Celebrating Women’s History Month (March 1-31), IMDb published a video on Twitter to take a look back at “cinematic history in salute of the pioneering women directors and their groundbreaking work,” the online entertainment database tweeted along the video that featured scenes of Bani-Etemad’s 2014 drama, Tales (Ghesseh-ha).

Born in Tehran in 1954, Bani-Etemad – who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in film studies from the Dramatic Arts University in Tehran – is widely considered as the most important female director in Iran, titled ‘First Lady of Iranian Cinema’.

Her movies and documentaries picture social and cultural issues and complications in modern-day Iran.

The Tales – which adopts an episodic narrative – portrays the fates of seven characters of Bani-Etemad’s previous flicks.

The film won the award for Best Screenplay (written by Bani-Etemad and Farid Mostafavi) at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.

It also brought Bani-Etemad the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award – dedicated to best film – at Kolkata International Film Festival in 2014, as well as the Special Jury Prize at Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Australia) in the same year.

Also featured in IMDb’s short video were the likes of Sofia Coppola, Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Chinese-American film director Lulu Wang, Sarah Polley, and Barbra Streisand.

Rakhshan Banietemad

Rakhshan Banietemad, born in 1954 Tehran, began to make documentaries for the Iranian National Television in 1979, right after graduating from the University of Dramatic Arts, Tehran. From 1979 to 1987 she focused on making only documentaries. In 1987, she directed her first feature film Off the Limits. In 1991, she became the first woman recipient of the Best Director award for Nargess at Fajr International Film Festival in Iran. In 1995, she won the Bronze Leopard for The Blue Veiled at the Locarno Film Festival. Under the Skin of the City, her next film, was the highest grossing film in Iran in 2000. This film along with Gilaneh (2005) and Mainline (2006), garnered major awards in more than 50 film festivals.

While Banietemad’s feature films have been acclaimed and honored worldwide, her documentaries have also been successful and popular internationally. Our Times …, was the first documentary ever to be released in the movie theatres in Iran in 2002. It was also screened in highly prestigious and prominent festivals and TV channels such as IDFA, Sundance Film Festival and ARTE.

Banietemad started her work by making documentaries and has never ended the strong connection she has always had with her works. Making documentaries have been her main way of connecting with the society and social issues. Her approach and in depicting social issues has been so strong and effective that her works have always resulted in causing change in the lives of her documentaries’ characters.

In 2008, she received an honorary doctorate from University of London, in 2010, she was awarded the Prix Henri Langlois from Vincennes International Film Festival. Her latest feature film, Tales, was awarded the Best Screenplay prize in the main competition section of 2014 Venice International Film Festival.

More recently, she has joined the Academy Oscar, Writers branch in 2017.

Feature Films

• Tales (Ghesseh ha), 2014
• Heiran (producer), Director: Shalizeh Arefpour, 2009
• Mainline (Khun bazi), 2006
• Gilaneh, 2005
• Under the Skin of the City (Zir-e pust-e shahr), 2000
• Baran and the Native (Baran va bumi), part of feature-film Kish, 1998
• The May Lady (Banu-ye ordibehesht), 1997
• The Blue Veiled (Rusari abi), 1994
• Nargess, 1991
• Foreign Currency (Poul-e khareji), 1989
• Canary Yellow (Zard-e qanari), 1988
• Off the Limits (Kharej az mahdudeh), 1987

DOCUMENTARIES

• Touran Khanom, Co director, 2018
• Karestan Documentary films as follows (Artistic consultant), 2013 -17  Film 1. Poets of Life
   Film 2. Puzzleys
   Film 3. Mother of the Earth
   Film 4. MAHAK: A World She Founded
   Film 5. Friends at Work
   Film 6. Flax to Fire
• Hey, Humans (Ay, Adamha), 2016
• A Lifetime in an Hour (Yek saat az yek omr), 2015
• All My Trees (Hameh derakhtan-e man), 2015
• The Other Side of Mirrors (An sooy-e ayeneh ha), 2014
• The Mirrors Recital (Concert-e ayeneh ha), 2014
• The Concert of the Lords of Secrets (concert-e khodavandan-e asrar), 2014
• Mahak My Home (Khaneh man Mahak), a teamwork, 2014
• Keep Children in School (Bacheh ha ra dar madreseh negahdarim), a teamwork, 2012
• The Room No. 202 (Otahgh-e 202) Part of “Kahrizak 4 Views”, 2012
• See you Tomorrow Elina (Farda mibinamet Elina), 2010
• We Are Half of Iran’s Population (Ma nimi az jameiat-e Iranim), 2009
• Angels of the House of Sun (Hayat khalvate khaneh khorshid), 2009
• Second Home (producer), Director: Mahvash Sheikholeslami, 2008
• 3D Carpet (Farsh-e 3 Bodi), Part of “Iranian Carpet”, 2007
• Our Times… (Ruzegar-e ma…), 2002
• Under the Skin of the City (Zir-e pust-e shahr), 1996
• The Last Visit with Iran Daftari (Akharin didar ba Iran Daftari), 1995
• To Whom Do You Show These Films? (In filmha ra beh ki neshun midin?), 1993
• Spring to Spring (Bahar ta bahar), 1993
• The 1992 Report (Gozaresh-e 71), 1993
• Centralization (Tamarkoz), 1986
• The War Economic Planning (Tadbirha-ye eqtesadi-e jang), 1981
• Occupation of Migrant Peasants in the City (Mohajerin-e roustai dar shahr),1980
• The Culture of Consumption (Farhang-e masrafi), 1979

Awards

• Diploma of Honor of Child Book Council’s, Tehran, Iran, March 2018
• Diploma of Honor of ‘Children’s Research Institute, Tehran, Iran, December 2018
• Special Cinema Section Award, 2nd  Davood Rashidi Commemorative Award, Tehran, Iran, August  2018
• Honorary Award, 7th Int’l Malatya FF (Turkey) 2017
• Honorary Golden Cyclo, 23th Vesoul Film Festival (France), 2017
• Ethics and Prayer Award for social and civilian activities (Iran), 2016
• Cinema Honorary Award, 4th Int’l Women FF (Afghanistan), 2016
• Cinema Honorary Award, 6th Int’l Crime & Punishment FF (Turkey), 2016
• Best Film, Tales, Prague Iranian FF (Chezk), 2016
• Audience Award, Tales, Gene Siskel Film Center (USA), 2015
• Best Film, Tales, London Iranian FF (UK), 2015
• Special Jury Prize, Tales, Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Australia), 2014
• Best Film, Tales, Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award, Kolkata Int’l FF (India), 2014
• Best Screenplay prize, Tales, Venice Int’l FF (Italy), 2014
• Special Jury Prize, Kahrizak 4 views, Dubai Int’l FF (UAE), 2012
• Prix Henri Langlois, Vincennes Int’l FF (France), 2010
• Special Jury Prize, We Are Half of Iran’s Population, (WIFTS) (USA), 2009
• Special Jury Prize & Best Actress, Mainline, Dhaka Int’l FF (Pakistan), 2009
• Best Screenplay & Best Actress, Mainline, Pyongyang Int’l FF (North Korea), 2008
• Grand Jury Prize, Mainline. Int’l Women’s Film Festival (Creteil, France), 2008
• Achievement in Directing, Mainline, Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Australia), 2007
• Best Director & Best Actress, Mainline, Iran Cinema House Awards (Iran), 2007
• Best Director & Best Actress, Mainline, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 2007
• Best Film, Mainline, City Int’l FF (Iran), 2006
• Best Film, Mainline, Asiatica Film Mediale (Italy), 2006
• Special Jury Prize, Gilaneh, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Int’l FF (Spain), 2006
• Netpac Award, Gilaneh, Vesoul Asian Film Festival (France), 2006
• Golden Lotus Award, Iranian Women Film Directors (Iran), 2006
• Best Film & Best Actress, Gilaneh, Kara Int’l FF (Pakistan), 2005
• Artistic & Cultural Achievement Award, Kara Int’l FF (Pakistan), 2004
• Special Jury Award, Under the Skin of the City, Seattle Int’l FF (USA), 2002
• Netpac Award, Our Times…, Locarno Int’l FF (Swiss), 2002
• Netpac Award, Under the Skin of the City, Karlovy Vary Int’l FF (Chezk), 2001
• Holden Award for Best Script, Audience Award, & Cinemavvenire Award for Best Feature Film, Under the Skin of the City, Turin Int’l FF (Italy), 2001
• Special Jury Prize, Under the Skin of the City, Moscow Int’l FF (Russia), 2000
• Special Jury Award, The May Lady, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 1998
• Honorable Mention, FIPRESCI Award, The May Lady, Montreal Int’l FF (Canada), 1998
• Prince Claus Prize for Culture and Development (The Netherlands), 1998
• “Il Sindaco di Firenze” Peace and Freedom Award (Italy), 1998
• Best Asian Woman Director, The Blue Veiled, India Int’l FF (India), 1996
• FIPRESCI Award, The Blue Veiled, Tessaloniki Int’l FF (Greece), 1996
• Bronze Leopard, The Blue Veiled, Locarno Int’l FF (Swiss) 1995
• Best Script & Best Supporting Actress, The Blue Veiled, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 1994
• Best Director & Best Musical Score, Nargess, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 1991
• Best Supporting Actor, Canary Yellow, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 1988
• Best Film, Off the Limits, Comedy Int’l FF (Italy), 1987

PROFESSIONAL DISTINCTIONS

• Jury Member, Dhaka Int’l FF Bangladesh), 2020
• President of the jury, Herat Film Festival (Afghanistan), 2019
• Jury Member, Mumbai Int’l FF (India), 2018
• Jury Member, Venice Int’l FF (Italy), 2017
• Academy Oscars Member, Writers Branch, 2017
• President of the jury, Vesoul Film Festival (France), 2017
• President of the jury, Prague Iranian Film Festival (Czech), 2017
• President of the jury, Image Film Festival (Iran), 2016
• President of the jury, Cinema Verite Int’l FF (Iran), 2013
• President of the jury, Busan Int’l FF (South Korea), 2013
• Master Class, California Institute of the Arts (USA), 2013
• Jury Member, Shanghai Int’l FF (China), 2012
• Jury Member, Dubai Int’l FF (UAE), 2010
• Jury Member, Asiatic Film Mediale Festival (Italy), 2010
• Master Class, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (USA), 2010
• Jury Member, Fribourg Int’l FF (Switzerland), 2010
• Jury Member, Urban Int’l FF (Iran), 2009
• Producer, Heiran, feature-film (Iran), 2009
• Producer, Second House, documentary (Iran), 2008
• Honorary Doctorate, University of London (Iran), 2008
• Master Class, School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS (England), 2008
• Master Class, Geneva University of Art & Design (ESBA), 2008
• Jury Member, Cinema Verite Int’l FF (Iran), 2007
• Jury Member, Women’s Film Festival (Iran), 2006
• Jury Member, Asian Cinema, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 2006
• Jury Member, Art University Student Festival (Iran), 2005
• Director, Sony Young Directors Film Festival (Iran), 2003
• Jury Member, Asia Pacific Film Festival (Iran), 2003
• Jury Member, Sony Young Directors Film Festival (Iran), 2002
• Jury Member, Moscow Int’l FF (Russia), 2002
• Jury Member, Cairo Int’l FF (Egypt), 2002
• Jury Member, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 2001
• Jury Member, Montreal Int’l FF (Canada), 2001
• Jury Member, Youth Film Festival (Iran), 2001
• Jury Member, Student Film Festival (Iran), 1999
• Jury Member, Leipzig Int’l FF (Germany), 1999
• Jury Member, Tokyo Environmental Int’l FF, (Japan), 1998
• Jury Member, New Delhi Int’l FF (India), 1998
• Jury Member, Student Film Festival (Iran), 1997
• Jury Member, Locarno Int’l FF (Swiss), 1996
• Jury Member, Turin Int’l FF (Italy), 1995
• Jury Member, Center for Iranian Film Directors (Iran), 1993
• Jury Member, Roshd Film Festival (Iran), 1992
• Jury Member, Fajr Int’l FF (Iran), 1990

KÂRÂ FILM STUDIO

KARA Film Studio is a name under which a group of professional Iranian filmmakers express their common concerns regarding humanistic, social and cultural issues through documentary films, while maintaining their own diverse and distinct vision. In KARA Film Studio, filmmakers in small or large numbers, gather together and, starting with an outline of a documentary project, complete the work in a professional manner.

KARA Film Studio operates under a number of principles: personal financing or financing through private sector; working as teams and in a workshop from development of an idea through to its completion and distribution; giving young and talented documentary filmmakers an opportunity to work with professionals and assistance with their development, due respect for the audience by maintaining high standards in the production phase, endeavor to provide improved and increased means of screening films inside and outside Iran; …
Rakhshan Banietemad and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb are the constant participants in this group.

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In the international competition section Best Play Award was jointly presented to ‘The History Boys’ by Ashkan Khalilnejad, and ‘Melancholy of the Dragons’ by Philippe Quesne of France, honaronline.ir wrote.

Khalilnejad also received the Best Directing Award and Best Stage Design Award for ‘The History Boys’.

Mehdi Ziachamani won the Best Playwriting Award for ‘The Omissions’.

Special Jury Award for Best Dramatic Composition and Best Acting Award (male) went to Masoud Delkhah for ‘Mephisto’ and Morteza Esmaeil-Kashi respectively.

The Best Costume Design Award went to Neda Nasr for ‘The List of the Dead’.

Best Offstage Play (Unusual Places) was given to ‘Guilty Landscapes’ by Dries Verhoeven (the Netherlands).

The 36th Fadjr International Theater Festival was held from January 18 to 28 in Tehran.

Winners

Best Play Award:

Jointly won by ‘The History Boys’ by Ashkan Khalilnejad, and ‘Melancholy of the Dragons’ by Philippe Quesne, France

Best Directing Award:

Ashkan Khalilnejad for ‘The History Boys’ – Iran, Tehran

Best Playwriting Award:

Mehdi Ziachamani for ‘The Omissions’ – Iran, Mashhad

Special Jury Award for Best Dramatic Composition:

Masoud Delkhah for ‘Mephisto’ – Iran, Tehran

Best Acting Award (male):

Morteza Esmaeil-Kashi for ‘Mephisto’ – Iran, Tehran

Best Acting Award (female):

Katja Bürkle for ‘Hamlet’ – Germany

Best Stage Design Award:

Ashkan Khalilnejad for ‘Boys of History’ – Iran, Tehran

Best Costume Design Award:

Neda Nasr for ‘The List of the Dead’ – Iran, Tehran

Best Music/Sound Design Award:

Valentijn Dhaenens for ‘Big Mouth’ – Belgium

Best Offstage Play (Unusual Places):

‘Guilty Landscapes’ by Dries Verhoeven – The Netherlands

Special Mention:

Remote Tehran, Rimini Protocol Company – Germany

The 36th Fajr International Theater Festival was held January 18 to 28 in Tehran.

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For April-November, the first eight months of this fiscal year, India shipped in about 427,200 bpd, according to the data reported by Reuters.

But India’s oil imports from Iran will likely rise in December, as vessels holding about 4 million barrels of oil sailed from the Iranian ports in end-November and discharged cargoes in early December, the data showed.

Iran has cut oil prices in efforts to retain Asian customers and boost the appeal of its crude compared with other Middle Eastern supply.

Overall India imported 4.7 million bpd oil in November, meaning growth of about 12 percent from a year ago as the country raised its refining capacity.

First deputy oil minister in November announced that Iran has turned to customers in Europe to shore up its crude oil exports.

Iran is in negotiations to secure new buyers in Europe, Marzieh Shahdaei said.

Shahdaei said some of our customers in Asia have reduced imports, but that does not undermine Iran’s crude exports.

Refiners in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Greece and Turkey are the biggest customers of Iranian crude in Europe.

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Managing Director of Iran Oil Terminals Company (IOTC) Seyed Pirouz Mousavi said oil can now be stored for as long as 15 days without the need for exports.

“Iran’s oil storage capacity has currently reached global standards with implementation of 10 million barrels of new capacity in Bahregan district as a backup for Kharg Oil Terminal,” he added.

The official highlighted that operation of new tanks not only has boosted storage duration to 15 days but also increased crude storage capacity of the country’s terminals by about 35 per cent.

“The rise in crude storage capacity, in addition to strengthening Iran’s bargaining power for commerce and sales of oil, will elevate the quality of export products.”

He recalled that construction and implementation of new storage tanks will lower risks of production cuts and transfer of oil to Kharg Terminal, as the country’s largest crude terminal.

Mousavi further deemed increased oil exports throughput as yet another advantage of the new oil storage project adding “upon operation, the possibility will be provided for regular and overhaul of crude oil storage tanks at Kharg Terminal.”

Implementation of new tanks for storing 10 million barrels of Iranian crude earlier this month, the country’s overall capacity rose to 38 million barrels. The project also comprises design, construction, installation and operation of eight one-million-barrel tanks, two 500-thousand-barrel tanks as well as four 250-thousand-barrels tanks for storing crude oil.

Iran’s oil terminals remain as the last link in the chain of oil and gas production and presently over 90 per cent of the country’s crude oil is being deployed to global markets through Kharg Terminal.

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New Managing Director of the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) Sirous Kianersi described latest status of oil displacement agreements between NITC and huge European oil companies saying “so far, 35 contracts have been inked with European sides for taking out leases on 35 Iranian tankers.”

The official stated that the 35 lease contracts had been signed with oil giants from various EU states like Greece, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands asserting that the deals were spot contracts which were sealed for transport of crude oil.

He highlighted that Iranian tankers enjoyed highest standards for transference of crude oil in ports and oil terminals of the European Union (EU); “so far, agreements have been signed with majority of European oil firms like Spain’s Cepsa, Italy’s Eni in addition to Greek and Dutch companies.

In view of post-JCPOA conditions and removal of restrictions, more agreements will be sealed with European oil giants for displacement of crude oil, the official reiterated.

Last week, Kianersi had reported on berthing of Iranian oil tankers at EU oil terminals stressing that the first Iranian tanker had tied up at a Spanish socking site.

For the first time ever, an Iranian tanker, which has been lent out to a large Spanish oil company, moored at Algeciras port of the European state.

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Sirous Kianersi added the first NITC tanker leased to a major Spanish oil company docked at the Port of Algeciras just recently, reported IRNA on Wednesday.

More NITC tankers are heading to other European ports, he said, adding two vessels are currently en route to the Netherlands.

NITC is the biggest tanker company in the Middle East and one of the largest in the world with a capacity of 15.5 million tons per year.

Managing Director of Iran’s Port and Maritime Organization Mohammad Saeednejad also said on Wednesday that the lifting of sanctions has allowed Iranian ships to fully resume operations to Asian, European and American ports.

Since October, Iranian VLCCs have reportedly completed 32 voyages delivering around 70 million barrels. China accounted for 13 voyages and India for 12 others.

As many as 17 international shipping lines have resumed their calls at Iranian ports which were deserted by and large during the sanctions, Saeednejad said.

Iranian VLCC fleet, which had been used as floating storage, has started to reappear on international trading routes. Since October, more than 20 NITC-operated VLCCs have returned to the market compared to just 13 in October.

Iran’s oil exports hit 2.04 million barrels per day in November, recovering from a decline of around one million barrels per day during the sanctions. Over the last 12 months, European customers have resumed lifting Iranian crude oil, with France, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Taiwan taking at least one shipment.

According to ship tracking data, the number of Iranian VLCCs in storage has fallen from 16 to 7 units, which equals to a reduction of 20 million barrels. As much as 15 million barrels of crude oil is estimated to remain in floating storage on NITC’s VLCCs — down from an estimated peak of between 40 and 50 million barrels.

On Tuesday, a report said global ship insurers were about to resume near full coverage for Iranian oil exports from next month without involving US-domiciled reinsurers.

Restrictions on US firms handling Iranian goods had greatly limited the number of reinsurers of cargoes, but the new arrangements, which essentially allow re-insurance of ships without the involvement of US firms, should boost the number of eligible shipments, Reuters reported.

“There will be no US-domiciled reinsurer participation on the 2017 IG reinsurance program,” the news agency quoted Andrew Bardot, secretary and executive officer at the International Group (IG) of P&I Clubs in London, as saying.

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Djivan Gasparyan performs at 32nd Fajr Intl. Music Festival
Armenian musician and composer Djivan Gasparyan performed at Milad Tower Conference Center on Friday during the first day of Fajr Festival. Gasparyan is known as the ‘Master of the duduk’, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe.

The Iranian music group performed in the 32nd Fajr International Music Festival.

The Rastak Iranian music group performed in the 32nd Fajr International Music Festival.

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NIOC intends to invite several rounds of tenders for a number of oil exploration & production (E&P) projects; accordingly, credible and qualified foreign E&P firms were asked to participate in the competence evaluation process.

Conformity assessment documents and related information, including evaluation methods, criteria and procedures were placed on the official website of NIOC on October 17, 2016.

Applicants were required to submit a copy of demanded documents along with electronic files as long as December 04.

According to NIOC official website, secretariat of tenders for upstream oil and gas sector contracts, upon receiving information from interested companies and evaluation of documents, promulgated names of 29 accredited foreign firms.

The final list contains names of prominent oil giants from Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Malaysia, Russia, Austria, Thailand, Japan, Poland, the Netherlands, Britain, Spain and China among the others.

So far, numerous Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been inked with foreign companies for development of oil and gas fields though the first international tender in Iran’s oil industry is scheduled to be invited in coming months for expansion of South Azadegan field.

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Mohammad Adeli referred to growth in the number of tourists visiting Abyaneh, saying that some 5,518 foreign tourists visited the village in the Iranian month of Aban (October 22- November 20).

Most foreign tourists came from France with 1,368, Germany with 551, Italy with 410, the Netherlands with 363, Thailand with 282, Belgium with 278 and England with 253 tourists in the Iranian month of Aban, he noted.

Abyaneh is a village in Barzrud Rural District, in the Central District of Natanz township, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 305, in 160 families.

Tourist Review
The red clay village Abyaneh and Kashan

By, Andri Wilberg Orrason: There are many old historical mountain villages in Iran, where the clock seem to tick slower then in the bigger cities. We decided to visit one of them, Abyaneh, often referred to as the Red Village for its red mud brick houses and the surrounding mountain terrain (bearing the same colour due to iron oxides). The houses are arranged like steps up the hillside, so the roofs of some houses are the front yards of the next one up. Abyaneh is at least 1500 years old (dating back to the Sassanid era), originating from the time of the Arab invasion, when many of the Zoroastrian followers fled to the mountains and deserts to escape forced conversion to Islam. Because of their isolation, the villagers speak a dialect of their own, which is though to predate modern Persian or Farsi, with less Arabic influence.

To reach the village we decided to hitch a ride from Esfahan. Without effort we managed to reach the nearmost town, Natanz.

We payed a local in Natanz a few buck to drive us there. It wasn’t our safest moment; along the way the driver rolled down his window and started sniffing a white cloth, which presumably was soaked in glue or petrol. He seemed to be getting more and more drowsy, but at same time driving faster and faster up the mountain road. We finally reached the village, alive.

People of Abyaneh Village The local women wear traditional clothing

Walking the red narrow streets, with hardly any tourists visible, we stumbled upon a local couple, Natasha and Saed, who invited us for some tea. To our surprise, their english was superb. They had lived mostly in the capital Tehran but also in Europe for many years. Despite having lived in the world’s biggest cities with the latest technology, they decided to move to Abyaneh some 15 years ago and raise their two beautiful children in a peaceful environment away from political influence. Like most women in the village, Natasha, wore a traditional headscarf with floral motifs and a bright coloured dress which is scarcely aligned with the Islamic regime requiring women to dress modestly. It was lovely to sit on a small stone chair in their “Flinstone” kitchen, drinking Iranian tea and talking about Iran, their culture, before and now.

People of Abyaneh Village

The warm locals, Natasha and Saed in front of their 1.500 year old house
Kashan

After Abyaneh we headed to Kashan, a city famous for hand woven carpets and historical houses.

One of many historical houses in Kashan

Historical house Kashan

Eating dinner at one of the historical houses

It can take one person up to 6-12 month to weave a 1.5 x 1.0 m carpet depending on how dense you weave it (knots per square inch). If you liked that carpet in the movie Big Lebowski, well know you know, it’s a Kashan design! We came close to buying one at the bazaar but our budget didn’t afford a quick loss of 2000 dollars. You can get them for cheaper, with fewer knots, made from cheap wool instead of silk, coloured with chemicals instead of organic dyes, but we couldn’t get our eyes off the irresistible and shiny silk carpest woven to perfection. So we decided to wait until we visit Iran again sometime, when we’re not on a world tour budget, and bring enough currency for a carpet.

Persian carpet from Kashan, A beautiful wool and silk carpet handmade in Tabriz.

We didn’t spend much time in Kashan as our main interest lied outside the city. For a mere 20 dollars each we rented a private driver (for 7 hours) who drove us into the Maranjab desert to visit the Dasht-e Kavir Salt Lake (Namak Lake), with a quick stop at the underground city (handbuilt 18 meter below surface in the pre-islamic era for defense purposes) and the shrine of Hilal Ibn Ali. We really enjoyed seeing the hexagonal to octagonal shapes of salt, reaching endlessly in all directions, disappearing into the horizon. Our day was perfected with the most beautiful sunset we have seen, in complete remoteness, on top of the highest sand dune of Maranjab desert.

The amazing shrine of Hilal Ibn Ali,

The amazing shrine of Hilal Ibn Ali, Wearing the chador in front of the holy shrine

The amazing shrine of Hilal Ibn Alie

View inside the underground city

View inside the underground city

The desert Maranja

Salt lake, Dasht-e Kavir – Iran

Salt lake, Dasht-e Kavir – Iran

Salt lake, Dasht-e Kavir – Iran

Sunset in the Maranjab desert

Sunset in the Maranjab desert

Video About Abyaneh

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The memorandum of understanding was signed by Iran’s Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud Hojjati and Netherlands Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp in Amsterdam on Friday. Hojjati heading a delegation of his deputies and representatives of Iran’s private sector has visited the Netherlands at the official invitation of the host country.

During his meeting with the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Hojjati maintained that Iran is on the same level with the top countries in the world in production of certain horticultural crops such as pistachios, dates, pomegranates and apricots. He added that the Islamic Republic is making plans to increase the export of such products to new markets.

The Iranian minister then noted the various capacities of the Netherlands in agriculture and livestock, saying “the two countries can complement one another on agricultural cooperation and the MoU that will be signed today can better define the framework for this kind of cooperation between the two sides.”

Henk Kamp, for his part, highlighted the nuclear deal between Iran and the 5+1 as a good opportunity for various countries across the world to further expand their relations with Iran.

“The exchange of delegations between the two counties in the past two years shows the expedition of developing relations, and the Netherlands is ready to boost its cooperation with Iran in all areas, including economy and agriculture,” he added.

Kamp further noted the relative advantage of the Netherlands in agricultural production, which is about five times more than the average in Europe, and called for exchange of experiences between the two countries in the field of agriculture and livestock.

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