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Iranian Family Starts 60-Day March to Protest Concert Ban

By
Fatemeh Askarieh
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Iranian Family Starts 60-Day March to Protest Concert Ban

What follows is the story of a family from the holy city of Mashhad who is protesting the cancellation of concerts there. The story of this family is like the two sides of a coin: On one side, there exist limitations and a standstill, and on the other there is a safe and open road to show protest against the closeness of another road!

Iran is the land of wonders; while concerts are banned in certain parts of the country and families are deprived of enjoying live music there, people are at the same time allowed to hit the roads to protest.

The concert ban happens not only to the foreign-style music, but sometimes even the traditional concerts would be called off in Khorasan Razavi province.

A small family with no defensive or protective facilities, with no team escorting them, go through roads that sometimes are creepy, because of the reclusion and vastness of the deserts surrounding it.

Iranian Family Starts 60-Day March to Protest Concert Ban4One can look just at the procedure that has been considered as the violation of citizens’ rights, or just see the beauty of enjoying the right to protest next to a unique feeling of security that could not be easily found even at the heart of Europe and the United States.

It is also possible to see the two sides of the coin from two angles. One can see this conflict and enjoy this disparity, which is the biggest and most significant sign of “dynamic social life”. Therefore, this 60-day march is not just a manifestation of a family protest; rather, it proves that a nation is on the path to maturity.

In order to show support for their national and folklore music, members of this family are marking a 60-day march with the motto “We have the right to hear the songs of our motherland in our city.”

According to a Farsi report by ILNA, the father of this Mashhadi family, Ahmad Mehrchian, along with his family started the march 35 days ago to protest the cancellation of concerts in Khorasan Razavi province. He says they are a family from Mashhad who is opposed to the ban on concerts.

Iranian Family Starts 60-Day March to Protest Concert Ban5“In order to show support for the music of our districts and our country’s Maghami music, we started the march 35 days ago. We have been traveling on foot, and we will meet with music experts from different regions of our country.”

“This march is performed on foot using a backpacker. In this type of travel, people put their needed stuff in a backpack and travel on foot; sometimes they ride a truck or trailer, but they never use buses, minivans and cars,” he added.

“We are now in Kordestan Province in Western Iran and right now we are heading towards Sanandaj city. I and my wife, Zohreh Barati who is a physician, along with our 4-year-old son, Sirous, and our six-year-old daughter, Baran, are backpacking,” Mehrchian went on to say.

“We love listening to local and Maghami music, as well as the motherland songs of our city and our country. We are also against the cancellation of concerts that take place especially in our city (Mashhad). We started our march after the cancellation of Shahram Nazeri’s (Iranian traditional music singer) concert in Quchan. By October, we are also trying to travel to different cities of Iran and send our message to the experts and other people of the country.”

“We travelled from Mashhad to Khaf, Taibad, Torbat-e-Jam and Nishapur during this trip. Then we came to Tehran and met with Shahram Nazeri and his son. Then we travelled to Qom, Kashan, Isfahan, Qazvin, Zanjan and Oroumiyeh. We met with Professor Dehghan in Orumiyeh.”

Iranian Family Starts 60-Day March to Protest Concert Ban1“After that we went to Tabriz to visit Professor Gharabaghi. We also met with Alireza Qorbani (famous Iranian singer) in Tabriz and Salar Aqili (another renowned singer) in Isfahan,” Mehrchian pointed out.

“In Kordestan, we are planning to meet with music masters because as you know, Iran’s Kordestan is a cradle of music, and we are moving to Sanandaj to meet with Kurdish music professors.”

Mehrchian said that after Kordestan, they will move towards Hamadan in the west.

“Of course, we still have not decided where to go after Hamadan. But as our daughter will go to school in early October, we try to finish our journey before the schools reopen.”

This Mashhadi family has begun its journey in Imam Reza’s (AS) shrine and says that many people in Mashhad, like them, believe in religious rituals as well as in the musical culture of their country; however, their wishes are not respected appropriately as the City’s officials don’t allow concerts to be held in the holy city.

Iranian Family Starts 60-Day March to Protest Concert Ban3

Iran Establishes Special Parliament for Women

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Massoumeh Ebtekar

According to a provincial official, ‘Women’s Parliament’ is a new initiative based on which female representatives of all cities and villages of the province will gather in a council to discuss and help resolve local issues regarding women.

Just like the national parliament, the 109 female members of this local parliament will discuss plans and motions, and if approved, will send them to the Provincial Commission on Women’s Affairs.

“Khorasan Razavi province in northeastern Iran is the first province to establish such special parliament for women,” Iranian Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs Massoumeh Ebtekar said.

In the latest City and Village Council elections in Khorasan Razavi, 290 women candidates managed to open their way into the local councils, which shows a 20-percent growth compared with the last year’s elections, she added.

“This shows that the presence of women in the decision-making processes in various cultural, social, political and environmental fields across the cities and villages is highly significant,” a Farsi report by ISNA quoted her as saying.

Speaking in a meeting with members of local NGOs, Ebtekar added, “The formation of women’s parliament is a turning point.”

“As of today, women will play a key role in the decisions made on the municipal affairs of the province. The government will monitor their decisions to measure their practical effects on the society. Meanwhile, their non-governmental and voluntary efforts to attract more women in the executive field of the government are taken seriously by the government,” she said.

The vice-president went on saying the significant move in Khorasan Razavi province can decrease dramatically the social problems of the province. “We are closely monitoring the changes and we are sure that they will have prominent effects on the society,” she said.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Newspapers today covered the controversies over a FIFA World Cup qualifier between Iran and Syria. With a 2-2 draw against Iran, Syria managed to advance to the next round. The major controversy, however, was the Syrian women who were allowed to watch the match in Azadi stadium, while Iranian women were left behind the doors.

Among other top stories today were the end of the Takfiri terrorists’ siege on Syria’s Deir ez-Zor after three years and the continued reactions to an ongoing crisis in the Korean peninsula.

Newspapers also covered the talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his counterparts from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey on the plight of Muslim people in Myanmar.

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

 

Abrar:

1- Siege on Syria’s Deir ez-Zor Broken

2- Rouhani’s VP: IRGC’s Missile Attack on ISIS Legally Justified

3- Putin: We’ll Sue US; Sanctions against North Korea Futile

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Unexpected Draw

  • Syria football team advanced to next round of FIFA World Cup Qualification after draw with Iran

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Conservative Newspaper Kayhan Apologises to Zarif in Unprecedented Move

2- Imam Khomeini’s Grandson Calls for Serious Fight against Corruption

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Asrar:

1- Rouhani: Recent Victories Promise Eradication of Terrorism, Regional Development

2- Iranian Minister: Oil Market in Balanced Situation

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Ebtekar:

1- Rumours of Thaw in Tehran-Riyadh Relations: Saudi Media Banned from Attacking Iran

2- Gov’t Spokesman: One Day I’ll Reveal Barriers to Appointing Woman Minister

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Etemad:

1- Syrian Women inside Stadium, Iranian Women Left behind Doors

  • Controversial Match between Iran, Syria in Tehran

2- Gov’t Spokesman: I Know What Rouhani Suffered for Choosing Female Minister

3- Return of Tehran Mayor to Cabinet Sessions after 14 Years

  • Rouhani Invites Najafi to Attend Cabinet Sessions

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Ettela’at:

1- Muslim World Protests against Genocide of Muslims in Myanmar

  • Widespread Protest Rallies in China, Indonesia, Pakistan

2- First VP: Water Is Now a National Issue

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

 

Iran:

1- World Cup Qualification without Celebration

  • Iran Advances to FIFA World Cup without a Single Defeat

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Javan:

1- Gov’t Withdraws Excessive Money from Public Budget to Pay Cash Handouts

2- First VP: We May Have to Import Water

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- Zarif Calls for Practical Measure to End Massacre of Muslims in Myanmar

2- First Group of Iranian Hajj Pilgrims Return Home

3- No New Decision Made on House Arrest of Opposition Figures: SNSC Spokesman

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

 

Kayhan:

1- Venezuela’s Seditionists [opposition figures] Urge Europe to Boycott Their Country!

[Kayhan is seeing the case similar to what, it says, happened after the 2009 election in Iran]

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

 

Khorasan:

1- Trump Doing Business with Korean Crisis: US to Sell Billions of Weapons to Seoul

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

 

Resalat:

1- Iranian People Believe in Themselves, Won’t Give in to Sanctions: Zarif

2- No American Airplane Allowed to Cross Iran’s Airspace: Commander

3- Giving Warning to Aggressive Planes Iran’s Softest Reaction: Top Officer

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on September 6

 

Iraqi Kurdistan Independence Vote ‘Dangerous Game’: Iranian MP

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iraqi Kurdistan Independence Vote ‘Dangerous Game’: Iranian MP

Senior parliamentarian Seyyed Mohammad Javad Abtahi said there is not yet a unanimous agreement among the Kurds over the independence of Iraq Kurdistan region.

He warned the Leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, against pressing ahead with holding the independence referendum, saying Barzani must understand the fact that he does not represent all Kurds and cannot decide on their behalf.

In a Farsi interview with ICANA, the lawmaker went on saying that among the Kurds, there are various groups which are not necessarily in full agreement with the idea of independence because most of them have serious problems with the issue.

“The era of Barzani would come to an end after the independence vote and the Kurdistan region would turn into a scene of civil war among Kurdish groups,” he said.

Abtahi said one of the main sticking points among the Kurds is the future of the city of Kirkuk which has been the main issue of contention between Erbil and Baghdad since long time ago.

“The ISIS terrorists have moved their headquarters from Mosul to Hawijah in Kirkuk province,” he said, adding that the liberation of the city has thus been postponed to days following the independence referendum.

New reports reveal that the people of Kirkuk have not welcomed the idea of independence of Kurdistan region because they view the referendum as a tool at the hand of KDP to expand its domination over the region, he added.

“Barzani is seeking to establish an independent Kurdistan consisting of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk provinces,” he said, adding that Barzani then plans to annex Kurdish regions of Turkey, Syria and Iran step by step.

The Iranian lawmaker said the idea of establishing an independent Kurdistan was first raised by former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. “But today, new reports show that the US is behind the idea to create a new cancerous tumor like Israel along Iranian borders,” he added.

“The US claims it is against the referendum but in reality Washington is interested in the idea. It is also investing huge amounts of money in supporting Peshmerga forces,” he said.

Abtahi said it is impossible to imagine that Barzani is pressing ahead with the idea of independence without the US’ full support.

He expressed hope that Turkey’s growing pressure on Barzani would prevent him from holding the independence referendum. “Otherwise, the US will leverage more pressure on Iran and Turkey under a new pretext,” he said.

The Iranian lawmaker finally said holding the independence referendum will not necessarily lead to the creation of an independent state in the region because “there are not appropriate capacities for an independent state in the region right now.”

Iran, Vatican City Discuss Plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iran, Vatican City Discuss Plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar8

In a Wednesday meeting with Vatican City’s Paul Richard Gallagher in Tehran, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referred to the issue of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and called on all countries to cooperate and join hands to stop the massacre and mass expulsion of Muslims in the country.

The Iranian top diplomat also appreciated Vatican City’s efforts in this regard.

Speaking about the crisis in the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian FM added that after the Cuban crisis the world has forgotten the danger of using these weapons, but again we are witnessing that this great danger is posing threats to the international community.

Talking about the region’s critical conditions, the Iranian foreign minister underlined the need for peaceful solutions to overcome these crises, stressing that the world’s problem today is extremism, which is not limited to a special region.

He also referred to the long-standing, respectful and reciprocal relations between Tehran and the Holy See (Vatican City) and emphasized the need for dialogue and effective cooperation between religions and civilizations.

“Iran respects the character and positions of the Pope,” Zarif went on to say.

In turn, Gallagher referred to Vatican City’s efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar, saying that “we will continue our efforts in this regard.”

He also discussed the shared views between Tehran and Vatican City on regional developments and dialogue and cooperation to end regional crises, the refugee crisis, and extremism.

He said Vatican City has supported the peaceful use of nuclear energy and Iran’s nuclear deal, and it still throws its weight behind it.

“Encouraging the culture of peace and the peaceful coexistence of religions in the Middle East should be pursued with earnestness and the Vatican has always supported this coexistence between religions,” he added.

The Iranian foreign minister and his counterpart from the Holy See also exchanged views on various political, social and inter-regional issues, expressing satisfaction with the process of dialogue between the two sides.

Qatar Can Connect to Outside World through Iran: Analyst

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

“Iran can provide Qatar with a golden opportunity to have access to new routes which can connect the Arab country to the outside world,” said Sabah Zanganeh, a former Iranian envoy to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“Iran enjoys great a geopolitical location due to its access to water and air borders. This makes Iran more important for Qatar compared with other countries like Turkey. Qatar can directly connect to the outside world through Iran,” he added, speaking in a Farsi interview with the Iranian Diplomacy website.

He stressed that Qatar needs to expand its ties with Iran under the current pressure from Saudi Arabia and a number of Arab states including Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain.

He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran is seeking to establish good-faith relations with the neighbouring states amid the current diplomatic crisis in the region.

Zanganeh referred to the current diplomatic crisis in the region between Doha and a number of Arab states under the leadership of Saudi Arabia and said Qatar is a leading country among Iranian neighbours due to its joint gas fields with Iran which are significantly strategic.

“So, the Islamic Republic of Iran is interested in easing the current tensions in the region and establish good-faith relations with the regional states to prevent certain countries from imposing their hegemony on the whole region,” he added.

The expert went on saying that expanding bilateral relations with Qatar provides Iran with an opportunity to take advantages of the current opportunities in the region.

Zangeneh referred to the severance of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia following an attack on Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran and, said, “Iran should seize any opportunity to restore its ties with the regional states.”

The Iranian analyst went on saying that the two sides can expand their ties based on mutual respect and taking into account the joint economic interests.

He referred to the animosity of some Arab states with Qatar over its decision to reopen its embassy in Tehran and said Iran and Qatar should publicly announce that reopening of diplomatic mission in Tehran does not necessarily mean that the two countries are hatching conspiracy against others.

“Meanwhile, Tehran can mediate between the conflicting sides by preparing the ground for their talks to tackle the current crisis,” he said.

Zanganeh referred to the functions of the {Persian} Gulf Cooperation Council and said the council is expected to suffer serious damages in future because it is based on rivalry instead of cooperation among the regional states.

He said the Council would collapse in future unless a dramatic decision is made by its members to change their approach towards the regional developments.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran insists on cooperation with regional states in various fields. Rivalry has no room any more in today’s diplomacy. That’s why Iran must seek to establish coalition with other states,” he added.

 

The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council is expected to suffer serious damages in future because it is based on rivalry instead of cooperation among the regional states.

 

The expert referred to Iran’s diplomacy in dealing with the regional issues and said the Islamic Republic has based its diplomacy on the expansion of cooperation instead of rivalry or making coalitions against other countries.

“All diplomatic relations should be based on cooperation and development instead of rivalry and violence. Making coalitions against each other only contributes to war and regional tensions,” he said.

The Iranian expert also referred to the foreign policy of Saudi Arabia and said today the Arab kingdom has changed its aggressive policies.

“The recent statements of some Saudi officials on relations with Iran reveal that they have reached a logical conclusion about Iran’s role in the region,” he said.

Iran should take full advantage of the current opportunities, he said, adding that Tehran has no discriminatory approach towards regional states and is seeking to establish good-faith relations with all of them including Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, and Afghanistan and so on.

Zanganeh said political talks can remove any problem provided that the conflicting sides have the political will to resolve their crises.

He called on the Arab states to have a realistic evaluation of the regional tensions with Iran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to the international principle of avoiding interference in the internal affairs of other countries. This means that the regional states should realize the fact that Iran is not seeking to meddle in their internal affairs.”

“Meanwhile, Iran has never been after a regional hegemony or imposing its agenda on other states,” he said, adding that with these points in mind, the regional states would come to this conclusion that Iran is a good regional partner.

The Middle East expert also referred to the chaos created by terrorist groups in the region and said, “I believe that we can restore stability to the region.”

“Tehran and Doha have shown that they are seeking to restore peace to the region. In Syria, Iran has done its best to tackle the crisis through diplomatic ties and expanding de-escalation zones in the war-torn country.”

“Today, we see that the current achievements in Syria have been made only through political talks in Vienna and Astana. I think we can use the talks to tackle the problems in Iraq, Yemen and Palestine. Only through peaceful means, we can hope to  have a stable and secure region,” he said.

Riyadh Dismisses Reports of Banning Media from Criticising Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Riyadh Dismisses Reports of Banning Media from Criticising Iran

On his Twitter account, Qahtani claimed Qatari government is behind these “rumours” and added the Qatari officials are seeking to justify their relations with Iran by contributing to such reports.

The Arab newspaper Ray al-Youm quoted on Monday some high-ranking sources in Saudi Arabia as saying Saudi media (print and electronic) have been banned by the royal court from criticising Iran and the Shiite Muslims.

This comes as the Al Arabiya website has already published two anti-Iran stories on its front page, including repeated accusations against Iran. According to a Farsi report by the Fars News Agency, the false stories reveal that Iran is still under the criticism of Saudi media.

Playing with Iranian Raptors, Popular Entertainment of Arab Sheikhs

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Playing with Iranian Raptors, Popular Entertainment of Arab Sheikhs

Manager of the Hunt and Prey Office at Iran’s Department of Environment, Ali Teymouri, referred to the smuggling of Iranian raptors to other countries, especially the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, and said playing with these birds is among the most popular amusements of the Arab sheikhs.

“Due to its closeness to these countries, Iran has turned into a profitable hub for bird smugglers particularly in the southern provinces of Hormozgan, Khuzestan, and Fars which are home to these types of birds,” he was quoted as saying in a Farsi report by the Young Journalists Club (YJC).

Predatory birds include vultures, hawks and eagles. During September and November, these birds are seen in the Iranian sky and turn it into a great scene for birdwatching. However, bird hunters ambush to hunt these birds and sell them to the smugglers in return for small amounts of Arabic money.

Referring to the hunting bird trade in the Persian Gulf market, Teymouri said the trade dates back to a long time ago. “There is no doubt that an external network of bird smugglers is active in this trade in Iran. This means either the hunters or the smugglers are foreign nationals,” he said.

Raptors are among the unique symbols of the Iranian nature. Many believe that this is the officials in charge who should step into the fray and put an end to this nasty smuggling by adopting legal mechanism.

Int’l Sporting Goods Exhibition Underway in Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Int’l Sporting Goods Exhibition Underway in Iran

The expo opened on Monday (September 4) in a ceremony attended by the country’s minister of sport and youth, Massoud Soltanifar.

Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Prayer Grounds (Mosalla) is hosting the exhibition, according to a Farsi report by IRNA.

A large number of domestic and leading foreign companies, involved in the field of manufacturing sporting goods and equipment, have taken part in the exposition. Foreign participants are from 11 countries, including Italy, Germany, Australia, Turkey, Spain, the Netherlands, China, Switzerland, France, India and Russia.

The exhibition, which is being held in an area spanning over 20,000 square metres, will be open to visitors until September 7.

The expo has been organized by Iran’s Ministry of Sport and Youth and Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Milad-e Noor Exhibition company, Trade Promotion Organization of Iran as well as a number of the country’s sport federations and manufacturers of sporting equipment and clothing.

Assad’s Supporters, Dissidents Keep Syria’s Hopes Alive for FIFA World Cup

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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A late goal by Omar Al Somah kept Syria’s hopes alive for a first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification.

Assad’s Supporters, Dissidents Keep Syria’s Hopes Alive for FIFA World CupThe qualifier between Iran and Syria kicked off on Tuesday in Tehran, with only 13 minutes passing before Syria’s Tamer Haj Mohammad scored his side’s first goal, ending Iran’s 12-match clean sheet record.

Iran, however, equalized at the end of the first half through Sardar Azmoun, thus leaving the score at 1 – 1 for all at the end of the half.

Azmoun scored a second at the 66th minute to give the Iranians the lead at 2-1.

Syrians, who were losing their chance of booking a place in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, got involved in fights and quarrels with Iranian players, but the referee did not let the fights get more violent.

Somah finally scored a last minute equalizer, ending the game at 2 – 2. This leaves the Syrians playing in the 4th round of the qualifiers, which is two wounds of play-off against either Australia or Saudi Arabia. The winner of the play-off match will have to face an opponent from the North America to win a place in Russia World Cup.

Before the match, Iranian national team coach Carlos Queiroz had stressed that his team will not ease up against Syria despite having already qualified for a fifth World Cup appearance.

“To think that these players are going to make it easy against Syria is to not know them, their professionalism, character, and pride serving the Iranian nation,” said Queiroz.

The two teams drew in November last year in a match that raised many questions. The game, which was played on a subpar swampy pitch in Malaysia, was harshly criticized by the Iranian side who said the Syrians did not observe the fair play rules.

A win away to Iran on Tuesday coupled with defeat or draw for South Korea by Uzbekistan in the final round could give Syria second spot and direct entry to the finals next year.

However, South Korea and Uzbekistan shared the points in Tashkent, a result that sent the Koreans directly to the World Cup, and ending the hopes of Uzbekistan.

Assad’s Supporters, Dissidents Keep Syria’s Hopes Alive for FIFA World CupSyria have overcome more than six years of civil war and internal political rifts to raise hopes of qualifying for their first ever World Cup.

During the Tuesday match against Iran, several anti-government players including Somah and Firas Al Khatib fought for their country along with other players who might or might not support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Considered by many as the finest footballer the country ever produced, Al Khatib had been frozen out of the national side since 2012 for political reasons.

However, the Syrian government, which is accused of being intolerant of its dissidents, gave the green light to the Syrian coach Ayman Al Hakim earlier this year and he added the 33-year-old al-Khatib to his list.

 

Asian football is no stranger to war-affected nations making a big impact. Iraq won their first Asian Cup in 2007, at the height of the insurgency triggered by the United States-led coalition invasion in 2003.

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