‘Honorary Citizenship of Shiraz More Valuable than Legion of Honour’

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December 14, 2018

Alizadeh, who had turned down France’s most prestigious award “Legion of Honour” years ago, said he couldn’t hide his tears after receiving the honourary citizenship of the city of Shiraz in southern Iran.

“I feel being born once again. I’m brimmed with tear. I’m proud that the historical city of Shiraz has such a music-loving mayor,” he said after receiving the honourary citizenship given by the Shiraz mayor at the closing ceremony of Fars Music Festival in Shiraz.

“This moment reminded me of the day I was awarded the France’s Chevalier of Legion of Honour. While turning down the honour, I knew that greater honours were waiting for me and today, I achieved one of them. Today, I became a citizen of Shiraz and I am proud of that,” he said.

The Iranian composer said that he began his career as a musician in Shiraz. “Tonight, I was born again. I’m happy that the citizens of Shiraz have accepted me with open arms as a Shirazi.”

Before awarding Alizadeh, Shiraz Mayor Heydar Eskandarpour said that the cognoscenti and hospitable citizens of Shiraz reward maestro Alizadeh with the honourary citizenship of their city as a gratitude to his relentless efforts in promoting Iranian music, achieving international honours, ethical and human attitudes and finally his enthusiasm for Shiraz.

He described Alizadeh as a great artist with a comprehensive understanding of the Iranian culture, literature and music.

“The maestro has preferred the love of his people to international awards saying his love for the great nation of Iran is his highest honour in the world,” he noted.

Alizadeh is a world-renowned musician, composer, researcher, teacher, and Tar and Setar instrumentalist and improviser.

On his reason for turning down France’s Chevalier of Legion of Honour, Alizadeh wrote an open letter saying he didn’t need any decoration. He also thanked the Iranian people and said, “The art-loving people and my dear compatriots have bestowed upon me the highest honour many times.”

Married Girls Not Expelled from Day Schools in Iran Anymore

By

Seyedeh Maryam Hosseini Lahijani

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December 14, 2018

alidoosti — A photo of Iranian actress Taraneh Alidousti from the film "I'm Taraneh, 15", in which she played the role of a high school student who turns into a single mother.

Although the marriage of high school girls or boys now seems funny or impossible to many families, there are still people in Iran who get married at such an early age.

According to official school rules in Iran, married students can study at day schools, but some schools expel their married students, especially girls, in some cases.

Since the 1990s, married students, especially girls, have been barred from studying at schools on the pretext that they give their classmates early school-age awareness of marital matters. Although no gender has been mentioned in the rule, this has only been applied to married girls.

First of all, school managers should look at the possibility of studying for these people in other schools, and if possible, they should be directed to adult schools.

The first married girls’ school was launched in 2010 with a capacity of 160 students in Kashmar County of Khorasan Razavi province. It was followed by another school for the education of married girls. But in some regions this was not possible.

On the other hand, many government officials had opposed the expulsion of married students. What’s really happening is that these students are usually victims of personal attitudes of managers and education officials.

For this reason, they are forced to study in an adult school which causes many psychological damages to them. Or they are forced to lie and keep their marriage a secret so that they can continue their studies next to their friends.

However, according to the Schools Administration Act, married students can now continue their studies under some conditions. They can study at day schools like other students, but they must refrain from sharing marital matters with other students.

An official with the ministry of education recently said “married girls can continue to attend day schools, but they should avoid changing their appearance or talking about marital issues with other students.

Otherwise, these students must continue their studies at an adult school or enroll in the same school, but only take the final examinations. There is also the possibility of studying at distance learning centres.”

Iran Welcomes Preliminary Deals between Yemeni Sides

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 13, 2018

The Ministry’s Spokesman Bahram Qassemi described as positive and promising the confidence-building measures and preliminary agreements to continue the negotiations.

In his Thursday night statement, he called the agreement reached on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah very important, and praised the Yemeni parties for understanding the catastrophic situation which the impoverished country is going through.

“The agreement shows that the Yemeni groups participating in the talks have carefully and correctly understood the catastrophic situation of the innocent people of Yemen resulting from escalating conflict in Hudaydah, and have preferred the continued dispatch of humanitarian aid to their own interests,” he noted.

The spokesman also expressed hope that the port city of Hudaydah and other Yemeni ports and airports, including Sana’a airport, would be prepared as soon as possible to receive humanitarian aid.

He also raised hope that such civil activities can alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

“We hope the agreements would be implemented within the framework of the specified timeframe and provide the necessary ground for the next round of talks in the near future to reach a final deal.”

Qassemi said that Iran, within the framework of its responsible approach towards regional crises, played a constructive role in facilitating the Yemeni-Yemeni talks in Sweden.

“Tehran, in line with the four-point plan presented by the country’s foreign minister for Yemen, still believes that the final solution to the Yemen crisis is to stop the war and bloodshed, and to continue the Yemeni-Yemeni talks,” he added.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that warring sides in Yemen will be withdrawn from Hudaydah and that control will pass to local forces, with the UN playing a leading role at the port.

He told reporters after peace talks in Sweden that there has not been agreement on a ceasefire in the rest of Yemen beyond Hudaydah, but described the negotiations as a positive first step.

Meanwhile, the delegation representing the former Yemeni government in the talks described the withdrawal deal hypothetical. However, the Ansarullah movement along with the former government’s delegation voiced support for the UN-brokered truce.

‘Israel’s Bad Dreams about Iran Will Never Come True’

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 13, 2018

Qassemi made the comments in reaction to the latest rants by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said he does not rule out the possibility of taking military action inside the Iranian territories.

“Although the corrupt and aggressive Zionist regime, which is a symbol of delusions, grudge and hatred, will never ever dare to take such a step, the uttering of such outrageous and shameful words out of ignorance or delusion by the prime minister of an aggressive regime, knowingly or unknowingly, amounts to threatening a big and historical country with military action,” Qassemi said.

Such a threat “will be certainly followed up on in legal and international forums and institutions,” he warned.

Qassemi further noted that the formation of the Zionist regime was originally based on invading and threatening regional states.

While the Zionist regime has in the past decades been the main disturber of stability and security and the root cause of various conflicts, wars, and slaughters of human beings from different ethnic groups, nationalities, and religions, it is now expressing false concerns about stability in the region in a ridiculous way and with no shame, he added.

Referring to the defeats sustained by Israel at the hands of resistance groups in the region, Qassemi warned that in case of any warmongering measure by Israel, Iran’s high military and defensive capabilities will make these short-sighted and malicious warmongers regret such “sick and melancholic” remarks.

Relying on its original history and culture and following its historical experiences, the powerful and honourable Iran and its wise people will foil the inauspicious plots hatched by the ill-wishers against this dynamic nation and territory, with a resolute determination to fight against terrorism, reinforce peace, stability, and security in the region, and promote development and welfare, he added.

“Our red line is our survival,” Netanyahu was quoted by AFP as saying at a meeting with foreign media where he was asked what his “red line” was for attacking Iranian territory, instead of Iran’s allies in Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu’s latest threats against Iran came weeks after the regime unleashed a wave of deadly attacks against Gaza, which prompted a firm response from the resistance fighters there, triggering a political crisis inside the premier’s cabinet.

That crisis saw the Israeli minister of military affairs resign and forced Netanyahu to take over the post himself to prevent early elections in Israel.

Analysts say Netanyahu’s stepped-up belligerent rhetoric is meant to divert attention from the corruption scandals he is grappling with.

Yemeni Sides Reach Truce Deal, Exchange Historic Handshake

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 13, 2018

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Thursday that the two sides had agreed to a governorate-wide ceasefire as well as an agreement to ease the situation in the flashpoint city of Taiz.

“The war in Yemen has gone on for four years. Four devastating years of suffering for the Yemeni people,” Guterres said.

“Thank you for coming here to discuss a better future for Yemen. And what you achieved is an important step.

“You have reached an agreement on Hudaydah port and city, which will see a neutral redeployment of forces from the port and the city and the establishment of a governorate wide ceasefire,” he said.

Restrictions by a Saudi-UAE coalition, which controls Yemen’s waters, on goods entering the port have exacerbated Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, with some 22 million people currently needing assistance.

“The UN will play a role in the port. And this will facilitate the humanitarian flow of good to the civilian population and it will improve the living conditions for millions of Yemenis,” Guterres said, Al Jazeera reported.

Representatives from the Yemeni government and Houthi Ansarullah Movement had been holding closed-door discussions with the UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, since last Thursday aimed at discussing ways to end the fighting that has killed more than 60,000 people.

The talks in the Swedish town of Rimbo, some 60km north of the capital Stockholm, were not intended to reach a political solution to the conflict but instead introduce a set of confidence-building measures that could pave the way for more comprehensive peace talks.

Earlier this week, the opposing sides agreed one such measure with more than 16,000 prisoners expected to be released early next year.

After months of secret negotiations the two sides submitted separate lists to the UN for prisoner releases, with the Yemeni government submitting the names of some 8,576 detainees including teachers, children, tribal figures, women and Imams; while the Houthis submitted the names of some 7,487 people.

Guterres told reporters that the two parties also reached a “mutual understanding” to ease the situation in the city of Taiz.

“This will lead to the opening of humanitarian corridors and the facilitation of goods,” he said.

11,000 Ancient Objects to Be Returned to Iran from US

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 13, 2018

Mounesan announced on Thursday that “the 11,000 objects, including a part of Persepolis fortification, will soon be returned to Iran.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of a tourism exhibition in Shiraz, he added that these objects had been taken out of the country about 80 years ago for research, but had not been returned so far.

1,784 packs will be sent to Iran in the first stage based on an arrangement made with the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, to which Iran had loaned the ancient relics in 1937, he added.

Mounesan said that the objects have recently received the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s licence, stressing the packaging work is almost over, but there are problems in the insurance process.

“They say due to sanctions they cannot send the packs to Tehran at the moment. We have told them that they should be delivered in Tehran, otherwise we have to get the objects in The Hague. Soon, it will be determined that where the delivery shall be made, but they say it will take time to pack because of the large number of objects.”

The US Supreme Court in February ruled that Americans injured in a 1997 suicide bombing in Jerusalem al-Quds cannot seize ancient Persian artifacts from the Chicago museum to satisfy a $71.5 million court judgment against Iran, which they had accused of complicity in the attack.

The justices, in an 8-0 ruling, recently upheld a lower court’s decision in favour of Iran that had prevented the plaintiffs from collecting on the judgment, which Tehran has not paid, by obtaining antiquities held at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute.

The important Persian cultural artifacts include clay tablets boasting some of the oldest writing in the world.

Iran Blasts Pakistan for Dragging Feet on Gas Pipeline

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IFP Media Wire

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December 13, 2018

Speaking at a televised talk show on Wednesday, Zanganeh said Pakistan has failed to construct even a single kilometer of the gas pipeline that it has committed to finish under a deal with Iran.

“Pakistan is under pressure from the US, Saudi Arabia and (the United Arab) Emirates,” he said, adding that Pakistanis have not taken any practical measure to construct the long-awaited pipeline despite the Iranian Oil Ministry’s insistence.

“Not even a single kilometer of the pipeline has been constructed on Pakistani soil,” the minister said.

Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, which stretches for 900 kilometers only in Iran, has been designed to help populous Pakistan overcome its growing energy needs.

Iran has already completed the construction of the Iranian section of the pipeline, while Pakistan has fallen short of constructing its 700-kilometer share.

Pompeo Once Again Mocks UN Security Council: Zarif

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IFP Media Wire

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December 13, 2018

Zarif was referring to Security Council 2231 Resolution, which endorsed the multilateral deal. At a UNSC meeting on Wednesday on the implementation of that resolution, Popmeo repeated the claim that Iran was in “open defiance” of it.

The top US diplomat also voiced concerns against Iran’s missile activities and urged restrictions on them under Resolution 1929 of 2010. He also announced plans to build a “coalition of responsible nations” against what he called Tehran’s “reckless ballistic missile activity.”

The top US diplomat further defended the decision by President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this year to leave the Iran nuclear agreement.

The US also re-imposed on Iran all the sanctions it had lifted under the deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), threatening secondary sanctions against the businesses that fail to abide by Washington’s restrictive measures.

On Thursday, Zarif took to Twitter to respond to Pompeo’s comments at the council, saying that he mocked the council by bragging about violating Resolution 2231 and even speaking of plans for more such violations.

He said the “isolated” US became the first permanent member of the council to punish other countries for complying with Resolution 2231.

Zarif further stressed that Pompeo’s remarks confirmed that Washington and its allies rely on “defunct” Resolution 1929.

Resolution 2231 terminated the provisions of previous UNSC resolutions against Iran, some of which had imposed restrictions on Iranian missile activities. Such activities are not prohibited under Resolution 2231, which merely calls on Iran “to refrain from any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.”

Tehran has always emphasized that it has no nuclear warheads and that none of its missiles have been designed to carry nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly confirmed Iran’s compliance with the accord.

The Security Council met late Wednesday at the request of France and Britain days after Iran tested a conventional ballistic missile.

At the meeting, the European allies of the US echoed Pompeo’s “concerns” about Iran’s ballistic missile activities. They, however, stopped short of claiming that Iran was violating Resolution 2231, and reiterated strong support for the Iran deal, instead, amid European efforts to protect the JCPOA as well as their business links with Iran in the face of US sanctions.

In response, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia took a veiled but clear swipe at Pompeo as he denounced attempts to “fan anti-Iranian hysteria.”

“There is no proof that the ballistic missiles can carry a nuclear load,” Nebenzia told the council.

Nebenzia added that some council members were using Wednesday’s meeting “to discuss the so-called regional behavior of Iran, which they depict as though it were the only source of all the woes in the Middle East.”

“What they do not voice is any kind of a substantive proposal on this topic and sometimes we’re left with the impression that the only goal is to further escalate anti-Iran hysteria and to demonize Iran,” he said.

Iran has repeatedly said its missile activities are in line with its deterrence doctrine, and that it will continue testing conventional missiles.

Spanish Playwright’s Masterpiece on Stage in Tehran

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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December 13, 2018

Commentators have often grouped the House of Bernarda Alba with “Blood Wedding” and “Yerma” as a rural trilogy.

Rafiei has directed these two works as well and now is working on the third one.

Mohammad Charmshir has helped Rafiei as the dramaturge of the play, which is being performed in Tehran’s Vahdat Hall in December 2018 and January 2019.

Among the actors of this dramatic work are Roya Teymourian, Maryam Sa’adat, Maedeh Tahmasebi, Nasrin Derakhshanzadeh, Parisa Sabourinejad, Reyhaneh Salamat, Yalda Abbasi, Sara Rasoulzadeh, Mostafa Sassani, etc.

Ali Rafiei; Most Prominent Iranian Drama Director

Roya Asadi in 2017 and Farshad Yari in 2018 had staged the same play in Iran, but the one currently on stage is of particular significance because of its director.

In spite of the usual disagreements in the artistic community, there is no doubt that Rafiei is currently the most prominent Iranian theatre director.

He is a director who brought a beautiful, concise and stereotypical picture of the contemporary theatre of the world to Iran. He is the only director whose pictures remind the audience of his plays.

Dr Ali Rafiei, born in 1938, is a teacher, writer, translator, stage designer and director of theatre and cinema. He has a high school diploma from International Theatre Institute in Paris and a diploma in acting from the Charles Dolan School in France. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in sociology as well as bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in Dramatic Arts from the Sorbonne (1974).

He has played in some Iranian and French films and TV dramas, and has taught at Tehran University. He has also served as the head of the School of Dramatic Arts and director of City Theatre of Tehran.

Rafiee was recently honoured for his artistic activities in the field of cinema and theatre.

Here you can see photos of Rafiee’s “The House of Bernarda Alba” retrieved from IRNA:

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Breathtaking Grandeur of Autumn in Mazandaran, Iran

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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December 13, 2018

Badab Soort natural range of stepped travertine terrace formations and Churat Lake near the city of Sari are two of the most stunning attractions of Mazandaran province in autumn season.

Following you can find photos of autumn in Mazandaran retrieved from Mehr News Agency:

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