IranAir resumes flights to Europe after temporary halt over coronavirus

TEHRAN – Iran’s flag carrier, IranAir on Wednesday resumed flights to European destinations following a temporary suspension over the outbreak of the coronavirus, according to sources.

Rasoul-Panah named Persepolis acting GM

TEHRAN - Persepolis have announced Mehdi Rasoul-Panah as the acting general manager of the Iranian football club on Wednesday.

New equipment, machinery unveiled to combat coronavirus

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Defense and the Tehran Fire Department have unveiled new equipment and machinery in order to facilitate the fight against the coronavirus.

Distributors of toxic alcohol arrested in Iran

TEHRAN – Seventeen distributors of bootleg alcohol have been arrested in southwestern Iran as more than 50 people have reportedly died in two provinces of drinking toxic alcohol thinking that it would prevent coronavirus infection.

There’s no universal method to fight coronavirus, says envoy

TEHRAN — Iran’s ambassador to London says there is no universal method to fight the coronavirus outbreak, pointing out that each city or country takes an approach that meets their needs.

Tehran urges Riyadh not to politicize coronavirus outbreak

TEHRAN — Tehran has rejected Riyadh’s claim about the reason why the passports of Saudi nationals arriving in Iran are not stamped, urging Saudi Arabia not to politicize the coronavirus disease.

Iran spends $477m on refugee education annually

TEHRAN – Iran spends about 20 trillion rials (nearly $477 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) every year on the education of foreign national students residing in the country, head of the international affairs department of the Ministry of Education has said.

Coronavirus has many features of ‘biological warfare’, general warns

TEHRAN — The commander of Civil Defense Organization has said the novel coronavirus has many characteristics of a biological warfare.

Iran says IAEA questions should be technical, legal

TEHRAN- Foreign Ministry spokesman announced on Wednesday that Iran is only tasked to answer “legal and technical questions” by the International Atomic Agency Organization (IAEA).

All sporting events in Iran halted till late April

TEHRAN – Iran's Minister of Sport and Youth Masoud Soltanifar announced the suspension all sporting events in the country until April 20.

Iranian-made medicine raises hope to treat severe cases of COVID-19

TEHRAN – The Iranian health ministry has announced that testing a domestically-made medicine has resulted in improvement of symptoms in severe cases of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

Iran calls off Noruz celebrations amid coronavirus threat

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan announced on Tuesday that no official celebrations or public gatherings, even the pre-scheduled ones, will be held during the new year Noruz holidays (starting March 20 this year) in a bid to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Tehran calls on Britain to prevent fake news on coronavirus outbreak in Iran

TEHRAN — The Foreign Ministry has called on London to prevent certain London-based Farsi language news channels from spreading fake news about the coronavirus outbreak and its death toll in Iran.

Iranian films line up for Visions du Réel

TEHRAN – A lineup of four Iranian films will be screened in the various sections of the Visions du Réel, an international film festival in Nyon, Switzerland. 

“Driving Lessons” crowned best at Through Women’s Eyes film festival

TEHRAN – Iranian director Marzieh Riahi’s acclaimed movie “Driving Lessons” was named best short narrative at the 21st Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival (TWE) in Sarasota, Florida, the U.S., a public relations team for the film announced on Wednesday.  

Book on history of Iranians’ relationship with sea published

TEHRAN – The National Museum of Iran in Tehran has recently published a book reviews the history of Iranians’ relationship with the sea. 

NLAI launches digital library for children and young adults

TEHRAN – The National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI) has established a digital library for children and young adults. 

COI discusses plans to support coronavirus-hit film industry  

TEHRAN – The Cinema Organization of Iran (COI) has discussed plans to support the country’s film industry in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Rare paintings confirm Iranian origins of neyanban 

TEHRAN – Iranian vocalist and neyanban virtuoso Mohsen Sharifian has published pictures of two rare paintings by Iranian miniaturist Reza Abbasi that confirm the Iranian origins of neyanban, a kind of bagpipe most common in southern Iran.   

Iranian boxers secure berths at 2020 Olympics

TEHRAN – Two Iranian boxers Danial Shahbakhsh and Shahin Mousavi secured their places at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday.

Oil ministry explores necessary measures for battling Covid-19

TEHRAN – Necessary measures for containing the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the Iranian oil industry’s operational areas were explored in a meeting on Tuesday, attended by the Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and the Head of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Masoud Karbasian.

Offering state-owned shares to be expedited

TEHRAN- Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Farhad Dejpasand said offering the shares of state-owned companies, which are planned to be privatized, will be sped up, IRIB reported.

Iran says will do its best to restore stability to Afghanistan

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Wednesday voiced Tehran’s determination to restore sustainable stability to Afghanistan.

Over $210b worth of energy project underway across Iran

TEHRAN – Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian says 5,931 energy projects worth 8.84 quadrillion rials (about $210.4 billion) are underway across the country, IRNA reported on Wednesday.

APC pays over $197m for developing agricultural parks

TEHRAN - Managing Director of Iran’s Agricultural Parks Company (APC) says 8.3 trillion rials (about $197.6 million) of facilities have been paid for the development of agricultural parks across the country since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019), IRNA reported.

Iron ore output to exceed 100m tons by Mar. 19

TEHRAN – Iran’s iron ore output is going to reach 101 million tons by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 19), registering over a 17-percent rise compared to the previous year, IRNA reported.

Kolakovic shows support for Iranians in fighting coronavirus

TEHRAN – Iran national volleyball team head coach Igor Kolakovic has shown support for the Iranian people in fighting the novel coronavirus.

Asbaghian elected as Iran Sports Federation for the Disabled President

TEHRAN – Mohammad Shervin Asbaghian has been elected as new president of Iran Sports Federation for the Disabled.

By Hu Yuwei

U.S. intervention impedes Iran’s right to health, worsens coronavirus crisis: observers

U.S. sanctions are still obstructing Iran's access to medical equipment, aggravating Iran's burgeoning health crisis under stagnation by insufficient trade and a lack of crucial medical supplies, said Iranian residents reached by the Global Times. Global institutions and analysts have expressed concerns with the impact of sanctions on Iranians' right to health and access to medication.

Iran to send over 2000 Afghan prisoners to their homeland

TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy justice minister for human rights and international affairs announced on Wednesday that Iran plans to repatriate more than 2000 Afghan prisoners to their homes.