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Iran’s COVID-19 Fatalities Hit 59,000: Health Ministry

424 More Iranians Die of Coronavirus: Ministry

In a press briefing on Monday, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima-Sadat Lari reported 7,760 new cases of COVID-19 infection, raising the total number of cases to 1,526,023.

So far, Lari added, 1,304,330 patients have recovered from the disease or been discharged from the hospital.

Lari said 3,704 patients are also in critical conditions caused by more severe infection.

The spokeswoman noted that 10,105,080 COVID-19 tests have been taken across the country so far.

She said currently nine cities are in the “red” zone, 39 cities are in the “orange” zone, 228 are in the “yellow” zone, and 172 are in the “blue” zone in terms of coronavirus outbreak.

According to Lari, the “red” cities are all in Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran, and include Abadan, Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Dezful, Dasht-e Azadegan, Shadgan, Shushtar, Karoun, and Hoveyzeh.

Pregnant Iranian Nurse Dies of Coronavirus before Seeing Her Baby

The devoted nurse left her infant alone before savouring the taste of being a mother, said the Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei in a note marking the death of Mahshid Goodarz, the pregnant nurse who worked at Tehran’s Loqman Hospital.

“Deaths caused by coronavirus are bitterer than mortalities caused by other types of diseases. Coronavirus deaths are associated with lingering bitterness, loneliness, shock and disbelief,” he said.

“Maybe a definitive cure is found for this disease in the not-too-distant future, but economists say the economic fallout from COVID-19 will linger on for seven years.

However, the psychological and social repercussions of coronavirus will remain not only for seven years, but for the generations to come.”

“Tragic accounts will be recited and many stories will be written, one of which is the story of Mahshid, the pregnant nurse who lost her life to the killer virus,” Rabiei said.

“This devoted nurse was, above all, a woman and a mother with full love for her baby.

Maybe when she began to rest while tired from the arduous task of taking care of coronavirus patients, she would, in her dream, write a letter to her unborn baby and would tell her baby stories about the bitter grief caused to her by seeing the sufferings of coronavirus patients and her efforts to save them,” he added.

“Mahshid departed this life, and her memory was left behind as a health hero in the minds of society,” he noted.

Qatari Foreign Minister Meets Iran’s Zarif in Tehran

During the meeting, Zarif welcomed his Qatari counterpart and offered congratulations on Doha’s recent success in ending the blockade imposed against the Arab country.

He further highlighted the importance of bilateral relations between Tehran and Doha in the eyes of the Iranian nation and government, and expressed the Islamic Republic’s preparedness for expansion of collaborations with Qatar in different fields.

Elaborating on Iran’s principled policy of opposing the policies that are based on coercion and force in the region, Zarif emphasised the necessity for cooperation among regional countries to settle the issues and achieve a set of regional arrangements that brings about further stability, and said bilateral relations between Iran and Qatar play a key role in this path.

The Qatari foreign minister, in turn, expressed Doha’s preparedness for expansion of bilateral relations at all levels, including in the economic fields.

He appreciated all the assistance provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran at the time when Qatar was under a blockade, and said his trip to Tehran is in line with expansion of bilateral relations and within the framework of regular consultations between the two countries.

He also underlined the region’s need for a new approach and all-out collaborations, and expressed his country’s preparedness for playing an effective and pivotal role in this regard.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani finally expressed hope that the existing problems will be settled within the framework of regional initiatives as soon as possible.

Exploring the avenues for promoting economic relations and the fields of mutual cooperation were also on the agenda of talks between the Iranian and Qatari top diplomats in Tehran.

The Qatari top diplomat’s visit comes a few days before the deadline of February 21st, after which Iran has vowed to reduce the IAEA inspections if the US sanctions are not lifted.

He had announced a few days ago that Doha is ready to help de-escalate the Iran-US tension and facilitate Washington’s return to the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

The Qatari diplomat has long called for a summit between leaders of the six-member Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and the Islamic Republic.

Speaking in a January interview with Bloomberg, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said his government was “hopeful that this would happen and we still believe this should happen.”

“Qatar will facilitate negotiations if asked by stake holders and will support whoever is chosen to do so,” he said.

“We want the accomplishment, we want to see the deal happening,” he said of potential talks between the U.S. and Iran. “Wherever it is, whoever it is conducting this negotiation, we will support them.”

Poetry Can Illustrate Sufferings of COVID-19 Patients: Iran

Poetry Can Illustrate Sufferings of COVID-19 Patients
A Persian calligraphy by Omid Rabbani which roughly means, "Empathy is more important than speaking the same language."

Seyyed Abbas Salehi noted the COVID-19 pandemic is a common problem gripping all peoples.

“The coronavirus pandemic was a malady which affected all people around the world and which all poets across the globe wrote poems about, and we should use it as a path to connect to the world,” he said.

“Poetry came to the aid of health protocols and prevention measures, and poets’ experience with regards to coronavirus turned into a work of art,” he added.

The minister underlined that poems have been written to illustrate the pain and sufferings of people afflicted with the disease.

He said the poems written about coronavirus serve as a linking route to the world as COVID-19 was a common illness of the entire human community

In Photos: Four Seasons Bathhouse of Arak

Photo by Sadegh Miri

This bathhouse was built in the late Qajar (Ahmad Shah) by Haji Muhammad Ibrahim khansari. A variety of decorated tiles in the building display designs of humans, animals, and plants.

The distinguishing feature of the Four Seasons Bathhouse is its separate sections for religious minorities.

What follows are photos of the bathhouse retrieved from various sources:

‘Iran Intelligence Forces Hunting for Mastermind behind Scientist’s Assassination’

Mahmoud Alavi said the mastermind used to work for the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but had been fired before the assassination.

“He had left the country before the [assassination] operation, and he is wanted now,” added the minister.

“After the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, the Zionist regime [of Israel] intended to conduct several other evil deeds in the country, which were identified and foiled thanks to the vigilance of intelligence agents,” he added.

“Several individuals were also identified in that connection,” said the minister.

Iran Says Informed IAEA of Its Confidentiality Concerns

Iran Sees ‘Positive Outlook’ for Ties with IAEA after Latest Report

“Protecting confidential information on discussions related to the IAEA’s bylaws had long been at issue as a major point,” Kazem Gharibabadi said on Sunday.

“Still, despite the existing normal regulations, the leakage of, or unauthorized access to the agency’s confidential information over the past two decades has been a major challenge in relations between the IAEA and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added.

“Over the past two decades, Iran has repeatedly reminded [the agency] of its concerns on failure to properly live up to obligations pertaining to confidentiality, but those concerns have not been properly addressed, yet,” he said.

“Generally speaking, it is countries that leak information to media,” said Iran’s ambassador.
“Nevertheless, the agency is responsible for protecting confidential information and should either introduce plans and the necessary procedures to allay concerns or reconsider the current situation,” he said.

Iran Congratulates Serbia on National Day, Hopes for Closer Ties

Iran Serbia flags

In a message to President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, Rouhani facilitated him and the people of the country on the national day of the Serbia and expressed hope that political, economic and cultural relations would further deepen.

“I hope that with regard to the ample potentials in the two countries, political, economic and cultural relations further deepen under cooperation and joint efforts,” Rouhani said.

He also wished health and success for his counterpart and prosperity and felicity for the people of the Republic of Serbia.

National Day is a holiday celebrated every February 15 in Serbia to commemorate the outbreak of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804, which evolved into the Serbian Revolution against Ottoman rule. The revolution ultimately resulted in the recognition of Serbia’s National by the Ottoman Empire (formally in 1817, de jure in 1830).

Iran Tests Smart, Precision-Guided Missile

Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari said the projectile is regarded as a medium-range missile of the Ground Force of the Army.

“This missile is being tested today in terms of accuracy and power,” said General Heidari, the commander of the Ground Force of the Iranian Army.

The senior commander also weighed in on the operational features of the missile.

“This missile can hit targets with pinpoint accuracy, is smart and enjoys automation capabilities, and is ready to defend the frontiers and territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran in different climatic conditions,” he said.

“In this domain, we try to develop weaponry which is smart, has automation capabilities and can strike targets with pinpoint accuracy,” he added.