Qatari emir’s talks in Tehran mainly focused on Persian Gulf security: Vaezi

TEHRAN - Presidential chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi said on Wednesday that the recent meetings between senior Iranian officials and the emir of Qatari in Tehran was mainly focusing on reinvigoration of security in the Persian Gulf.  

Larijani: Activation of dispute mechanism has ramifications for Europe

TEHRAN — Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has criticized the decision by the three European parties to the nuclear deal for triggering the dispute mechanism under the agreement, saying such move would have ramifications for them.

‘City-friendly schools’ scheme launched in Tehran

TEHRAN – The “city-friendly schools” scheme was launched in the capital to promote environmental protection and urban development issues among students, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

Downed plane’s black box will not be sent abroad: Tehran

TEHRAN — Transportation Minister Mohammad Eslami said on Wednesday that the black box of the downed Ukrainian plane will not be transferred abroad, Mehr reported.

A glance at a lavishly decorated house in central Iran

TEHRAN – Photos depict scenes of the extravagantly decorated Mollabashi (Motamedi) house in Isfahan, central Iran, on January 20, 2020.

Tehran slams Seoul for miscalling Persian Gulf

TEHRAN — Tehran has strongly criticized Seoul for misnaming the Persian Gulf and dispatching a military mission to the waters south of Iran under a pressure by the United States.

Rouhani declares law to reflect U.S. crimes, conspiracies in school books

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has declared a law, requiring the government to include subjects in the books of schools and universities to reflect American crimes and conspiracies, IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

“Historical Israelites” reviewing studies on Iran Judaism published

TEHRAN – “Historical Israelites”, a study that reviews books on Judaism in Iran, Israel, Zionism and other issues concerning the Jewish religion, has recently been published in Tehran.

Bahram Beizai’s “A Study on Iranian Theater” published in Italy 

TEHRAN – Celebrated Iranian director and playwright Bahram Beizai’s book “A Study on Iranian Theater” (“Storia del teatro in Iran”) has been published in the Italian language in Italy. 

IIDCYA showcases children’s books on death 

TEHRAN – An exhibition of books with the central theme of death is currently underway at the library of the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA).

Art Bureau to organize miniature painting exhibition 

TEHRAN – Tehran’s Art Bureau will be playing host to an exhibition of miniatures under the title “Painting of Heavenly Images” opening on February 3. 

Canadian writer Marie-Louise Gay’s “Any Questions?” published in Persian 

TEHRAN – Canadian children’s writer Marie-Louise Gay’s book “Any Questions?” has been published in Persian.

Book City to review essays by British poet Dick Davis

TEHRAN – A selection of British poet and translator Dick Davis’s essays about the translation of Persian classical poetry into English will be reviewed in a session at Tehran’s Book City Institute next week.

Iran proposes Croatia to join UN-recognition of Noruz

TEHRAN – Iran has put forward Croatia a proposal to join a multinational dossier for Noruz that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has approved for Iran and several other countries.

Iranian troupe to perform folk dance at FITUR

TEHRAN – A troupe of Iranian performers from northeastern Khorasan Razavi province, are scheduled to perform traditional dance at the 40th FITUR tourism trade fair, which opened in Madrid, Spain, on January 22 and will run till January 26.

Tokyo exhibit features ancient Iran-Japan cultural ties

TEHRAN – Sets of valuable historical relics from ancient Iran have been recently put on show by International Network for Japanese Art at Tokyo National Museum along with exquisite objects from the formative Asuka and Nara periods (593–794), showcasing the deep cultural ties of the two countries rooted in the historical past.

Berlinale to screen “Yalda”, “Selfie with Democracy”

TEHRAN – The Iranian films “Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness” and “Selfie with Democracy” will be screened during the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. 

No talks over NPT withdrawal in cabinet: Iran 

TEHRAN - Mahmoud Vaezi, President Hassan Rouhani's chief of staff, said on Wednesday that there has not been any debate in the cabinet about leaving the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Rouhani aide criticizes the AFC for moving matches out of Iran

TEHRAN - The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) decision to move matches out of Iran is unprofessional and political, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s chief of staff, Mahmoud Vaezi, said on Wednesday, according to the official IRNA news agency.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Will aflatoxins pose serious health risks to humans and livestock?

TEHRAN – Milk have always been an important source of calcium and protein for the human, while different contaminants such as aflatoxin can be found in milk mostly due to high aflatoxin exposure through livestock feed, now the question arises that does it pose a serious health threat to humans and livestock?

By triggering dispute mechanism, Europe proves its incapability: Salehi

TEHRAN - Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, has said that the Europeans’ action in triggering the dispute mechanism in the 2015 nuclear deal proves their “incapability” and “indiscretion”.

Iran’s UN envoy says Gen. Soleimani’s assassination is a hard blow to peace

TEHRAN - Esmaeil Baghaei Hamaneh, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN office in Geneva, has said that the United States’ assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani is a hard blow to regional peace and security.

TEDPIX, IFX climb on Wednesday

TEHRAN- TEDPIX, the main index of Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) rose 5,202 points to 411,211 on Wednesday, IRNA reported.

Iranian banks pay over $149b in loans since mid-March 2019

TEHRAN- Iranian banking system has paid 6.26 quadrillion rials (about $149 billion) in loans to domestic economic sectors since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019), the governor of Central Bank of Iran (CBI) said on Tuesday.

Nearly 4,300 electricity projects inaugurated across Iran in a week

TEHRAN – Iranian Energy Ministry inaugurated 4,297 development projects worth 20 trillion rials (about $476 million) in the 13th week of the implementation of a major program called “A B Iran”, IRNA reported, quoting the Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian.

Iran’s 9-month hydropower output up over 200%

TEHRAN - The electricity output of Iran’s hydroelectric power plants reached 26,103 gigawatt hours (GWh) in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2019), 218 percent more than the figure for last year’s same period, IRNA reported.

Europe’s policies only whet Trump’s appetite, Zarif says

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that the Europeans’ submissive policies toward the JCPOA have only whetted U.S. President Donald Trump’s appetite.

Garment output rises 20% in 9 months on year

TEHRAN- Iranian industry, mining and trade minister announced that the country’s garment output has risen 20 percent during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2019), IRIB reported.

Inflation rate slides 1.4%: SCI

TEHRAN- The Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) announced that the inflation rate in the twelve-month period ended on January 20, which marks the end of the tenth Iranian calendar month of Dey, stood at 38.6 percent.

Commodities worth over $3b traded at IME in a month

TEHRAN- Over 2.851 million tons of commodities worth 133 trillion rials (about $3.1 billion) were traded at Iran Mercantile Exchange (IME) during the past Iranian calendar month of Dey (December 22, 2019-January 20, 2020), Tasnim news agency reported.