Two films from Iran have won awards at the 16th Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) in Jaipur, India. “The Last Birthday” directed by Navid Mahmoudi and “The Last Year’s Story” by Mehdi Jabinshenas are the Iranian movies whose names are among the winners of this year’s edition of the Indian festival announced on January 25, ILNA reported on Sunday.

A joint production of Iran and Afghanistan, Mahmoudi’s latest feature fiction won the Golden Camel award for the best director.

The 80-minute film tells the story of Soraya, a female journalist, who has been trying to spread news about the difficult situation of Afghan women to the world for years. However, Taliban forces surprise Soraya and her friends once they arrest her at home on her birthday.

The political drama, which has so far participated in festivals in India, Spain, and the U.S., features Elnaz Shakerdoust, Pedram Sharifi, Sheyda Khaligh, Armin Rahimian, Sogol Khaligh, and Reza Behbudi among others.

“The Last Year’s Story” is a 48-minute documentary, which won the best sound and editing award in the feature documentary section of the festival.

The film shows Mrs. Salem, a second-grade primary school teacher, in the last year of her teaching. She has been involved in online education. But she does not send photos and videos of herself. The principal, who will also retire this year, is concerned about the state of education. She is trying to maintain the reputation of her 30-year management.

Jaipur International Film Festival is the world’s biggest competitive film festival in fiction films. It seeks to promote new movie makers, the exchange of knowledge, information, ideas, and culture between India and other nations in the context of their social and cultural ethos. It also promotes friendship and cooperation among people of the world through the medium of films and documentaries. /T.T/

Iranian women Atousa Golshadnezhad and Mobina Heydari won a gold and silver medal at the Karate 1 Premier League Paris. The Female Kumite -61kg division saw Golshadnezhad claimed the top spot, securing victory against Anita Serogina of Ukraine by “Hantei” or decision (1-1).

Golshadnezhad, the current Asian champion, celebrated her first-ever Karate 1 Premier League title.

She had defeated Greek Chrysopoulou Konstantina, the UAE’s Sarah Al Ameri 4-0, Ukraine’s Viktoriya Vashchyshyn 3-0, Tunisia’s Wafa Mahjoub 2-0, and Ukraine’s Oleksandra Sholokhova 3-0 on her way to final.

In the Female Kumite -68kg, Heydari lost to Thalya Sombe of France 4-2 to take a silver.

Heydari had defeated France’s Melinda Marmot 3-1, Croatian Sadea Becirovic 5-1, Indonesian Georgia Zefanya Ceyco 6-4, Japan’s Tsubasa Kama 4-2 and Silvia Semeraro of Italy 8-4 on her way to the final.

Iran’s Ali Meskini also seized a bronze in the Male Kumite -60Kg, beatin Kuwait’s Abdullah Shaaban 10-2.

The Karate 1 Premier League Paris Grand Finale concluded with these outstanding performances, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the world of elite karate competition. Karate’s first-class series of events travels now to Antalya (Turkey) where the second stop of the competition will be held from March 15 to 17. / T.T/

The southern city of Shiraz has been designated as the Asian Capital of Environment in 2024 by the Asian Mayors Forum. The AMF issued a certificate of designation in the name of Shiraz municipality on January 1, IRNA reported.

Shiraz has been elected because of the significant steps taken by the city in dealing with climate change and natural disasters as well as taking effective measures in water resources management.

Conducting environmental studies, establishing an urban management system to save materials and energy, expanding the use of renewable energy, and installing air pollution monitoring devices were among the measures taken in this regard.

In its announcement on Wednesday, the AMF also designated the Iranian northwestern city of Hamedan as the capital of tourism in Asia in 2024.

Asian Mayors Forum

Asian Mayors Forum (AMF) is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to expanding and exalting the relations and cooperation between mayors and city managers in Asia.

AMF aims to help cities develop urban and public diplomacy, knowledge exchange, technical know-how, and experiences of urban management as well as specialized cooperation between members and also strengthen the integration between the Asian cities, mayors, and citizens toward a better life.

AMF was created by the initiative of Tehran Municipality and the support of the Asian Governments and Parliaments and its first official meeting conducted in 2008 coincided with the inauguration of Milad Tower in Tehran hosted by Tehran Municipality with the attendance of more than 100 mayors and urban managers.

The founding belief behind the forum is ‘Asia for citizens, Integration for a better life’.

4th intl. conference on conservation of environment

The fourth international conference on the conservation of environment and natural resources opened on November 22, 2023, in the northwestern city of Ardabil and ran for two days.

Protection and restoration of forest ecosystems; forest health and biodiversity; ecological approach to forests and pastures management; climate change; environmental hazards and ecological resilience; assessing, modeling, and managing water, soil, and plant resources were the main objectives of the conference.

Remote sensing and geographic information systems; community-based forests and pastures management; laws, rights, and natural resources governance; environment and socio-economic issues; environmental and civil engineering; sustainable urban, rural, and ecotourism development; biosecurity and environmentally-friendly agriculture; and green investment, management and supply of raw materials for wood and paper industries were the other main objectives.

Environmental protection Education Day

On November 7, the fifteenth day of Esfand – the last Iranian calendar month, which falls on March 5, was approved to be registered on the national calendar as the ‘Environmental Protection Education Day’.

Nourollah Moradi, the Department of Environment’s director for educational affairs, said that the Environmental Protection Education Day is the second environmental event to be registered in the country’s official calendar, IRNA reported.

Clean Earth Day, April 22, was the first environmental event registered in the national calendar.

He referred to the registration of the Environmental Protection Education Day in the country’s official calendar as a valuable event for the environmental society of the country and said, “Education in the field of environment is one of the basic steps to preserve and protect the country’s environment.”

“It will be an important measure taken to enhance environmental literacy and empower the next generations.”

National Tree Planting Day is annually celebrated on the fifteenth day of Esfand – the last Iranian calendar month, falling on March 5. The day also marks the beginning of the National Week of Natural Resources.

Environmental protection a priority

In May 2023, Stefan Priesner, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Iran, said the issue of environmental protection is a priority for cooperation with Iran.

According to the program under the agreement between Iran and the United Nations, the environment is one of the priorities for cooperation and efforts are being made to establish good cooperation in this field, he added.

He made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran with Ali Salajeqeh, the head of the Department of Environment.
Following up on environmental issues, including climate change, protecting biodiversity, and dealing with air pollution, is given serious attention by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Priesner stressed.

Salajeqeh, for his part, referred to holding the international conference on dealing with sand and dust storms that is due to be held in September in Iran as a great opportunity to use the experiences and maximum participation of other countries and international organizations in managing and reducing the effects of this problem.

He touched on cruel sanctions against Iran, saying that the United Nations should use international capacities such as environmental conventions to help the country fulfill commitments in climate change, biodiversity, waste management, and so on.

In February, Salajeqeh said that based on the successful experiences of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of combating sand and dust storms, the United Nations introduced Iran as the host of the international conference on combating sand and dust storms, IRIB reported.

Arrangements have been made with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and this meeting will be held in Tehran with the presence of the environment ministers of the world countries, Salajeqeh said.

In the field of diplomacy, the Department of Environment has held meetings with neighboring countries to the extent that Egypt has also announced its readiness to attend the Tehran meeting, he highlighted. /T.T/

The 54th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) will be held in the city of Isfahan from July 21 to 29. Over 400 students and 250 professors from 70 to 80 countries are expected to participate in this scientific competition, IRNA reported.

The Iranian team grabbed four silver medals and one bronze medal in the 53rd IPhO that was held in Japan in July 2023.

Iran has so far hosted four international Olympiads of physics (2007), astronomy (2009), computer (2017), and biology (2018).

Intl. Olympiad achievements

The outstanding achievements of Iranian students in international Olympiads have placed the country among the top five nations in the world.

“The educational system of other countries is excellent, yet Iran is among the top 5 countries in the world in the international Olympiads, YJC quoted Elham Yavari, the head of the National Organization for the Development of Brilliant Talents (SAMPAD), as saying.

Yavari pointed to a reform-based plan approved by Iran’s Ministry of Education in 2011 that defined a 20-year prospect for the elevation of educational standards and improvement of the educational system across the country.

Iranian schoolchildren ranked second and grabbed six gold medals in the Second Open World Astronomy Olympiad (OWAO).

The tournament was hosted by Russia at the Sirius Educational Center from November 14 to 22, 2023, IRNA reported. The participants attended the event both in person and remotely.

Iran grabbed one gold medal and three silver medals at the 35th International Olympiad in Informatics, ranking seventh in the world among 91 countries.

The IOI 2023 was held in Szeged, Hungary, from August 28th to September 4th.

The International Olympiad in Informatics is an annual international informatics competition for high school students from various invited countries, accompanied by social and cultural programs.

It is one of the several international science Olympiads held annually around the world. Exceptional high school students from various countries compete in the prestigious algorithmic competition to sharpen their informatics skills—such as problem analysis, design of algorithms and data structures, programming, and testing.

This year, the Iranian team took five medals, ranking third in the 16th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics held on August 10-20 in Chorzow, Poland.

IOAA is an annual event for students who perform very well academically around the world. Established in Thailand in the year 2006, it was an initiative by five countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Iran, China, and Poland.

Also, Iranian students took six medals, ranking 11th at the 64th International Mathematical Olympiad which was held in Japan on July 2-13, 2023.

IMO is the World Championship Mathematics Competition for High School students and is held each year in a different country.

The Iranian students who participated in the 53rd International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) succeeded in winning four silver medals and one bronze medal which placed the country 11th among 111 participating countries, ISNA reported.

The IPhO 2023 was held from July 10-17 at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo, ISNA reported.

In the 34th International Biology Olympiad (IBO), held in the United Arab Emirates from July 3-11. The IBO 2023 hosted 293 students from 76 countries. /T.T.

Mojtaba Amini further added that there will be a special section dedicated to Palestine at this year’s festival, IRNA reported him as saying on Saturday.

The international section of the 42nd edition will have two sections including Cinema Salvation (international competition) and Eastern Vista (competition of Asian-Islamic countries films).

In addition to Iran, countries such as the U.S., France, India, Turkey, Italy, Russia, Spain, Germany, Mexico, China, Britain, Iraq, South Korea, and Japan have registered their works for participation in the international section of this year’s edition.

The international section of 42nd Fajr International Film Festival aims to identify quality international and national films and to strengthen and encourage the production of works aligned with the Iranian cinema. In this section, priority is given to films dealing with topics seeking justice, discouraging oppression, arrogance, global terrorism, violence and extremism, encouraging Islamic awakening, transcendent lifestyle, family orientation, human rights, highlighting moral, spiritual and religious teachings, fighting against discrimination, highlighting culture and civilization through artistic expression and thus striving to guide contemporary man towards happiness.

Last week, the 42nd edition of the Fajr International Film Festival, Iran’s most important film event, announced its lineup for three sections Sodaye-Simorgh (the festival’s main competition section), New Perspective (first-time filmmakers) and Animations.

According to the announcement, 22 Iranian feature films will take part in the main competition section, 11 films will be shown in the New Perspective section, and 4 animated films will compete in their own specified section.

The 42nd Fajr International Film Festival will be held from February 1 to 11. /T.T/

Researchers at the University of Tehran managed to produce two types of recombinant drugs to treat self-immune diseases and some cancers.

Speaking in an interview with Mehr news agency (MNA), Fatemeh Asgarieh, a researcher at the research team of the university, pointed to the production of the two recombinant medicines used for the treatment of self-immune diseases and also some cancers including lung, liver and skin cancers and stated that the developed medicine is licensed by the Iranian Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

There is a foreign-made similar drug in which “Interleukin II” has been used but “we used Interleukin 21 that has fewer side effects and has the same function,” she said.

Interleukin (IL) 1 is a highly potent pro-inflammatory mediator that is important in immune defense and in immune-mediated disease, she added.

Interleukins are among the chemicals that are used to regulate and accelerate the processes that are supposed to happen in the human body, she said, adding that interleukin 21 is used to treat cancer diseases. /MNA/

Iranian female shooter Fatemeh Amini secured her place in the 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday. The shooter stood in sixth place in the 10m air rifle with a score of 628.02 points in the Asian Championship 2024 Rifle / Pistol Jakarta.

Indian shooters Nancy and Elavenil Valarivan won gold and silver respectively and bronze medal went to China’s Yufan Shen.

The Asian championship started on Jan. 5 and will run until Jan. 17 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This edition is the 17th edition of the continental championship, and a total of 16 quotas for the Paris Olympic Games are up for grabs.

Amini’s berth is Iran’s 13th berth in Olympics so far.

This is the penultimate Paris Olympic qualification tournament which will offer quotas./T.T/

The vibrant and diverse range of global handicrafts and traditional arts is set to go on show at the 8th Fajr International Handicrafts & Traditional Arts Festival in Tehran.

Organized by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, the event is scheduled to run from February 16 to 20 at Tehran’s iconic Azadi Tower, IRNA reported.

According to organizers, the festival serves as a prestigious platform for master artisans to showcase their finest creations.

With a focus on design, technique, and the use of high-quality raw materials, the event aims to spotlight exemplary works of art while fostering healthy competition among participants, the organizers said.

So far, craftspeople and artisans from 15 countries have registered to exhibit their diverse array of traditional arts and handicrafts.

The event offers a unique opportunity for attendees to witness firsthand the rich artistic legacies and contemporary innovations in the realm of traditional arts.

At present, a total of 13 cities and three villages in Iran have been registered by the World Council of Handicrafts as “world cities of handicrafts”./T.T/

The 11th exhibition of Iranian-made laboratory equipment and materials named ‘IRAN LAB EXPO 2024’ opened in Tehran this morning and will wrap up on Friday, January 5.

Supported by the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, the international exhibition is showcasing 10,500 innovative products, IRNA reported.

A total of 366 technological companies are presenting their latest technological achievements, laboratory equipment, and advanced testing.

Moreover, some nine technological products of knowledge-based companies are planned to be unveiled during the exhibition.

The 2024 exhibition of Iranian-made laboratory equipment and materials will display Iran-made products in 14 thematic sections including “Oil and Petrochemical”; “Electricity”; “Electronics and Software”; “Civil and Construction”, “Mechanics”; “Chemistry and Metallurgy”; “Agriculture and Environment”; “Basic Physics”; “General Laboratory Equipment”; “Laboratory materials”; “Medical engineering and biomaterials”; “Industrial test equipment”; “Calibration services” and “Educational and laboratory equipment for schools” are among different sections of the technological exhibition.

Exporting laboratory equipment to neighboring countries on agenda

On December 30, Vice President for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-based Economy, Rouhollah Dehqani-Firouzabadi, said the country is planning to export laboratory equipment to neighboring countries.

Knowledge-based companies started to meet the country’s technological needs in the past decade, he said, adding that the Vice Presidency supported the companies to manufacture laboratory equipment, Mehr News Agency reported.

Now, various pieces of laboratory equipment are manufactured at prices much lower than the same foreign products, Dehqani-Firouzabadi noted.

Foreign delegations that attend Iranian exhibitions will be familiarized with the country’s capabilities, he said, adding that the export of knowledge-based products was $300 million in the year to March 2021, but increased to $600 million the year after.

The export has surged to $1.5 billion so far in the current Iranian calendar year and is forecast to hit $2 billion by the end of the year, he said.

Exports of medicine, medical equipment sharply rise

Iran has experienced a significant rise in exports of medicine and medical equipment in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year that started on March 21, 2023.

“Exports of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment grew by 300 percent in the first four months of the year,” IRNA quoted Heidar Mohammadi, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, as saying on August 13.

Last year, some 1,060 trillion rials (about $2.1 billion) worth of medicine and medical equipment were manufactured inside the country, he added.

Around 99 percent of the medicine supplied to the domestic market is produced by Iranian companies, he highlighted.

Iran plans to increase the exports of medicine to around $200 million in the current year from some $60 million last year, Mohammadi said in April.

Currently, the production of medicine, medical equipment, and powdered milk is supported by subsidies. So, their exports were very limited, but it is hoped that their exports will increase next year, he explained.

Referring to the shortage of 100 drug items in the country, he said: “Currently, nearly one and a half percent of the country’s pharmaceutical need is imported. Along with domestic production, it is done as soon as the domestic production meets the demand.”

A total of 227 knowledge-based firms are supplying medical equipment for health centers across the country, according to the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

Iranian-made pharmaceuticals are currently exported to Canada, Japan, and Europe, Faramarz Ekhteraei, chairman of the Iranian Pharmaceutical Industries Syndicate said, emphasizing that 72 percent of the country’s pharmaceutical raw materials are domestically produced.

Some 40 percent of the country’s total pharmaceutical exports are biotechnology products, a member of the board of directors of the Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Medical Biotechnology Products said. /T.T/

Six Iranian films will go on screen at the 22nd edition of Pune International Film Festival, which will be held in the Indian city from January 18 to 25.

“Terrestrial Verses”, co-directed by Alireza Khatami and Ali Asgari, will go on screen at the main section of the festival.

The film begins with a controversy over the naming of an infant and moves through stories of everyday people facing off against the system, from a frustrated, politically censored filmmaker to a teenage girl who – in one of the film’s most daring episodes – confronts her school after being caught with a boy on a motorcycle.

“Winners” by Iranian-British director Hassan Nazer, “Achilles” by Farhad Delaram, “The Wastetown” by Ahmad Bahrami, “Dustland” by Kazem Daneshi, and “Ropewalker Memories” by Hamed Rajabi will be competing at the Global Cinema section of the event.

Set in a poor Iranian village, the story of “Winners” is about children who work hard to support their families. Their little hands scour through massive piles of junk in search of hidden treasures. One day, nine-year-old Yahya and his friend Leila find a precious golden statue. Sharing a passion for cinema, Yahya’s boss Nasser Khan decides to help them find the owner as the curious item leads Yahya on an adventure-filled journey that doubles as a loving ode to the history of Iranian cinema.

The 2023 drama, “Achilles”, tells the story of a young filmmaker who currently works in a hospital and takes a mental patient out for a short ride to find out who she really is. Now he has to decide whether to run away with her or take her back to the hospital.

The 98-minute “The Wastetown” tells the story of Bemani, a woman who has spent ten years in jail for killing her husband. Her child was taken away from prison and allegedly given to her husband’s family. Temporarily released, she immediately starts looking for her son.

“Dustland” is about truth and secrets. The truth carries a heavy burden, whether it is said that it sets off a storm, or it remains in the heart that disturbs man. Between telling the truth and revealing a secret or being silent and expedient, one is preferable to the other.

“Ropewalker Memories” is about a young man and his father, who share a close living arrangement in the same apartment. Despite his son’s objections, the father invites sex workers into their home. One day, he brings home a woman who refuses to leave. Both father and son join forces to persuade her to depart. However, when she finally departs of her own accord, her absence becomes unbearable for the two men.

The festival will also screen “Kiarostami at Work” by Seifollah Samadian at its documentary section.

A 2023 production, “Kiarostami at Work” is a 76-minute documentary about the late Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, which is directed, edited, and produced by Kiarostami’s longtime friend and collaborator Samadian.

“Kiarostami at Work” is a documentary showcasing the filmmaker’s boundless passion for work and creativity. The film features images captured by Samadian during their thirty years of friendship and travels together, as well as behind-the-scenes footage of “Shirin” and “Certified Copy” by the late Hamideh Razavi, and “Taste of Cherry” by Bahman Kiarostami. Juliette Binoche, Martin Scorsese, and some others have also shared insights into Kiarostami’s creative works in the movie. /T.T/