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Iranian President Opens Mideast’s Largest Grain Refinery

rouhani

‘Zar Grain Refinery’ located in Alborz province and a mega project of Zar Industrial and Research Group came on stream on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by President Hassan Rouhani.

According to a report by IFP, during the visit, President Rouhani highlighted the significance of Zar Grain Refinery, saying that many countries today are customers of the refinery’s products.

“The value of these grain products is as much as sugar but with 40% lower cost,” Rouhani said, adding the opening of this refinery is a cost-efficient move.

He also noted that the refinery has created a total of 6,500 sustainable jobs, and the government attaches great importance to knowledge-based projects that create job opportunities for young Iranians.

“Zar Grain Refinery has been inaugurated by the private sector using public facilities. Therefore, if we pay enough attention to private sector, we will witness a good move in implementing policies of Resistance Economy,” Rouhani added.

The first phase of the complex which is considered the largest of its kind in the Middle East and the first in Iran, became operational in early November 2014.

The refinery has the advantage of relying on supply, production and distribution and is scheduled in such a way that now it can refine thousands of tons of grain every day for dozens of industrial units and hundreds of food and pharmaceutical units in the country.

It is also the only dry port in Iran situated at the transport intersection in the country with access to the national rail network. These features will considerably decrease transportation costs and boost Iran’s competitiveness in international markets.

Zar Fructose products have entered the market with an emphasis on quality, health and cost-efficiency, targeting the improvement of customers’ health and increasing the quality of producers’ goods.

The first output of these factories include natural sweeteners derived from corn such as a variety of high-fructose corn syrup, glucose syrup, and a variety of starch, Mehr reported.

Other advantages include low storage and maintenance costs, more economic and cost-effective compared to sugar and sucrose derivatives, effective use of time, labour and energy due to the elimination of refining and baking sugar, a higher level of purity compared to other sugars, no microbial contamination, sterile distribution and the product’s more sustainability during storage.

Nuclear Deal to Be Implemented Even without US: Iranian MP

Iranian MP Morteza Saffari Natanzi said signatories to the JCPOA cannot easily renege on the agreement, adding Iran, as a party to the deal, remains committed to its obligations.

In a Farsi interview with ICANA, he further touched upon the remarks made by US President Donald Trump that his administration would “tear up” the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“It is envisioned in the JCPOA that if one of the state parties to the deal breaches its commitments, we can study the matter and continue the implementation [of the agreement] with the other signatories,” said Saffari Natanzi, who sits on the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission.

“Under the JCPOA, it is envisaged that if any of the signatories to the agreement does not comply with the framework [of the deal], that country should be left out of the process of the implementation of the JCPOA, and regardless of whether or not this would be in our interest, it is an important issue because a signatory that withdraws from the implementation of an international agreement will definitely face problems on the international stage,” said the legislator.

He said incoming reports suggest the P5+1 group of nations are adamant that they will continue to implement and observe the terms of the JCPOA without the United States, and added this would be in the interest of all signatories.

Ancient Festival of Sadeh in Southern Iran

Ancient Festival of Sadeh in Southern Iran

In the evening of Sunday, January 29, Iranian Zoroastrians celebrated the ancient festival of Sadeh in Bodaq Abad garden, Kerman, southern Iran.

Sadeh is one of the most ancient Iranian celebrations known in the country which dates back to the first Iranian Empire about 500 BC. The Zoroastrians, followers of the ancient Iranian religion, celebrate Sadeh 50 days before Nowruz (March 20-21) in late January.

Here you can see IRNA’s photos of this celebration:

“American Dream” Is Merely a Dream: Iranian Artist

According to a report by IFP, Fereydoun Asraei, an Iranian pop singer who has the experience of living in Canada for many years, in an Instagram post expressed his protest against US President Donald Trump’s visa ban for seven countries including Iran and the deportation of Iranian immigrants.

Fereydoun-asraei“Today I saw an English report in a French news channel showing an Iranian man crying for being deported from the US,” he wrote.

“What is the reality? Is the United States the utopia people all around the world long to immigrate to?”

“A nation that voted for an impolite, racist businessman who ordered today that a large number of our compatriots be deported, and banned the others from legally entering the US? A territory that was occupied by the ancestors of people like Trump after massacre of the Indians?”

“My compatriots! The US isn’t the country you imagine,” he expressed. “The statistics show that many American residents are killed every day, many women are raped.”

“Is it really the lost heaven of some Iranians?”

He also blamed the US for supporting a country like Saudi Arabia which supports terrorism.

“The terrorism and fundamentalism are rooted in Saudi Arabia. It is a country that supports tyrants such as Osama bin Laden and ISIS for years. The warmonger United States sells weapons and war equipment to this country to boost its own economy founded on humans’ blood.”

“While the Saudi citizens easily enter the US, the Iranians, one of the most educated, intelligent members of American society, are humiliated like this!”

“By doing this, the US administration announced its slavery toward Saudi Sheikhs.”

He then made it clear that criticizing the US state doesn’t mean hostility towards its citizens: “People are never judged based on their rulers.”

“I take my hat off to the liberal American people who gathered around to show their hatred towards the decisions of Trump and his racist administration.”

“The American dream is merely a dream: the reality is another thing, my compatriots,” Asraei added.

Iranian Art and Culture Put on Display in Belarusian Capital

Iranian Art- Belarusian

According to media reports, the exhibition of Iranian culture and art in Minsk is aimed at commemorating the 38th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

“The victory allowed Iran to more actively develop and demonstrate new accomplishments in all spheres to the world. The accomplishments include advances in nuclear energy, automobile engineering, nanotechnologies, pharmaceutics, healthcare, and culture,” said the head of the cultural department of the Embassy of Iran in Belarus.

“The Islamic Revolution led to a new stage in the development of art. One can say that Iran’s art is unique and is represented by internationally recognized cultural figures, whose works have become world masterpieces,” BelTA quoted him as saying.

The exhibition demonstrates works produced by weaving, calligraphy, miniature painting, pictorial art, ceramics, and wood carving.

All the artworks vividly depict the versatility of Iranian national traditions and the outstanding workmanship of the Iranian artisans.

The exhibition is supposed to get Belarusians to know Iran’s national traditions.

During the opening ceremony Iranian artisans arranged a master class, during which visitors were able to learn some peculiarities of carpet weaving, pictorial art, and calligraphy.

Chairman of the Belarusian Union of Painters Grigory Sitnitsa drew attention to Iran’s great contribution to the world culture and art.

He noted that such Iranian names like Khayyam, Ferdowsi, Rudaki, Saadi, and many other ones are known well all over the world.

Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Peace Foundation Tadeush Struzhetsky underscored that the large number of visitors, who turned up for the opening ceremony, testifies to the strong interest of Belarusians in Iranian culture.

The exhibition has been organized by the cultural department of the Embassy of Iran in Minsk, the public association House of Friendship of Iranians in Belarus in association with the Belarusian Culture and Art University and the Belarusian Culture Ministry. The exhibition will stay open through 13 February.

Recovery of Iran’s Shrinking Lake Urmia on Track despite Setbacks

urmia

Adequate rainfall in the last water year helped improve the lake’s level of water while this year, low precipitation and high evaporation rates took a toll on its recovery.

“Last year, over 1.5 billion cubic meters of water were released into the lake while there has been no release so far this year due to the insufficient levels of water in dam reservoirs,” said Rahim Meydani, deputy for water and wastewater affairs at the Energy Ministry, IRNA reported.

Despite the setback, restoration efforts by the Urmia Lake Restoration Program are gradually paying off. The lake saw an 11-centimeter rise in level by Jan. 25 in comparison to the same period of last year.

“At present, Urmia Lake contains 2.4 billion cubic meters of water across 2,400 square kilometers and the water level stands at 1,270.55 meters,” Meydani said.

The present administration has given considerable attention to the revival of the imperiled lake. As a result of the effective measures, the volume of water in the lake’s reservoir has increased from 500 million cubic meters in 2013 to 2.4 billion cubic meters at present.

Between 1996 and 2013, no water had flowed into the water body and the level had declined by an average of 40 centimeters per year.  Farhad Sarkhosh, chief ULRP official in West Azarbaijan Province, attributed the problem to the failure to dredge rivers, which combined with high rates of evaporation in that period, helped speed up the lake’s desiccation.

“However, effective measures helped stabilize the lake’s water level last September,” he said.

Sarkhosh said dredging 412 km of the Urmia Lake’s tributaries, unblocking river mouths, sealing 1,200 illegal water wells and modernizing irrigation methods across 6,200 hectares of farmland were among key measures that quickly yielded results.

“The dredging of the rivers helped reduce the wastage of water from 100% to 12%,” he added.

Set up in 2013 shortly after President Hassan Rouhani took office, the ULRP set out to stabilize the lake’s water level (Phase 1) before embarking on the more challenging task of restoring its water level to what it was more than a decade ago (Phase 2) within 10 years.

The first phase was completed in September and the second phase started shortly after, with the initial goal of increasing the water level by 40 centimeters in a year.  The target is to restore the ecological level (1,274 meters above sea level) within 10 years.

IRGC General Slams British PM’s Remarks against Iran

General Rassoul Sanai-Raad

Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, IRGC deputy chief for political affairs, General Rassoul Sanai-Raad, described May’s anti-Iran remarks in a recent speech delivered to US Republicans in Philadelphia as a “political gesture” of saber-rattling and a marketing ploy to make money from some regional countries with arms sales.

While the critical economic situation in Britain has made people of that country to have no interest in London’s previous policies, the British government seeks to incite tensions in the region with long experience of doing so, he added.

The general also noted that Britain’s new stance on the Middle East appears to be part of a process for opening the door for the US in the guise of plans to settle the regional crises.

“This is the second time she (May) makes such a political mistake,” General Sanai Rad noted.

Last week, Theresa May accused Iran of “malign influence in the Middle East”, saying pushing back on “Iran’s aggressive efforts” to increase its “arc of influence from Tehran through to the Mediterranean” was a priority for Britain.

Earlier in December 2016, in a summit of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) in Bahrain, May said that Britain would contribute to counteracting what she called “aggressive regional actions” from Iran, and unveiled plans for a four-billion-dollar military investment in the region for the next 10 years.

Conservative Figure Calls for Iran President’s Stronger Reaction to Trump

Former head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Organisation, Ezzatollah Zarghami, in a post in his Twitter account, requested President Rouhani to direct some of the witty remarks he utters to silence his domestic critics, at Donald Trump so that he stops scorning and disrespecting Iranians.

Trump does not get the meaning of satirical and ironic answers such as those [given by President Rouhani] reminding Berlin wall’s collapse, Zarghami said, calling for Rouhani’s stronger reaction.

On Saturday, January 28, in an apparent reference to US government officials, who have been planning to build a wall on the Mexican border, President Rouhani said, “Today is not the time of wall-raising between nations. Have they forgotten that the Berlin Wall collapsed years ago?”

Zarghami

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 19

Newspapers today covered the funeral ceremony held for the firefighters killed in the recent tragic collapse of Plasco building in Tehran. Thousands of people attended the ceremony to bid farewell to their heroes.

The French Foreign Minister’s visit to Tehran amid the European country’s military drills in Persian Gulf, reportedly to exercise countering Iran, was also widely covered today.

Another top story was the beginning of the ten-day celebrations of 1979 Islamic Revolution’s anniversary, and President Hassan Rouhani’s remarks in praise of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic.

US President Donald Trump’s visa ban and Iran’s reactions to the restrictions also received great coverage today.

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

Abrar:

1- National Heroes Escorted to Flight Station

2- FM: We Don’t Have Any Plan to Talk to Trump’s Team

3- Nechervan Barzani: ISIS Result of Iraq’s Incorrect Policies

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Abrar-e Eqtesadi:

1- Iran Once Again Gives Gas Ultimatum to India

2- Russia in Talks with Iran for Development of 2 Oilfields

3- Italian Banks’ Cooperation with Iranian Businesses

4- Germany Breaks Records in Export of Products to Iran

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Afkar:

1- Bodies of Firefighters Laid to Rest after Funeral Service

2- Senate’s Plan to Annul Trump’s Order

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Defenders of Iranian People Escorted: A Report on Funeral Ceremony Held for Plasco Firemen

2- Trump’s Opportunity for Rouhani: What Are Benefits of US President’s Radical Moves for Iran?

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Glorious Farewell to Martyred Firefighters

2- Trump Backs Off: We’ll Restart Issuing Visa after 90 Days

3- Rouhani’s Influence on Iran’s Politics More than What Expected: Analyst

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Ebtekar:

1- Moving from Excitement to Moderation: Cabinet Renews Its Allegiance to Imam Khomeini

2- Rouhani: People Will Create another Epic in May Presidential Votes

3- 515 Years of Tehran-Moscow Ties: Iran and Russia to Hold Conference on Their Historical Ties

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Etemad:

1- Rouhani in Imam Khomeini’s Mausoleum: We’re neither Xenophobe, neither Xenophile

2- First Anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Revolution without Ayatollah Rafsanjani

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Ettela’at:

1- President: Imam Khomeini’s Discourse Shows Future Path to Us

2- Trump Orders US Army to Be Prepared for World War

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Haft-e Sobh:

1- End of Honeymoon with Apple: Iranian Apps Gradually Removed from Apple Store

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Hosban:

1- Rouhani on Verge of Islamic Revolution’s Anniversary: We’ll Use Interaction with the World to Secure National Interests

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Iran:

1- Rouhani: Imam Khomeini Is Symbol of Honour and Resolve for All Iranians

2- Heroes Escorted on Shoulders of Tehran

3- Culture Minister Appreciates Iranian Artists for Boycotting Oscars Ceremony: Dignity of Iranian Cinema Is Higher than US President

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Javan:

1- US State Dept.: Americans Are to Blame for Terrorist Attacks, Not Immigrants

2- People Escorted the Martyrs of Service to Heaven

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Jomhouri Eslami:

1- Rouhani: Under Current Circumstances, We Need Imam Khomeini’s Path and Discourse

2- First VP: We’ll Reciprocate Trump’s Visa Ban by Restricting American Citizens

3- Famous American Psychoanalyst: Trump Suffers from Psychosis

4- Bahraini Regime Backs Off in Dealing with Supporters of Sheikh Isa Qassim

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Ka’enat:

1- Attack against Trump

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Kayhan:

1- Trump’s All-Out Support for Nuclear Deal in Phone Conservation with Saudi King

2- American Official: Trump Personally Issued Permission for US Attack on Yemen

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Rah-e Mardom:

1- Playing with Fire, Next Plan on Trump’s Agenda: A Report on US President’s Impact on Oil Market

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Rooyesh-e Mellat:

1- Iranian Navy’s Reaction to US and Britain’s Wargames in Persian Gulf: No One Dares to Enter Iran’s Territorial Waters

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Sayeh:

1- Martyred Firemen’s Bodies Escorted by Glorious Presence of Iranian Nation

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Sepid:

1- A Report for Trump to Remember: These Iranian Doctors Have Saved Lives of Thousands of Americans

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Setareh Sobh:

1- Election Is Manifestation of Freedom in Iran: President Rouhani

2- Revolution with Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


 

Shahrvand:

1- Bodies of Firefighters on Tehran’s Shoulders

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Shargh:

1- Judiciary Chief to Trump: Are You Taking Revenge from Muslims for Creation of ISIS?

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Shorou:

1- Rouhani: Imam Khomeini’s Way Is the Way of Independence, Not that of Isolation

2- Trump Breaks Records in Decreased Popularity: The Hated President

3- Pope: Trump Is Not a Christian

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Sobh-e Now:

1- Millions of People Bid Farewell to Selfless Men: Goodbye

2- As Zarif Welcomes French FM Ayrault, France Holds Wargames against Iran; Paris Trade Delegation in Tehran

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Vaghaye Ettefaghieh:

1- People Escort Their Heroes to Heaven

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31


Vatan-e Emrooz:

1- Romantic Escort: Glorious Presence of Numerous People to Commemorate Their Firefighters

2- US in Course of Chaos

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on January 31

France to Double Number of Visas Issued for Iranians: FM

Jean-Marc Ayrault

The visiting French Foreign Minister said in a speech to the French expatriate community in Tehran that the US should avoid any move that would promote discrimination against nationals of other countries – what he suggested Trump’s order would lead to.

“The welcoming of refugees is a duty and question of solidarity,” Ayrault said. “Terrorism doesn’t have a nationality and discrimination is not a response.”

The measure also comes as France seeks to deepen bilateral ties with Iran after the lifting of Iranian sanctions in 2015, AFP reported.

France issued about 40,000 visas to Iranians in 2016, the news agency quoted an unnamed French diplomatic source as saying, adding that the visas would cover tourism, students and work.

Trump in an executive order issued on January 27 blocked the entry of citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen into the United States for 90 days. It also suspended entry of all refugees for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely.

This provoked an immediate reaction from Iran with the country’s Foreign Ministry pledging a response in kind.

Ayrault in Iran: I’ve Come as Defender of Nuclear Deal

The French FM arrived in Tehran on Monday heading a senior politico-economic delegation.

During his two-day stay, the French foreign minister plans to meet Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani.

Ayrault says he is a “defender” of the nuclear deal between Iran and six other countries, amid concerns that one of those countries, namely the United States, may act to breach it.

“I’m coming as the defender of the accord,” Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters after landing in Tehran, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the deal is known.

“We want this agreement to be respected,” he said, emphasizing that it was a “common interest” to sustain the accord, Press TV reported.

The French foreign minister also noted, “We harbor real concerns about the US administration’s attitude toward this agreement.”

France’s stakes are particularly high. French industrial behemoths Airbus, Total, Peugeot, and Renault have all signed cooperation agreements with Iran following the deal. Ayrault’s visit now is also expected to feature the signing of more economic accords.

In a rare stance taken toward the new US administration, the French foreign minister also denounced recent US bans on nationals from Iran and six other countries and said Paris would be doubling the visa quota for Iranians.

“This has nothing to do with fighting terrorism,” Ayrault told the reporters. He said he thought the order was “dangerous,” amounted to “discrimination,” and had to be revoked.

Further explaining his agenda in Tehran, he said, “We will discuss our disagreements, notably on Syria.”