The 7th Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Award announced Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian journalist, and Mandla Mandela, the grandson of icon Nelson Mandela, as the winners during a ceremony in Tehran on Tuesday.

The Award is granted to a scholar with outstanding works and a martyr for explaining Islamic human rights.

Shireen Abu Akleh worked as a reporter for the Arabic-language channel Al Jazeera for 25 years and was one of the most prominent names across West Asia, she was shot and killed on May 11 while covering a raid by Israeli defense forces.

Mandla Mandela, one of the pioneers of the new anti-apartheid wave of the Zionist regime, won the Award for his support for the Palestinian people.

The Award is granted to human rights activists or victims of human rights violations, notwithstanding religion, race, color, gender and nationality.

Iran Judiciary head Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, Foreign Minster Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a number of other officials, as well as ambassadors of Islamic countries in Tehran participated in the event.

The Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Award is an honorary award that the High Council for Human Rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran grants to human rights activists or victims of human rights violations (either natural or legal persons) effectively and prominently involved in Islamic human rights issues, notwithstanding religion, race, color, gender and nationality, the website of Iran’s high council for human rights reported.

Winners of the Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Committee will receive a plaque of honor and a certificate of merit as well as 10 full-size gold coins, the source added. /T.T/

Transit of commodities through Iran increased 31 percent in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-July 22), as compared to the same period of time in the past year, the spokesman of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) announced.

Ruhollah Latifi said that 4.921 million tons of goods were transited via the country in the mentioned four-month period.

“From the beginning of this year to the end of the fourth month, we witnessed the continuous growth of transit of commodities through Iran”, the official highlighted.

After seven years of reduction in the transit of goods from the country, the growth path of transit resumed in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20) and with the passage of 12.65 million tons of goods through Iran, a growth of 68 percent was achieved, the official has previously noted.

The 68-percent growth in transit last year and the 39-percent rise in the first two months of this year promise to reach 15 million tons of goods passing through Iran in the current year, which has been unprecedented in the entire history of the country, he added.

The policy of paying attention to neighbors and developing political and economic relations with neighboring countries in the current government, increasing attention to road and rail routes in the world and the efforts and cooperation of transportation and trade-related organizations in establishing or activating corridors through the country has led to significant growth in transit of goods through Iran.

Iran is one of the countries that has a special status in trade and transit relations due to its strategic location and special geography, as the country is the passage of several important international corridors.

Considering its geographical location, Iran can play a significant role in the transit of goods in the region and benefit a lot from its status in this due.

Paying attention to upstream documents, especially the country’s development plans, and the government’s decision to develop transit, paying special attention to infrastructure development, reducing transit time, making it cheaper to cross Iran and making more advantages over competitors, due to the short path for customers, can lead to facilitating the development of transit so that the country can reach the desired growth in this due. /T.T/

Sogand Shiri of Iran claimed a gold medal at the 2022 World Junior Taekwondo Championship Tuesday night.

Shiri defeated Turkey’s Hayrunnisa Gurbuz in the final match of the women’s -42kg. The first round ended 7-7 but Shiri was awarded the round due to the manner of the points she landed.

In the second round, the score tied at 11-11 with just 45 seconds remaining. However, Shiri proved too strong and won the round and the match.

Iran’s Parnia Salmani also claimed a silver medal in the women’s -44kg. She lost to Natkamon Wassana from Thailand in the final match.

More than 1,250 athletes from 90 countries plus a refugee team will compete in Sofia, Bulgaria during the World Championships. /T.T/

 

The 7th Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Award started at IRIB International Conference Center in Tehran on Tuesday.

Iran Judiciary head Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, Foreign Minster Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a number of other senior officials, as well as ambassadors of Islamic countries in Tehran are participating in the event.

During the ceremony, a scholar with outstanding work in explaining Islamic human rights will be honored and a martyr will be commemorated.

Following some sessions by the committee, the award will be given to two individuals.

The Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Award is an honorary award that the High Council for Human Rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran grants to human rights activists or victims of human rights violations (either natural or legal persons) effectively and prominently involved in domains enumerated hereinunder, notwithstanding religion, race, color, gender and nationality, the website of Iran’s high council for human rights reported.

Winners of the Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Committee will receive a plaque of honor and a certificate of merit as well as 10 full-size gold coins, the source added. /MNA/

The non-oil trade has witnessed an economic boom since the 13th government under President Raeisi took office in Iran.

The Iranian 13th administration under President Ebrahim Raeisi took office in mid-August 2021.

The Spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Seyyed Rouhollah Latifi said that the non-oil trade since the 13th government under President Raeisi assumed office reached $84 billion.

He noted since the 13th government came to power in Iran, the country’s non-oil trade reached around 126, 877 million tons of goods valued at 83,971 billion dollars, indicating an increase by 8% in weight and 36% in value compared to the same period the previous year.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi, in his first Nowruz message, pointed to the emerging signs of economic growth and stability as well as a significant increase in the volume of foreign trade and non-oil exports under his administration, saying, “We increased trade with our neighbors for the benefit of the people.”

“We said that we will set the production wheel in motion, [and] official statistics, released up to the end of the third quarter even show that economic growth has reached above 5%,” Iran’s chief executive said.

President Raeisi had earlier emphasized the adoption of appropriate and practical strategies for promoting and booming non-oil exports at the Government Economic Coordination Headquarters, adding that effective steps should be taken to return exports currency of exporters into the economy of the country by the adoption of practical policies and measures as well as offering incentive packages to spur development of non-oil exports.

Emphasizing the need for taking appropriate strategies for the removal of existing obstacles facing the activity of exporters and facilitating their activity, he reiterated, “Suitable ways should be paved for strengthening export of non-oil goods with the removal of obstacles and difficulties facing activity of exporters.”

The Spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Seyyed Rouhollah Latifi has said that the country has traded 12.34 million tons of non-oil goods worth 9.86 billion dollars with the 11 member states of SCO in the spring of 2022 (Q2).

Iran was granted long-awaited permanent membership of the SCO last year and is now completing formalities to make it official.

Iran has exported 10.213 million tons of goods worth 5.5 billion dollars to the SCO members in this period, which shows a 20 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

China was Iran’s top export destination in this period among SCO members and India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and Mongolia were the next places.

China was also the top exporter to Iran, followed by India, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia.

Latifi said that 3,070,000 tons of non-oil goods, valued at $1.737 billion, were exported to neighboring Turkey in the first three months of the current year.

He stated that Iran’s export of products to Turkey from March 21 to June 22 registered a 363 and 192 percent hike in weight and value respectively as compared to the same period of last year.

At the threshold of the Turkish President’s visit to Iran, he said that Iran’s export of non-oil products to neighboring Turkey increased considerably last year (ended March 20, 2022) and this growth in export has still continued.

About 19,500,000 tons of non-oil goods, valued at $11.4 billion, were exchanged between Iran and Turkey last year in 2021, showing a 73 and 64 percent growth in weight and value respectively as compared to the last year’s corresponding period, Latifi emphasized.

Of total goods exchanged between the two countries last year, Iran exported 15.7 million tons, valued at $6.1 billion, to Turkey, he noted.

IRICA spokesman highlighted that Turkey has always been ranked among Iran’s first four trade partners in terms of imports and exports in a way that 12 and 11 percent of the country’s total weight and value of trade done with the world related to Turkey.

Livestock products, fisheries, dairy products, plants and flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried nuts, saffron, food products, tobacco, cigarettes, construction materials, minerals, petro-refinery products, home appliances, cosmetics, industrial products, and footwear were of the main products exported from Iran to neighboring Turkey, IRICA spokesman added.

Also, Latifi underscored that over 1,014,000 tons of non-oil goods, valued at $300 million, were exchanged between Iran and Turkmenistan during the current administration.

He stated that Iran’s export of products to Turkmenistan registered a significant 79.4 percent growth since the 13th government assumed office in August 2021.

He put Iran’s non-oil trade with this country since the outset of the current administration i.e. from August 23, 2021, to May 21, 2022, at 1,014,474 tons, valued at $299,728,535, showing a 22.4 and 79.4 percent hike in weight and value respectively as compared to the same period of last year.

The export share of Iranian goods from this non-oil trade hit 987,755 tons, valued at $276,637,000, recording a 16 and 89 percent growth in weight and value respectively, Latifi added.

Dairies, agricultural and horticultural products, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried nuts, foodstuff, confections and chocolate, construction materials, minerals, detergents, cosmetics, industries lubricants, bitumen, oil derivatives, petrochemical products, home appliances, clothing and handicrafts were of the main products exported from Iran to Turkmenistan in this period, IRICA spokesman added.

Elsewhere, Latifi noted that Iran’s volume of trade exchanged with the Sultanate of Oman registered a 53 percent hike last year (ended March 20, 2022).

He highlighted that 4,190,000 tons of non-oil goods, valued at $1,335,500,000, were exchanged between the two countries of Iran and Oman in 1400, showing a 27 and 53 percent hike in weight and value respectively.

Turning to non-oil trade exchange between the two countries of Iran and Oman at the threshold of the visit of Iranian President Raeisi to Oman, he put the share of products exported from Iran to the Sultanate of Oman in this period at 2,283,000 tons, valued at $716 million.

Iran’s export of products to Oman in this period registered a 14 and 63 percent hike in weight and value respectively, Latifi highlighted.

He pointed to bitumen, urea, ferrous products, fresh fruits and vegetables, construction materials, dried nuts, foodstuff, confections, chocolates, and home appliances as the main products exported from Iran to Oman last year.

Latifi underscored that the country’s export of products to Poland recorded 114% growth in the previous Iranian calendar year in 1400.

More than 22,664 tons of non-oil goods, valued at $53.198 million, were exchanged between Iran and Poland last year in 1400 (from March 21, 2021, to March 22, 2022), showing a 79 and 28 percent growth in terms of weight and value respectively as compared to the last year’s corresponding period, IRICA spokesman added.

According to statistics, Iran exported more than 18,134 tons of products, valued at $24,059,957, to Poland, registering a 145 and 114 percent hike in terms of weight and value respectively, he highlighted.

Chemicals, dried grapes, fruit juices, nuts, melamine, dates, fabrics, auto parts, mirrors and glass, food supplements, herbal extracts, fresh fruits and vegetables, flooring, iron bars, barberry, wire, etc. were the main products exported from Iran to Poland in this period, Latifi noted.

A spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) said that country’s trade with Tajikistan in the last Iranian 1400 (ended March 20, 2022) showed a 453% growth as compared to the same period of last year.

Seyyed Rouhollah Latifi underscored that Iran’s trade value with Tajikistan in the past year exceeded $131 million, registering a considerable 453 percent growth as compared to the last year’s corresponding period.

Iran and Tajikistan exchanged 139,249 tons of non-oil products, valued at $131,038,584, last year (from March 21, 2021, to March 20, 2022), showing a 489 and 453 percent hike in terms of weight and value respectively as compared to the same period of last year, he opined.

He reiterated that the Islamic Republic of Iran exported 124,737 tons of products, valued at $91,600,929, to the Republic of Tajikistan, recording a 535 and 459 percent growth in terms of weight and value respectively as compared to the last year’s corresponding period.

Construction materials, agricultural products, foodstuff, various vaccines and medicines, detergents, shoes, clothes, glass tableware, electronic tools, toys, etc. have been among Iran’s exports to Tajikistan, IRICA spokesman added.

Iran’s Deputy Minister of Economy said that the country’s non-oil foreign trade during the past Iranian year has reached $100 billion, indicating an increase of 38% compared to last year.

Alireza Moghadasi, Deputy Minister of Economy and Director General of Iran’s Customs Administration (IRICA), also stated that 62 million tons of goods were exchanged between Iran and other countries from across the world during the Year 1400 (from March 21, 2021, to March 20, 2022).

122 million tons of Iranian goods worth $48 billion were exported to all parts of the world in 1400, which shows an increase of 41% compared to the last year, Moghadasi said.

China, Iraq, Turkey, UAE, and Afghanistan were the five main destinations for Iranian exports, according to him.

Moghadasi also noted that the number of foreign goods passing through Iranian borders in 1400, after 7 years, reached 12.5 million tons, showing a growth of 68%.

The Head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) Alireza Payman-Pak said that country’s non-oil export has increased 40 percent in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year in 1401 (from March 21 to June 22).

Payman-Pak put the country’s balance of trade at $600 million, showing that Iran’s export of products exceeded imports in this period.

The Head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry for Western and Central African Affairs said that Iran’s export of products to the African continent last year in 1400 (from March 21, 2021, to March 20, 2022) registered a 120% growth.

Ali Akbar Rezaei said in a seminar entitled “Reviewing the Opportunities in Senegal Market”, which was held through videoconference between the Iranian Ambassador to Senegal and representatives of a number of manufacturers in the Alborz province, stated that West Africa has a population of about 1.4 million which is a good hub for investing and promoting exports of products of Iran to the African country.

The Islamic Republic of Iran exported $1.2 billion worth of non-oil products to African countries last year, showing a 120% growth as compared to the same period last year.

More than 20 countries including Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mali, and Guinea are located in West Africa and have good potential and capacities in their trade relations with other countries, he emphasized. /MNA/

Report by Amin Mohammadzadegan Khoyi

Iran freestyle team finished in fourth place in the 2022 U17 World Championships in Rome, Italy.

The Iranian freestylers claimed a gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

The U.S. won a historic first U17 freestyle world title with nine out of their 10 wrestlers winning medals including four golds. It finished with 190 points which was more than enough to exchange places with defending champions India which finished with 126 points.

Azerbaijan, a nation that won the European team title, finished third with 122 points.

Ebrahim Elahi’s gold was Iran’s first of the tournament as it finished fourth in the team rankings with 117 points.

Results:

45kg
GOLD: Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) df. Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE), 2-0

BRONZE: Arman HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Amirmohammad NAVAZI (IRI), via fall
BRONZE: Nikoloz BOTCHORISHVILI (GEO) df. Constantin RUSU (MDA), 5-4

48kg
GOLD: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) df. Christian CASTILLO (USA), 5-3

BRONZE: Lalit KUMAR (IND) df. Ramil RASSIM (KAZ), 10-0
BRONZE: Arshia HADDADI (IRI) df. Rassoul GALBOURAEV (FRA), 11-0

51kg
GOLD: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Mohammad Reza ASADI (IRI), 10-1

BRONZE: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) df. Ben TARIK (MAR), 1-1
BRONZE: Elman AGHAYEV (AZE) df. Baiaman KERIMBEKOV (KGZ), 4-1

55kg
GOLD: Daryn ASKERBEK (KAZ) df. Jaxen FORREST (USA), 11-10

BRONZE: Husanboy USMONOV (UZB) df. Jannis REBHOLZ (GER), 10-0
BRONZE: Vaibhav PATIL (IND) df. Takuto OSEDO (JPN), 5-0

60kg
GOLD: Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) df. Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ), 5-4

BRONZE: Nikhil PILANAGOILA (IND) df. Agha GASIMOV (AZE), 5-2
BRONZE: Taiga OGINO (JPN) df. Alessandro NINI (ITA), 3-1

65kg
GOLD: Ilyas ISAYEV (AZE) df. Tyler KASAK (USA), 5-3

BRONZE: Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO) df. Aikyn BOLATULY (KAZ), 8-6
BRONZE: ANKIT (IND) df. Bohdan OLIINYK (UKR), 11-2

71kg
GOLD: Joseph SEALEY (USA) df. Raul CASO (ITA), 12-0

BRONZE: Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM) df. Alisher ZHOLDASBAY (KAZ), 9-2
BRONZE: Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. NARENDER (IND), 3-1

80kg
GOLD: Sachin MOR (IND) df. Reza SOLEIMANIAN (IRI), 6-3

BRONZE: Zackary RYDER (USA) df. Muhammadamin ABDULOEV (TJK), 8-0
BRONZE: Alexandru BORS (MDA) df. Yehor HOROKH (UKR), 4-1

92kg
GOLD: Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) df. Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN), 11-0

BRONZE: Maxwell MCENELLY (USA) df. Sahil JAGLAN (IND), 2-1
BRONZE: Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI) df. Varuzhan HOVHANNISYAN (ARM), 11-0

110kg
GOLD: Koy HOPKE (USA) df. Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA), 11-6

BRONZE: Khikmatullo KURBONOV (UZB) df. Ramini GULITASHVILI (GEO), 3-2
BRONZE: Jaspooran SINGH (IND) df. Mohammadreza LOTFI (IRI), 4-0  /T.T/

Some 108,000 students from 117 countries have enrolled in Iranian universities for the current academic year (starting September 23), Mohammad Mohammadi Masoudi, an official with the Ministry of Science, has said.

According to unofficial statistics, more than 300,000 Iranian students study abroad, each of whom is an opportunity for the country, he stated.

According to official statistics, more than 95,000 Iranians are studying in various countries, with the largest numbers studying in the U.S., Germany, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Malaysia, England, Russia, Australia, Hungary, Cyprus, and France, respectively.

Leading in attracting international students

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.

Currently, nearly 100,000 foreign nationals are studying in Iran, more than 90 percent of whom are from Iraq and Afghanistan. The education of foreign students in Iran has grown significantly compared to previous years, even last year, it has doubled, he said.

However, it is far from the desired position; Because Iranian universities have higher capacities in all respects than the universities of regional or European countries, he noted.

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

Currently, nearly 100,000 foreign nationals are studying in Iran, more than 90 percent of whom are from Iraq and Afghanistan and the rest are from other countries.

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.

Foreign nationals constitute 1.64% of students

Currently, foreign nationals constitute 1.64 percent of the country’s student population, which is about 0.14 percent higher than the goal set by the Sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (2016-2021), Mohammad Javad Salmanpour, the deputy head of the Organization for Student Affairs, said in April.

Twenty-five percent of the foreign students studying in Iranian universities are Afghan nationals, he added.

Afghan students attend Iranian universities in three ways; some enter the university by participating in the national entrance exam of Iran, and some others receive admission from universities that have non-Iranian student licenses. The third group also attended the country’s universities through scholarships, he explained.

Health insurance coverage, longer residency, shorter visa processing time, and awarding exemplary students are among the conditions provided for foreign nationals studying in Iran. / T.T/

The Film Museum of Iran kicked off a program on Saturday presenting movies on Muharram mourning rituals and the tragedy of Ashura.

Ten movies have been chosen to be screened in the first ten days of the lunar month of Muharram, during which Shia Muslims commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions who were killed in 680 CE in Karbala in the course of their valiant stand against the injustices of the oppressive Umayyad dynasty.

The program, which is open to the general public, commenced by screening Shahram Asadi’s 1995 movie “The Fateful Day”, which is an adaptation of a play by Bahram Beizai about a story set during Ashura.

A Christian converts to Islam for the love of a Muslim girl. At the wedding, he hears voices calling for help. He leaves the ceremony and takes a journey to Karbala, but he arrives the end of the Battle of Karbala after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions.

The program will go on with “Never”, a movie composed of four episodes, each one recounting stories on the Ashura culture in the modern world.

The film was directed by Hadi Naiji, Danesh Eqbashavi, Ruhollah Hejazi and Hadi Moqaddamdoost in 2016.

Rasul Mollaqolipur’s acclaimed movie “Flying in the Night” will be screened on the third day.

The winner of the best film Crystal Simorgh at the 1986 Fajr International Film Festival centers on an Iranian battalion that is surrounded by the enemy during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

The battalion’s connection to the headquarters is cut off. Four soldiers are selected to go to the headquarters to bring help, and three of them are martyred. The commander decides to prepare water for the injured soldiers, but he is also martyred. Auxiliary forces arrive, fight against the enemy, and save the other remaining soldiers.

The lineup also features Mollaqolipur’s “Horizon”, which also tells a story from the Iran-Iraq war.

Dariush Yari’s documentary “Geography of a History” will also be screened. The film chronicles the journey of Imam Hussein and his household from Medina to Mecca and then to Kufa, which resulted in the Battle of Karbala.

The museum also will screen “Evening of the 10th Day” by Mojtaba Raei, “Incurable Wounds” by Kianush Dalvand, “Ziba and I” by Fereidun Hassanpur, “Red Robin” by Parviz Sheikh-Tadi, and “White Wings” by Mehdi and Nasser Hashemi.

An exhibition entitled “Cinema and Muharram” is also showcasing the films’ posters and stills on the sidelines of the program. /T.T/

Iran claimed two gold medals and one silver on the final day of the World Taekwondo Cadet Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria on Sunday.

In the men’s under-49 kg category final, Mohammadmehdi Saadati defeated Eunseok Lee of South Korea 2-0.

Bronze medals went to Dostan Nazhimkhanov of Kazakhstan and Bahadur Dostuyev of Azerbaijan.

Iran claimed the last gold of the Championships in the men’s under-61kg, with Radin Zeinali victorious against Nika Gogoberidze of Georgia.

Bronze medals in the category went to Artur Pak of Kazakhstan and Yunis Huseynov of Azerbaijan.

In the women’s under-37kg category final, Parnian Saki from Iran lost to Thosiri Singthong of Thailand.

Bronze medals were won by Alina Martirosyan of the United States and Oumaima Allassak of France./ T.T/

Iran defeated Senegal 39-29 in the 2022 International Handball Federation (IHF) Women’s Youth World Championship on Sunday.

The young Iranian women’s handball team defeated Senegal 39-29 in the 2022 International Handball Federation (IHF) Women’s Youth World Championship on Sunday, Tehran Times reported.

Iran had defeated Uzbekistan 47-31 in its opening match on Saturday.

Iran is scheduled to meet North Macedonia in Group B on Tuesday.

The 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship is ninth edition of the championship which is being held from 30 July to 10 Aug. in Skopje, North Macedonia under the aegis of International Handball Federation (IHF).

Originally scheduled to be held in Tbilisi, Georgia, it was moved to North Macedonia in April 2022. /MNA/