Iran exported 327,000 tons of horticultural products worth $1.2 billion during the seven months to October 21, according to deputy agriculture minister Mohammad Ali Tahmasebi. According to the official, apples and pistachios were the top export items. Tahmasebi made the remarks on the sidelines of the first Exhibition of Horticulture, Inputs, Greenhouses, the Related Industries, Machinery and Equipment or ‘HIGEX 2016’, which opened in Tehran’s Goftegoo Park on Wednesday. Domestic companies and businesses from 16 countries are showcasing their products and services in the four-day exhibition, which has been organized by Milad-e Noor Exhibition Company in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture with the aim of introducing investment opportunities in Iran’s horticulture and greenhouse sectors. It also creates a platform for entrepreneurial activities, creating jobs and paving the way for exchange of technology and expertise, IRNA reported. / Financial tribune /

Sculptures created from scrap parts by Iranian artist Jazeh Tabatabai (1931-2008) are on display in an exhibit at Tehran’s Shahrivar Gallery on November 25, 2016.

A collection of his paintings can also be viewed at the showcase, which will run until December 23 at the gallery located at 7 Hormoz Dead End, North Khazar St., in the Elahieh neighborhood.

/ Tehran times /

The Rural Cooperative Organization of Iran, affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture, will purchase 60,000 tons of oranges from farmers in Mazandaran to be stored for consumption during the Iranian New Year holidays in March, according to head of the northern Iranian province’s Agricultural Jihad Organization.

“The early frost which set in a few days ago prompted farmers to pick the fruit sooner. If the citrus is supplied to the market now there will be a significant fall in prices due to oversupply and local farmers will suffer. The government is purchasing the fruit at, or slightly above, market prices to support the farmers and control prices,” Delavar Heydarpour was quoted by IRNA as saying.

The Iranian New Year holiday – known as Nowruz – will begin on March 21, 2017. Domestic fruit consumption increases exponentially at this time of the  year as relatives and friends visit to one another. Fruit is a typical treat offered to guests in Iranian homes.

/ Financial tribune /

Millions of Muslims have been marching toward the shrine of the Third Shia Imam, Imam Hossein (PBUH), in the holy Iraqi city of Karbala, to mark the 40th day to follow the anniversary of his martyrdom back in the seventh century.

The faithful continued their procession on Tuesday with hearts brimming with his love.

The passion has made them resolute in the face of potential terrorism on their path to attend the ritual, which is set to be commemorated in the city on Sunday.

On Monday, the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh targeted the pilgrims in Karbala and security forces in Fallujah, another central city, killing at least six people in each attack.

“We are walking all these long distances, we are not afraid of terrorists, we are not afraid of Daesh,” said 56-year-old pilgrim Sattar Hussein. “We are not afraid of anyone who defames Islam. And especially those who are targeting the Arba’een.”

Muslims worldwide hold mourning rituals during the month of Muharram on the lunar calendar in remembrance of the sufferings imposed on Imam Hossein (PBUH), his family and his companions, by the tyrant of the time, Yazid I, an Umayyad caliph, in early Islamic history.

The events peak on the 10th day, traditionally known as Ashura — 30 days prior to Arba’een — when the Imam and 72 of his companions were martyred at the hands of the despot’s forces, to whom they had refused to pledge allegiance. /  press tv /

Some 230,000 tons of walnuts worth around $1.65 billion are produced in Iran every year from 153,000 hectares designated for the cultivation of the nut, an official with the Agriculture Ministry said.

“Iran holds third place after China and the US in walnut production and is followed by Turkey, Mexico, India, Chile, Serbia, Ukraine and Spain as major world producers. Walnut is grown over 1.2 million hectares of land throughout the world from which close to 3.4 million tons are harvested every year,” Ramezan Rouintan was also quoted as saying by Eranico.

The official noted that per capita walnut production in Iran amounts to 3 kilograms while the average global figure is less than half a kilo.

“We export around 5,000 tons of the nut per year and each kilo is priced between $6 and $8,” he said. Kerman, Hamedan, Lorestan, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad and Kermanshah are the main walnut-producing provinces of Iran./ Financial tribune /

Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan is to arrive in Tehran on Sunday for an official visit. The top Chinese military official is scheduled to pay a three-day visit at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart, Lieutenant General Hossein Dehqan, Tasnim News Agency reported. Apart from meetings with Dehqan, the Chinese defense minister will hold talks with senior Iranian political and military officials on bilateral, regional and international issues. In September, China’s Ambassador to Iran Pang Sen had unveiled plans for reciprocal visits by delegations from the armed forces of Iran and China. Tehran and Beijing have close diplomatic, economic, trade and energy ties, and in recent years developed their military relations as well. In May 2014, the Iranian defense chief paid an official visit to China to negotiate mutual visits and personnel training cooperation between the two sides. / Financial tribune /

Iran’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi met with his Iraqi counterpart in the Iranian capital on November 8, according to tech sources in Tehran.

Iraq’s Minister of Communications Hassan Al-Rashid led a delegation to Iran on Monday for a two-day business trip, local tech website ICTNA reported.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding for issuing permits for the use of Iraqi SIM cards in Iran.

“The SIM cards will be handed over to Iraqi tourists when they visit Iran,” Vaezi said.

The Iranian minister explained that the two sides will sustain cooperation in the area of cyber-defense, adding that one of the issues agreed upon by the two sides was to ease transit of parcels between the two countries using both air and land transport.

He added that the two sides have decided to launch direct calls and avoid the use of European digital switchboards.

Vaezi noted that the two countries have created a joint committee to follow up on the terms of the agreement later in the year.

“The two sides will also work to improve international roaming and enhance signals,” he said.

Tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims travel to Karbala in Iraq annually to mark Arbaeen, also known as Chehlom, to commemorate the end of the 40-day mourning anniversary related to the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH), Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) grandson, in a battle in 680 AD. This year, the event falls on November 20.

Vaezi said proper telecommunications coverage will be provided for this event both on the way to and from Iraq and at the main venue of the congregation.

The Iraqi minister also met with Vahid Sadouqi, CEO of Hamrah-e-Avval (MCI), Iran’s largest mobile network operator, who said MCI will be offering free Wi-Fi services on the route leading to the congregation this year.

“Apart from MCI subscribers, users of Irancell, RighTel and Iraqi SIM cards will also be able to make use of the free Wi-Fi services,” he added.

Wi-Fi checkpoints will be set up at the Iraqi cities of Najaf, Karbala and Kazemein.

Iran has been working with Iraqi companies AsiaCell and Zain Mobile.

Sadouqi noted that the quality of services offered for this event is improving every year.

“Last year, 1.3 million MCI SIM cards were actively working in Iraq. We predict that the number will reach 2.5 million this year,” he said.

The Iraqi delegation also met with the CEO of Iran’s second mobile network operator MTN-Irancell, Alireza Ghalambor Dezfouli, who said Iran and Iraq will be working to ease mobile payments and transferring credit.

The two sides announced that they are eager to share knowhow and expertise in developing 3G and 4G Internet services and network maintenance.

/ Financial tribune /

Iranian film ‘Inversion’ directed and written by Behnam Behzadi will be screened at MedFilm Festival in Italy.

The Italian event kicked off on November 4 and will wrap up on November 12. It is home to different feature movies and documentaries made in the Mediterranean and the new Europe areas.

Inversion is Behnam Behzadi’s fourth directed feature film that has previously participated in Un Certain Regard section of Cannes Film Festival and received a positive review.

The title is a reference to thermal inversion, a meteorological condition causing air pollution. The drama centers around a woman, Niloufar (played by Sahar Dolatshahi), who decides to take charge and find ways to better express herself in the smog-teeming metropolis of Tehran.

The only festival in Italy dedicated to promoting the circulation of European and Mediterranean Cinema, MedFilm Festival was established in 1995 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Cinema.

The main objectives of the MedFilm Festival are to support Human Rights and Intercultural Dialogue; to raise young people’s awareness and understanding of social-cultural issues; to stand against racism and xenophobia; to promote European and Mediterranean Culture. / mehr news /