Iran exported $7.28 billion worth of mineral products from March 21 to Dec. 21, up 1%, while imports stood at $2.53 billion, down 31% in value year-on-year
Mineral Trade Surplus Rises to $4.7 Billion Mineral Trade Surplus Rises to $4.7 Billion
I ran’s trade of mineral products recorded a $4.74 billion surplus for the nine months ending Dec. 21.

The country exported 44.72 million tons of mineral products worth over $7.28 billion during the period, down 10% in tonnage and up 1% in value compared with last year’s corresponding period.

Imports stood at 2.83 million tons worth $2.53 billion, down 38% in tonnage and 31% in value year-on-year, the latest report released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization shows. / Financial tribune /

The capacity of generating electricity from renewable sources in Iran has increase 96 percent during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2018) from the same time span in the past year, IRIB reported on Wednesday citing energy ministry’s news portal (known as Paven).

The report put the country’s renewable capacity at 670 megawatts (MW) in the nine-month period of this year which is planned to hit 1,141 MW by the yearend (March 20, 2019).

In the next five years, Iran is aiming for a 5,000 MW increase in renewable capacity to meet growing domestic demand and expand its presence in the regional electricity market.

In Iran, renewables account for just six percent of energy generation, versus natural gas’ 90 percent share.  /  Tehran times /

Iran national football team gained a 2-0 victory over Vietnam and secured its berth to the quarterfinal of 2019 AFC Asian Cup in UAE.

In a Saturday match held at Abu Dhabi’s Al Nahyan Stadium, the Iranian side won its second match at the tournament, this time against AFF Suzuki Cup champion, Vietnam.

Sardar Azmoun converted a pass from Saman Ghoddos with a precise header at 38 minutes.

20 minutes to go, Sardar doubled the lead for Iran and scored his 27th international goal with a technical shot from out of the box. The Rubin Kazan striker is now top scorer of the tournament with 3 goals.

The Golden Dragons had many opportunities as well but they lacked the final cutting edge.

Team Melli will lock horns with Iraq in its final match at group stage on Wednesday. / MNA /

India has started its commercial activities in Iran’s southeastern port of Chabahar, the Indian government said on Monday, Economic Times reported.

“The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar, in Iran during the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement meeting held there on December 24, 2018,” the Indian Shipping Ministry said in a statement.

In October 2018, Iran, India and Afghanistan inked an agreement on transit of goods via Chabahar.

The agreement was signed in Tehran by Rastad, T.S. Tirumurti, the secretary of economic relations in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and Imammohammad Warymoch, Afghanistan’s deputy minister of transport, during the first meeting of coordination council of agreement on the establishment of an international transport and transit corridor among Iran, India and Afghanistan (Chabahar Agreement).

These three countries signed a trilateral transit agreement in Tehran in May 2016, which allows them open new routes to connect among themselves via converting Chabahar Port into a transit hub bypassing Pakistan.

Then during the visit of the Iranian president to India in February 2018, the lease contract for Shahid Beheshti Port-Phase 1 was signed between Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) and India’s Ports Global Limited (IPGL).

India then inaugurated a headquarters called India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) at the port to help it commit to its part in the accord.

India’s Shipping Ministry said in its Monday statement that commercial operations had begun at the IPGCFZ with the arrival of a Cyprus registered bulk carrier bearing 72,458 million tons of corn at the port on December 30, The Times of India reported.

The vessel MV Macheras discharged the cargo, which had been imported from Brazil, the statement added.

“This is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territories,” the Ministry pointed out.

“India is to equip and operate two berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with capital investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $22.95 million on a 10-year lease,” the paper added. / Tehran times /

In the first nine months of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2018), Iran exported various goods and electricity worth $11.5 billion to Iraq, Hasan Danayifar, the secretary of Iran’s Committee for Economic Relations with Iraq and Syria, said on Wednesday.
Danayifar noted that $6.5 billion of the exports accounted for goods and added that in the same period of the previous year Iran’s goods exports to Iraq amounted to $6.4 billion, according to IRNA.

Despite US sanctions, Danayifar said Iran’s total exports to Iraq have increased by 40 percent compared to the previous year.

It is expected that Iran’s goods exports to Iraq will reach $8.1 billion by the end of the current year, he added.

Commenting on the US pressure on Iraq aimed at ceasing the economic relations with Iran, Danayifar noted that about 40 percent of Iraq’s demand for electricity is supplied by Iran and it is impossible to stop the supplies.  Iran Daily

Four films by Iranian filmmakers, including ‘Leaf of Life’ and ‘Appendix’, have made it into the screening program of 17th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) in Bangladesh.

‘Leaf of Life’ directed by Ebrahim Mokhtari will take part in the ‘Spiritual Films’ section, ‘Lina’ by Ramin Rasouli and ‘Azar’ by Mohammad Hamzei will be screened in the ‘Cinema of the World’ section, while ‘Appendix’ directed by Hossein Mazai will compete in the ‘Asian Cinema’ section.

Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF), established in 1992, is a biennial film festival held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The 17th edition of the event will be held on 12-20 January 2019.

The first sexual health and fertility center in Iran was established aiming to address related problems and treat conditions leading to infertility, director of the Iranian Neurourology Association has said.

Herniated or ruptured disk, depression, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease and diabetes can lead to sexual dysfunction and also infertility among patients, Far news agency quoted Mehri Mehrdad as saying on Saturday.

Such patients are likely to develop neurogenic disorders, Mehrdad added.

Mehrdad went on to say that 41 percent of the patients suffering from diabetes for 5 years are most likely to be affected with infertility.

Today many diabetic patients are at the peak fertility age and with using non-invasive procedures they can have normal life, she noted.

Should people with diabetes have regular urology checkups it would be easier to help them and take necessary measures to treat infertility, she highlighted.

Also patients with MS show symptoms of neurogenic bladder, which could also mean that they may suffer fertility and sexual problems, she lamented, adding that neurourology can help these patients.

Development of a neurogenic bladder associated with MS occurs in these patients as lesions in the brain and spinal cord interfere with signal transmission to the urinary system, producing a range of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) involving urine storage, emptying, or both.

Mehrdad also explained that in addition to patients with aforesaid diseases others can also benefit the services offered at the center.

Diseases impacting fertility

According to the U.S. Center of Reproductive Medicine, autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus undermine fertility in myriad ways. They may reduce the body’s ability to produce healthy sperm or eggs, undermine the ability of an egg to implant in the uterus, damage bodily structures, or even cause a woman’s body to attack a newly implanted embryo.

Active cancer may attack your reproductive organs, making a pregnancy difficult or impossible. Cancer can affect virtually everything about how your body works, including your fertility. Even after your cancer is in remission, damage to reproductive structures can interfere with fertility.

Also, depression may lead to lifestyle habits that can negatively impact your fertility. For example, depression often causes overeating or lack of appetite, and being overweight or underweight can cause infertility. People who are depressed are more likely to smoke or drink, which can also hurt your fertility, Very Well Family writes.

When diabetes is not well-controlled, it can affect the chance of having a baby. In women, diabetes can result in irregular or absent menstrual cycles, while in men it can cause problems getting and maintaining erections and lower levels of testosterone (the male hormone).

For the very first time Iranian researchers at Amirkabir University have managed to build a nuclear fusion plasma confinement device by relying on the use of a completely domestic technology.

Researchers at Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT) have managed to design and build the first indigenous nuclear fusion plasma confinement device.

The device, due to its similar surface to the world’s best tokamaks (magnetic confinement devices), is suitable for conducting basic research on technologies related to confinement and measurement of plasma parameters for obtaining the technology for generating nuclear fusion energy in the country.

The device has industrial applications in fuel cells and turbine components industries.

According to experts, the project will definitely supply the country’s future need for energy through nuclear fusion reactions. /MNA /

Iran has the potential to double the current bulk of its electricity exports to neighboring countries, CEO of Tavanir Company said Saturday.

CEO of Tavanir Co., in charge of development of electric power generation, said Saturday that the bulk of electricity that Iran currently exports to other countries is too little compared to the generated volume, adding that the country presently has the potential to double the bulk of its exports.

Speaking to ISNA, Mohammad Hassan Motevalizadeh said Iran currently exports over 1,000MW electricity to neighboring countries, noting that the major importer of Iran’s electricity is Iraq, followed by Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He maintained that only a very small amount of generated electricity is being exported, adding that Iran can increase the bulk of its electricity exports if neighboring countries would like to place an order for more imports.

According to reports, it is predicted that Iran’s export of electricity would hit $33 billion by 1404.

The Organization for Management of Electric Power Generation and Transmission (Tavanir) was established in 1979 to undertake the responsibility for development of electric power generation, transmission facilities and bulk transaction of electricity with the regional electric companies and large industries. / MNA /

The Sorkheh Hesar National Park in northeastern Tehran is planned to be turned into the first smart park in Iran.

The head of Tehran Municipality ICT Organization Mohammad Farjoud and the mayor of District 13 of Tehran Municipality Mohammad Rahmanzadeh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to make Sorkheh Hesar National Park a smart place as a project.

As one of the projects, which is planned at the district 13 as the pilot region, the infrastructure projects related to making Sorkheh Hesar National Park smart through computer network will be developed.

Smart monitoring and parking, smart irrigation, smart waste water treatment and recycling water, smart safety, smart health services and video games as well as smart tree ID signs are some measures, which will be taken to make the Sorkheh Hesar National Park smart.

Organizing parking space in streets, establishing smart kiosks, and smart fueling are other projects planned in the agreement, Mohammad Farjoud explained.

“We do hope that the smart projects boost the urban life and services for Tehrani citizens,” he added.

Through IT facilities, the difficulties changed into opportunities and improved quality of life, the District 13 mayor Morteza Rahmanzadeh said.

“The district 13 is ready to perform smart waste segregation at source as the pilot region,” he said. /  Tehran times /