S t r a i g h t T r u t h W W W . T E H R A N T I M E S .

C O M

8 Pages | Price 100,000 Rials | 1.00 EURO | 4.00 AED | 45th year | No. 14638 | Thursday | November 16, 2023 | Aban 25, 1402 | Jumada al-Awwal 2, 1445

Allameh Tabatabai
formed strong
intellectual base by
adopting active, offensive
approach: Leader
TEHRAN- Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has said that
Allameh Sayyid Mohammad Hossein Tabat-
abai forged a stout intellectual base while
adopting an active and offensive approach.
Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks
during a meeting with organizers of the In-
ternational Congress in Honor of Allameh
Tabatabai on November 8 which was later
published on November 15.
The following is a part of the Leader’s
statement posted on the khamenei.ir:
The late Allameh Tabatabai was one of the
exceptional wonders of our seminaries in the
last centuries. The qualities that made up
this man’s character were all some of the su-
perior virtues of a person. A combination of
qualities such as knowledge, piety, morality,

Trophy of
literary talent and artistry, and sincerity and
friendship were what formed the personali-
ty of this great man. One point regarding the
knowledge of this noble man, was the wide
scope of his knowledge. He was an expert in
the principles of jurisprudence. He was a phi-
losopher. And he had a deep understanding
of theoretical mysticism. Page 2

an Invincible Army
Raisi writes to world
leaders on ‘organized
collective punishment’
APAImages

of Gazans
Israel’s Al-Shifa hospital propaganda fails as it achieves nothing TEHRAN- Ebrahim Raisi, the President of
Iran, has denounced the collective punish-
ment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, say-

OPINION: Reuters or UNICEF executive director Scholz standing on wrong ing that it is being carried out in a planned
fashion.

dream makers? calls Gazs situation side of history in Gaza war In a letter sent to world leaders on Tues-
day, Raisi asserted that the Israeli regime

Mohammad Sarfi
Editor-in-Chief
TEHRAN - While the Israeli regime’s killing machine, with
the support of the West, has killed over 11,000 citizens
of Gaza in more than 40 days - two-thirds of whom
women and children - Western media has appeared as a
whitewashing machine for genocide and seeks to justify the
crimes of Israel.
Of course, propaganda and psychological operations in
war are not a strange phenomenon, and Western media
must also be considered part of the unequal forces involved
in this war. A force that tries to support Israel’s crimes in
Gaza with flimsy and unacceptable excuses such as “the
right to self-defense.”
One of these psychological operations was exposed
by Reuters on November 15. Reuters claimed in a news
report, citing three informed sources in Iran, that
Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of Iran, complained in
a recent meeting with Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran that
Hamas had refused to inform Iran about the “Al-Aqsa
Storm” operation.
‘devastating’
In an emotional statement, UNICEF Executive
Director Catherine Russell has called for a
humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza after describing the
situation there as “devastating”.
“Today I visited the Gaza Strip to meet with children,
their families and UNICEF staff. What I saw and
heard was devastating. They have endured repeated
bombardment, loss and displacement. Inside the Strip,
there is nowhere safe for Gaza’s one million children
to turn,” Russell said in a statement released on
Wednesday.
She added that more than 4,600 children have been
killed during Israeli airstrikes with an additional 9,000
reportedly injured.
The statement comes after the United Nations
announced it is mourning the death of more than 100
of its aid workers, who lost their lives during Israeli
bombardments on Gaza.
By Mehran Shamsuddin
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday he
opposed an “immediate” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The statement by the German leader is in sharp
contrast to the global demand for a ceasefire.
Through such an approach, Germany is setting itself
against all countries, except the U.S. and Britain and
a few others. Most importantly, Scholze is standing
against the public opinion in the world.
The people around the world had formulated a
high opinion of Germany following the policies that
the country followed after the Second World War.
It received hundreds of thousands of refugees who
fled the Syrian war. But Germany has disappointed
the people whenever it comes to Israel’s behavior in
Palestine. Germany is unreasonably biased in favor
of Israel, no matter whether the Social Democrats or
Christian Democrats are in power.
The war crimes being committed against the Gazans
are so grave that have astonished the world. Regarding
the war on Gaza,
Page 5
has engaged in an “intensive and organized
collective punishment” of the Gaza popula-
tion, one that clearly violated all fundamen-
tal principles of international law.
The Israeli regime has also killed thou-
sands of people in Gaza, many of them
women and children, destroyed hospitals,
mosques, churches, houses, and other criti-
cal infrastructure, and refused to lift a block-
ade that had left the enclave without food,
water, or electricity.
In the letter, Raisi asserted that Palestine,
being a nation under occupation, possesses
the right to fight back against aggression
and occupation using any means necessary,
including armed struggle.
He further stated that the Zionist regime is
not authorized by international law to defend
itself by killing civilians.
He urged international leaders to de-
nounce the atrocities carried out by the Is-
raeli regime in Gaza and to put an end to its
hostility toward the territory. Page 2

Tourist arrivals in Iran Iran FM addresses AEOI to produce 60 new

jump 40 percent y/y Gaza situation with UN radiopharmaceuticals for
TEHRAN – Foreign arrivals to Iran during the first
relief chief health sector
seven months of the current Iranian year were up TEHRAN – Iran’s foreign minister has TEHRAN - The Atomic Energy Organization
40% compared to the same period last year, the voiced his deep concern over the dire of Iran (AEOI) has received an order to
deputy tourism minister said. humanitarian situation in Gaza during produce over 60 new radiopharmaceuticals
for the domestic market.
“In the first seven months of this year, the a meeting in Geneva on Wednesday
with UN under-secretary-general for Behrouz Kamalvandi, AEOI spokesman,
arrival of overseas tourists to the country
humanitarian affairs Martin Griffiths. stated on Tuesday that the healthcare
increased by 40% compared to the same period industry has received a lot of support from
last year,” Ali-Asghar Shalbafian said. Hossein Amir Abdollahian demanded
the nuclear organization recently.
an immediate cessation of Israeli
He says the rate of tourist arrivals, mainly from He announced that the Food and Drug
attacks and abhorred attempts to
Iran’s neighboring countries, has been “promising”. Administration of the Health Ministry has
displace the people of Gaza.
The official said Iran enjoys a considerable share awarded the AEOI a contract to manufacture
He also denounced Israeli attacks 66 new radiopharmaceuticals.
of arrivals from its neighboring countries. on Gazans as genocidal, lacking any
“A range of domestically produced
“The tourism ministry has put in a great deal prospect of victory, and only increasing
IRNA/ Mehdi Bolourian

radiopharmaceuticals for cancer diagnosis

of effort to both ease arrivals and diversify costs for the U.S., the regime’s primary and treatment are being developed with
its tourism sources,” he added. “For example, supporter. world-class quality,” Kamalvandi stated.
travelers from Iraq and Turkey can easily visit The foreign minister also stressed In December 2022, AEOI director general
Iran in their own cars and such a facilitation is the imperative of swift and sufficient Mohammad Eslami announced that Iran aspires
to be provided for travelers from Armenia in the humanitarian aid to the besieged to become a worldwide hub for the production
near future.” Page 6 Gazans. Page 3 of deuterium pharmaceuticals. Page 2

POLITICS
2
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
S t r a i g h t T r u t h
TEHRAN TIMES
TEHRAN PAPERS
Washington’s contradictory moves in
West Asia
In the following column, we take a look at some important
contents and views in the yesterday’s Iranian newspapers.
Shargh devoted its headline to the confused
state of the Biden administration and wrote: The
New York Times previously claimed that the U.S.
is not seeking to escalate tensions with Iran and
is not planning to enter a war with the country in
the face of the current conflict between Israel and
Palestinians. This came after U.S. President Joe
Biden released about $6 billion of Tehran’s frozen
funds in South Korea as well as five Iranians from
US prisons in exchange for five Iranian-Americans
jailed in Iran. It has now been revealed that Biden
is set to approve a sanctions waiver that will al-
low Iran to access at least $10 billion in previously
frozen funds held in Iraq. The money will allegedly
be transferred to banks in Oman and Europe. It
seems that since the beginning of the war between
Hamas and Israel, the Biden government has been
suffering from a behavioral contradiction, on one
hand, it is trying to avoid escalating the tension in
the region, especially the conflict with Iran, and at
the same time, it has taken measures to spread
and generalize the war to the entire West Asian
region. Certainly, the current situation in the re-
gion and the world after Operation Al-Aqsa storm
has created a complex and at the same time con-
tradictory situation for all actors in West Asia as
well as other regions. The U.S. appears to also have
some kind of contradiction in its behavior, actions
and reactions towards this issue.
Iran: Americans fail to infiltrate Gaza in pri-
mary attempts
In a note, the Iran newspaper indagated the
role of Joe Biden’s administration in supporting
the genocide of the Zionists in Gaza and quoted
Tehran University professor Foad Izadi, a senior
expert on American issues, as saying: Stephen
Walt, a prominent American theoretician, believes
that the Gaza war has affected the strategic situ-
ation of the United States in managing the issue
of Iran and its competition with China. It must be
said that what is happening in Gaza is not in the
interest of America at all. Americans have made
a big mistake by supporting Israel, and this is
not good for America’s geopolitics in the region,
where powerful countries like Iran and China are
present. On the other hand, Iran’s diplomacy in
facing America and Israel is appreciable. Support-
ing the ideal of Palestine has both advantages and
disadvantages. The Islamic Republic has always
helped in the difficult situation, and if it wasn’t for
Iran, the Palestinian case would have been forgot-
ten years ago. One goal is to reduce the support
of Western countries towards Israel. Although
Western countries do not stop their support for
Iranian, Qatari FMs reiterate demand to end
Israeli war crimes in Gaza
TEHRAN- The Israeli regime’s savage bombard-
ment on the Gaza Strip has been discussed by the
foreign ministers of Qatar and Iran, reiterating
their demands for an immediate halt to the war
crimes committed by the regime and the delivery
of humanitarian relief to the beleaguered region.
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hos-
sein Amir Abdollahian spoke by phone with his
Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Ab-
dulrahman Al Thani to discuss recent develop-
ments in Palestine and the Gaza Strip.
Over the phone conversation, the two parties
talked about the ongoing genocide in Gaza and
the terrible humanitarian situation there, high-
lighting the urgent need to put an end to war
crimes against the region and provide relief to
Palestine’s homeless population.
They also discussed the most recent develop-
ments in diplomatic efforts and measures to halt
Israel’s ruthless onslaught against Gaza.
The attack on the Qatari Committee for the Re-
construction of Gaza’s offices was also addressed
by the two distinguished diplomats.
On Monday during a phone conversation with
his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó, Amir
Abdollahian also slammed the continued slaugh-
ter of Palestinians in the confined Gaza Strip, call-
ing it a flagrant breach of international law.
During the call, the two senior diplomats re-
viewed the recent developments in the West Asia
region, particularly the situation in Palestine and
Israel, if some of this support is reduced, Israel
will suffer tremendously.
Javan: IRGC power biggest threat against Is-
rael
In a commentary, Javan discussed the claim of
Financial Times and said: Only one day had passed
since the full-scale attack of Hamas against the
Zionist regime, that the United States showed
its full support to this regime and sent a warn-
ing message to its regional enemies. The United
States has sent another strike flotilla, defense
systems and nuclear submarines to the Per-
sian Gulf region to increase the protection of the
American military in the region. Washington has
claimed it aims to “deter any potential attacks by
Iran and the armed groups it supports including
Hamas”. The United States carried out its third
attack against “militia supported by Iran” in Syr-
ia, which is seen as an escalation of tensions by
Washington in retaliation for dozens of attacks
on American soldiers in the region. The English
newspaper Financial Times considered the in-
tensification of the liberating activities of the
resistance forces in the region after the Zionist
regime’s war crimes in Gaza as the main factor in
strengthening Washington’s military presence in
the region and considered the “powerful forces of
the Revolution Guard Corps” as the main threat
against the Zionist regime and Western countries.
Siasat-e-Rooz: Zionist regime is the one to be
condemned
In an article, Siasat-e-Rooz addressed the
baseless claims of the Zionist regime against
Iran. It wrote: The Israeli regime cannot save itself
from condemnation by falsely blaming Iran. This
apartheid regime is undeniably responsible for
the tragic loss of innocent lives caused by its on-
going crimes against civilians in Gaza. According
to Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador and per-
manent representative to the United Nations, the
representative of the Israeli regime in his letter, by
repeating baseless claims against Iran, accused
Iran of “politics aimed at igniting regional war”
to divert the attention of the world community
from war crimes in the Gaza Strip. As stated many
times, the decisions and actions of independent
Palestinian resistance groups are based on their
interests and in line with Palestinian interests,
and speaks to their right of self-determination
and self-defense against Israeli occupation and
military aggression. As a result, any attempt to
blame or involve Iran for any of these issues is
unacceptable.
Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Referring to the deteriorating humanitari-
an conditions in Gaza due to Israel’s “savage”
crimes, Iran’s foreign minister said, “Through
indiscriminate bombardment and massacre of
people in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli regime has
blatantly violated all norms of human rights
and international law.”
Amir Abdollahian also emphasized the im-
portance of increasing international pressure
on Israel to end its assaults against the Gaza
Strip, establish a truce, and send relief aid to be
besieged Gazans.
On Sunday, the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC) sounded a stern alarm
about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza
Strip, saying, “The situation in Gaza is rapidly
approaching a humanitarian disaster.”
“An unbearable human tragedy is unfolding
in front of our eyes. People call us day and night
saying they are afraid to open their doors for fear
of getting killed and pleading to help them reach
safety,” said William Schomburg, head of the
ICRC’s sub-delegation in Gaza.
Targeting densely populated urban areas, the
ICRC expressed alarm about the regime’s actions,
stating that “Israeli attacks taking place in heavily
populated urban areas in the Gaza Strip, including
around hospitals, endanger the lives of the most
vulnerable people like medical staff, patients, the
wounded, premature babies, people with disabili-
ties, and the elderly.”
Allameh Tabatabai formed strong intellectual base
by adopting active, offensive approach: Leader
From page 1 He was a schol- into the room. He said, “I was at
ar in astronomy and mathematics. Allameh Semnani’s house. Mr. Kho-
He was an outstanding scholar in meini and Mr. Tabatabai were there
the interpretation of the Quran and too along with a few other gentle-
the Quranic sciences. He was truly men. Allameh Semnani turned to Mr.
unparalleled in this field. He was a Khomeini and said, “I read your Tafsir
skilled poet. He was skilled and ac-
tive in the science of genealogy. My
Al-Mizan. It is very good. It is excel-
lent. I truly enjoyed it.”
late father was friends with Mr. Ta-
He continued complimenting
batabai from the time they were in him [Mr. Khomeini] for writing Taf-
Najaf. My father himself told me this. sir Al-Mizan, thinking he was Mr.
My father wrote a letter to Mr. Tabatabai. Since Mr. Khomeini was
Tabatabai asking him to ask a cer- not a person who would lose his
tain person [a famous man in Qom control in such a situation, he lis-
for our family tree], and then he tened without saying anything. Mr.
wanted it sent to him. Now I don’t
remember his exact words, but in
dents, played key roles in the Islam- Today when we look at these issues,
we see that they are also related
Tabatabai who was sitting on the
other side, turned to Allameh Sem-
ic Revolution.
response to this letter, Mr. Tabatabai In the Assembly of Experts, many to the present day. This active and nani and said, “I am Mr. Tabatabi. He
wrote, “I know [genealogy] as much offensive intellectual base was cre- is Mr. Khomeini, my teacher.”
of those who wrote the constitution
as he does or more.” So he prepared were students of the late Mr. Taba- ated by the late Mr. Tabatabai. This The late Mr. Tabatabai, with all his
our family tree and sent it. In other is one point.
tabai. A number of the well-known spiritual, academic, and behavior-
words, the family tree that is cur- martyrs in the Islamic Revolution That is what I think we should al merits and with all these things
rently in our hands was prepared by
had also been the students of Mr. learn from Mr. Tabatabai. We need that almost everyone knows about
Mr. Tabatabai.
Tabatabai. Martyr Motahari was his to form intellectual bases that fill him now, with all these qualities, in
In the field of mathematics, he student, Martyr Beheshti was his the voids and have an active, offen- terms of personality and friendship,
drew the layout for the Hojjatiyeh student, Martyr Qoddusi was his sive nature toward the other side he was a very charming, pleasant
Seminary (a prominent seminary in student, and Martyr Aghasheikh Ali rather than assuming a passive, person. His speeches were pleas-
Qom). He was a magnificent, pro- Heydari Nahavandi was his student. defensive position. ant, his language was pleasant, and
ficient architect. Mr. Tabatabai’s There are two qualities that the His second characteristic, which he was a pleasant, friendly speaker.
scientific diversity was one of the late Mr. Tabatabai possessed that in my opinion is also a very prom- In his more private meetings, his
special dimensions of his scientific grab my attention and draw me to inent, important characteristic, is conduct and silence were not the
knowledge. him very much. One was Mr. Taba- that in the field of monotheistic same as when he was holding public
Another dimension was the depth tabai›s exceptional intellectual jihad. teachings and divine concepts that meetings, discussions, lessons, etc.
of his scientific and intellectual He lived at the time of the invasion he had come to understand, he did He was warm, charming, pleas-
knowledge. In [the science of] prin- of foreign, imported ideologies and not stop at intellectual growth. He ant, and a good conversationalist.
ciples, he was a master of tenets. doctrines such as Marxism, and grasped those concepts and truths When he would narrate something,
In philosophy, he was an innovative also people who created and spread with his noble heart and soul, and he he would describe it in detail and
philosopher. He presented a philo- doubts. These people weren’t try- put his knowledge into practice. with color and life. That’s the kind of
sophical system, which may be seen ing to present a certain school of These characteristics which he is person he was. He had a well-round-
in his book The Principles of Philos- thought. They were creating and known for, such as his extraordinary ed personality. He was talented, he
ophy and the Method of Realism as spreading doubts. humbleness and not following his was interested in poetry and litera-
well as in two other of his books that desires, were all due to this fact. His ture, and he possessed a complete
This is the same thing that the
he wrote not long ago, the books patience and his humility were due combination of all the qualities that
late Mr. Motahari was working
Bidaya and Nihaya. In the science of to the fact that he had grasped those an outstanding, eminent person
against. The books he wrote were
commentary on the Quran, he was concepts and high levels of knowl- can have. I hope, God willing, the Al-
often in response to the doubts
an extraordinary exegete. edge with his soul. When people saw mighty God will exalt his rank, and
that were being spread at that time.
him, it truly seemed to them that he make us of those who are apprecia-
Another dimension of this no- In the midst of these events, the
ble man’s scientific endeavors was late Mr. Tabatabai (ra) was able to was not concerned with himself. He tive of him. Praise God that He bless-
the area of training students. He form a strong intellectual base us- was patient. He had a very gentle at- ed him in this way.
trained philosophers such as Mar- ing an active, offensive approach, titude toward others, and he would Mr. Tabatabai is much better
tyr Motahari, Martyr Beheshti, and with both his book The Principles even treat those who argued with known today than he was during his
other more recent scholars such of Philosophy and also with his ex- him or had disputes with him with lifetime. When he was alive, he was
as the late Mr. Mesbah [Yazdi], etc. planatory statements. This exege- patience and tolerance. He would known by maybe a tenth of the num-
These are the kinds of people that sis is filled with a sea of political and forgive them. ber of people that now know him.
he taught. He revived philosophy social knowledge. His book [of com- One day, I was sitting in my sem- Praise God, he is now well-known in
and created philosophers. Now, it is mentary], Al-Mizan, is [also] about inary room when one of my friends the country, in academic assemblies,
also interesting to note that most political and social issues that had who loved Mr. Tabatabai and was and throughout the world to a great
of his students, or many of his stu- not even been raised at that time. one of his devoted students came extent, God willing.
Raisi writes to world leaders on ‘organized collective punishment’ of Gazans
From page 1 According to President Raisi, flow of electricity, water, food and fuel to that sary and incumbent upon all of us to engage in
the international community must pressure the area, are practically a severe and systematic col- efforts with the aim to return all Palestinian ref-
Israeli regime to end its embargo on Gaza so lective punishment that substantively violates all ugees to their land of fathers and their ancestors
that food, medicine, and fuel could be distribut- the fundamental principles of international law, and the formation of a Palestinian state in the en-
ed to the region’s residents. especially international humanitarian law and tire Palestinian territories with Al-Quds Sharif as
International human rights, and there is no doubt its capital, to request the relevant international
At the end of the letter, the president ex-
that these crimes are clear examples of genocide, forums to force the occupying regime to immedi-
pressed hope that the Almighty God may save
war crimes and crimes against humanity. ately stop all its attacks on the Gaza strip and all
the oppressed Palestinian nation from occupa-
tion, aggression and crimes. its illegal actions, including Jewish settlements
The extent, intensity and cruelty of commit-
The full text of Raise’s letter to world leaders ting these crimes, and the fact that they have and killing and arresting of Palestinians in other
is as follows: been perpetrated within only one month, espe- occupied areas of Palestine; to refrain from any
cially the brutal killing of several thousands of action to forcibly relocate Palestinians inside or
I am writing this letter to Your Excellency in the
context of the continuation of the Zionist regime’s
brutal attack on the Gaza Strip, which has so far
innocent children, hurt the heart of every free
person, and underscore the urgency and neces-
outside of Palestine; to push for immediate, com-
plete and unconditional lifting of the blockade of
led to the martyrdom of more than 10,000 Pales-
tinian civilians, including about 70% children and
sity of fulfilling the humanitarian duties of all
the freedom-loving governments of the world
the Gaza Strip; to provide the ground for imme-
diate, unhindered, widespread and sufficient hu-
women, and the wounding of more than 26,000 to help the oppressed people of Palestine and manitarian aid in Gaza, especially food, medicine
others, as well as the extensive destruction of the immediate cessation of the crimes of the and fuel; to activate pressure levers against the
hospitals and schools, mosques, churches, houses Zionist regime. Zionist regime, including cutting off political and
and vital infrastructures of Gaza. In this regard, the government of the Islamic economic relations and embargoing its goods; to
These crimes are carried out under the pretext Republic of Iran believes that the humanitarian try to end the impunity of crimes against Pales-
of confronting the actions of Palestinian liber- and legal duty of regional and international or- tinians through an effective and serious effort
ation resistance groups, which, according to the ganizations and all freedom-loving governments to provide a practical basis for the pursuit, trial
established rules of international law, the Pales- requires them to take effective measures to im- and punishment of the leaders, perpetrators and
tinian nation, as a nation under occupation, has mediately and completely stop the military at- supporters of the crimes of the occupying regime
the inherent right to self-determination and re- tacks against the residents of Gaza. in Palestine and to immediately and extensively
sistance against aggression and Occupation “by In the same vein, and in addition to strongly help to start the process of rebuilding the ruins
resorting to all means, including armed methods” condemning the unbridled crimes committed by of the Gaza Strip.
and on the other hand, according to the same the Zionists against the oppressed Palestinian I pray to the Almighty for the health and
rules, the occupying Zionist regime lacks any nation and resolutely supporting the realization well-being of your Excellency and the liberation
right to claim it is “legitimate defense”. of all the inherent rights of the Palestinian nation, of the oppressed Palestinian nation from the
These heinous crimes, together with the com- including the right to self-determination, resis- occupation, oppression, aggression and crimes
plete siege of the Gaza Strip and cutting off the tance to aggression and occupation, it is neces- of the Zionist regime.
AEOI to produce 60 new radiopharmaceuticals for health sector
From page 1 “In a not-too-dis- diopharmaceuticals for detecting tural and medical fields.
tant future we will turn into a hub and treating ailments. He also referred to the production of
for manufacturing drugs based on
Iran will soon become a major high-quality heavy water in the coun-
deuterium which are good alterna-
producer and exporter of radiophar- try, stating that Iran has established a
tives to chemical drugs and have
maceuticals given the capacities dominant global position in this mar-
lower side effects in comparison (to
that have been developed, Eslami ket and is able to export the excess of
those drugs),” Eslami said.
noted. heavy water to other nations.
Eslami stated that young Iranian
In April 2021, the AEOI began the The nuclear chief praised the Back in June, during a TV program,
second phase of its deuterium pro- achievements in plasma science and Eslami said that Iran had achieved scientists made successes in a va-
duction unit at the Arak heavy water technology and said that local scien- 159 goals in the previous Persian riety of sectors in the nuclear field,
reactor facility in central Iran. tists had also made significant ad- calendar year (ending March 20) such as irradiation systems, micro-
Back in July, Eslami also an- vancements in developing radiation despite U.S. sanctions and other ob- wave, radiopharmaceuticals, and
nounced that Iran can produce ra- technologies utilized in the agricul- stacles imposed by the West. plasma technology.
 As it was said two years ago: IRAN IN FOCUS
Just one wrong move!
3
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
S t r a i g h t T r u t h
By Alireza Akbari The American proposal for
TEHRAN- Referring to the events normalization known as the TEHRAN TIMES
that occurred after Operation al- «Abraham Accords» is aimed to
Aqsa Storm on October 7 inside diminish the importance of the
occupied territories, the Hill website Palestinian cause. Yet the Palestine
ran its November 13 story to pin issue has always been of top priority
the responsibility of the Hamas for the Muslim world.
operation on Iran and call Tehran the Persuading Riyadh to join the
“victorious” side of the Gaza war. Abraham Accords was Washington’s
The opinion, written by Ahmad latest effort. Israel signed
normalization agreements with the
Iran advance to 2023 Having suffered heartbreak at the FIFA World
Cup Qatar 2022, Iran will be determined to
Hashemi, is titled “Iran is the main
beneficiary of the Gaza crisis, but United Arab Emirates and Bahrain World Para Volley qualify for the 2026 edition after having failed to
advance from the group stage in all its previous six
on September 15, 2020 within the
Israel can turn the tables.” resistance fighters. Human Rights Watch said on June 14,
2022, on the fifteenth anniversary of
framework of the Abraham Accords. World Cup semis appearances at the global showpiece.
Hashemi suggested that Israeli From the early hours after the Hong Kong, however, will not be lacking in
the 2007 closure. Mediated by the United States,
officials and Westerners “hold start of the operation, Mohammed confidence after having sealed a return to the AFC
the initial announcement of August TEHRAN – Iran overpowered Iraq in straight
Iran accountable” for Tel Aviv›s Deif, the chief of Hamas›s Izz al-Din The closure has devastated the Asian Cup for the first time since 1968 and having
13, 2020, concerned only Israel and sets (25-12, 25-14, 25-13) on Wednesday to book
successive defeats. al-Qassam Brigades (IQB), revealed economy in Gaza, contributed to the advanced to the semi-finals of the Asian Games
the United Arab Emirates before a place in the 2023 World ParaVolley Sitting
The Hill, through shifting the the reason behind the Storm fragmentation of the Palestinian announcing a follow-up agreement Volleyball World Cup semifinals. for the first time in the recent Hangzhou edition,
blame on Iran, has made bids to Operation. people, and facilitated Israel’s between Israel and Bahrain on worldtaekwondo.org reported.
Team Melli had defeated Japan 3-0 and
cover up the Israeli military and He said that the operation was apartheid practices against Gazans. September 11, 2020. Algeria 3-0 in Group B. Turkmenistan, the only team in the group not
intelligence failures, which were a “response” to the desecration of “Israel, with Egypt’s help, has heading to the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, will be
On September 15, 2020, the Iran will play the winners of Ukraine and
further called into question by the the al-Aqsa Mosque and relentless turned Gaza into an open-air prison,” fired up to erase that disappointment by enjoying a
official signing ceremony for the first China on Thursday.
Hamas operation on October 7. violence against Palestinians in the the Israel and Palestine director at good run in the Preliminary Joint Qualification.
iteration of the Abraham Accords was
The author also suggested the occupied West Bank. Human Rights Watch Omar Shakir The World Cup is a Paris 2024 Paralympic
hosted by the Trump administration Uzbekistan will be familiar foes, with their
Israeli army, with full U.S. military, said in June 2022. qualifier, where one berth per gender is
“We’ve decided to say enough is at the White House. As part of Central Asian rivals on a mission to advance to the
available for the winners or the highest placed
intelligence, and technological enough,” Deif said, calling October 7 White House initiatives, fallacies the dual agreements, both the third round after missing out in 2022.
non-qualified team of the tournament.
support, to carry out its «strikes» “the day of the greatest battle to end to marginalize Palestinian cause United Arab Emirates and Bahrain
once and for all. the last occupation on Earth.” recognized Israel›s sovereignty, France (hosts), Iran, and Brazil have previously
The U.S. should be held
booked their place in the Paralympics.
Storm Operation a response
to Tel Aviv’s relentless violence
The Gaza Strip has been under
siege for 17 years. The Gazans have
accountable for its miscalculations
and interferences in the region.
enabling the establishment of full
diplomatic relations.
Weightlifter
against Palestinians been the subject of inhumane The United States has been On January 28, 2020, the Trump
Iran retain Rostami not allowed
Attributing the Hamas operation
to Tehran, the report has tried to
behaviors with their dignity
humiliated by the Zionists.
working hard to normalize the
Zionist regime’s relations with some
Administration announced the
details of the political portion of its
World Cup title to partake at Paris
deviate public opinion from the
reason behind the operation and
«Israel’s sweeping restrictions
on leaving Gaza has deprived its
other Arab states, most notably
Saudi Arabia. However, efforts
plan to solve the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict, a plan Trump called the Deal at 2023 Team 2024
of the Century.
to cover up the colossal defeat of
the Tel Aviv regime at the hands of
more than two million residents of
opportunities to better their lives,»
ended up with further insecurity in
West Asia. (See full text at tehrantimes.com) Championships By Farrokh Hesabi
TEHRAN - Famous Iranian weightlifter and
Presidential aide criticizes ICC for inaction toward Israeli crimes TEHRAN - The World Cup remains in Iranian
hands thanks to the country’s male squad
Olympic gold medalist, Kianoush Rostami, will not
compete in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
TEHRAN – The Iranian presidential aide for new mechanisms based on their beliefs to
securing victory at the Seoul 2023 World The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)
legal affairs has condemned the International address the crimes of the Zionist regime,” the Cup Team Championships Series, held in the expressed its disapproval of Rostami›s inclusion in
Criminal Court (ICC) for failing to investigate official suggested. western Seoul suburb of Goyang. the Qatar International Cup Grand Prix, an Olympic
Israeli war crimes for several years, saying the Last week, the ICC announced it is qualifying event.
The Iranians left the KINTEX 2 Exhibition
body’s failure to fulfill its duties has allowed carrying out an investigation into war Center, in the western Seoul suburb of Goyang, Last week, the Iran weightlifting team›s training
Israel to commit more crimes. crimes perpetrated by Israel in its relentless with not just the World Cup itself, but $20,000 camp in Tehran started a new phase. Rostami, Rio
“There are numerous legal organizations onslaught on Gaza since October 7. The move in prize money. 2016 Olympics champion, was not selected for the
abroad that are pursuing cases in the came after several rights groups as well as The title match pitted Iran, 2019’s winning team, thus ending his chance to participate in the
International Criminal Court, but unfortunately, thousands of protesters around the globe squad, against the tournament’s dark horse, 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
the court has not fulfilled its duties,” noted called on the court to take action. Team Australia.
in the occupied territories. However, the Iranian Weightlifting Federation
Mohammad Dehghan. Israel is not a member of the ICC and claims
Since October 7, the regime has massacred Team Melli defeated them in two rounds sent a letter to the IWF, pleading for Rostami to be
Dehghan said that the ICC decided to that the body lacks the jurisdiction to investigate which left the Aussies hefting silver medals given an opportunity in the Qatar tournament to
more than 11,000 Palestinian civilians in the
sidestep previous cases filed against Israel, the conflict because Palestine is not a sovereign besieged Gaza Strip. Thousands of children are and taking home $10,000 in prize money after secure an Olympic quota due to his absence in the
pointing out how the Palestinian state gave state. Israel’s position has been backed by among the dead as the remaining population having established themselves as a new force 2023 World Weightlifting Championships in Saudi
the court jurisdiction over Israeli crimes its traditional allies like the U.S. and Britain. in the Palestinian territory struggles to survive to be reckoned with in this competition. Arabia, another Olympic qualifying event held from
committed in 2014, but did not receive any Some Israeli officials have even argued that under a “full siege” imposed by Israel. Third place – and $5,000 - went to Brazil, 4 to 17 September 2023.
response from the tribunal. investigating the regime’s war crimes amounts who won bronze in an absolute scorcher of a The IWF firmly rejected this request and insisted
Israeli troops and tanks are now directly
The VP also added how human rights to anti-Semitism. fight against China. on following the Olympic quota system.
raiding hospitals in Gaza where thousands
organizations have lost credibility, with some With Israel’s repeated attempts to foil the of civilians have taken shelter. Western The two sides tied with one round each, taking According to the Olympic quota system,
even turning a blind eye to the gross violations ICC’s probes and the tribunal’s reluctance to governments, however, continue to voice it to the third. In the last three seconds of Round 3, weightlifters must compete in both the 2023
of international law by Israel. “The world needs open an investigation into the regime’s conduct, unequivocal and unflagging support for the Brazil came back from behind, winning the match World Championship in Saudi Arabia and the
new mechanisms, and the recent crimes have Palestinians have begun to believe that Israel regime, while also helping Israel muzzle 70-65 to the screams of Brazilians in the stands. 2024 IWF World Cup in Thailand, ensuring their
shown that Islamic countries should propose was given carte blanche to do anything it wants dissent in the West. Earlier, in the first semi-final, Australia had eligibility for the Olympics.
ejected China, bronze medalist in the previous Rostami was extremely disappointed for not
Amir Abdollahian addresses Gaza situation with UN relief chief World Cup, after an ultra-tight 2-1 battle. being able to compete in the 2024 Olympics and
TEHRAN – Iran’s foreign Consequently, he called for provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. munitions, to Israel. “The In the second semi, Iran took on the very not being selected for the Iran national team by
concentrated efforts to achieve He disputed the negligible level consequence of this action is aggressive Team Brazil. Iran showed their quality coach Navab Nasir Shalal.
minister has voiced his
deep concern over the dire a ceasefire and end the ongoing of humanitarian aid sent to the a relentless bombardment, with a 2-0 wipeout. “I had a strong desire to bring glory to
humanitarian situation in war. “Urgent and effective Palestinian territory, contrary to affecting the Palestinian people In the morning quarter finals Australia had my country by joining the Iranian national
Gaza during a meeting in measures are essential to halt U.S. claims. in the besieged Gaza Strip,” he knocked out Mexico 2-0. China had defeated Côte weightlifting team. However, I knew from the
Geneva on Wednesday with UN the Israeli regime›s attacks,” he lamented. d’Ivoire in a thriller of a bout that saw the winners beginning that they wouldn›t include me in the
He also asserted that the UN
under-secretary-general for stated. Amir Abdollahian left Tehran bounce back from behind to grab a 2-1 victory in national team or support my participation in the
can leverage Iran›s capabilities
humanitarian affairs Martin for Geneva on Monday to the final seconds of Round 3. Paris Olympics,” he expressed his anger.
Highlighting his recent to promote peace and security in
Griffiths. meetings in Doha with the region. participate in the 52nd session Iran had taken out Korea in a fast-and-furious Kianoush Rostami participated in the 85 kg
representatives from the of the UN Human Rights Council. 2-1 win that had the crowd on their feet. And in the event at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where he
Hossein Amir Abdollahian For his part, Martin Griffiths,
Palestinian resistance Israel waged a ruthless war last of the quarters, Brazil had dispatched Morocco secured the gold medal and established a new
demanded an immediate expressing appreciation toward
movement Hamas and the Qatari on Gaza on October 7 following 2-0 in a highly combative bout that had seen a world record by lifting a total of 396 kilograms.
cessation of Israeli attacks and Iran’s efforts in preventing the
government, Amir Abdollahian a surprise Hamas attack on the game Moroccan squad lose a man to injury. He had snatched the silver medal at the London
abhorred attempts to displace spread of war in the region,
conveyed the message that occupied territories. This attack 2012 Summer Olympics.
the people of Gaza. detailed the UN›s commitment Male teams comprise three fighters,
Hamas is ready to address the was carried out in response to competing over three, three-minute rounds.
He also denounced Israeli to humanitarian issues.
issue of non-military detainees. the intensified crimes committed
attacks on Gazans as genocidal,
lacking any prospect of victory,
He underlined a potential Griffiths also emphasized the by the occupying regime against
At the 2023 World Cup, female, male and
mixed-gender teams are fighting over three days Iran earn third
reciprocal action, stating that if necessity to join forces to halt
and only increasing costs for Israel refrains from genocide in the war and alleviate the current
the Palestinian people.
In addition to military attacks,
from Nov. 14-16. Australia, Brazil, China, Côte
d›Ivoire, Iran, Korea, Mexico and Morocco are all
successive win at
the U.S., the regime›s primary
supporter.
Gaza, Hamas will reciprocate by
refraining from counterattacks.
alarming situation in Gaza.
Following the meeting, Amir
Tel Aviv has also imposed a
“complete siege” on Gaza,
fielding teams. 2023 IBSA Goalball
The foreign minister also Amir Abdollahian also called Abdollahian told reporters severely restricting access to Asia/Pacific
stressed the imperative of swift
and sufficient humanitarian aid
for immediate UN intervention
to lift the criminal blockade
that the United States is
sending various prohibited
fuel, electricity, food, and water
for over two million Palestinians
Iran favorites at
TEHRAN - Iran’s men’s team beat South Korea
to the besieged Gazans. imposed by the Israeli regime to weapons, including phosphorus residing in the coastal enclave. 2026 FIFA World Cup 9-6 in the 2023 IBSA Goalball Asia/Pacific

Iran’s position has always been that Karabakh is Azerbaijan: ambassador
TEHRAN- Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan
Seyyid Abbas Mousavi wrote on X that
Tehran recognizes that Karabakh belongs to
Azerbaijan, the Report news agency reported
on Wednesday.
According to him, the restoration of the
territorial integrity and sovereignty of
Azerbaijan is welcomed by Iran.
“Ensuring the rights and security of the
Armenian population of Karabakh should be
regulated only by Azerbaijani laws,” the post
reads.
The 3+3 format, that includes three
Caucasian states of Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia plus Iran, Russia and Turkey held a
meeting in Tehran on October 23. It was held
at the level of foreign ministers.
The meeting addressed the issues of the
South Caucasus region, peace talks between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the need to
expand regional cooperation in political,
economic, security, transit and energy fields.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
recently announced that he had agreed to
hold a meeting within the 3+3 format as
proposed by the President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev.
The 3+3 format was established with the
aim of resolving regional problems through
the inclusion of regional countries and the
exclusion of extra-regional and Western
countries.
The first 3+3 meeting was held in Moscow
last year at the level of deputy foreign
ministers and without the presence of
Georgia.
qualifiers Group E:
AFC
TEHRAN - Iran are the clear favorites to
advance from Group E of the Preliminary Joint
Qualification - Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup
2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.
Iran, seeking to qualify for a fourth consecutive
FIFA World Cup, will face Hong Kong on Thursday
with Turkmenistan hosting Uzbekistan.
Iran›s array of stars means Hong Kong will
face a stern test of its credentials at the Azadi
Stadium in Tehran.
Championships on Wednesday.
Team Melli had previously defeated Kazakhstan
10-0 and Mongolia 11-1 in Group B in the
competition underway in Hangzhou, China.
Group A consists of China, Australia, Thailand,
and Pakistan.
Iran, which won a bronze medal in the recent
Asian Para Games, are in a very good position to
get their ticket to Paris 2024.
China will be participating, but they have already
qualified for the Paralympics. Japan, which won a
silver medal in the same competition, decided not
to participate in this continental championship,
opening up all the possibilities for the Persian squad.

ECONOMY
4
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
S t r a i g h t T r u t h
TEHRAN TIMES
Sponge iron production up 5.4%
in 7 months on year
TEHRAN- Production of sponge iron in Iran
rose by 5.4 percent during the first seven
months of the current Iranian calendar year
(March 21-October 22), according to the
data released by the Iranian Steel Producers
Association (ISPA).
The ISPA reported that 22.112 million tons
of sponge iron was produced in the country
during the seven-month period of this year,
while the figure was 20.984 million tons in the
first seven months of the previous year.
As previously announced by the Iranian
Steel Producers Association, 18.86 million
tons of sponge iron was produced in Iran in
the first half of the current Iranian calendar
year (March 21-September 22).
First National Housing Movement units
handed over to applicants in Kermanshah
TEHRAN- The first units of the National
Housing Movement were handed over to
the applicants in Kermanshah province, in
the west of Iran, the director-general of
the province’s Islamic Revolution Housing
Foundation announced.
Shamsollah Khodadadi said that the
mentioned units were handed over to the
applicants in Gilan-e Gharb and Qasr-e Shirin
cities.
The National Housing Movement is one of the
major policies of the 13th government in the
housing sector, and according to this policy, the
construction of four million residential units is
planned in four years.
The National Housing Movement is one of
the projects through which the government is
trying to help low-income individuals in society
become homeowners.
As announced on Monday by Deputy Transport
and Urban Development Minister Hadi Abbasi-
Asl, 1,867,719 National Housing Movement units
are currently under construction in the cities
and villages across the country.
While explaining the performance of the
Ministry of Transport and Urban Development in
implementing the National Housing Movement
plan, the official emphasized the acceleration in
implementing the Housing Construction Leap
Law to achieve the goals of the 13th government.
In late September, Transport and Urbana
Development Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash
announced the launching of a program for
allocating free land (in the framework of the
National Housing Movement) to young couples
in order to help them build houses.
The National Housing Movement to construct
four million housing units in four years is one of
the major plans of the current government in
the housing sector.
According to the plan, out of these four
million residential units, 3.2 million units will
be constructed in cities and 800,000 units in
villages.
After the National Housing Action Plan
(started in 2018), the National Housing
Movement is the government’s second major
program to provide affordable housing units for
the low-income classes.
The operation for the construction of 209,212
residential units of the National Housing
Movement began in February 2022.
The ceremony to begin the mentioned
TEDPIX falls 7,000 points on Wednesday
TEHRAN- TEDPIX, the main index of the
Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), dropped
7,191 points (0.35 percent) to 2,038,875 on
Wednesday, which is the fifth day of the
Iranian calendar week.
Direct reduced iron (DRI), also called sponge
iron, is produced from the direct reduction
of iron ore (in the form of lumps, pellets, or
fines) into iron by reducing gas or elemental
carbon produced from natural gas or coal.
Many ores are suitable for direct reduction.
While Iran is fighting the U.S. severe
sanctions on its economy, and the country’s
different industrial and economic sectors
have been affected by the limitations and
difficulties caused by the sanctions condition,
the country’s mining sector is moving forward
noticeably, overcoming such barriers.
Among the mining sector’s different
products, sponge iron is an outstanding
example, as the production of this item is
rising more and more in the country.
Iranian Mines and Mining Industries
Development and Renovation Organization
(IMIDRO), Iran’s largest metals and mining
holding, has stated that one of the most
important reasons for the increase in sponge
iron production in Iran is the establishment
of new sponge iron plants, adding that in
recent years, with its new strategy and with
the participation of the private sector, the
organization has been able to launch several
projects to produce sponge iron.
operation and also to launch some development
projects in the housing sector was attended
by former Transport and Urban Development
Minister Rostam Qasemi.
Also, in July 2022, the minister inaugurated a
project for the construction of the first group of
affordable housing units for laborers under the
framework of the National Housing Movement.
On September 10, 1,278 units of the National
Housing Movement were handed over to the
applicants in a ceremony attended by Aref
Norouzi, the acting director of the Headquarters
for Executing the Order of Imam Khomeini.
The mentioned units were delivered to the
applicants in five provinces throughout the
country.
The Headquarters for Executing the Order
of Imam Khomeini has signed a memorandum
of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of
Transport and Urban Development to construct
100,000 units under the framework of the
National Housing Movement.
According to Norouzi, the headquarters also
completed and handed over 2,000 such units
back in April.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the
official said construction of the National
Housing Movement units is underway by the
Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam
Khomeini in 27 provinces.
Also, as announced by an official with the
Islamic Revolution Housing Foundation (IRHF),
the foundation has constructed 167,700
affordable housing units under the framework
of the National Housing Movement across the
country.
In addition to the mentioned units, the
Islamic Revolution Housing Foundation is also
constructing 16,500 units for low-income
groups, Hamidreza Sohrabi, the foundation’s
deputy head for urban housing affairs, said on
October 21.
The official noted that so far 9,000 units of the
National Housing Movement have been handed
over to the applicants and another 9,000 units
are also planned to be handed over to owners
by the end of the current Iranian calendar year
(late March 2024).
President Ebrahim Raisi has stated that the
National Housing Movement is the flagship
project of the 13th government to meet the
needs of the people, and in addition to Transport
and Urban Development Ministry, all relevant
organizations are also striving to achieve it.
TSE is one of the four Iranian stock
exchanges, and the most important one. The
other three ones are Iran Mercantile Exchange
(IME), Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX), and
Iran’s over-the-counter (OTC) market, known
as Iran Fara Bourse (IFB).
Rail transportation brings Iran $1.3b in
fuel savings in a year
TEHRAN – The managing (INSTC) are of utmost importance,
director of the Islamic Republic of he said.
Iran Railways (known as RAI) has
said using rail transportation has
He further mentioned a plan
for the renovation of the railway
made the country $1.3 billion in fleet, saying that currently, the
fuel savings during the previous
Iranian calendar year (ended on
average age of the country’s
freight transportation fleet is
March 20). about 25 years, which shows
improvement in comparison to
According to Miad Salehi, more
than 29.67 million passengers the previous years.
were transported through the “During the previous year, we
railway network in the previous managed to manufacture 1,598
Iranian year, which was a record new freight wagons, which was
in the history of the country’s rail about 48 percent more than the
transportation, IRIB reported. preceding year (1400) when we
The development of the consumption and preventing air is a major step towards the produced about 1,080 new freight
railway network will ultimately pollution, the official said. realization of the goals set for the wagons”, Salehi said.
lead to an increase in using the Mentioning a recent maritime economy. According to the official, all the
railway transportation which, in comprehensive plan for the In this regard, the connection above-mentioned measures have
addition to having economical development of the maritime of the country’s industrial centers been taken in order to encourage
and safety benefits, will have economy in the country, Salehi to the railway network and the people and investors to partake
significant positive impacts on said the promotion of railway development of the International in the development of the railway
the environment by reducing fuel transportation and transit North-South Transport Corridor industry in the country.
Bank loans to economic sectors rises nearly 24% in 7 months
TEHRAN- The Iranian banking system has business owners (real and legal), and the form of working capital loans, accounting
paid 28.47 quadrillion rials (about $56 billion) 4.77 quadrillion rials (about $9.38 billion) for 38.6 percent of the total such facilities.
of facilities to different economic sectors equivalent to 16.8 percent, to the final Over the past three years, CBI has been
consumers (households).
in the first seven months of the current collaborating with the Industry, Mining, and
Iranian calendar year (March 21-October 22), According to CBI data, the share of facilities Trade Ministry to implement a program based
registering a 23.9 percent rise from the figure paid in the form of working capital in the first on which bank facilities are provided to small
in the same period of the previous year, the seven months of the current year was 76.9 and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and
Central Bank of Iran (CBI) announced. percent of the total paid loans. semi-finished projects.
As reported, of the total facilities, 23.7 During the said period, businesses active in The mentioned facilities are mainly provided
quadrillion rials (about $46.64 billion) the mining and industry sector received over for renewing machinery, equipping production
equivalent to 82 percent, was paid to the 7.02 quadrillion rials (about $13.8 billion) in units, or completing semi-finished projects.
SEO’s main goal is to protect shareholders’ rights: Eshqi
past decade,” he noted. market is to create the basis for
According to the official, banks the active presence of the private
are less willing to finance small sector in the market to attract the
and medium-sized enterprises financing they need to achieve
(SMEs), so the stock market can their economic goals.”
replace them in this regard. According to the official, SEO
“Today, we need to revive would formulate, implement,
people’s trust in the government, and monitor its policies and
without this trust, we will not programs including supporting
have a balanced development. investors, creating a transparent,
People should know that the stock efficient, and equitable market,
market is a safe and transparent and reducing inclusive risk based
implemented in three main areas platform for investment,” Eshqi on the market’s broad objectives.
of market monitoring, monitoring stressed. Outlining SEO’s main strategies
TEHRAN - Head of Iran’s
Securities and Exchange of financial institutions and On November 4, the official said in the current year, Eshqi said:
Organization (SEO) Majid Eshqi supervision of IPOs.” his organization’s current priority “The first strategy is to use
has said the main goal of his He further pointed to the is to attract capital and direct modern mechanisms to increase
organization is to protect facilitation of financing, capital liquidity towards constructive public monitoring of the entities
and support the rights of the formation, and risk management production, IRIB reported. offering shares in the market; the
shareholders, and SEO is taking as other strategic programs of Speaking at a meeting of second strategy will be to develop
all the necessary measures to the Securities and Exchange the government and private regulatory tools in a preventive
achieve this goal. Organization and stated: sector dialogue council, Eshqi manner and in line with market
“Considering the negative rate considered capital formation as development.”
Speaking to IRNA on Tuesday,
Eshqi pointed to the measures of capital formation in the past the most important challenge of According to the official, the
taken by the 13th government years and the increase in the the economy and said: “Financing third strategy is to amend the
and the SEO to return investors’ percentage of depreciation of [economic projects] and directing market’s rules and regulations
trust in the stock market, saying: economic enterprises, major liquidity towards production is to increase justice and
“The philosophy of the Securities measures were needed to be the priority of the Securities and accountability, while the fourth
and Exchange Organization is to taken on the issue of capital Exchange Organization.” strategy will be strengthening
design, organize and develop a formation and financing.” “[Currently] The most the medium- and small-scale
transparent, efficient and fair “Diversifying investment important economic challenge [in level financing through new
market for investors so that they options by relying on indirect the country] is the issue of capital mechanisms.
are able to operate smoothly in investment has been one of our formation because the rate of Facilitating the processes and
this market.” main and long-term plans in the the mentioned item [capital developing the infrastructure
“At the beginning of the new organization,” he added. formation] has been negative in for attracting and managing
management at SEO, which On November 8, Eshqi said the last 10 years and is estimated capital in the market, along
started from the first months of 30 percent of financing in the to be lower than the depreciation with engineering the media
country’s economy sector was rate,” the official explained. mechanism to provide the
the 13th government incumbency,
our main goal was defined in the done through the capital market If the mentioned trend shareholders with up-to-date
information are the fifth and sixth
form of a strategic plan, which in the previous Iranian calendar continues in the same way in
strategies, he said.
was about protecting the rights year (ended on March 20), Mehr the long term, it will cause non-
of investors with an emphasis on News Agency reported. development, depreciation of The last strategy is to re-
industries, and the stagnation of engineer the new generation of
long-term benefits, and in this Speaking in an Exchange,
the economy, he noted. technical infrastructure with
regard, we defined some diverse Banking and Insurance
the aim of increasing security,
programs,” Eshqi said. Conference Eshqi said: “We “Injecting liquidity in the
sustainability, and ease of access.
Mentioning other goals of the believe that the role of the capital production sector is now
market in the economy can be considered one of our important
SEO outlined in the organization’s Eshqi further noted that based
made much stronger than what goals, but we are facing a series
strategic plan, the official said: on the strategies mentioned
currently is.” of challenges among which the
“Increasing the effectiveness above, which have been
decrease in investor confidence
and monitoring of capital “Today, the country’s economy developed taking into account the
can be pointed out,” Eshqi said.
market activities was also needs creativity and innovation most important challenges of the
put on the agenda, and in this and the economy cannot be Back in June, the SEO head capital market, various programs
regard, various programs were managed with the policies of the said: “Our approach in the capital have been prepared.
TCCIMA board member urges businesses to
embrace AI technology
TEHRAN - Farzin Fardis, a member of the Speaking at the opening ceremony of an AI sector enterprises with this technology, the
board of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, promotion event called “Wealth creation on the ICCIMA portal reported.
Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA), verge of transformation” on Tuesday, Fardis “If we stay behind in the fourth industrial
has stressed the need for businesses called on the members of the chamber to take revolution, which many consider to be based
to familiarize themselves with artificial part in the events organized by the TCCIMA’s on artificial intelligence, we might lose all
intelligence (AI), as a major component of the Digital Innovation and Transformation Center our advantages even in the energy sector,” he
world’s fourth industrial revolution. which are aimed at familiarizing the private stressed.

Trophy of an invincible army
By Ali Karbalaei
TEHRAN- In what has been
described as a new low for Israeli
war crimes in Gaza, the regime’s
forces have raided the enclave’s al-
Shifa hospital, the biggest medical
facility in the besieged territory,
killing families sheltering there.
Israeli troops shot dead dozens of
civilians trying to flee the regime’s
army.
Amid the brutal raid, Gaza
government officials said the
occupation forces opened fire
on families trying to leave the
hospital, which “led to more than 30
Palestinian martyrs”.
Many more have reportedly been
injured at the site where (as well as
thousands of doctors, nurses and
patients) thousands of civilians took
refuge, believing it to be a safe haven
from the Israeli bombardment.
Forty days after its war on Gaza,
an army that once considered itself
invincible and was believed as such in
the region and beyond, is now trying
to present an attack on a hospital as a
victory to others.
Yet Palestinian resistance
continued to inflict heavy defeats on
Israeli ground forces on Wednesday,
blowing up Merkava tanks, killing
Israeli troops and firing missiles at
occupied territories.
According to Palestinian sources,
the regime also arrested at least 200
civilians and patients at the hospital
complex.
The director of the al-Shifa
hospital complex issued disturbing
statements.
“We contacted all relevant
international bodies, but have
not received anything other than
expressing concern. The emergency
department has shut down operations
while hundreds of wounded people
were admitted there. More than
900 patients and 5,000 displaced
people are facing certain death at the
hospital” he warned.
He also said, “It is possible
hundreds of people will die in their
homes due to the lack of health
facilities” as a result of the Israeli
damage to the health facility.
Experts say taking over a hospital
is far from a military victory
or an achievement, but merely
psychological warfare.
During the invasion of Iraq, the
United States and its media put
much focus on capturing Baghdad
International Airport, aiming to
portray this takeover as a victory.
International media went along with
this bogus claim.
In a similar fashion, the Israelis have,
for a long time now, been spreading
fake news linking Hamas to al-Shifa
hospital, while pinning their hopes
that taking over a medical facility
would be portrayed by the media as a
military achievement.
But, while Israeli media may
boast about the war crime in the
hospital, the international media is
not buying it.
On the 40th day of the Israeli war
on Gaza, Palestinian doctors at the
hospital reported hearing explosions
in the large compound. They say the
Israeli military attack came from the
west, with troops storming into the
surgical and emergency sections of
the facility.
The regime said it would rescue
hostages and destroy a Hamas
center at the hospital, yet it
Scholz standing on wrong side of history in Gaza war
From page 1 the German leadership is
standing against human rights and the demands of
public opinion.
Aren’t Scholz and his team of advisors seeing protests
against Israel’s war crimes in Gaza? If Tel Aviv has waged
war against Hamas for the October 7 attacks, why is it
collectively punishing 2.3 million Gazans by cutting off
food, water, medicine, and fuel to them?
What Israel has started against Gaza is not a war.
It is a clear instance of genocide, war crime, and
crime against humanity.
Attacking hospitals and ambulances, fleeing
people, and bombarding civilians who take shelter
in schools, mosques, churches, hospitals, and UN
Israel’s Al-Shifa hospital propaganda fails
has proven to be another major
intelligence failure for the Israelis.
The regime’s Channel 13 reported
that “contrary to what was predicted,
al-Shifa hospital was devoid of any
weapons and military equipment.”
Meanwhile, some sources have said
that no traces of hostages were found.
All the regime has achieved
is to exacerbate the already
dire humanitarian situation for
Palestinians in Gaza.
Regional journalists based in Gaza
who have managed to get in touch
with those stuck inside the hospital
have reported a terrifying state of
affairs, with doctors, nurses and
families traumatized as heavily armed
Israeli troops rampage through the
medical complex.
They have described women and
children in a state of shock and
screaming in fear.
One Gaza-based journalist reported
that the occupation forces turned al-
Shifa hospital into a military barrack
and during the raid they handcuffed
a large number of doctors and shot
at some of them, allowing troops to
expand their attack in the corridors of
the medical complex.
Over the past days, Israeli ground
forces have been advancing towards
the hospital, trapping around 1,200
patients and staff, despite global
calls on the regime to halt its
offensive against a medical center,
which under the rules of war must
be spared from any attack.
Khader al-Zaanoun, a reporter for
the Palestinian news agency, WAFA,
told CNN, Israeli tanks and military
vehicles were “inside the courtyard
of al-Shifa hospital.”
Israeli troops, he said, were in the
buildings “conducting search and
interrogation operations” and that
the Israeli army “is calling on the
young men through megaphones
to raise their hands, come out, and
surrender themselves.”
The regime has published
images of its military operation,
purportedly showing troops on foot
and in military vehicles attacking the
vicinity of the medical center.
The Israeli occupation has claimed
that al-Shifa hospital has been used
by the Hamas resistance without
providing a shred of evidence to back
up the accusation.
White House’s National Security
Council spokesperson, John Kirby,
said on Tuesday that the U.S. had its
intelligence that showed Hamas was
operating out of al-Shifa without
specifying what evidence he was
basing the U.S. allegation on.
Hamas has responded by “strongly
condemning and rejecting the claims”.
The organization has called
on the UN to “establish an
international committee to inspect
offices will remain as a stain on the forehead of
humanity like the Srebrenica massacre.
Israel has launched a mad war on the besieged
Gaza Strip otherwise so many innocent lives would
not have been lost. So far about 12,000 people,
mostly children and women, have been killed. Until
this date, Israel has killed nearly 10 people for every
person killed in the October 7 attack by Hamas. The
bombardments are so cruel and thoughtless that
even 101 UN staff workers have also been killed.
Attack on hospitals is the height of madness. The
World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that
Al-Shifa Hospital, which is also tackling power cuts
and a lack of fuel, is «nearly a cemetery». According
all hospitals in Gaza” in order to
“expose the falsehoods in the
occupation’s narrative”.
In a statement on Wednesday,
Hamas blamed U.S. President Joe
Biden for the “storming” of the facility.
Hamas has also accused the U.S. of
giving the regime the “green light” to
launch the raid by “adopting” Israeli
claims that the hospital was being
used by the resistance.
It held the “Zionist regime, President
Biden, and his administration, fully
responsible for the repercussions of
the occupation army’s storming of
the Shifa Medical Complex, and what
the medical staff and thousands of
displaced people are exposed to, as
a result of this brutal crime against a
health facility protected by the Fourth
Geneva Convention”.
“These statements (by the White
House) give a green light to the Israeli
occupation to commit further brutal
massacres targeting hospitals,
with the goal of destroying Gaza’s
healthcare system and displacing
Palestinians,” the resistance group
added.
The health ministry for the
Palestinian Authority - based in
the occupied West Bank - has also
said that Israeli forces are “fully
responsible” for the lives of medical
staff, patients and displaced people in
Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital.
Youssef Abu Rish, an official with
the Gaza health ministry, who is inside
the hospital, said he could see tanks
inside the complex and “dozens of
soldiers and commandos inside the
emergency and reception buildings.”
The World Health Organisation said
it had lost contact with staff at the
hospital after Israeli forces stormed
the facility, the head of the agency said.
The hospital is a large complex
comprising of 22 acres, housing
emergency and neonatal facilities as
well as specialist units.
Following the Israeli ground
offensive, it also became a refugee
camp where thousands of civilians
sought sanctuary and shelter in its
courtyards, corridors, and wards
from the regime’s unprecedented
bombardment of Gaza.
More than that, it has become a
place that is symbolic of Palestinian
resilience, where doctors have
performed heroically, saving lives in
the most difficult of conditions.
The hospital had already been
operating under enormous pressure
amid the extraordinary courage of
its doctors and nurses, who have
been strongly praised and admired
by international humanitarian
organizations.
They have been operating against
the odds as the war has closed in
around them.
The official in charge of the United
to the BBC, the hospital›s manager said the health
center was under a «blockade», and that dogs had
started eating corpses.
Nations humanitarian operations,
Martin Griffiths, has condemned the
Israeli military raid at the hospital
compound, saying “hospitals are not
battlegrounds”.
In a post on social media, he said,
“I’m appalled by reports of military
raids in al-Shifa hospital in Gaza. The
protection of newborns, patients,
medical staff, and all civilians must
override all other concerns. Hospitals
are not battlegrounds.”
Al Jazeera said it was in contact with
Ahmed Mokhallalati, a doctor inside
al-Shifa hospital who has regularly
spoken to the media.
He said, “Since yesterday evening,
there have been really continuous,
aggressive gunshots, bombardments
and attacks. It’s a totally scary time;
it’s a horrible time for the families, the
civilians sheltering in the hospital with
their kids. It’s terrible for the staff who
are taking care of their patients and
the patients themselves.”
“What we feel is really shocking
and bad is that the whole world has
been witnessing this crime and seeing
everything that is happening in front
of everybody, and no one has stopped,
and no one has said loudly this is not
allowed. Where is the international
community?” he asked.
Another doctor inside the hospital,
Ahmed El Mokhallalati, told Reuters
that “Israeli bombardment, shooting
around the hospital and within the
hospital. It’s really horrible... and then
we realised that the tanks are moving
around the hospital.”
“They just parked in front of the
hospital emergency department. All
kinds of weapons were used. They
targeted the hospital directly. We try
to avoid being near the windows.”
Hospitals have protected status in
wartime, but the Israeli military has
proven, on countless occasions, it
does not play by the rule books when
it comes to war.
This assault on the biggest medical
complex in Gaza is another Israeli war
crime that has been “greenlighted” by
the West, and the U.S. in particular.
As the Israeli military fails to achieve
anything after 40 days of fighting
and resorted to brutally attacking a
hospital that provided the only real
lifeline in Gaza, the regime claimed to
have found weapons at the hospital.
This is despite Israeli sources
indicating no weapons were found,
and images from inside the hospital
show the widespread destruction the
Israeli military caused in a desperate
attempt to justify its war crime.
In a statement published late on
Wednesday, Hamas said, “The Israeli
occupation’s claim that weapons
are being stored at al-Shifa hospital
is a blatant lie that should deceive
nobody any longer.”
It added, “The Zionist occupation’s
claim that it found weapons and
military equipment at al-Shifa medical
complex is nothing but a continuation
of its lies and cheap propaganda
trying to justify its genocidal crimes
destroying the health sector in Gaza.”
The group reiterated calls for the
UN and other organizations to form
an international committee to review
the conditions of Gaza hospitals,
and “determine the falsehood of the
occupation’s narrative”.
“We, the Palestinians, are aware of
the degree of lies and deception the
occupation has plotted to cover up its
crimes against children, women, and
defenseless civilians,” it concluded.
(See full text at tehrantimes.com)
INTERNATIONAL
TEHRAN TIMES
WORLD HEADLINES
UNICEF executive
director calls
Gazs situation
‘devastating’
From page 1 “The intermittent opening of Gaza’s
border crossings to shipments of humanitarian
supplies is insufficient to meet the skyrocketing
needs,” the UNICEF executive further explained
asking all parties to ensure a ceasefire in order to
save civilian lives.
Human rights activists have been calling
on Israel to refraining treating civilian sites as
battlegrounds, and put an end to the brutal killing
of Palestinian children.
Gaza death toll
soars to 11,320 amid
relentless Israeli
attacks, including
4,650 children
The Palestinian death toll from an ongoing
Israeli onslaught in the Gaza Strip has surged to
11,320 people, the government media office said
on Tuesday.
“The victims include 4,650 children and 3,145
women, while 29,200 others are injured,” the
office said in a statement.
According to the statement, 3,600 other people
remain unaccounted for, including 1,755 children.
“A total of 198 medics, 22 civil defense
personnel and 51 journalists were also killed in the
assaults,” it added.
“The Israeli aggression has forced 25 hospitals
and 52 health care centers out of service, while 55
ambulances were targeted by Israeli forces,” the
statement said.
The media office said 40 patients died inside the
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in the past five days
amid an Israeli siege and fuel shortage.
“Eighty-two people were buried in a mass
grave inside the medical complex because of the
intransigence of the occupation, which is still
completely besieging the hospital,” it added.
Israel has launched relentless air and ground
attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack
by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Israelis march in
Tel Aviv to demand
release of hostages
held by Hamas
Families of Israelis held captive by Hamas staged
a march in Tel Aviv on Tuesday to demand the release
of their relatives held hostage in Gaza.
Hundreds of Israelis waved photos of
hostages held by the Palestinian group following
a cross-border attack on Oct. 7, according to an
Anadolu reporter.
Reuters or dream makers?
From page 1 First and foremost, it must be
said that this is a tendentious and unprofessional
news report. Accurate information received by
the Tehran Times indicates that such a claim
was not true and such a matter was not even
discussed in the meeting.
This fake news can be examined from two
perspectives. First, sowing discord on the
enemy’s front is an old and perennial technique.
Both sides of a conflict strive to weaken the
unity and cohesion of the opposing party
through various methods, especially through
psychological operations. The Reuters fake
news can also be analyzed from this angle; an
attempt to create discord between the Islamic
Republic of Iran and the Palestinian resistance
front. In fact, Reuters tries to pretend that
Hamas does not trust Iran and Iran is also
complaining about this lack of trust.
Second, the discussion is related to Reuters’
history in this regard. Mohammad Javad Zarif,
the former foreign minister of Iran - who has
always tried to take a balanced approach toward
5
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
S t r a i g h t T r u t h
The rally was held amid reports of a possible
prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas.
The Gulf state of Qatar is leading mediation
efforts between Hamas and Israel.
Israel estimates that at least 239 Israelis,
including both military personnel and
civilians, are being held captive by Hamas in
the Gaza Strip.
2 more Israeli soldiers
killed in Gaza ground
offensive, death toll
rises to 49
The Israeli army said Wednesday another two
soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip, bringing the
death toll from its ongoing ground offensive in the
blockaded enclave to 49 since Oct. 27.
A military statement said that four more
soldiers were seriously injured in fighting in the
Palestinian territory.
Israel has launched relentless air and ground
attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border
attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.
UN chief ‘deeply
disturbed’ by
dramatic loss of life in
Gaza hospitals
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
expressed profound disturbance Tuesday about
the dramatic loss of life in hospitals in Gaza with
ongoing Israeli attacks.
«The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by
the horrible situation and a dramatic loss of life in
several hospitals in Gaza,» spokesman Stephane
Dujarric said at a news conference.
«In the name of humanity, the Secretary-General
calls for an immediate cease-fire,» said Dujarric.
He added that Guterres continues to talk with
«a variety of interlocutors and his colleagues in
the field.”
Israeli bulldozers
destroy Arafat
monument in
West Bank
Video circulating on social media shows
Israeli bulldozers destroying a monument to late
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Tulkarem.
The video has been met with different reactions
from users on social networks.
“If still in doubt that the goal of the ongoing
aggression is not the destruction of the
Palestinian people, watch how Israeli bulldozers
destroy a monument of late President Yaser
Arafat in Tulkarem in the West Bank, after killing 7
civilians,” Laith Arafeh, the ambassador and head
of the Palestine Mission to the Federal Republic of
Germany posted on X.
foreign media - could not remain silent in the face
of baseless reports by Reuters. On July 24, 2018,
Zarif said: “Know that Reuters produces 50 lies
about Iran’s economy every day.”
A very long list of Reuters’ lies about Iran can be
presented: the claim of 1,500 deaths in the events
of November 2019, the claim of Iranian snipers
shooting Iraqi protesters in October 2019, the
claim of transferring ballistic missiles from Iran to
Iraq in August 2018, the claim of a drone attack on
Aramco from southern Iran in November 2019, etc.
These are just a few examples of Reuters’
lies against Iran. Interestingly, Reuters
often attributes its lies to three anonymous
sources. It’s as if a lie becomes believable if it
is attributed to three people!
The fact that most rooted and professional
media in the West, when it comes to Iran
and its issues, set aside their principles and
frameworks and turn their dreams into a
tool of vile propaganda, is a separate and
important issue that must be addressed
independently and deeply.
 Tourist arrivals in Iran jump 40 percent y/y
TOURISM From Page 1 According tors in the Iranian calendar year

6
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
S t r a i g h t T r u t h
TEHRAN TIMES
Iranian expats invest $291 million in
homeland’s travel industry
TEHRAN - Iranian expatriates have invested
some $291 million in the homeland’s travel &
leisure industry over the past two years, Iran’s
deputy tourism minister said on Tuesday.
“During the years of the 13th [Iranian] govern-
ment (since President Ebrahim Raisi took office
in August 2021), 291 million dollars of foreign
investment has been attracted from Iranians
living abroad in the field of tourism,” Ali-Asghar
Shalbafian said.
The official noted that the amount of invest-
ment in the country’s tourism by Iranian immi-
grants has become ten times more than that
made a decade ago.
“This amount of investment from Iranians
living abroad in the country’s tourism shows a
more than 10-fold growth compared to a decade
ago, which shows the welcome of Iranians living
abroad to invest in the field of tourism.”
Utilizing the capacity of Iranians living abroad
is on the agenda for the Ministry of Cultural Her-
itage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Shalbafian add-
ed.
“One of the most important programs is to
identify Iranian expatriates from each province
to invest in the tourism of that province. So far,
the provinces of Fars, Bushehr, Mazandaran,
Isfahan, Khorasan Razavi, and East Azarbaijan
have used this capacity.”
“Moreover, our compatriots living abroad can
help to introduce Iran’s tourism capacities to
overseas tourists, the use of such capacity is on
the agenda.”
The number of tourist arrivals is estimated to
Restorers unearth ancient mosque
inscription in southern Iran
TEHRAN – A team of cultural heritage re-
storers has found a centuries-old stone in-
scription in southern Iran.
The discovery was made when the team
was working on Fasa Jameh Mosque, located
in the province of Fars.
“Based on archaeological assessments, the
stone inscription dates from the Ilkhanid era,”
a local official said on Wednesday.
Moreover, available evidence suggests the
inscription belonged to the mosque’s mihrab,
which is a semicircular niche in the wall of a
mosque that points out the directions of the qi-
bla, the official said.
The Ilkhanid dynasty, also called Il-Khanid,
was a Mongol dynasty that ruled Iran from
1256 to 1335. Il-Khan is Persian for “subordi-
nate khan”. The Il-Khanids consolidated their
reach six million by the end of the current year
(March 19, 2024), Shalbafian said last month.
“With the [steady] increase in the arrival of for-
eign tourists, it is expected the number of inter-
national arrivals will reach about 6 million by
year-end.”
Earlier this year, President Raisi reaffirmed his
government’s obligation to defend the rights of
Iranians abroad. “We consider Iranians abroad
as our citizens. We believe that Iranians resid-
ing abroad have rights, and the government
has responsibilities [towards them], just as the
government has obligations towards Iranians
living inside the country,” the president said at a
gathering of non-resident Iranians in Tehran on
March 15.
The president added that safeguarding the
Iranian identity is a paramount issue for Iranians
living abroad, stressing that children of Iranians
living outside the country should not be oblivi-
ous to their Iranian identity.
Millions of Iranians live in different countries
across the world. Iranian officials, including
President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian, have repeatedly advocated
the need to support them and resolve issues
facing them.
Last year at a summit in Doha, Raisi described
the Iranians living abroad as “assets”, calling on
them to make an effort to preserve the culture
of their homeland while living abroad. He noted
that the Islamic Republic has taken measures to
remove obstacles to the presence of Iranians re-
siding in other countries.
position in Iran and unified the region as a
political and territorial entity after several
centuries of fragmented rule by small dynas-
ties. During the reign of the Il-Khanid Maumud
Ghuzun (r. 1295-1304), the Il-Khanids lost all
contact with the remaining Mongol chiefs in
China. Mahmud Ghuzun himself embraced
Sunni Islam, and his reign was a time of Irani-
an cultural renaissance in Iran, with scholars
such as Rashid al-Din flourishing under his
patronage. Ghazan’s brother Oljeitu (r. 1304-
16) converted to Shia Islam in 1310.
The terms “Jameh Mosque”, “Masjed-e
Jameh” and “Friday Mosque” are used in Iran
for a grand communal mosque where manda-
tory Friday prayers are performed: the phrase
is used in other Muslim countries but only in
Iran does it designate this purpose.
to available data, the Islamic
Republic saw 3.35 million for-
eign arrivals in the first half
of the current Iranian year,
which soared 38 percent year
on year.
Pursuing a border-easing
scheme, the Iranian government
mulls abolishing visa require-
ments for passport holders from
68 countries. The country seeks
to encourage overseas travelers,
though available evidence sug-
gests it will not be finalized to be
implemented shortly.
Shalbafian says the visa waiver
incentive will mostly be granted
to neighboring countries as well
as those considered emerging
markets with a considerable
population and per capita in-
come.
The tentative list includes Ar-
gentina, South Africa, Indonesia,
Jordan, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Es-
tonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ecuador,
Algeria, UAE, Bahrain, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,
Belarus, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Paraguay, Peru, Tanzania, Tajik-
istan, Thailand, and Turkmeni-
stan.
Tunisia, Czech Republic, Rus-
sia, Romania, Japan, Ivory Coast,
Singapore, Senegal, Sudan,
Seychelles, Chile, Serbia, Saudi
Arabia, Ghana, Finland, Cyprus,
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Qatar,
Cameroon, Croatia, South Ko-
rea, Colombia, Comoros, Kuwait,
Book featuring Egypt under Achaemenids gets
Persian translation
TEHRAN - Henry P. Colburn’s remarkable
book “Archaeology of Empire in Achaemenid
Egypt” has recently been published in Per-
sian.
The Persian edition of the book was un-
veiled on Wednesday during a ceremony held
at the Glassware and Ceramic Museum of
Iran in downtown Tehran.
It is said to contain the first study of
Rarely seen timepieces to go on show at Tehran Museum
TEHRAN – Two rarely-seen
timepieces will be put on show
at a Tehran museum dedicated to
time instruments.
The timepieces include a ring
watch and a fan-shaped clock
being kept at the treasure trove
of Zaman (Time) Museum, Mehr
reported.
It would be the first time that
1398 (started March 21, 2019).
Although the country’s per-
formance as a tourist desti-
nation is still far below that
of 2019, which was before the
start of the pandemic, it is im-
proving slightly compared to
last year’s statistics.
Based on the latest United
Nations World Tourism Organi-
zation (UNWTO) World Tourism
Barometer, foreign tourist ar-
rivals in Iran reached some 2.93
million between January and
July 2023.
The average statistics of
Iran’s tourism from January to
Guinea, Poland, Luxembourg, itors in the Iranian calendar August 2023 is 50% lower than
Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mal- year 1398 (started March 21, the same period in 2019 based
dives, Hungary, Macedonia, Mex- 2019). on the barometer that tracks
ico, Mauritius, Mali, Madagascar, Based on the latest United the sector’s post-pandemic re-
Niger, Vietnam, Yemen, Greece, Nations World Tourism Organi- covery throughout 2023 up to
and India constitute other states zation (UNWTO) World Tourism the end of July.
whose nationals may be granted Barometer, foreign tourist ar- Another statistic compiled
visa-free access. rivals in Iran reached some 2.93 by Iran’s tourism ministry indi-
The number of tourist arrivals million between January and cates the country saw 3.35 mil-
is estimated to reach six million July 2023. lion tourist arrivals in the first
by the end of the current year The average statistics of Iran’s half of the current Iranian cal-
(March 19, 2024), Shalbafian said tourism from January to Au- endar year (started March 21),
last month. “With the [steady] gust 2023 is 50% lower than the which soared 38 percent year
increase in the arrival of foreign same period in 2019 based on on year.
tourists, it is expected the num- the barometer that tracks the The Islamic Republic expects
ber of international arrivals will sector’s post-pandemic recovery to reap a bonanza from its nu-
reach about 6 million by year- throughout 2023 up to the end of merous tourist spots such as
end.” July. bazaars, museums, mosques,
According to available data, According to available data, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas,
Iran’s tourism had constant- Iran’s tourism had constant- mausoleums, churches, towers,
ly been growing before the ly been growing before the and mansions, of which 27 are
COVID-19 pandemic, reaching COVID-19 pandemic, reaching inscribed on the UNESCO World
more than eight million vis- more than eight million visi- Heritage list.
the material culture of Egypt during the pus of visual and material records from Egypt
period of Achaemenid Persian rule, and that can be dated with confidence to the 27th
its goal is to challenge the common idea dynasty; and to use this corpus to character-
that the Achaemenid rule of Egypt was ize Achaemenid rule in Egypt.
either ephemeral and weak or oppressive The Achaemenid Empire was the largest
and harsh.
and most durable empire of its time. The
To achieve his goal, Colburn focuses on Persian kingdom stretched from Ethio-
three main tasks; to describe the intellectual pia, through Egypt, to Greece, to Anatolia
foundations of our knowledge of the archae- (modern Turkey), to Central Asia, and to
ology of the 27th dynasty; to assemble a cor- India.
time-measuring structures, bronze clock, covered with a thin
such as an oil clock, a sun clock,
a water-powered mechanical
layer of gold, made in France,
which is decorated in the style
clock, a candle clock, a sand
clock (hourglass), a rope clock,
of Louis XVI and shows the body
of Homer, the epic Greek poet.
and a dragon boat clock. It also
The second floor is dedicat-
displays those that once be-
ed to the display of Houshang
longed to famous people, such
Foroutan’s works. The reason
as Nasserdin Shah Qajar, and
Professor Mahmoud Hessa- for displaying his works in this
bi, who was an Iranian nuclear museum is his collages, made
physicist and senator. of unused pieces of old clocks.
On this floor, there is a circular
On the first floor, visitors may
display with clock repair tools.
tour clocks from the seven-
two time-instruments will go on Other interesting sights on this
teenth to the twentieth centu-
show at the Museum, the report floor are the clocks displayed
ries. Moreover, there are replicas
said, adding “They both date from from the Qajar period, such as
of the various clocks, all of which
the 19th century.” the sun clock of Nasser al-Din
combine art and craftsmanship.
In addition, the museum plans Some of these clocks are gifts Shah. In this part of the floor,
to showcase some other rare- from political figures from their there is an old astrolabe, which
ly-seen clocks following an ex- travels to other countries and was an astronomical device and
tensive restoration. some from people’s personal a permanent calendar. Else-
The museum showcas- property. Another interesting where, there is a celestial sphere
es a wide variety of historical piece of art in this section is a that was used to measure time.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria: An ancient Greek engineering marvel

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, the
last standing of the Seven Wonders
of the Ancient World, was an engi-
neering marvel that served to guide
ships to the port city.
It was completed in the 3rd cen-
tury BC during the reign of Ptolemy
II Philadelphus, the son of Ptolemy
I, the Macedonian Greek general of
Alexander the Great, on the island of
Pharos off the coast of the city of Al-
exandria in Egypt.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was
a beacon, safely guiding seamen sail-
ing the Mediterranean to Egypt for
fifteen centuries.
It was one of the greatest archi-
tectural feats of antiquity, serving as
a symbol of power of the Ptolemaic
Dynasty, the successors of Alexander
the Great, who was the founder of the
city of Alexandria.
An important landmark of the
Hellenistic period, the Lighthouse
of Alexandria had travelers from all
over the world who were encour-
aged to visit the port city to admire
the tower.
Design of an architectural won-
der
The ambitious project was com-
missioned around 300 BC by Ptolemy
I Soter. He was a general of Alexander
the Great and the first Macedonian
King of Egypt who reigned from 323
to 282 BC.
It took twenty years to complete
the massive construction, and by the
time it was ready, Ptolemy II Phila-
delphus was sitting on the throne as
the second king of the Ptolemaic Dy-
nasty in Egypt.
Ptolemy II completed the Light-
house of Alexandria. Furthermore,
he developed commerce, exercised
skillful diplomacy, and made Alex-
andria a center of the arts and sci-
ences.
According to Strabo, Greek archi-
tect and engineer Sostratus of Cni-
dus, a friend of Ptolemy, designed
and constructed the lighthouse and
presumably funded the works.
Pliny says that Sostratus was the
architect and that Ptolemy gracious-
ly allowed him to “sign” the monu-
ment with: ”Sostratus of Dexiphanes
the Cnidian to Savior Gods for the
seafarers.”
Another source claims that Ptole-
my forbid Sostratus from putting his
name on his work. Nevertheless, the
architect wrote an inscription on the
walls of the base.
The inscription was hidden under
a plaster layer, covered by anoth-
er inscription in honor of Ptolemy.
Centuries later, the layer was gone,
and the name of the architect was
revealed.
Construction of the Lighthouse
of Alexandria
The lighthouse was constructed
for practical purposes: It aided ships
in safely detecting the Alexandria
harbor. With two observation plat-
forms, it also served as a military
lookout for approaching enemy ships.
The lighthouse stood 110 meters
high (350 feet). This would have
made it the second tallest structure
in antiquity after the pyramids of
Giza.
Information on the structure of the
Lighthouse of Alexandria comes from
a German archaeologist, Hermann
Thiersch, in his 1909 work Pharos,
antike, Islam und Occident.
According to the ancient sourc-
es he consulted, the lighthouse was
constructed with large blocks of light,
colored stone and was built in three
stages. The blocks all sloped slightly
inward. The lowest was square; the
second lowest was octagonal; and
the top was cylindrical. A spiral ramp
led to the top.
Near its summit, there were two
beacons. At night, a great bonfire
generated the light and, during the
day, a great mirror, made with a con-
cave disc of polished metal, reflected
and directed the sun rays.
In entering the lighthouse, one
would go up a long vaulted ramp
from which a spiral staircase led up
to numerous chambers, probably uti-
lized by slaves for carrying fuel for
the fire of the beacons.
According to ancient accounts, the
lighthouse could be seen from up to
thirty-five miles (fifty-six kilome-
ters) away. Legend has it that the
light of the beacons could burn ene-
my ships.
This would have been possible ei-
ther with the use of prismatic lens-
es or by spraying fire from the top
of the tower. However, it is rather
unlikely.
Some texts mention a statue
placed atop of the lighthouse. A
poet named Poseidipos of Pella,
who lived in Alexandria in the third
century BC, wrote about a statue
depicting Zeus. Zeus was accompa-
nied by Poseidon.
(Source: Greek Reporter)
 VP calls for Zionist regime
exclusion from CSW
SOCIETY
7
TEHRAN –The Zionist regime umenting the reality of women’s NOVEMBER 16, 2023
should be excluded from the lives throughout the world, and S t r a i g h t T r u t h

Commission on the Status of shaping global standards on

Women (CSW) in the United Na-
tions, the vice president for wom-
en and family affairs has said.
“The most brutal violence ever
is being committed in Gaza and
there is no safe place left for
women and children,” IRNA quot-
ed Ensieh Khazali as saying on
Wednesday in a webinar named
“Voice of Women in Al-Aqsa
Storm”.
On October 7, following
Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa
Storm against the usurping enti-
ty, Israel launched its brutal war
on Gaza which has left thousands
dead and injured so far.
Additionally, it has established
a complete siege on the coastal
sliver, depriving the more than
two million Palestinian residents
of their water, food, fuel, and
power supplies.
Khazali added that the occu-
pying regime insists on bombing
houses, schools, hospitals, and
other safe places. How can the
fragile children and infants with-
stand this ongoing violence being
deprived of food and water?
Evidence suggests climate change may trigger
She called for the expulsion of
the Zionist regime from the Com-
mission on the Status of Women
in the United Nations, as well as,
the reopening of the Rafah cross-
ing and dispatching peacekeep-
ing forces and their presence to
prevent the closure of this vital
crossing, the immediate send-
ing of health and medical aid to
mothers, children and teenagers,
and the recognition of the legit-
imacy of Palestinians resistance
right.
An immediate cease-fire, help-
ing those trapped under the rub-
ble, and preventing the forced
migration of the homeless Pal-
estinians are among her other
requests.
The Commission on the Sta-
tus of Women
The CSW is the principal global
intergovernmental body exclu-
sively dedicated to the promotion
of gender equality and the em-
powerment of women.
A functional commission of
the Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC), it was established by
ECOSOC resolution 11(II) on June
21, 1946.
The CSW is instrumental in
promoting women’s rights, doc-
gender equality and the empow-
erment of women
During the Commission’s an-
nual two-week session, repre-
sentatives of UN Member States,
civil society organizations, and
UN entities gather at UN head-
quarters in New York.
They discuss progress and
gaps in the implementation of
the 1995 Beijing Declaration
and Platform for Action, the key
global policy document on gen-
der equality, and the 23rd special
session of the General Assembly
held in 2000 (Beijing+5), as well
as emerging issues that affect
gender equality and the empow-
erment of women.
This year’s priority theme was
“Innovation and technological
change, and education in the
digital age for achieving gender
equality and the empowerment
of all women and girls.”
It also reviewed Challenges and
opportunities in achieving gender
equality and the empowerment
of rural women and girls (agreed
conclusions of the sixty-second
session).
TEHRAN TIMES
Some 99% of medications being
produced domestically
TEHRAN –About 99 percent of the medicines
needed for the country are produced by domestic
companies, the head of the Food and Drug Admin-
istration has said.
During the coronavirus pandemic and despite
shortages and sanctions, we were able to prevent
a drug shortage crisis by relying on domestic pro-
duction, IRNA quoted Heidar Mohammadi as say-
ing on Tuesday.
Medicine exports
In September, Mohammadi said Iran has tri-
pled exports of medicine with the pharmaceutical
products being exported to 40 countries across
the world.
Mohammadi made the remarks on the sidelines
of his visit to the 8th International Exhibition on
Pharmaceuticals and Related Industries IRAN-
PHARMA EXPO 2023.
“The increase in medicine exports is a sign of
Iran’s good interaction with neighboring coun-
tries. We hope to develop the access of the people
of the region to quality medicine at the G5 summit
and regional cooperation,” ISNA quoted Moham-
madi as saying.
The Eighth International Exhibition of Pharma-
ceuticals and Related Industries (IRANPHARMA
supplying medical equipment for health centers
across the country, according to the Vice Presi-
dency for Science and Technology.
Iranian-made pharmaceuticals are currently
exported to Canada, Japan, and Europe, Faramarz
Ekhteraei, chairman of the Iranian Pharmaceuti-
cal Industries Syndicate said, emphasizing that
72 percent of the country’s pharmaceutical raw
materials are domestically produced.
Some 40 percent of the country’s total phar-
maceutical exports are biotechnology products, a
member of the board of directors of the Associ-
ation of Manufacturers and Exporters of Medical
Biotechnology Products said.
Consistent supply of medicine
On January 16, President Ebrahim Raisi called
for drawing up strategies to guarantee a long-
term supply of pharmaceuticals and avoid sea-
sonal shortages in the country.
Speaking at a meeting of the administration’s
Economic Coordination Headquarters in Tehran,
Raisi urged the Health Ministry and other relevant
organizations to develop comprehensive plans to
progressively meet the public’s demand for medi-
cine and prevent seasonal and short-term short-
ages of pharmaceuticals.

earthquakes: expert EXPO 2023) was held at Imam Khomeini Grand

TEHRAN – There is evidence that faults trig-
gered by climate change may lead to the occur-
rence of earthquakes, Mehdi Zare professor of
engineering seismology at the International
Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seis-
mology, has said.
“Climate change is a regional issue that could
lead to large migrations,” IRNA quoted Zare as
saying on Tuesday in a meeting held on the oc-
casion of science promotion week.
Land subsidence has already occurred in 400
out of 609 plains of the country, IRNA reported.
Land subsidence, a gradual settling or sud-
den sinking of the Earth’s surface due to sub-
surface movement of earth materials is mainly
caused by aquifer-system compaction, drain-
age, and decomposition of organic soils, un-
derground mining, oil and gas extraction, hydro
compaction, natural compaction, sinkholes, and
thawing permafrost.
Subsidence results in significant economic
losses in the form of structural damage and
high maintenance costs. This affects roads and
transportation networks, hydraulic infrastruc-
ture, sewage systems, buildings, and founda-
tions. The total damage worldwide is estimated
at billions of dollars annually.
He stated, “In Iran, 400 plains, especially in
Tehran, Alborz, and Isfahan provinces are grap-
pling with subsidence.”
Some 96 billion cubic meters of water is con-
sumed in Iran annually, while the country’s total
renewable water resources are only 90 billion
cubic meters, he added.
Effective factors in land subsidence
Reports show that 98 percent of the subsid-
ence is caused by excessive extraction of un-
derground water and mismanagement of water
resources.
Geologists call subsidence a “silent earth-
quake” because an earthquake is instantaneous
and its effects are visible at the same time, but
subsidence is the cause of environmental de-
pletion and its impact appears gradually; which
is becoming a big threat in the country.
With the spread of droughts and lack of
proper water management, the gradual land
subsidence has become a routine threat to the
country.
When the amount of harvest is greater than
the amount of nourishment of the underground
aquifers, the earth moves downward and final-
ly, the soil particles are compressed together,
in such a situation, the phenomenon of sub-
sidence takes on another meaning; It means
“death of aquifers”.
The scope of this man-made phenomenon
has advanced to such an extent that research-
ers in this field describe it with words such as
“cancer”, “irreversible risk” and “death of the
earth”.
In order to give a perspective of the coun-
try’s subsidence rate, the National Cartographic
Center started a project in this field in 2016.
Morteza Seddiqi, an official with the Organi-
zation, told ISNA that using satellite data and
images is one of the methods that have been
implemented to check the rate of subsidence of
the whole country.
“Based on the surveys carried out on these
images, we have identified as many as 252 sub-
sidence areas in the country.”
In 2021, Gholam-Ali Jafarzadeh, the for-
mer head of the National Cartography Center,
lamented that some 29 provinces are currently
at risk of subsidence.
He named two factors of climate change and
human intervention as the most important fac-
tors of land subsidence in the country and not-
ed that it is expected that we take measures to
reduce the pressure on the environment.
He added that 80 percent of the groundwater
is withdrawn annually in Iran, which outpaces
the global rate.
In the whole world, water resources with-
drawal is between 3 to 20 percent, and when it
reaches 40 to 60 percent it is considered prob-
lematic, and it will be a crisis when exceeding
60-80 percent, he noted.
Over the past decades, some of the aquifer
levels dropped by 100 centimeters.
Inefficient irrigation methods in addition to
digging illegal wells are the other main causes
of groundwater extraction-induced subsidence,
as out of 50,000 wells pumping underground
water resources in the capital, 30,000 are ille-
gal.
It should be noted that over the next 40 years,
the country’s temperature will rise by 2.6 de-
grees on the Celsius Scale, which will increase
the country’s need for more water resources.
Campus (Mosala) in Tehran, during September
27-29.
A total of 427 domestic companies and 282 for-
eign companies from 33 countries participated in
Iran Pharma Expo 2023.
Mohammadi considered the presence of for-
eign countries as one of the biggest achieve-
ments of the IranPharma Expo.
He pointed out Iran Pharma exhibition is an ex-
cellent opportunity for showcasing the national
potentials and capabilities of experts and phar-
maceutical industries.
On August 13, Mohammadi said exports of
pharmaceuticals and medical equipment grew by
300 percent in the first four months of the cur-
rent Iranian calendar year (started on March 21),
IRNA quoted.
Last year, some 1,060 trillion rials (about $2.1
billion) worth of medicine and medical equipment
were manufactured inside the country, he added.
Around 99 percent of the medicine supplied to
the domestic market is produced by Iranian com-
panies, he highlighted.
Iran plans to increase the exports of medicine
to around $200 million in the current year from
some $60 million last year, Mohammadi said in
April.
Currently, the production of medicine, medical
equipment, and powdered milk is supported by
subsidies. So, their exports were very limited, but
it is hoped that their exports will increase next
year, he explained.
Referring to the shortage of 100 drug items in
the country, he said: “Currently, nearly one and a
half percent of the country’s pharmaceutical need
is imported. Along with domestic production, it is
done as soon as the domestic production meets
the demand.”
A total of 227 knowledge-based firms are
The president also emphasized the need to
subsidize medicine and lower the cost of medical
care.
Speaking at the meeting, Health Minister Bah-
ram Einollahi said the scarcity of a small number
of medications that developed in the early fall has
been alleviated. Einollahi also stated that Iran’s
drug stocks are in good condition.
Raisi stated in December 2022 that Iran’s abil-
ity to produce 95 percent of its required medica-
tions may transform the country into the region’s
pharmaceutical powerhouse.
Restrictions on medicine supplies
In December 2022, Reza Najafi, the deputy for-
eign minister for legal and international affairs,
slammed the steps taken by certain nations to
impose restrictions on the supply of medicine to
other countries, calling such a ban “illegal, bar-
baric, and disgraceful.”
The statement was made during a speech given
at the high-level meeting of the Group of Friends
of Neutrality for Peace, Security, and Sustainable
Development, which was hosted by Turkmenistan.
“Countries placing restrictions on the supply
of medicine are, in effect, using pharmaceuticals
and medical equipment as a weapon against pa-
tients, which is utterly unlawful, barbaric, and
disgusting,” Najafi said in describing sanctions as
a type of “economic terrorism”.
The Iranian diplomat added that the use of
unilateral coercive measures, such as sanctions,
is one of the destabilizing factors undermining
global peace and security.
These actions not only blatantly violate human
rights but also impede the economic and social
advancement of their target nations, he added.
Such unilateral coercive measures are reckless, a
flagrant breach of international law, and go against
the fundamental tenets of international humanitar-
ian law, he said.

ENGLISH IN USE
LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION

Afghanistan thanks Iran for ‫افغانستانازهمکاریایرانبرایمداوایمهاجران‬

free services to refugees ‫مبتال به کرونا قدردانی کرد‬
IRNA / Mohammad Ataei

during COVID-19
Afghanistan has appreciated Iran for offering health and treatment
services to Afghan refugees infected with coronavirus free of charge.
All measures, especially the recent decree by the Iranian president
to provide free medical treatment to Afghan refugees in Iranian pub-
lic hospitals, have assured the Afghan government, IRNA reported on
Sunday.According to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, providing
transportation services to transit trucks and providing the necessary
health assistance to vulnerable Afghan nationals are among the mea-
sures that are highly appreciated.
‫وزارت امور خارجه افغانستان از کمک و همکاری جمهوری اسالمی ایران‬
‫به مهاجران افغانی مبتال به ویروس کرونا و مداوای رایگان آنها قدردانی‬
.‫کرد‬
‫ تمام اقدامات به ویژه صدور حکم اخیر رئیس‬:‫در این اطالعیه آمده است‬
‫جمهوری ایران برای درمان رایگان مهاجران افغان در بیمارستان های‬
.‫دولتی ایران موجب خاطر جمعی رهبری دولت افغانستان شد‬
‫ ایجاد تسهیالت در رفت و آمد‬،‫براساس اطالعیه وزارت خارجه افغانستان‬
‫کامیون‌های ترانزیتی و فراهم آوری مساعدت های الزم بهداشتی برای‬ Gorgan Bay dredging underway
‫مهاجران در مناطق آسیب پذیر آن کشور اقداماتی هستند که از جانب‬
.‫دولت افغانستان به چشم قدردانی نگریسته می‌شوند‬ Dredging the Gulf of Gorgan, also known as Gorgan Bay, which is the largest gulf in the
Caspian Sea, is being carried out.
The bay has a unique, but fragile, biodiversity and not only has valuable cartilaginous fish,
white fish, and mullet but also provides a significant share of caviar needed by the country.

TEHRAN TIMES
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NOVEMBER 16, 2023
GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
One who says unpleasant things about others, will himself quickly
become a target of their scandal.
Imam Ali (AS)
Prayer Times Noon:11:49 Evening: 17:16
Lian Music Band to perform in Canada,
Australia
TEHRAN-Lian Music Band led by ney-anban
(bagpipe) virtuoso Mohsen Sharifian is set to
perform in Canada and Australia.
Starting from Canada, the band will perform in
Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal on November 19,
24, and 26 respectively.
In their performances, Sharifian and his band
members including his daughter Liana, Mahmoud
Bardaknia, and Morteza Palizdan will perform
a repertoire of folk music of their native region
Bushehr, in the south of Iran. Aka Safavi and
Mohammad Bahrani will sing at the concerts as well.
Bushehri music is an offshoot of ‘bandari’
(literally meaning ‘of the port’) music, common
in the southern coastal areas around the Persian
Gulf. The band has performed around the world,
from the U.S. to the Far East.
Taking the tour to Australia, Lian Band will hold
concerts in Melbourne on December 1, Brisbane on
December 3, and Sydney on December 10.
The concerts in Australia are titled “From Harbor
Iranian animation “Loupetoo” on
screen at Italian film festival
TEHRAN – “Loupetoo”, an acclaimed animated
movie produced at the Sureh Film Organization of
Iran’s Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization,
is on screen at the Vittorio Veneto Film Festival
(VVFILMF), which is currently underway at the
Italian city.
Directed by Abbas Askari, “Loupetoo” tells the
story of Mr. Kamali, the owner of a sanitarium, who
treats the patients by teaching them to make toys.
The toys are creative, so they are very attractive
Cartoon of Day
Gaza
Cartoonist: Seraj from Saudi Arabia
w w w.t e h ra n t i m e s . c o m
Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Sarfi
P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Zip Code: 1599814713
Dawn: 5:15 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:42 (tomorrow)
to Harbor”. They have been aptly named so to
symbolize a powerful cultural exchange between
two distinct regions and musical traditions.
The band’s last performance in Sydney brings
together diverse musical traditions for the first
time in history. It will feature the world-class
Aboriginal Australian musician William Barton
sharing the stage with the Lian Band.
Lian Band’s traditional bagpipe music, deeply
rooted in the history of Bushehr, will blend
harmoniously with the mesmerizing sounds of
Barton’s didgeridoo.
Barton is widely recognized as one of Australia’s
finest traditional didgeridoo players and a leading
didgeridoo (yidaki) player in the classical world. He
has appeared at music festivals around the world
and has also recorded a number of orchestral works.
A portion of the income generated from this
concert will support underprivileged children
in Iran through the partnership with the Yarra
Foundation, which was founded by a group of
Iranian immigrants in 2013 in Melbourne.
to children. But the toy studio is shut down due to
sabotage, which causes a critical mental condition
in the patients. While Mr. Kamali efforts bear no
results, an angel of hope appears to help him.
“Loupetoo” has won awards at several
international festivals, including the award for
best animation film at the 2022 Ahmedabad
International Children Film Festival in India.
The event will come to an end on December 11.
Promoting book reading habits in children:
a path to knowledge and growth
TEHRAN – Iran Book Week, an
annual event held on November
15, known as Book, Reading and
Librarianship Day, organized by
the Iran Book and Literature
House, has commenced with
a range of planned programs.
However, amidst the excitement,
concerns about the reading
habits of Iranians have come to
the forefront.
One of the main objectives
set by public libraries in Iran for
the year 2025 is to cultivate a
culture of reading among a wider
audience, especially children,
adolescents, and young people.
However, with Iranians currently
averaging a mere 18 minutes
of reading per week, it remains
questionable whether this
ambition can be achieved within
the remaining two years.
Investing in increasing the
reading time among children
and adolescents may prove
to be a vital step in improving
the prevailing state of
reading in the country.
However, it is disheartening
to witness the abundance
of children flocking to toy
stores, while bookstores and
libraries remain deserted.
Toys create attraction for these
children, but books have not been
able to create such attraction.
The preference for giving or
receiving anything other than
books as gifts, the reluctance to
spend money on reading from
the family’s economic basket,
and the unawareness of the
importance of reading by parents
are all factors that lead to a
future where children are devoid
of creativity and confidence,
burdened with thousands of
challenges in expressing their
desires and needs verbally or in
writing, and handing them over
to the society.
Reading books is one of the
most important methods of
enhancing capabilities in children
and adolescents, an Iranian
Loose adaptation of Neil Simon’s “Fools”
at Tehran’s Ahura Theater
TEHRAN-The fantasy musical play “Fools”
directed by Abdolreza Akbari and produced
by Barana Lotfi is currently on stage at Ahura
Theater in Tehran.
It is a loose adaptation of the namesake
comic fable written by the renowned
American playwright Neil Simon, Honaronline
reported on Tuesday.
Directors pull films from Amsterdam Documentary Festival
in protest of anti-Palestinian comments
Several directors have pulled
their films from the International
Documentary Film Festival
Amsterdam (IDFA) in protest
over the festival’s statements in
reference to the Israeli-Hamas
war.
According to The Hollywood
Reporter (THR), the IDFA has
become a site for heated debate
over the Israel–Hamas war, with
the festival drawing protests
from both sides.
Speaking to The Hollywood
Reporter on Tuesday, IDFA
artistic director Orwa Nyrabia
confirms that “around 10”
directors have pulled their
films from the festival lineup in
protest over comments made
by the IDFA. The Palestinian Film
Institute (PFI) over the weekend
also announced it was pulling
out from all organized activities
at the IDFA film market.
On Monday, the PFI staged a
demonstration outside the main
IDFA headquarters to demand
a ceasefire in Gaza, and to
criticize the IDFA for its response
to a protest on the festival’s
opening night, which saw three
scholar has said.
Reading books has a direct
impact on the future character
of a child, as it enhances life
skills and creates an interest in
learning, ISNA quoted Zahra Zare
as saying on Wednesday.
Reading books strengthens
skills such as conversation with
others to listen well, respect for
others, increasing vocabulary,
poetry, proverbs, strengthening
imagination, creativity, curiosity,
focus, and self-confidence, she
added.
Reading books increases the
vocabulary level in children and
familiarizes them with different
sentence constructions, writing
styles, and expression methods,
while also enhancing their
understanding of the content,
she mentioned.
She also highlighted the
benefits of reading books in
children, including increasing
knowledge and empathy,
and emphasized that reading
books introduces children and
adolescents to different cultures,
ideas, and beliefs, and they will
explore more in topics of interest.
She stated that reading
The play depicts the people of a remote
village, who are waiting for a teacher for
their children. After the teacher arrives,
one of the villagers does not let him work
properly because he is against education
and progress. All the teacher’s effort is to
remove this great obstacle. The play shows
the conflict between these two and other
villagers.
demonstrators display a banner
with the slogan, “From the River
to the Sea, Palestine Will Be
Free.” Nyrabia was captured on
video seemingly applauding the
protesters.
Many Jews consider the slogan
to be inherently antisemitic
and a threat to wipe out the
state of Israel. Supporters of
the Palestinian cause see it
as a rallying call to end the
fragmentation of Palestinian
land and Israeli occupation.
Nyrabia told THR he did not
see the banner and slogan until
after the protest and says he
was applauding another banner
held up in the audience that read
“Silence is Violence,” a statement
he took to be in support of
freedom of expression.
Following the demonstration,
several prominent members of
the Israeli film community signed
a letter addressed to the IDFA and
the international film industry
in which they called the banner
“a personal attack against us,”
and called on the festival and its
director to distance themselves
from “these calls for violence.”
increases children’s audio books and radio stories for
understanding of their older children can also be very
environment and helps their effective.
cognitive growth. She said, “It is better to choose various
“Books are the best form of topics, including scientific
entertainment for everyone, subjects such as animal life,
especially a valuable source of bees, ants, plants, trees, forests,
learning for children, as they mountains, seas, fruit benefits,
stimulate the child’s mind and
encourage critical thinking,
and foods, as well as historical,
scientific, and religious stories,
allowing them to express their
reading historical letters,
own opinions about what they
personal lives of scientific
have read.”
and religious figures, and any
She also considered focus subject that increases the
child’s scientific, emotional, and
and concentration as important
reading skills, especially for intellectual level for the child to
reading aloud, and added, read.”
“Reading constantly calms the She stressed that children’s
child’s mind and body and allows books should be full of colorful
them to focus on a specific task.” and cheerful images, have
Reading books during creative content, and be
childhood has a lasting impact on attractive for children to read.
a child’s success in education and
“Books should have characters
life, she stated.
that can make the right decisions
When reading a story, in difficult situations and have a
children use their creativity and happy ending,” she mentioned.
imagination to create a visual
“We need to initiate a love
representation in their minds,
for reading books ourselves,
and they can guess what will and books should become a
happen next or come up with a
part of our lives like any other
similar story, she added. belongings and items. By doing
She emphasized that it is so, we can cultivate a reading
better to start reading books habit in our children from an
from an early age and using early age,” she concluded.
A number of children from Barana Acting
School act in the play including Shayan Pirouz,
Adrina Omidi, Andia Jafari, Arshida Dorostkar,
Ali Dalir, Sonia Azizi, Sarina Azizi and Ghazal
Sharifi among others.
The play is performed every night until
November 17 at Ahura Theater located at
Erfan Art Complex, South Mofatteh Ave.,
Haft-e-Tir Square.
The IDFA did just that, releasing freedom fighters. To call this
a statement online saying the slogan ‘hurtful’ is to be against
“From the River to the Sea” slogan the end of occupation.”
“does not represent us, and we “I am heartbroken, betrayed,
do not endorse it in any way. We and outraged by the damaging
are truly sorry that it was hurtful slander of the slogan ‘From
to many.” The festival released a the River to the Sea’. I have
separate statement calling for an withdrawn my film from IDFA
immediate ceasefire in the Israel- and canceled all screenings of
Hamas conflict, as well as for Mast-del. This was to be my first
the distribution of humanitarian film at the festival and meant
aid and the “restoration of basic a lot to me,” she wrote on her
services and infrastructure” in page. “To equate decolonization
Gaza. with terrorism is to maintain
But several filmmakers, the colonial narrative. As the
and the Palestine Film West does everything in its
Institute, took offense at the power to ensure the erasure of
festival’s categorization of Palestine, let’s remember that
the “From the River to the this is a struggle against the
Sea” slogan as “hateful.” The white imperial supremacy and
PFI said doing so “unjustly art institutions’ maintaining of
criminalizes Palestinian voices the status quo for fear of losing
and narratives” and called on funding”.
directors to withdraw their Despite the controversy and
films from the festival in disruption that has rocked
protest. this year’s IDFA, Nyrabia says
Several did, including Iranian the goal of the world’s largest
filmmaker Maryam Tafakory, documentary festival remains
who pulled her non-fiction short the same: To be a place of
Mast-del, posting on Instagram peaceful dialogue and debate for
that the “River to the Sea” slogan even the most divisive issues in
is “an expression of liberation the world today. The IDFA runs
and resistance by Palestinian through November 19.