Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant has completed fuel loading and maintenance, positioning it to be ready for utilization.

The Head of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant announced the completion of fuel loading and preparation of the plant for operational startup, stating, “We are ready to start electricity production from the (Iranian) month of Tir (starting from June 22).”

According to Mehr News Agency, Reza Banazadeh said during a press briefing that energy production at the nuclear power plant is an essential national need of great importance that must be specially prioritized.

“The preparation stages at Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant have been completed, and the plant is ready to enter the re-operation phase. According to the Ministry of Energy’s schedule and requirements, electricity generation will commence.”

Banazadeh also spoke about water supply plans at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, saying, “The completion and operation of the plant’s 75,000 cubic meter desalination unit will play a key role in providing drinking water for the local population.”

MNA/

A new commercial rail route linking China and Iran has officially launched with the arrival of the first cargo train from the eastern Chinese city of Xi’an at Aprin Dry Port near Tehran.

Missing from the headlines amid the fifth round of indirect talks with the US, a freight train from China rolled into Iran last week at a time of a simmering war of corridors.

The train from the eastern Chinese city of Xian arrived at the Aprin dry port near Tehran with a cargo of solar panels in time for Iran’s ardent push to expand its renewable power capacity.

The event flies in the face of President Donald Trump’s administration which Reuters has said – whether truly or falsely – is considering stopping and inspecting Iranian oil tankers at sea.

With the rail line far from any American military presence, Iran can export oil and import goods from China with the ease of mind if the sea trade is disrupted.

Ninety percent of Iran’s exports to China are oil-based products such as petrochemicals, petroleum products and gases, or mining-based products such as copper concentrate, iron concentrate, and the like.

While these goods are difficult to transport on rail and must be transported by ship, the new route offers a vital just in case solution to keep bilateral trade from the tentacles of US hegemony.

Trump has vowed to restore a “maximum pressure” campaign to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero.

The rail mode shortens the delivery time for goods to 15 days, compared to 30 days via the maritime route and helps China evade the Malacca Strait chokepoint.

The Malacca Strait is a narrow waterway where a significant portion of China’s crude oil imports from West Asia and Africa pass through. But with the Red Sea having turned into a battle zone between Yemen’s resistance forces on one side and Israel and its allies on the other, shipping costs have jumped 250%, according to BBC, and transit has declined by 70 percent.

The new line – part of the evolving East-West Corridor linking China to Iran, the Persian Gulf littoral states, Africa and ultimately Europe – presents one of the most secure trade routes currently in play.

On May 12, railway officials from Iran, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey met in Tehran to advance a transcontinental rail network linking Asia to Europe.

The six nations agreed on competitive tariffs and operational standards to streamline regional rail services and boost trade connectivity.

China and Iran have expanded trade and economic relations in recent years. Both countries share a strategic view to counter US global hegemony, having faced sanctions and other pressures from the American side for years.

Iran is part of China’s One Belt One Road (BRI) initiative, which seeks to re-establish overland trade routes once known as the Silk Road.

The rail link integrates Iran into the trillion-dollar BRI and lays the groundwork for deeper political and economic ties. Its genesis lies in a historic 25-year economic cooperation agreement worth $400 billion which they signed in 2021.

The successful implementation of the rail project demonstrates the strength and potential of Iran’s logistics infrastructure in attracting international cargo.

It can serve as a model for developing and strengthening international trade routes and a successful example of regional and international economic integration.

Its advantages over some competing corridors such as the trans-Caspian Middle Corridor which includes China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey will increase Iran’s transit position in the region, facilitate trade and promote the Islamic Republic’s economy and entrepreneurship.

In general, the implementation of the East-West Corridor plan under the New Silk Road and the North-South Corridor plan via Iran can enhance the country’s position in the new regional order.

In a broader perspective, the China-Iran rail connection project is a strategic alternative to the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project which aims to turn Israel into a gateway for trade in goods and energy in West Asia.

The IMEC starts in India and stretches to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, before reaching the Israeli occupied territories and Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.

In other words, the Iran-China rail project should be seen in the context of a major corridor war of Iran and China with the United States that is set to determine the future of the new world order.

Lying ahead is improving the transport and customs infrastructure along the corridor to help further facilitate trade and the movement of goods.

Also, efforts to increase the number of trains and improve transportation schedules will help strengthen this corridor and create wider trade networks.

MNA/Press TV

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has said the Islamic Republic has launched a plan aimed at the production of as much as 20,000 megawatts of electricity from its peaceful nuclear energy activities.

Mohammad Eslami made the remarks during a meeting held in the capital Tehran on Tuesday to address the organization’s productivity levels.

“This immense project has effectively been launched, and executing companies have been developed to move the endeavor forward with government support,” he said, Press TV reported.

Eslami noted that, throughout the past two decades, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had emphasized the importance of achieving such a goal. “And we are working towards achieving this goal,” the top nuclear official stated.

Speaking last February, Eslami said the prospect was to be enabled by 2041.

Adding to his Tuesday remarks, he cited an instance of the country’s successful nuclear activities, saying the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in southern Iran “has produced 72 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity over the past 10 years.”

This has “saved an equivalent of 110 million barrels of oil, while the facility’s construction cost had amounted to approximately one billion euros,” the official stated.

Activating massive capacity for agricultural product irradiation

Elsewhere in his remarks, Eslami pointed to the country’s efforts at enabling irradiation of as much as 500,000 tons of agricultural products.

“Annually, about 30% of agricultural products are turned into waste. With the help of irradiation, the wastage is reduced, and exported goods are no longer returned, which directly impacts household economics.”

Irradiation serves as the process of exposing agricultural products to radiation, commonly used to reduce spoilage, extend shelf life, and prevent pest infestation.

The Islamic Republic has been steadily advancing its nuclear energy program, despite facing illegal and unilateral sanctions on the part of the United States and its allies.

Also, last year, Eslami announced the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Iran’s southern coastal province of Hormozgan with an investment of $15 billion.

He noted at the time that the project for construction of the Iran-Hormoz Nuclear Power Plant was “much bigger” than the nuclear power plant in Bushehr, a 1,000-MW plant built by Russia and handed over in September 2013 after years of delay.

While leading its ambitions, the country has also continued to work closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and adhered to its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

MNA/

Iran’s Reyhaneh Mobini and Mohammadreza Tayebi won two gold medals at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships Day 3 on Thursday.

In the women’s long jump, Mobini Arani clinched gold with a 6.40m effort, according to Tehran Times.

Indian jumpers Ancy Sojan Edappilly and Shaili Singh won the silver and bronze medals with 6.33m and 6.30m, respectively.

In the men’s shot put, Tayebi took the gold with a throw of 20.32m, China’s Xing Jailiang seized the silver with 19.97m, and the bronze medal went to Mohammed D Tolu from Saudi Arabia with 19.92m.

The event is being held in Gumi, South Korea.

/MNA

The village of Esfahak in South Khorasan province has been awarded one of UNESCO’s 34 prestigious research chairs, marking an achievement for the local and national cultural heritage and scientific communities.

The announcement was made by Mohammad Arab, head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Office of Tabas county, who confirmed that Esfahak has secured a seat on UNESCO’s Research Commission.

The distinction was granted in recognition of the village’s innovative work in earth architecture and its scientific contributions through the Esfahak Mud Center (E.M.C.), led by architect and researcher Pouya Khazaeli.

Esfahak, one of UN Tourism’s Best Tourism Villages, has drawn international attention for its sustainable reconstruction and architectural preservation efforts. The nomination dossier for global recognition included extensive scientific research conducted by the E.M.C., which played a key role in earning the UNESCO research seat.

“The awarding of this chair is not only a great honor for Esfahak and its people, but it also highlights the village’s scientific and cultural potential on a global stage,” said Arab. “It reflects the dedication of the local community, especially its youth, and will help introduce Esfahak’s achievements to more specialized tourism audiences and researchers worldwide.”

UNESCO’s research chairs promote higher education and collaborative knowledge production across the globe in fields such as education, science, and culture. Each chair is established within a university or research institution for a renewable four-year term and must include a distinguished academic leader, researchers, faculty, and students working together in a specialized area of study.

Arab emphasized that Esfahak’s chair will focus on sustainable and traditional building practices, aiming to serve as a model for similar communities around the world while enhancing academic cooperation, knowledge sharing, and cultural tourism.

Last year, Esfahak was named one of the Best Tourism Villages for 2024 by UN Tourism. Moreover, the village won a TO-DO Award in 2020. The award is annually presented by the German Institute for Tourism and Development.

Severely damaged by the 1978 earthquake that struck Tabas, Esfahak was once deemed uninhabitable, with residents living in temporary tents. Later, they built makeshift wooden rooms, known as Otagh-e-Choobi (wooden rooms), as they began rebuilding their lives.

With a commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation, villagers re-established the community over the years, developing eco-lodges and restoring traditional homes using ancient adobe techniques.

Esfahak’s transformation into a cultural and eco-tourism destination has garnered attention for its unique architecture and sustainable practices, earning the village the prestigious Asia Architecture Award. Today, it attracts tourists from across the world, drawn to its picturesque adobe structures and commitment to preserving local identity.

Since 2021, the Best Tourism Villages initiative has aimed to promote sustainable tourism in rural areas, focusing on preserving natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and indigenous lifestyles, including gastronomy and local values. / T.T/

The prototype of the Iranian-made Electrochemotherapy (ECT) device was unveiled in Tehran Monday with the participation of the chancellor of University of Tehran and head of Science and Technology Park of the university.

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a safe, targeted, cancer treatment that uses a very low dose of chemotherapy combined with electric pulses to destroy the cancer.

Experts from a knowledge-based company, located in the Science and Technology Park of Tehran University, have succeeded in launching the first national production line of electroporation (ECT) devices in Iran.

The production line of the first indigenous electrochemotherapy ablation system (a new method of targeted treatment of cancerous tumors) is an achievement that, relying on local technical knowledge and utilizing international standards, has brought Iran into the group of countries with this advanced technology in cancer treatment.

With the launch of this production line, Iran has become the first country in Asia that joins the UK and Italy in producing this new technology. The electroporation device uses electrical pulses to increase the permeability of cancer cells and significantly enhance the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs.

MNA

The head of Iran’s Space Research Center says Nahid-2 satellite will be launched into the space in the very near future. Speaking in an interview with national Iranian TV correspondent on Friday, Vahid Yazdanian pointed to the launch of satellites, adding, “We have defined a set of research satellites that aim to test various satellite subsystems, which account for more than 97 percent of satellite subsystems produced domestically.”

The Research-1, 2, 3 and 4 satellites are satellites being built in cooperation with the private and academic sectors, he emphasized.

Nahid-2 (meaning Venus) is the advanced version of Nahid-1, a telecommunication satellite through which Iran can enter the space communication industry.

Since 2005, Iran has joined the club of space countries by sending the Sina-1 satellite, which was sent into orbit with the help of Russia. Since then, the Iranian Space Agency has put planning for the use of space and the expansion of space technologies in the country using local knowledge and international cooperation on the agenda.

Earlier, Iran’s minister of information and communications technology (ICT) had said that three equipped space bases would be launched in the country by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2025).

Speaking on the occasion of “World Telecommunication and Information Society Day” on Saturday, Sattar Hashemi stated that developing satellites and launching giant projects, including Chabahar, Salmas and Chenaran satellite bases, would be commissioned before the termination of the current Iranian calendar year. /MNA/

Iran’s honey exports grew by 20 percent in the previous Iranian year (ended on March 20), according to the official in charge of the country’s beekeeping development plan. However, industry leaders warn that policy-related export barriers continue to threaten the sector’s survival.

Hossein Akbarpour, who leads Iran’s national beekeeping development project, said on Tuesday that honey exports reached 1,873 tons in the past year.

He added that beekeeping plays a significant role in economic growth given the health-oriented nature of its products.

“Iran currently ranks fourth in the world in honey production,” he said, citing global annual production at about 2.13 million tons, while Iran’s share stands at 128,000 tons, based on the most recent national survey.

According to Akbarpour, Iran’s beekeeping industry generates nearly 90 times more benefit for the agricultural sector than its direct inputs. Honey exports in 2023 stood at roughly 1,504 tons.

He estimated the country’s honey export potential at a minimum of 5,000 tons annually, with plans to achieve a consistent 20 percent year-on-year growth rate.

As part of Iran’s Seventh National Development Plan, 47 new production chains in the beekeeping sector are to be launched across provinces, tailored to local capacities and consumption, Akbarpour said.

Currently, the average honey yield per modern hive in Iran is about 12 kilograms. The total capital invested in Iran’s beekeeping industry is valued at 960 trillion rials (around $1.92 billion), broken down into $660 million for production, $740 million for bee colonies, and $520 million for equipment.

Akbarpour also warned of threats facing the sector, including land-use changes, chemical pesticides in agriculture, and environmental degradation caused by climate change and rangeland destruction.

Export policy threatens industry viability, say beekeepers

In a separate interview, Abdolreza Bigonah, head of Iran’s Association of Beekeepers and Honey Producers, said that export restrictions remain the biggest challenge for producers and threaten the entire industry’s future.

“Due to export hurdles and the mandatory repatriation of foreign currency earnings at state-set exchange rates, honey exports have dropped below 1,000 tons,” he told IRNA in Ardebil.

“As someone who used to export honey, I’ve stopped doing so for five years and have even cut back production, he complained.

Bigonah emphasized that without exports to absorb surplus domestic production, prices will stagnate in the local market, ultimately dismantling the industry and costing Iran its reputation in global honey markets.

He put Iran’s honey output last year at 127,700 tons, with domestic consumption at about 65,000 tons. The remainder must be exported to maintain industry sustainability, he added.

Bigonah warned that the continuation of current policies could doom Iran’s beekeeping industry. “Packaging, retail, and beekeepers’ livelihoods are all tied to production. The only way out is to ease export regulations.”

He recalled that prior to 2018, agricultural exports — including honey — were exempt from taxes and currency repatriation requirements. But following changes in foreign currency laws that year, exporters have been required to sell their foreign currency proceeds at the government’s “NIMA” exchange rate, which he said is economically unviable. / T.T/

An exhibition of poster and typography on the occasion of the first anniversary of the martyrdom of President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions was inaugurated at the Aali Gallery of Tehran’s Art Bureau on Tuesday.

Entitled “Servants of the Nation”, the exhibit displays works by a number of Iranian artists including Behnam Shirmohammadi, Hassan Jafarinia, Mehdi Qanavati, Seyyed Mohammadreza Miri, Sadeq Sanei, Leila Teimourinajd and Marzieh Ranjbar among others.

The exhibition is a result of a nationwide campaign called “Revolutionary Poster Movement” which was launched last year to pay tribute to the martyrs. Many artists have contributed to this initiative.

President Ebrahim Raisi was returning from a ceremony to officially open a new dam on the border between Iran and Azerbaijan on May 19, 2024 when his helicopter crashed in Varzaqan, northwestern Iran.

The tragic incident claimed the lives of not only the President but also Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, former governor of East Azarbaijan Province Malek Rahmati, and former Friday prayer leader of Tabriz Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem and several high-ranking provincial officials, who were among those on board.

The accident was caused by dense fog that severely limited visibility in the region, leading to a fatal crash. The incident shocked the nation and resulted in the loss of several key figures who played significant roles in Iran’s political and religious spheres.

The loss of life has sent a wave of grief across Iran, with many government officials and ordinary citizens alike paying tribute to the victims of the crash.      / T.T/

Over 32 specialized medical centers are benefitting from Persian medicine across the country to increase the chance of infertility treatment, Nafiseh Hosseini-Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s Persian medicine office, has said.

Gynaecologists, urologists, genetic experts, and Persian medicine experts are examining and treating infertility cases in these centers. This interdisciplinary collaboration has brought about a significant transformation in the quality of medical services, ILNA quoted Hosseini-Yekta as saying. The official made the remarks on the occasion of the national population week (May 14 to 20).

Adhering to the principles of Persian medicine can increase the success rate of assisted reproductive methods such as IVF by up to 30 percent and significantly reduce pregnancy complications, the official added.

Following a scientific, systematic approach, the Health Ministry is implementing comprehensive programs for the integration of Persian medicine capacities into the healthcare system to treat infertility and address many other challenges, she added.

In Persian medicine, each person is assessed based on their unique temperament, receiving a specific treatment and prevention program that best fits their physical, psychological, and even geographical conditions. This personalized approach can dramatically increase the effectiveness of treatments, she further noted.

Persian medicine highlights prevention over treatment, it believes reproductive health should be maintained from early childhood. “Many infertility problems result from an unhealthy lifestyle. So, we’re planning to develop educational programs for families and schools,” she said.

Integration of Persian medicine into healthcare system

In December 2024, Hosseini-Yekta said, “The integration of Persian medicine into the healthcare system will not only help to improve health indicators but also have a significant impact on the economy of the country’s healthcare system,” the health ministry’s website reported.

“Iran has the capacity to become one of the pioneers in providing traditional and complementary medicine services in the world.

The integration of Persian medicine in the healthcare system can be a turning point in the global application of the knowledge,” the official noted.

In July 2024, the health ministry held a workshop on principles and basic concepts of Persian medicine in accordance with the objective of integrating Persian medicine into the country’s healthcare system.

The two-day event aimed to promote the experts’ knowledge in Persian medicine, particularly in healthy lifestyle, as well as raise their awareness of the rules, guidelines, and national policy documents, the health ministry’s website reported.

During the workshop, prominent professors in Persian medicine discussed various topics including temperament, four senses of humor: phlegm (Balgham), blood (Dam), yellow bile (Safra’), and black bile (Sauda’), lifestyle measures, widely-used medicinal plants, and drug interactions.

Currently, nine faculties of Persian medicine enroll students in the country’s universities, she added.

Training Persian medicine experts has always been at the top of the Persian medicine office’s agenda. Therefore, different skill courses have been developed and held under the supervision of the health ministry.

Around 500 Persian medicine experts are providing health and medical treatment services across the country. More than 1,000 general practitioners who have passed the Persian medicine courses approved by the health ministry are also offering services.

National population week

Being marked from May 14 to 20 under the theme ‘children, life assets’, the days of the national population week have been named as follows: Wednesday, May 14, ‘Father, mother, good sense of life’; Thursday, May 15, ‘Motherhood, elixir of youth’; Friday, May 16, ‘Desiring a child’; Saturday, May 17, ‘My lonely child’; Sunday, May 18, ‘I want to stay alive’; Monday, May 19, ‘My life in old age’; Tuesday, May 20, ‘Child-friendly society.’

T.T/