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Iran Says OPEC’s Friday Meeting among Its ‘Worst Ever’

Bijan Namdar Zangeneh

“This OPEC summit was among the worst meetings I have ever seen during the history of this organization,” Zanegneh told reporters on Friday.

“It was a pretty difficult session which had almost no outcome,” he added.

Zangeneh whose country is a member of OPEC but exempted from any oil curbs, said the summit failed due to disagreements specifically between Saudi Arabia and Russia.

“Six hours of private negotiations took place but Russia and Saudi Arabia weren’t able to reach a conclusion,” he said.

“Certain members of OPEC insisted that non-OPEC members had to participate in the oil production cuts, which they, in return, did not accept,” he added.

Zangeneh stressed that parties participating in the negotiations should be flexible, adding that “otherwise everyone will face negative consequences”.

The Iranian minister stressed that oil cuts previously agreed to by OPEC members had also not been extended due to the failure of the session.

Zangeneh said holding another meeting soon between OPEC and non-OPEC members will be difficult because of coronavirus health concerns but agreements can be reached by videoconference.

OPEC, Russia and other producers, a group known as OPEC+, failed to agree on purposed oil cuts on Friday.

The proposal sought an additional 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil cuts until the end of 2020 to adjust crude prices to falling international energy demands following the global coronavirus outbreak.

Russia, a non-OPEC member, however, argued that it was too early to predict the impact of the outbreak.

Iran Calls Off Kurdistan Int’l Nowruz Celebrations over COVID-19

Iran Calls Off Kurdistan Int’l Nowruz Celebrations over COVID-19

The Nowruz festival was going to be held in the provincial capital Sanandaj as of Friday March 13.

Kurdistan Governor Bahman Moradnia has told IRNA that Iran was designated by UNESCO as the secretariat of the celebration, and it was planned to hold an international celebration of Nowruz from March 13 to 15 with guests from the countries of Nowruz and other ambassadors.

“Preparations for the celebration had been made in the past few months and arrangements had been made for the presence of representatives of Nowruz countries in cooperation with the ministry of cultural heritage, tourism and handicraft as well as the foreign ministry,” he added.

Noting that Sanandaj was registered by the UNESCO as a creative city of music in the world, he stressed that representatives of creative cities of music registered in UNESCO were expected to attend the celebration, but because of the spread of coronavirus in the country the ceremony was cancelled.

Nowruz celebrations is of great account among the people of Kurdistan province. Last year, the festival was held with the participation of national and provincial officials. Around 20 to 22 thousand people from different parts of the country gathered in the Golan Stadium in Sanandaj.

The historical background of the Nowruz celebration and the interest of people led the provincial authorities to decide to hold the international Nowruz celebrations, but the outbreak of the coronavirus cancelled the event.

Zarif Raps World’s Silence over US ‘Medical Terrorism’ against Iran

Iranian People to Survive Latest of US Cruelties: Zarif

“Trump is maliciously tightening US’ illegal sanctions with aim of draining Iran’s resources needed in the fight against COVID-19, while our citizens are dying from it,” Zarif said in a post in his Twitter account on Saturday.

“The world can no longer be silent as US Economic Terrorism is supplanted by its Medical Terrorism,” he added.

US President Donald Trump said last Saturday his country was willing to aid Iran with its coronavirus outbreak, adding that “all they have to do is ask,” just after he authorized the expansion of travel restrictions against Iran.

However, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the offer was insincere, adding Washington had better first lift its sanctions on medical supplies to Iran if it really sought to help the Islamic Republic.

While Trump apparently offers help to Iran, a group with close ties to him is pressuring pharmaceutical companies not to sell drugs to Tehran.

The pro-Israel United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is urging major pharmaceutical companies to “end their Iran business”, The Intercept reported.

The targeted companies include Bayer, Merck, Pfizer, Genzyme, AirSep, Medrad, Becton, Dickinson & Company, Eli Lilly, and Abbott Laboratories, it said.

The pressure group is carrying on with its campaign targeting medical trade with Iran amid a massive outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country, whose access to medicine has already been hampered by the cruel U.S. sanctions.

President Rouhani Urges People to Avoid Unnecessary Trips

Regretting the people’s failure to comply with some of the recommendations made by the National Headquarters of Fight against Coronavirus, Rouhani said on Saturday, “The key to success in controlling the Coronavirus in the short-term program is the full cooperation of the people and executives with the National Headquarters.”

“Transparency and enhancing public trust as well as keeping people informed about trends, opportunities, policies and planning is crucial in the fight against the Coronavirus,” underlined Rouhani, speaking at a meeting of the Headquarters.

The president also hailed the growing increase in number of laboratories and their equipment, adding that according to the statistics and information provided by different provinces, the number of laboratories should be expanded.

Rouhani also criticized lack of easy access to sanitation and disinfection, urging the Ministry of Health to come up with a well-timed plan to address the problem.

Iran to Offer 100 GB of Free Internet to Keep People Home

Iran to Offer 100 GB of Free Internet to Keep People Home

Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said in a tweet on Saturday that the ISPs have been asked to provide 100 gigabytes of free internet to their users for the next two weeks ahead of the Persian New Year holidays.

The government of Iran has called on people to stay at home as the corona outbreak is taking more toll on civilians.

It seems the move is to encourage people to avoid commuting and spend more time at home.

Iran’s Beauties in Photos: Spring Blossoms in Mehriz

Spring Blossoms in Mehriz

As the spring approaches, the air is filled with the smell of colourful apple and almond blossoms, and the songs of sparrows crowding in the braches of trees that scratch the sky in Mehriz of Yazd.

That makes us look at the signs of God’s unique creation in the gentle hands of heaven, under the spring’s radiant sun light.

What follows are Mehr News Agency’s photos of the last days before spring in Mehriz:

Kulaneh Ash; Nutritious Broth from Iran’s Kermanshah

Kulaneh Ash; Nutritious Broth from Iran’s Kermanshah

Living in the mountains and the harsh winters of the Kurdistan climate in western Iran have made Ash a special dish in the lives of regional people since ancient times.

According to the legend of Shahmaran (an eccentric legendary creature among the tribes of western Iran), it is cooked at different times of the year in the west of Kermanshah. Since ancient times, people especially in the Dalahoo area have been cooking this Ash as a votive food for Shahmaran.

Preparing this Ash is common among Kurdish families when a baby’s first tooth is growing. Kulaneh Ash is rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, K and D, carbohydrate, sodium, potassium, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, iron, fiber, zinc, calcium, protein, selenium, Omega-3, Omega-6, sulfur, starch and more.
It also contains plant and animal protein and boosts the body’s overall energy level and muscle mass. So it’s very useful for people who do hard physical work, especially bodybuilders.

Kulaneh Ash is recommended for children and the elderly. Other properties of this diet include memory strengthening and Alzheimer’s prevention, joint pain treatment, vision strengthening, glucose control, blood pressure control.

The high level of fibre in this food improves bowel function, digestion and constipation. It also has antioxidant properties and prevents colds. This dish strengthens the immune system and protects it from a variety of diseases, especially cancers. Due to having vitamin B 12, iron, folic acid, it increases red blood cells and relieves anemia, so it is useful for people with anemia, pregnant women and fetuses.

The presence of vitamins A, E, C, D, B and many minerals in this food, will refresh, rejuvenate and strengthen the skin and hair.

As it contains vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and selenium, it strengthens bones and teeth and prevents osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Due to having Omega-3 and other minerals, this Ash improves the function of the brain and cardiovascular system.

Ingredients to serve 6:

Wheat: 300 g
Peas, lentils, red beans: 150 g each
Dried savory: As much as needed
Onions: 3
Ship bone: 2 medium ones
Red pepper, turmeric: As much as needed

Directions:

First keep the wheat in cold water for 6 hours to absorb water or even sprout. Then put the wheat, peas, the red beans and lentils in a pot and mix with some water and heat. Heating should be in a way that all beans and wheat are well cooked.

After they are cooked, add the savory. When all the ingredients are cooked, prepare the sautéed onion in a pan. You can also add sheep bones to make the Ash more delicious (It is forbidden for people with high blood lipids).

1,669 Iranians Recover from COVID-19 as Death Toll Rises to 145

1,669 Iranians Recover from COVID-19 as Death Toll Rises to 145

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour announced on Saturday that 1,076 new cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in Iran in the past 24 hours, including 21 new deaths.

This brings the total number of infections to 5,823 and the death toll to 145.
1669 have also recovered from the virus and been discharged from hospital.

The 5,823 confirmed cases so far include in 1,539 in Tehran, 668 in Qom, 606 in Mazandaran, 494 in Gilan, 484 in Isfahan, 305 in Alborz, 265 in Markazi, 178 in Qazvin, 162 in Golestan, 138 in Semnan, 135 in Khorasan Razavi, 107 in Lorestan, 95 in Fars, 81 in Yazd, 77 in East Azarbaijan, 64 in Khuzestan, 52 in Zanjan, 44 in Kurdistan, 41 in Ardabil, 40 in Kerman, 34 in Sistan and Baluchestan, 34 in Hamadan, 33 in West Azarbaijan, 31 in Kermanshah, 30 in Hormozgan, 23 in North Khorasan, 18 in South Khorasan, 16 in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, 15 in Ilam, 8 in Bushehr, and 6 in Kohgiliyeh and Buyer-Ahmad.

Newly-Elected Female Politician Dies of Coronavirus in Iran

Newly-Elected Female Politician Dies of Coronavirus in Iran

Born in 1964, Rahbar was to assume office in May as a representative of Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr Constituency.

She had earlier served as a lawmaker from 2004 to 2016, but was not re-elected in the 2016 elections.

A member of the conservative Islamic Coalition Party, she was the first female politician to die from coronavirus in Iran.

She went into a coma on Friday and then passed away on Saturday, according to hospital sources.

The deadly coronavirus has so far killed 124 people and infected 4,747 others, including several high-ranking officials.

Hossein Sheikholeslam, a former ambassador to Syria and advisor to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Seyyed Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a member of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, are the most prominent officials who have died of the virus in recent days.

Iran Discusses Trade with Turkey, Azerbaijan amid Corona Outbreak

Iran Discusses Trade with Turkey, Azerbaijan amid Corona Outbreak

In separate phone calls with deputy prime minister of the Azerbaijan Republic as well as the Turkish trade minister, the chief of staff of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also discussed with them ways of addressing commercial problems caused by the coronavirus epidemic.

In their phone conversation, Shahin Mustafayev of Turkey and Mahmoud Vaezi exchanged views on ways of expediting the settlement of problems which have emerged with regards to the transportation of goods via rail, sea and land between the two countries as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Accordingly, the two sides agreed to immediately address the problems and facilitate the trend of trade and transit of commodities between the two countries based on a health and hygiene protocol that has been drawn up.

Also, the deputy prime minister of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Iranian official talked over the phone about the problems facing Iran-bound trucks which are stranded at Turkmenistan’s borders. They also discussed the movement of Iranian trucks on Turkish and Bulgarian borders, trucks which are heading to Mersin port city in southern Turkey to load perishable goods.

The two sides agreed to solve the problems faced by trucks carrying perishable goods and to continue the trend of transportation of commodities between the two countries within the framework of the health and hygiene protocol.