A photo exhibition displaying aspects of ancient Iranian civilization is currently underway at the Hellenic Photographic Society in Athens, Greece.

“Iran, Ancient Civilization”, which opened on Saturday, has been organized in collaboration with Iran’s Focus Photo Club and the society, the club announced in a press release on Sunday.

Works by Nima Tajeddin, Amin Dehqan, Maryam Monavvarian, Alireza Rahimi, Ahmad Samei, Amin Zamzam and several other Iranian photographers have been selected for the weeklong show.

A photo by Borna Mirahmadian was picked as best photo of the exhibit by the Hellenic Photographic Society and the photographer was awarded the Gold Medal of the society and a free ticket to Greece.

Several other photos also received honorable mentions.

Ali Samei, the representative of Iran’s branch of FIAP, who was participating in the opening ceremony, gave a brief speech about the history of photography in Iran.

He also introduced several famous Iranian photographers including Kaveh Golestan, Abbas Kiarostami, Reza Deqati and Shadi Qadirian to the participating guests at the ceremony.

In addition, a collection of photos selected from the 4th Khayyam International Exhibition of Photography is on display on the sidelines of the exhibit.

The Focus Photo Club organizes the Khayyam exhibit annually with the help of the Photographic Society of America (PSA) and FIAP.

The Athens exhibit is part of a cultural exchange between Iran and Greece as two ancient civilizations.

The Hellenic Photographic Society and the Focus Photo Club are scheduled to co-organize an exhibition of photos by a number of Greek photographers in Tehran during 2018.

Photo: People visit the exhibition “Iran, Ancient Civilization” at the Hellenic Photographic Society in Athens, Greece on October 7, 2017.   / Tehran times /

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between Iran Malaysia Women Business Forum (IMWBF) and Women Entrepreneur Network of Malaysia (WENA) to elevate bilateral trade ties and boost investment opportunities.

The cooperation agreement was endorsed on Monday evening in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur by IMWBF’s Secretary, Elham Amini and Ms. Nadira Yusoff, President of WENA president.

Ms. Amini underlined that participation of women is prerequisite to exploiting all capacities to increase amount of collaborations between the two Muslim countries.

The official further urged WENA members to visit Iran and stressed the need to foster friendly cooperation between businesswomen and entrepreneurs of the two sides.

Also the signing ceremony, Malaysia’s Yusoff voiced satisfaction over increasing trade transactions between Iranian and Malaysian women and attached great significance to cooperation and signing MoUs for making presence in Iran’s mega and outstanding market.

Tehran is expected to host a meeting on November 01-02 on investment opportunities in Iran and Malaysia for women.

Later at the session, Mohammad Hafez Hakami, who heads Iran-Malaysia Trade and Exhibition Opportunities, noted that there exited proper grounds for various activities that entrepreneur Muslim women from the two countries could use, and the cooperation between IMWBF and WENA could mark an emblem for women in other Muslim countries. / Mehr News /

Head of Iran Weightlifting Federation Ali Moradi said that the Iranian women weightlifters can compete in the sport.

Gender equality in sports has always been a controversial topic.

In July 2011, International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) modified its competing rules to allow tight-fitting, body-length unitards for the first time.

“Weightlifting is an Olympic sport open for all athletes to participate without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin in accordance with the principles of the Olympic Charter and values,” said IWF President Tamas Ajan at that time. “This rule modification has been considered in the spirit of fairness, equality and inclusion.”

Now, Moradi says the Iranian federation is ready to support the Iranian female weightlifters in the domestic and international competitions.

“In the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Turkmenistan the Muslim women participated in the weightlifting competition. I think the women have no problem to participate in weightlifting wearing the hijab,” Moradi said.

“IOC has a special committee which monitors gender equality. This is a good opportunity for our country because the Iranian women have the potential to win medals,” he added.

/ Tehran times /

An international exhibition opened at the Art Bureau in Tehran on Tuesday to display posters on the massacre of Muslims in Myanmar and the atrocity of the country’s government that has caused thousands of these Muslims to flee to Bangladesh.

Seventy posters by artists from 19 countries, including China, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Italy, the U.S., Poland, Egypt and Algeria, have been selected for the exhibition, Art Bureau’s Visual Arts Department director Masud Shojaei-Tabtabai said earlier in a press release.

“This incident was so horrible and unexpected that the world public opinion was deeply affected,” he added.

He said that the exhibition is part of the strong response from international artists to the ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar government.

A miniature painting titled “The Wings of the Heaven” on Mohsen Hojaji, an Iranian soldier who was killed by Daesh forces in Syria during August, was also unveiled on the sidelines of the exhibit.

The miniature, which has been created by Mehdi Farrokhi, is the sixth artworks made on Hojaji under the auspices of the Art Bureau.

Photo: Art enthusiasts visit an international poster exhibition on the massacre of Muslims in Myanmar at the Art Bureau in Tehran on October 10, 2017.

/ Tehran times /

According to Iran’s 2016 National Population and Housing Census, Tehran was the most desired destination for Iranians living in other cities.

According to the census, from Iranian calendar year 1390 to 1395 (March 2011-March 2017), Tehran province hosted over 20 percent, equaling 951,248 persons, of people who migrated to other places across the country.

Meanwhile, 979,636 individuals decided to leave their cities to live in Tehran during years 1385 to 1390, which was 17.7 percent of total migrations inside the country.

Tehran gained importance when the city was named the capital by the Qajar dynasty in 1778. Today, Tehran, with a population of over 12 million, is ranked amongst the 40 most populous metropolitan cities of the world.

Furthermore, it houses approximately 16% of the country’s population.

Tehran Province is the most industrialized province in Iran; 86.5% of its population resides in urban areas and 13.5% of its population resides in rural areas, according to the 2016 census.

Khorasan Razavi is runner-up

Khorasan Razavi province, northeastern Iran, is the runner-up hosting 7.3 percent of migrants over the past five years.

Mashhad is the center and capital of the province. The city is named after and known for housing the tomb of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam. Every year, millions of pilgrims visit the city and Imam Reza shrine.

Isfahan at third place

Isfahan province, central Iran, ranked third by attracting 6.8 percent of immigrants.During the 17th and 18th centuries, Isfahan province enjoyed high standards of prosperity as it became the capital of Safavid dynasty. While the city of Isfahan was their seat of monarchy, the city of Kashan was their place of vacation and leisure. / Tehran times /

Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company have produced an analgesic cream with antibacterial properties that is applicable for rheumatic patients.

The produced analgesic cream with antibacterial properties contains silver nanoparticles and is currently available in the market.

The presence of silver nanoparticles has increased the penetration of cream into the skin and will help treat subcutaneous infections in rheumatic patients.

The product is effective in eliminating infectious agents from the body suffering from rheumatic injuries. / Mehr news /

Iranian director Shiva Sanjari has won the Female Pioneer Award for her documentary biopic ‘Here the Seats Are Vacant’ at the 9th DTLA Film Festival in US.

‘Here the Seats Are Vacant’ is a 60-minute long narration of the past and present life of one of the actresses and former filmmakers of Iranian cinema.

DTLA Film Festival (Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles) aims at showcasing a wide array of independent film and filmmakers from throughout the US and abroad with a primary focus on those that explore the history, architecture, cultural diversity and contemporary social and political issues of the modern urban landscape.

Established in 2007, DTLA Film Festival was proclaimed by L.A. Weekly to be among the Top 5 Film Festivals in Los Angeles.

The ninth edition of the event was held on September 21-30, 2017, in Los Angeles, US. / Mehr news /

The International Energy Agency (IEA) in its latest report on the status of the global energy market said that Iran was the world’s third largest producer of natural gas in 2016.

The IEA in its report said Iran had produced 190 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas last year which it said was 5.3 percent of world’s total.

The agency in its report said the US and Russia were the leading gas producers over the same period adding that their outputs stood at 749 bcm (20.7 percent) and 644 bcm (17.7 percent), respectively.

The next top producers were Canada (174 bcm – 4.8 percent) and Qatar (165 bcm – 4.6 percent).

The IEA further in its report identified Iran as the world’s fifth producer of crude oil in 2016.Top on the list in the same category was Saudi Arabia followed by Russia, the US and Canada, Pakistan Observer reported.

On the same front, Iran’s total oil production in 2016 was 200 tonnes or 4.6 percent of a global total of 4,300 tonnes. Saudi Arabia was the leading producer with 583 tonnes (13.5 percent) followed by Russia (546 tonnes – 12.6 percent), the US (537 tonnes – 12.4 percent) and Canada (220 tonnes – 5.1 percent).

Elsewhere in its report, the IEA named the US, France, Russia and China as the world’s leading countries in terms of production of electricity from nuclear energy.

Iran is considered to have the world’s largest reserves of natural gas and its current production stands at around 660 million cubic meters per day. The country also has the world’s fourth largest oil reserves and its current output is believed to be above 3 million barrels per day. / Isna /

‘Malaria’, a feature film directed by Parviz Shahbazi won 3 awards in the 10th Iranian Film Festival (IFF) taking place in San Francisco.

Directed by Parviz Shahbazi and produced by Masound Radaie, the film won three Sepanta Awards for best film, best director and best screenplay in the San Francisco festival.

Amir Naderi’s ‘Mountain’ received an award for best cinematography.

The awards of this festival have been named after Abdolhossein Sepanta, one of the founders of Iranian cinema.

Launched in 2008, Iranian Film Festival, the first independent Iranian film festival outside of Iran, is an annual event showcasing independent feature and short films made by or about Iranians from around the world. IFF is also a platform for the Iranian filmmakers living around the globe to express their vision and talent through the artistic medium of film. Iranian Film Festival was established to support the Iranian film and culture in the Iranian-American community of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. / Meher news /

Statistics shows that Iran is currently ranked 15th in terms of tourist attractions in the world. A series of hurdles such as sanctions and propaganda by the west, especially in the media, has prevented Iran’s tourism industry from flourishing.

Iran is a country with high potential in tourism industry and since historic nuclear deal reached between Iran and the 5+1 group of countries in 2015, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) geared up to make its mark in the industry.

Iran is located in an area where threats are rampant around the country. Opposite to what many believe, Iran is actually very stable in an area that is representative of instability.

At present the Iranian government is planning to attract more tourists which the initiative would create a huge number of jobs and produce around billions of dollars for the country.

World’s cheapest tourist destination:

At the time being another key point that adds to Iran’s advantage in this industry must be assessed- Iran is the world’s cheapest tourist destination. This fact has been reported by the World Economic Forum (WEF) who has assessed nearly 141 countries, PressTV wrote.

Statistics show that Iran is currently ranked 15th in terms of tourist attractions in the world. A series of hurdles such as sanctions and propaganda by the west, especially in the media, has prevented Iran’s tourism industry from flourishing.

From this 1.5 billion dollar industry, Iran has only been able to obtain 7.5 million dollars and therefore has ranked 35th in this respect. In addition to economic issues, one of the essential factors that have led to the number of tourists is safety. The idea that foreign tourists visit an area where safety is guaranteed is impossible.

Healthy revenues:

Attractions of Iran’s tourism industry are drawing a stronger attention now that the country has opened its doors in light of the removal of economic sanctions last month.

Iran is making a fresh pitch for tourists with the recent lifting of economic sanctions providing an opportunity to cash in.

Tourists, and the healthy revenues they could generate, are among the huge economic changes stemming from the nuclear deal, AFP wrote.

Ski resorts, UNESCO-listed world heritage sites and deserts combine with cities steeped in Middle Eastern grandeur and tradition, adds the report.

A tourism push was launched after President Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013.

Iranian officials have already said that about five million foreign travelers visited Iran in 2014, and that the country aims to attract 20 million tourists, spending $30 billion, by 2025.

Entry procedures have been simplified, meaning visitors from only 11 countries are not eligible for a visa on arrival.

The United States, Britain, Canada and France top the exclusion list but some people will not be put off by the restrictions.

According to the New York Times, there has been a surge in bookings for Iran trips by American tourists.

Tour operators say the demand has been so acute that they are racing to add new departures and selling them in record time, it reported.

World’s oldest cultural monuments:

Iran hosts some of the world’s oldest cultural monuments, including 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and its varied terrain ranges from desert locales to ski resorts.

A tourism adventure to Iran could all start right in capital Tehran and with skiing if you are visiting the country during winters. The city’s Tochal ski resort is one of several close to the capital.

Most tourists will then make trips to Isfahan, Shiraz and Yazd, cities which are internationally known to be much more beautiful and relaxed than Tehran, AFP’s report added.

Among the popular sites in Isfahan is Imam Square, second in size only to Tiananmen Square in Beijing, but with water fountains and impressive architecture the Iranian site is much more attractive.

For President Rouhani, tourism offers a way to offset falling oil prices that have slashed government income. It comes as tourists shun many parts of the Middle East because of war and a recent wave of terrorist attacks in countries including Egypt and Tunisia, the report added.

Most affordable prices:

Iran’s tourism industry has been identified for a third straight year to have the most affordable prices in the world for foreign visitors.

A biannual report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) gave Iran a score of 66.6 in terms of price competitiveness and put it ahead of global tourism players such as Egypt, Malaysia, Russia, Turkey, Greece, Spain, the US, Franc and Italy.

The last 10 countries at the bottom of the list in the same category included Peru, Australia, Denmark, Senegal, Norway, Iceland, Barbados, Britain and Switzerland.

The price competitiveness of countries in the WEF’s “Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017” were measured by comparing costs relating to travel to and from a destination (travel costs including ticket prices, taxes, fuel rates, etc) and those relating to prices within the tourism destination (ground costs including hotel prices, service rates, food prices, etc).

Iran was also given a ranking of 38 in terms of cultural resources – the number of World Heritage natural sites, total known species, total protected areas and attractiveness of natural assets.

The WEF report showed that Iran’s overall travel and tourism competitiveness ranking had improved by four points over the past two years, PressTV wrote.

It identified Iran as the 93rd country with the appropriate set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable development of the travel and tourism sector.

Those factors, it said, include business environment, safety and security, health and hygiene, human resources and the labor market as well as its readiness in terms of information and communication technology (ICT).

Iran’s tourism industry booming

An American media says while some Western firms fear President Trump could yet torpedo the nuclear deal, Iran’s tourism industry is booming.

More than 6 million people visited Iran in the year ending March 2017, up 50% on the previous year and three times the number in 2009, according to official data.

The surge in visitors follows the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers that resulted in many sanctions being lifted early the following year, CNN reported.

European airlines such as British Airways and Lufthansa (DLAKY) resumed direct flights to the country, and Iranian authorities relaxed visa requirements. And as more people arrive, demand for accommodation is skyrocketing.

That’s creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs and foreign businesses.

Unlike some Western firms, who are reluctant to invest in Iran because they fear President Trump could yet torpedo the nuclear deal, international hotel chains are moving fast to meet the need for more rooms.

France’s Accor (ACCYY) was the first chain to open in Iran in 2015. It now operates two hotels there.

Spain’s Melia (SMIZF) will open its first hotel next year. Rotana of the United Arab Emirates also has one hotel in the pipeline for early next year and plans three more by 2020.

EasyHotel, a UK-based budget chain, is reported to have signed a deal in July to deliver 500 rooms. It did not respond to a request for comment.

Many of the new visitors are young backpackers from Europe and Asia, drawn by Iran’s history and culture. The most popular destinations include the ancient cities of Esfahan and Shiraz. It’s also home to Persepolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site. / Meher News /