Jungle cat observed for first time in northwestern Iran

TEHRAN – After many years, for the first time, a jungle cat was observed in Assadabad plain located in northwestern Hamedan city, Mehdi Safikhani, deputy head of Hamedan department of environment has announced.

Importing Pfizer vaccines ‘is no more the question’: Iranian Red Crescent Society

TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent society issued a statement on Friday, stressing that importing Pfizer vaccines made by the United States ‘is no more the question’.

Jazmourian wetland hosting flocks of migratory birds

TEHRAN – Flocks of migratory birds, including flamingos, came to winter in Jazmourian wetland in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, despite parts of the wetland has been dried up.

Tehran air pollution incurs daily loss of $7m

TEHRAN – Air pollution brings a heavy economic burden amounting to $7 million per day for the metropolis of Tehran, Hossein Shahidzadeh, head of Tehran’s Air Quality Control Company, has said. Air pollution is responsible for 11 premature deaths daily in Tehran, he lamented.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Biotechnology budget rises almost 50%

TEHRAN – The national budget bill for the next Iranian calendar year (starting on March 20) has proposed 4 trillion rials (around $95 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) for biotechnology, a 47.8 percent increase compared to the current year’s budget.

Iran pays for buying 16.8m doses of COVAX vaccine

TEHRAN – The Central Bank of Iran has announced an advance payment to purchase 16.8 million doses of coronavirus vaccine through the COVAX, a global initiative to ensure rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Contrary to expectations, marriage in Iran increased amid pandemic

TEHRAN – Contrary to expectations, the marriage rate in Iran has been increasing over the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 20, 2020), amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistan pledges to strengthen anti-narcotics co-op with Iran

TEHRAN – Ijaz Ahmed Shah, Pakistan’s Minister for Narcotics Control, has pledged to further strengthen cooperation with Iran to combat drug trafficking.

Iran ranks 14th for top universities worldwide

TEHRAN – Iran ranked 14th among 102 countries for the highest number of top universities, as 46 Iranian universities were listed on ISC World University Rankings 2020.

First case of mutated coronavirus identified in Iran

TEHRAN – Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki announced on Tuesday that the first case of infection with the mutated coronavirus, which emerged in the United Kingdom, has been identified in the country.

4.1 magnitude quake strikes Caspian Sea

TEHRAN- An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale occurred on Tuesday morning in the Caspian Sea, shaking nearby regions in Iran and other littoral countries.

Tehran police arrest 183 persons for gambling

TEHRAN – Tehran police have arrested 183 persons for their involvement in illegal online gambling.

Over $4m of smuggled goods seized in week

TEHRAN – Different kinds of goods valued at 170 billion rials (some $4.1 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) have been seized from smugglers over the past week in the country.

IFRC appreciates Iran for emergency response efforts

TEHRAN - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has appreciated the Iranian Red Crescent Society for its efforts to implement emergency response programs during natural disasters.

202 prisoners released on Gen. Soleimani’s martyrdom anniversary

TEHRAN – On the occasion of the first martyrdom anniversary of Commander of the IRGC Quds Force Major General Qassem Soleimani, 202 prisoners of unintentional crimes were released across the country.

Next group of volunteers to receive Iranian COVID-19 vaccine

TEHRAN – The domestically-made coronavirus vaccine will be injected into four more volunteers this week provided that the health ministry’s approval is obtained.

Cultivating medicinal plants on pastures to be developed

TEHRAN – The Forests, Range, and Watershed Management Organization has prepared a plan for cultivating medicinal plants on 50,000 hectares area of pastures across the country.

Shadegan wetland monitored for highly pathogenic avian influenza

TEHRAN – A comprehensive plan for monitoring highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been implemented across Shadegan wetland in southwestern Khuzestan province.

No COVID-19 vaccines imported from South Korea, Iran says

TEHRAN – Iran has denied reports claiming that the country has imported a consignment of coronavirus vaccines from South Korea.

Iran, Cuba coproducing COVID-19 vaccine

TEHRAN - The Pasteur Institute of Iran in collaboration with a Cuban company is working on producing a potential vaccine for COVID-19.

School building budget rises by three folds

TEHRAN – Some 4.5 percent of the national development budget proposed in the bill for the next [Iranian calendar] year (starting on March 21) has been earmarked for building schools, a three-fold rise compared to the current year’s figure.

Tehran hosts online meeting on Basel, Stockholm environmental conventions

TEHRAN – The Steering Committee Meeting for the Basel and Stockholm Conventions was held in Tehran on December 22, IRNA reported.

Iranian company working on oral coronavirus vaccine

TEHRAN – An Iranian knowledge-based company is trying to develop an oral vaccine to fight COVID-19, Hossein Vatanpour, an official with the Ministry of Health, has announced.

Lake Urmia one step closer to revitalization

TEHRAN – A dam for transferring water to Lake Urmia will be inaugurated on Thursday, aiming to flow about 600 million cubic meters of water into the lake annually, another step to implement the lake’s restoration plan which started six years ago.

Iran to pay $150,000 for victims of downed Ukrainian plane

TEHRAN – The Legal Department of the President’s Office on Wednesday passed a bill to pay $150,000 to each of the bereaved families of the victims of the Ukrainian plane which was downed in an accident earlier this year.

Food safety innovations unveiled

National achievements in the area of food safety were unveiled at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science in Tehran on Tuesday. The comprehensive food safety program started in 2014. High pressure processing, steam vacuums, steam pasteurization, and antimicrobials are all examples of advances in food safety technology.