Organized by Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), the event is to be attended by representatives from leading countries of the world including those located along the Silk Road.
The main goal of the event is to promote Iranian products and create an appropriate ground for the activities of Iranian and foreign producers in the country.
The festival is also expected to provide Iranian producers with a chance to promote Iranian arts and culture and exchange scientific and technological products with the foreign participants of the international event.
The event is slated to be started on November 25 with the main theme of World Peace. It will be attended by the ambassadors of the countries of the Silk Road as well as those of the Mediterranean region.
Executives from various economic organizations, members of Tehran and Iran chambers of commerce, people from Iran and other countries’ joint chambers of commerce, top Iranian exporters and producers, domestic and foreign investors, great artists from Iranian cinema, TV, and theatre as well as foreign guests from private sector involved in export and import are also invited to take part in the international event.
Sarvinsadat Serry is the secretary of the Silk Road Festival which is to be held in Tehran’s Sa’dabad Palace.
According to the law, any employment of the relatives of senior municipality executives during their time in office is forbidden.
Bahareh Arvin, in defence of her proposal, which was urgently passed a few days ago, said the plan was proposed in line with the implementation of the law on the promotion of administrative justice and the fight against corruption, as well as institutionalizing transparency and systematic and precise struggle against administrative violations.
“Fortunately, it was soon adopted by an overwhelming majority vote,” she added.
She stated that according to the plan, it would be illegal to work with relatives of senior municipality executives who hold more than a quarter of the company’s share or are members of the board of directors.
“Accordingly, Tehran Municipality is required to rescind all contracts that violate this law. Moreover, the directors and employees of the municipality are not allowed to receive gifts from the clients.”
She further noted that the trips of the municipality managers will be made clear and the travel length, reason, entourage, achievements and costs will be published on the municipality’s website.
The senior official on Sunday touched upon Washington’s claim that it wants to bring down Iran’s oil exports to zero, saying the Iranian nation will stand up to foreign pressure.
“Oil is our major source of income, and the US has claimed that it will bring it (Iran’s petroleum exports) to zero. Some countries are also on board with the US. Under such circumstances, the Iranian people must expect officials to be able to export an acceptable amount of oil despite pressures,” said Jahangiri in a speech in Tehran.
“We have found new partners in the world using certain methods, and we are also in talks with our traditional partners and have found solutions. The US should know that any country that comes under sanctions will try to circumvent those sanctions,” he said.
The vice president said Washington did not want oil prices to increase.
“One of the things that the United States didn’t want to happen was a rise in petroleum prices because the US believed other countries could replace Iran [with regards to oil supplies], but now they are seeing that even before oil sanctions take effect, the prices of petroleum hovers above $80. That means even if we export half as much oil as before, our oil income will be more than that before the sanctions,” he said.
He said the private sector is also offering assistance in that regard.
“Businessmen and the private sector are helping as well. Iran lies on a strategic transit route, and the world cannot ignore this. So, many countries have but to buy Iran’s oil indirectly in order to meet their energy needs,” he said.
The vice president said Iran should increase its non-oil exports as well.
He further underscored the necessity of paying attention to domestic production and using locally-produced goods.
“Today, we are in a sensitive situation, which entails the adoption of policies that conform to the current circumstances,” he noted.
He said the enemy has launched an economic war to not only reduce Iran’s sources of income, but eliminate the possibility of importing the commodities needed by Iranians.
“And finally, they intend to trigger discontent among people by putting pressure on them and turn them against the government,” he noted.
Legislator Hassan Norouzi said Sunday criminal courts should not arrest people with regards to private and religious rights including the payment of Mahr “unless the individual deceives the court and refuses to declare his property and assets to the court.”
“With regards to personal rights, when an individual is entitled to receive Mahr, the creditor declares the debtor’s property and assets to the court; then an order is issued ant that property is confiscated in favour of the creditor,” said Norouzi, the spokesman for the Parliament’s Judicial Commission.
He said it is no use incarcerating people for offences related to Mahr, blood money and debts.
“Some lawmakers are seeking changes in the Mahr law. The law has been changed in the past, too, and if a lady’s Mahr was, for instance, 1,000 gold coins, only 110 would be paid,” he added.
He said the intended changes focus on repealing the imprisonment punishment for failure to pay Mahr.
“We want to insert a clause in the Mahr law indicating ‘no one should be arrested or jailed for [failure to pay] Mahr,” he said.
Mahr is a mandatory payment in the form of money or possessions paid by the groom or by groom’s father to the bride at the time of marriage or later on bride’s demand. Mahr is typically specified in the marriage contract signed during an Islamic marriage.
The move is seen to be part of the country’s ongoing efforts to decrease the number of prisoners and introduce alternative punishments for minor offences.
Gold Coin’s Growing Price Nightmare for Mahr Debtors
The exponential growth of gold coin in Iran over the past few months has not only increased the number of judicial cases in the family courts but also significantly boosted the number of men behind bars over being unable to pay their Mahr.
Right now, 4,181 men across the country are behind bars for not affording to pay their wives’ Mahr. This comes as the figure stood at 3,550 back in July 25 and the issue gains further momentum when we come to know that it was 2,450 in August last year.
Today, the huge increase in the gold coin price has heavily impressed Iranians’ livelihood, jobs and families. It goes without saying the gold coin’s price hikes send shock waves through the lives of men who are on the verge of divorce; men who used to imagine themselves as staunch lovers resemble today more to economic debtors.
What Happens in Family Courts?
If you walk through the long corridors of each judiciary complex in Iran dealing with family disputes, you can see plenty of men and women paying and receiving Mahr. But their number has significantly increased as of May following the high jump of gold coin prices.
The judge of 261 Branch, Mahmoud Sa’adat, told the Iran daily newspaper that since May when the gold coin’s price began to jump, the number of family cases filed for overdue installments of Mahr has increased dramatically.
“For example over the past month, out of 190 cases referred to our branch, 63 cases were related to Mahr installment. This comes as the figure stood at only 10 during the same period last year,” he noted.
Elaborating on the judicial process of such cases, Sa’adat said courts first make a general assessment of the financial status of men and issue their verdicts based on their affordability. “This means that verdicts may be totally different for each case.”
Gholam-Hossein Gholavar, the judge of 264 Branch, sheds further light on the issue from another point of view.
“In cases filed over Mahr, women are always the winner because they receive the Mahr based on the latest rate of gold coin. So, this is the men who are hardly impressed financially because they have to choose between going to jail or starting to pay Mahr installments, which they usually opt for the latter,” he noted.
Shocking Statistics of Mahr Prisoners
The worrying growth of Mahr prisoners particularly over the past few months along with the regretful consequences of the high jump of gold coin and jewelry price lead us to this conclusion that the current chaos will collapse not only the country’s economy but also the foundations of families.
Blood Money Organization’s Director Asadollah Jolaei says today 10,000 people are behind bars across the country over unintentional crimes including 4,181 Mahr debtors.
“Fars province with 580 cases, Tehran province with 453 cases, and Isfahan province with 370 cases are respectively the first three leading provinces in the country in terms of Mahr debtors.
“The recent jump in the price of gold coin and jewelry has dramatically increased the number of male prisoners. This comes as five years ago the overall number of people behind bars over unintentional crimes was less than 4,000,” he said.
Jolaei underlined that Mahr is a financial commitment which must be paid unconditionally but it can’t be invested anywhere. “If the amount of Mahr is less than 110 gold coins, it won’t be categorized as a criminal case and the groom won’t go to jail over not paying it.”
Doubtlessly, no one except for the couples themselves can resolve their disputes over Mahr. But getting familiar with the judiciary laws and raising public awareness about marriage laws can decrease the number of the current financial, family, social and economic cases in the courts.
The top story in all papers today was the alleged murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Turkish city of Istanbul, which is blamed on the government of Saudi Arabia.
Also a top story was the success of Iranian athletes in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, in which the Iranians claimed the third title in final medal ranking.
The above issues, as well as many more, are highlighted in the following headlines and top stories:
Abrar:
1- UN Widely Slammed for Electing Controversial Members to Human Rights Council
2- We’re Still Committed to Iran Nuclear Deal: EU Commissioner
3- Trump: Iran Has Changed after US Withdrawal from JCPOA
4- Iran Self-Sufficient in Building Centrifuge
5- Bolton: We’ll Adopt Tough Approach to China
Afkar:
1- MP: US’ Freezing of Iran’s Assets Not Legally Justified
Aftab-e Yazd:
1- Wendy Sherman’s Tears in Course of Nuclear Negotiations with Iran
2- Zibakalam: Things to Get Better after November 4 [US Sanctions]
Speaking in a Sunday ceremony in Tehran marking the beginning of the academic year for universities, Rouhani said, “Politically speaking, Iran is the winner in this story.”
“With regards to foreign policy, Iran is the winner in this saga at the moment, and I don’t think anyone has any doubts about this issue,” he said.
President Rouhani said almost all countries have criticized Washington’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“Except a handful of countries, nobody in the world regards the United States’ pullout from the JCPOA was the right decision. Even those who are too cautious express regret. Those who speak more straightforwardly say the US made a mistake, and those who are even more straightforward say the US move was against laws and regulations,” said the president.
Rouhani also referred to US President Donald Trump’s anti-Iran position at the United Nations.
“You saw the recent meeting of the UN General Assembly and the speeches made there. Mr. Trump even chaired the UN Security Council meeting in order to deal a blow to Iran and get confirmation for his policies. But what response did he get? All 14 other Security Council members hailed the JCPOA,” he said.
The president further touched upon Washington’s grudge against Iran.
“During the past 40 years, no team at the US government has been more spiteful to Iran than the incumbent US government,” he said.
“Currently, the worst individuals have assembled at the White House,” he said.
President Rouhani also referred to the psychological warfare launched by the US against Iran.
“They began their work with a war of nerves, and their medium-term objective is an economic war. Their third objective is [to target] the [Iranian] system’s efficiency, and their final objective is to delegitimize the system,” he noted.
The president highlighted that the Iranian nation will thwart all these plots through unity and solidarity.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the president touched upon Europe’s trade cooperation with Iran.
“Today, under the United States’ unfair laws, the fate of European firms is such that if they stop cooperation with us, they will be fined by the European Court, and if they continue their cooperation as agreed, they will be fined by the US, and such a thing has been unprecedented in the history of Europe-US relations,” said Rouhani.
The president further reiterated that Iranian people do have economic problems, saying the government has undertaken to provide people’s basic necessities and urgent commodities at reasonable prices.
He said the first priority of the country is to solve economic problems.
“We should settle these problems with calm and further hope,” he said.
President Rouhani also highlighted universities’ key role in promoting national culture as well as training students to be knowledgeable, responsible and skillful.
The president also urged universities to marry theory and practice and not settle for theoretical lessons alone.
With about 100 months after the deadly 7.3-magnitude earthquake in Iran’s western province of Kermanshah, which razed to the ground most of the houses in Sarpol-e Zahab and Tazehabad cities, most residents of the province prefer living inside temporary conex boxes to staying inside concrete and brick buildings.
These people have already got accustomed to their iron conex boxes. They have even turned the soulless cubes into some colourful and green houses for their families.
The people of Kermanshah province see the conex boxes not as temporary but permanent houses filled with a sense of life and joy.
What follows are IRNA’s photos of the colourful conex boxes:
According to a report by the London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi, international reactions to the kidnapping of Khashoggi has made Saudi media panicky, prompting them to publish unfounded allegations and accusations. These concerns grew further after Western media’s strong reaction as Khashoggi used to write columns for Washington Post.
The baseless accusations by Saudi media target international media outlets or specific individuals, adds Al Quds Al Arabi.
For example, adds the report, the highly circulated Al-Riyadh newspaper published a report claiming news released about Khashoggi was directly targeting the Saudi government.
The Saudi newspaper claimed that the New York Times had, by releasing a report whose authenticity cannot be confirmed, adopted a hostile policy vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the Saudi newspaper Al Jazeera claimed, in an article, that comments on social media networks with regards to the Khashoggi issue are made via fake accounts with the support of Iran, Qatar and Turkey. The writer of that report expressed dismay over the performance of pro-Saudi media such as Reuters as well as the American newspapers Washington Post and New York Times that those media had reiterated Qatari media’s account of the incident.
Also, a Saudi newspaper ran an article accusing Washington Post of submitting to Qatari money.
Al Quds Al Arabi further added that the finger has been pointed not only at media, but at certain individuals as well.
According to the report, Saudi media, including Al-Arabiya, has launched groundless accusations against Khashoggi, the director of the Association of Turk-Arab Media, without turning the key issue of his disappearance. Accusations have also been levelled against Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz.
According to IRNA, Khashoggi has been missing since returning to the Saudi Consulate building in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Some unofficial news sources announced that Khashoggi was tortured and killed at the consulate by agents of the Saudi security apparatus.
According to filed evidence and remarks by Saudi Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi, all evidence and documents showing the presence of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate, including images of CCTVs at the diplomatic building, have been destroyed by security agents of the Al Saud regime.
Following Khashoggi’s disappearance, the Saudi consul general opened the consulate’s doors to Reuters journalists and announced that images of Khashoggi’s entrance into and leaving the building had not been recorded as the CCTVs were not working.
59-year-old Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia for the United States after bin Salman was picked as the Saudi crown prince. In his articles in Washington Post, the dissident Saudi journalist had taken a swipe at Riyadh’s war on Yemen, the economic crisis with Canada and the apprehension of supporters of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.
Nanocomposite layers have specific features; among others, they are resistant to friction and corrosion, and their mechanical properties have been improved.
Nano-composites are placed on different parts with the help of special instruments and through a special process.
These coating layers are mainly used in producing metal parts required for automobile, oil and gas, petrochemical, aerospace, nuclear, textile, marine and steel industries.
Having worked as a knowledge-based firm for seven years, the Sevin Plasma surface engineering company was introduced to the world as an international company manufacturing state-of-the-art equipment to produce thin layers used as super-hard coating. The firm operates using nano-layer technology and holds a nanoscale certificate from the Nanotechnology Development Commission of the Presidential Office.
Offering surface coating services, the company has developed the physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology and secured a good share of the market in automobile, oil and gas, and nuclear industries. The company’s activities have improved the properties and performance of layers in different conditions. The improvement of the properties of layers will increase their lifetime and resistance to corrosion, and decrease the friction coefficient and the cost of parts.
In addition to producing heavy-duty layers with high resistance on different parts, the company has also produced a layer marking apparatus. It has several features, namely a higher operational capacity and lower price compared to similar apparatuses made by foreign countries. So, the device can increase the quality of the product while being economical, which contributes to economic growth.
The company has also managed to design and develop the first ultramodern coating reactor which measures up to international standards and is planned to be exported to China. Now, the company is concluding exports agreements in that regard.
The company is one of the major firms attending the 2018 International Nano Exhibitionwhich is underway in Tehran from October 13-16. The event brings together many companies from Iran and other countries, which are displaying their latest achievements in the domain of nanotechnology.
A Lamborghini Murciélago designed and built by Iranian car designer Massoud Moradi, unveiled on October 13, 2018, in Tabriz.
Massoud Moradi unveiled his Lamborghini Murciélago on Saturday. Although the appearance of the car is similar to the original, its engine has been made built based on the Korean technology.
The Stnews.ir has conducted an interview with Moradi, the director of the project, the full text of which follows:
Q: When did you start designing this car and how much did it cost?
A: We started this project about four years ago, and we spent a lot of time on doing research. A fairly large amount of money was spent on the production, but since we wanted to commercialise it, I’d rather not disclose the final cost.
Q: To what extent are the dimensions and size of your car similar to the Lamborghini Murciélago?
A Lamborghini Murciélago designed and built by Iranian car designer Massoud Moradi, unveiled on October 13, 2018, in Tabriz.
A: The size and dimensions of the car are exactly the same as the original one, so is the size of the parts, the body frame and the car’s details. For example, at the beginning of the project, we thought we would not be able to build a windshield, so we had to buy an original windshield from a European company that supplies the Lamborghini stock parts. In fact, one of our concerns was that the designed model would not be in harmony with the original windshield. So after the end of the physical work, we brought the windshield to the modeling workshop, and at the time of installation we realised that there was only 2 millimetres of difference in dimensions, so we resolved it during the modeling process. At this stage, we found out how rigorous the original designing was because our designed car was a little different from the original one. In fact, it can be said that the differences are very small and only specialists and designers of the car can recognise them.
Q: How did you design the car?
A: The design of this vehicle is computer-based and the data code is prepared based on the same model which is checked out at each stage of the data coding. By the end of the modelling, the finishing process was started, during which we made the body charming. Moulded parts were re-manufactured and sent to the assembling hall. We built the chassis based on the original Murciélago platform and according to the data we received. The original windshield fractured during the transport process and we had to mould and produce it again. Thus, the only part provided by Lamborghini was removed from the car.
Q: Of course, it has not been easy to access the platform, so what platform and chassis did you use for this car?
A Lamborghini Murciélago designed and built by Iranian car designer Massoud Moradi, unveiled on October 13, 2018, in Tabriz.
A: We were lucky that in the process of construction we could receive the car’s data code. Based on this, we did not spend any time planning or testing the car. By checking the chassis with the body and fixing it with the body fittings, we began to build a chassis and platform, which is exactly the same as the platform and chassis of the original version of Murciélago.
Q: You earlier mentioned that a Hyundai engine and a German gearbox were used on the vehicle. Why didn’t you use the Lamborghini engine and gearbox?
A: We used a 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine on this car. The gearbox was also suitable for this engine. We also used electronic components and options of Hyundai. One of the main concerns about super sport vehicles is the place where a car should go for repairs and services. Lamborghini is a brand that does not have any offices in our country. So we designed a car that has the appearance of a Lamborghini, but based on its technical specifications, you can easily go to repair shops in the country and fix it. In fact, you can drive a Lamborghini, whose maintenance costs are the same as imported cars, and it does not incur extra costs for the owner.
Q: Is the engine and gearbox capable of generating the power needed for such a car?
A Lamborghini Murciélago designed and built by Iranian car designer Massoud Moradi, unveiled on October 13, 2018, in Tabriz.
A: Of course, the acceleration and speed of the car will not be as much as that of Murciélago, but its power is high enough to be considered as a fast-moving car. In the future, if the vehicle is manufactured, we will install different engines on it. I should also point out that it is designed to be powered by a 12-cylinder engine. As a result, in the next models we will be able to use 8 and 10 cylinders on the vehicle.
Q: In the photos released of the car, the exterior design and details of the car are exactly the same as the Murciélago. Is the interior design the same as the original one as well?
A: We designed all the parts inside the car like the outer parts. Everything was designed and then modelled based on the original design. After that, we went through the moulding, parts production, and assembling stages. Then, we sent them to the interior designing section. For example, the leather used in this car meets the standards, and all car lights are designed and manufactured based on the original model. None of the vehicle parts has been purchased from Lamborghini. In fact, decorative pieces are all designed and manufactured inside Iran.
Q: If you’d decide to manufacture it, how many can you produce each year?
A Lamborghini Murciélago designed and built by Iranian car designer Massoud Moradi, unveiled on October 13, 2018, in Tabriz.
A: The annual production of this car depends on investment on this project. If the investment is appropriate, we can produce 50 to 100 ones each year.
Q: Is the suspension, steering and the vehicle’s handling the same as the original one? Have you tested the car so far?
A: It’s definitely not possible to compare the handling of this car with the original version, but the point that our test driver mentioned after the road test was the proper handling of the car on the road. In fact, the car is under the control of driver and its safety is perfect. Due to lack of proper infrastructure, the speed test is not done on this car, but it can be said that with regards to the engine and gearbox used in this car and its heavy body it can easily reach 280 km/h. However, given its lightness, we expect it to have more power.
Q: What kinds of alloys are used in the body, and how the moulds are produced for the production of body parts?
A: The body is made of composite material. The parts have passed the thermal cycle tests and retrofitted. The team in charge of producing the parts had earlier been sent to France by a car company to increase their knowledge of producing the parts. Therefore, we produced the parts based on the same knowledge. Carbon fibre has been used to make the body parts, but it has a lot of difference with other commercially available carbon fibres. This material is used in the engine, rear fins and the bases.
Q: What were the problems at the time of designing?
A Lamborghini Murciélago designed and built by Iranian car designer Massoud Moradi, unveiled on October 13, 2018, in Tabriz.
A: During the designing process, we had to study the details in order to know how parts were made and assembled. There were also problems with wood modelling and prototype moulding. For example, creating a constant temperature in the assembling workshop was a serious challenge for us. If the temperature was not steady, the length of the car or parts could change, and that could result in problems in the assembling process.
Q: If the domestic automotive companies ask you to co-operate with them, do you want to work with them?
A: Domestic automakers’ mission is to solve the problem of the community in terms of transportation, so they try to produce cars that all people can buy. Never has their mission been to produce sports cars or super sport ones, so I’m doubtful we could work together in this area.
