Nadushan; An Iranian City without Any COVID-19 Cases

By

-

April 12, 2020

Nadushan; An Iranian City without Any COVID-19 Cases

Nadushan, one of the counties of Meybod, has been a forerunner in enforcing lockdown rules with exemplary activity and cooperation of all intellectuals and social activists amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Seyyed Hadi Mousavi, the Mayor of Nadushan, has told Iran newspaper that no suspicious or positive case of coronavirus has been observed in the city so far.

“Since the coronavirus outbreak was reported in the country, we decided to take measures to prevent the spread of the disease by making decisions in the meetings of Nadushan Health Council. Our city is a relatively deprived one and there are no suitable medical facilities and equipment in this old city,” he continued.

Noting that they could not succeed without the cooperation of the people and non-governmental organisations, he said, “First, it was decided the people reduce the traffic in the city. Then, the entrances and exits of the city were severely controlled and monitored by popular forces.”

He also stated that the dairy of Nadushan is completely natural and is a famous brand, so a lot of people from all over the province want to purchase it. Therefore, there is a lot of traffic to buy dairy products in Nadushan.

“That’s why we decided to prevent non-native vehicles from entering Nadushan by controlling the entrances and exits of the city. We didn’t even allow people, who lived in other cities of the province and had villas in Nadushan, to come to this city at weekends. We asked them to collaborate with us in this work, and fortunately they did so.”

Another move was to close the city’s parks and gardens, he said. At the entrance of the city, the people who were commuting were screened, and the vehicles that intended to travel from the Nadushan belt road were disinfected.

“We also issued a traffic card for people who work in other cities of the province, and when entering and leaving the city, they also take a fever test.”

Coronavirus online test — If you are worried that you may have contracted the Coronavirus, take this test right now.

One of the problems in fighting against the virus is the existence of an iron ore mine in the city; however, following correspondence with provincial officials, we tried to suspend their activity for a while, as a number of workers at the mine live in other cities of the province and may be carriers of the coronavirus, he underscored.

“We did not receive any help from anybody or institution in the province to take all these measures. All of them were performed spontaneously by the officials of Nadushan and the very good cooperation of the people of this city,” reminded Mousavi.

For issues such as banning traffic in the city and controlling the entrance and exit of the city, we faced legal problems, but we got the permission with our follow-ups and the good cooperation of the provincial officials, he reiterated.

Iran Introduces Legal Measures to Support Fight against COVID-19

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 12, 2020

Iran Introduces Legal Measures to Support Fight against COVID-19

Due to the outbreak of the corona virus and the need to ensure the health rights of citizens, Iran’s Vice Presidency for Legal Affairs has taken several measures.

The most important of these measure are as follows:

Developing the legal capacities to support the medical staff both in terms of providing the protective equipment and employment contracts
Developing the legal capacity to protect the health of citizens, especially citizens with special physical, social and legal conditions
Developing legal capacity to protect detainees and convicts through leave, parole, and other legal means, and pursuing these matters in the judiciary and the executives branches
Developing legal capacities and other available facilities for provinces with special status, such as northern provinces and holy and tourist cities, and proposing traffic restrictions, amount of work attendance and providing health facilities
Developing legal protections for businesses, and classifying the contracts affected by the outbreak of the virus as well as preparing and proposing a letter to the cabinet on how to apply force majeure and hardship cases
Developing civil and penal capacities to deal with the racketeering and related economic crimes amid the outbreak of the disease and the ways to deal with them
Developing civil and penal capacities to deal with intentional or concomitant violations of health rules and regulations and the resulting civil and penal accountability
Preparing a new judicial action plan and submitting a bill to the International Court of Justice regarding violation of the interim order by the United States in not lifting the sanctions affecting the prevalence of coronavirus, as well as coordinating the government’s legal efforts to prepare documents and the draft bill

Iranian Artist Tells How It Is to Spend 10 Years in Self-Isolation

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 12, 2020

Iranian Artist Tells How It Is to Spend 10 Years in Self-Isolation

Mohammad Ehsaee is a calligrapher, painter and graphic artist who has won the top Iranian award for best cultural and artistic figure.

In an interview with ISNA, Ehsaee said the self-quarantine at home after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus is not anything new to him, since he has been living in such conditions for a decade.

Although Ehsaee is saddened by the news of COVID-19 outbreak, he believes that the new situation could have benefits as well.

“The subject of quarantine is not quite new to me. At present, I have been in quarantine for almost 10 years. My contact with the outer world is very limited, and my hands have been also sterilized since 10 years ago,” he said about the conditions caused by the outbreak of coronavirus.

“Around 10 years ago at age 70, I realized that I have served the education, training and professional activities sector as much as I could and even beyond that. I was exhausted because of the constant work I was doing, so I thought and came to the conclusion that it would not be a great sin to leave everything behind and live how I’d like to. So I cut almost all of my connections with the professional world and stopped attending the exhibitions and various meetings. The latest exhibition of my works which was held in the last month of the previous year was organized by a collector who was in possession of a number of my works,” he explained.

“During the quarantine days, I decide what to do when I wake up every morning. In this period, I have completed the works that had remained from the past and draw new sketches. Like everybody else, I am saddened by this incident (coronavirus outbreak), although I have gotten used to seeing a good point in every happening for years and this attitude is soothing for me. These days, the Masnavi of Rumi, the Maqalat-e Shams (Discourse of Shams Tabrizi) and (poems of) Hafez are the books around my bed, and reading those books allay me,” Ehsaee said.

The Iranian artist says he had been transcribing the holy Quran in Muhaqqaq calligraphic script for years, but after the outbreak of coronavirus he has once again begun to exercise Nasta’liq calligraphy.

“After one month of calligraphy I realized what a perfect psychological effect this job has. When I’m working, nothing else comes to my mind and the joy of such purposeless activity is indescribable,” he noted.

The Iranian artist then praised the medical personnel for their leading role in the fight against coronavirus and for their devotion to duty, saying when he sees the doctors and nurses dedicating themselves to the treatment of patients, he is moved to tears and his heart begins to beat differently.

“These days, I become very saddened by hearing the bitter news. However, I see a benefit in this happening and I hope we could enjoy life in future and discover the meaning of life as it is necessary, and I hope that the world and the Earth would also be treated kindly by us humans,” he concluded.

Getting Out of Debt: What You Need to Know

By

IFP Media Wire

-

April 12, 2020

Clearing that debt needs to be your priority, and you can always employ these strategies to handle those debts completely.

Settle old debts

You might be having some old debts that you’ve carried for a long time, particularly that lousy debt that does not have value. Well, consider repaying them in full, given that an account that’s fully paid might improve your credit score. In case settling old debts seems tiresome, consider using a debt settlement company that will negotiate your payment up to 80% of your outstanding balance. Expert financial advisers would insist that you get important information on a trust deed that might be a formal alternative strategy for clearing the debt. The company negotiates on your behalf, therefore, you won’t have to make any payments since they will pay the mortgage on your behalf. When you delay in settling old debts, the late payment will reflect on your credit score and will damage it. Despite the extra cost that a settlement company offers, paying an old debt would be better than the default, given the hefty penalties that you will face.

Have a debt repayment strategy

Your budget can probably afford discretionary expenditure, therefore, you can always create a debt repayment plan that will help you concentrate your debt repayment and speed up the time you will spend clearing the menace. Begin by creating a list of all the debts that you owe along with the credit card debt and the monthly payment strategy that you enforce on each of them. Sum up all the payments and determine the amount that you need every month to sustain your debt payment, and in case the amount is less than your expenditure, determine the extra amount that you can place for debt repayment every month. Such a strategy would safeguard you from the legal enforcement that is attached to some types of debt. Besides, such approaches often help debtors keep track of their payment progress and will motivate you to get out of debt.

Make a budget

In case you don’t have a budget, now would be the best time to develop one. Your plan needs to take into account the monthly expenditure taking into account your monthly income. Begin by writing down all your income sources, a record of all your expenses, car payment, mortgages, entertainment expenses, and the variable expenses that you incur every month. Subtract the expenses from your monthly income, and you can allocate a portion of the balance for payment of debts. In case the balance is zero or negative, that’s an indicator that you spend more than your income, and you, therefore, need to either earn more or spend less.

Lower the Interest rates

Well, that high-interest rate could be your greatest hindrance when paying off the debt, therefore attempting to lower the interest might be a suitable solution. You can achieve this by contacting your creditor and requesting a reduced interest rate. In case you often pay your debts on time, chances are high that you will succeed. Also, you can try consolidating your debts into a monthly payment plan that offers lower interest rates. The standard approach applied by most debtors involves taking a debt consolidation loan, or you could consult a credit counseling firm to help with debt management. The counselors often negotiate on your behalf; thus, you will be awarded a lower interest rate.

Limit the use of credit cards

Given that you have started repaying your debts, it would be essential that you avoid getting deeper into debt by limiting your poor spending habits that involve the use of your credit card. To limit your spending, try regulating the number of times you use the credit card monthly. It might be difficult, but if you are armed with a budget, you will find alternative ways to cover your expenses. In case you find it hard to limit your card expenses, then leave it at home to limit your impulse buying. You can even freeze your card in a block of ice, although drastic measures will assist you in reclaiming your freedom.

Generally, getting out of debt can be challenging, but with the right strategy, you can always reclaim your financial freedom. Always remember that a great journey starts with one step, and today could be the day you begin the journey to financial freedom. Consider employing the above strategies and reclaim the freedom you long for!

Iran Capable of Producing 40 Ventilators a Day: VP

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 12, 2020

Ten Countries after Importing Iran-Made Anti-Corona Products

Addressing a ceremony on Saturday Sorena Sattari said while many countries have problems in procuring ventilators, Iranian companies are capable of producing so many ventilators.

“We are pleased to have this active ecosystem in our knowledge-based companies where products with international standards can be produced,” noted Sattari.

A significant number of CT scan devices have been delivered to the Ministry of Health in the past two months, while the ICU room and recovery room equipment are also made in the country, underlined Iranian VP.

He added that 98% of the drugs are produced domestically, saying “We have no restrictions in production, and there has been no talks about imports in large quantities, because the Iranian companies can produce every new drug that is effective in treating the COVID-19 within almost 10 days.”

Noting that the Islamic Republic is famous in the field of biotechnology, the Vice President for Science and Technology said, “We have the largest biotechnology companies in the region, and we are unrivaled in the Middle East. We produce 24 biotech drugs while there is no biotech drug in Turkey.”

Referring to the production of more than 100,000 coronavirus diagnostic kits per week in the country, he stated three types of kits have been mass-produced, one is the coronavirus diagnostic kit and the others are kits that determine who has been infected before.

“Good things have happened in areas such as medical equipment and artificial intelligence, and we hope all of this will be a prelude to believing that we have an ecosystem active in the field of biotech to deal with such crises quickly,” highlighted Sattari.

He concluded that Iranian companies can detect, design and mass-produce these equipment when faced with a new phenomenon. This is something the Islamic Republic needs in all industries.

Iran to Allocate $250,000 to Make up for Tourism Industry Losses

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 12, 2020

Iran to Allocate $250,000 to Make up for Tourism Industry Losses

Ali Asghar Mounesan said Saturday the tourism industry needs to be activated as soon as possible after containing the coronavirus so that jobs that have been damaged can make up for some of their losses with the government’s help.

Mounesan noted that the tourism industry is linked directly and indirectly with various sectors of the economy.

“With its economic, social and cultural effects, tourism is one of the most important and vital sectors of any country, but the outbreak of the coronavirus in Iran and around the world has caused the industry to suffer the most.”

World Travel and Tourism Council statistics show that tourism accounts for 10.4 percent of the world’s gross domestic product and creates 320 million jobs. It is also responsible for creating one-fifth of new jobs. Moreover, for eight consecutive years it contributed to global economic growth more than other sectors, emphasised Mounesan.

The Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts stated the World Tourism Organisation recently issued a report estimating that international tourist arrivals could decline by 20% to 30% in 2020. Arrivals could also return to seven years ago due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

“The organisation has estimated a loss of 290 to 440 billion dollars,” Mounesan pointed out.

The containment of the pandemic is the utmost priority and the tourism sector is committed to support all measures taken to curb the outbreak. UNWTO is working closely with the World Health Organisation, its Members States and the industry to ensure a coordinated and effective response, he added.

Iranians Latch onto Homemade Bread under Self-Quarantine

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 11, 2020

Iranians Latch onto Homemade Bread under Self-Quarantine 1

Bread is known as a staple food for the Iranian families. In the not too far past, baking homemade bread was a common practice in nearly all Iranian houses, carried out by women. The older generation and today’s grandmothers have still memories of making bread at home.

The new generation has no experience of the mouth-watering aroma coming from the clay ovens when home-made bread was being baked, and has not tasted the smaller breads made exclusively for the children either.

Baking bread at home has resurfaced these days in Iran in the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus.

Home-baked bread significantly reduces the risk of infection with coronavirus and also allows the household members to spend more time together and have an enjoyable experience in self-quarantine.

The following photos show a grandmother baking bread with her grandchildren in Saman, a small city in Iran’s western province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari:

1 of 18

FM Zarif, UN Chief Discuss US Sanctions against Iran

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 11, 2020

FM Zarif, UN Chief Discuss US Sanctions against Iran

In a phone call on Saturday evening, the two sides also conferred on the latest developments in Yemen.

Donald Trump administration’s refusal to halt sanctions against Iran is directly impeding the efforts to deal with the deadly coronavirus.

Iran says politicians must realize that the path to pursuing national interests is not separate or contrary to that of global interests and international accountability.

Official Urges Development of Digital Map to Track Coronavirus in Tehran

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 11, 2020

Official Urges Development of Digital Map to Track Coronavirus in Tehran

In a Saturday meeting with the CEOs and officials of a number of local knowledge-based companies and start-ups, head of the Coronavirus Battle Headquarters in Tehran, Alireza Zali, stressed the need for the development of a digital map to contain the COVID-19 epidemic more seriously.

Various organizations, such as the Municipality of Tehran, the knowledge-based companies and the start-ups, have expressed readiness to contribute to the development of the digital map, Zali added, noting that the infrastructures for the new platform could be used in future for other schemes as well.

Tracking and monitoring the suspected or the confirmed coronavirus cases would help create an inclusive digital map, he stated, saying all relevant organizations have promised to provide access to and share the necessary data by observing the principles of civil rights and ensuring confidentiality of the information.

Zali also emphasized that the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic has provided unique opportunities for innovative projects by the digital media.

Calling for the formation of integrated processes based on the information received from the citizens in Tehran, he said the analysis of data in the capital is a big challenge given the discrete nature of the data, the differences in cultural, economic and social factors, the complexities of demographic data, unofficial habitation in certain locations, floating population, and deficient information in coronavirus self-declaration processes.

The official then highlighted the necessity to work on two main strategies for combatting the coronavirus epidemic with the use of modern technologies, describing the “early detection of the cases” and “tracking the clients” as a major step in controlling and eradicating the contagious disease.

“No strategy is more helpful than the early detection of cases. The sooner we identify the patients, the earlier the source of spread of the disease will be determined,” Zali explained.

As regards the second strategy, he said the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology has undertaken to employ the capacity of the smart phones to establish contact corridors for tracking the patients after being discharged from the hospital in order to give a real-time view of the suspicious cases or the potential infected individuals.

A survey conducted jointly by Iran University of Medical Sciences and the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology among a statistical population of 1,200 people show that 52 percent of the patients have not only not gone into self-quarantine after being discharged from the hospital, but have gone outside a 2-kilometer radius of their whereabouts, Zali noted, describing it as a worrying issue.

He finally noted that more than 4 million residents of Tehran have taken part in the self-declaration program, and stressed the need to proceed with the remote work scheme in order to prevent crowds in the capital.

The Coronavirus Battle Headquarters of Tehran is going to convene an emergency meeting on Sunday to prevent a crowd of commuters like what happened in the streets of Tehran on Saturday morning, Zali concluded.

Iran Starts Mass Producing PCR, Serologic COVID-19 Diagnostic Kits

By

IFP Editorial Staff

-

April 11, 2020

The production lines were inaugurated on Saturday by Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari in a ceremony held at Pishtaz Teb Company in Tehran.

Sattari noted the production of diagnostic kits in Iran is considered to be a major step in the fight against the coronavirus, stressing that six knowledge-based companies in this field have received permits to produce different types of such kits.

Pointing out that Pishtaz Teb Company is one of the largest knowledge-based companies active in this field, the Vice President added there are two types of diagnostic kits made by this company.

“The first type are the kits based on PCR analysis and we can produce 100,000 of them per week. The second type are serologic kits that can detect the coronavirus and we produce 2 million ones a week.”

With the expansion of the production capacity of other companies, these figures will definitely increase, and we can become one of the main exporters of the diagnostic kits, maintained the Iranian Vice President.

Sattari said some companies are also working on extraction kits, and these three types of kits have been mass-produced in the country. He stated that these products can be exported to other countries while meeting domestic needs.

“We have witnessed good things since the outbreak of the virus in the country, and today we are at a point where we can say all products are made domestically using the capabilities of the Iranian workforce,” Sattari said.

These companies can produce medical equipment needed to fight COVID-19, such as surgery room equipment, ICU room stuff, as well as equipment needed to prevent and control the disease, such as masks, medications, etc. Fortunately, all this equipment is manufactured domestically by knowledge-based companies, he went on to say.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he highlighted that 40 mask production lines will be launched in the country within the next 15 to 20 days.

“We are in very good conditions regarding the production of disinfections and medical equipment. Iran has made significant progress in the field of biotech products and currently produces 23 bio-drugs domestically.”

Moreover, Sattari stated the knowledge-based companies are active in the country to recognise the time of a crisis, and they design and construct the necessary equipment. This is the approach that all industries must adopt.

1 of 8