Iran marked its National Nuclear Technology Day on Saturday by unveiling nine achievements that were hailed as ushering in a nuclear renaissance in Iran.

The unveiling took place during a ceremony attended by President Ebrahim Raisi and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami as well as a number of other officials.

The achievements included three radiopharmaceuticals, two achievements in the fields of cold plasma technology (CPT) and plasma therapy for cancer patients, and another four in the areas of industry, lasers, control systems, and radiography.

During the ceremony, President Raisi was briefed by Eslami and Vice President for Science and Technology Sourena Sattari on the achievements.

Featured high among the achievements was a set of radio medicine, including Lutetium-177, that is used to treat a number of difficult-to-treat diseases like cancer. With a half-life of 7 days, Iranian-made LU-177 will have a stronger effect compared to LU-77 and is the indigenized version of the medicine. LU-177 works to destroy cancerous tumors by connecting to the receptors of the tumor and spreading rays in the affected area, according to Fars News.

Eslami said the AEOI made 77 new achievements during the past Iranian calendar year which ended on March 20.

In addition to the achievements unveiled on Saturday, President Raisi unveiled “the Comprehensive Strategic Document for Nuclear Development,” which is to serve as the blueprint for Iran’s nuclear development in the coming years.

Earlier, Eslami, who is responsible for preparing the document, said it thoroughly addressed the status of the AEOI and the nuclear policy of the country.

“We tried to prepare a comprehensive document for the development of the organization by forming working groups consisting of all relevant and motivated people,” Eslami said of the document, according to Fars News.

The AEOI chief added, “This document has passed the legal approval process and fortunately, in the first working days of 1401 [the Iranian new calendar year], we have a comprehensive document for this organization.”

According to Eslami, the document includes all aspects of nuclear technology, the industrialization of Iran in various sectors, the Leader’s recommendations, and the spheres that have not been addressed yet.

Eslami pointed out that, according to the document, qualitative and quantitative targets have been set for the processes of the nuclear fuel cycle. As regards nuclear power, the document sets the stage for the construction of power plants with a production capacity of up to 10,000 MW.

The unveiling ceremony was held at the Summit Hall in Tehran which also featured an exhibition on Iran’s nuclear achievements. During his visit to the exhibition, Ayatollah Raisi expressed pride over the progress of Iranian young scientists in the field of nuclear technology and described these developments as a symbol of self-confidence and reliance on internal power, and called for this spirit to spread to other industries and strategic areas in the country, according to the official website of the Iranian presidency.

While emphasizing the right to use peaceful nuclear energy, the president called Iran’s nuclear knowledge and technology in the nuclear field irreversible and said, “Relying on Iranian young people and scientists and jihadist work is a model that always works and should be used in other areas as well.”

Underlining that Iran would continue research in peaceful nuclear fields regardless of the will or opinion of outsiders, President Raisi said, “Fortunately, the research work of scientists in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy is accelerating well and the government will support this process.”

Iran’s newest nuclear achievements are being hailed as a “nuclear renaissance.” Nour News, a news website close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the achievements put Iran on the cusp of a “nuclear renaissance.”

“Over the last years, our country’s nuclear industry, despite the enemies’ obstructions, has made upward progress by virtue of the youth and scientists. And that, today, Islamic Iran is on the cusp of a nuclear renaissance,” the website said.

Nuclear achievements come at a time when Iran is under growing pressure from the West over its nuclear program. Iran insists it needs its program for peaceful purposes while the West has leveled accusations against Iran in the nuclear realm.

Iran and the West, along with other world powers, have been negotiating in Vienna since last April in a bid to find a common ground to settle differences. /T.T/

Iranian short film ‘Exchange’ directed by Barzan Rostami will be screened at the Riverside International Film Festival in the Us.

‘Exchange’ is about people’s irresponsibility in critical situations that compel them to do anything unusual to save their lives.

The Riverside International Film Festival is a non-profit organization. Bringing the best in contemporary international and independent films to the Inland Empire region of Southern California

Annually since 2002, RIFF has brought the best in contemporary international and independent film to the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the fastest growing area in America. The festival will be held on April 21-25. /MNA/

The production of biopharmaceuticals, thanks to the efforts of knowledge-based companies, has reached 28 items, making Iran the third leading country in Asia, IRIB reported on Wednesday.

A biopharmaceutical, also known as a biologic medical product, is any pharmaceutical drug product manufactured in, extracted from, or semi synthesized from biological sources.

Different from totally synthesized pharmaceuticals, they include vaccines, whole blood, blood components, allergenic, somatic cells, gene therapies, tissues, recombinant therapeutic protein, and living medicines used in cell therapy.

In the world today, biomedicine has attracted the attention of many governments and investors due to its strategic position and great added value. In Iran, the value-added of biomedical production after the field of information technology services has the highest value-added. Accordingly, those in charge of this field are trying to provide the ground for growth and development.

Iran is one of the countries that has made great efforts in the field of medicine to free itself from the struggle to supply medicine and bypass sanctions and be able to respond to its local needs by relying on knowledge-based companies. One of these areas is the production of biopharmaceuticals, which has grown to 28 items.

12th in biotechnology

Iran is also ranked 12th in the world and first in West Asia in terms of biotechnology, as 9.5 percent of the income of knowledge-based companies and more than 60 percent of their exports are related to biotechnology.

Foreign exchange savings of $1 billion per year by producing 22 biopharmaceuticals, gaining the first rank in biotechnology products and vaccines in West Asia, and the presence among the top five biotechnology producers in Asia are among the country’s achievements, Mostafa Ghanei, secretary of the biotechnology development office of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, said in October 2020.

So far, 27 biotechnology medicines, 12 vaccine projects, 90 pharmaceutical raw materials, and 55 projects in agriculture and food security have been implemented in order to gain a 3 percent market share and biotechnology assistance to the development of the economy, he explained.

Some 8 major companies are responsible for managing the country’s 117 priority products in the fields of biopharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical raw materials, vaccines, probiotics, equipment, and chemical drugs, he emphasized. /T.T/

 

A recreational site for high-wire cycling has recently been inaugurated in the ancient city of Hir, northwest Iran.

The site of suspended cycle lanes, which lets riders glide over a deep valley, is situated near a suspension bridge in Ardabil province.

It was officially inaugurated on April 1 during an opening ceremony attended by Nader Fallahi, the provincial tourism chief, and a host of local travel insiders.

Site for high-wire cycling inaugurated in northwest Iran

Ardabil is home to a variety of “scary” glass bridges. Moreover, it embraces the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble.

Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardabil is well-known for having lush natural beauties, hospitable people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition.

Ardabil is very cold in winter and mild in summer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city of Ardabil is usually recorded as one of the coldest cities in the country in winter. / T.T/

Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said that the country will unveil nine new nuclear achievements on April 9 concurrent with the anniversary of National Day of Nuclear Technology.

Three of these achievements will be in the field of radiopharmaceuticals which are used in the diagnostic and therapeutic sector, said Mohammad Eslami in a news conference on Wednesday.

Two of these achievements are in the fields of plasma which is effective for the treatment of cancer, he said, adding that four other achievements are in the field of industry related to lasers and three other achievements are in the field of control and imaging systems.

MNA/

Exploring Iran was always my dream and it came true in 2018. I want to share whole my 14 days Iran trip with you guys. My intention for this article is first to write my travel memories down somewhere as a memory, second maybe it becomes useful for those who want to travel to Iran, especially for girl travelers as me and my travel buddy both are girls.

Table of contents

International Flight from Singapore to Iran
Iran VOA Visa Application
Domestic Flight from Tehran to Shiraz
Iran Hotels Reservation
Iran Transportation Between Cities
Iran Daily Expenses for Travellers
International Flight from Singapore to Iran

Maybe the international flight was the most costly part of my trip, as it cost me 990 SGD for two way flight per person. I booked a Turkish Airline. The flight took around 10 hours with 1.5 hours stopover in Istanbul. Probably if you want to book an international flight ticket to Iran, Turkish airline, Qatar airline and Emirate will be your top 3 choices, due to frequent flights to Iran.

Iran VOA Visa Application

Iran VOA (Visa On Arrival) visa was the most satisfying part of our Iran trip. First of all, it was quite easy and smooth procedure. Despite lots of negative comments we have heard about the Iran visa procedure, our visa confirmation at Imam Khomeini airport took less than 15 min to issue. Bear in mind that we applied Iran visa authorization code in advance and that is probably helped us for having a hassle-free procedure at the airport immigration office.

My recommendation for an Iran VOA visa: Apply in advance through an Iran travel agency or Iran e visa portal

Domestic Flight from Tehran to Shiraz

As a travel planner, I am into planning my trip personally instead of booking a tour package all-inclusive. therefore I planned whole my 14 days from the first minute to the last. Firstly we took an Iran domestic flight from Tehran to Shiraz. So we can start our Iran exploration from bottom to top, meaning start from Shiraz and end in Tehran.

We book our domestic flight tickets through an online agency with our credit card smoothly and easy. Our tickets were sent to our Email instantly and even more interesting is that the agency customer service contact us through Email before our flight to check if everything is going well with us or not, this amount of support was exceptional.

Iran Hotels Reservation

In total, I booked 13 nights as below. Generally, book Iran hotels in advance as so many of them are in high demand. They will get fully booked a few weeks in advance, so if you are targeting a specific hotel to stay in, I recommend booking one month in advance and do not leave it to the last second.

1- Three nights: Niayesh hotel in Shiraz. Amazing staff and worth the money.

2- Two nights: Friendly hostel in Yazd. Above average, good breakfast and average WiFi.

3- Three nights: Khajoo hotel in Isfahan. Perfect location and average facilities.

4- Two nights: Noghli house Kashan. Live music performance in the courtyard was a great experience.

5- Three nights: Persian Plaza in Tehran. The rooftop view was the best. Clean room and good facilities.

Iran Transportation Between Cities

This is the most luxurious part of my trip. Unlike my other trips, I decided to pamper ourselves more in Iran and book a guide-driver (meaning a tour guide who has a car), not only because the distance between cities in Iran are too much, also I shared the mutual expenses with my friend, so it was reasonable at the end. Booking an Iran tour package would be another great alternative as whatever you need is already included.

Having a guide-driver in Iran has lots of advantages. Firstly, you do not need to take care of bus or train tickets and match your itinerary with their departure schedule, secondly, there are some attractions like Abyaneh village, Iran desert and Perspolise that are located in a remote area and a tour guide driver can be a great option.

Alternatively, to spend less money, you can book a daily tour in Iran or an excursion for Perspolise (Shiraz) and Lut desert (Kerman) that cost you less than a driver-guide who accompanies you for the whole trip.

Iran Daily Expenses for Traveller

Based on my experience, Iran is generally a cheap destination. The travel expenses vary from 30 to 50 Euro per day per person on average (Excluding international flights). My breakdown expenses are as below.

1- Hotels 13 nights: 350 Euro per person

2- Domestic flight from Tehran to Shiraz: 31 Euro per person

3- Transportation 14 days (guide driver): 200 Euro per person

4- Food, entrance fee and others 14 days: 100 Euro

Total my expenses (one person) for 14 days (exclude international flight) = 681 Euro /MNA/

Spokesman for Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) is ready to unveil about 100 new nuclear achievements soon.

Speaking in an interview with Mehr news agency on Tuesday, Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini said that about 100 new nuclear achievements will be unveiled in the fields of energy, research and development (R&D) on April 9 concurrent with the National Day of Nuclear Technology.

Turning to today’s session of the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, held with the participation of the Spokesman for AEOI Behrouz Kamalvandi and one of technical members of Iran’s negotiating team, the lawmaker said that they presented a comprehensive report with regards to the performance of the Organization within the framework of Vienna talks.

A part of negotiations is related to political issues, he said, adding that political issues of the talks will be discussed during a meeting with the nuclear negotiators and possibly in presence of chief nuclear negotiating team.

Considering the approach of National Day of Nuclear Technology, AEOI Spokesman Kamalvandi submitted a comprehensive report on the new activities and achievements of the Organization especially in a recent year in the field of using modern technology, he added.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is ready to unveil about 100 new achievements in the fields of energy, research and development, fuel and radiation applications especially in the field of medicine and health in a way that the least country in the world could achieve these technologies, Abbaszadeh Meshkini ended. /MNA/

The spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) said that more than $255 million worth of high-quality dates were exported from the country overseas in the first 11 months of the previous year.

Seyyed Rouhollah Latifi said that the country exported 292,504 tons of dates, valued at $255,198,242, overseas from March 21, 2021, to Feb. 22, 2022, showing a hike as compared to the same period of last year.

Turning to the current year’s motto named “Production: Knowledge-based and Job-Creating”, he expressed hope that knowledge-based companies in the country would focus on scientific export and production of this product.

There are diversified dates that are produced in the country, he said, adding that dates produced in the country are of the highest quality which are welcomed by many people across the world.  /MNA/

The Welfare Organization will create up to 10,000 jobs to empower women heads of households, Mohammad Nasiri, the deputy head of the organization for cultural and social affairs, said on Tuesday.

A total budget of 3 trillion rials (nearly $11.5 million) has been earmarked for empowering these women with the approach of home employment, he explained.

According to the Statistical Center of Iran, out of twenty-two (22) million families in Iran, over three (3) million are WHH and most of them are in less-developed areas. The Government prioritized such families for targeting socio-economic support.

Earlier this month, Zahra Ershadi, Iran’s ambassador and deputy representative to the United Nations, has said that Iran has made significant progress in empowering women, despite U.S. illegal and inhumane sanctions.

Meanwhile, Ensieh Khazali, the vice president for women and family affairs, said in the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, that about 12,000 female heads of households underwent empowerment training and entered the traditional and virtual market.

Also, more than 1.1 million women heads of households are covered by the Relief Committee and more than 300,000 are covered by the Welfare Organization, benefiting from special support such as facilities, insurance, and livelihood services. /T.T/