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President Rouhani Calls for Expansion of Iran-France Ties

The President made the remarks in a meeting with new French Ambassador to Tehran Francois Senemaud. The ambassador formally submitted his credentials to President Rouhani.

“A new chapter has been opened in relations of the two countries,” President Rouhani said, reiterating that the implementation of the joint agreement would broaden mutual relations.

Touching upon the vast untapped potential and capacity between the two countries, President Rouhani said mutual cooperation should be bolstered in political, scientific, cultural and regional arenas.

He said that creating a tranquil situation in the region would be beneficial for Iraq and Syria, mentioning that Iran and France could play a crucial role in fostering peace and tranquility.

Citing terrorism as a global challenge, President Rouhani said Iran has been concentrating on tackling terrorism for a long time, adding that mutual cooperation would further facilitate counter-terrorism efforts.

President Rouhani also expressed hope that the level of mutual cooperation could be expanded during Senemaud’s tenure.

Senemaud, for his part, said Paris is entirely determined in developing its relations with Tehran.

Touching upon the two countries’ old relationship, the envoy said France would spare no efforts to implement mutual agreements.

“France is keen on expanding cooperation with Iran in development projects and in the implementation of joint plans,” he said, adding the ground is properly prepared for expanding mutual collaboration in political, economic, cultural and scientific arenas.

May 17 – Omar Khayyam Day Celebrated in Iran

Khayyam was born in Nishapur in 1048, and received a good education in science and philosophy in his hometown before traveling to Samarkand to learn algebra. While there, he wrote one of the most important treatises in the field, the ‘Treatise on the Demonstration of Problems of Algebra’ (1070), which includes a geometric method for solving cubic equations by intersecting a hyperbola with a circle.

He was a member of the panel that reformed the Iranian calendar, resulting in the highly accurate Jalali calendar. He was invited to Isfahan by the Seljuk king to undertake the astronomical observations necessary for this reform. In Isfahan, he also authored fundamental critiques of Euclid’s theory of parallels, as well as his theory of proportion.

His fame in the west, however, rests upon the translation of the English writer Edward Fitzgerald of his poems in the book The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Khayyam keeps returning to a specific message in many of his quatrains, one which stresses the importance of living for today, because the future is uncertain and life is fleeting. His works often contemplate the riddle of life, and give voice to mankind’s doubts, regrets, and fears.

On May 17 every year, the anniversary of Khayyam’s birth is observed as National Khayyam Day. A ceremony is traditionally held on this day in his mausoleum in Nishapur, as well as in many other locations across the country and worldwide.

Below are three of his selected poems, as translated by Edward Henry Whinfield.

 

Since no one can assure thee of the morrow,

Rejoice thy heart to-day, and banish sorrow

With moon-bright wine, fair moon, for heaven’s moon

Will look for us in vain on many a morrow.

 

From doubt to clear assurance is a breath,

A breath from infidelity to faith;

Oh, precious breath I enjoy it while you may,

‘Tis all that life can give, and then comes death.

 

My life lasts but a day or two, and fast

Sweeps by, like torrent stream or desert blast,

Howbeit, of two days I take no heed,—

The day to come, and that already past.

 

For more of his poems in translation, see:

Whinfield, 1883 

Fitzgerald, 5th Edition, 1889 

 

Below are some photos of Khayyam’s mausoleum, in his home city of Nishapur, courtesy of IRNA.

 

 

S Korean Company to Build 1000-Bed Hospital in Mazandaran

He said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the construction of the hospital was signed on the sidelines of the gathering on investing in the health sector held in Tehran.

At the gathering, a number of countries including South Korea, Italy, Turkey, and Japan, along with a number of other countries, voiced readiness to construct hospitals in Iran, with the South Korean company signing an MoU with Mazandaran province.

It is expected that the hospital will be constructed within three years, he said.

Ebtekar in Seoul to Sign Environmental MoU

For that reason, the Iranian Environment Minister Masoumeh Ebtekar arrived in the country early on Tuesday to sign the MoU at a Seoul hotel.

Ebtekar, also the incumbent vice-president of Iran, was named one of the seven Champions of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program as a prominent environmental leader in 2006.

The MoU will cover a wide range of environmental cooperation, including joint seminars on the management of waste and air pollution and the conservation of wetland ecosystems and the exchanges of information and experts, the ministry said.

After the signing ceremony, South Korean Environment Minister Yoon Seong-kyu and Ebtekar will discuss ways to realize environmental projects, including the creation of an environment-friendly energy town, as discussed at the summit between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in Tehran earlier this month.

“(I hope) the MOU will serve as the first step for substantial cooperation in enhancing the exchange of environmental policy and technology, eventually improving the two nations’ environments,” Yoon said.

Iranian Pilgrimage to Iraq Up by 40%

Mohsen Nezafati, a senior official at Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, said that one reason for more travel to Iraq is a hiatus in the Hajj pilgrimage.

There has been an interruption in Iranian trips to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage after Riyadh severed its diplomatic ties with Tehran in January.

While Iran insists that the safety of travellers to Saudi Arabia must be ensured, given a disaster that killed many Iranian pilgrims in last year’s Hajj, Saudis are dragging their feet over facilitating the trip for the upcoming Hajj season.

More than 460 Iranians were among the thousands of pilgrims who died on September 24, 2015, in a crush in Mina, near Mecca. The incident marked the worst ever tragedy during Hajj.

Croatian President Arrives in Iran

The three-day visit by the Croatian president and her accompanying delegation will come at the invitation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

The Iranian President’s deputy chief of staff for communications and information, Parviz Esmaeili, said that President Rouhani will officially welcome and Grabar-Kitarović on Wednesday.

The two sides also plan to sign several agreements and memoranda of understanding for bolstering cooperation, the Iranian official said.

On Wednesday, she will attend a meeting of Iranian and Croatian economic advocates and private sector representatives, as well as meeting senior officials, Esmaeili added.

He added that the Croatian president will wrap up her visit and leave Tehran on Thursday.

According to an earlier report carried by Total Croatia News, about 50 Croatian companies will send representatives to join the President on the trip.

ISSG Meeting Highlights Need for Syria Truce: Zarif

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in the Austrian capital, Zarif said today’s gathering of the 17-nation ISSG presents an opportunity to stress the need for full respect for a ceasefire in the Arab country.

He also lashed out at terrorist groups for misusing the ceasefire to intensify attacks against the Syrian people, stressing the continued fighting against those terrorists.

The ISSG meeting has convened in Vienna to discuss the latest developments in the war-torn nation.

Iran, Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as representatives of the European Union and the Arab League are at the meeting.

The gathering is to discuss the stalled negotiations, the challenges in maintaining the February ceasefire, and the UN delivery of humanitarian aid to various areas across Syria.

Elsewhere in his remarks at the airport, Zarif said he will take the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering with his counterparts and with UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan De Mistura.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

Iran Newspaper front pages

Many Iranian newspapers on Tuesday focused on a recent report by the working group tasked with investigating the US seizure of Iran’s assets.

They also continued covering reactions to a recent meeting between Faezeh, the daughter of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and a Baha’i figure in Iran.

The visit of Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović to Tehran has also been heavily covered by Iranian media.

 

Abrar:

1- Nuclear Ambitions Are a Poison for North Korea’s Economy

2- Conditions Not Ready for Iraqi Kurdistan’s Independence: Talebani

3- Maintaining Democracy More Important Than Wins and Losses of Certain Factions: Senior Conservative

4- Assyrian King’s Palace Destroyed by ISIS in Nineveh

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Leader Gives 5 Gifts to Married Soldiers

[Based on the Leader’s order, from now on, the 21-month period of military service for married men will be decreased by 3 months for every single child they have. They will also necessarily serve at their wife’s city of residence, and should be discharged 3 times a week after the end of working hours.]

2- One-Third of Iranian Families Are Childless, 12m Young People of Appropriate Marriage Age

3- Judiciary Chief: No One Is Imprisoned for His/Her Beliefs

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Asrar:

1- Samsung to Build Mega-Hospital in Iran’s Mazandaran Province

2- US Has Failed Its Expected JCPOA Commitments: Deputy FM

3- Clear Ambiguity in Previous Government Performance: Working Group [on US seizure of Iranian assets]

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Asr-e Rasaneh:

1- Iran’s Oil Swap Capacity to Increase: Deputy Minister

2- Iran Signs MoU with Kazakhstan: 4G Network to Be Upgraded to 5G

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Bani Film:

1- First Cannes Award Goes to Iran’s Ayda Panahandeh

2- George Clooney to Make All-Female “Ocean’s 11”

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Ebtekar:

1- Ambiguous Performance on “International Banditry” [a recent report by a working group tasked by the government to investigate the US seizure of Iranian assets indicated the previous administration’s failure to retrieve Iran’s money from US banks in due time.]

2- Major European Banks Should Not Waste Their Opportunities: Deputy FM

3- Growing Mistrust among Couples: Hacking a Spouse’s Telegram Account for Fear of Cheating

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Emtiaz:

1- [Development of] Second Phase of North Azadegan and Yadavaran Oil Fields Assigned to China

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Etemad:

1- Culprits behind US Seizure of Iranian Assets

2- Certain Criticisms of JCPOA Are Not Fair: Amoli Larijani

3- Saudi Arabia and Iran’s Experience

[Editorial: Riyadh is dreaming of huge development without considering the prerequisites. They should look at what the Shah of Iran had in mind, and consider how those plans turned out.]

4- Croatian President Due in Tehran Today after 16 Years

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Ettela’at:

1- Martyrdom of Hezbollah’s Badreddine a Catastrophe for Islamic Society: General Soleimani

2- European People Stage Massive Protest Rallies against Economic Policies

3- Gov’t and SNSC to Decide on US Seizure of Iran’s Assets

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Ghanoon:

1- Girls Offside: A Report on Women Who Secretly Try Enter Football Stadia

2- Welcome to Iran, President Kolinda [in Croatian]

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Haft-e Sobh:

1- €60m Injected into Iran’s IT Market: Iranian Start-Ups in Global Markets

2- Jewellery Shop Owner Hires Thieves to Rob His Shop

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Hemayat:

1- If Defending Baha’i Faith Becomes Criminal, We’ll Respond Strongly: Judiciary Chief

2- [Followers of] Baha’i Cult Are Hirelings of Israel: Clerics and Political Activists

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Iran:

1- Communications Minister Talks about Influence of Cyberspace on February 26 Elections: How Social Media Outperformed Expensive Billboards

2- Iran-US Diplomacy in Post-Obama Era

3- 100 Italian Companies in Tehran

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Javan:

1- 20 Countries Convene in Austria: Rumours of Compromise on Syria in Vienna

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- IMF Supports Iran’s Return to World Banking System

2- Zionist Rabbis Call for Slaughter of Palestinians

3- 251 Iranian MPs Voice Support for Lebanon’s Hezbollah

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Kayhan:

1- American Thinker Reveals US Strategy: We Shut Down Iran’s Nuclear Program, Now It’s Time for Its Missile Program

2- Iraqi FM: Popular Force Heroes Fighting Terrorists from 100 Countries

3- Lebanon’s Hezbollah Is Our Military Exemplar: Houthi Ansarullah

4- Baha’is Are Not Only Enemies of Islam, but Also Israel’s Mercenaries: Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Payam-e Zaman:

1- “Shahrzad” [popular Iranian TV series aired online and in stores, not on IRIB] Beats the Satellite [the series, mostly Turkish-made, aired through Persian-speaking satellite TV channels]

2- Iran’s Return to International Banking

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Resalat:

1- Any Connection with Baha’i Faith Is a Prosecutable Crime: Senior Cleric

2- For US, JCPOA Victory Means Change of Iran’s Behaviour: Haddad Adel

3- Revenant’s Grizzly, Not DiCaprio, Deserved Academy Award

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Sepid:

1- Ali Karimi’s Strange Ailment [former Persepolis and Bayern Munich player]: Likely Alopecia Areata

2- Thinking Aloud Is a Basic Right for University Students: Official

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Shahrvand:

1- Newly-Discovered Relics Show Shiraz’s History Dates Back 6500 Years

2- 6,000 Foreigners Imprisoned in Iran: Half of Them Are Afghans

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Sobh-e Eqtesad:

1- Expectations of 180 Foreign Delegations’ Visits to Iran Not Met: Chamber of Commerce

2- Iran Ready to Export 2m Tons of Wheat

3- Missile Drills Not to Be Stopped: IRGC Aerospace Commander

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Vaghaye Ettefaghieh:

1- Attacks on Gov’t, JCPOA, and Rafsanjani in Last Day of 9th Parliament

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 


 

Vatan-e Emrooz:

1- Cannes Is the Festival of LGBT Community: Iranian Director Afkhami

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 17

 

The Stunning Architecture of Yazd

Yazd

Yazd, a desert provincial capital, is home to its own unique Persian architecture. The historical city is nicknamed the “City of Wind-Catchers” (Shahr-e Badgirha) due to its ancient wind towers, which make use of thermal air currents to both cool and heat buildings depending on the season and time of day.

These photos take a look at some of the major tourist attractions of the city.

Any Request for Banking Guarantees in Ties with Europe Is Nonsense: Official

UN Security Council Weakened by US Support for Israel: Iran Envoy

Certain Iranian media outlets earlier claimed that European banks had set preconditions for resuming banking ties with Iran.

“It is nonsensical to talk about guarantees in banking transactions,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said on whether European banks had spoken of any guarantee for resuming ties with Iranian partners.

“This has nothing to do with Iran… The two sides try to contact each other and work together. If the cooperation is economically suitable, they will pursue it, and if not, they won’t,” he told.

“In these fields, only the economic components are considered. Any request for such guarantees is nonsense.”

 

For more news and views on this story, see:

Javan: European Banks Demand $15bn from Iran