Iran to roll out 110 smart irrigation projects, expand solar power on farms

TEHRAN – Iran is implementing 110 pilot smart irrigation projects covering about 10,000 hectares nationwide as part of a broader push to boost water efficiency and deploy renewable energy in agriculture, a deputy agriculture minister said.

Iran hosts pavilion at Baghdad international trade fair

TEHRAN – Iran has set up a national pavilion at the 49th Baghdad International Trade Fair, the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPO) said, as part of efforts to expand commercial ties with Iraq.

TPO plans operational steps to boost trade with Africa

TEHRAN – The head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) said Tehran is preparing operational programs to facilitate and expand trade with African countries, following talks with senior Zimbabwean officials.

Iran attends Intl. Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

TEHRAN – Iranian professors and students of Persian medicine have participated in the 12th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-12) in Thailand.

National working group convenes on environmental protection

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) held on Sunday the first national working group on promoting environmental protection.

Spain, Palestine, Italy, and Germany red cross societies condemn killing of IRCS member

TEHRAN – Red cross societies of Spain, Palestine, Italy, and Germany have condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Iran, which led to the martyrdom of one and injuries to five other staff members of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).

Welfare Organization, UNICEF discuss ways to boost ties

TEHRAN – The head of the Welfare Organization, Javad Hosseini, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ad interim Representative in Iran, Monika Oledzka Nielsen, have explored the potential to expand cooperation, particularly regarding children aged below 18.

TEHRAN PAPERS:

Why is the space ready for a new agreement?

TEHRAN- In a reference to recent developments, reformist political activist Ali Bagheri told Etemad: The public atmosphere in the country and also international reactions show that the prevailing perception of a war atmosphere has given way to hope for diplomacy. A series of unofficial news reports from inside and outside the country indicate that the horizon of negotiations has become brighter than in comparison to the past, and this issue has noticeably changed the psychological atmosphere prevailing in the country and the region.

TEHRAN PAPERS

Return to the negotiating table

Shargh, in a note, addressed changing the venue of the nuclear talks with the U.S. from Turkey to Oman upon Iran’s insistence. It wrote: Insistence on changing the playing field of negotiations from Istanbul to Muscat has put Washington in a state of 'either-or-nothing' ultimatum. Iran insists that the negotiations be held solely bilaterally so that it can limit the subject of the talks to the nuclear file and avoid discussing its missile capabilities and the resistance groups it supports.

Labor minister visits UNESCO-listed qanat in northeast Iran

TEHRAN – Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Ahmad Meydari visited the UNESCO-listed Qasabeh qanat in Gonabad, northeast Iran, on Friday. The ancient aqueduct is widely considered as the deepest known qanat in the world.

Northwest Iran popular destination for Turkish tourists, consul general says

TEHRAN - Turkey’s consul general in Iran’s northwestern city of Urmia has said that tourist attractions in West Azarbaijan province, including UNESCO-listed sites, are popular among Turkish visitors and called for a direct flight between Ankara and Urmia.

National framework set for integrated handicrafts value chain

TEHRAN – The Iranian government has approved a comprehensive national document to manage the production, distribution, marketing and export value chain of handicrafts, aiming to coordinate executive bodies and strengthen the sector’s role in the economy.

Bozanjerd occupied until Ilkhanid period, excavation finds

TEHRAN - Archaeological excavations at the ancient site of Bozanjerd in west-central Iran, indicate the area was continuously settled from the historical period through the Middle Islamic era, including the Ilkhanid period, officials said.

Natanz handicrafts exhibition opens

TEHRAN -- Handicrafts exhibition of entrepreneurial women opened in Natanz, Isfahan province, on Wednesday.

Khalkhal holds winter festival

TEHRAN-- The 12th Khalkhal winter sports and games festival was held in a snowy atmosphere with the message of preserving the environment and wildlife of the region on Friday.

Health ministry to launch "Nowruz healthcare plan"

TEHRAN - To provide continuous and optimal health and medical services during the Nowruz holidays, the ministry of health will implement a special "Nowruz healthcare plan" with the help of the Emergency Medical Services Organization and medical universities across the country.

Intl. congress on vaccine, vaccination slated for April

TEHRAN – Razi Vaccine and Serum Production Research Institute will hold the first international congress on vaccine and vaccination (ICVV) from April 22 to 23 in Tehran.

Kish Island home to 230 bird species

TEHRAN – Despite being a relatively small island, stretching for 90 square kilometers, the Persian Gulf island of Kish is home to 230 bird species, accounting for a third of the country's birds.

Science ministry plans to establish 15 AI labs at universities

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology plans to launch 15 artificial intelligence (AI) laboratories at universities across the country to develop and test fundamental AI models.

Two vessels smuggling fuel are seized in the Persian Gulf

TEHRAN - The naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have seized two vessels carrying smuggled fuel off Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf waters.

Azerbaijan ‘will not allow any threat’ against Iran from its territory, Aliyev vows

TEHRAN — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has issued a security guarantee to the Islamic Republic, asserting that Baku will never permit its land to be used for hostile actions against its neighbor.

China reaffirms backing for Iran’s sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights

TEHRAN - China has reiterated its support for Iran’s entitlement to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and national dignity as well as its legitimate rights and interests.

‘Criminal Trump and Netanyahu seeking to drag Iran into chaos,’ says sociologist

TEHRAN - A senior sociologist and political analyst says U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seek to foment turmoil in Iran.

Iran strengthens offensive posture with Khorramshahr-4 missile

TEHRAN — The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force has inaugurated a massive new underground missile city, marking the operational induction of the Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missile.