An untitled work from Sohrab Sepehri’s Tree Trunk series sold for 31 billion rials (over $800,000) at the Tehran Auction Friday evening, breaking a record at the annual sale of national contemporary art.

A selection from the series that sold for 30 billion rials last year held the record at the auction.

“Poet and Cage”, a bronze sculpture by Parviz Tanavoli, fetched 25 billion rials (over $650,000), was the second most expensive item sold at the auction, which was held at the Parsian Azadi Hotel Friday evening.

Auctioneer Hossein Pakdel takes bid for the sale of “Poet and Cage”, a bronze sculpture by Parviz Tanavoli, during the Tehran Auction at the Parsian Azadi Hotel on July 7, 2017. The piece fetched over $650,000, was the second most expensive item sold at the auction. (Honaronline/Mojtaba Arabzadeh)

The third most expensive items sold at the auction were “Blind Eagle”, a painting by Bahman Mohasses, and another painting from Sepehri’s Tree Trunk collection. The works each were sold at 12 billion rials (over $310,000).

Seventy-two works went under the hammer at this year’s auction that broke the records of previous editions by grossing over 261 billion rials (about $6.9 million). Only a miniature painting by Javad Rostam Shirazi with an estimate of 600 to 800 million rials failed to find a buyer. The art sale grossed 253 billion rials last year.

The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance purchased an untitled painting by Behjat Sadr and “The Royal Lodge” by Kamalolmolk to showcase at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA), Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani announced at the auction.

The Tehran Auction was established by former TMCA director Alireza Sami-Azar who is also the director the art sale.

Photo: Auctioneer Hossein Pakdel conducts an auction of contemporary Iranian art during the Tehran Auction at the Parsian Azadi Hotel on July 7, 2017 as employees hold a painting from Sohrab Sepehri’s Tree Trunk series that was the first top seller, fetching over $800,000. / Tehran times /

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added the historical texture of Yazd in central Iran to its list of world heritage sites.

The site was inscribed on the world heritage list during the 41st session of UNSCO’s World Heritage Committee in Krakow, Poland, on Sunday, July 9, ifpnews.com wrote.

The historical structure of Yazd is a collection of public-religious architecture with a very large scope comprising of Islamic architectural elements extending over different periods of history in harmonious combination with climatic conditions.

Iran nominated Arasbaran Protected Zone in East Azarbaijan Province and the historical city of Yazd for 2017 UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listing.

Mohammad Hassan Talebian, the deputy head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, said earlier: “While Arasbaran Protected Zone is Iran’s second natural heritage site to be proposed for UNESCO registration, Yazd is the first city in Iran to be nominated for registration as a world heritage site.”

He pointed out, “Yazd is one of the most important desert cities of Iran. The city bears distinct signs of innovation and creativity, a majority of which were promoted between the 10th and 20th centuries CE.

“The old texture of Yazd is in a better shape than other historical cities of Iran.”

Yazd is Iran’s largest adobe city and its monuments boast high architectural values.

“The cultural outlook of Yazd is yet to be modernized and as a result the majority of the monuments including mosques, minarets, houses and cisterns perfectly mirror ancient Islamic-Iranian architecture,” he said.

The official said Yazd became a settlement with the establishment of cisterns.

“One can see diverse eco-friendly architectural styles in Yazd, as if the ancient habitats were aware of the principles of sustainable development. Ancient residents of the city tried to apply wind, soil, and water energies in a way not to damage the environment,” he said.

Yazd has been a manifestation of the brightest cultural heritage and ancient civilization throughout history with human settlement dating back to the third millennium BCE.

Tribes, who migrated from Balkh to Pars, called this land ‘Yazdan’ during the Pishdadi era. The most important early settlements in Yazd include Mehrpadin (Mehriz), Fahrashan or Pahreh (Fahraj), Khormish and Adar (Ardakan), Aqda and Eshkezar.

Yazd is the first adobe city in the world and is the second historical city after Venice, Italy.

Yazd is known as the city of wind towers. In fact, wind towers improve ventilation. They can be seen in residential units and ancient houses.

Yazd’s historical monuments include Yazd Jame’ Mosque, Seyyed Rokneddin Mausoleum,  Amir Chaqmaq Complex, Lariha House, Alexander Prison, Narin Castle, Chak Temple and Water Museum.

In addition, 77 localities of Yazd known as ‘Yazd Historical Texture’ were registered as No. 15,000 on the National Heritage List in 2005.

Gharbal Biz (Mehriz), Tamehr (near Taft) and Masih (Harat) are among the important springs of Yazd.

The protected zones in Yazd are among the other attractions of the province.

Taft is the hub of pomegranate and silkworm in Yazd Province. Its pomegranates are exported. Peaches are also a famous agro product in Taft.

Also, Taft’s water has been well known throughout the history of the province.  An alley in Yazd is known as ‘Ab-e Taft’, which indicates the vivacity of Taft.

Due to certain climatic and economic conditions as well as its remoteness, the inhabitants of Yazd have been involved in making handicrafts. Yazd handicrafts have attracted the attention of artisans and art-lovers across the country since olden times. / Iran daily /

Iranian discus thrower managed to claim his sixth Asian title by landing first at 2017 Asian Athletics Championship underway in India.

With a season’s best 64.54 meters, Ehsan Haddadi won the gold while Malaysia’s Irfan Muhammad settled for the silver (60.96m).

The bronze medal of the discus throw event went to Vikas Gowda of host India who managed 60.81 meters.

Iran’s three-time Asian Games gold medalist was competing at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships which is the 22nd edition of the Asian Athletics Championships.

It is being held from 6 July to 9 July 2017 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar of India which is giving host to around 800 athletes from 45 countries. / Meher news /

The government plans to increase the area under greenhouse cultivation in Iran to 48,000 hectares within the next 10 years, a deputy agriculture minister said.

“Around 16,760 hectares of the total sum are planned to be constructed by the end of the sixth five-year development plan (March 2022). At present, greenhouse area across the country amounts to 11,200 hectares,” Mohammad Ali Tahmasebi was also quoted as saying by ILNA. / Financial tribune /

The share of Iran’s auto industry in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to rise by 70 percent in the current Iranian calendar year 1396 (March 2017-March 2018) compared to four years ago.

Based on a strategic plan drawn out by the industry ministry, the automotive sector’s added value share of GDP will grow from 1.8 percent in Iranian calendar year 1392 to 3 percent in the current year, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

As predicted in the ministry’s plan, Iran is to improve its car and auto-part industry via improving both quality and quantity of the products.

Iran manufactured 1.3 million cars in the past calendar year and targets to push the figure up to 1.5 million cars by the end of this year, Mehr news agency reported in early April, quoting Deputy Industry Minister Mansour Moazzami.

By producing more than one million automobiles in 2016, Iran could rank first in the world regarding output growth, according to a report released in March 2017 by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. /  Tehran times /

Iran’s oil exports in 2016 reached 1.921 million barrels per day (bpd), a 77.6 percent rise compared to 2015, according to OPEC’s latest Annual Statistical Bulletin report.

The country’s crude exports stood at 1.081 million bpd in 2015 which indicates that the 2016 figure is 840,000 bpd more than that of the 2015 average. In the meantime, Iran boosted exports of oil products by 74.5 percent to 897,900 bpd year on year.

The country sent 514,300 bpd of oil products to its target markets in 2015.In 2015, Iran exported 1.423 million bpd of oil to its Asian buyers compared to 969,700 bpd in 2015.

Meanwhile, 497,300 barrels of oil was sent to the European markets on a daily basis while the figure was 111,400 bpd in 2015.

Iran was exempted from OPEC agreement to reduce output by 1.2 million bpd that began this year, as Tehran needs to regain the market share it lost under Western sanctions over its nuclear program.

The country is planning to increase its production to five million bpd by 2021.

/ Tehran times /

A major center for publications named the Tehran Book Garden, covering an area of 110,000 square meters on Abbasabad Hills in the northeast of the city, opened during a special ceremony on Monday.

The ceremony was attended by Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, Persian media reported on Tuesday.

The garden with 10 theaters and amphitheaters will provide a good opportunity for the families and children to study and dedicate some time for book reading.

Permanent bookshops, an art gallery, shops offering cultural products, children’s halls and workshops, as well as a robotics club, have also been included in the big project.

“The opening of the book garden is a big cultural event in the country so that our children can make better use of this cultural and academic opportunity,” Qalibaf said at the ceremony.

Larijani for his part asked the officials of Ministry of Education to provide the means for teachers and school children to visit the garden and become more familiar with the opportunities available for the creativity of the children.

“The project aims to teach our children to be active and creative through modern methods and equipment,” Larijani said.

All the Persian books are gathered here in the garden and present a good opportunity for the readers, he said.

The Abbasabad Complex on Haqqani Highway also includes the Sacred Defense Garden Museum and the National Library and Archives of Iran.

Families can reach the garden via the subway at the Haqqani Metro Station.

/ Tehran times /

Deputy agriculture minister said over 80,000 tons of honey are produced annually in Iran two percent of which is exported to global markets.

Deputy Agriculture Minister for Livestock Production Hassan Rokni made the remarks while delivering a speech at a conference on organic beekeeping and called for acceleration of acquiring modern sciences and techniques in the field.

The official underscored that the main objective of beekeeping, more than honey production, pertains to pollination which boosts crops production.

“The issue of organic production has attracted significant attention in the country and positive measures have been taken in respect though further steps are required to catch up with the global pace of organic production mainly through filling the existing information gap.”

Deputy agriculture minister, stating that over 80 thousand tons of honey are produced from the 7.5 million bee colonies present in the country, said Iran ranks fourth in the world in terms of number of colonies and eighths as regards honey production.

On difficulties of organic honey production as compared to certain products like saffron or tea, the official said “bees fly up to 10 kilometers per day and all organic standards need to be adhered to in this range for the desired outcome to be yielded.”

At the end of his remarks, Rokni maintained that two percent of the country’s honey production, equal to 1,500 to 1,600 tons, is deployed to foreign markets.

“Low export figures are mainly due to high prices of honey in global markets and not the low quality of the Iranian product,” stressed the official. / Meher news /

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited nine Iranians to join the organization. The list includes Iranian actresses Leila Hatami, Golshifteh Farahani and Nazanin Bonyadi.

Director of ‘Manuscripts Don’t Burn’ and ‘Goodbye’ Mohammad Rasoulof, an Iranian director, is also among the invitees for joining the organization as a member.

Hayedeh Safiyari and Mohammadreza Delpak are invited for the sections of Film Editor and Sound respectively for their films ‘The Salesman’ and ‘A Separation’.

Prominent author Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and Bahamn Qobadi are on the list as the academy’s writers.

Mohsen Mousavi who is well-known for the visual effects in ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ is also seen among the list.

The Board of Governors is charged with setting the Academy’s strategy and rules for future event ceremonies, as well as looking after the organization’s financial well-being, and staying on track with the Oscars and its other film missions.

Famous American cineastes such as Whoopi Goldberg and Kimberly Peirce now make up 38 percent of the 2017–18 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors.

Other female members of the Board of Governors include Mandy Walker, Isis Mussenden, and Christina Kounelias, among others.

Newly elected male members of the Board of Governors include Billy Crystal, David Linde and Larry Karaszewski, among others.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued 774 invitations to new members.

That number is more than the record 683 invitations that were issued in 2016 and well above the 322 invites that went out in 2015 as the Academy has made a concerted effort to diversify its membership ranks by bringing in more women, people of color and filmmakers from around the world.

The Academy reported that the list, which represents talent from 57 countries, is 39 percent female and 30 percent people of color. Seven of the Academy branches — actors, casting directors, costume designers, documentary, executives and film editors — invited more women than men. / Iran daily /