Thanks to the capacity of knowledge-based companies, Iran is able to produce 600 million doses of vaccine against coronavirus annually, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, has said.

A total of 21 knowledge-based companies are operating to produce 50 million doses of vaccine monthly and 600 million doses annually, IRNA quoted Bahram Daraei as saying on Wednesday.

Iran is the sixth country in the world and the first country in West Asia to gain the ability to produce the Coronavirus vaccine.

Considering that five coronavirus vaccines have so far been produced domestically, Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration, said in June 2021 that Iran is one of the few countries that has all vaccine production platforms.

COVIRAN is the first vaccine in West Asia that is in the process of global registration.

On February 7, ISNA reported that two domestic companies have completed the animal phase of a clinical study to develop vaccines against the Omicron strain.

Domestically-made vaccines

Made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, COVIRAN BARKAT was unveiled on December 29, 2020, and received the license for public use on June 14.

Developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Razi Cov Pars is the second Iranian-made vaccine that started the clinical trial on February 27.

Moreover, the Iranian-Australian Spikogen vaccine and Pastu Covac, developed jointly by the Pasteur Institute of Iran and Cuba’s Finlay Vaccine Institute, are other vaccines, which have received the emergency use license. /T.T/

The director-general of the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has said that the country’s crude oil exports have exceeded 1.5 million barrels per day(bpd).

The PMO Director-General Ali Akbar Safaei, who is also the deputy minister of the Road and Urban Development, made the remarks on an inspection visit to projects being carried out in the southern Iranian Province of Bushehr.

“Fortunately, with the very good measures taken after the recent visits of the President to the regional countries and the resulting breakthroughs that were created, we have had good growth in exports and imports, and in Bushehr port, we see 22% growth compared to last year, which promises a boom in maritime activities,” Safaei said.

The PMO Director-General also noted that in the field of oil activities, crude oil exports have exceeded 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), adding that, Bushehr ports are supporting these activities to continue the export of petroleum products and crude oil in the best way.

Also in this regard, the Iranian oil minister Javad Owji said that the country will not wait for the results of the Vienna talks on the removal of the sanctions, adding that over $4.5 billion worth of contracts have been concluded with both domestic and international companies to invest in the development of gas and oil fields.

In the future, a contract will be concluded with a consortium of banks to develop one of the massive gas and oil fields, the minister said. /MNA/

The BUFF International Film Festival will be screening the Iranian movies “Wolf Cubs of Apple Valley”, “Asteroid” and “Solar Eclipse”. The children and youth film festival will take place in Malmö, Sweden, from March 19 to 25.

“Wolf Cubs of Apple Valley” directed by Fereidun Najafi and “Asteroid” by Mehdi Hosseinivand-Aalipur will be competing in the feature films category.

In “Wolf Cubs of Apple Valley”, a shot rings out in the valley, and Asho’s friend drops to the ground. The rifle bullet was meant for Asho; his father is wanted for murder and he, too, is being hunted. To evade those who are looking for him, Asho is forced to dress up as a girl and hide at his aunt’s house. In his hunt for answers, he heads out to Apple valley with his cousin, Pari, to look for his mother, who he has always believed to be dead.

“Asteroid” tells the story of Ebrahim, a twelve-year-old boy who lives with his mother and five siblings in the middle of the desert. His father and elder brother have disappeared, and the responsibility of looking after his family lies on Ebrahim’s shoulders. “Asteroid” is a dazzlingly beautiful depiction of togetherness, family ties and responsibility, set in Iran’s incredible landscape. “Asteroid” has echoes of lauded films such as “Lilla Mamma” and “Capernaum”.

Directed by Raha Amirfazli and Alireza Qasemi, “Solar Eclipse” has been chosen to be screened in the short movies competition.

The film follows Saghi and her friends, who have gone to the largest park in Tehran to take pictures of the solar eclipse. The rebellious teenagers enjoy their freedom to the maximum, but all good things come to an end.

“Challenges” is the theme of this year’s festival, which features 118 films from 51 different countries.

“Youngsters face many challenges in today’s society,” the organizers said.

They added, “This is portrayed in this year’s films from a variety of different perspectives: transgender identity, the climate crisis, sexuality, and mental health, to name but a few. These are challenges that are met both with a struggle and with hope, even when it isn’t easy.” / T.T /

Iranian films “The Descendants” and “Zaferanieh, near Sunset” have won awards at the Pambujan International Film Festival in the Philippines.

“The Descendants” directed by Yaser Talebi won one two best film awards of the festival in the competition for the full-length narrative films last Friday.

In this drama, Jacob’s family worries about Farrokh, the son of the family. Farrokh left Iran to continue his studies but he has not been in touch with them for a long time. Jacob travels to Sweden to look for his son.

“Zaferanieh, near Sunset”, a drama on drug addiction in Tehran directed by Mohammad Kharratzadeh, received one of the two runner-up awards in this category.

The Russian war drama “The Final Stand” directed by Vadim Shmelyov was the other winner of the best film award.

The film is about the incredible self-sacrifice of the Podolsk cadets in defense of their country in October 1941 near Moscow. The cadets of the Podolsk artillery-infantry schools are ordered to take up defenses on the Ilyinsky line.

The other runner-up award in the narrative films category went to “Tutuge” directed by Virlanwana Langgong from Indonesia.

“Once Upon a Time on All Hollows’ Eve” by Jaroslaw Gogolin from the UK, “The Herald and the Horror” by Jayvee Margaja from the Philippines and “Boxer Blood and Sweat” by Nima Nadaf from Germany were also honored with third best film prizes.

The awards for best documentary films were given to “The Wounded Souls of the Rann” by Dinesh Lakhanpal from India and “Puso Ng Pinoy Bboy” by Clifton Abuan from the United States.

What do we know about the people who make salt – the most humble and yet the most important ingredient of our food? Seventy percent of the salt produced in India is made in Gujarat and more than forty percent of that in the Rann of Kutch by the Agariyas. For centuries they have been working in horrifying, subhuman conditions, caught in a debt trap. “The Wounded Souls of the Rann” provides a glimpse into their lives.

Built Lands directed by Arturo Dueñas Herrero from Spain and “Wherever We May Be” by Adrian Ellis Alarilla, Jed Yabut, Joseph Unsay, Kenneth Cardenas, Pat R., Pauline M. and Zoé Ciela Guenne from the United States won the runner-up awards in the documentary films category.

Several other movies by Iranian filmmakers were also honored with awards in the short competition of the festival. /T.T/

Iranian woman sprinter Farzaneh Fasihi claimed a silver medal at the 2022 Belgrade Open Meeting. She finished in second place the 60 meters event with a time of 7.31 seconds.

Italian sprinter Zaynab Dosso won the gold medal, clocking 7.21 and Slovakian Monikka Weigertova seized the bronze with a time of 7.38.

Fasihi became the Iran’s ninth woman to compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

She represented Iran in the women’s 100 meters at 2020 Tokyo. /T.T/

Kordestan University in western Iran, will be hosting an international conference on tourism and development, the provincial tourism chief has said.

The event will explore topics on different branches of tourism, management, marketing, economics, education, culture, and tourism infrastructure, CHTN quoted Yaqub Guylian as saying on Sunday.

A major aim of the conference is to examine the barriers and problems of tourism development and to propose novel solutions to attract domestic and foreign investment.

Moreover, attendees will discuss the role of proper tourism infrastructure to achieve sustainable development, the official added.

The event is scheduled to be attended by Iranian deputy tourism minister Ali-Asghar Shalbafian and participants from Iraq, the UK, and Finland, he noted.

It will be held on March 9 and 10 in collaboration with Kordestan’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, he mentioned. /T.T/

Head of Iran volleyball federation Mohammadreza Davarzani says that the country’s women’s volleyball team will participate in the Asian Games after 48 years.

Iran, for the last time, participated at the 1974 Asian Games, where the Persian women came fifth.

They had also competed in the 1966 in Thailand and won a bronze medal.

Now, Davarzani says that the Iranian volleyball team, headed by Alessandra Campedelli, will take part in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

“Our strategy is to have a special look at women’s volleyball. Fifteen years ago, we started the support of our men’s volleyball team and moved up from 27th to eighth place,” Davarzani said.

“Iran’s men’s team are among the top 10 teams in the world at the moment and it took a lot of energy, but we want to do the same in the Iranian women’s volleyball,” he added.

“To achieve our goals in women’s volleyball, we planned to use the experiences of good coaches in the world. After consulting with Julio Velasco (former Iran coach) and other friends, Campdelli was introduced to us and the Italian coach began working with the federation.

“She has experience working with different categories and ages. In addition, she had worked with the Italian boys’ team, and for this reason, we came to the conclusion that Campdelli can help the Iranian women’s volleyball team achieve their goals,” Davarzani said. /T.T/

Laureates for the 35th Khwarizmi International Award (KIA) have been honored for their remarkable achievements in science and technology during a ceremony attended by President Raeisi.

The ceremony was held in Tehran on Monday in the presence of President Ebrahim Raeisi and Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Ali Zolfigol, and a number of Iranian and foreign researchers from China, Italy, and France.

The event aimed at recognizing outstanding scientific achievements made by researchers, inventors, and innovators from all over the world.

Laureates for the 35th Kharazmi International Award, including nine Iranian and three foreign researchers from China, Italy, and France were honored by president Raeisi.

Laureates of 35th Khwarizmi International Award honored

The President also praised the eight selected projects of the 23rd Khwarizmi Youth Festival in the field of Civil Engineering, Nanotechnology, Mechanics, Chemical Technology, and the Environment. /MNA/

The Islamic Republic of Iran set up a pavilion to showcase its defensive military achievements at the International Security and Defense Exhibition in Baghdad, Iraq.

The International Security and Defense Exhibition kicked off on Wednesday in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad with the participation of 68 weapon production companies from 13 different countries.

The exhibition, which will wrap up today (Saturday), showcases advanced equipment such as unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), rocket launchers, missiles, cannons, and different ground support equipment.

This is the fifth time the Islamic Republic of Iran is taking part in the event though it has showcased a small portion of its defense and military weapons capabilities.

In the land field, Iran has exhibited a variety of smart ammunition, UAV bombs, light and heavy weapons, as well as shoulder missiles launchers.

In the airfield, the Islamic Republic of Iran has displayed its AD-75 long-range defense systems, capable of hitting targets at a distance of 75 km and an altitude of 27 km and, capable of engaging with 6 targets simultaneously, medium-range AD-40 air defense system capable of hitting targets at a range of 40 km and altitude 18 km, AD-08 short-range air defense system with the ability to hit 4 targets within the range of 8 km and 6 km altitude, and cruise missiles capable of firing from the coast and sea and destroying targets in the range of 90 km and 35 km altitude.

Other military and defensive systems that could be seen in Iran’s pavilion include an X-ray system loaded on fixed and mobile trucks used in the border, customs and sensitive places, types of detectors, comprehensive kits for identification of chemical agents and chemical pollution removal materials.

In addition, in the Iran Pavilion, secure communication systems and networks, radars in the air, sea and land areas that can be of military and non-military use, electronic warfare systems, communication and radar disruptors, anti-UAV systems, night binoculars, day binoculars, thermal, tracking and search cameras, gun cameras, as well as navigation and guidance systems for aircraft and helicopters were on display.

Mohammad Sahib al-Daraji, head of the Iraqi War Industries Board visited the Islamic Republic of Iran’s pavilion and spent about 40 minutes talking with officials from the Iranian pavilion and Hassan Norouzpour, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s military attaché in Baghdad. The Iraqi and Iranian officials discussed bilateral military cooperation. /MNA/