Iranian autmakers produced 1,347,394 vehicles in the 12 months of 1401 (March 21, 2022-2023), the statistics show, indicating a 39% growth compared to the year 1400 (March 21, 2021-2022).

Passenger automobiles (sedan, crossover and mini cross-over, hatchback etc.,) make up 87.7% of the total production of automobile manufacturers.

Trucks were in second place after passenger cars totaling 125, 507. The production of trucks by Iranian automakers witnessed a 56% increase as compared to the year 1400.

Van production saw 267% increase, showing the highest rate of car production growth in the country last year. The total production of vans by car manufacturers in 1401 (ended March 20, 2023) was 3,161 vehicles.

In 1401, 34,136 trucks and tractors were produced in the country, which indicates a 150% growth.

Also, last year, 1,391 buses, 1,118 minibusses and middle-sized buses were produced in the country, showing 88% growth and 11% growth, respectively.

According to the report, the total production of motorcycles stood above 450,000 last year, indicating an increase of 61.2% as compared to the production of 279,999 motorcycles in 1400. /MNA/

Iran’s national football team (Team Melli) played Kenya on Tuesday as their second friendly match under the leadership of the new head coach Amir Ghalenoei, defeating the African guest 2 -1.

The match began with the advantage of the Iranian team, but the tight and closed defense of Kenya caused the national team to create less dangerous situations on the Kenyan goal.

On the other side, Kenyan players showed dangerous counterattacks by using speed, and in the 15th minute, Michael Olunga missed a serious opportunity.

The first half-time of the football match ended in a 0 – 0 tie.

In the 50th minute, Olunga came off the bench to score the first goal and Kenya took a 1-0 lead.

In the 76th minute, Iran’s pressure finally paid off and Mohammad Mohebi scored with a header to make the game 1-1.

Iran’s pressure continued to score the second goal and take the lead, and in the 83rd minute, Rezaian’s cross from the left side went into the goal of the Kenyan goalkeeper Patrick Matasi, so Team Melli took a 2-1 lead and the game ended with the same result.

Team Melli, under the leadership of Ghalenoei, drew 1-1 against the Russian national football team in a friendly match in Tehran on Thursday, March 23.

Iran will participate in the 2023 CAFA Championship in June as part of the preparation for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. / MNA/

The value of trade between Iran and European Union (EU)’s member states rose five percent in January 2023, from January 2022, according to the data released by the European Union’s statistics office Eurostat.

The Eurostat put Iran-EU trade at $401 million in the first month of this year, while the figure was $381 million in the first month of the previous year.

The EU’s export to Iran rose seven percent to stand at $323 million in January 2023, while the figure was $301 million in January 2022.

The union’s monthly import from Iran fell two percent from $80 million to $78 million.

As previously announced by the Eurostat, the value of Iran’s export to the European Union’s member states rose 15 percent in 2022, as compared to the previous year.

The Eurostat’s data show that Iran exported commodities worth €1.055 billion to the union in 2022, while the figure was €922 million in 2021, IRNA reported.

The EU’s export to Iran also rose seven percent to €4.183 billion from €3.931 billion.

According to the Eurostat, the total value of trade between Iran and the European Union reached €5.238 billion in January-December 2022, while the figure was €3.931 billion in 2021.

Among European countries, Germany was Iran’s top trading partner in 2022, accounting for about 35 percent of Iran’s trade with the European Union. Germany exported €1.582 billion worth of goods to Iran while importing €278 million worth of commodities from the Islamic Republic. The country’s total trade with Iran was 1.860 billion euros.

Italy was Iran’s second trading partner with the total trade between the two countries standing at €712 million. Italy exported €551 million worth of goods to Iran while the imports stood at €161 million. /T.T/

The Ministry of Science has facilitated residence for university students from Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria. The possibility of staying during studies for students from these countries has been provided in some provinces and soon this issue will be extended to all parts of the country, IRIB quoted deputy science minister Hashem Dadashpour as saying.

Students from these countries can enter and leave the country four times per year, he added.

Obtaining a residence permit every year and the requirement to do so is one of the problems of international students, he highlighted.

In this regard, through negotiations with several countries, including Syria and Lebanon, the problem of residence during the study has been solved.

For students of other countries, including Afghanistan, a three-year residence permit is issued from the second year of their studies, and students from this country can also enter and leave Iran without any problems, he explained.

More than 100,000 foreign students from 119 countries are studying in Iranian universities, and 94 universities in the country have permission to admit foreign students.

These students are studying in different fields of science, research and technology, health and medical education, and also in the fields of humanities, Islamic sciences, Persian language, and literature, law, fundamentals of Islamic law, management fields, economics, psychology, social sciences, as well as engineering, agricultural sciences, animal sciences, and basic sciences.

The number of foreign students will double in Iranian universities in the next three years.

Iran is among the 15 successful countries in attracting international students, according to Mohammad Javad Salmanpour, the deputy head of the Organization for Student Affairs.

The education of foreign students in Iran has grown significantly compared to previous years, even last year, it has doubled, he said.

Iran has the ability and capacity to have more than 250,000 foreign students by 2026, he stated. /T.T/

Considering its several thousand years of history and its emphasis on improving lifestyle and maintaining health, Iranian traditional medicine has a rich capacity to promote self-care, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.

Following the teachings of this medical school of thought has a significant impact on preventing the occurrence of diseases and improving the health of society.

Nafiseh Hosseini Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s office for Iranian traditional medicine, says there are special measures regarding the modification of eating and drinking habits, based on the temperament of people, the temperament of different types of food, and the right time to eat and drink, that can help reduce the effects of improper nutrition on the body.

It is appropriate to start Iftar with a warm, slightly sweet, light, simple, and easy-to-digest drink, and the best option is to consume dates, honey, figs, or raisins along with a hot drink.

In addition to rapidly increasing blood sugar and eliminating weakness, it does not weaken the function of the stomach and prevents overeating.

One to one and a half hours after breaking the fast is the right time to consume fruit, and drinking natural juices, in addition to reducing the intensity of thirst, is also considered a useful source for providing minerals and vitamins needed by the body.

Consuming dry, sweet, fried and high-fat, starchy, spicy and spicy foods and consuming too much meat, as well as drinking coffee, cocoa, and strong tea, are some of the things that cause thirst and it is better to stay away from Suhoor meal.

Exercising at the peak of hunger is not recommended at all, and to prevent thirst, you should not exercise during hot hours of the day or in hot places. /T.T/

Iran lost to China 11-8 in the final match of the 2023 Asian Water Polo Championship on Monday. Earlier in the day, Kazakhstan defeated Thailand 18-7 to win the bronze medal.

Team Melli secured a berth at the 2023 FINA Men’s Water Polo World Cup. The 2023 Asian Water Polo Championship was held from March 22 to 27 in Singapore.

Iran defeated Japan 6-0 in the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2023 final on Sunday. The win at the Jomtien Beach Arena saw Iran draw level with Japan on three titles each, with both teams now casting their eyes on preparing for the FIFA Beach Soccer World UAE 2023 in November.

Ali Mirshekari (two goals), Movahed Mohammadpour, Moslem Mesigar, Mohammadali Mokhtari and Kosuke Matsuda (own goal) scored for Iran.

Oman defeated the UAE 4-2 to win the bronze medal.

Team Melli defeated Malaysia 14-5, Uzbekistan 11-2, the UAE 7-2 and Bahrain 10-0 and Oman 6-3 on their way to the final.

Mesigar was selected the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup. /T.T/

“Graveyard” by Iranian director Ali Darai has won an award at the 28th IFVA Awards in Hong Kong. The short film was one of the three films honored in the Asian New Force Category.

The film tells the story of a young mother who has lost her baby due to negligence. Furthermore, since the presence of the father is required to obtain burial permission in Iran, the young mother is striving to find her missing husband and, with the passage of time, she becomes more involved in a plethora of serious issues.

The Incubator for Film and Visual Media in Asia Awards, formerly the Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards, is organized annually by the Hong Kong Arts Centre.

“Grey Solar Game”, a drama by Indian director Seemonta Halder also was awarded in the Asian New Force Category.

This is a story of three siblings. Changing times change situations, and, along with that, change people, in ways which might not always be for the better. The siblings are plunged into one such time in which living, rather than accepting change, marks catastrophe.

The Chinese drama “I Have No Legs, and I Must Run”, winner of the BFI London Film Festival 2022 Short Film Award, won an award in this section.

Directed by Yue Li, the film is about a major athlete with an injury and a talented new recruit raises the specter of jealousy.

“As I Imagine My Body Moving” by Elysa Wendi from Hong Kong received the gold medal of the festival, the organizers announced last week.

The follows a former dancer encountering a sudden health issue. She unveiled a deeper scar that was concealed inside her for over 20 years. The film explores the notion of kinesthetic separation between the body and its stream of consciousness, sometimes dislocation, or disconnection. Her immobilized body-bearing illnesses somehow is wandering in distorted time and space. The depersonalization is perhaps a detachment one could have learned about one’s body and its autonomy.

The silver medal went to “Lucky Cat” by Yeung Kwong-Chung from Hong Kong.

Fut, a parking attendant who believes in gods and Buddha, meets a mute one day during worship who reveals a secret to him. From that day onwards, Fut gets very lucky and wins a windfall. Meanwhile, massage girl Fei Fei and her friend Mei want to blackmail Fatty, a lustful taxi driver… /T.T/

On the occasion of Nowruz (Persian New Year) and Bangla Noboborsho Cultural Centre, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Persian Language and Literature, University of Dhaka jointly organized a discussion and celebration program at Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium, Faculty of Social Sciences Building, University of Dhaka at 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 21^st March, 2023.

Mr. KM Khalid MP, Honorable State Minister, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was present as Chief Guest.

H.E. Mr. Mansour Chavoshi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bangladesh and Professor Dr. Muhammad Samad, Honorable Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration), University of Dhaka were present as special guests.

The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2023 has ranked 457 Iranian institutions among around 32,000 top universities across the world.

The University of Tehran tops the list of Iranian universities included in this ranking, followed by Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Sharif University of Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran University of Science and Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, and Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.

The University of Tehran has improved its ranking from 308 in 2022 to 295 in 2023.

Harvard University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are the top three ranking universities worldwide in Webometrics.

Also known as Ranking Web of Universities, the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities is a ranking system for the world’s universities based on a composite indicator that takes into account both the volume of the Web content (number of web pages and files) and the visibility and impact of these web publications according to the number of external inlinks (site citations) they received.

The original aim of the Ranking is to promote academic web presence, supporting the Open Access initiatives for increasing significantly the transfer of scientific and cultural knowledge generated by the universities to the whole Society. In order to achieve this objective, the publication of rankings is one of the most powerful and successful tools for starting and consolidating the processes of change in academia, increasing the scholars’ commitment, and setting up badly needed long-term strategies

The objective is not to evaluate websites, their design or usability, or the popularity of their contents according to the number of visits or visitors.

Web indicators are considered proxies in the correct, comprehensive, deep evaluation of the university’s global performance, taking into account its activities and outputs and their relevance and impact.

Launched in 2004, the ranking is updated every January and July.

The 2023 ranking of the Times Higher Education has placed a number of Iranian universities among its top institutes in terms of education.

Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences comes first among the Iranian universities with a rank in the range of 351–400.

Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, comes next with a rank in the range of 501–600.

Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Iran University of Medical Sciences, University of Kashan, University of Kurdistan, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, University of Tabriz, and The University of Tehran are in the range of 601–800.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 include 1,799 universities across 104 countries and regions, making them the largest and most diverse university rankings to date.

The University of Oxford tops the ranking for the seventh consecutive year. Harvard University remains in second place, but the University of Cambridge jumps from joint fifth last year to joint third.

A total of 63 universities from Iran have been listed in the Islamic World University Rankings 2022 announced by the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC), compared with 51 universities in 2021.

In the 2022 ISC ranking, there were 347 universities from 28 Islamic countries, where Turkey with 90 universities, and Iran with 63 universities had the largest number, IRNA reported.

ISC is the third internationally accredited citation center established in Iran based on a resolution adopted in 2008 by the 4th Meeting of the Islamic Ministers of Higher Education (ICMHESR) in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to index, evaluate and publish scientific productions in Islamic countries.

In the ISC 2022 world ranking, there are 2,422 universities from 111 countries and 6 continents, of which the Islamic Republic of Iran has 63 universities.

The University of Tehran and the Tehran University of Medical Sciences are in the first place (401-450), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Sharif University of Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, and Tarbiat Modares University are in second place (601-700).

The Amir Kabir University of Technology and Mashhad University of Medical Sciences are in third place (701-800). /T.T/