Gholamreza Rezaee added that two of the pilgrims have been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia but the kingdom has promised to release them, and the two others have been hospitalized there.
Rezaee quoted doctors as saying that these two pilgrims were not fit physically to return to Iran, and whenever their condition is stable and the doctors allow, they will be transferred to Iran immediately.
Around 83,000 Iranian pilgrims were dispatched to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.
Revolution Girls to cherish hijab, the dress code in Islam.
Revolutionary and religious songs flared out of the speakers.
Many participants were holding up portraits of martyred Iranian general and anti-terrorist commander General Qassem Soleimani, as well as the late president Ebrahim Raisi who died a plane crash earlier this year to commemorate them.
More in pictures…
Hossein Rastegar the head of the Halal Research Center affiliated with Iran’s Food and Drug Administration, announced the achievement on Friday.
He said Iran only has a two-percent share in the halal market, expressing hope that the product will increase Iran’s share.
The official explained that protozoan and non-animal meat has protein and micronutrients similar to meat and does not have the disadvantages of animal meat.
Halal in Arabic means religiously permissible. Halal food is prepared according to Islamic law in all stages of production.
Cong Peiwu made the remarks on Friday in a meeting with Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iran-China Friendship Group and a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.
In light of his country’s expanding ties with Iran, the Chinese envoy warned of US efforts to mar the growing relations through pursuing its unilateralist goals.
In a broader context, Peiwu also hailed the joint cooperation between Iran, China and Russia in such mechanisms as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS.
For his part, Boroujerdi highlighted Iran’s pivot to the East and its ever-growing ties with China as a basis of foreign policy.
After winning the presidential race, Pezeshkian released an open letter titled “My Message to the New World” earlier in July to outline his foreign policy.
In parts of his letter, he said Iran’s 25-year roadmap with China and the “comprehensive strategic partnership” would continue and highlighted Beijing’s constructive role in helping restore Iran’s ties with Saudi Arabia.
The Iranian MP also said China and Iran are centers of gravity in East and West Asia.
Addressing a gathering of his electoral campaign staff on Friday in a ceremony entitled Sepas, or gratitude in Persian, Massoud Pezeshkian said “honor can be restored to Iran” through “fairness and justice.”
The president-elect, who won the snap polls on a platform of a reformist campaign, further noted that justice cannot be established without introducing reforms.
“We need reforms. Reforms do not mean to defend the interests of certain individuals or parties; reforms mean taking a path that will lead to the establishment of justice in our country and encompass all people,” he explained.
He also stressed on the comprehensive participation of all talented people in the country’s affairs regardless of their gender and ethnicity.
Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon and a veteran lawmaker, stressed on using the domestic capabilities, but at the same time noted that grounds should be paved for elites and experts to play bigger roles.
He pointed out that sanctions, economic problems, ethnic and gender issues are the top priorities that need to be dealt with.
While stressing that the electoral campaign promises should be fulfilled, the president-elect also warned against raising expectations to an unrealistic level that cannot be achieved.
Zarif, the head of the Strategic Council for Transition Period, in a message on Thursday said the committees that are responsible for choosing nominees for ministerial positions based on a ranking system, are assessing a shortlist of between 10 and 15 candidates for each post for the second phase.
“In the second stage, the candidates will be evaluated more carefully in the committees, and if necessary, they will be invited for a voluntary interview,” he explained.
He also dismissed speculations on possible finalized nominees, saying “they have been published mostly to disturb the public opinion and cause concern, or psychological pressure.”
Pezeshkian won the snap presidential election in early July and will be sworn in before the Iranian parliament next Tuesday to replace Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash in May.
He has pledged to put together a cabinet of national consensus by “honest, experienced, and knowledgeable people” as the first step pertaining to his incoming administration.
Pezeshkian posted a message on his X account on Thursday evening, saying, “The crime of killing innocent people and helpless children cannot be overlooked, nor can a criminal be purified by a standing ovation.”
He also warned the Israeli regime, that has been carrying on with its genocidal campaign since October 7 last year, that “The blood of the innocent will never spare the oppressor.”
The Iranian president-elect also cited a verse from the Holy Qur’an, which reads, “The wrongdoers will come to know what ˹evil˺ end they will meet.”
Netanyahu was greeted by massive anti-regime protests upon his arrival in the US for a three-day stay to address the Congress and meet senior US officials.
In his speech to the US Congress, Netanyahu defended the US-backed Israeli aggression against Gaza, which has so far left over 39,000 Palestinians dead, a large majority of them women and children.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out the substantial movement within American academic circles in support of Palestine. He emphasized that this movement has become so influential that the U.S. government, contradicting its own claims and slogans, has resorted to openly suppressing students and professors, arresting and brutalizing them in public view.
“Many experts openly acknowledge that the current global movements in favor of Palestine are driven by the spirit of the Islamic Revolution,” he said. The Leader drew parallels between today’s global slogans and positions supporting Palestine and the revolutionary sentiments that emerged from the hearts of the Iranian people during the early days of the Islamic Revolution.
The suppression of pro-Palestinian academic movements in the U.S. was highlighted by Ayatollah Khamenei, who noted that the American government has violated its own principles, with police visibly assaulting and handcuffing students and professors under the watchful eyes of the public and cameras.
He further commented, “What they intended to do in Iran has now come upon them.” The Leader attributed the recent surge in motivation and spirit among Iranian youth to confront ISIS and the Zionist regime to the same spirit that prevailed during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980s..
Reflecting on past events, Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned the significant role of the youth during the post-election unrest in Iran in 2009, saying these young people entered the field with the same motivation and spirit, effectively neutralizing the enemies’ designs to create problems for the country and its people.
“I am very interested in your opinion on how the situation in the region as a whole is developing. Unfortunately, it is tending to escalate, as we can see. This directly concerns Syria as well,” Putin said at the meeting.
“I am very glad to see you. We have the opportunity to talk about the entire complex of our relations,” Putin added.
The president also proposed to discuss the situation in the region, which tends to worsen, noting that this also applies to Syria. He also expected to discuss with Assad trade and economic relations between Russia and Syria.
Assad in turn has noted the relevance of a meeting with Vladimir Putin against the backdrop of current geopolitical events to discuss possible prospects and scenarios.
“Considering all the events that are happening today in the world and in the Eurasian region as a whole, our meeting today seems very important to discuss all the details of the development of these events, to discuss possible prospects and scenarios,” Assad said at the meeting.
Russia and Syria have gone through difficult tests over the past decades, the president stated, adding that the meeting coincides with the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries.
“Over the past decades, our countries have gone through difficult trials. These decades have witnessed complex transformation processes within our countries. However, over all decades, relations between our countries have maintained a level of trust and this is an indicator of the maturity of our peoples.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced the sanctions on Thursday, directed at seven Israeli settlers and a hardline settler group known for setting up new illegal outposts.
The group, Hilltop Youth, incites and perpetrates violence against Palestinians, stated Wong, while the sanctioned settlers have committed beatings, sexual assault and torture.
“We call on Israel to hold perpetrators of settler violence to account and to cease its ongoing settlement activity, which only inflames tensions and further undermines stability and prospects for a two-state solution,” Wong said in a statement.
The Australian government’s move follows similar actions by its allies the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Japan.
On June 11, the US, a steadfast supporter of Israel, announced a new wave of sanctions against several Israeli settlers and a far-right Israeli nationalist group, Lehava.
“The United States remains deeply concerned about extremist violence and instability in the West Bank, which undermines Israel’s own security,” US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller noted at the time.
“We strongly encourage the government of Israel to take immediate steps to hold these individuals and entities accountable.”
Following Australia’s announcement, Israel’s embassy in Canberra condemned violent acts against Palestinian communities.
“Israel is a state of law and will work to bring the extreme minority involved to justice,” a spokesperson told the Reuters news agency.
Israeli settlers’ violence and military raids in the occupied West Bank have spiked during Israel’s war on Gaza, killing at least 589 Palestinians since October 7, according to Palestinian officials.
Over the same period, at least 17 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in attacks in the territory involving Palestinians, according to official Israeli figures.
Australia considers Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory illegal and an obstacle to peace.
In a landmark ruling on July 19, the International Court of Justice found that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory, including the West Bank, is illegal and should end as soon as possible.
Settlement expansion has increased sharply since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in late 2022. His Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees settlement expansion and himself lives in an Israeli settlement, has promised a “million new settlers”.
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