Almost Entire Iran Declared as COVID-19 ‘Red Zones’
In a press briefing on Sunday, Sima-Sadat Lari said the novel coronavirus has killed 195 patients since Saturday noon, increasing the overall death toll to 26,589.
She said 446,448 patients have contracted the novel coronavirus so far, including 3,362 new cases identified in the past 24 hours.
So far, she added, 374,170 patients have recovered from the disease or been discharged from the hospital.
Lari said 4,059 patients are also in critical conditions caused by more severe infection.
The spokeswoman noted that 3,932,571 COVID-19 tests have been taken across the country so far.
She said the high-risk “red” zones include Tehran, Qom, Mazandaran, East Azarbaijan, Isfahan, Yazd, Ardabil, Khorasan Razavi, Khuzestan, Hamadan, West Azarbaijan, Bushehr, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Alborz, Lorestan, Markazi, Ilam, South Khorasan, Kermanshah, North Khorasan, Semnan, Gilan, Zanjan, Qazvin, and Kerman provinces.
The “orange” zones also include Golestan, Hormozgan, Kurdistan, and Fars provinces, she added.
Iran Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to Show Restraint as Fighting Escalates
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is closely and worriedly monitoring the military clashes between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a Sunday statement.
“Iran calls on the two sides to exercise self-restraint, and demands an immediate end to the clashes and the launch of dialogue between the two states,” the spokesman added.
The spokesman also expressed Iran’s readiness to employ all of its capacities to help establish a ceasefire and start negotiations between the warring sides.
Heavy fighting between the military forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia broke out in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on Sunday.
Armenia and Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh declared martial law, while the Republic of Azerbaijan has ordered its military to mobilize.
A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 27
Iranian Newspapers
Aftab-e Yazd Newspaper:
1- Mr President! Should We Thank White House If Conditions Improve?
2- Iran Oil Minister’s Bold Marketing
3- Analyst: Biden to Defeat Trump with Huge Margin, So Much So Trump Wouldn’t Be Able to Question Votes
4- Turkey to Build 100,000 Residential Units for Low-Income Iranians
Arman-e Melli Newspaper:
1- Coronavirus Still Surging
2- Kuwait Forgets Iran’s Sacrifices
Donya-ye Eqtesad Newspaper:
1- Golden September of Iran’s Oil Exports
2- Erdogan Defeat over Interest Rate
3- GOP to Gain Full Control over US Supreme Court
Ebtekar Newspaper:
1- Anti-Coronavirus Measures to Get Tougher
* Rouhani: Tehran to Be First City Where People Are Punished for Not Wearing Mask
2- Two Major Challenges of US Elections: From Russia Interference to Trump’s Refusal to Accept Results
Etemad Newspaper:
1- Iraqi FM in Unannounced Trip to Tehran: Joint Prudence Needed against US Threat
Ettela’at Newspaper:
1- We Bow to People for Their Tolerance: First VP
2- Rouhani to Iraqi FM: US Military Presence Detrimental to Region
Iran Newspaper:
1- Red Autumn: Return of Restrictions, Beginning of Punishments
Javan Newspaper:
1- Rouhani: Curse Uncle Sam
2- Iran Outpaces France, Italy in Steel Production
Kayhan Newspaper:
1- Thomas Friedman: US to Get into Civil War
2- Trump: I’ll Be Defeated Only If Votes Are Rigged
3- Iran’s Oil Exports Rise to 1.5 Million Barrels a Day
4- Venezuela President: We’ll Continue Cooperation with Iran
Mardom Salari Newspaper:
1- US Dollar’s Doping in Clash with Iran’s Rial
2- Trump’s Thirst for Deal with Tehran
3- Tehran in Totally Critical Situation
4- Putin Offers to Washington: Mutual Guarantees for Non-Interference in Their Elections, Internal Affairs
Shahrvand Newspaper:
1- Address: Washington DC, White House
* Rouhani Says Americans Are to Blame for Price Hikes
Shargh Newspaper:
1- Coronavirus Trouble for Government
2- Why Didn’t Trump Talk about Iran?
3- Rial, Second Biggest Victim of War against US
Two Iranian Border Guards Killed by Drug Smugglers
A captain and a sergeant major were gunned down in the firefight which occurred in the Hour-al-Azim region in Dasht-e Azadegan County.
Another Iranian border guard was wounded in the shootout and taken to hospital. He underwent treatment and his general condition is satisfactory at the moment.
No further details about the incident are available at this point.
Iran’s Shamkhani Calls for Immediate Expulsion of US from Iraq
In the Sunday meeting, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral, regional and international issues.
“Dialogue and regional cooperation are the best ways to establish lasting stability and security,” Shamkhani noted.
The top Iranian official touched upon regional countries’ potential to establish stability through talks and cooperation without the interference of extra-regional powers, and highlighted the necessity of cooperation among all regional states.
Shamkhani referred to the Israeli regime’s ongoing scheme to normalize its relations with some regional countries under the US pressure, and said the plan merely aims to secure full domination over the region.
“This trend, which is a major act of betrayal and a gross violation of Palestinian people’s rights, will not only fuel insecurity and sow discord among regional countries, but pose serious danger to the existence of compromising countries,” said Shamkhani.
The senior Iranian official described important Tehran-Baghdad agreements as strategically significant.
“By expediting the full implementation of these agreements, the two countries will not only further boost reciprocal ties, but present a successful model of all-out cooperation,” he said.
“Shamkhani then noted that Washington’s assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Iraq is a glaring example of state terrorism.
He said the least severe punishment for perpetrators of this crime is for them to immediately leave the region, especially the country where the crime was committed.
“The Iraqi government is expected to seriously follow up on this cowardly assassination through international circles,” he said.
The top Iraqi diplomat, in turn, said his country is set to further enhance relations with Iran.
He noted the Iraqi government and people will never forget Tehran’s support and the sacrifices made by Iranian people, especially the youth, to wipe out the scourge of Takfiri terrorism in Iraq.
He said Iran and Iraq are two neighbouring countries with friendly ties, long borders and numerous commonalities.
The foreign minister said the eight-year war imposed by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein on Iran in the 1980s failed to drive a wedge between the two nations, which, in turn, is good reason that no foreign country will be able to affect the good relations between the two countries, either.
Kachi: An Old but Delicious Iranian Dessert
It is a nutritious dessert full of nutrients and is particularly effective in curing anaemia, retrieving lost energy and curing many physical problems.
This delicious dessert made with saffron (Read more)could be used as an afternoon snack. To grandmother, kachi is a miraculous, home-made medicine. In grandmothers’ kitchens, kachi is known as an energy bomb. They believe kachi can improve the health of any patient if made with animal oil(wikipedia), much saffron and different types of nuts. Kachi is a simple Iranian dessert!
In the Iranian tradition, kachi is generally cooked for women who have just delivered a baby.
However, the pudding could also be a tasty and nutritive afternoon snack or breakfast for all.
Ingredients for Kachi
- Wheat flour: 1 cupful
- Suger: 1 cupful
- Butter: 200gr
- Water: 3 cupfuls
- Rosewater: Half a cupful
- Saffron: 1 teaspoonful
- Almond shreds: 1 spoonful
- Pistachio shreds: 1 spoonful
kachi Recipe
- First, grab a casserole and pour water in it. Put it on low heat and add sugar. Mix it with water until sugar melts and you get a thick solution. Then remove it from the heat and add rosewater. Take two points into consideration.First, the water must not be on the flame when you add rosewater or the fragrance of the rosewater will fade away. Second, your solution should be as thick as jam.
- Now, add flour and butter to the mixture and put in on low heat until the flour turns brown.
- Now, add the syrup that you made at the beginning to the flour and keep stirring it fast and carefully for around 15 minutes, so that the flour will not become grain-shaped. Then add almond and pistachio shreds and mixt them well.
- In the last phase, put an oven cloth on the casserole lid and put the casserole on low heat for around 45 minutes until kachi is cooked through.When it is ready, dish it up in a small bowl and garnish it with some pistachio shreds and cinnamon powder.
Supplementary Tips
1. If your Kachi turns out to be too thick, you can add some boiling water or boiled saffron to it.
2. You can also use some cardamom or cinnamon tincture to Kachi instead of spices.
3. In some regions, they add different spices to Kachi such as cardamom powder, cinnamon, fennel, cumin, black pepper, and coriander seeds, which are known as Kachi spices altogether.
4. In other regions, rice flour is used in Kachi. In general, Kachi is made with rice flour or wheat flour, but you can cook it with both types of flour if you wish. If you want to mix together half a measuring cup of each, sift it, and add it to the Kachi.
5. You’d better serve the food warm because it becomes thick when it gets cold, just like Sholezard, and some people may not like it.
6. If you are preparing Kachi for a woman who has just given birth, you’d better use hot temperament spices, rock candies, or grape syrup instead of sugar.
7. Be careful that the amount of flour used in Kachi is less that the one used in Halva. Make sure to roast the flour on a mild flame and very slowly. The darker the flour becomes, the darker Kachi you’ll get, but if the flour takes a golden color, your Kachi will have a better color.
Kachi has different recipes with various ingredients. For example, you can use milk in the Kachi in the place of water to get a better taste.
Among us Iranians, Kachi is mainly prepared for women who have newly given birth or those having their period since the food helps them recover their body strength.
Rouhani Says Confident Iran’s Ties with Turkmenistan Will Develop
In a message to his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on Sunday, President Rouhani congratulated the government and people of Turkmenistan on the anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union.
As two close neighbours, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkmenistan have held perfect relations based on good neighbourliness ever since Turkmenistan has gained independence, the president added.
“I am confident that the two countries, inspired by the rich cultures and the common historical background, would continue their valuable efforts to promote the political, economic and cultural cooperation,” President Rouhani stated.
The president finally wished the Turkmen leader and nation health, success and prosperity.
The Independence Day of Turkmenistan is the main state holiday in the Central Asian country that is celebrated annually on October 27.
Iran and its northeastern neighbour have devised plans to enhance ties and increase the value of bilateral trade to $60bln in a 10-year period.
Iran Says Doesn’t Care Who Takes Helm at White House
In comments on Saturday, Iran’s permanent representative and ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi reiterated that Tehran has no intention of meddling in the US’ policies.
“It doesn’t matter to Iran who will be elected to the White House,” the envoy added.
This is the American people that would elect their next president, he emphasized.
When it comes to the relations between Iran and the US, the first thing is that the US must abandon its illegal policies against the Islamic Republic, including the sanctions that have been in effect against Tehran for the past 40-some years, Takht-Ravanchi noted.
In remarks in July, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said no matter who wins the 2020 presidential election in the US, the next American administration must compensate the Islamic Republic for the losses that its predecessor has inflicted on the Iranian people.
“It is not important for us who will win the upcoming election in the US, but it is important for us to see Washington rectify its approach towards Tehran,” Zarif said.
US Presence in Iraq to Detriment of Region’s Security: Iran President
In a meeting with Iraq’s visiting foreign minister in Tehran on Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran has already made it clear that the presence of American military forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Persian Gulf southern states is to the detriment of regional security and stability.
The push for the expulsion of American forces from the region is a collective duty of all countries to which the US has deployed troops, the president added.
President Rouhani also hailed the Iraqi Parliament’s “positive step” to ratify a bill on the expulsion of American military forces, saying the decision is respected by the Iraqi nation and supported by Iran.
Highlighting Iran’s support for the Iraqi people and government at various junctures, the president said the best example of such assistance came in the fight against the ISIS terrorist attacks on Iraq.
He further emphasized the necessity for unity among the Iraqi groups, adding, “We stand by the Iraqi government and people to help its unity and solidarity.”
Iran has never sought to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs and the relations among the Iraqi parties, President Rouhani underlined, noting, “We have always maintained that the Iraqi groups should have good relations for the protection and development of their country.”
Stressing the need to broaden the political, economic and cultural ties between Tehran and Baghdad and carry out the previous bilateral agreements, the Iranian president said, “We, as the officials of the two countries, are duty bound to strengthen the pillars of promotion of relations in future.”
The president finally expressed hope that the top Iraqi diplomat’s visit to Iran would help implement the deals between the two Muslim neighbors.
For his part, Foreign Minister of Iraq Fuad Hussein expressed gratitude to Iran for assisting his country in all circumstances.
Hussein said he has visited Tehran with the purpose of boosting the bilateral relations, paving the way for the implementation of the cooperation agreements on border issues and transportation, and making arrangements to use the Arvand Rud for the enhancement of trade exchanges and business.
The foreign minister also said Iraq has set up a special committee of experts to hold negotiations with Iran and prepare the ground for the implementation of the bilateral deals, noting that members of the committee will travel to Iran in the coming weeks.
He also called for the expansion of political, economic and cultural cooperation between Iraq and Iran.
