Kermanshah invites 13 Iraqi travel agencies to boost tourism

TEHRAN—Kermanshah Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department has invited 13 Iraqi travel agencies to the western province in an effort to attract tourists from the neighboring country and exploit the investment potential in the tourism industry.

Intl. expo of semi-precious stones underway in Tehran

TEHRAN – The second edition of the International Specialized Exhibition of Gemstones, Machinery & Related Equipment is currently underway at the Tehran International Permanent Fairgrounds, with participation from domestic and foreign activists in the gemstone industry, said Farzad Ojani, an official with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts.

Tehran-Sari motorcycle rally flagged off to promote road safety

TEHRAN— Concurrent with Iran’s Government Week (Aug. 23-29), 50 bikers departed from Tehran for Sari, Mazandaran province, on 250 cc motorcycles in the form of a tourist tour rally dedicated to promoting road safety.

Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra to perform at Persepolis, minister confirms

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has said that the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra will stage a concert on Sept. 6 at Persepolis, the UNESCO World Heritage site near Shiraz, to mark the orchestra’s 100th anniversary.

Iran to host debut tourism expo focused on children and teens

TEHRAN – Iran will host its first festival and exhibition on children and youth tourism in Tehran from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Iran still fifth in FIFA Futsal Men’s World Ranking

TEHRAN - Brazil, Portugal, Morocco, Iran, Costa Rica and New Zealand continue to lead their respective confederations in the FIFA Futsal Men’s World Ranking.

Iraqi higher education official in Tehran to boost ties

TEHRAN –Haider Abd Dahed, the Iraqi deputy minister of higher education and scientific research, is on a trip to Iran to foster scientific relations between the two countries.

Iran unchanged in FIFA Futsal Women’s World Ranking

TEHRAN - The latest edition of the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Ranking features 12 new teams, reflecting the booming popularity of the game ahead of the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in the Philippines, which kicks off this coming November.

Israel arrests three Palestinians in West Bank raids

Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, Wafa reported Friday. One man was detained during a raid on al‑Fawwar refugee camp, while two others were seized at a checkpoint near as‑Samu.

Microsoft fires four employees over Gaza war protest

Microsoft has dismissed four employees who joined workplace protests against the tech giant’s contracts with Israel amid its ongoing war on Gaza.

Intl. conference on Iran's smart cities, AI slated for November

TEHRAN – Tehran will play host to the sixth international conference with the theme of Iran's smart cities and artificial intelligence, which is scheduled to be held from November 4 to 6.

MOU signed to accelerate plasma medicine industry’s growth

TEHRAN – Concerning the significance of integrating new technologies into the healthcare system, a trilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed to promote the country's status in the plasma medicine industry.

By Shina Ansari, head of the Department of Environment

The environmental toll of war: a crisis we often overlook 

TEHRAN - When wars break out, the news usually focuses on the tragic loss of human lives, injuries, and damage to buildings and infrastructure. But behind these visible horrors lies a similarly harrowing, though less visible, consequence of wars—one that rarely gets the attention it deserves: the long-lasting harm war does to the environment.

By Soroush Saki

Balancing innovation and privacy in the digital age

TEHRAN - In today’s digital era, data has become the invisible fuel driving innovation. From the way doctors diagnose illnesses to how cities manage traffic and how apps recommend our next favorite song, data is at the core of progress. Yet with all of this potential comes a serious dilemma: how do we balance the power of innovation with the responsibility of protecting people’s privacy? 

Annual aluminum output reaches 560,000 tons amid energy shortages

TEHRAN – Iran produces around 560,000 tons of aluminum ingots annually, below its installed capacity of more than 650,000 tons, due to recurring shortages of electricity and natural gas, the head of the Iranian Aluminum Industries Syndicate said.

TPO urges private sector to expand economic ties with Arab states

TEHRAN – Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) has called on private companies to take greater advantage of growing opportunities in Arab markets, a senior official said.

Annual supply of liquid fuel to power plants rises 40%

TEHRAN – Iran supplied more than 22 billion liters of liquid fuel to power plants in the Iranian year 1403 (March 2024–March 2025), a 40 percent increase from the previous year, the Oil Ministry said.

Israel announces end to 'tactical pause' in famine‑hit Gaza City

Israel's military declared an end to a so-called "tactical pause" in Gaza City on Friday, labeling the famine-ravaged area a "dangerous combat zone."

Israeli strikes in southern Gaza kill aid seekers, hit shelter for displaced

At least 41 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn on Friday, Al Jazeera reported, citing Gaza hospital sources.

Over $6.6b worth of transport projects inaugurated during Government Week

TEHRAN – Iran has inaugurated a series of road and transport projects worth 329.01 trillion rials (about $6.63 billion) during Government Week, the head of the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization said.

Energy Ministry brings 150 MW of solar power plants online across 8 provinces

TEHRAN – Iranian Energy Ministry has inaugurated 150 megawatts of solar power plants across eight provinces, most of them in 3.0 MW units, Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said at a ceremony marking Government Week.

India’s Modi to meet Xi and Putin on first China trip in seven years

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will land in China this weekend for his first visit in seven years. He will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, just as India’s ties with Washington have soured.

Thailand’s prime minister removed from office

A Thai court removed suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Friday, ruling that her controversial phone call with Cambodia’s former leader breached ethics rules, in a move that plunges the kingdom into fresh political turmoil, CNN reported. 

Tehran, Moscow discuss Rasht–Astara railway, potential Caspian cruise line

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali, met Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin to discuss key transport projects, including the long-delayed Rasht–Astara railway, the Iranian Embassy in Moscow said.

Iran, Belarus sign airworthiness cooperation deal

TEHRAN – Iran and Belarus have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on aviation engineering and technical cooperation, which includes mutual recognition of airworthiness certification, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran said.

Iran, Pakistan expand flight capacity to 24 weekly services

TEHRAN – Iran and Pakistan have increased their flight capacity from 15 to 24 weekly services for each side, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran said.

Sepahan complete signing of ex-Persepolis defender Gvelesiani

TEHRAN – Sepahan football club has completed the signing of Georgian defender Giorgi Gvelesiani on Friday.