UK hopes Biden would start talks with Iran over new deal: ambassador

TEHRAN – Stephen Hickey, Britain's ambassador to Iraq, has expressed hope that the new U.S. administration will start talks with Iran about how to strike a new deal with the West Asian country.

Zarif to embark on regional tour on Monday

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will start a tour of regional countries on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

More U.S. sanctions have led to stronger Iran: Hatami

TEHRAN - Brigadier General Amir Hatami, Iran’s defense minister, said on Saturday that “the sanctions imposed by the former U.S. administration against Iran’s shipping and transportation will further strengthen the two sectors.”

Qajar-era hosayniya being restored to its original splendor

TEHRAN – Qajar era (1789–1925) Moshir hosayniya, also known as Soltani School in Shiraz, southern Fars province, has undergone some rehabilitation works, an official with the province’s Endowments and Charity Affairs Organization has said.

Esteghlal coach Fekri unhappy with referee’s decisions

TEHRAN – Esteghlal football team head coach Mahmoud Fekri says that the referee’s decisions have gone against them.

Turkmen ritual of Elleshdirmeh added to intangible cultural heritage list

TEHRAN – The ritual of Elleshdirmeh, which is a part of wedding ceremonies among Turkmen people in the northern Golestan province, has been registered in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, CHTN reported.

Iran’s “Exam”, “Eaten” praised at Dieciminuti Film Festival

TEHRAN – Iranian movies “Exam” and “Eaten” have been honored at the 15th Dieciminuti Film Festival, which has been organized online in Italy.

Serbia’s Utopia eager to publish more books from modern Persian literature 

TEHRAN – Serbian publisher Srdan Markovic says that he has plans to publish additional books from modern Persian literature for Serbian readers.

Tehran short film festival to review Pier Paolo Pasolini movies

TEHRAN – The 37th edition of the Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF) plans to review short movies by Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Scholars discuss Spanish translation of Hamid Algar’s book on Islamic Revolution

TEHRAN – A Spanish translation of “Roots of the Islamic Revolution in Iran” written by Hamid Algar was introduced during a ceremony on the margins of the virtual edition of the Tehran Book Fair on Thursday.

Abdolhossein Zarrinkub’s book on Persian Sufism published in Russian

TEHRAN – Prominent Iranian scholar Abdolhossein Zarrinkub’s book on Persian Sufism has recently been published in Russian.

Intl. Silk Road calligraphy exhibition opens in Tehran 

TEHRAN – An exhibition of calligraphy works selected from the First Raqs-e Qalam International Exhibition of the Silk Road Calligraphy opened at the Iranian Academy of Arts in Tehran on Friday with a limited number of visitors.

Over 877 tons of narcotics seized in 10 months

TEHRAN – Over 877 tons of narcotics were confiscated from smugglers countrywide during the first 10 months of the current [Iranian calendar] year (Mach 21, 2020), which shows a 26 percent increase compared to the same period last year, anti-narcotics police chief Majid Karimi has announced.

Dam construction, a main barrier to Jazmourian wetland’s restoration

TEHRAN – Dam construction has been the most important factor preventing the revitalization of Jazmourian wetland, Vahid Pourmardan, head of Sistan-Baluchestan province’s department of environment, has said.

East Azarbaijan caravanserais made shortlist for collective UNESCO tag

TEHRAN –Four caravanserais, scattered across the northwestern East Azarbaijan province have recently received cultural heritage experts’ preliminary approval to join the shortlist of historical Iranian caravanserais being prepared for a possible inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Ecotourism, an opportunity for travel lovers during coronavirus pandemic

TEHRAN –It’s been almost a year since the beginning of the global outbreak of the coronavirus, which forced the world to stop and drop everything.

Some $1.7b proposed for corona-affected tourism businesses

TEHRAN – The national budget bill for the next calendar year (starting on March 20) has proposed 70 trillion rials (about $1.7 billion at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) to support tourism businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Iran boxing team to hold joint training camp practice with Syria

TEHRAN – Iran national boxing team will hold a joint training camp practice with Syria.

TEDPIX gains 38,000 points on Saturday

TEHRAN- TEDPIX, the main index of the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), rose 38,092 points on Saturday, which is the first day of the Iranian calendar week.

‘Iran is biggest gasoline producer, exporter in region’

TEHRAN – Managing director of National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) has said his company is currently the biggest producer and exporter of gasoline in West Asia, Shana reported.

JCPOA is the right framework for dialogue, Araqchi says

‘Iran has no interest to make direct contact with U.S although Biden takes office’

TEHRAN - Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, says Tehran has no interest to make direct contact with the U.S., saying that the JCPOA is the right framework for dialogue.

NPC establishes office for developing knowledge-based businesses

TEHRAN – Head of Iran’s National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Behzad Mohammadi has announced the establishment of an office of development of knowledge-based businesses in the petrochemical industry.

Hassan Taftian wins gold at Meeting Elite Indoor

TEHRAN – Iranian sprinter Hassan Taftian claimed a gold medal at the 2nd Meeting Elite Indoor in Miramas Friday night.