According to a report by local Iranian media, Iran and China have concluded a contract to produce 7,000 megawatts of solar panels. According to a report by Tehran-based Fars News Agency, Iran is struggling with a power shortage and increasing blackouts, while the development of renewable energy, especially solar energy, could be the key to solving that problem.

In this year’s Iran-China agreement, it is stipulated that 7,000 megawatts of solar panels will be provided, and its financial resources will be supplied by Iran’s National Development Fund.

If the implementation process of the plan proceeds according to plan, by the end of 2026, in addition to reducing the summer peak load in the coming years, a roadmap will be drawn to overcome the electricity shortage crisis.

For Iran today, the smart combination of targeted imports of solar panels and continued support for knowledge-based production is the best solution to overcome the energy crisis and move towards a green economy, said the Fars report elsewhere.

The 7,000-megawatt project with China presents a unique opportunity, provided that policymakers take practical and sustained steps to strengthen the country’s technical potential. Only then can a sustainable and bright future for Iran in the field of renewable energy be looming.

MNA/

Mohammadhadi Saravi ended a four-year wait to regain the title of world champion. He had his share of triumphs in the meantime — a gold at the Paris Olympics, to say the least — just not on this stage.

Saravi ended the drought by scoring an early takedown and going on to defeat Artur Sargsyan (UWW) 3-1 in the 97kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb Saturday night, when three Greco titles were decided.

“In my opinion, this tournament wasn’t easy at all; it was one of the most exciting and diverse competitions I’ve ever been part of,” Saravi said. “There were new opponents, and some wrestlers reached the finals and repechage rounds that I honestly hadn’t expected. The level was much higher than I thought it would be.”

After winning the world gold in Oslo in 2021, Saravi had to settle for bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 worlds in Belgrade, falling in the semifinals both times.

But he righted the ship for the Paris Olympics, where he defeated long-time rival Artur Aleksanyan (ARM) in the final to add the gold to the Olympic bronze he won at Tokyo in 2021. And from 2023 to this year, he three-peated as Asian champion, UWW.com reported.

In Zagreb, while Aleksanyan and Gabriel Rosillo (CUB), who defeated Saravi in the 2023 world semifinals, fell by the wayside, Saravi marched into the final without pomp or drama, winning his matches by such scores as 4-0, 1-1 and 3-1.

“In this weight class, the champions are among the greats of wrestling: Artur Aleksanyan, the Cuban Rosillo, and of course, my final opponent, Artur Sargsian, who is a very well-known and skillful wrestler,” Saravi said. “But with my preparation, I was able to execute my plans and win.”

His meeting with Sargsian in the final was a rematch of their first-round match at the 2021 World Championships, which Saravi won 6-4 en route to his first world gold. Sargsian took a bronze.

“As we had planned with my coaches, even though some of my expected rivals didn’t make it to the later rounds, with the analysis we had done we were able to plan well and make it to the final,” Saravi said.

“I had wrestled [Sargsian] twice before, and with the strategies we had, I managed to beat him. Thankfully, this time, too, I was able to execute my plans perfectly on the mat and win the match.”

Saravi reflected on coming up short at the two previous World Championships.

“I think in the two World Championships where I won bronze, I had some technical weaknesses,” Saravi said. “I was able to fix those before the Olympics and keep that level through this year’s worlds.

“I hope I can keep improving for the upcoming tournaments and continue winning big medals.” / T.T/

With one day remaining, Iran’s Greco-Roman team claimed the title at the 2025 World Wrestling Championships. Greco-Roman wrestlers have already secured two gold medals, Gholamreza Farrokhi at 82 kg and Amin Mirzazadeh at 130 kgand one silver medal at 55 kg by Payam Ahmadi.

Mohammadhadi Saravi, the 2024 Olympic champion, will have a chance to add Iran’s third gold in the 97 kg category Saturday night.

Iran’s Greco-Roman squad has previously won the World Championship five times, in 1961, 1965, 1998, 2002, and 2013.

Earlier, Iran’s freestyle team claimed the title after a 12-year wait, marking a historic milestone for Greco-Roman wrestling as well.

The freestyle team have won the World Championship title nine times—in 1971, 1973, 1995, 2006, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2022, and 2023. Overall, Team Melli have also earned a silver and a bronze medal as well on fourteen occasions. /T.T/

Iran’s steel industry recorded nearly $3 billion in exports during the first five months of the year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Iranian Steel Producers Association said.

The volume of iron and steel exports rose 17 percent, equal to 796,000 tons, reversing a decline seen in the first quarter.

Exports of iron ore concentrate jumped 80 percent year-on-year, raising concerns among steelmakers over reduced domestic supply.

In contrast, exports of long steel products continued to fall sharply. Rebar, which accounted for more than 85 percent of long product exports last year, dropped 31 percent over the five-month period.

Meanwhile, a stronger export strategy by Mobarakeh Steel Group companies, including the main plant and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Automotive Sheet, boosted foreign currency revenues by $122 million from flat steel products. Their total exports reached $216 million in the same period. /  T.T/

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has officially registered thirteen new Iranian products, according to a senior advisor at Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade.

The milestone highlights the growing global recognition of Iran’s diverse cultural and natural assets, Mehdi Mirsalehi told IRNA on Monday.

The newly registered items include a mix of mineral stones, agricultural goods, and one traditional handicraft, he said.

Among the most notable, he said, are rosewater from the city of Kashan, grapes and apples from Urmia, and a handwoven carpet from Fars Province.

These additions bring the total number of Iranian products registered with WIPO to 87, he added.

Mirsalehi said that Iran’s journey toward international product registration began in 2010 with the global recognition of its handwoven carpets.

Since then, 31 carpet-producing regions across the country, along with various agricultural and mineral products, have been added to the registry, he said.

WIPO is one of the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations. It was established to encourage creative works and protect intellectual property rights globally.

WIPO 2024 report

The World Intellectual Property Organization has published the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII) report, based on which Iran’s innovation capabilities are ranked in seven criteria that include institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology output, and creative output.

Iran is ranked 133 in Institutions globally. In this category, the country’s global rankings in Operational stability for business, Government effectiveness, Rule of law, Business environment, Entrepreneurship policies, and culture were 130, 120, 118, 128, and 85, respectively.

In human capital and research criterion, the country is placed 64th. It ranked 93, 109, 67, 66, and 96 in Education, Expenditure on education, Government funding/pupil, School life expectancy, and Pupil-teacher ratio, respectively.

Iran’s ranking in Tertiary education, Graduates in science & engineering, Research and development (R&D), and Researchers is 35, 8, 48, and 47, respectively.

The global ranking of the country in Infrastructure is 95. It ranked 5 in Gross capital formation and 50 in General infrastructure.

In Market sophistication criteria, with a global ranking of 17, Iran is placed 70, 58, and 19 in Finance for startups and scaleups, Domestic industry diversification, Domestic market scale, and Market capitalization.

In Business sophistication, Iran is ranked 110. It is ranked 86 in Females employed with advanced degrees, 82 in Public Research-Industry co-publications, 121 in university-industry R&D collaboration, 55 in Research talent, and percent in businesses. / T.T /

Iran has taken a big step forward by introducing its first AI-powered legal robot called “RoboLegal”, using smart technology to improve everyday services for its citizens.

This new technology is designed to help people get legal advice easily and quickly, making it simpler for everyone to access justice.

The system is user-friendly, allowing individuals with varying levels of legal knowledge to interact via voice or text.

People can ask their legal questions by typing or speaking to the robot, and it will give answers based on a large collection of Iranian legal cases. This means more people can get reliable legal help without having to pay high fees or wait a long time for a lawyer.

This innovation comes at a time when Iran’s tech world is growing fast. Many young people with good education are starting new companies and creating digital services in areas like online shopping, banking, and more.

RoboLegal shows how artificial intelligence can solve real problems and help millions of people in their daily lives. Using AI in the justice system is a smart move to make services faster, clearer, and easier to use.

The Iranian government has been working hard to make public services digital in areas like education, health, farming, and administration. Thanks to these efforts, new ideas like RoboLegal can grow and reach more people.

RoboLegal doesn’t just help with legal questions. It can also help judges and lawyers by handling simple tasks, speeding up court cases, and reducing costs. This means problems can be solved faster, which is good news for businesses and the economy since it reduces delays and uncertainty around legal issues.

What makes RoboLegal special is that it’s made to fit the country’s needs. Instead of using foreign technology that may not fully understand Iran’s laws and culture, the robot is built using local knowledge. This makes it very accurate and useful for people in Iran.

AI like RoboLegal also shows how technology can help public services improve overall. By taking care of routine work, it frees up people to focus on more important tasks. It also makes the legal process more open and fair, which can help build trust between people and the justice system.

Iran’s tech companies, especially small and medium-sized ones, are growing in areas like mobile apps, digital platforms, hardware, and internet services. These companies know what local users need and create products that fit well with Iranian culture, sometimes even competing well in the region.

RoboLegal is a sign that Iran is becoming a center for innovation in West Asia. Despite challenges, the country’s technology sector is thriving thanks to talented people, good education, and a clear focus on using technology to improve society and the economy.

Making RoboLegal easy to use means that legal help is now available to more people, including those who couldn’t afford it before or who live far from big cities. This helps create a fairer legal system where everyone has a chance to get advice.

Artificial intelligence’s role in Iran’s public sector is expected to grow rapidly beyond legal services. AI’s capacity to analyze large datasets, identify patterns, and automate administrative functions can revolutionize many government operations.

Iran’s growing digital ecosystem benefits from a vibrant startup culture characterized by agility and innovation.

Companies in software development, telecommunications, and digital platforms are continuously creating new products that respond to domestic demand and regional market opportunities.

The government currently offers 201 general public services and 734 specialized services electronically, covering areas such as judiciary, agriculture, education, healthcare, and culture.

Iran’s information and communications technology (ICT) companies continue to innovate across software, hardware, digital platforms, network services, mobile applications, and artificial intelligence.

Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are focused on producing locally tailored digital products. Notable examples include Skyroom in online education, Digikala in e-commerce, and Cafe Bazaar in mobile app distribution, alongside numerous firms in digital health, fintech, smart insurance technologies, and smart city solutions. However, most innovative firms in the ICT sector remain startups and SMEs.

MNA

The Iranian filmmaker Sonia Nouri won two awards at the closing ceremony of the 9th Toronto Nollywood International Film Festival (TNIFF) on September 13 in Toronto, Canada.

Nouri had participated in the festival with two short films “For Sale” and “Supplemental Order,” both of which were among the winners, ILNA reported.

“For Sale” won the Best Female Filmmaker (Producer/Director) award and “Supplemental Order” received the Best Director award.

In a short speech after receiving the Best Female Filmmaker award on stage, she appreciated all the cast and crew as well as her parents and dedicated the award to all the Iranian women who have bravely fought to achieve their dreams and goals.

Both films are written, directed, and produced by Nouri and Seven Skies Entertainment handles their distribution.

“For Sale” is an eight-minute drama released in 2024. The story revolves around a woman who works as a toilet cleaner and is struggling with the decision of aborting her child. As she faces this personal challenge, she also encounters the broader issues and hardships faced by other women around her.

The narrative explores her emotional journey and the social struggles of women in a harsh environment. The cast includes Behi Jadidi, Sara Asghari, Nadia Hessam, and Bahar Bayat

“Supplementary Judgment” is a 12-minute drama also released in 2024. It tells the story of a young nurse in a nursing home who, amidst institutional indifference, begins to quietly take revenge on the elderly residents — a slow, silent reckoning beneath the surface.

Behi Jadidi, Taqi Azmodeh, Nadia Hessam, Kamyar Esmaeili, Ali Yasan, and Abidia Yahi are in the cast, among others.

Sonia Nouri is an award-winning filmmaker, author, and creative entrepreneur. Her debut book “Seventh Floor” is a deep journey into self-awareness and divine connection, guiding readers to consciously master their thoughts and emotions and align with higher inner frequencies.

As a director, Sonia’s short films have been recognized at prestigious international festivals, and she has received the Best Iranian Short Film award. Her cinematic storytelling often explores psychological and spiritual themes, blending art with introspection.

She is also the founder of a mobile app designed to support filmmakers with tools, inspiration, and professional guidance, bridging creativity and technology to empower new voices in cinema.

As a multicultural film festival, Toronto Nollywood International Film Festival provides a creative space for Canadian and international films, emphasizing innovation, representation, and inclusion. Recognized as the first Canadian festival in North America with Nollywood ties to receive this distinction, TINFF continues to serve as a hub for diverse storytelling and celebrates the highest standards in Canadian cinema.

The prestigious cinematic event is recognized as one of the Academy Award–qualifying festivals. It is also an IMDb and Telefilm Canada-qualifying festival, registered as a non-profit organization based in Toronto.

T.T /

An Iranian official says that the country witnesses an upward trend in its medical tourism, adding that 1.2 million tourists received different treatment services in Iranian hospitals last year.

Muslim Shojaei, Director General of the Foreign Tourism Marketing and Development Office at the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism said on Sunday that “Health, medical or therapeutic tourism is one of the key competitive advantages that the country’s tourism has over others. Along with pilgrimage and historical-cultural tourism, this area is one of our three main products in which we can compete with many countries in the world.”

“Last year, we received 7.4 million tourists, of which 1.2 million were health tourists,” the official said, adding that the health tourists received different treatment in Iran.

He noted that services such as hair transplants, cosmetic surgeries, transplants, and infertility treatment topped the other treatment that the foreign tourists received in Iranian medical centers.

“According to statistics from sources such as the Medical Tourism Association (MTA), the global medical tourism market is worth around $47 billion, with each health tourist spending an average of $2,500 to $3,000. The global market size is estimated to be between 18 and 20 million patients,” Shojaei said, adding that, “Iran’s share is not bad despite the current conditions, although the situation was better before Covid-19 pandemic and in 2019.”

Meanwhile, he said that the 12-Day War waged unprovoked by the Israeli regime and the United States against Iran also hurt the health tourism and the visits of the patients to Iran.

MNA/