Thursday, April 23, 2026
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Iran’s Yazd, Home to Three Monotheistic Religions

“Given its cultural and social history, Yazd occupies a senior rank among Iranian cities,” Esfandiar Ekhtiari said.

“The culture of Yazd is deeply rooted in the Iranian ancient culture with a focus on interaction, peaceful coexistence, acceptance of differences and respect for the commonalities between different groups.”

The lawmaker went on saying that the Yazd’s rich culture is manifested on the walls of the old monuments in the old city.” Some unique monuments in the central desert of Iran completely reveal the cultural and social concepts in the Iranian culture,” he said.

He stressed that not only the tangible but also the intangible legacies of Yazd have been registered as a world heritage. “The registration of Yazd is in fact the registration of a thought, approach, culture and lifestyle,” he noted.

Ekhtiari expressed gratitude to Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization for its efforts to have Yazd registered as a world heritage and said good efforts have been made by the organization to achieve the goal.

“The registration paves the way for a better presentation of Iran to the outside world and provides us with an opportunity to attract more tourists,” he said.

The Iranian lawmaker also congratulated the Iranians and the world on the registration of Yazd as a world heritage and said, “I also extend my sincere thanks to the people of Yazd for their efforts to keep alive the rich culture of the city over the past thousands years.”

 

You’re Never Too Old for Reading Books!

You’re Never Too Old for Reading Books

Fatemeh Peyvandi is an 80-year-old bookworm who was recently praised in a ceremony held in Shariati Public Library of Neyshabour, according to a Farsi report by Arya New Agency.

Head of Public Libraries of Neyshabour, Reza Moqaddam Pasha, said Peyvandi is one of the best members of public libraries in Neyshabour.

“Peyvandi studies continuously and purposefully, and thus can be a role model for other members of the library,” he added.

Moqaddam Pasha said in order to express gratitude to this active lady, with the collaboration of librarians, a ceremony was held to honour and celebrate this woman.

“If conducted persistently, studying will have a significant impact on the quality of life, especially when it begins during childhood,” he underlined.

The presence of people like Ms. Peyvandi, who at this age and with a high spirit study at public libraries, is encouraging the librarians and other members of the library, he added.

“It has a message that it’s never late for reading books.”

“We hope that the number of elderly members of the public libraries in Neyshabour, along with other members including children and youths, will increase very soon,” he concluded.

Iranian Woman Using Music to Teach Alphabets to Nomads

Bahmani has worked as a musician for three decades now. She has had performances in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Germany, Denmark, Italy and Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah. She has also been on the stage in several folk music festivals in Iran.

In 2017, she received a top award for singing which is equal, in value, to a PhD degree. She has already received a second-degree award for research.

Turkey’s Ataturk University held a ceremony in recognition of her accomplishments. Kazakhstan, Turkey and a federation of Scandinavian countries have also conferred honorary doctorates upon her.

She has taught in nomad schools for years and taught their children the alphabets through songs.

Bahmani and her son Damoon Sheshbolooki, a researcher on folk music, have, in a Farsi interview, shared with ISNA their views on Iranian folk music.

 

Bahmani: I first chose to become a teacher to follow in the footsteps of my cousin Mohammad Bahman-Beigi, the person who promoted educational activities for nomads. But I myself wanted to study law.

I loved my surrogate mother’s lullabies. I mean the sound of music has remained in my mind since childhood. Unfortunately, she died recently. Later on when I went to school, I learned different types of music. My father had a good voice, too, and had his own style of singing. My father’s uncle had the most beautiful voice among Qashqais.

Iranian Woman Using Music to Teach Alphabets to NomadsSheshbolooki: There are as many types of lullabies as there are mothers in the world. Lullabies are improvised music. But the difference between the lullabies of Qashqais and other ethnic groups is that behind Qashqais’ lullabies lie stories.

My mother’s father would invite many prominent musicians, including Mr. Nakisa, to stay there. His house somehow turned into a hub of music where musicians would share their experiences with each other.

Bahmani: My grandmother was among the five Qashqais who could read and write at that time. Her name was Zarbanoo. I have written a book about her which hasn’t been published yet. She was somebody! She was very clever and was familiar with traditional music. She would read books by Avicenna and would go and identify herbs growing on mountain slopes. A family member said she could even diagnose cancer at that time! I would teach them alphabets through dancing and Qashqai songs. And I’m very positive and optimistic about the future of the Qashqai music.

Two Marine Mammals Wash Up Dead on Iranian Coast

Director General of the provincial office of Iran’s Department of Environment, Nayereh Pour-Mollaei, said carcasses of two flat-beak porpoises were found on the banks of Konarak city.

“Looking at the distance at which they washed up, and also considering that one of them was decomposed more than the other, one can say the two creatures died in different times,” she said, according to a Farsi report by YJC.

“The cause of the two mammals’ deaths is not clear, but their appearance implies a factor other than fishing activities. Therefore, their carcasses were transferred to the Marine Life Research Centre of Kanarak for further studies and biometrics,” she added.

Two Marine Mammals Wash Up Dead on Iranian Coast

Flat-beak porpoises have no dorsal fins and any salient beaks. Their body is round and soft with a length of about 230 centimetres.

These sea creatures are found in coastal waters of the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf as well as in the waters of Japan individually or in groups.

Porpoises feed largely on fish, shrimp and squid, and some of them even feed on marine vegetation.

IAEA Chief Praises Iran’s Constructive Cooperation

Araqchi - Amano

In a Thursday meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi in Vienna, Amano praised the Islamic Republic for its good and constructive cooperation with the IAEA and fulfilling its nuclear obligations as confirmed in the IAEA reports.

He also expressed hope that the parties to the nuclear deal continue to fulfil their pledges under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Araqchi, for his part, elaborated on the main policies of the Islamic Republic towards the JCPOA and its commitments under the nuclear deal.

He also emphasized the IAEA’s important and sensitive role in the impartial and professional implementation of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers.

The Iranian diplomat also strongly slammed the new US government for its non-constructive approach towards the nuclear deal as well as its breach of promises.

The meeting was held ahead of the JCPOA Joint Commission which is going to be held on Friday in Vienna. The meeting is set to be attended by representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the P5+1.

Interesting Penalties Introduced for Illegal Hunts in Iran

Head of the Environment Department of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in southwestern Iran, Asadollah Hashemi, says “a violator of the region’s hunting law has been sentenced to transcribe the hunting laws twice as his penalty for an illegal hunt.”

The man had hunted two partridges with a pellet gun in a protected area in Khaeez region, according to a Farsi report by Aftab News.

The hunter was arrested about one month ago by the region’s park rangers with a pellet gun and two hunted partridges.

“The gun has been confiscated. Meanwhile, the illegal hunter was put on trial very soon and the court verdict was issued in less than two months,” he said.

Introduction of interesting penalties for illegal hunting is not unprecedented in Iran. About one month ago, a hunter was arrested in the southeastern province of Kerman for carrying an illegal gun and hunting two turtle doves.

A local court sentenced him to three months in jail. But he was also obliged to create two social media accounts in Instagram and Telegram and acquire at least 2,000 followers in each of the platforms.

Riyadh Backs Out: No Need for Qatar to Close Al Jazeera

Saudi Arabia’s UN Ambassador Abdallah al-Mouallimi told a briefing for a group of UN correspondents that the Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain are now committed to the six principles agreed to by their foreign ministers at a meeting in Cairo on July 5.

According to the new principles, Qatar should vow to fight against extremism and terrorism, stop providing financial support and safe havens for terror groups, and suspend all acts of provocation and speeches inciting hatred or violence.

“We hope that Doha would commit itself to these principles. Implementation and monitoring of any mechanisms agreed upon within the six principles is essential,” al-Mouallimi added, according to a Farsi report by ISNA.

However, he said both sides can talk about details of “the tactics” and “the tools” to implement them. “That’s where we can have discussion and compromise.”

The Saudi ambassador explained that the initial 13 points included some principles and some tools to achieve compliance.

Al-Mouallimi stressed that it is essential for Qatar to stop inciting others to violence, but he said closing Al Jazeera might not be necessary.

“If we can achieve that without closing down Al Jazeera, that’s fine. The important thing is the objective and the principles involved.”

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain broke relations with Qatar in early June largely over their allegations that it supports extremist groups — a charge that Qatar rejects. They initially made 13 demands, which Qatar said are “unrealistic and is not actionable”.

Iran, World’s 15th Country in Presenting Aerospace Articles

Secretary of the steering committee tasked with implementing Iran’s Comprehensive Scientific Plan, Mansour Kabganian, has touched upon the country’s considerable achievements on the scientific front, particularly the field of aerospace.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of the committee where, according to him, a report on Iran’s accomplishments in the field of science and technology was presented and discussed.

“In this report, the situation of the country’s documented scientific achievements from 2012 to 2016 was reviewed and compared to those of other countries,” he said.

According to a Farsi report by Mehr, he added Iran’s ranking on the h-index was 42 in 2016.

He said another report was also presented on the progress made in the implementation of the Comprehensive Aerospace Plan.

He added the plan has three important parts.

“One is the aviation part on which a report has already been drawn up and presented,” he said.

Officials are also working to prepare a report on another part of the aerospace plan related to defence, he said.

He then added the third part of the report related to space was discussed the night before.

“This report was presented by Manouchehr Manteqi, the head of the National Space Centre at the Science and Technology Department of the Presidential Office. Iran ranks 15th in the world in terms of articles and production in science and technology in the domain of aerospace,” he said.

“The Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution has specified tasks and responsibilities in the Comprehensive Aerospace Development Document on which a report was presented and discussed today. It includes the provision of domestic telecoms satellites, development of satellites domestically and expansion of GPS services.”

“The National Space Centre is tasked with making policies and coordinating the measures, but a separate authority is responsible for each activity.”

He then highlighted that not much budget has been allocated to activities related to Islamic and Quranic concepts on the outer space and the universe which show the grandeur of the world and the order ruling it and, at last, proves the power of the Creator.

Recent Elections Boost Iran’s World Reputation: Syria’s Assad

Recent Elections Boost Iran’s World Reputation: Syria’s Assad

In a Thursday meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari in Damascus, the Syrian president asked the Iranian diplomat to extend his regards and congratulations to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on his re-election.

Assad referred to the recent presidential election held in Iran as another severe blow to the enemies of the Islamic Republic, and said, “The recent elections in Iran boosted the Islamic Republic’s reputation and respect in the region and the world.”

He also appreciated Iran’s all-out support for Syria during the crisis in the war-torn country.

For his part, Jaberi Ansari briefed President Assad on the most recent round of Syria peace talks held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The Iranian diplomat, who is in Damascus for high-level talks on latest regional developments, also underlined Iran’s continued support for the restoration of peace and stability to Syria within the framework of maintaining the Arab country’s unity, territorial integrity, and national sovereignty.

Jaberi Ansari pointed to the close and continued consultations between Iran, Syria, and Russia and Turkey, the two other guarantor states in Astana Process, and stressed the necessity of increased coordination for putting an end to the Syria crisis as soon as possible.

During the meeting, the two sides conferred on Tehran-Damascus cooperation in various political and economic fields, and underlined the need for enhancing the collaborations, particularly in the economic field.

Iran Summons Kuwaiti Envoy over ‘Groundless’ Accusations

Iran Summons Kuwaiti Envoy over ‘Groundless’ Accusations

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi announced on Thursday that Kuwaiti envoy Fallah Al-Hajraf has been summoned to the foreign ministry earlier in the day over the groundless accusations raised by the Persian Gulf state’s officials against Iran on a case known as the “Abdali cell”.

During the meeting with Al-Hajraf, an official with Iran’s foreign ministry rejected the false charges and regretted that Kuwait City is raising groundless accusations against Tehran instead of trying to ease the pointless tensions in the region and exercising self-restraint in reaction to pressures and provocations by regional adventurous sides, Qassemi said.

According to the spokesman, the Iranian official has told the Kuwaiti envoy that the Islamic Republic has nothing to do with the case.

“This [that Iran is not related to the case] had been communicated to Kuwaiti officials immediately after the country started considering the legal case,” Qassemi quoted the Iranian official as saying to Al-Hajraf.

During the meeting, the Kuwaiti diplomat was also reminded that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always showed responsible behaviour towards regional states, including Kuwait, during the country’s hard times, he added.

The Iranian official also told the Kuwaiti chargé d’affaires that Iran reserves the right to reciprocate Kuwait City’s move and decrease the number of its diplomats in Tehran, Qassemi noted.

Al-Hajraf, for his part, has expressed regret over the recent developments in ties between the two countries and promised to inform Kuwaiti officials about the issues raised in the meeting as soon as possible.

Iran Summons Kuwaiti Envoy over ‘Groundless’ Accusations
The office of Iran’s cultural attaché in Kuwait

The envoy was summoned after Kuwait reportedly told the Iranian Embassy to reduce its diplomatic staff in the Persian Gulf state and close down some of its technical offices following a court ruling last year that implicated some Iranians in a spying case.
Citing a Foreign Ministry source, Kuwait’s official new agency reported Thursday that Kuwait City decided to freeze any activities involving joint committees between the two countries following the ruling by Kuwait’s top court in a case known as the “Abdali cell.”
According to Kuwaiti diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, the number of Iranian diplomats in Kuwait will be decreased from 14 to nine, Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported.
The Iranian diplomats will be granted 45 days to leave Kuwait, according to the report.