By Afshin Majlesi

Iran, quakes, and tourism

Early on Friday, an earthquake of magnitude 5.1 struck Damavand county, 56km northeast of the capital Tehran, killing two and injuring 33. It made an excuse for writing a note about the impact of natural disasters, specifically earthquakes, on tourism and cultural heritage.

Iran’s handicraft exports hit $427m in 11 months

TEHRAN – – Iran exported $427 million worth of handicrafts during the first eleven months of the past calendar year 1398 (ended March 19).

‘Calling for dialogue with Trump shows no understanding of power politics’

TEHRAN — Calling for negotiation with U.S. President Donald Trump shows no understanding of power politics, says Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian Parliament speaker.

Tehran censures U.S. JCPOA withdrawal on 2nd anniversary

Maximum pressure on Iran an ‘abject failure’, Foreign Ministry says

TEHRAN — Concurrent with the second anniversary of the U.S. unilateral exit from the 2015 nuclear agreement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has said Washington’s maximum pressure campaign has ended up being an “abject failure”.

Iran has gotten nothing from U.S. ‘humanitarian’ channel: Daily Beast

TEHRAN — Iran has not received nothing from the humanitarian channel set up by the Trump administration to get medicine and other supplies into Iran, The Daily Beast said in a report on Friday.

New eco-lodges to come on stream in Lorestan

TEHRAN – Seven new eco-lodge units will come on stream in the western Lorestan province by the end of the current Iranian calendar year 1399 (March 20, 2021).

Oman sends anti-COVID-19 consignment to Iran

TEHRAN – Oman has dispatched a batch of sanitary and medical items to Iran to help the neighboring country in the fight against coronavirus.

By Salman Parviz

Politicizing Covid-19

Trump’s reactions as U.S. president and medic-in-chief

Before the Covid-19 pandemic I dreaded at my certainty that U.S. President Donald Trump stands a good chance for re-election in November. However, Trump’s behavior and reactions have given me some hope. Can Trump administration’s poor response to the pandemic cost him the elections in November? 

Magnitude 5.1 quake in Tehran province kills 2, injures 33

TEHRAN - An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shook Tehran province early on Friday, killing two and injuring 33.

More tourists visit Mazandaran province and spend more

TEHRAN – The number of foreign tourists visiting the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran rose by 81 percent during the past Iranian year 1398 (ended March 19) while spending rose by almost a quarter, according to a senior provincial official.

Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office urges removal of sanctions on Iran

TEHRAN - Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office has sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to remove sanctions on Iran.

Iran tops list of countries accepting IAEA inspections in 2019

TEHRAN - Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador to the Vienna-based international organizations, has said that Iran tops the list of countries which accepted inspections of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2019.

Marc Wilmots irresponsible about Iran team: top official

TEHRAN - The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) Secretary General has hit out at former Iran coach Marc Wilmots, accusing him of being irresponsible about his team.

Travel magazine lists Iran’s ‘Pink Mosque’ among top destinations for 2020 

TEHRAN – Condé Nast Traveler, a New York-based lifestyle and travel magazine, has listed Iran’s Nasir al-Molk Mosque, commonly known as “The Pink Mosque” among its top travel destinations for the year 2020.

Inverted tulips adorn hillsides in central Iran 

A bird sits on the top of an inverted tulip on the hillside of Mount Golestan, central Khansar county, May 4, 2020. 

Russia slams U.S. obstruction of IMF loan to Iran

TEHRAN - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin has slammed the United States for obstructing Iran’s request to receive loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Iran to support film adaptations of post-revolution literature

TEHRAN – Iran’s Farabi Cinema Foundation has announced a plan to support film adaptations of the acclaimed stories published after the victory of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Dragan Skocic’s contract details revealed

TEHRAN-Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, the Secretary General of the Iranian football federation, has revealed details of Dragan Skocic’s contract.

Iran says U.S. must bear responsibility for abusing UN Security Council

TEHRAN - Esmaeil Baghaei Hamaneh, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN office in Geneva, has said that the United States must bear responsibility for abusing the UN Security Council and manipulation of its decisions.

Iran to hold Quds Day rallies in all cities

TEHRAN - Nosratollah Lotfi, the deputy chief of the Islamic Development Coordinating Council, announced on Monday that the Quds Day rallies will be held in all cities across Iran.

Iran threatens to give ‘firm response’ if U.S. extends arms embargo

TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi warned on Monday that Iran will give a “firm response” if the United States extends arms embargo against Iran and take Iran’s dossier to the UN Security Council.

By Professor Hisae Nakanishi

Economic sanctions and novel coronavirus: What is humanity today?

Iran has faced dual and unprecedented challenges now. One is a large number of citizens infected with the novel coronavirus. The shortage of medicine and medical equipment is profound. The other challenge is how to tackle the impacts of prolonged economic sanctions.

Iran calls for return of relics confiscated in Austria

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has called for the return of relics, which were discovered from a safety-deposit box of a bank in Austria last year.

U.S. attempts to establish itself as a JCPOA participant have no legal grounds: Iran

TEHRAN - Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s ambassador to the Vienna-based international organizations, has said that the United States’ attempts to establish itself as a participant to the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the JCPOA, have no legal grounds.

Iran condemns any destabilizing action in Iraq

TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi condemned on Sunday any action in Iraq which weakens stability and peace in the country.

‘U.S. attempt to extend arms embargo on Iran to reach nowhere’

TEHRAN - Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to the Vienna-based international organizations, has said that the United States’ attempt to extend arms embargo on Iran will reach nowhere.

Iran to reopen mosques in low-risk areas

President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that mosques will reopen in 132 regions designated as white under a color-coded system after being consistently free of the new coronavirus.

‘U.S. attempt to present itself as JCPOA participant proves paradox in its foreign policy’

TEHRAN - Dennis Jett, a former U.S. diplomat, has said that the United States’ attempt to present itself as a participant to the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, proves paradox in Washington’s foreign policy.

Leader is an ‘excellent strategist’, ‘world-renown diplomat’, says Foreign Ministry spokesman

TEHRAN — Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has praised Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “world-renown diplomat” and an “excellent strategist”, saying the Leader has a deep understanding of the world.

By Payman Yazdani

Recent crisis between Iran, US result of Trump's foreign policy: Zaccara

TEHRAN– Pompeo declaration is publicly recognizing that this particular crisis in US-Iran relations was a direct consequence of the US foreign policy towards Iran implemented during Trump's administration.