An organizer of the event said in this edition, Iran will host guests from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Benin, Turkey, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia and Georgia.
“We have invited commercial attaches of these countries,” said Arezou Rajabpour.
“50 exhibitors will also provide services during the exhibition,” she added.
The Food Tourism Exhibition will be held from November 28 to 30 and the closing ceremony is scheduled to be held on December 12.
The talks were held both in the afternoon and in the evening. The meetings were co-chaired by Abbas Araqchi, the deputy Iranian foreign minister for political affairs, and Helga Schmid, the Secretary General of the European External Action Service.
The negotiations brought together a delegation from the Iranian parliament and Foreign Ministry as well as directors general of different departments of the European Commission.
High on the agenda was mutual cooperation in the fields of agriculture, education and research, trade, energy, climate change, transportation, banking issues, migrants’ issues, illicit drugs, natural disasters, human rights and fighting terrorism.
The two sides exchanged views on last year’s performance in the above-mentioned areas and reached agreement on ways of promoting future programs. The second part of the discussions revolved around regional issues.
In an opening speech, Araqchi highlighted the strategic importance of the Iran nuclear deal for regional and international peace and security. He said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has in 13 reports corroborated the Islamic Republic of Iran’s full commitment to its obligations under the nuclear agreement.
The official underscored the need for other signatories to the Iran nuclear deal, especially the EU and the European countries, to reciprocate Iran’s compliance with the agreement and expedite the implementation of the deal in an efficient manner amid Washington’s illegal pullout from the deal.
He said any foot-dragging on the fulfilment of commitments under the deal will cause “this key diplomatic achievement for the international community” to face serious challenges. In that case, he said, Iran will make decisions based on its own interests and independence.
This round of high-profile talks coincided with the third Iran-EU seminar on peaceful nuclear cooperation in the Belgian capital, Brussels. The Iran-EU seminar was co-chaired by Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi and the head of the EU energy commission.
The Monday report said the governments participating in the payment channel will directly manage the company (mechanism) in order to prevent the US from putting direct sanctions on it.
According to the diplomats, British officials are also mulling over joining France and Germany in order to rescue the European attempt to circumvent the US sanctions and salvage the Iran nuclear deal following the US’ withdrawal in May.
The report said if France plays host to the SPV, Germany will take the helm, and vice versa.
According to the report, the mechanism is not finalized yet and finishing touches will be discussed on the sidelines of the 2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit, scheduled to begin on November 30.
The move comes after Luxembourg and Austria, under the US pressure, refused to host the SPV, with Luxembourg officials being warned that hosting the mechanism could damage the country’s place as a major financial center hosting many international investment funds, European diplomats said.
The report was released during the visit of Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi to Brussels, Belgium, where he attended the third seminar on peaceful nuclear cooperation between Tehran and the European Union.
The European Union hosted the AEOI chief at the seminar aimed at showing the bloc’s continuing support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The controversy over Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s comments about ‘rampant’ money laundering in Iran remained a top story today, as several conservative lawmakers have expedited their efforts to have him impeached over the comments. However, the conservative paper Javan urged the lawmakers not to try to impeach Zarif under the current sensitive situation, where he is the only voice of Iran against the US and its policies.
Also a top story was the remarks made by Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi, during which he warned the international community of the ‘unpredictable’ and ‘ominous’ consequences of the annulment of the Iran nuclear deal.
The death of great Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci at the age of 77 also received great coverage in toda’s papers.
Several papers also covered the 6.4-magnitude earthquake which hit Kermanshah province in Western Iran, but fortunately left no one killed.
The above issues, as well as many more, are highlighted in the following headlines and top stories:
Aftab-e Yazd:
1- 30% of Executive Positions to Be Filled by Women by Year-End
2- We Talk like Those in Switzerland, Act like Africans: Cleric
3- Why Do We See So Many Quakes in Kermanshah?
Arman-e Emrooz:
1- Some Trying to Use Zarif’s Impeachment as Pretext to Postpone CFT Ratification
2- Annulment of Iran Nuclear Deal to Result in Chaos: Iran Nuclear Chief
Ebtekar:
1- Champ Elysees Conquered by Yellow Vests
2- Serious Death of Serious Cinema: Master of Italian Cinema Dies
Etemad:
1- Addiction to Impeachment
* Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Education, Science, Interior on Verge of Being Impeached
2- Can Anyone Buy a House with Current Mortgages?
3- Chinese Company Replaces Total in Development of Phase 11 of South Pars Gas Field
4- Death of Italian Cinema’s Giant [Editorial]
5- Netanyahu Had No Choice but Ceasefire: Hamas Envoy to Tehran
Ettela’at:
1- World to Be Damaged by JCPOA Annulment: Salehi
2- Iran Sends Message of Friendship, Peace to Neighbours: DM
Iran:
1- Emergency Treatment of High Inflation
2- European Energy Commissioner: We’re Committed to Creating Iran Payment Channel
3- Queiroz: We’re Well Prepared for AFC Asian Cup 2019; Nothing Will Stop Us
Javan:
1- 15 Reasons for Continued Decline in US Dollar Rates
2- Iran Nuclear Deal at ‘Almost Zero’ Point: Araqchi
3- Forget about Zarif’s Impeachment; Not a Good Time to Do That [Editorial]
4- Eastern Borders to Become More Secure
5- Ukraine Creating Tension to Retake Crimea
Jomhouri Eslami:
1- People of Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Mauritania Protest Bin Salman’s Visit to Their Countries
2- 30% Decrease in Gold Prices
3- Anti-Cancer Drug Production Factory Launched in Iran’s Alborz
Kayhan:
1- Dollar Rates Down, but No Change in Those of Consumer Goods; Where’s Problem?
2- Sarpol-e Zahab Earthquake Fortunately Leaves No One Dead
3- Tsunami of Ageing Population in Iran; Kissinger’s Prescription to Be Discussed by Parliament
Resalat:
1- Social Literacy to Decrease Divorce Rates
2- Zarif’s Impeachment Imminent: MP
3- We Can Launch Our Own Alternative to SWIFT: Former Chief Banker
Sazandegi:
1- Mystery of Kermanshah Quakes: Why So Many Earthquake in One Region?
2- Death of Cinema’s Leftist Giant: Bertolucci Dies at 77
Setareh Sobh:
1- Traditional Voting Outdated: Parliament Speaker
* Electronic Voting Must Replace Old Ways
2- People’s Votes to Be Protected through Electronic Voting [Editorial]
3- Bernardo Bertolucci Dies
Shahrvand:
1- Asghar Farhadi’s ‘Everybody Knows’ Pirated, Available for Download!
2- Imam Khomeini’s Great Grandson Suddenly Gets Married
3- Fraudsters Blackmailing Iranians Using Their ‘American Dream’
* US Green Card Lottery Tempting Millions of People Each Year
Shargh:
1- Tehran Mayor Has Always Been a Politician, Except for This Time
* Interior Ministry Has Yet to Approve Qualification of Urban Engineer Hanachi
2- Europe’s Last Hope for Having Ties with Iran: German Economic Attaché
Sobh-e Now:
1- Benefits of JCPOA for Iran Close to Nothing: Araqchi
2- Houses Jolted, but Didn’t Collapse in Recent Kermanshah Quake
3- Muslim Countries’ Unity to Devalue US Dollar: Iraqi Official
4- Telegram’s Role in Devaluating Iran’s National Currency
Vatan-e Emrooz:
1- Lord of the Saws: Bin Salman’s Tour of N. Africa Widely Protested
2- Why Iran, France Have No Ambassadors in Paris, Tehran?
* Conditional Relations
3- France against Neo-Liberalism [Editorial]
4- $17 Million worth of Hunt: IRGC Aerospace Force Has Captured US’ MQ9 Drone
“If words are not turned into deeds, then … it is very ominous, the situation would be unpredictable,” Salehi told reporters on Monday on the sidelines of the third EU-Iran High-Level Seminar on ‘International Nuclear Cooperation’.
Earlier in the day, in a joint press conference with European Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete, Salehi said the JCPOA is perhaps the best nuclear agreement in the minds of the delegations which held marathon talks to clinch it.
He thanked Europeans for their attempts to preserve the Iran nuclear deal and said the Islamic Republic is hopeful that through mutual cooperation, the remaining signatories of the deal including Russia and China could preserve the accord after the US unilateral withdrawal back in May.
“Today the JCPOA is the only possible deal,” Salehi said, expressing hope that the international community would do its best to preserve it “because if the deal collapses, neither Iran, nor the European Union nor the international community will gain any achievement.”
The Iranian official also said the Iran nuclear deal is a supplement to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and added if the JCPOA fails, the situation will change and turmoil will prevail.
“The European Union has made hard attempts to preserve the Iran nuclear deal and I thank the Europeans for that. They have remained steadfast in this path and explicitly announced that they deem the deal significant for Europe’s security,” he noted.
Salehi expressed hope that the remaining signatories including Russia and China could keep the accord alive and added this is a battle in which all remaining sides should be the winner because “we can’t put up with being a loser.”
He said the political remarks by European as well as Chinese and Russian officials should be translated into reality; otherwise, the future prospect will remain unpredictable.
According to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi, the Iranian top diplomat will attend the conference to express Tehran’s stances on the restoration of peace to Afghanistan.
During his stay in Geneva, Zarif will also hold talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah as well as EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini and a number of other officials attending the conference, Qassemi said on Monday.
The Geneva conference is expected to evaluate whether or not strategies and aid offered by others to Afghanistan to resolve the crisis in the country can pave the way for the withdrawal of foreign troops.
The goal of the conference is to show the solidarity of the international community with the Afghan people and the government in their efforts for peace and prosperity; and for the Afghan government to renew its commitment to development and reform. This is a crucial moment for the government and international community to demonstrate progress and commitment, and maintain the momentum for elections and opportunities for peace.
The conference will also be an opportunity to emphasise the importance of the development and reform agenda and the need to advance it as a constructive contribution to peace and security. This particular conference will also be crucial in measuring results against the $15.2 billion committed by the international community for Afghanistan in 2016.
The Geneva Conference on Afghanistan will be held between two pledging conferences: the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan (2016) and the next pledging conference expected to be held in 2020.
Shora is crazy to work at heights. Hailed from the northeastern city of Amol, she holds an MA in economy from University of Mazandaran. She is now living and working in the same province.
Like many others who work at heights, Shora loves mountaineering and rock climbing.
“It’s nearly a year that I’m working at heights. Of course, I had been rock climbing two years earlier and underwent some training courses for about eight months to work at heights. Despite having an official certificate in this area, I still feel like an amateur,” she said.
Elaborating on the problems of working at heights, Shora says it is not easy at all and if you don’t follow the safety tips, you may develop Suspension trauma, also known as harness hang syndrome (HHS), which occurs when the human body is held upright without any movement for a period of time.
“To be honest, at first, the work seemed very horrible to me but today, I have no fear and even love it. When you are sure about the safety of the equipment, there would be no fear anymore,” she noted.
Shora does a variety of works at heights which is hard to imagine. “It depends on my contracts. Sometimes I paint, sometimes I waterproof rooftops, and sometimes I do insulation or install placards.”
Asked whether or not she knows other women having the same job, Shora said, yes there are at least two other women.
“To me, work should not be viewed through a sexist prism. I think women, who are generally delicate and soft-minded, may even be more successful when it comes to works like what I do, but only if they accept the conditions and come to terms with the fact that they may lose their soft skins and get tough in appearance and behaviour.”
“This requires them to always keep their nails and hairs short. Meanwhile, their skin may get dark under the sun. They should also keep themselves in a good shape,” she added.
Shora turned to working at heights after making a deep change in her life. In her teenage years, Shora weighed 125 kg. She was a reclusive girl with rare contacts with people around her. Fed up with the blames of her family and the society, she decided to make a change because even getting the highest scores at school couldn’t make a change to the society’s judgment of her.
“By reading books, I tried to know the world around me. Due to my heavy weight, I couldn’t get a deep understanding of my environment. So, I mostly lived in my imaginary world. But at the age of 18, I decided to face the world in reality. So, I began to decrease my weight and today I’m 62 kg. Resolving such problems is highly significant. I think facing our problems helps us to grow up.”
After losing weight, she began to go for mountaineering and rock climbing. She has already conquered Damavand as well as a number of other peaks in Iran and abroad including Georgia. Shora is now writing her own book instead of going through others’ books.
She is an exemplary case for those who always complain about life’s problems without taking any step to remove them. And also for those who doubt as to whether a girl can work at heights. According to Shora, “most of my relatives who haven’t seen me since a long time ago feel shocked after visiting me. They can’t believe that I’ve considerably lost my weight and turned into a sociable girl who works at heights.”
In response to a question about how long she could put up with working at heights, Shora said “I’m in love with my job and it goes without saying that I have my own big dream which I prefer not to talk about here. But I’m sure that I will keep working at heights as long as my physical condition allows.”
More than 2,000 guests attended the wedding ceremony, which also included various traditional games.
The “Kurash” wrestling and horse racing were among the traditional games held on the sidelines of the marriage ceremony, as part of the age-old customs of Turkmen people.
Here are photos of the ceremony retrieved from IRNA:
Brigadier General Abdoklarim Banitarafi, head of Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO), made the announcement on Monday, before the air show’s opening ceremony.
“We have already taken the necessary steps to export products that we are authorized to sell,” he told reporters, noting that Tehran will resume selling trainer jets as well.
Iran unveiled its first domestically designed and manufactured fighter jet named “Kowsar” during a defense show in Tehran in August.
The fourth-generation Iranian fighter jet is equipped with “advanced avionics and fire control systems” and can be used for short aerial support missions.
The plane can be manufactured in both single- and double-cockpit types, the latter of which can be used for advanced pilot training missions in addition to its combat capability, according to Fars news agency.
Banitarafi said Iran had already reached export agreements with China, Russia and Indonesia.
US becoming ‘more miserable’
Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said at the Kish Air Show’s opening ceremony that Iran was steaming ahead and making advancements in all fields despite harsh economic sanctions by the US, which he said is becoming “more miserable” by the day.
“Forty years ago, the Iranian nation purged America as the symbol of imperialism and it will proudly celebrate the 40th anniversary of its independence three months from now,” he said.
New warship armed with domestic CIWS
Iran’s Navy says its new warship, which will be unveiled later this week, comes equipped with a domestically developed close-in weapon system (CIWS).
Dubbed Kamand, the state-of-the-art system is mounted on the Iranian Navy’s Sahand guided-missile destroyer, allowing it to defend itself against anti-ship missiles, helicopters and a range of other incoming threats.
Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, the commander of the Navy, made the announcement during an interview published by Tasnim News on Monday.
Khanzadi said besides Kamand, the warship has also received a range of new weapons and electronics that put it above its predecessors in terms of combat power and operability.
“This frigate is armed with anti-ship cruise missiles and has larger flight decks to carry heavier helicopters,” the commander said.
Sahand is also equipped with other advanced systems that Khanzadi said “perhaps we don’t need to talk about right now.”
According to Khanzadi, the Navy would commission a total of three new destroyers to its northern and southern armadas in the next four months.
The rear admiral noted that a second destroyer was in line to receive Kamand, which is often referred to as the Iranian equivalent to America’s Phalanx CIWS.
The Navy has yet to disclose more details about the weapons system but according to Khanzadi, Kamand can fire anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000 projectiles per minute.
Earlier this year, Khanzadi told reporters that Kamand had been successfully tested and was ready for deployment. He said back then that Iran was among the few countries in the world with the technology to develop such advanced systems.
Iran is set to showcase its latest achievements in maritime technology during the 20th Iran International Maritime and Offshore Technologies Exhibition (IRANIMEX2018) on Kish Island next month.
China has made investments in a number of economic projects in Iran, and has extensive economic cooperation with the country. However, most Chinese people still think Iran is an Arab country with large swaths of deserts, its people speak Arabic and its women wear Burka.
This prompted the China Central Radio program-makers to send a team of five reporters to Iran. The reporters made a five-day tour of the country to know its tourist attractions in person.
During their stay in Iran, they recorded the voices of sportsmen in Zoorkhaneh, drivers stuck in traffic jams, ordinary people and many others. The program made by the group is going to be aired at a prime time by the Chinese radio channel.
Ramin Zabihmand, a senior member of the Iranian Tourist Guides Association (ITGA) who accompanied the reporters during their visit, told ISNA the reporters stayed in Iran for five days and paid a visit to the capital Tehran and Isfahan with the main goal of producing features on Iran’s tourist attractions.
The guide went on to say that the reporters aimed to record various types of voices in Iran and to this end they visited a Zoorkhaneh and some traditional bazaars in the cities and had face to face talks with the ordinary people.
Elaborating on the Chinese reporters’ impression of visiting Iran, he said they were surprised to see various natural and historic attractions of Iran.
“One of the main questions that popped up in their minds was that why there are no sufficient promotional programs about Iran’s tourist attractions. They also said with such a huge number of tourist attractions, Iran can potentially attract a large number of tourists from China,” he said.
Zabihmand also said the reporters are set to visit Iran again but not as journalists. They are expected to visit Iran along with their families to enjoy the attractions of Iran.
Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) has recently established a new specialized department in order to boost the number of Chinese tourists visiting Iran. It is also mulling over removing the visa regime for Chinese citizens.
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