Iran to Resume Direct Flights to Erbil as of April 27

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April 18, 2018

For the time being, Mahan Air will offer direct service twice a week on Tuesday and Wednesday and will try to increase it in the future, ISNA news agency quoted Iran’s consul in Erbil Morteza Ebadi as saying.

The resumption, he said, is important in increasing bilateral cooperation which could also enhance interaction among businesspersons and help tourism boom.

Iran re-opened two crossings with the Iraqi Kurdistan region in January, which it had closed at Baghdad’s request in response to the secession referendum.

The decision came on the same day as the Kurdish Regional Government offered to put their secession drive on hold and step up efforts to resolve a crisis in relations with Baghdad via dialogue rather than military means.

President Hassan Rouhani said then Iran sought to boost relations with the Iraqi Kurdish region as part of a united Iraq.

The semi-autonomous Kurdistan region’s Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani visited Tehran after suspending the secession drive which Iran strongly opposed, during which he paid tribute to the Islamic Republic’s crucial support for Kurds at the height of Daesh’s terrorist campaign.

The Iraqi Kurdistan is one of Iran’s major trade partners, with annual transactions running to $4 billion a year.

Iran DM in Iraq for High-Level Talks

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IFP Media Wire

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April 18, 2018

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Brigadier General Hatami arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday to attend a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart about the prospect of developing the defense ties between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival, the defense minister said numerous topics, including the latest developments in the region, would be raised in his talks with Iraqi officials.

Hatami added that one of the trip’s main objectives is to enhance military cooperation between the two countries.

In December 2014, Iraq’s then defense minister Khalid al-Obeidi paid a visit to Iran and signed a defense cooperation agreement with the Islamic Republic.

Iraq has been facing the threat of terrorism in recent years, mainly posed by the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group.

Amid tensions in Iraq, Iran has been known as the first country to help the Arab nation and has always voiced support for Iraq’s territorial integrity and prosperity.

Top Iranian Officials Leave Telegram Messaging App

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 18, 2018

In its last post on Telegram, the Khamenei.ir channel said it will stop using the service to help break the “monopoly of non-Iranian messengers over Iran’s cyberspace.”

The channel, one of the biggest ones in Iran with over 1.3 million followers, said it will use Iranian messengers, including Soroush.

The post also said Iran’s state institutions are to stop using Telegram.

Mahmoud Vaezi, the chief of staff of President Hassan Rouhani, announced on Wednesday that members of the Cabinet have decided to leave Telegram and switch to domestic messaging services.

Some Iranian officials were quick to follow suit, including First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri, who shut down his channel on Wednesday morning.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry, however, announced that it will keep updating its Telegram followers while posting the latest updates in the Iranian messaging apps.

The fate of Telegram in Iran became a hot subject in political circles late last month, when the chairman of the Parliament’s National Security Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said a decision has been made “at the highest levels” to permanently ban Telegram by April 20.

Boroujerdi cited “national security” concerns as the reason the messaging service will no longer be accessible.

However, shortly afterwards, President Rouhani said he opposes the filtering of Telegram and believes the government should instead work to end the monopoly of foreign services on the country’s cyberspace.

Boroujerdi later said his remarks were not correctly published, and he did not mean Telegram will be banned in Iran.

Soroush, one of the messaging apps promoted by state officials, is estimated to be used by over five million Iranians, a figure which lacks lustre when compared to Telegram’s 40 million users.

Iran Offering Incentives to Promote Domestic Production of Biopharmaceuticals

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 18, 2018

Mostafa Qanei, the Secretary of Biotechnology Development Headquarter at the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, says the government plans to provide knowledge-based companies with all-out support to produce biopharmaceuticals.

“We have already drafted a list of 61 biopharmaceuticals as part of a national bio-development plan. Efforts are underway to produce all the biomedicine included in the plan,” he was quoted as saying in a Farsi report by ISNA.

He went on to say that the production of at least 29 pharmaceuticals in the list has already begun.

According to him, the production of 20 drugs has been already completed but there is no project yet for producing the remaining 12 pharmaceuticals.

He went on to say that so far no knowledge-based company has expressed its readiness to produce the remaining biopharmaceuticals.

For a brief review of Iran’s achievements in various fields of science and technology, check the book “Science and Technology in Iran: A Brief Review”

“So, we have decided to provide knowledge-based services with all-out support to enable them to launch projects to produce the remaining medicine,” he concluded.

Biotechnology is known as one of the state-of-the-art technologies in 21st century and is among the seven key industries which will determine the socioeconomic destiny of communities in the coming decades.

According to the data released by the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, Iran ranked 14th in the world in 2015 in terms of the number of articles published in the field of biotechnology in indexed journals.

Also, Iran’s share of biotechnology articles in 2015 as compared to regional countries and the world is 27.22% and 1.27%, respectively.

The Iranian government plans to use biotechnology to meet the country’s strategic demands for food, public health, environment, and energy, while exploiting the technology’s capabilities as a green industry for environmental protection and restoration.

Iran Leader Hails Afghan Forces Killed in Iraq, Syria

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 18, 2018

In a recent meeting with families of Afghan martyrs in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, Ayatollah Khamenei said he has always lauded Afghan nationals, particularly the Hazaras.

“I had personally seen that their seminary students felt an affinity with us, and I have known them since old times,” the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei praised the Afghan troops in Syria and Iraq who fought against terrorists and were martyred while defending holy shrines there against ISIS terrorists.

“We do respect your (Afghan) martyrs, and this is among the incidents what have rarely happened in the history of Islam,” the Leader said.

He noted that Afghan forces, having a feeling of religious duty, got engaged in a tough fight against terrorists, did well, and were finally martyred.

Iran Unveils New Missile System on National Army Day

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 18, 2018

The new system, called Kamin-2 (Ambush-II), is an upgraded version of Mersad missile system.

The system is designed to confront with a variety of aerial targets flying at low altitudes, particularly drones, according to a Farsi report by Mehr News Agency.

The Tehran ceremony was held at the mausoleum of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, south of the capital.

Among other equipment showcased in Tehran were various types of command and control systems, radars, missiles and launchers, tanks, armoured vehicles, rifles, unmanned aircraft, artillery gear and ground combat weapons.

The Tehran ceremony was participated by President Hassan Rouhani, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri and other senior military and government officials as well as foreign diplomats, military attaches and reporters.

The annual parades were also held by the Iranian army in other Iranians cities on Wednesday.

Iran to Keep Boosting Defence Power to Promote Regional Peace: Rouhani

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 18, 2018

Speaking in an annual parade held on the occasion of the National Army Day in Imam Khomeini mausoleum south of Tehran, the Iranian president said Iran is located in a sensitive region, which has in the past decades been the scene of numerous plots hatched by outside powers seeking to exploit the wealth of the West Asia.

“We are surrounded by aggressive powers who […] intervene in the region’s affairs against international law and invade countries without the consent of the UN and against its charter,” Rouhani said on Wednesday.

In a region where big powers are using terrorist groups as a tool to foster instability, Iran needs mighty military forces to foil their plots and do not allow terrorists to threaten this land, he added.

“Iran’s military forces have also managed to play a key role in [promoting] peace and security in the region,” he said, referring to Iran’s role in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

“We tell the world that we will produce or obtain any weapons we need and will not wait for their permission,” he said.

The president was apparently responding to calls by Western powers, including Europeans, on Iran to stop developing ballistic missiles, as part of efforts to convince US President Donald Trump to stay in the 2015 nuclear deal.

Various units of the Iranian army started annual parades started in Tehran and other cities on Wednesday morning.

The Tehran ceremony was participated by Rouhani, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri and other senior military and government officials as well as foreign diplomats, military attaches and reporters.

The latest defence achievements produced by Iranian experts were also showcased during the parade, including Aftabaz passive radar system, a rapid-reaction command and control combat system and Kamin 2 and Seraj 1 missile systems.

Iran FM Due in New York for Six-Day Visit

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 18, 2018

During his six-day trip, Zarif will participate in a High-Level Meeting on Peace-building and Sustaining Peace on 24 and 25 April, organised by the United Nations.

He will also take part and deliver a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York.

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), founded in 1921, is a United States non-profit think-tank specialising in US foreign policy and international affairs.

According to a report by IRIB, Zarif will also hold bilateral talks with his counterparts as well as a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Zarif’s meetings and speeches will focus on regional issues – including Syria and Yemen – and the Iran nuclear deal.

During the visit, the Iranian top diplomat is accompanied by a high-ranking delegation including Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi.

2 Dead in Chopper Crash in Southern Iran

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 18, 2018

One person also survived the incident which happened Tuesday night when a chopper belonging to the Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) crashed into the Persian Gulf waters.

The helicopter was taking a patient from one of the IOOC’s oil platforms to hospital, but went down shortly after takeoff.

The patient and the medic accompanying him lost their lives, according to media reports.

The captain of the helicopter survived. Search operation is underway for the two people unaccounted for.

Iran’s Beauties in Photos: Bam Citadel

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 17, 2018

The historic citadel with an approximate area of 200,000 square metres has been listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site “Bam and Its Cultural Landscape”.

The origin of this enormous citadel on the Silk Road can be traced back to the Achaemenid Empire (sixth to fourth centuries BCE) and even beyond. The entire building was a large fortress containing the citadel, but because of the impressive look of the citadel, which forms the highest point, the whole fortress is named the Bam Citadel.

This historic citadel is made up of several architectural forms, including the walls, the tower, numerous gates, mosques, bazaars, caravanserais, schools, baths, zurkhaneh (sports place) and residential neighbourhoods.

In the architectural form of Bam Citadel there are two different distinguishable parts:

The rulers’ part in the most internal wall, holding the citadel, barracks, mill, 4-season house, water-well (dug in the rocky earth and about 40 metres deep), and a stable for 200 horses.

The ruled-over part surrounding the rulers’ place, consisting of the main entrance of the entire fortress-city and the bazaar alongside of the North-to-South spinal axis (which connects the main entrance to the citadel), and around 400 houses with their associated public buildings (such as a school and sport place).

The citadel consists of four main sections: a residential zone, the stables, the army barracks and the governor’s residence.

Arg-e Bam has 38 watchtowers and four entrance gates, and the outer defence wall is surrounded by a moat. The Government Quarters are on a rocky hill, protected by a double fortification wall.

On December 26, 2003, the Citadel was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake, along with much of the rest of Bam and its environs, but it is now restored and the restoration process of this building goes through the end.

The modern city of Bam has gradually developed as an agricultural and industrial centre, and until the 2003 earthquake was experiencing rapid growth. In particular, the city is known for its dates and citrus fruit, irrigated by a substantial network of qanats. The city also benefited from tourism, with an increasing number of people visiting the ancient citadel in recent years.

Bam Citadel has been referred to by Ferdowsi in his Shahnameh (Book of the Kings) for many times.

People used to live in the citadel until 150 years ago, and the last guardian of the castle, an elderly person, is still living in an eastern city of Kerman province called Rigan.

The magnificent citadel is currently under major restoration following the devastating earthquake.

What follows are photos of the citadel retrieved from Mehr News Agency:

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