China Appreciates Iranian Filmmaker’s Sympathy amid Coronavirus Outbreak

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February 5, 2020

“Mr. Majidi has sent a letter to China to express sympathy. I thank Iranian friends standing by the Chinese nation during harsh days,” Ambassador of People’s Republic of China Chang Hua tweeted on Monday.

Earlier on Friday, Majidi had sent a letter to the China’s Central Radio and TV Tower, saying that he will make a film to picture the Chinese people’s endeavours to combat the disease.

“I am certain that you great people of China will triumph over this great human disaster, as you have proved in the annals of history that you are a hardworking and combatant nation. You will restore hope and life to China,” said Majidi in his letter.

A prominent movie director in Iran and the world who has paid many visits to China, Majidi has won many international awards.

In 2008, he made the short movie Beijing, Beijing for the program “Famous Directors’ View of Beijing”. In 2019 he attended the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations during which he sat for an exclusive interview with China’s Central Radio and TV Tower’s reporters.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on February 5

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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February 5, 2020

Iran Newspapers

Abrar:

1- Judiciary Spokesman: Five People Arrested for Links to Counter-Revolutionary Element Zam

2- Canada FM Urges Iran to Immediately Send Black Box to Ukraine or France

Afkar:

1- Judiciary Spokesman: Death Sentence Upheld for CIA Agent

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Medicine Imports Through Swiss Channel Just Propaganda: VP

2- Ahmadinejad Former President of Iran or US?

* Former President Commenting on Most Trivial Social, Sport Issues of US in Twitter

Ebtekar:

1- Epidemic of Fear for Coronavirus

2- Brexit: Beginning of European Gap

Etemad:

1- Global Criticism of Stripping Palestinians of Their Rights

* UN Security Council to Hold Meeting on Deal of Century

2- Ceasefire until Further Notice

* Borrell Stops Europe’s Radicalism

Ettela’at:

1- First VP: US Cannot Put Siege on Iran’s Great Economy

2- Iran’s Withdrawal from JCPOA Is What US Wants: Cleric

3- Afghan Sources: Mastermind of Gen. Soleimani’s Assassination Killed in US Plane Crash

Javan:

1- Democrats against Democracy; Republicans against Republic!

2- Arabic-Sudanese Dagger on Back of Palestine

3- Iran Elections in Transparent Glass Room

Kayhan:

1- Back-to-Back Victories of Resistance Front: Gen. Soleimani’s Banner in Hands of Gen. Qa’ani

2- Informed Sources in Afghanistan: D’Andrea Killed in US Plane Crash along with 17 Key US Figures

3- Judiciary Spokesman: 3 CIA Agents Sentenced to Death, Jail

4- Students, People Hold Rally against American-Zionist ‘Deal of Century’ Plan

Sazandegi:

1- Robbery of Persian Language

* Afghan President Claims Persian Language Belongs to Afghanistan!

Setareh Sobh:

1- Zarif: Future to Be Decided with Negotiation

The One Who Fights Must Negotiate at End of the Day: Zarif

Shargh:

1- Zarif: Some Think If We Accept Diplomacy, that Means Giving Up!

2- Chinese Economy Suffering from Coronavirus

3- Reformists Say Won’t Field Candidates for Iran Elections 2020

Iran 95% Self-Sufficient in Electricity Equipment

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 5, 2020

Iran, Iraq Agree on Two Electricity Contracts

“This is an important achievement and I recommend the Ministry of Energy designs a more detailed plan within various frameworks, especially for power plants, so that the capacities of internal experts are tapped at the maximum level,” Larijani said during a ceremony to inaugurate four power projects in the province of Khuzestan.

He stressed that “given the foreign currency limitations”, the ministry needs to “prepare the groundwork … for the presence of internal experts in the field of electricity.”

Larijani urged the Ministry to produce all the equipment it needs inside the country, and vowed that if banking facilities were needed, the parliament will help.”

He added “we can pave the way for manufacturing the equipment inside Iran, which [of course] involves some risks, and the parliament will provide the necessary support.”

Iran has been under severe sanctions since 2018 when US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the JCPOA, an agreement between Iran and world powers over the country’s nuclear program.

Iranian officials stress that in spite of the pressures the sanctions put on the Iranian people, they spur the country to start thinking about ways of self-sufficiency.

Qeshm Island’s Tala Water Wells (Tal Eau)

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 5, 2020

There are multiple wells, called Tala Water Wells, next to Naderi Castle in Laft, Iran’s Qeshm Island. The hardworking people in the region dug them through Schist rocks which had covered the ground. Since a plaster layer lies at the bottom of the wells, water stays there healthy and cold for a long time.

The number of these wells is said to stand at 366, equal to the number of days in a leap year; each day people used the water of one well.

What follows are photos of Tala Water Wells (Tal Eau) in Iran’s Qeshm Island:

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‘Deal of Century’ Will Die before Trump’s Death: Iran Leader

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 5, 2020

'Deal of Century' Will Die before Trump's Death Iran Leader

“The American bullies and bandits have recently unveiled a plan and called it ‘deal of the century’, wishfully thinking the deal may work if they choose a big name for it,” Ayatollah Khamenei told a huge crowd of people in Tehran on Wednesday.

“In my opinion, what they have done and are pursuing is firstly stupid, secondly a sign of treason, and thirdly it is to their own detriment from the very beginning,” he noted.

The Leader said the US and Israel are sparing no effort to advance the plan.

“Now, they will make attempts to push the plan. To that end, they are relying on weapons and money; they use bribes and arms as a carrot to allure some, and they also make threats,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

To counter such moves, said the Leader, it falls upon Palestinian people and organizations to stand up to the Zionist enemy (Israel) as well as the United States.

“That’s the only solution,” he said.

“And the whole Muslim world should help and support them,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

“Fortunately, today, this resistance in the West Asia region is not limited to Palestine; this resistance exists in a sphere which goes beyond Palestine, and, God willing, this resistance will grow day by day,” he said.

“We, as the Islamic Republic [of Iran]’s system, take it upon ourselves to back Palestinian combatant groups, and we will wholeheartedly support them in whatever manner and to whatever extent we can,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

Iranian, Algerian FMs Discuss Muslim World Developments

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 5, 2020

Iranian, Algerian FMs Discuss Muslim World Developments

During the phone conversation, the two sides rejected the “cruel” and “disgraceful” deal of the century.

The two top diplomats also stressed the need for the Muslim world to take a decisive stance and remain united against this plot while offering continued support for the rights of the Palestinian people.

Zarif Holds Talks with PA President, Hamas Chief on ‘Deal of Century’

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 5, 2020

Zarif Holds Talks with PA President, Hamas Chief on ‘Deal of Century’

In a telephone conversation, Foreign Minister Zarif and Haniyeh discussed the latest developments in Palestine and the American-Zionist plot, known as deal of the century.

In the phone call, the top Iranian diplomat vehemently condemned the inhumane plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, known as deal of the century, and voiced support for the unanimous stances of the Palestinian people and leaders in opposition to the unilateral plan.

Foreign Minister Zarif also emphasized the necessity for unity and solidarity among the Palestinian groups and the free nations and governments of the world in the all-out confrontation with such major plot of the century.

The foreign minister further expounded on Iran’s stances in support of the Palestinian people’s rightful and legitimate struggle against the Zionist occupiers, and highlighted the widespread popular and governmental movements against such cruel American-Zionist project.

For his part, Haniyeh pointed to the Palestinian nation’s struggles and to the unity and solidarity formed in the confrontation with the hostile plan, and highlighted the determination of the Palestinian leaders, people and resistance groups in the fight against the Zionist regime’s occupation.

He finally praised the Islamic Republic of Iran for its efforts to support the oppressed Palestinian nation in the perseverance and resistance against the occupiers.

Also in a phone conversation on Tuesday night, Zarif and PA President Abbas conferred on the latest developments in the occupied territories and Trump’s Middle East plan.

The two sides rejected the American-Zionist deal, and underlined the necessity for unity and solidarity of the Muslim world in support for all the rights of the oppressed people of Palestine.

Iran FM Hails Palestinian Rejection of Deal of Century

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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February 5, 2020

Iran FM Hails Palestinian Rejection of Deal of Century

In a telephone conversation on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Zarif and Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement Ziyad al-Nakhalah discussed the issues of the region and Palestine.

In the phone call, Foreign Minister Zarif roundly condemned the imposed and treacherous plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, known as deal of the century, voiced support for the unanimous stance of the Palestinian people and leaders in opposition to the unilateral plan, and emphasized the necessity for unity and solidarity among the Palestinian groups in the all-out confrontation with such major plot of the century.

The foreign minister also expounded on Iran’s stances in support of the Palestinian people’s rightful and legitimate struggle against the Zionist occupiers, and stressed the need for the widespread movements by people and the Islamic countries against the evil American-Zionist ploys.

Has Iran Censored Tsarist Russia’s Atrocities from School Textbooks?

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 5, 2020

Has Iran Censored Tsarist Russia’s Atrocities from School Textbooks — The Treaty of Turkmenchay represented the Persian Empire's recognition of Russian suzerainty over the Erivan Khanate, Naxcivan Khanate, and the remainder of the Talysh Khanate, establishing the Aras River as the common boundary between both empires, after the defeat of the Persians in 1828 at the end of the Russo-Persian War.

Director of the Iranian Organization of Educational Research and Planning, Ali Zou-Elm, has given journalists a description of the reports that a number of sections about the crimes committed against Iran by the Russian Empire have been omitted from the high school Persian literature books.

“Our fundamental view about what has happened in history is that the Tsarist Russia’s crimes could not be omitted (from the school-books), and we do not deny the Eastern Bloc’s hegemonic style of interaction under the Soviet Union either, and we’ll never omit them (from the textbooks),” the Iranian cleric added.

The fact that the Russian Federation is currently working and interacting with Iran does not mean that a period of history could be ignored, he added, stressing, “We disapprove of manipulation of history.”

Zou-Elm also noted that the omission of certain texts about Russia from the school-books has not taken place during his term, saying the issue will be carefully examined and the necessary revisions will be definitely made to the textbooks if it becomes clear that the changes have been unfair.

The official also noted that the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science have been assigned to include the American crimes and plots on the textbooks, stressing, “The US crimes during the Islamic Revolution and the war against the Iranian nation are among the other examples of the US crimes.”

He further denounced the US government’s attempts to create division between the religious schools and universities of Iran, between the Iranian government and nation, or between the Shiite and Sunni Muslims, saying the White House had hatched a plot at the beginning of the Islamic Revolution to disintegrate Iran and derail the revolution.

Zou-Elm finally lashed out at the US government for its moves to “attract the thoughtful brains of the Iranian youth”, foment Islamophobia, and assassinate top Iranian commander Lt. General Qassem Soleimani.

Namakdan Salt Cave of Iran’s Qeshm Island

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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February 5, 2020

Namakdan Salt Cave of Iran’s Qeshm Island

In the southwest of Qeshm Island there is a dome-like mountain, 237 meters above sea level. It has salt caves, called Namakdan caves, which are among the island’s most beautiful natural attractions. Namakdan means “Salt Shaker” in Persian. Strands of salt on the mountain create a beautiful scene from afar.

Marble, crystal icicles in different forms have blanketed the ceiling of the caves.

The salt in these caves is among the best common one which is also rich in magnesium; that’s why it can be used for medical purposes, especially by professional athletes who take it in the form of capsules.

Studies conducted by geologists at Shiraz University and in the Czech Republic have revealed that the island’s salt cave is the world’s longest (6,400 meters long). So far more than 6,000 meters of the caves have been explored.

Salt caves in Qeshm are inside the salt dome which is one of the most elevated parts of the island. At the cave’s entrance you can see a stream of salt water running on the ground serving as a mirror, reflecting everything. These crystals are spread on the ground inside the cave. You will find no similar parts in the cave. Take a look at different parts and all you see are new forms and colors.

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