The technical tests and training of the national women’s ice hockey team, in full compliance with health protocols, began on Monday, September 13, under the supervision of the coach Azamsadat Sanaaei, with the presence of 30 athletes at the IRAN MALL ice track.
The girls in national ice hockey are preparing for the Asian Cup, which will be held in May 1401 in the Philippines.
The national women’s online hockey team was sent to the Asian Games in China for the first time in 2012 and won the third place. After that, in 2014, they were sent to the Asian Championships in China for the second time, and they were able to return to the country by winning the fourth place in Asia. In 2016, for the first time, this team was sent to the Inline Hockey World Cup in Italy and won the 19th place. In their last appearance in 2018, the South Korean Asian Championships were able to win the third place in Asia.
Iranmall Sports Complex
Iranmall Sports Complex has been created with the aim of creating physical and mental comfort, focusing on mental relaxation, developing motor skills and proper training of sports exercises, in a different environment and using the latest technology in the world. This collection includes various facilities for performing various sports and games, spending leisure time, enjoying spectacular games for the young generation and Iranian families, and holding domestic, regional and international sports events. In this regard, and to create a dynamic, safe and family environment for sports affairs, the founders of the Grand Bazaar of Iran have provided unique spaces in this complex, which is explained in the section on mobile sports sub-categories.
Iran ‘s Health Minister Saeed Namaki has issued an emergency permit to use COV-Iran Barakat in the current vaccination of the population.
Speaking to Iranian state TV on Sunday night, Health Minister Saeed Namaki issued an emergency permit to use COV-Iran Barakat in the current vaccination of the population.
He also said that the necessary permit to use Iran-Cuba jointly produced COVID vaccine will also be issued as early as next week.
The move comes amid reports of a shortage of vaccines in Iran as the vaccination of elderly aged above 60 is underway.
This is while, Jafar Sadegh Tabrizi, Director General for PHC Network Management at the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ministry of Health said on Sunday that the country needs 120,000,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines. He also said that a new shipment of vaccines containing a million doses will enter the country in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Head of Iran’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Mohammad-Reza Shanesaz, said Sunday the Iranian citizens who have been injected with a foreign-made coronavirus vaccine might be injected with an Iranian-made vaccine for their second dose. He assured that the Iranian and foreign-made vaccines are made in the same way and with the same quality.
The National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus in Iran has announced that the second dose of Chinese vaccine will be distributed from Saturday and the second dose of Sputnik V will also be available.
Iranian Sputnik vaccine to be unveiled
Iran’s Health Minister Namaki informed that the Iranian version of the Sputnik Covid-19 vaccine will be unveiled on Sat.
Iranian Minister Masoud Namaki vowed that all Iranians will be vaccinated by the end of Autumn by domestically produced or imported vaccines.
The Spokesman of the Iran Food and Drug Administration (IFDA) said in mid-June that the Islamic Republic of Iran joined the club of manufacturers of coronavirus, COVID-19, vaccine.
In a tweet, Kianoush Jahanpour wrote, “Islamic Republic of Iran joined the coronavirus, COVID-19, vaccine manufacturers’ club by issuing a license for emergency use of COV-Iran Barakat; Iran, Russia, United States, China, UK, and India.”
The Cuban biopharmaceutical corporation BioCubaFarma announced that the Soberana 02 vaccine against COVID-19 has an efficacy of over 60 percent.
“With only 2 doses, #Soberana02 reached 62% efficacy,” BioCubaFarma tweeted on Saturday.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel tweeted that the result has been confirmed by an independent committee with the Instituto Finlay de Vacunas, but the emergency use of the vaccine is yet to be approved by the Cuban regulatory agency CECMED, Sputnik reported.
“The efficacy of #Soberana02, in its two doses, exceeds the requirements of the World Health Organization for a vaccine candidate against #COVID19 to become an effective vaccine, which is 50%,” Diaz-Canel tweeted, adding that data on the three-shot Soberana Plus vaccine will be available soon.
Cuba has developed five promising vaccine candidates: Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Soberana Plus, Mambisa and Abdala. Over 4.3 million people have participated in trials of the Soberana 02 and Abdala vaccines, according to Cuba’s health ministry.
Head of Iran Export Confederation Mohammad Lahouti says achieving the $42 billion non-oil export target which the country has set for the current Iranian calendar year (ends on March 20, 2021) is possible considering the recent improvements in exports.
“Considering the growth of [non-oil] exports in late 1398 [previous Iranian calendar year ended on March 19] which continued in the current year, the exports are expected to grow significantly in the second half of the year, and hopefully we will achieve the foreseen target,” Lahouti told ILNA.
“Of course, we missed the first quarter of this year due to the coronavirus outbreak and the closure of borders; however, since over 80 percent of the border crossings have been reopened, the exports growth will be much higher in [the Iranian calendar month of] Khordad (May 21-June 20),” he added.
He further noted that it could also be possible for the exports to increase in the second half of the year to even exceed the $42 billion target.
Mentioning the preferential trade deal with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the official said Eurasia will be a great export opportunity this year and we have also the largest markets in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“China and India are also among our target markets; we are trying to increase our exports to China and hopefully our exports to India will return to normal levels as well.”
According to Lahouti, the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade is targeting 15 neighboring countries for non-oil exports in the current year, and the diversity of the target markets has not changed much.
Iran to launch joint chamber office in Syria
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Export Confederation head said Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) has purchased a building in Syria and the office of Iran-Syria joint chamber of commerce in the Arab country will be opened soon.
“Naturally, by launching the Iranian Chamber of Commerce office in Syria, we can expand exports and investment in this country,” he said.
“When the Syrian market opens and conditions return to normal, we will have various plans for this country as well.”
The official noted that Syria is looking for joint investment, and Iran’s goal is to increase non-oil export to the country.
“Syria is also a good market for joint ventures, but infrastructure must be provided and protocols must be followed,” Lahouti emphasized.
It was only hours before the year 2020 began that China made public the emergence of a highly contagious new respiratory disease – or COVID-19. The world, which prior to the announcement, seemed more than capable of controlling and containing a potential outbreak, has since been crawling on its feet, struggling to adapt to a “new normal.” In late February, the virus found its way to Iran prompting officials to introduce sweeping measures like the closure of schools, sports clubs, and even mosques and other religious sites across the country. People were also strictly advised to stay home and practice social distancing when outdoors.
It was in late March and as Iran’s sports community was still reeling from the shock of the pandemic, the suspension of all sporting events and the postponement of the olympic games to 2021 when it received another bitter blow; the country’s lone Olympic track and field medalist, Ehsan Hadadi, had tested positive for the coronavirus.
After recovering from the malicious disease Ehsan recounted his experience battling the virus. He said: “It was really difficult to breathe but I hadn’t lost hope. Fear is your worst enemy while fighting this disease. If you are afraid, you can not overcome this. My high morale was a great help. This disease is no joke. It can infect anyone. So, whoever you are, stay home and take safety guidelines seriously.” Aside from finicalical implications, the postponement of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo has also had a ripple effect on the morale of the athletes who saw their childhood dreams put on hold and years of training extended. 52 Iranian athletes who have already qualified for 11 events now have to reset their mental preparations.
The 2020 Olympics – now the 2021 Olympics- are the first ever games to be postponed in peace-time. The event that was initially scheduled to start July 24 is now pushed all the way back to the summer of 2021.
This decision came out of a phone call between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on March 25 to make sure athletes can compete in their best condition and spectators can enjoy safe games.
The National Olympic Academy of Iran had to – naturally- suspend its activities following an order by Iran’s coronavirus control center. But the Academy continued its consultation services for athletes online or over the phone. It also started offering online courses for PE teachers in Olympics Values Education.
For a period of time, Iran was behind China with the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths. But the country soon recovered from the first wave of the outbreak and assumed the control of the situation despite US economic sanctions that have drastically constrained the ability of the country to finance humanitarian imports, including medicines and medical equipment.
Iranian athletes and champions released a video clip in solidarity with the people of the world which was warmly received by the sports community and was shared on the website of Association of National Olympic Committees.
In recent history, we Iranians have gone through years of war and sanctions. And I am only sure that we will put this new crisis behind us victoriously. So keep your spirits up and never lose hope.
Iran Olympic Review Episode 1: Iran and Coronavirus covid-19 Reporter: Farbod Khalili Cameraman: Mohsen Roushandeh Video Editor: Amirhassan Saadati Editor in chief and producer: Sadeq Hosseini Production: Public Relation Of Iran National Olympic Committee & Iran This Way www.olympic.ir www.iranthisway.com
Production of crude steel in Iran has risen 14.1 percent in March 2020 from March 2019, Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO)announced citing the data indicated in the World Steel Association (WSA)’s latest report.
The WSA’s report, which is on steel production by 64 countries, put Iran’s steel output at over 2.8 million tons in March, IRNA reported.
The report also says that crude steel production by the 64 producers has fallen 1.3 percent during the first quarter of this year from the same time span in the past year.
Production by China, the world’s largest steel producer, dropped 1.7 percent in March, while rising 1.2 percent in the first quarter on an annual basis, the same report confirmed.
Iran’s monthly performance was reported as being prominent in the region, as its rival Turkey could achieve a growth of just 4.1 percent in March.
WSA has previously announced that Iran’s crude steel production climbed 30 percent in 2019 while the average global growth in this sector stood at 3.5 percent.
The WSA’s report, put Iran’s steel output at over 2.8 million tons in March.
According to the global organization, Iran produced 31.9 million tons of crude steel in 2019, while the figure was 24 million tons in 2018.
The data and reports released by Iranian organizations also show that the country’s steel sector is still experiencing growth in output and export despite the U.S. sanctions.
In early May 2019, Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran’s metals and minerals sectors in an attempt to [as the U.S. president Trump put it] “choke off the country’s largest non-petroleum related sources of export revenue”.
During the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic, Iran reported its first confirmed cases of Covid-19 infections on 19 February 2020 in Qom. The virus may have been brought to the country by a businessman from Qom who had traveled to China. In response to the coronavirus the Iran’s government cancelled public events and Friday prayers; closed schools, universities, shopping centers, bazaars, and holy shrines; and banned festival celebrations.
Iran coronavirus fatalities drop to double figures for first time in month
Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki says the number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus pandemic has dropped to double figures for the first time in one month.
Speaking to the Iranian people on Instagram live on Tuesday 14 April 2020, Namaki hailed the country’s “proper” fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that 98 deaths from the disease were registered in the past 24 hours.
“We are implementing smart distancing and have announced protocols for it. We want to say that we are currently at a more appropriate situation,” he said.
Namaki, however, warned that the country will face new challenges if health protocols and smart distancing are not observed properly.
Meanwhile, Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the new deaths brought the total number of fatalities to 4,683 since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Iran in late February.
Jahanpour added 1,574 new infections had been recorded over the past 24 hours, taking the overall number of confirmed cases to 74,877.
He noted that 48,129 of hospitalized patients had recovered and been discharged, and that 3,691 people are in critical conditions.
Iran health minister hailed the country’s “proper” fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that 98 deaths from the disease were registered in the past 24 hours.
Iran’s successful response to the virus comes despite the illegal US sanctions, which are hampering the country’s efforts to rein in the virus.
Iran has been employing strict precautionary measures since the virus surfaced in the country. It has heavily ramped up the required health services, including by increasing the number of hospital beds, and shot up the production of disinfectants and relevant sanitary items.
The Health Ministry reported Monday that new cases of coronavirus infections and deaths from the viral outbreak had been declining across most of the country’s 31 provinces.
President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Iran has handled the novel
coronavirus outbreak better than Europe and the United States, assuring
that the country’s stocks of basic commodities are replenished better
than ever, unlike the scenario unfolding in the US and many other
Western states.
Despite a series of unjust US sanctions, Iran managed to push up its copper exports to one billion dollars in the past calendar year (ending March 19, 2020), doubled in comparison with the same period in preceding year.
Iran’s largest metals and mining holding, said on Sunday that the value of exports for main copper products reached more than $1 billion over the past year, a senior official at IMIDRO was quoted as saying by Press TV.
Mohammad Aqajanlou said that total sales of the National Iranian Copper Industry Company (NICICO) topped 220 trillion rials, nearly $1.5 billion, a milestone in the 48-year-history of the company.
Aqajanlou added that total turnover for the Iranian copper industry exceeded $4.5 billion over the past year and the NICICO posted a return on investment of 143 percent.
He said another historic achievement for the copper smelters in Iran was to reach a total output of 1.18 million metric tons of concentrate last year while production for copper cathode reached an all-time high of 250,130 tons.
He said that copper cathode accounted for more than two thirds of total domestic consumption for purified copper which was over 160,000 tons over the past year.
That means that copper concentrate, a relatively raw from of the metal, accounted for a bulk of Iran’s exports, an issue which has faced criticism with many believing the NICICO should create more capacity for using copper concentrate inside Iran rather than shipping it in large quantities to countries like China.
Aqajanlou rejected the criticism and said the current supply and demand situation in the Iranian copper industry makes exports of concentrates more preferable.
The total sales of the National Iranian Copper Industry Company (NICICO) topped nearly $1.5 billion, a milestone in the 48-year-history of the company.
Some experts also believe that rising exports for raw copper at a time of increased American bans on Iran’s trade of lucrative metals could also help the government access new hard currency resources.
In early January 2020, the Trump administration imposed new sanctions on Iran on Friday, including penalties on the Islamic Republic’s metals and some senior government officials. Following Tehran’s retaliation for the assassination of Iranian Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the new measures at a press conference at the White House .
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi lambasted Washington for the new sanctions, saying, “Unfortunately, the Americans have adopted unilateral, illegal and fruitless behaviors and are stressing to repeat them.”
“Such efforts will be to no avail,” Mousavi said, adding, “The American regime will finally be forced to accept its failure.”
He said the new sanctions are a clear violation of UN Resolution 2231 and have targeted the industries that are directly related to the normal life of millions of Iranians.
A major Iranian businessman said exports of goods and services to Iraq were down year-on-year in February at $11 billion.
Yahya Al Es’haq, who leads the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce, added exports to Iraq had been affected by the spread of the new coronavirus in Iran, noting, however, that trade between the two countries will grow despite current problems, Press TV reported.
He said total exports to Iraq, which include energy and services, had reached a record high of $13 billion in March 2019.
He said Iran aims to meet a target of $20 billion in exports to Iraq in a matter of few years, adding that Iranian businesses are expected to sell between $13 billion to $14 billion worth of products and services to Iraq in the current Iranian calendar year ending in March 2021.
The businessman admitted that political instability in Iraq was another reason for a slight decline in imports of Iranian products and services over the past year.
“We see these restrictions as temporary because all issues will be resolved,” said Al Es’haq, adding that the Iraqi market is of vital importance to Iran’s foreign trade.
Iran has sought to offset the impacts of the American sanctions on its sale of oil through a series of measures to boost foreign trade, especially with neighboring countries.
Iraq is second to China on Iran’s list of top destinations for exports. The Arab country’s main import items from Iran include food, natural gas, electricity and construction materials.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says friendly countries should exert pressure on the United States to lift its “cruel and one-sided” sanctions against Tehran at the current juncture that the Islamic Republic is diligently fighting the deadly new coronavirus pandemic.
In a phone call with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Monday, the Iranian president emphasized that it is more difficult for Iran in comparison with other countries to battle the coronavirus when it is under the US sanctions.
“The US administration has not only violated international regulations by imposing illegal sanctions on Iran, but is also breaching health regulations ratified by the World Health Organization in 2005 through its measures under the current circumstances,” Rouhani said.
The Iranian president once again expressed the country’s readiness to return to full compliance with its commitments under the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it clinched with major world powers in 2015 only if all sanctions against the country are removed.
“The removal of sanctions and fulfillment of its commitments by Europe are a necessity, which has become more significant at the current specific situation,” the Iranian president pointed out.
The United States reinstated its sanctions against Iran in May 2018 after leaving a United Nations-endorsed nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic and five other major powers — the UK, France, Russia, China plus Germany.
Since then, Washington has corded other countries to follow suit and mount pressure on Iran or face punishment.
Former world officials: US sanctions compromising Iran healthcare system amid pandemic
The United States has refused to lift sanctions on Iran and even tightened them several times in recent weeks, making it almost impossible for the Islamic Republic to access life-saving medications and medical equipment necessary in the fight against the deadly new coronavirus pandemic.
Iran says the unilateral US sanctions have seriously hampered its fight against the pandemic.
Presenting the latest update on Monday, Iran’s Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour reported 2,274 new infections and 136 more deaths from the virus over the past 24 hours.
In total, 60,500 Iranians have tested positive for COVID-19 while 3,739 have died, he pointed out, adding that 24,236 patients have fully recovered so far.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian president welcomed an initiative by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to declare a global ceasefire amid the coronavirus pandemic, expressing hope that it would also include the economic war on Iran.
The UN chief on Friday renewed his call for a global ceasefire, urging all parties in conflict to lay down arms and allow war-torn nations to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
“The worst is yet to come,” Guterres said, referring to countries beset with fighting like Syria, Libya, and Yemen, adding, “The COVID-19 storm is now coming to all these theaters of conflict.”
Rouhani also described as “positive but insufficient” the initial steps taken to implement INSTEX, a trade mechanism set up by Britain, France and Germany in 2019 to protect companies doing business with Iran from Washington’s sanctions.
He emphasized that the mechanism should not be limited only to medical equipment and food, but must be also implemented in a way that would enable Iran to “use it to meet all our country’s requirements.”
The three European signatories to the JCPOA unveiled the long-awaited direct non-dollar payment mechanism meant to safeguard their trade ties with Tehran following the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and in the face of the “toughest ever” sanctions imposed by the United States against the Islamic Republic./ Press TV
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, 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.
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.
