Migratory birds wing their way to southern coasts of Iran

TEHRAN – About 90 species of aquatic birds annually migrate to southern Hormozgan province, which is one of the important wintering grounds for migratory birds.

Iran capable of manufacturing any medicine in two years

TEHRAN – Iranian pharmaceutical industry and scientists are capable of producing any kind of medicine over a two-year period, Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz, head of Food and Drug Administration, has said.

Ukrainian president: Iran has fulfilled most plane crash commitments

TEHRAN — President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said Iran had complied with most arrangements in the matter of clarifying the circumstances of the Ukrainian plane crash.

Iran’s Hormuz peace initiative a dialogue-based catalyst for durable security: MP

TEHRAN - An Iranian lawmaker said on Tuesday that the Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE) proposed by President Hassan Rouhani is capable of leading the region towards durable peace and security based on dialogue. 

E3 made ‘strategic mistake’ on Iran nuclear pact: MP

TEHRAN — Spokesman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has slammed the three European countries’ decision to trigger the dispute mechanism under the Iran nuclear deal, saying the move was a “strategic mistake”.

Venezuelan FM calls U.S. assassination of Gen. Soleimani ‘treacherous’

TEHRAN – Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Tuesday that the United States’ assassination of Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani was “treacherous” act.

Excavations shed new light on millennia-old hill in western Iran 

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists has recently finished an archaeological season on Tepe Ghala, an ancient hill in western Iran with vestiges dating back to 800 BC.

By staff and agency

Russia warns Europe of devastating consequences if it refers Iran to UN Security Council

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said that referring Iran’s case to the UN Security Council by Europe will have devastating consequences.

Iran’s new ambassadors to 13 countries meet president

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani met on Tuesday with new ambassadors of Iran to Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belarus, Armenia, Serbia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Mauritania and Croatia.

Iran beaten by Qatar at Asian Handball Championship

TEHRAN – Qatar came from first half defeat to beat Iran at the 2020 Asian Men's Handball Championship on Tuesday.

Iranian clubs’ General Managers to meet AFC officials

TEHRAN - The General Managers of the four Iranian clubs representing Iran in 2020 AFC Champions League - Persepolis, Esteghlal, Sepahan, and Shahr Khodro – will meet senior officials of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Thursday.

Iranian, Omani foreign ministers hold talks in Tehran 

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Omani counterpart Yusef bin Alawi, held talks over key regional and international issues in Tehran on Tuesday. 

Iranian president calls U.S. illegal sanctions crime against humanity

Rouhani: Trump just implementing Israeli policies

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the United States’ “illegal sanctions” against Iran and its plots against Venezuela are “crime against humanity”.

‘Iran gave a strong warning to British ambassador’

TEHRAN - Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that Iran had given a strong warning to British Ambassador Rob Macaire, who was arrested briefly by police for attending an unauthorized demonstration in central Tehran on January 11.

Precipitation increases by 44% within a month

TEHRAN – The latest statistics released by the Ministry of Energy shows that the country received 77.6 billion cubic meters in precipitations over the Iranian calendar month of Azar (November 22-December 21, 2019), which is 44 percent more than a month before.

Iranian airline launches Kish-Sulaymaniyah route

TEHRAN - Iran’s Mahan Air has launched direct flights between the Persian Gulf island of Kish and Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah as its maiden flight touched down on the southern Iranian island on Sunday.

Trump quits nuclear deal because it had Obama’s name on it: U.S. senator

TEHRAN - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump quit the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, just because it had President Barack Obama’s name on it.

Free-of-charge Tabriz-Jolfa passenger train launched

TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways on Tuesday launched a new rail service between Tabriz and Jolfa in a month-long pilot scheme to promote traveling between the two northwestern cities.

Scholar Yaqub Ajand compiles encyclopedia of Iranian dramatists

TEHRAN – Iranian scholar Yaqub Ajand has completed compiling an encyclopedia of Iranian playwrights from the Qajar period (1789–1925) to the 2000s. 

DocPoint festival to hold documentarian Mehrdad Oskui retrospective

TEHRAN – DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival will hold a retrospective of Iranian documentarian Mehrdad Oskui, the organizers have announced.

Iran's Farhad Hassanzadeh shortlisted for Hans Christian Andersen Award

TEHRAN – Iranian writer Farhad Hassanzadeh has received a nomination for the 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Director Hadi Marzban to return to stage with political romance “Dr. N.”

TEHRAN – Director Hadi Marzban plans to return to the stage with a political romance named “Dr. N. Likes His Wife More Than Mossadeq” over one year after staging playwright Akbar Radi’s “Slowly with Red Rose”, a public relations team announced on Tuesday.

“The Alien” to go on screen in Berlinale 2020 Forum

TEHRAN –  “The Alien” (“Namo”) by Nader Saeivar from Iran will have its world premiere at the Forum section of the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, which will be held from February 20 to March 1, the organizers have announced.

“Better than Neil Armstrong” director best at Pune film festival 

TEHRAN – Iranian filmmaker Alireza Qasemi has won the Best Live Action Short Film Director’s Award at the 18th Pune International Film Festival for his sci-fi “Better than Neil Armstrong”.

TEDPIX drops 3,798 points on Tuesday

TEHRAN- TEDPIX, the main index of Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), fell 3,798 points to 406,008 on Tuesday, IRNA reported.

Female sprinter Fasihi dreams of reaching Olympics

TEHRAN – Female sprinter Farzaneh Fasihi, dubbed the Wind Girl, comes close to fulfilling her dream of reaching the Olympic Games.

Non-oil exports rise 20% in weight

TEHRAN – Iran’s non-oil exports during the first 10 months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019-January 20, 2020) has experienced a 20-percent rise in terms of weight while contracting three percent in terms of value, according to the country’s finance and economic affairs minister.

Defense minister: Reinvigorating deterrence power is a religious must 

TEHRAN - The defense minister announced on Tuesday that enhancing deterrence power is a religious necessity for the Iranian Armed Forces. 

Iran thwarting threats by staging over 130 cyber drills: civil defense chief 

TEHRAN- Chief of Iran’s Civil Defense Organization announced on Monday that his department has staged over 130 professional cyber drills to protect the country’s infrastructure against possible threats. 

Remains of 167 war time martyrs back home

TEHRAN - Remains of 167 Iranians martyred in Iraq’s war against Iran in 1980s- been brought back to the country through the southwestern borders, a military official announced on Tuesday.