Iran Not to Bow to US, Allies: Top General

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April 23, 2018

Geral Baqeri says the traditional bipolar system in the world has collapsed and new powers have emerged in the East and the West.

“Of course, certain powers and regional players have closed their eyes to the realities in the modern world, and unfortunately no region in the world is safe from blows,” said the top general in an address to the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, commonly known as IONS, which opened in Tehran on Monday, April 23.

He also lashed out at the White House for contributing to disorder in the world, a Farsi report by Fars News Agency said.

“The US and certain other powers send military units to different locations and promote chaos in the world by using the language of force,” said the senior commander.

“By supporting the ISIS terror group, the US has plunged a large part of West Asia into crisis, setting the scene for [the] displacement [of people] and killing,” he said.

General Baqeri also described the recent air attack on Syria by the United States and its allies as a clear example of “illegal behaviour.”

“They export weapons to different countries, including Saudi Arabia, preparing the ground for war,” he said.

Foreign Powers’ Presence in Indian Ocean Triggers Insecurity

Elsewhere in his remarks, the top commander said the special features of the Indian Ocean has made it an influential region whose sphere of influence goes beyond the region.

“Any changes to the Indian Ocean’s security situation has a direct link to security in other parts of the world,” the top commander underlined.

He also underscored that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a leading country in the war on terror, are prepared to share their experience with other countries.

He said the Iranian Navy has dispatched 51 flotillas of warships to the Indian Ocean to deal with pirates and marine insecurity.

“This comes as the massive presence of military units of some major powers and their interference in the Indian Ocean region triggers insecurity, a clear example of which is the large-scale bombardment of Yemeni people,” he said.

Iran’s Beauties in Photos: Scenic Village of Filband

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 23, 2018

This village is located at an altitude of about 2,300 metres above sea level. Filband on the eastern side of Mazandaran is known as the roof of the province.

In this village, winter begins very soon and ends late.

The combination of high mountains and dense forests which pass through a large amount of white clouds has turned the village into a beautiful tourist destination.

The skies of Filband open up hidden and new aspects of nature to the tourists in the tranquillity of the clouds and the silence of nature.

Here are Mizan News Agency’s photos of the village:

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Iran Leader Calls for Further Unity between Army, IRGC

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

In a Sunday meeting with the top commander of Iranian Army as well as a group of commanders of the Iranian Army Ground Forces on National Army Day, the Leader praised the remarkable skills and valuable experiences of the senior personnel of the Iranian Army.

Ayatollah Khamenei also expressed hope for a bright future for the young generation of the army staff and underlined the urgency of continuous boosting of Iranian Army’s progress and might.

“The progress should keep going on so that tomorrow’s army becomes better, stronger and more efficient and revolutionary compared with today’s army,” he was quoted as saying.

He also directly addressed the young generations of the army’s staff and urged them to undertake new initiatives, make serious attempts and expand their capacities to further develop the army’s capabilities.

The Leader also hailed the Commander of Iran’s Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi for his recent revolutionary and unifying remarks in which he had said all Iranian armed forces will stand united in the face of enemies.

“Despite his emotional commitment to the Iranian Army which is critical for the survival of the military bloc, Major General Mousavi made wise remarks about the urgency of promoting unity between the armed forces which reveal his honesty and management wisdom,” he concluded.

Iraq Major Customer of Iran’s Medicinal Herbs

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

The western Iranian province of Kermanshah is among the areas home to a large variety of medicinal herbs and one of the provinces exporting the products.

“Only yesterday (April 21, 2018) some 20 tonnes of spear thistles produced just from the farms created by people were exported to Iraq, and this can be a good source of income for the country,” said Morad Sheikh Veisi, the director general of the Watershed and Natural Resources Management Department of Kermanshah Province.

Mehr News Agency quoted him as saying that a whole variety of other types of herbs are also produced and exported.

“Out of around 2,000 species of flora which grow in Zagros region, 800 species grow in Kermanshah province, of which 200 are regarded as medicinal and edible herbs,” he said.

The official noted that people are interested in using medicinal and edible herbs, especially in spring. However, he underlined that some people have put different species of medicinal herbs on the verge of extinction through the excessive and unrestrained picking of the plants.

He said some species of the medicinal herbs are on the brink of extinction and can only be found in hardly negotiable passageways. He called on people to avoid the excessive exploitation of areas where medicinal herbs grow.

Given the growing interest in the use of natural products of medicinal and food industries in the global healthcare debates, Iranian people, officials, and industries have increasingly considered the benefits of medicinal herbs and significance of integrating traditional medicine into modern healthcare system and supporting it.

According to the data released by the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, Iran is home to 8,000 herb species, and 2,500 species with medicinal properties and applications such as spice, fragrance, and cosmetics. It also has a rich heritage of traditional medicine with over 14,000 reference books and elegant works such as Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine and Book of Healing, Al-Razi’s Al-Havi, and Zakhireh-i Kharazmshahi.

Given its great potential in the field of medicinal herbs, the country plans to increase the export of medicinal herbs, herbal-based products and herbal products to join the top 10 countries in the world.

Iran Designs System to Inspect Airbus A320’s Landing Gear

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

Iran Designs System to Inspect Airbus A320’s Landing Gear

CEO of Iran Air Farzaneh Sharafbafi says “it is an honour we now have the technical know-how of producing the system required for checking the landing gear in the country.”

“This technical knowledge is much more valuable than the production itself,” she added, according to a Farsi report by Young Journalists’ Club (YJC).

The landing gear is the sole direct link between the airframe and tarmac and is vital to the safe conclusion of the flight. Like all other components which make up an aircraft the landing gear – often simply known as the “legs” by aircrew and ground crew – the landing gear is also checked and maintained on a daily basis, repaired as required and fully overhauled at regular intervals.

A full landing gear overhaul is a task for specialists that requires the use of special tools, equipment and technology. For this reason, for some long time many airlines have sub-contracted this work to organizations with commensurate equipment and know-how, but according to Sharafbafi Iran Air is now able to do the job itself.

Under the cruel sanctions, Iran could not import aviation products to the country. The sanctions also preclude non-American manufacturers from exporting plane parts to Iran if the US-made parts exceed 10 percent.

The Islamic Republic’s aviation industry is a sector rapidly drawing increasing attention. As evidenced by the inaugural flight of Iran’s indigenously designed and manufactured Azarakhsh fighter jet to the mass production of small turboprops and passenger planes, this sector was seen to be making rapid strides.

Part of the impetus for the development of this industry lay within domestic demand factors. It was for a time estimated that over 10% of total demand for passenger planes in the Asian-Pacific market was in Iran, as domestic passenger traffic was expected to top eleven million passengers by the year 2000. This massive demand also spurred private sector investment in this sector as evidenced by the establishment of 17 private airlines.

Iran’s aviation industry infrastructure was by and large established in the 1970s. The Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC), or Panha Company, was formed in 1969, the Iranian Aircraft Industries (IACI) in 1970, and Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation (IAMI), also known under its Farsi acronym (HESA), in 1974.

Two other important companies, Iran Aviation Industries Organization of the Armed Forces (IAIO), also known as the Iranian Armed Forces Aviation Industries Organization (IAFAIO), and Quds Research Centre were formed in the early 1980s. These companies progressed from repair and maintenance facilities to larger defence enterprises with several thousand employees.

Joint aircraft technology projects with Russia were supplemented by such projects as the indigenously designed and manufactured Shabaviz helicopter manufactured by the IHSRC and the S-68 turboprop trainer manufactured by Iran Aircraft Industries.

The IHSRC in Tehran is a producer of the helicopter’s body and maintenance of helicopters according to American standards. However, the achievements of Iran’s aviation industry has not only been limited to the manufacture of planes. Iran Air had successfully and completely overhauled a number of planes in its fleet, without any foreign assistance as have other local companies such as Aseman.

According to the data released by the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, Iran plans to design and manufacture 100-150-seat regional aircrafts and general aviation airplanes in accordance with national and global market demands. It also aims to design and manufacture medium and semi-heavy helicopters, and design and manufacture mini turbojet engines, light and heavy turbofan engines and gas turbine engine compressors with a capacity of 1-10 MW.

Iran Strongly Denounces Kabul Terrorist Blast

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

In a Sunday statement, Qassemi extended Iran’s condolences to the Afghan nation, government as well as the families of the victims of the deadly attack.

He also expressed hope that terrorism in all its aspects and forms would be eradicated soon in the region and the whole world through joint resolve and attempts by all states at bilateral, regional and international levels.

At least 45 people were killed and over 60 others injured earlier Sunday in a blast targeting a voter registration centre in Kabul.

Police say the explosion occurred when a bomber detonated explosives in Dasht-e Barchi area. The ISIS terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Voter registration centres have been set up across Afghanistan in preparation for long-delayed parliamentary elections due to be held in October. The bombing is the fourth attack against the election process in less than a week.

Dasht-e Barchi is largely inhabited by members of the Shiite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly targeted by ISIS terrorists.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 19

Almost all papers today covered the remarks made by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in an address to a group of top executives and cabinet members.

Also a top story was the comments made by Army Chief-Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi in support of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Several papers also highlighted the remarks made by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an interview with the CBS News about Tehran’s reaction to Washington’s possible withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Zarif stressed that the Islamic Republic will immediately resume its nuclear program in a faster pace than before if Trump decides to pull out of the JCPOA.

The above issues, as well as many more, are highlighted in the following headlines and top stories:

19 Dey:

Cowards Must Leave Their Government Positions: Rouhani
I Can’t Tell Everything
Nuclear Chief: Those Violating Nuclear Deal to Be Surprised by Iran’s Reaction

Abrar:

Rouhani: Recent Forex Decision Heavy Blow to US
Zarif: We’re Ready to Resume Our Nuclear Program at Faster Pace

Afkar:

Iran Nuclear Chief: I Hope Other Side Would Come to Its Senses

Aftab-e Yazd:

North Korea Looking for Peace? Pyongyang Stops Missile Test Centre

Arman-e Emrooz:

Rouhani, from Lip Service to Action
President: Bodies Supervising Gov’t Not Allowed to Interfere in Executive Affairs
We’ll Make US Regret Violating Iran Nuclear Deal: Zarif

Asrar:

Iran First VP: Solidarity to Solve All Problems in the Country

Ebtekar:

North Korean Leader: I Don’t Want to Turn into Another Saddam, Gaddafi

Etemad:

Rouhani’s First VP to Ahmadinejad: Don’t Threaten Establishment, Know Your Limits

Ettela’at:

Rouhani: We’ll Overcome Problems If We Manage to Convince People
North Korea’s Missile, Nuclear Activities Stopped on Leader’s Order

Iran:

Zarif in US: We’re Ready to Resume Nuclear Activities
Rouhani: Executives Who Are Afraid Must Leave Their Positions

Javan:

Army Chief: We Won’t Let Anyone Disrupt IRGC’s Progress
Incorrect Judgements about IRGC Nothing New

Jomhouri Eslami:

Jahangiri Warns Ahmadinejad: You’ll Face People’s Outrage If You Threaten Establishment
Palestinian Researcher Assassinated in Malaysia by Mossad Agents

Kayhan:

Late Admission of JCPOA’s Failure
Rouhani: It’s Been Four Years We’re Transferring US Dollars in Sacks!
Army Chief: I Attended IRGC Day Ceremony to Deal Heavy Blow to Enemies
Muslim Woman Denied French Citizenship over Refusing to Shake Hands with a Man!

Khorasan:

People Now Have Access to Treasury’s Payments to All State Bodies

Rah-e Mardom:

Rouhani: Fight against Corruption Needs Planning

Resalat:

Ayatollah Nouri Hamadani: Those Undermining IRGC Echoing Enemies’ Words

Rooyesh-e Mellat:

Army Chief: We Produce All Equipment We Need Inside Iran

Sayeh:

Interior Minister: Morality Police Force’s Illegal Move to Be Dealt with Immediately

Shahrvand:

Rouhani to Top Executives: Resolve People’s Problems

Shargh:

Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani: First VP Jahangiri among Supporters of My Mayoralty

Vatan-e Emrooz:

A Woman Plans to Replace Erdogan
Will Turkey’s Early Elections Be Winning Card for Ruling Party?

Iran President Vows Not to Restrict Social Media

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

Apparently referring to the controversial issue of blocking people’s access to the popular messenger Telegram, Rouhani stressed that people have the right to choose between the social networks they want to use.

In a Farsi post on his Instagram account on Sunday, the Iranian president also added that his government will protect the cyberspace and people’s access to communications.

This comes as within the past few weeks there were contradictory reports saying the popular messaging app Telegram is seemingly drawing its last breaths in Iran.

Telegram has more than 40 million users in Iran and is widely believed to have played a significant role in the victory of Rouhani in the 2017 presidential elections.

On April 18, the Telegram channel of Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei announced it would have no further activity in the app. It said “in order to protect the national interests and to break the monopoly of the Telegram messenger,” the website Khamanei.ir has stopped its activity on this messaging application.

For a brief review of Iran’s achievements in various fields of science and technology, check the book “Science and Technology in Iran: A Brief Review”

Following that, a number of other Telegram channels attributed to top Iranian officials stopped their activities in a move that seemed to signal the imminent blocking of the messenger.

The fate of Telegram in Iran became a hot subject in political circles late last month, when the chairman of the Parliament’s National Security Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said a decision has been made “at the highest levels” to permanently ban Telegram by April 20.

However, shortly afterwards, President Rouhani said he opposes the filtering of Telegram.

4,000-Year-Old Skeletons of Mother, Infant on Show in Iran

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

The relic belongs to a mother who died while giving birth to her baby. The skeleton dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It was unearthed in archaeological excavations on a hill in the provincial town of Moghan in 1995. The grave containing the mother and baby has been fully moved to the Semnan museum.

The unique skeletons are the only intact ones kept in the Iranian museum. The place where the skeleton was dug out contains some salt and does not have much humidity, and that is why the relic has not been damaged even after 4,000 years, a Farsi report by ISNA said.

The mother, estimated to have been 17-20 years old, died while delivering her baby. The cause of the death was probably the small size of her pelvis, say experts. The baby was born leg-first, and as the mother’s pelvis was too small, she lost her life during the delivery. The bones of the baby’s arms and legs were found on the ground next to the mother’s skeleton.

Experts say the mother was buried “infant-style,” so that her head faced the East where the sun rises. This method of burying was common practice in the Mithraism rituals. So, it seems the woman was a follower of the Mithraism faith in which they worshiped the sun.

Moreover, the woman has a bracelet and a ring on her hand. In Mithraism, it was customary to bury women with their jewelry, and men with their tools of work as well as weapons of war.

The area where the body was found is known as the Hesar Hill of Damghan. Located three kilometres southeast of Damghan, It is one of the most important historical sites in Semnan province and in Iran. The civilisation found there dates back to the first to fourth millennia BCE.

What follows are Chamedan’s photos of the skeletons:

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Rooster Undergoes World’s First Cataract Surgery

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 22, 2018

The surgery was performed by Behnam Ghaffarzadeh, a surgeon and eye examiner, on a five-year-old cock.

“The operation was carried out on the animal’s left eye, and I also examined its other eye to see when the surgery on the next must be performed,” said Ghaffarzadeh in Farsi interview with Fars News Agency.

This specialist also mentioned he had already performed a similar surgery on a 9-year-old duckling in his office.

“Given the fact that pupils of birds are not like human, cats and dogs, this surgery is much more difficult and it is even possible that they lose their pupil. However, the operation was successfully completed without any problem.”

According to Shokoufeh Khalili, the rooster’s owner, it had lost its eyesight about one and a half years ago as a result of cataract.

She said that she did a lot of search, but no expert in Iran and even in the world had performed such a surgery, and all the surgeries were on dogs and cats.

“However, I learned about Dr Ghaffarzadeh’s surgery on a duckling through the Internet and took my pet to Tabriz to be cured,” said Khalili.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye which leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes.

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