEHRAN — Concurrent with the 11th Festival of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences of Professor Mohammad Gholi Chams (The father of modern ophthalmology in Iran and the founder of Farabi eye hospital) on February 21 World Health Organization (WHO) will laud Iran on elimination of trachoma, Mehr news agency reported.

Plans on agenda to address sand and dust storms in 4 provinces 

TEHRAN — Studies to combat sand and dust storms are almost completed and next year (starting on March 21) plans will be implemented in four provinces of Khuzestan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Kerman and Hormozgan, director of the national headquarters for combatting sand and dust storms has said.

Biotech products save Iran $1 billion: official

TEHRAN – The domestically manufacturing of biotechnology products has so far saved one billion dollars for the country, Mostafa Qanei, secretary of biotech development center (BioDC) at science and technology vice-presidency said, Tasnim reported on Wednesday.

Land use change a threat to Hyrcanian Forest

TEHRAN – Hyrcanian Forest in northern Iran has undergone a 15 percent fragmentation due to land use changes for agricultural and residential purposes since recent years, while it already has been suffering from pests and disease, an expert in the field of natural resources has said.

Iranian researchers develop laboratory ultracentrifuge 

TEHRAN- A laboratory ultracentrifuge was made by Iranian researchers at Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, announced an official with the institute. 

Health Ministry to support MPS patients 

TEHRAN- the Ministry of Health has announced its recent activities to support Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) patients in Iran that started with measuring its prevalence in the country.  

Tehran to host autism conference

TEHRAN – The 4th conference on autism disorder with a theme of empowering human resources and families will be held in Tehran on February 20.

Flood hits 22 provinces, leaving 2 dead, 5 missing

TEHRAN – Severe rain and snowstorms haunting 22 provinces of the country, triggered flooding and mudslides which have claimed two lives, and five others went missing, head of Rescue and Relief Organization Morteza Salimi has announced.

By Afshin Majlesi

Many Indonesians want to visit Iran: envoy

TEHRAN - Jakarta ambassador to Tehran said on Tuesday that many Indonesians want to visit Iran as he encouraged Iranians to visit the world’s largest island country.

Automated organ donation system to start in a month

TEHRAN- The first stage of establishing an automated database of organ transplantation will begin on March 1st, said the head of the transplantation and treatment of diseases department at the Ministry of Health. 

$4m earmarked for Asiatic cheetah conservation

TEHRAN – A total budget of $4 million will be allocated to prevent the remaining precious species of Asiatic cheetah from extinction, through a five-year plan, deputy environment chief for Department of Environment (DOE) natural environment and biodiversity directorate has announced.

Shiraz Municipality plans to restore Saray-e Moshir to its former glory

TEHRAN - Shiraz Municipality has commenced a restoration project on Saray-e Moshir in a bid to make the centuries-old bazaar and caravanserai as beautiful as it used to be.

Tehran tourism exhibit offers must-see places for Noruz

TEHRAN – Hundreds of potential travelers for Noruz holidays are choosing, bargaining or even negotiating prices with travel markets at the 12th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition, which will be running through February 16.

New lines of Granulosa cells production to improve fertility studies

TEHRAN- Researchers at Iranian Biological Resource Center successfully produced two lines of Immortalized Human Granulosa Cells (HGL5) from Normal and polycystic ovaries, announced the organization’s director of Human and Animal Cells bank. 

Report on satellite crop monitoring in northern Iran released

TEHRAN – The Iranian Space Agency (ISA) released a report for satellite crop monitoring of subtropical gardens in Northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran, Mehr reported on Sunday.

Isfahan University to host an entrepreneurship event

TEHRAN – Isfahan’s Sheikh Bahaei University will host an event for entrepreneurs entitled “From Idea to Product” from February 13 to 15, ISNA news agency reported on Sunday.

Iranian startups, knowledge-based companies to provide commodities impeded by sanctions: VP

TEHRAN – Iran’s science and technology vice presidency plan to supply commodities, which are impeded by Iran’s sanctions, with the productions of Iranian startups and knowledge-based companies, the VP Sourena Sattari announced, Tasnim reported on Thursday.

Iranian universities to turn knowledge into wealth and technology: Minister

TEHRAN – Iran aims to turn knowledge into wealth and technology in universities, the Science, Research and Technology Minister, Mansour Gholami announced, ISNA reported on Sunday.

Southeastern Iran opens its first pharmaceutical factory 

TEHRAN- First pharmaceutical factory of southeastern Iran was inaugurated in Rafsanjan, IRNA reported on Sunday. 

Support packages underway for SMA patients

TEHRAN- Support packages have been planned for SMA patients, said the head of the Transplantation and Treatment of Diseases Department at the Ministry of Health.  

By Setareh Behroozi

E-government, a new opportunity that should be seized

During recent months, Iran’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry promoted electronic government in the country. The first phase of e-government services project in Iran officially came on stream under the title of ‘Mobile Government’ in mid-May 2018.

By Lachin Rezaian

Success in artificial insemination in Persian leopards may raise hopes for rare big cats: wildlife biologist 

TEHRAN — Mohammad Farhadinia, a post-doctoral research fellow at University of Oxford, said the new move to use artificial insemination to breed Persian leopards could raise hopes for conservation of big cats. 

Center for labor children vocational training opened in Tehran

TEHRAN – The 20th center offering skill development training to the labor children was inaugurated on Monday in district 10 of the capital, ISNA reported.

1,250 ha of central Alborz Mountains undergo reforestation

TEHRAN – Reforestation will be conducted on 1,250 hectares of 1,800 meter altitude of central mountain range of Alborz, to prevent illegal constructions and land grabbing in mountainous areas, head of Tehran Parks and Green Space Organization, affiliated to the municipality has said.

Relief Foundation, vice presidency for science, technology sign MOU to enhance job opportunities

TEHRAN – The Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and the vice presidency for science and technology inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand cooperation on generating jobs by the means of knowledge-based companies in the underprivileged areas, Mehr news agency reported.