ZANJAN -- On Thursday, November 30, the first National Olive Festival was held in the city of Tarom, located 90 kilometers north of the provincial capital Zanjan.

Olive farming covers over 10,000 hectares in this northern city on which five olive species are grown. Tarom exports its olive to the Persian Gulf states of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, North America and Germany.

Inside the country, Tehran, Qazvin, Hamedan, East and West Azarbaijan, Ardebil, Mazandaran, Gilan, Kordestan and Markazi provinces buy most of the city’s olive. According to IRNA, Tarom has a 900-year history of olive farming.

Karaj railway contract cancellation not politically motivated: OBB spokesman

TEHRAN -- The Austrian railway company Österreichische Bundesbahn (OBB) spokesman claimed on Thursday there was no political reason behind the cancellation of the contract for construction of Karaj-2 Railway, in the city of Karaj, west of capital Tehran.

Several Austrian newspapers had reported earlier this week that the OBB had shelved its contract with the Iranian side due to political reasons. “We are examining different aspects of the contract and will soon announce the result,” IRNA quoted the OBB official as saying.

However, he added, the company’s lawyers have suggested that such a big deal should be approved by the members of its board of directors and thus ‘the company does not have to pay any compensation for canceling the project’.

Gachsaran produces 20% of Iran’s oil, suffers from high unemployment

YASUJ, Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad Prov. -- Although it accounts for 20 percent of the country’s crude oil production, the city of Gachsaran suffers from a high rate of unemployment, ILNA reported.

Yet, the people of Gachsaran want the unfinished projects in this southern Iranian city to be completed as soon as possible. These include an oil and gas industry equipments factory, refineries and a dam construction project.

Meanwhile, a considerable number of jobs are projected to be created upon completion of the city’s petrochemical complex.

Luxury ship’s passengers get a glimpse of beautiful Kish Island

KISH ISLAND, Hormozgan Prov. -- The luxury cruise ship Silver Cloud, a property of the Silversea Cruises and sister of Silver Wind took a short stop at the southern Iranian island of Kish during one of its around-the-world journeys.

The ship, carrying 300 passengers from different countries, berthed at Kish port on Thursday morning to give the passengers the pleasure of watching the island’s exotic beauty – including Hotel Dariush and the ancient town of Harireh – while riding on bikes.

Silver Cloud then went on its journey towards the Indian port of Goa. The ship offers six different types of suites, ranging in size from almost 250 square feet to over 1,300.

Astara imports down 6%

ASTARA, Gilan Prov. -- The customs office of this northern Iranian port registered import of 152,214 tons of goods, valued at $69.39 million, in the first eight months of the current Iranian year (March 21-November 21, 2006).

This showed six percent slump in weight compared to the same period last year. Astara mainly imports chemicals, ironware and industrial machinery.