Muharram rituals capture attention of foreigners

TEHRAN – Iran turns to a major tourism hub during the mourning month of Muharram. Every year thousands of foreigners flock to the country to see with their naked eyes and record with cameras the Iranian fervor during Muharram that reaches its climax on its 10th day, also known as Ashura.

40 Iranian universities among THE’s World University Rankings 2020

TEHRAN - Times Higher Education has published its annual ranking of the world’s top universities for 2020, listing 40 Iranian universities among them.

'Iran will cut more JCPOA obligations if necessary' :Rouhani

President Hassan Rouhani says Iran will take further steps towards suspending its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal in the future if it deems necessary.

Merkel: Europe has chosen to uphold Iran deal

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Europe has made its choice regarding the historic 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran — which the United States has been attempting to sabotage — and will honor the agreement.

No Talks As Long As US Economic Terrorism against Iran Continues: Envoy

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations described the ouster of US National Security Adviser John Bolton as a domestic issue and said as long as Washington follows its policy of “economic terrorism” against Tehran, no negotiation would take place between the two.

JCPOA likely to die after Iran’s fourth step, MP predicts 

TEHRAN – The chairman of the Majlis Judicial Committee has said given the European states’ incapability to implement their undertakings, the nuclear deal will be annulled once Iran takes its fourth step in modifying its undertakings in two months from now.

By Afshin Majlesi

A unique experience in life: Traveling to Iran during Muharram

TEHRAN – A unique time for visiting Iran is during the first ten days of the lunar month of Muharram, which falls from Sept. 1 to 10 this year. That’s because Iranians, who are mostly Shia Muslims, hold special ceremonies during this time. For Shia Muslims, Muharram is a turning point in the history of Islam.

Active resistance grounded U.S. maximum pressure on Iran: Shamkhani

TEHRAN – The United States’ policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran has been grounded thanks to Iran’s active resistance approach, secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Saturday.

Iran seizes Philippine ship for fuel smuggling 

TEHRAN – Iranian forces have seized a Philippine tanker in the Persian Gulf and taken its crew into custody on charges of smuggling fuel.

Acting IAEA chief to meet senior Iranian officials on Sunday

(Press TV) - The acting chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Cornel Feruta, plans to hold talks with high-level Iranian officials in Tehran on Sunday, an IAEA spokesman says.

Iranian ship unloads oil at Syrian port: report 

TEHRAN – Sources have said that Iranian tanker Adrian Darya 1 has unloaded its oil at a port in Syria, Tasnim quoted the Middle East Eye as reporting on Saturday.

$360m earmarked for watershed, aquifer management plans

TEHRAN – Some 15 trillion rials (about $360 million) has been allocated for implementing watershed and aquifer management projects in the current Iranian calendar year, which ends on March 20, 2020.

Britain rejects to take tough stance on Iran as Netanyahu meets Johnson

TEHRAN – Downing Street on Thursday appeared to reject Israeli calls for Britain to take a harder line against Iran, despite Tehran warning it will continue to reduce its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal this weekend.   

Europe is failing: journalist

TEHRAN – As all eyes are fixed on Europe's diplomatic efforts to salvage the Iran nuclear deal, a senior journalist gave an exclusive interview to Euronews.

241 unintentional crime prisoners released in Tehran

TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21), 241 prisoners in Tehran who had committed unintentional crimes have been released, head of Tehran prisons organization Heshmatollah Hayatolgheib has stated.

UNWTO chief congratulates Mounesan on becoming tourism minister

TEHRAN – United Nations World Tourism Organization Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili in a letter on Thursday congratulated Ali-Asghar Mounesan on becoming Iran’s tourism minister.

Millennia-old bas-relief found in western Iran

TEHRAN – A bas-relief, estimated to date from over 3,000 years ago, has recently been discovered in Kermanshah province, western Iran.

‘Hosseini infants’ ceremony held nationwide

TEHRAN - Many mothers across the country gathered on Friday, holding their infants to mark ‘Hosseini infants’ ceremony in commemoration of Ali Asghar (AS), the six-month-old baby boy of Imam Hussein (AS), who was the youngest person martyred in the Battle of Karbala.

Parents guilty of child, forced marriages to face imprisonment

TEHRAN – Legislation in Iran considers imprisonment for those parents guilty of causing a forced or child marriage, secretary of the National Convention on the Rights of the Child has announced.

Shahr-e Kord to host exhibit of tourism, handicrafts

TEHRAN – Tens of craftspeople and tour operators from all over the country are scheduled to partake in a major sales exhibition, which will be running from September 30 to October 4 in Shahr-e Kord, the capital city of western Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province.

Iranian caravansaries being assessed for collective UNESCO tag

TEHRAN – Iran is developing a dossier for a select of its historical caravansaries for a possible inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Minister calls on Trump to stop imitating fictional character as U.S. sanctions Iran’s space program 

TEHRAN – Iranian Information and Communications Technology Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi has mocked U.S. President Donald Trump over “imitating” the space supervillain from the Marvel universe, Thanos.

Iran frees 7 crew members of seized British tanker

TEHRAN – Iran has released seven crew members of British oil tanker Stena Impero detained in July in the Persian Gulf for violating international maritime law.

Ground broken for handicrafts marketplace in eastern Iran

TEHRAN - Construction of a permanent handicrafts marketplace officially began on Wednesday with a ground-breaking ceremony in the city of Sarbisheh, South Khorasan province, eastern Iran.

IRGC seizes 7 trawlers near Strait of Hormuz 

TEHRAN – The Navy of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said in a statement on Wednesday that its forces have detained seven trawling ships in the Jask region, near the Strait of Hormuz.

Excessive sanctions threatening U.S. economy: Iran FM

TEHRAN – The Americans’ excessive use of sanctions against others will hurt the U.S. economy as well, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Wednesday

Zarif holds high-profile meetings in Bangladesh

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who traveled to Bangladesh on Tuesday, sat down for talks with the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday to discuss issues of mutual interest, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency.

Pakistan ambassador hopes Iran mediates to resolve Kashmir issue

TEHRAN – Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran has expressed hope that Tehran acts as a mediator to resolve the Kashmir conflict between Pakistan and India.

22% rise in visits to historical, recreational sites in West Azarbaijan

TEHRAN – Visits to historical and recreational sites in West Azarbaijan province rose 22 percent during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21) compared to the same period a year earlier.

Talks with Washington to preserve Iran deal “constructive”: France’s Le Maire

TEHRAN – French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire who has traveled to Washington as part of a plan to offer Iran a $15 billion economic lifeline and rescue the Iran nuclear accord said his talks with U.S. counterpart Steven Mnuchin was “constructive”.