Iranian fuel stations disinfected daily against covid-19

TEHRAN – Iranian fuel stations, especially in high-risk areas of the country, are being disinfected on a daily basis to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Shana reported citing the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC).

Iranian Army stages screening drills to counter coronavirus outbreak

TEHRAN- On Sunday morning, the Iran Army launched a series of preventing-screening exercises to prepare its forces to counter the COVID-19 outbreak across the country.

‘It is immoral to let a bully kill innocents,’ Zarif says of Trump’s sanctions on Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday that President Hassan Rouhani's letter to his counterparts was a warning that the U.S. sanctions is not only putting Iranians' life in danger but also will pave the ground for a faster spread of COVID-19 to other countries.

Tehran getting ready for next phase of battle against coronavirus

TEHRAN – Head of the Coronavirus Control Operations HQ in Tehran said Saturday that the Iranian capital is getting ready for the next phase of battling the deadly virus this week.

By Hana Saada

Ex- Algerian FM Ramtane Lamamra eyed as next UN Libya Envoy, replacing Salame

ALGERIA - Consultations have been taking place between United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.N. Security Council members about appointing former Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra as the body’s new Libya envoy, diplomats said on Wednesday.

By Azadeh Abbaszadeh

How many chromosomes should human beings have to be considered humans by UN!?

TEHRAN - Let’s just think about the difference between 47 and 46. Is your answer 1? You’re wrong, because the answer may sometimes be something other than 1. If you consider the difference between a 47-chromosome fetus with Down syndrome and a 46-chromosome fetus, the answer will not be 1; the correct answer will be an extra chromosome + an end.

By Zahra Mirzafarjouyan

‘Russia, Iran, Venezuela can team up to confront U.S., SA triggered oil price war’

TEHRAN – Mehmet Ogutcu, Chairman of London Energy Club believes that while the USA, Saudi Arabia, and the Persian Gulf countries can work together in the coming period to influence the markets, Russia can team up with important OPEC producers such as Iran and Venezuela and assume the leadership of non-OPEC producers.

By Payman Yazdani

Reducing oil price would benefit Russia to influence U.S. oil export: energy expert

TEHRAN– Omid Shokri believes that Russia's disagreement with cuts in OPEC Plus production could be a good opportunity for Moscow to influence US oil exports.

Commodities worth $547m traded at IME in a week

TEHRAN- Some 417,013 tons of commodities valued at $547 million were traded at Iran Mercantile Exchange (IME) during the past Iranian calendar week (ended on Friday).

By Bahman Vakhshour

“Khorasaniyat”, new year gift from two legends

TEHRAN - Khorasaniyat is a recently released work by two Iranian music legends, singer Mohammadreza Shajarian and the late composer Parviz Meshkatian.

‘We should mobilize all capacities to pass current condition’

TEHRAN- Referring to the special condition created in the country because of the coronavirus outbreak, Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani said, “We should mobilize all existing capacities in the country to pass the current condition.”

Xi sends sympathies to S. Korea, Iran, Italy over coronavirus outbreak

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping has extended condolences to South Korea, Iran and Italy over the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

U.S. sanctions impeding Iran’s efforts in fighting coronavirus: UN envoy

TEHRAN - Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, has said that the United States’ sanctions impede Iran’s efforts in fighting the coronavirus outbreak.

Serbia voices solidarity with Iran in fight against coronavirus

TEHRAN — Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, in a phone call on Friday night with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, has voiced Belgrade’s solidarity with the Iranian nation and government in their fight with coronavirus.

Imran Khan meets Iranian ambassador

TEHRAN – Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan met with Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mohammad Ali Hosseini on Friday.

Sanctions showing their ugly and anti-human face more than ever, Rouhani tells world leaders

TEHRAN — In a letter to number of world leaders on Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said countering the coronavirus outbreak entails “regional and international coordination and cooperation”.

On the track of Iran’s ‘Assassins’ in once impenetrable mountainous castle

TEHRAN – Nested on top of a hill in a relatively remote village amidst the northern Iran’s Alborz Mountains, a well-fortified castle was sheltering the followers of Hasan-e Sabbah (1070–1124), spiritual leader of Islam’s heretical Ismaili sect, known as ‘Assassins’.

Bagh-e Narenjestan: One of the smallest yet most visited gardens of Shiraz 

TEHRAN - Named after the bitter oranges that line the central courtyard, Bagh-e Narenjestan is one of the brilliantly manicured gardens of Shiraz. Bitter oranges are “Narenj” in Persian.

Iranian people, government will never forget friends of hard days  

TEHRAN - In a post on his Twitter account on Saturday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman underlined that his country’s people and officials will never forget those who assisted them in hard days of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Nationwide screening shows %97 have no coronavirus symptoms: Rouhani 

TEHRAN - The Health Ministry has conducted a screening plan asking millions of Iranians about symptoms of coronavirus epidemic that fortunately about %97 of the respondents answered they had no symptoms, President Hassan Rouhani announced on Saturday.

Dramatic Arts Center director Shahram Karami steps down

TEHRAN – The director of Iran’s Dramatic Arts Center, Shahram Karami, has resigned from his position, Persian media announced on Saturday. 

Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder’s “Just Right” published in Persian

TEHRAN – “Just Right, a Brief Story of Almost Everything” by prominent Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder has recently been published in Persian by Tandis Publications in Tehran. 

European Independent Film Festival picks “Funfair”, “Greyish” from Iran 

TEHRAN – The 15th edition of the European Independent Film Festival (ECU) has picked “Funfair” and “Greyish” from Iran, the organizers have announced.

TMCA to put treasure trove online 

TEHRAN – The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA), home to works by many august artists of the West, including Claude Monet, Francis Bacon, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, announced plans on Saturday to put images of a selection of its artworks online as part of Iran’s bid to entertain people who must stay at home due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus.

Cartoonist Kambiz Derambakhsh showcases collection on coronavirus

TEHRAN – Celebrated Iranian cartoonist Kambiz Derambakhsh has shared a collection of his cartoons on coronavirus with his fans on Instagram.

Doctors monitoring “Salman Farsi” crew for possible coronavirus exposure: Sima Films 

TEHRAN – All crew members of the TV series “Salman Farsi” are being checked by a medical team for the new coronavirus and the accessories are being disinfected every day, Sima Films said on Saturday.

Comedy film “Motreb” leads Iran’s box office hits of the year

TEHRAN – Iranian director Mostafa Kiai’s latest comedy film “Motreb” has become Iran’s box office hit of the year by grossing 380 billion rials (about $9 million). 

WHO says Iran’s strategies to control COVID-19 ‘in the right direction’

A team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), GOARN partners, Robert Koch Institute in Berlin and the Chinese Center for Disease Control concluded a technical support mission on COVID-19 to Iran on March 10, 2020.

Qatar sends anti-corona consignment to Iran

TEHRAN – The Government of Qatar has dispatched the first batch of sanitary and medical items to Iran to help the neighboring country fight the coronavirus.