June 13, 2025
Four Bangladeshi high school students have joined the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Iran. They are Auddithio Nag, Bayezid Mia, Tmzid Hossain Tanim and Prokriti Projukti.
The Olympiad began on July 15 and it will continue until July 22, said a press release.The IBO 2018 has been organised by the Ministry of Education, Iran in partnership with The University of Tarbiat Modares. More than 260 students from 60 different countries joined the event. / unb /
Maryam Qarehgozlou: The summer has set in for a few days now and the blazing, baking sun seems to be always shining in the cloudless sky and you could no longer fight back the urge to plan a getaway to places with cool temperature.
For our family, the best destination was the northwestern province of Ardebil, which is characterized with cool climate during the hot summer months and lures a lot of tourists, who like us, try to escape the hot weather for a couple of days.
Heyran route, pretty as picture
We set off on a road trip from Tehran to Ardebil, intending to take Heyran route. The route, connecting Astara, northern Gilan province, to Ardebil, is well-known for its scenic views. However, since you have to pass through Gilan province to get to Astara and Heyran route, it is best to spend a night in picturesque villages in Gilan. That’s why despite the hot temperatures we decided to spend a night in a village in Talesh near Siah Daran forest park.
In case you don’t want to spend a night in Gilan you can make a pit stop at Gisoom forest park where the jungle meets the Caspian Sea and has perfect tasting fish kebabs in small outdoor, sea view restaurants.
The next morning we headed to Astara to get to Heyran route. Driving along the road you could see the fenced borders between Iran and Azerbaijan. The road was surrounded with beautiful trees and emerald green paddy fields. Every now and then there were vendors selling corn on the cob kebab and ash-e doogh (a soup usually made with doogh, a yogurt-based beverage, as well as different kind of herbs and chickpea).
Our great ride throughout the road culminated with arriving at Heyran gondola lift. Getting on a cabin we travelled 1,500 meters through a beautiful landscape of the Alborz mountain range. At some point during the ride everything vanished in the thick fog and this meant we have arrived at the next station.
The cold breeze and the small drops of water on your face makes you feel alive again. You can even take a short walk up the hills and plains surrounding the region. The plains are beautifully covered in wild flowers and the everlasting fog gives it greater vibes. There are restaurants, coffee houses, and tea houses which offer traditional foods and drinks in the area as well.
It was so hard to say goodbye to Heyran and leaving it to get to our main destination, Ardebil.
Shorabil, a lake within the city
Once we reached Ardebil we decided to visit Shorabil Lake. The lake is located south of the city and offers a dazzling and peaceful atmosphere. There is no need to do anything there, you can just sit near the lake, gaze upon the view and inhale the fresh air.
However, facilities have been built around the lake for the leisure, entertainment and comfort of the coming visitors as well. There are several restaurants and coffee shops, indoor and outdoor amusement parks, a couple of international hotels and a zoo in the proximity of the lake.
There are also running track and bike lanes around the lake, so activities such as running, cycling and also sailing on small boats are also available.
This lake, with a surface area of 16 acres, is the largest lake in Iran within a city. Originally the basin was covered with mud and high concentrations of salt and other minerals so that no fish could survive. In 1998, in order to dilute the lake, rivers were linked to it and reduced the amount of salt. Now, lots of salmons are living in Lake Shorabil.
Fandoqlo forest, a heaven on earth
While dozens of hotels are available in the city of Ardebil to stay in we preferred to camp out in Fandoqlo forest.
Stretching over some 85,000 hectares of land, Fandoqlo (literally meaning filled with hazel trees), is very well-known for its spectacular, stunning sceneries. Dog rose, German chamomile, wild pansy, and wild strawberry are some of the plant species found in this area. It is also a habitat to brown bear, marten, pheasant, partridge, and golden eagle.
Fandoqlo is located 25 kilometers from Ardebil so it is a short drive from the city to the forest. You can either set up a camp in the forest or rent a cottage in case you don’t feel like sleeping in a tent.
However, the beautiful sky ornamented with hundreds of stars might tempt you to decide to sleep in a tent. On the first night of our stay in the forest the weather was pleasantly cool, so that we put up a tent and had a cup of tea under the blinking stars.
There are guard dogs and also a security guard at the area so that you can feel pretty safe to sleep in the tent. There are also lots of parking space available for parking your car.
In the morning, we woke up with the horses’ happy neigh and dogs barking at them. In front of us was a plain surrounded with dense trees and the light wind spreading the fog. Smell of damp, freshly cut grass and the fresh earthy smell filled our lungs and again made it harder to leave the forest for visiting another resort destination.
Sareyn, the city of lights
For me, Sareyn, a city located in southwest of Ardebil, is a city of lights. The streets are jammed with food carts selling corn on the cob kebab, ash-e doogh, and tea. There are also big restaurants selling kebab and other mouth-watering food stuff. It sounded like the pool of lights would never fade.
The city is well-known for its hot springs and attracts hundreds of tourists especially during summer. The hot springs in Sareyn are near an inactive volcano in mount Sabalan and its water contains sulphur particles which is believed to have therapeutic properties and is good for bone and joint pains.
However, it is not just the hot springs that makes you want to visit this city. Walking down the streets at dusk while the cool breeze gently blows and listening to people’s carefree laughter tells you that the trip has paid off.
Things you may need to know
The massive suspension bridge, inaugurated in 2015 in Meshgin Shahr city, also worth visiting. At 345 meters long, 3 meters wide and 80 meters high, the bridge is said to be the largest of its kind in the Middle East. However, a word of advice: do not go there at noon. Despite the cool breeze the sun is up and strong.
The UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble which is being restored now is also another place to visit in the city of Ardebil.
Restaurants in Ardebil cook the best kebab. Don’t forget to taste this palatable dish, too.
If you decided to take the Heyran route to get to the city, it is best to travel back from Khalkhal-Asalem road. A cool mist fills this road too. Driving through the mist you get to the beautiful city of Asalem in the province of Gilan. The enchanting beauty of the road, starting from Khalkhal, located in Ardebil, and ending in Gilan, would be a perfect end to a perfect trip.
Pack a bag, take a week off and visit Ardebil
Our short 4-day trip was not enough to appreciate other beauties the region is famous for. Next time I would take a week off and travel to Ardebil and most certainly I will stay all seven nights at Fandoqlo forest. / Tehran times /
The Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC), which is affiliated with the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, has awarded a $97,000 prize to Iran for its project titled “Inclusion of Local Communities in Sustainable Muslim Friendly Tourism,” CHTN reported on Sunday.
The scheme will be initially implemented as a pilot project in Iran, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan, then it would be carried out in other Islamic countries and finally it will find its way to other countries under the auspices of UNESCO, the report said.
“Creating jobs, [rebuilding] rural economy, and establishing synergy are amongst strategic objectives of this project.”
The COMCEC Project Funding supports the top projects that are proposed by the member countries in order to get recognition.
For the research projects, the payments are made in two installments; the first will be paid after the first draft of the research study is approved by the COMCEC and the second will be paid after the approval of the research report, according to its website.
Realization of policy recommendations adopted by the COMCEC ministerial sessions, and enhancing solidarity and multilateral cooperation among member states are amongst objects that the Ankara-based Office follows.
Back in January, Iran allocated 24 trillion rials (some $600 million) to empowering rural areas and small towns in arenas of handicraft-associated jobs, ecotourism and hospitality industry.
Due to having a very diverse natural setting, Iran offers many to experience for the nature-loving travelers who may live with a nomad or rural family or enjoy an independent stay to learn about rustic routines, traditional art and culture. / Tehran times /
Iran exported 700,000 tons of apples in the past crop year (July 2017-18), which is more than twice the volume of exports in the preceding crop year. The total amount of annual apple production in Iran is around 3.7 million tons, about one-fifth of which is exported, mainly to Iraq, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, the UAE, India, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Tajikistan and Russia. / Financial tribune/
In a Sunday meeting in Tehran, the Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi and Japanese ambassador to Iran Hiroyasu Kobayashi hailed increased bilateral ties in cultural domains.
Iran and Japan have started their diplomatic ties from some 90 years ago, said Salehi, adding that it is 60 years since the two countries have inked their first cultural Memorandum of Understanding.
Touching upon the potentials of Iran in cinema, music, visual arts and dramatic literature disciplines, the Iranian minister highlighted that increased cultural ties will prepare the grounds for further introducing civilizations of two nations to each other.
Japan’s embassy in Tehran have so far organized appropriate cultural programs, Salehi said, adding, “we are ready to continue cooperation in this regard.”
He went on to say that Japan’s participation in Tehran International Book Fair as a special guest creates an ample opportunity for further cementing cultural ties.
Kobayashi, for his part, said that Iran and Japan have long historical and cultural ties and many Iranian products have entered Japan through the Silk Road.
A special working group on sports and culture have been established since 2015 after the Japanese Foreign Minister visit to Tehran, he said, adding that the second session of this working group was held in 2017 where the officials of the two countries discussed ways to promote cooperation in these areas.
Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has a wide range of cultural, artistic and literary activities and we need its guidance on how to promote cultural relations between the two countries, the Japanese envoy added. / Mehr news /
A documentary on a young disabled painter will compete at the 4th Whatashort Independent International Film Festival in New Delhi, India, July 14-15.
The movie “Foot Writing” by Sa’adat Ali Saeedpour is the life story of Rahim Azimi, a 23 year old artist from Tabriz, East Azarbaijan Province, who paints delicate Persian miniature paintings with his foot, Mehr News Agency reported on its Persian website.
Azimi, who lost both hands in an accident, succeeds in becoming an inspiring artist in miniature painting and ‘Tazhib’ (gliding). Despite lack of financial support, he continues untiringly selling his art works on his Instagram account. / Financial tribune /
The 11th edition of International Nanotechnology Festival will be held from October 13th to 16th, 2018, in Tehran International Permanent Fairground, Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC) website reported on Sunday.
International Nanotechnology Festival is held annually by Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council, and it is the largest and most credible exhibition in the field of nanotechnology in Iran. It is also considered as one of the largest nanotechnology festivals in Asia.
11th Nanotechnology Festival will be held from October 13th to 16th in Tehran International Permanent Fairground. Universities, research centers, technology parks, industrial companies, and other related public organizations and private sectors will join this event.
Industrial companies in 12 sectors such as water and environment, healthcare, construction, agriculture and packaging, textile, oil industries and consulting will participate in 11th Nanotechnology Festival.
For more information and registration, visit International Nanotechnology Festival official website. / Mehr news /
Iranian short film ‘Retouch’ directed by Kaveh Mazaheri has added to its already impressive record five more awards from international film festivals in Armenia, Argentina, France, Cyprus and Italy.
The awards include Best Short prize at the international competition section of the 16th One Shot International Film Festival in Armenia; Special Jury Award at Santiago del Estero Film Festival in Argentina; Best Actress Award for Sonya Sanjari at GOSH! Independent & International Film Festival in France; Audience Award at Paphos International Film Festival (PIFF) in Cyprus; and the golden medal at the 12th River Film Festival in Italy.
Co-produced by Mazaheri and the Iranian Young Cinema Society, ‘Retouch’ is the story of a young woman whose husband dies before her eyes while she cannot do anything but to witness the unfolding of this tragic event.
Sonya Sanjari has previously won the Best Actress Award for her performance in ‘Retouch’ at 2018 Brussels Short Film Festival in Belgium, and the 1st Sukhum International Film Festival in Abkhazia. / Mehr news /
Iran freestyle wrestling team claimed the title of the 2018 Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, on Wednesday night.
With two World champions in the final day of men’s freestyle competition, Iran took the top spot in the team rankings, scoring 152 points throughout the event.
Winning for Iran tonight was Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) at 48 kg and Ali Reza ABDOLLAHI (IRI) at 92 kg, UWW reported.
Amouzadkhalili, the 2018 Cadet Asian champion, defeated Rafayel HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) in the 45 kg gold-medal bout with a 5-0 shutout to open the night.
Closing out the tournament was continental champion Abdollahi at 92 kg, who dominated in a 13-2 championship showing against 2017 Cadet European silver medalist Omer AGTAS (TUR).
Overall, Iran leaves Croatia with three World champions as Amir ZARE won the heavyweight title on Tuesday.
Finishing second in the team race with 132 points was the U.S., achieving one World champion at 51 kg.
Russia finished in third place with 116 points in the competition.
Final men’s freestyle team scores (top 10)
/ Tehran times /
The Supreme Council for Economic Coordination held its fourth meeting on Saturday at the seat of the president to mull ways to counter the looming U.S. sanctions against Iran.
The council was headed by President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Judiciary chief Sadeq Amoli Larijani.
The president’s economic team including Budget and Planning Organization chief Mohammad Baqer Nobakht; central bank governor Valiollah Seif; Economy Minister Masoud Karbasian; Industry and Trade Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari; economic advisor to president Mohammad Nehavandian; First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri; as well as Parliament Economic Committee Chairman Mohammad Reza Pour-Ebrahimi; Parliament Budget and Planning Committee Chairman Gholamreza Tajgardoon; Parliamentary Center for Research Studies Kazem Jalali; National Prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri; and Deputy Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje’i were present at the Saturday meeting.
Since Donald Trump unilaterally exited the U.S. from the multilateral nuclear agreement on May 8 and announced that his administration will re-impose sanctions against Iran in two stages, first in August and then in November, a number of foreign companies and banks have stopped cooperation with Iran.
Trump has also asked other countries to stop their purchases of the Iranian oil by November otherwise they face secondary sanctions.
Es’haq Jahangiri announced on June 24 that the U.S. has started an “economic war” against Iran.
Even before Trump officially announce U.S. exit from the nuclear deal the prices of gold coin and foreign currencies started rocketing at the black market.
Iranian officials have vowed to disappoint the U.S. through reliance on local capacities.
Under the nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Iran is obliged to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions. However, with the U.S. pullout from the agreement, the destiny of the JCPOA is in jeopardy. Iran has announced that if it cannot enjoy the economic benefits of the JCPOA there is no justification to abide by it.
To keep Iran in the nuclear agreement, the European Union, especially its three heavyweight members (Germany, France, and Britain), on Wednesday presented an economic package to Iran, though Iran has said the package falls short of Iran’s expectations.
Talking in the meeting on Saturday, Rouhani said European countries have the “political will” to continue economic cooperation with Iran within the framework of the nuclear agreement but they must take “practical decisions” in this regard.
The Joint Commission of the JCPOA held first meeting at the foreign ministerial level in Vienna on Friday since the U.S. walked out of the agreement.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini announced that Iran and the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement had agreed to continue negotiations, including on economic measures, over how to save the deal. / Tehran times /