Tax revenues exceed $8.5b in 4 months

TEHRAN - The Iranian National Tax Administration (INTA) collected 360 trillion rials (about $8.57 billion) in tax during the first four months of the current Iranian year (March 21-July 22, 2018).

Petchem companies inject $4b to secondary forex market

TEHRAN- Since the beginning of the present Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2018), petrochemical companies have entered $4 billion of foreign currency to the country, general Secretory of Iran's Association of Petrochemical Industry Corporation (APIC) told IRIB on Wednesday.

Russia opposes U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil industry

TEHRAN – Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak voiced concern over the impact of U.S. sanctions against Iran, Reuters reported.

Tehraners donate $400,000 to support underprivileged students

TEHRAN – Benefactors in Tehran have donated some 18 billion rials (nearly $400,000) for the financially struggling students through a charity event prior to the upcoming school year (starting September 23), head of the provincial Relief Foundation has said.

Will at last students have winter break or not?

TEHRAN — While Iran tourism chief Ali-Asghar Mounesan announced on Sunday that students can enjoy a 5-day winter break this school year (starting on September 23) officials at the supreme council of education and members of the parliament have voiced their disagreements.

Tehran exhibit features artworks back from Louvre-Lens

TEHRAN – On Wednesday, an exhibition of Qajar-era (1785-1925) objects, which France’s Louvre-Lens had borrowed earlier this year for a home show, opened its doors to the public at the UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran.

Iran begin FIVB World Championship with remarkable win over Puerto Rico

TEHRAN – Iran defeated Puerto Rico in straight sets (25-19, 25-15, 25-18) at their opening match in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship on Wednesday.

Ambassador: Consulate attack won’t affect Iran-Iraq ‘strategic’ ties

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador in Baghdad Iraj Masjedi has said that the attack against Iran’s consulate in Iraq’s Basra will not affect the “strategic” and “friendly” relations between the two countries.

Defense minister urges closer ties with Pakistan

TEHRAN – Defense Minister Amir Hatami on Wednesday called for closer defense cooperation with Pakistan, expressing the hope that during the rule of the new Pakistani prime minister Iran and Pakistan would be able to make up for the past shortcomings in ties, Mehr reported.

Swedish Iranian Film Festival unveils lineup 

TEHRAN – The Iranian Film Festival in the Swedish cities of Uppsala and Stockholm has announced its lineup.

Iranian Artists Forum hosts tazieh performances

TEHRAN – A group from the Kahrobaye Tazieh Center is performing tazieh (Iranian passion play) in the courtyard of the Iranian Artists Forum.

Ali Hatami’s movie on Sattar Khan restored  

TEHRAN – “Sattar Khan”, Ali Hatami’s 1972 movie on Sattar Khan, one of the heroes of Iran’s Constitutional Revolution, has been restored.

Iranian dubber Hossein Erfani dies at 76

TEHRAN – Iranian dubber Hossein Erfani who lent his voice to many leading actors of the world cinema such as Humphrey Bogart, Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone died of lung cancer at a Tehran hospital on Wednesday. He was 76.

U.S. is in worst international situation, Rouhani says

TEHRAN – Except for a few number of countries there is no country beside the U.S., President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said on Wednesday, noting that Washington is in its worst condition in the world.

Acute coronary syndromes most prevalent heart diseases in Iran: cardiologist

TEHRAN — Acute coronary syndromes are the most prevalent heart diseases in the country, cardiologist Maryam Mehr Pouya said, noting that having a healthy diet, being more physically active, and choosing a more healthy lifestyle would prevent the condition.

U.S. dollar just few short years away from losing global dominance, investor Jim Rogers tells RT

The United States is the largest debtor nation in the world and “it’s getting worse and worse,” according to investment guru Jim Rogers, who talked to RT on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok.

Siamand Rahman collects gold at Asia-Oceania Open Powerlifting C'ships

TEHRAN – Siamand Rahman from Iran claimed a gold medal at the Asia-Oceania Open Powerlifting Championships on Wednesday.

Close co-op with Afghanistan necessary to fight terror: Araqchi

TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Tuesday underlined the necessity of close cooperation with Afghanistan in the war on terrorism, saying Tehran attaches great importance to the stability and security of its neighbors.

By Ramin Hossein Abadian

Investigation on attacks on Iranian consulate general in Basra

TEHRAN - Iraq is going through some tough days. The Iraqis have not yet succeeded in electing a speaker of parliament and his deputies as well as a new president and prime minister. In the midst of it all, what has drawn the world’s attention to Iraq is Basra’s incident and the unrest that claimed the life of seven people and left 50 people injured, according to the Iraqi Ministry of Health.

By Mohammad Ghaderi - Twitter: @ghaderi62 - Email: m.ghaderi62@gmail.com

Europe's Hollow Threats

Although there has recently been lots of controversies on issues such as developing an "independent payment system" Europe and a "pseudo-swift structure" to maintain the nuclear deal with Iran, many analysts and experts in economic affairs believe that there's no real intention to actualize this idea among the EU authorities. In the meantime, there are deterrent factors that have hampered European independence from the United States, and it seems that these factors are now highlighted under the presidency of Donald Trump.

Iran’s 4-month oil revenue up over 60% yr/yr

TEHRAN – Iran’s revenues from crude oil and oil products exports reached 419 trillion rials (about $9.98 billion) in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-July 22, 2018) up 60.7 percent compared to its preceding year’s same period.

New trading codes issuance up 45% since March

TEHRAN- The number of trading codes issued in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) has increased 45 percent since the beginning of current Iranian calendar year (March 21) compared to the same period of time in the previous year, TSE spokesman Hamid Rouhbakhsh told IRIB on Monday.

14% of total waste in Iran produced in northern coastal cities: report

TEHRAN – The amount of waste generated in the northern provinces of the country, neighboring the Caspian Sea, is snowballing at a rate of over 7,000 tons a day, holding accountable for 14 percent of the total daily 50,000 tons of waste production in the country.

Digital transformation meant to save Lake Urmia: ICT minister

TEHRAN – Digital transformation in the field of irrigation can help save 35 percent of water resources in northwest of the country and lead to the preservation of Lake Urmia, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said on Monday, ILNA reported.

Iran edge past Uzbekistan in friendly

TEHRAN – Iran national football team defeated Uzbekistan 1-0 in a friendly match on Tuesday as part of preparation for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Iran will not sit silent if enemies continue hatching plots, General Baqeri warns

Military chief: Missile attack on terrorists shows accuracy and strategy

TEHRAN - Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said on Tuesday that Iran’s armed forces will not sit silent if enemies continue hatching plots.

Tehran seeks ‘best relations’ with the world: Kharrazi

TEHRAN - Kamal Kharrazi, head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, said on Monday that Tehran seeks best relations with the world and prioritizes neighbors in this respect.