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DECEMBER 2019 | IssuE No. 11PuBLICATIoN oF THE CuLTuRAL CouNCIL oF THE EMBAssY oF THE IsLAMIC REPuBLIC oF IRAN, NAIRoBI-KENYA

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MILAD UN-NABI THE FESTIVAL OF UNITY

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2 IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 2019

ContentsProfileEditorial....................................................................................4

supreme Leader’s speech on Islamic unity ..................... 5

Why Muslims celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabbi.................14

The Islamic Republic has been promoting unity for 40

years .................................................................................. 18

Ayatullah Khamenei’s opinion on Christianity .............. 20

Christmas in Iran ................................................................ 23

Green schools (eco schools) in Iran .............................. 28

Iranian women growth can be model for all................. 32

Iranian 1st woman Airport chief talks about her job... 34

Iran discovers massive oil fields ..................................... 36

Iran leather Industry .................... .................................... 39

Tehran’s 90 year old Confectionery .............................. 43

Top Medical tourism destinations in the World ............ 48

Kenyan patients receive 1st Class medical treatment in

Iran ...................................................................................... 51

Iran pioneers in stem Cell knowledge Technology........55

Majid Majidi: An award winning Iranian film maker ...59

Astonishing National parks in Central Iran .................. 63

Where is the World’s Hottest place ............................ 68

Tanbour: A persian traditional musical Instrument ..... 70

Iran: Is it Really that bad? ............................................... 74

Katayoun Khosrowyar: Iranian Women’s Football

Coach ................................................................................... 78

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CULTURAL COUNCILEMBAssY oF THE IsLAMIC REPuBLIC oF IRAN

NAIROBI-KENYA

The Cultural Council of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nairobi promotes mutual understanding and cultural co-operation among

people of Kenya and Iran in line with the principles of the cultural agreement between Iran and Kenya.

The Cultural Council aims to create enduring partnership between our two friendly states’ cultures by creating opportunities to connect with the latest skills, ideas and experience from Iran.

Activities

Library: The Cultural Council has a very rich library consisting of myriad of books in the field of Persian language and literature. Besides, books on human sciences, history of Iran, Islamic studies, world history, religion, Islamic philosophy, a large number of books on social sciences, political science, culture and art are also available for readers and scholars.

Film and Art Division: The film and art division consists of video and audio tapes of classical Persian music, art books, calligraphy models, attractive sceneries, handicrafts and various prominent Iranian films. In addition, film festivals and cultural exhibitions in various parts of Kenya are also organised by this Office.

Public Relations Department:The department arranges meetings with prominent personalities from the domain of Kenya art and culture. organises seminars, round table discussions and cultural programmes.

Information Centre: The centre provides necessary information about Iranian art, culture and all other facets of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Distribution Unit: This unit is responsible for providing Persian books, periodicals, magazines to the Persian loving people.

Persian Language Teaching Centre: This unit is responsible for organising Beginners, Intermidiate and advance level Persian courses for interested students. Besides, the unit has introduced Persian language teaching programme in Kenyan universities.

Scholarship for Kenyan StudentsWe offer scholarships to study in the Islamic Republic of Iran to pursue either Bachelors, Masters or PhD. Please visit www.irankenya.org for more information.

Translation Unit:The Cultural Council also does translation of books from

Persian to English.3IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 2019

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EDITORIAL TEAM

Executive DirectorMahmoud Majlesain

Deputy DirectorAthman Farsi

Editor/ResearchKhamis Mohamed

Graphic Editor/ProductionAthman Farsi

Online DistributionAthman Farsi

Cultural CouncilEmbassy of I.R.I

P.o. Box 59595-00200 Nairobi-Kenya

Tel: +254 713 836 041Email: [email protected]

www.nairobi.icro.irwww.irankenya.org

Mr. Mahmoud Majlesain

Editorial

Dear Readers, welcome to another edition of Iran Mirror digital

magazine. Your bimonthly magazine that features wide ranging topics on Iran.

This edition we feature, the birthday of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) as we all know Muslims all around the world celebrate Eid Milad-un- Nabi this month. Other than the birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) this holy month of Rabi ul Awal has significance as it is the Month of Unity.

The birth of the best of Allah’s creation and the last to be sent with the divine words for the guidance of humanity on a whole is, without doubt, a day to take as one of thanks and reverence to Allah (SWT).

In Kenya, Muslims make gatherings for the hearing of Sira (Life) of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and distribute food to people and bring happiness to the Ummah.

Dear reader, in the Month of Rabi ul Awaal, the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), initiated the Islamic Unity Week to bridge the short gap between these two dates (12-17 Rabiul Awwal) in order to foster solidarity among Muslims of all denominations.

As our Supreme leader Ayatullah Khamenei often

says, Muslims should try to get closer and closer to each other through mutual understanding, put differences aside and unite against the enemies of Islam.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, there is no difference between Sunnis and Shi’a Muslims, they peacefully live together. This should serve as a good example for other Muslim countries against sectarian discrimination and unnecessary hostility.

Dear esteem reader, with this winter like Nairobi weather, please grab your cup of coffee and read some other enlightening stories on myriad issues of Iran.

If you are a film aficionado, you have a chance to know more about the veteran Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi who has terrific talent for staging and shooting.

If you a chocolate lover, we have a story to satisfy your taste bud as Mignon confectionery has been working for about 90 years in the Iranian capital Tehran, selling some lip-smacking chocolates.

Happy Milad un Nabi and to our Christian Brothers and sisters, I wish you Merry Christmas and a happy new Year.

Enjoy your read.


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5IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 2019

The following is the full text of the speech delivered on November 15, 2019 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a

meeting with government officials of the Islamic Republic, the Ambassadors of Islamic countries, and participants of the 33rd Conference on Islamic Unity. The Meeting was held on the birthday anniversaries of the Holy Prophet of Islam and Imam Sadiq (greetings be upon them).

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the MercifulAll praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and

peace and greetings be upon our Master Muhammad, upon his pure household, upon his chosen companions and upon those who follow them until the Day of Judgment

I would like to congratulate you on the great birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (God’s greetings be upon him and his household) and Hazrat Imam Ja’far sadiq (God’s greetings be upon him). This anniversary is as great as the birthday anniversary of

ISLAMIC UNITY

Supreme Leader’s speech: 33rd International Conference on Islamic Unity

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The Holy existence of the Messenger of God is a source of light in the true sense of the word. An Arab poet says, Guidance was born and light has imbued all creatures.” This is really the truth of the matter. “And time is smiling and uttering words of praise.”

“ISLAMIC UNITY

the Holy Prophet. The value of this day and other such days should be appreciated. The Holy Prophet of Islam is the best and the highest human being created by God. The Holy Prophet is better, higher and greater than all prophets, all saints and all individuals in the world throughout history.

“He is superior to other prophets in terms of morality and nature

And he is peerless in terms of knowledge and generosity

And all of them beseech the Messenger of God

to grant them a drop from his infinite sea and a drip of his boundless and immeasurable rain.” [from a poem by Sharaf ul-Din Bosiri]

The Holy Existence of the Messenger of God is the summit of the world and the

best spot in the universe in the true sense of the world. The Holy Quran has referred to itself as light. one of the words that the Holy Quran uses to describe itself is light: “God has indeed sent upon you light and the Book.” [The Holy Quran: 5: 15] The Holy Quran is light. one of the esteemed wives of the Holy Prophet was asked to describe him and she said in response, “The Holy Quran is in his nature.” This means that he was the living Quran. so, he was light as well.

Light is a means of providing brightness and ensuring the life of humans. The Holy Prophet too is a means of providing brightness and ensuring the life of human societies. These are things that humanity will reach gradually. The holy existence of the Messenger of God is a source of light

From a poem

by Ahmad

Sho’qi


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SPIRITUAL GUIDANCEISLAMIC UNITY

in the true sense of the word. An Arab poet says, “Guidance was born and light has imbued all creatures.” This is really the truth of the matter. “And time is smiling and uttering words of praise.” [From a poem by Ahmad sho’qi] I hope that the world of Islam will be like this as well. I hope that the world of Islam smiles on the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet that it will not suffer from sorrow and grief. This is our dream.

I have written down two, three points to discuss with you. one is about unity Week. We in the Islamic Republic have named this week – starting from the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal and lasting until the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal - as unity Week. such naming is not just for the sake of it and it is not a political and tactical move either, rather such naming is based on belief and heart-felt faith. The Islamic Republic believes in the necessity of unity in the Islamic ummah in the true sense of the word. And there is a precedent for it. It is not particular to our time and to the Islamic Republic era. A great marja taqlid like the late Ayatollah Borujerdi – who was the marja taqlid of the entire world of shia during our youth – was a serious advocate of Islamic unity. He seriously advocated close relations

between Islamic denominations. He was in contact with the great personalities of the world of Islam and of sunni Islam and he would speak to them frequently. This is a heart-felt and deep belief. some people think or pretend that this is a political tactic, but this is not the case because it is based on heart-felt faith. We believe in this and we believe that Allah the Exalted has asked us to do this.

of course, there are different levels for unity. There are different levels for the unity of the world of Islam. The lowest level is that Islamic societies, Islamic countries, Islamic governments, Islamic ethnicities and Islamic denominations avoid transgressing against, confronting and harming one another. This is the first step. A higher level is that as well as refusing to harm one another, the world of Islam should join hands against a common enemy and that they should defend one another with true and sufficient unity. This is a higher step.

Yet, a higher level is that Islamic countries and nations should add to one another. Islamic countries are not the same in terms of science, wealth, security and political power and they can help and add to one another. Those who are on a higher level in every area should

There are

different levels

for the unity

of the world

of Islam. The

lowest level

is that Islamic

societies, Islamic

countries, Islamic

governments,

Islamic ethnicities

and Islamic

denominations

avoid

transgressing

against,

confronting and

harming one

another.

“

Imam Khamenei


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8 IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 20198 IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 2019

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ISLAMIC UNITY

A higher level is that

the entire world

of Islam becomes united in order to

achieve the new Islamic civilization.

This is something

that the Islamic

Republic has chosen as its

ultimate goal: achieving an Islamic civilization

“take the hands of those who are lower. This is another level of unity.

A higher level is that the entire world of Islam becomes united in order to achieve the new Islamic civilization. This is something that the Islamic Republic has chosen as its ultimate goal: achieving an Islamic civilization, one that is compatible with the requirements of the present era: a new Islamic civilization. These are the different levels of unity.

What was the lowest level? The lowest level was that Islamic countries should avoid confronting each other and stand together in the face of a common enemy. If we had just observed this point, we would not have faced so many calamities in the world of Islam today. The issue of Palestine is the gravest disaster for the world of Islam. This is because they threw a people out of their home and their country, replacing them with others who in turn dominated that land and pressured the owners. This is the condition of Gaza and such is the crimes that the Zionists commit there, as you can see. And the other side of Palestine – the West Bank – is in no better condition either.

If the world of Islam had committed itself to this lowest level of unity, these things would not have happened and the enemy would not have dared do such things. Notice what incidents and what bloody wars have been waged in

the world of Islam. We are faced with the issue of Yemen, of the western part of the region and of North Africa. All these have taken place because we have not paid attention to the lowest level of unity which Islam has required. This is a very heavy responsibility.

We are addressing these statements to broad-minded and outstanding personalities. Thankfully, the world of Islam benefits from outstanding individuals and from intellectuals. They should seriously follow these issues. Youth and Muslim peoples are interested in it, but there are seditious hands anyway which should be confronted. In the world of Islam, Muslims ranging from North Africa to East Asia and Myanmar are under pressure. Muslims in eastern and western parts of the world of Islam are under pressure.

As for the issue of Palestine, I wish to raise certain points. our position on the issue of Palestine is a logical position. It is a definite and logical position. Since before the victory of the Revolution – since the beginning of the revolutionary movement – our magnanimous Imam stressed the danger of Zionist influence, intervention and oppression. And we adopted this position since the beginning of the Revolution. The first thing that the Islamic Republic did was to capture the Zionist center in Tehran, which was in control of the previous regime, and to


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some people think it unlikely asking how Palestine can become independent after the passage of 70 years. However, in the Balkans and in other countries, they became independent after 60, 70 years during which time their country had been occupied by others...

“expel them from the country and then it gave the center to Palestinians. That was a true and symbolic course of action and we have been continuing this position until today. We supported Palestine, we helped the Palestinians and we will continue to do so. We have no considerations on this matter. The entire world of Islam should help Palestine.

In the statements of our late Imam (may God bestow paradise upon him) and those of the officials of the Islamic Republic, the eradication of the zionist government has been frequently repeated. However, the enemies distort this issue.The eradication of the Israeli government does not mean the eradication of the Jewish people, we have nothing to do with that. It means the eradication of that government and that imposed regime. The eradication of zionist regime means that it is the people of Palestine – the true owners of that land: whether Muslims, Christians or Jews in that land – who should elect the main elements of their government. It means that they should throw out foreigners, thugs and criminals and other individuals - who are real thugs - and they should run their own country. This is what the eradication of Israel means.

And this will happen. some people think it unlikely asking how Palestine can become independent after the passage of 70 years. However, in the Balkans and in other countries, they became independent after 60, 70 years during which time their country had been occupied by others. Their lands were given back to their people. so, this is not unlikely. “And this is not difficult for Allah the Mighty.” [The Holy Quran, 14: 20] This will happen.

We are the supporters of the Palestinians. We are advocates of the independence of Palestine. We are advocates of the salvation of Palestine and we are not anti-Jewish people. In our own country, there are many Jews who live in complete security. This was another point.

The next point is that we are after unity and we will work diligently to that end. We should know that this idea, this demand and this ideal has dangerous enemies. In the present time, these enemies are headed by the regime of the Western powers and the fake Zionist regime. They are the enemies of Islamic unity. The western powers are not only an enemy of the Islamic Republic. some people think that this confrontation is only between the Islamic Republic and the Western powers. of course, it is true

ISLAMIC UNITY


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...it is true that the Islamic

Republic receives

more enmity

because it is active, but they are the

enemies of the world

of Islam and Islamic

countries as well.

“that the Islamic Republic receives more enmity because it is active, but they are the enemies of the world of Islam and Islamic countries as well. They are the enemies of Palestine and West Asian and North African nations. They are the enemies of all Muslims.

The reason behind their enmity lies in the nature of Islam. The reason is that Islam rejects oppression, domination and arrogance. The system of domination – which is headed by the us in the present time: one day, it was headed by England and others, but today, it is headed by the us – is opposed to the logic, identity and definition of Islam. Of course, they show more hostility to the Islamic Republic, but they are opposed to the saudis as well. some individuals think that the Americans are the enemies of the Islamic Republic, but that they are friends with the saudis. No, this is not the case. They are their enemies as well.

When the us says that the saudis have nothing but money, is this not enmity? What does this statement mean? It means that they have money and that we should fleece them! Is there any worse kind of enmity towards a country and a nation? Well, they should understand this! Their personalities should understand such enmity. They should understand what the duty of an honorable person in the face

of this enmity is and they should know what Islamic dignity and Islamic and Arab zeal require in the face of such an insult. They should know what their duty is, but they do not know it. They show enmity to everyone.

us presence has brought about nothing but malevolence and corruption. As soon as they set foot in this region, they brought malice and corruption with them. In whichever area they set foot, they bring about insecurity, they wage domestic wars or they do things like creating DAEsH. We want the true face of the us to be seen. We want Muslim nations to know what the true colors of the us are and what stands behind their support for democracy, human rights and other such false and hypocritical statements. The people should understand this.

In my opinion, the main weapon of the us in the region – while we in the Islamic Republic are fully aware of this – is infiltration in sensitive and decision-making centers. its main weapon is creating discord, undermining the national determination of nations, creating a lack of trust among nations, and between nations and governments, influencing the calculations of decision-makers and pretending that the solution for problems is to stand under

ISLAMIC UNITY


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of course, standing firm involves certain diffi-culties and it is not an easy task, but surrender-ing involves more dif-ficulties. The difference between these two conducts is that on the path of resistance and stead-fastness, Allah the Exalted will reward you for whatever hardship that you endure...

“the flag of the US, to accept its words, to surrender to it and to do whatever it says. It wants to pretend that this is the solution for problems. They want to insert this notion in the mentality of the decision-makers in Islamic nations and Islamic countries. These are their weapons which are more dangerous than hard and military weapons.

What we really see in their measures is what the Holy Quran has specified: “How can there be such a league, seeing that if they get an advantage over you, they respect not in you the ties either of kinship or of covenant? With fair words from their mouths they entice you, but their hearts are averse from you.” [The Holy Quran, 9: 8] They are like this and this is how Allah the Exalted has described them.

The next point is that there is only one cure for such enmity and that is, “Therefore, stand firm as you are commanded.” Allah the Exalted said to His Messenger in the face of problems, “Therefore stand firm as you are commanded - you and those who with you turn unto God.” [The Holy Quran, 11: 112] The solution is resistance and standing firm.

Of course, standing firm involves certain difficulties and it is not an easy task, but

surrendering involves more difficulties. The difference between these two conducts is that on the path of resistance and steadfastness, Allah the Exalted will reward you for whatever hardship that you endure: “Because nothing could they suffer or do, but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness - whether they suffered thirst or fatigue or hunger, in the cause of God, or treaded paths to raise the ire of the unbelievers, or received any injury whatever from an enemy.” [The Holy Quran, 9: 120] Every hardship that you endure is considered as a good deed, but if you give in to the enemy, not only will your sufferings not be rewarded by Allah the Exalted in any way, but you will also be punished for giving in to oppression. This is the command of the Holy Quran: do not oppress and do not surrender to oppression either.

The last point is about deeds of righteousness: “But was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness.” I will tell you that in today’s world, every move, every course of action and every statement in the direction of the political independence of countries, of the cultural independence of countries and nations, of independence and growth in the area of

ISLAMIC UNITY


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It is the practice of those who preach the Messages

of God and fear Him and fear none but

God. And enough

is God to call men to

account.

Holy Quran: 33:39

“economy, of unity, of the power of the Islamic ummah, of promoting science in the world of Islam and of helping youth achieve growth in the world of Islam – every move in this direction – is a deed of righteousness.

If you are working in the area of science, research and nuclear energy, this is a deed of righteousness. Nations need nuclear energy. In the future, all nations will be needing peaceful nuclear energy. However, western monopolists want to have it at their own disposal, giving it to them drop by drop in return for their dignity and independence. This is why they confront the nuclear movement of the Islamic Republic. otherwise, they themselves know that we are not after nuclear weapons because of our principles and religious beliefs and that we are opposed to it. They do not want this science, industry and capability to exist. They have the same outlook towards us and towards others. They say that we should buy it from them and that we should avoid enrichment on our own.

so, every move on the path of achieving this power is a deed of righteousness. Every important economic activity in this regard is a deed of righteousness. Every move in

the direction of helping the people, underprivileged classes and the poor is a deed of righteousness. Every move in the direction of promoting the truth and confronting falsehoods is a deed of righteousness.

You intellectuals and ulama of the world of Islam who are thankfully present here – you are the guests of unity Week and many of you are here from throughout the world of Islam, among whom there are intellectuals and ulama – should know that there is a vast arena ahead of you for deeds of righteousness. Notice how many good deeds you can do! You should write, using your pencils to defend the truth. You should step forward and not fear the enemy: “It is the practice of those who preach the Messages of God and fear Him and fear none but God. And enough is God to call men to account.” [The Holy Quran, 33: 39]

God will calculate your measures and He will duly reward you. I will tell you that by Allah’s favor and grace, the world of Islam will one day – which is not too distant – see the realization of these dreams in their entirety.

Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings

ISLAMIC UNITY


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SPIRITUAL GUIDANCEWhy Muslims Celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabbi (s.a.w.a)

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The birth of the best

of Allah’s creation

and the last to be sent

with the divine words

for the guidance

of humanity on a whole is, without doubt, a

day to take as one of

thanks and reverence to Allah (sWT).

“MILAD-UN-NABI

“It is He who sent, from amongst the illiterate ones, a Messenger, whose task it is to recite His verses, and to purify the people and to teach them The Book (the Quran) and The Wisdom (the sunnah) as before this, the people were in manifest error.” [Holy Quran: 62:2]

The birth of the best of Allah’s creation and the last to be sent with the divine words for the guidance of humanity on a whole is, without doubt, a day to take as one of thanks and reverence to Allah (sWT).

unlike the ways followers of other

faiths commemorate the births of their guiding prophet, the Muslim ‘celebration’ of Id Milad-un-Nabi (s.a.w.a) is one in which we sit to discuss the bounty and favour which Allah has blessed us with by guiding us to the path of Islam and the teachings of the final Messenger of Allah.

Rather than indulging in liquor like by the followers of other religions, we Muslims indulge in Fikr (thought) and Dhikr (remembrance) and what it means to be a follower of al-Mustafa.

Born in the blessed city of Makkah,

Why Muslims Celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabbi (s.a.w.a)

Lamu Maulid Festival

Lamu Maulid Festival


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MILAD-UN-NABI

the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a) was an orphan coming into this world as his young father, Abdullah ibne Abdul Muttalib, left this world shortly before the birth of his son. Thus, the young Muhammad was raised by his mother, Aminah, and the help of the extended family, including Abu Talib, his uncle and faithful believer.

His upbringing, during the first few years of life, was at the hands of his wet-nurse, Halimah as-sa’diah, in the outskirts of Makkah – and this was for many reasons. Most historians note that the air and water were much cleaner outside of the ‘big city,’ giving the young Muhammad (s.a.w.a) a chance to spend his first few years of life in a tranquil and clean climate.

However, as we know, the birth of this great and final Prophet (s.a.w.a) had been foretold in the previous scriptures and some people, in their desire to extinguish the flame of Nubuwwat from the progeny of Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him), had hatched devilish plots to kill the young boy before he could begin propagating the message.

It is for this reason that many contemporary historians note that just as Allah protected Prophet Musa by sending him away from his family, so too did Allah protect Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a) by

sending him away to be taken care of, far from the reach of those who wished ill for him.

His progress in life, including his marriage to Lady Khadijah and the birth of their daughter Fatimah az-Zahra (peace be upon her) culminated at the age of 40 when the Angel of the Revelation came to him in the cave of Hira on the Mountain of Light and ordered him to ‘Recite! In the name of your Lord who created …’ From that point on, history, as we know, would change and the man who was born an orphan was raised to the status of the final messenger of Allah.

In closing, as we seek to emulate Muhammad al-Mustafa (s.a.w.a), we quote one tradition, which gives us better insight into the morals of this great man. In a long hadith it is mentioned that, “And he (peace be upon him and his family) was the most generous of all men. Neither a dinar nor a dirham was left with him in the evening.

If night fell and he had something extra and did not find anyone to give it to, he did not return to his home until he was able to give it to the one who needed it. He did not take from what was given to him by Allah except his annual provisions, from the dates and barley that were easiest for him to get, and he gave the rest in the way of Allah. He

many con-temporary historians note that just as Allah protected Prophet Musa by sending him away from his family, so too did Allah protect Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a) by sending him away to be taken care of, far from the reach of those who wished ill for him.

“Lamu Maulid Festival


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was not asked for a thing but that he gave it. Then (after giving away the excess) he returned to his annual provisions and preferred to give from it. Even when it was possible that he would require it before the end of the year if nothing (else) was to come to him … he would enforce the truth, even if it meant a loss for himself or his companions … he would walk alone among his enemies, without a bodyguard … he was not moved by any of the worldly affairs … he sat with the poor and ate with them, and he honored the people of virtue for their good character, and he won the hearts of the noble ones by respecting them. He kept close ties with his near relatives without preferring them to the one who is better than they (in virtue) are. He did not oppress anyone and accepted the excuse of the one who asked for pardon … and he had a male and female slave but never ate better food or wore better clothes than them. Not a moment of his time was passed without doing an action for Allah, or (doing) that which was necessary for the soundness of his soul. He would go to the gardens of his companions. He never looked down on a poor man due to his poverty or misfortune, nor did he fear a king because of his power; (rather) he would urge them equally to Allah.”

MILAD-UN-NABI

The celebration of 100 years Anniversary of Malindi Milad-un-Nabbi.


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Press TV anchor Marzieh Hashemi says the number of Islamic unity conferences held by the Islamic Republic of Iran demonstrates that Iran has been

stressing the importance of unity from the very beginning.“We have enemies who are trying to say that Iran is

a divisive entity, but the facts speak way beyond that and what Iran is doing,” she told the Tehran Times on the sidelines of the International Islamic unity Conference in Tehran on 14 November 2019.

Ms. Hashemi, who converted to Islam in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution, also said the most important way to overcome Islamophobia in Western countries is through person-to-person contact between Muslims and non-Muslims.

The transcript of the interview is presented below:Q: What’s the significance of the International Islamic Unity Conference and how can this event promote

unity between Sunni and Shia Muslims?

A: I think the International Islamic Unity Conference is very important and of course we’ve been seeing it take place for years now. It is important that we continue to stress that sense of commonness between the Sunnis and the Shias and that Islam is what’s important. We have to make sure that we’re strong and that we’re united and that we stand together, especially during these times that the enemies are trying to divide us. If we stand together, with the population that we have in our Islamic Ummah, victory is promised to us and there’s no way that we can be defeated. The defeat will only come if we allow others to divide us. Whether it’s dealing with ethnicities or nationalities, we know that as Muslims we must be above that and that Islam is our priority. Inshallah we will be able to be even more united and Inshallah we will have

The Islamic Republic has been promoting unity for forty years: Marzieh Hashemi

Marzieh Hashemi (Press TV News Anchor)

PROMOTION OF UNITY

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the ultimate victory. Q: Some countries say Iran is a divisive entity that divides Muslims by following sectarian policies. What’s your thought?

A: What we have seen in the forty-year history of the Islamic Republic, from the Islamic Revolution on, is the opposite of that. We have seen policies coming out of Iran that definitely encourage unity. If we go back to the time of Imam Khomeini at the beginning of the Revolution and what happened right after that, we see that actually the Israeli embassy under the time of the Shah was given to the Palestinians after the Revolution. We know that the Palestinians are not Shia, so it is not about Shia or Sunni, it is about what is right as well as fighting against oppression. And I think the Islamic Republic has proven itself time and time again that it is definitely not trying to divide the Ummah, but it is bringing it together. We have enemies who are trying to say that Iran is a divisive entity, but the facts speak way beyond that and what Iran is doing, for example this conference right now. If Iran was promoting division, then why would it continue to encourage unity? And I believe this is the 33rd conference, so it’s not new. This demonstrates that from the very beginning, Iran has been stressing the importance of unity. Again, it’s with unity that we will have the ultimate victory.

Q: Isalmophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry are currently very prevalent in Western societies. How can such conferences help resolve those issues and promote more nuanced views of Islam and Muslims?

A: I think by bringing Muslims together from all over the world, we realize we’re not alone and we are a very very large community. When we’re dealing with these countries – these Western countries – it is important to note how we carry ourselves as Muslims. We have to have that Akhlagh (ethics), that personality that we learned from Rasoul Allah Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), and I think that attracts people. With people in the West, of course, the goal of the hegemonic powers is to try to portray Islam in a negative way. But interestingly, what’s happening in so many places is that people who have relationships with Muslims – whether as neighbors or colleagues – see that the reality is something else. They see that Muslims are not what they’re portrayed to be. So, I think it’s this person-to-person contact that is actually changing that perception, and we as Muslims are changing it. For example, in the United States and in other places, at the end of the day we’ve had more and more people convert to Islam, in spite of the peak of Islamophobia that followed 9/11.

PROMOTION OF UNITY


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undoubtedly,

Muslims’

respect for

Jesus Christ

is no less

than that

of faithful

Christians for

him.

AyatullahKhamenei

“CHRISTIANITY IN ISLAM

I sincerely congratulate all Christians and Muslims, around the globe, on the birth anniversary of the Messiah, [Jesus (as)]

the great divine prophet of all believers.Religious minorities supporting The

Islamic Republic, a source of honor for itThankfully, the followers of many

different faiths live together peacefully in the Islamic Republic. Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians live alongside Muslims in the Islamic Republic. They cooperate with the Islamic Republic and play a role in the country. of course they shoulder certain duties. The Islamic Republic also shoulders certain duties towards them as Iranian citizens which it fulfills. The Islamic Republic has no complaints against its citizens who are among the religious minorities of the country. When the enemies launch propaganda against the Islamic Republic in a sly manner, Jewish citizens publish

statements. In other cases, Armenians or other religious minorities issued statements and expressed their support for the Islamic Republic. This is a source of honor for the Islamic Republic.

Muslims’ respect for Jesus Christ no less than that of Christians

undoubtedly, Muslims’ respect for Jesus Christ is no less than that of faithful Christians for him. This great divine prophet always made efforts during his lifetime to fight oppression, transgression, corruption, and those who tried to dominate nations by relying on their wealth and power and caused them to suffer both in this world and the hereafter. The sufferings which this great prophet endured since his childhood – God appointed him to his prophetic mission during his childhood – were all aimed at achieving these goals…..Today many of those who claim to follow the

Ayatullah Khamenei’s opinion on Christianity

Ayatollah Khamenei visited a Christian martyr's family ahead of the New Year.


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CHRISTIANITY IN ISLAM

“teachings of Jesus Christ are treading a path other than the one set by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ led humans to worshiping God and opposing pharaohs and transgression. Today there are people who claim to be the followers of that great prophet but have taken the place of the pharaohs and Taghuts whom Jesus Christ used to oppose during his time.

Jesus Christ called on people to follow the path of God and Prosperity.

Jesus Christ called on people to follow the path of God which is the path of prosperity for human beings. And he warned people against pursuing carnal desires and undermining their spiritual purity through engaging in evil deeds and oppressing others. The corrupt and bullying powers that are dependent on wealth and power persecuted that divine prophet and leveled insults against him. They even tried to take his life. And when God saved the life of Jesus Christ, these powers inflicted several years of horrible torture on the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. They were trying to put an end to the teachings of Jesus Christ which were against corruption, oppression, polytheism, causing war, deceiving people, and pursuing carnal desires. Those corrupt and oppressive powers who pursued carnal

desires, caused wars against people, and deceived them could not tolerate the existence of divine faiths and prophets and those who followed the path of God. Today, too, those kinds of powers would not tolerate the servants of God and the followers of the divine religions or truth seekers. Following Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) requires supporting the truth and abhorring the powers against the truth; hopefully Christians and Muslims anywhere in the world, will keep alive in their life and deeds this great lesson taught by Jesus Christ.

If Jesus Christ were among us todayIf Christ were among us today, he would

not spare even a single moment to fight the leaders of despotism and global arrogance; nor would he tolerate hunger and wandering of millions of people, degenerated by the hegemonic and colonialist powers into war, corruption, and violence. Jesus Christ, who is the manifestation of divine attributes, raised the flag of guiding and saving humans at a time when ignorance, injustice, and inattention to human values were prevalent. He stood up to oppressing powers – which were dependent on their wealth and power – and he promoted

Armenian-catholic-church-in-tehran

Jesus Christ called on people to follow the

path of God which is

the path of prosperity for human

beings. And he warned

people against

pursuing carnal

desires and undermining

their spiritual purity through

engaging in evil

deeds and oppressing

others.


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Jesus Christ was equipped with the power of performing miracles and carried a divine message for humanity which saved them from the darkness of polytheism, atheism, ignorance, and oppression and guided them towards justice, knowledge, and worshiping

“CHRISTIANITY IN ISLAM

justice, mercy, and monotheism. Today those who believe in that great prophet – Muslims and Christians – should follow the teachings and the path of divine prophets and try to promote human virtues on the basis of the teachings of these prophets.

Jesus never hesitated to fight evil and call people to piety

Jesus Christ was equipped with the power of performing miracles and carried a divine message for humanity which saved them from the darkness of polytheism, atheism, ignorance, and oppression and guided them towards justice, knowledge, and worshiping God. He never hesitated to fight evil and call people to piety throughout his life. And this is the lesson which all Christians and Muslims who believe in the prophethood of Jesus Christ should learn. Today humanity is in need of these teachings more than ever before. And Islam which is a complement to real Christianity has put calling humanity to piety and moral perfection high on its priority list. Making use of the great powers of nature through their God-given knowledge, misguided humans tend to tread a different path, and this makes the duty of the followers of divine faiths even heavier. The domineering powers

and governments of the world have made life difficult for nations and individuals and do not refrain from inflicting any type of oppression on them. They do these things in the name of Christianity. These powers are in fact totally unaware of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Humanity is in need of Jesus Christ’s teachings against oppression: Ayatollah

KhameneiJesus Christ was equipped with the

power of performing miracles and carried a divine message for humanity which saved them from the darkness of polytheism, atheism, ignorance, and oppression and guided them towards justice, knowledge, and worshiping God. And this is the lesson which all Christians and Muslims who believe in the prophethood of Jesus Christ should learn. Today humanity is in need of these teachings more than ever before.

St Sarkis Cathedral Tehran

The Prophet (s.a.w.a) said, “The just and humble ruler is Allah’s shade and His Lance on this

earth” [Kanz al-ummal, No. 14589]


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I love the decora-

tions, the tree. We see it as showing

a kind of respect

for other beliefs. And of

course I like all the chocolates!

“CHRISTMAS IN IRAN

Tehran might not seem like the most obvious pit stop for santa Claus, but Iranians love the chintzy side of

Christmas and it is also one of the safest places in the Middle East for Christians.

The past month has seen shoppers flocking to the Armenian district of somayeh — the biggest Christian area in the city — to pick up fake trees, and stock up on baubles, reindeer toys and plastic

snowmen.“It’s really interesting and attractive

for us,” said Niloufar, a Muslim women in her thirties who was out shopping with her husband on Christmas Eve.

“I love the decorations, the tree. We see it as showing a kind of respect for other beliefs. And of course I like all the chocolates!”

Shoppers line up for selfies with one of


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Christians are officially recog-nised and protected along with Jews and Zoroas-trians in Iran!

“several santas stationed outside stores on the main drag.

one Father Christmas, full of the festive spirit, breaks into an impromptu dance to a popular Iranian pop song playing outside a food stall.

Hamed Davoodian owns a grocery store on the street, and says the community never faces any trouble from the authorities.

“Why should we? (Armenians) have been here for 400 years. They are great to us,” he said, adding proudly that Christians fought alongside their fellow Iranians during the brutal war with Iraq in the 1980s.

“There were 30 to 35 martyrs from our neighbourhood,” he said.

Thousands of Christians have emigrated to the united states and elsewhere, leaving only 120,000 Christians according to the last official count.

Most are Armenian — who are orthodox Christian — along with a few thousand Assyrian Catholics.

Christians are officially recognised and protected along with Jews and Zoroastriansin Iran!

There are limitations. Converting Muslims is illegal, which leads authorities

to crack down on Persian-language Bibles. services must be carried out in the original language of the ethnic group.

But there are none of those concerns at st Joseph’s Catholic Church in downtown Tehran on Christmas Eve, where it is standing-room only for the midnight mass, delivered in the Assyrian language.

Archbishop Ramzi Garmou tells AFP that Christianity in the region dates back to the second century when st Thomas passed through on his way to India.

Having once numbered in the tens of millions, the Christian community is now tiny, and Garmou says he normally sees only a few dozen for sunday mass — not least because it’s a working day in Iran and traffic is horrendous.

“But I’ve always said that the strength of the church is not in the number of its followers but the faith they show in their daily lives,” he said.

And he is grateful that Iran is such an oasis of peace in a region beset by war, and in which Christians face mounting persecution.

“Thanks to God, we really live in peace and security, but our neighbours live in anguish and violence. We pray for them

Christmas in Iran: How Iran Celebrate-Christmas

CHRISTMAS IN IRAN


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CHRISTMAS IN IRAN

Christians in Church in the Islamic Republic of Iran

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People pledge (make a spiritual vow) to do acts of goodness, like feed the poor, visit holy shrines and give alms if their prayers and wishes come true

“CHRISTMAS IN IRAN

tonight,” he said.

CHRISTMAS CULTURE AND TRADITIONS IN IRAN

Christmas trees decorated with red, green and gold gift boxes placed behind shop windows or at the entrances of different shopping malls and hotels can be seen, especially in the Christian neighborhoods of Tehran.

During Christmas in Iran decorated trees, along with Nativity scenes of the Virgin Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, can also be seen in shops along Mirza shirazi Avenue and ostaad Nejatollahi (Villa Avenue) and its surrounding neighborhoods in central Tehran, where many Iranian Christians reside.

ARMENIAN-IRANIANS AND CHRISTMAS IN IRAN

some Iranian Christians celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25 and New Years’ on Jan. 1, while Armenians celebrate Christmas at the same time as the Epiphany on Jan. 6.

CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORHOODS OF TEHRAN

The festive mood, however, is not just limited to the Christian neighborhoods of

Tehran, as some shops, especially those in the northern parts of the city, dedicate at least some section of their shop windows to decorations such as candy canes, snow globes and Santa Claus figures.

In recent years, During christmas in Iran municipal authorities have also put up banners celebrating the birth of Jesus on many main streets and at the st. sarkis Armenian Church on Villa Avenue, where a service is held every year.

unlike other countries in the region where public celebration of Christmas is limited to hotels frequented by foreigners, there is no such restriction in Tehran during Christmas in Iran. The sale of Christmas ornaments, which during the first years of the Islamic Revolution was limited to Christian districts, can now be seen around town.

When the cheerful spirit of the season comes around, it hits every soul despite their beliefs or religions. In fact, Christmas decorations take place throughout the country, specifically in major cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, shiraz, Tabriz and even religious cities such as Mashhad.

Decorated Christmas trees, santa Claus, and gifts are all over the stores which are very popular among the young generation of Iranian Muslims as well.


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CHRISTMAS IN IRAN

The minority religions in Iran, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians are officially recognized and are represented in parliament and can enjoy the freedom of practicing their religion and perform their religious rituals.

Jesus Christ is recognized as one of the holy messengers by Muslims and the day of his birth is acknowledged by Iranian authorities and they send out messages on this occasion to Christians in Iran and all over the world.

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Green schools (eco-schools)in IranIran’s first school, built based on environment protection

standards, was inaugurated in Tehran, Ali shahri, director general of the organization for renovation,

development and equipment of Tehran schools, said on Tuesday.

Green schools, also known as eco-schools, bring a range of benefits, including waste management, waste reduction, biodiversity, energy, water, transport, health, global sustainability, healthy nutrition, citizenship and climate change. Countries considering their own socioeconomic and cultural characteristics must be able to adapt these criteria into their own particular circumstances.

The school, measuring 7,000 square meters, is located in district 5, and was constructed by the organization for renovation, development and equipment of schools, he said, IsNA reported.

Adopting schools with environment protection standards and criteria is one of the organization’s main policies, which is done in cooperation with shiraz university that draws up the green school criteria, he noted.

Collecting or directing rainwater to reuse for green

space irrigation, equipping the schools with heating facilities using environmentally friendly energy, and installing energy-saving cooling systems are among the measures have been carried out in the green school, he explained.

He went on to add that all the windows and doors are designed in a way to prevent energy waste, and the school is covered with vegetation and green spaces.

Current environmental problems are rooted in the lack of proper awareness and cultural weakness regarding the relationship between man and nature. under such circumstances, environmental issues have only belatedly been recognized in school activities worldwide and led to the initiation of green schools. Effective school programs should not only help students to progress the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for responsible environmental behavior, but also have the potential to spread awareness of the concept.

Three provinces across the country will soon have green schools

Three provinces across the country will soon have green schools, Darioush Varnaseri, deputy director of the organization for school renovation, development

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International recognition for Tehran’s Eco-schools

IRAN ECO SCHOOLS


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IRAN ECO SCHOOLS

and equipment, has stated.Green schools, also known as eco-schools, bring a

range of benefits, including waste management, waste reduction, biodiversity, energy, water, transport, health, global sustainability, healthy nutrition, citizenship and climate change. Countries considering their own socioeconomic and cultural characteristics must be able to adapt these criteria into their own particular circumstances.

“Green schools will be built in three provinces of Tehran, Qazvin, and sistan-Baluchestan,” Varnaseri said, IsNA reported on sunday.

Green school criteria are being developed within the next month, which consider socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the regions to adapt these criteria into their own particular circumstances, he explained.

Last year, special working groups were formed to address green school criteria and piloted some plans in this regard, he added.

Three issues of green schools, education, and research have been put into action so far, he noted, adding that the issues are being conducted in seven provinces of Tehran, Zanjan, Qazvin, sistan-Baluchestan, Khuzestan, Fars, and West Azarbaijan.

He went on to highlight that education is a priority in order to ultimately be able to operate green schools in all provinces; at the same time, the green schools are being

constructed in Tehran, as well as in sistan-Baluchestan and Qazvin.

Varnaseri stated that the newly constructed schools should initially implement green school scheme which is being prepared and finalized by the next month. “under-construction schools or existing schools also must employ green school criteria, which we are looking for a way to do.”

He expressed hope that other provinces would quickly join the plan, adding, all 31 provinces should adopt the green school standards whether in one or all three aspects.

Referring to green management as a new method, he noted that it must have difficulties or barriers on its way, “but we will try hard to solve the problems and implement it properly.”

To do this, many training course are being held by the organization for school renovation, development and equipment, in addition to organizing national green management conference to be held by the end of this year (March 2020).

How can green management benefit us?Green Management is an initiative aiming at

continuously improving the foundation of environmental management, such as the development of personnel responsible for environmental activities, environmental

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Effective school

programs should not only help

students to progress the knowledge,

attitudes and skills

necessary for

responsible environmen-tal behavior,

but also have the potential

to spread awareness

of the concept.

“IRAN ECO SCHOOLS

management systems, and environmental communication as well as conservation of biodiversity.

As long as current environmental problems are rooted in the lack of proper awareness and cultural weakness regarding the relationship between man and nature. under such circumstances, environmental issues have only belatedly been recognized in school activities worldwide which can be effective in the forming people’s approach toward environment from their childhood.

Effective school programs should not only help students to progress the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for responsible environmental behavior, but also have the potential to spread awareness of the concept.

Green standards to be set for retrofitting schools

Green standards for retrofitting schools in line with environmental sustainability are being developed in an initiative between the organization for renovation, development and equipment of schools and shiraz university, the organization’s deputy director has said.

Environmental responsibility in school has

led to the emergence of a variety of criteria to administer green schools’ contributions to sustainability. Green school criteria being initiated worldwide, consists of waste management, waste reduction, biodiversity, energy, water, transport, health, global sustainability, healthy nutrition, citizenship and climate change. Countries considering their own socioeconomic and cultural characteristics must be able to adapt these criteria into their own particular circumstances.

Adopting schools with green standards and criteria is one of the organization’s main policies, Fars quoted Emad Makhdoumi as saying on Tuesday.

“Training courses are being held for the experts and architects to promote their knowledge of green management policy and implement the green standards to the schools nationwide,” he added.

He went on to note that the organization for renovation, development and equipment of schools and shiraz university have signed a memorandum of understanding to draw up green school criteria, which will include climate change.


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Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs has highlighted legal made in Iran to improve the status’ of women in the country

after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.Masoumeh Ebtekar added that the Iranian

women’s growth model can be used by other women in dealing with problems.

The victory outlined the status of women following the Beijing Declaration, especially in Asia during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference held on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in Thailand.

“since attending the Third World Conference on Women in Nairobi in 1985 and ten years later in Beijing, we have witnessed the development of the status of women in the world and in Asia in the past 34 years,” she reiterated, saying “this was achieved by women themselves, civil society and governments. I particularly talk about the advancement of women in Asia, including in my country, Iran.”

At the same time, armed and internal conflicts and foreign interventions have significantly damaged the most deprived communities, and the suburban life has changed the face of Asia, maintained Ebtekar.

“Climate change and environmental degradation have also had a negative impact on the region’s natural assets.”

If democratic processes and economic growth, especially in West Asia, are achieved, we can tackle insecurity, unilateralism, war and terrorism, she said.

“To this end, we need to work together to stop negative trends.”

Referring to the efforts made to improve the status of women and girls after the Islamic Revolution in Iran, she said, “In the past four decades, women have witnessed climaxes in their quest for progress in their lives. However, like other societies, they may face problems that we strive to resolve realistically.”

The Vice President for Women and Family

Iranian Women’s growth can be model for all: VP

H.E Dr. Masoumeh Ebtekar , Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs

WOMEN IN IRAN

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The Vice President

noted that legal reforms

to improve the status of

women in the country after

the Islamic Revolution, has always

been considered.

For example, in the last

two years, six bills

have been drafted and

submitted to the

government

“Affairs, citing statistics, invited the audience to visit the English version of the Vice Presidency’s website adding that a report on the situation of Iranian women under the title of “40×40” has been prepared.

“It represents an objective picture and can be a tool for planners and decision-makers to solve problems.”

For example, the literacy rate of women has increased from 34% in 1976 to 89% in 2019, while about 38% of Iranian girls have been deprived of attending schools in 1976, the number is 3% at the moment, she continued.

“There has also been a trend in women’s educational attainment, which in recent years has shown a 60-to-40 increase in the ratio of girls and boys entrance to universities. Needless to say, Iran has hosted nearly three million refugees over the past four decades providing

good-quality services at a time when the country has been subjected to cruel sanctions by the international community.”

The Vice President noted that legal reforms to improve the status of women in the country after the Islamic Revolution, has always been considered. “For example, in the last two years, six bills have been drafted and submitted to the government.”

These include granting citizenship rights to offspring of Iranian mothers married to foreign men that have been approved and is in effect.

“The Bill on the safety of Women against Violence has also been seriously pursued and is now in its final stages, with the establishment of an easy-to-dial-up social emergency centre in the country for everyone to intervene in family conflicts,” stated Ebtekar.

Dr. Masoumeh Ebtekar during remarks at an sPF seminar on women’s empowerment in Iran and Japan

WOMEN IN IRAN


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It’s been a few months that an Iranian woman named Parvaneh sohrabi has been appointed as the first female airport manager in Iran

and in the Middle East.Before being appointed as the Abadan

Airport Manager, sohrabi was an employee full of hopes and motivations, and of course, a passion for proving women’s competencies in their careers.

She is now not only the first female airport manager in Iran, but as she herself puts it, the first female executive in the Mideast.

Here are excerpts of sohrabi’s remarks in a recent interview with shahrvand newspaper:

I started my job at the airport in 2004. I had different responsibilities. For example, I was data manager for a while and also in charge

of IT and education centre. I was the head of the General Department for six years and then became the Deputy Director General of the Ahwaz Airport.

From my early days in this job, I found out that the chart is completely patriarchal. In the organisation, all managers were men, and we had no such thing as female executives. It became a question to me why women were not in managerial positions. That motivated me to move purposefully. I continued my education and at the same time did my duties. I really wanted to take up the post someday. I wanted to prove that women can work hard. I progressed step by step. During my time as a deputy, I slept about 3 to 4 hours a day, while the chores were also part of my personal life. As

Iran’s First Woman Airport Chief talks of her job

Parvaneh Sohrabi, Abadan Airport Manager

WOMEN IN AVIATION

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Iran’s First Woman Airport Chief talks of her job

much as I could, I tried to accomplish the mission of women.

of course there were many obstacles. Many gentlemen still believe that women should not be appointed as airport managers, because they are not capable of managing the crisis. I think it’s still too early to respond to those who are opposed to women’s managerial posts. Time will tell everything. However, I hope we will never see a crisis in the country.

since my appointment to this post, people’s feedback has been great. After I was selected as the manager of Abadan Airport, the men of Khuzestan Arab tribes came to the airport to congratulate me. It was really interesting to me. It’s been two months and people are still coming to see me and congratulate me.

of course my work is very sensitive and full of crises, and some believe that women are not suitable for crisis management but it is not true. For example, a few days ago, there was an accident where we had to transport 70 injured people from Abadan Airport to

shiraz Airport. I was on the runway for eight hours to get all the injured and their companions on board. The situation was very terrible, but I didn’t even let one of their companions get stranded. up until the last moment when the plane was ready to fly I was with the injured and tried to calm them down. This is not the job of the airport manager, but every manager has his or her own approach, and ultimately the type of management and capabilities are important.

I think you have to have emotional intelligence and you can’t be an ordinary person. You have to be ready to take risks as well; something which is partly intrinsic. I love risk taking and excitement. so I went after it and gave it a try.

The airport is not an ordinary place and in such circumstances my appointment was a risk. so this is a remarkable event in Iran and the Middle East. so far, we haven’t had a female manager in any airport in the Middle East. I believe in trusting the youths. My plan for the future is to educate young executives and support them.

It’s been a few

months that an Iranian woman named

Parvaneh sohrabi

has been appointed as the first

female airport

manager in Iran

and in the Middle

East.

“WOMEN IN AVIATION


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“National Iranian oil Company three years to discover the giant oil field located in the oil-rich Khuzestan province.

OIL INDUSTRY

A new oilfield with over 50 billion barrels of crude oil has been discovered in the south of Iran. The

site could become the country’s second largest oilfield and significantly increase Iran’s proven deposits.

“I inform the White House that, in the days that you have imposed sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, workers and engineers of the country have discovered 53 billion barrels of in-place oil reserves,” President Hassan Rouhani announced on sunday, as cited by Fars news agency.

He said that it took the National Iranian oil Company three years to discover the giant oil field located in the oil-rich Khuzestan province. The field stretches from Bostan to omidiyeh and covers an area of 24,000 square km (9266 square miles).

The Islamic Republic’s proven crude reserves stood at 155.6 billion barrels in 2018, and the newly discovered site would boost that figure by a third.

Iran holds some of the world’s largest deposits of proved oil and natural gas reserves, ranking as the world’s fourth-largest and second-largest reserve holder of oil and natural gas, respectively. The country’s largest oil field in Ahvaz, located in the same region as the newly-discovered one, is considered one of the three largest oil fields in the world in terms of production and has initial oil deposits of over 65 billion barrels.

President Hassan Rouhani says Iran has discovered a new oil field containing 53 billion barrels of crude in southwestern Khuzestan Province.

Rouhani told a large crowd of people

Iran discovers massive oilfield that can boost its national reserves by third


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It is a large oil field that

extends from Bostan to

the vicinity of omidiyeh

spanning an area

of 2,400 square

kilometers with a depth of 80 meters

in the central city of Yazd on sunday that the discovery was made despite us hostilities which have mainly targeted Iran’s oil sector.

“It is a large oil field that extends from Bostan to the vicinity of omidiyeh spanning an area of 2,400 square kilometers with a depth of 80 meters,” he said.

“Today we are announcing to the us that we are a rich country and despite your enmity and tyrannical sanctions, the Iranian oil industry’s workers and engineers have succeeded to discover this vast oil field,” Rouhani added.

The us has unleashed the “toughest ever” sanctions against Tehran since unilaterally withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA).

Rouhani said, “The first thing I would like to emphasize here is that we have withstood the pressure exerted by foreigners over the past year, during which our people had to go through difficult times.”

It’s been one year-and-a-half since President Donald Trump pulled the united states out of the nuclear deal with Iran and embarked on a policy of “maximum

pressure.”Trump has been piling sanctions and

heating up the rhetoric against Tehran, saying he aims to negotiate a better agreement with Iran and his policy will bring the Iranians to the table for that new deal.

However, the maximum pressure policy has not succeeded in bringing Iran to the negotiating table or curbing its regional activities across the Middle East as sought by Washington.

“In fact maximum pressure seems to have backfired and pushed Iran across the edge,” British daily The Independent wrote on saturday.

According to the paper, “economically, Iran has been able to draw on some of its financial reserves to cushion off the impact of American sanctions.”

Politically, Iran has been able to utilize the theme of nationalism and historic grievances about big power bullying and fend off any unrest, it said.

on sunday, President Rouhani called on Iranians not to let “America’s wishes rise from the larynx of a few people, even though they are very limited in number.”

He said the Iranian people’s “resilience

OIL INDUSTRY

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The new find would add around 34 percent to Iran’s current proven reserves, estimated by the oil & Gas Journal at 158 billion barrels of crude oil and representing almost 10 percent of the

“OIL INDUSTRY

and unity and their ceaseless efforts have brought us to the point where the united states, in my opinion, has become disappointed.”

From an international perspective, The Independent says, the world is more sympathetic to Iran’s position in the nuclear dispute than the united states, because Iran stayed strictly committed to the nuclear deal for one year, after the us left the deal and violated its terms.

“There is also not much admiration for Mr Trump on the international stage – except among right wing authoritarian and neo-fascist groups – and that also helps Iran,” it added.

The Trump administration’s policy on Iran, the paper said, has isolated the united states and diminished its leverage to enforce the JCPoA, if not open the door to its complete destruction.

“At the moment, President Trump and his administration are running out of options on Iran. There is not much left to sanction in Iran, and short of military conflict, there is not a lot more pressure that can be applied,” it added.

Meanwhile, statistics show Iran’s economic situation is improving and inflation has been contained, President Rouhani said.

Iran is a founding member of the organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and sits on what were already the world’s fourth-biggest oil reserves and second-largest gas reserves.

The new find would add around 34 percent to Iran’s current proven reserves, estimated by the oil & Gas Journal at 158 billion barrels of crude oil and representing almost 10 percent of the world’s crude reserves.

Imam Ali (a.s) said, ‘Verily the most sufficient of riches is the intellect’

[Nahjul Balaghah, sayng 38]

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Karun Dam

Iran is historically a leather producer and its products are well-known. Iran’s leather and skins enjoy a high quality and have been traditionally exported to other countries as well.

The industry’s long history has earned Iranian products a significant place in international leather markets.

The production of leather products date back to 550 years ago, but Iran’s modern leather industry began at the 1930’s. The first industrial leather plant was established in 1933 in Hamadan and the second plant was founded in 1935 in Tabriz.

At the time, Iran only enacted traditional tanneries

for leather production.This industry retained its independence for a long

time. With technological progress and achievements, and development of modern machinery and new method for processing the leathers and hides, Iran’s leather industry considerably flourished.

In 1960’s and 1970’s, tanneries and leather processing units mushroomed across the country.

With the advent of Islamic Revolution in 1979, the leather industry came to a sudden halt.

During that period of time, a large part of the exports was consisted of raw and unprocessed materials such as

Iran Leather IndustryLEATHER INDUSTRY

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LEATHER INDUSTRYRANKINGS

Iranians with the three thousand year history are the first and the oldest producers of leather in the world.

“Pickled skin.

The production process from pickle, wet blue, crust to leather and finished products shows that Iran might has a say in raw materials market, but when it comes to finished products, its presence in international markets is not substantial.

Traders and economic observers hope that Iran’s leather industry could establish dynamic connections to other sectors and also attract foreign investments and get revitalized. There is much effort to re energize leather industrialists to play a role in international markets.

Iranians with the three-thousand-year history are the first and the oldest producers of leather in the world. The ancient remnants of the BC era indicate that Iranians used skins for clothing, footwear and weapons from about 1500 BC, but since 550 BC, they used leather for clothes and armor.

The production of leather products date back to 550 years ago, but Iran’s modern leather industry began at the 1930’s. The first industrial leather plant was established in 1933 in Hamadan and the second plant was founded in 1935 in Tabriz.

During the reign of Ahmad shah Qajar, the last Qajar king, evidence has shown attempts to import leather processing machinery from the West, proving Iran’s quest to build leather factories extended beyond the early 1900s. After the bombardment and closure of the First Parliament, Mohammad Ali shah Qajar ordered the establishment of a new assembly within Iran. The members of this newfound assembly discussed an agreement to build up a modern leather factory. Prior to this agreement, Iran only enacted traditional tanneries (dabbaghi) for leather production.

This industry retained its independence for a long time. With technological progress and achievements, and development of modern machinery and new method for processing the leathers and hides, Iran’s leather industry considerably flourished. In 1960’s and 1970’s, tanneries and leather processing units mushroomed across the country.

Iran’s leather exports currently stand at $120 million per annum, adding that the sector has much room for growth.

“About 120,000 people are employed in Iran’s leather industry and produce 200


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LEATHER INDUSTRY

million products a year,” he said.In recent years, the domestic industry has seen the

emergence of companies that produce high quality leather products and managed to establish popular brands, many of which took part in this year’s exhibition alongside their experienced counterparts who have been active in the market for decades.

Mohammad Naqi salimi, CEo of Melli shoe Company, one of Iran’s oldest brands in the field, said the industry is picking up and that he sees a bright future.

“The government is finally taking effective measures to support producers. For one thing, the drive against contraband is becoming stricter. Even our own shipments are being inspected in interprovincial borders, which is a good sign,” he said.

“Customs authorities have set reasonable tariffs on imported goods, especially items that are produced domestically. This gives our local producers scope for activity.”

salimi noted that the domestic market is in good shape and people can now distinguish between good and poor quality, genuine and fake products.

Leather Types

Light leatherLeather is made from animal skins such as sheep, goat,

kid and lamb. The light leather that is obtained from the skin of these animals is thin and delicate and has low fiber density. It is also very suitable for producing small bags, clothes, jackets, coats, gloves and the thinner and lower quality is also used for the production of lining bags and shoes.

Semi-heavy leatherLeather which is made from ostrich skins is semi-

heavy leather. The density of the fiber is higher than light leather, therefore has a higher thickness. This leather has a high price, then it is used to make products that are decorative or luxurious.

Heavy leatherLeather is made from animal skins such as cattle,

buffalo, calves, camels and so on. The leather has the most dense fibers, so they have high strength. Such leather is used in the production of all kinds of leather bags, coats, belts, insole and outsole of shoes and bag, boots, industrial equipment belts, office and home furniture, insulating and soundproof doors and walls.

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42 IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 201942 IRAN MIRROR AUGUST 201942 IRAN MIRROR OCTOBER 2019

LEATHER INDUSTRY

Advancing TechnologyAfterwards, more complicated machinery, such as

fleshing machines, were first built in Tabriz. The use of these machines continued until the production of more advanced mechanical and electrical machines. The leather industry in Tabriz started to use one of the most advanced machines built in Iran. used for splitting. it was produced by Reza Pourbagheri, of the Techno Machine Company, which was first located in Tehran. Later the company, Hydro Charm emerged and produced other leather processing machines.

The leather industry flourished after the revolution and was taking advantage of government subsidies until its support was restricted. This was due to the inferior quality of Iranian leather which caused difficulty in

producers finding markets outside Iran to export along with the import of Chinese products. This forced some factories to close by the end of the twentieth century and many workers also lost their jobs. A report reveals that “1500 workers have lost their jobs following the continuing shutdown of leather producing factories in the city of Mashhad. Presently, Iranian leather export primarily focuses on trade of raw hides and skins at low sale price. The Iranian government encourages the industry to process high added value products of leather goods, leather shoes and leather clothing so as to increase the industry’s profits.

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CONFECTIONERY

old buildings, palaces, as well as monumental streets or museum objects are not the sole articles

in a country’s history which can make up the nation’s cultural heritage. Café confectionaries are also among the places that make up the “sweet” heritage of every country.

The history of confectionery business

in Iran has not been well documented. However, before modern confectionaries became popular in Tehran, it was café confectionaries which attracted people in the capital.

Traditional tea houses have been always popular all over Iran but the early modern cafés of Tehran gradually started in the early 30s presenting sweet items and, by

“Tehran’s 90 Year Old Confectionery; Selling Unique Handmade Chocolates

Mignon confec-tionery

has been working

for about 90 years

in the Iranian capital

Tehran at the inter-

section of two of the city’s

oldest streets.


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This con-fectionery has once been the gathering place for famous people in the capital and is still a hangout for many artists and celebrities.

“CONFECTIONERY

and by, their name was changed to café confectionaries. Most confectionaries in Tehran presented various kinds of Iranian sweets, including baklava, qottab (a special form of traditional cookie), Yazdi cakes, walnut breads and other similar items.

After new Danish pastries as well as cakes with cream icing became common, the appearance of confectionaries started to change. Creamy pastry rapidly became one of the most popular sweets sold at café confectionaries. In the course of time, people also showed more interest in buying various kinds of cakes for wedding or birthday celebrations. Even now, examples of old cafés, restaurants, or café confectionaries can be found along some old streets of Tehran. They are remnants of bygone years and the smell of coffee prepared there still evokes memories of the past.

The Iranian palette is no stranger to sweets - from the haji badomi (sugary almond balls) of Yazd to the kolompeh (crisp, date-stuffed cookies) of Kerman. But Tehran has managed to take the European pastry and make its own, a bread pastry that is the perfect complement to afternoon

tea. Mignon confectionery has been

working for about 90 years in the Iranian capital Tehran at the intersection of two of the city’s oldest streets.

Located on sa’adi street for almost nine decades, its pastries are still popular. In 1935, a ukrainian family, named Pogossians, came to Iran to escape the economic pressures and crises that had plagued Europe during the interwar period. The whole family helped to run a bakery. The world war was finally over and the shadows of famine and unrest disappeared, and living conditions got better. Therefore, the ukrainian family converted the bakery into a confectionery and did a very professional and good job.

This confectionery has once been the gathering place for famous people in the capital and is still a hangout for many artists and celebrities. so far, it’s been family-run, with two overseas branches run by the grandchildren of the family. Currently the only survivor of this family is Ruben, who runs the Mignon confectionery with his wife.

Ruben’s wife has told Fars News Agency that “my father-in-law started here after

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Mignon’s chocolates

include almond and orange peel

chocolate, pure

orange peel chocolate, 70% dark chocolate, plain pure chocolate,

truffle chocolate

with peanut

butter and pure

chocolate with fried

“CONFECTIONERY

the Russian Revolution when he immigrated to Iran. He had a confectionery in ukraine and decided to continue his job in Iran.

“First off, he launched a bakery and then sweets and chocolates were added and the place turned into a chocolate shop in Tehran.”

Regarding the name of the shop she said, “one of the sons who learned French at st. Louis school selected Mignon. It is a French name meaning “cute”, commonly used to refer to a sweet kid. My mother-in-law, who was a chef and the manager behind the scenes, liked the name and chose it for the shop; a name that still stands on the window. After the death of my father-in-law, my husband’s elder brother, who was a chemistry professor, continued the job, and after that, my husband, Ruben, was in charge here.”

About the shop’s famous chocolates, she said all the chocolates are handmade and made from natural chocolate oil.

“We do not use synthetic and industrial oils in making chocolates. We haven’t raised the price of our products after the rise of expenses to maintain our special customers,” she continued.

“our usual pastries are always available, but we have a handful of specialty pastries that are made only on special occasions,

such as Christmas pastries or Pyrok cakes baked at one of our festivals. This cake is very popular and is also known as luck cake, because we put a coin wrapped in foil inside it. When the families slice the cake, anyone who wins the coin in the portion is considered the lucky person in the coming year. Another one of our specialty cakes that takes a lot of time to bake is the best-selling Armenian-made cake called Pasca. It is the Easter cake and people stand in long queues to buy it.”

Mignon’s chocolates include almond and orange peel chocolate, pure orange peel chocolate, 70% dark chocolate, plain pure chocolate, truffle chocolate with peanut butter and pure chocolate with fried hazelnut. “Eris”, “Barbaris”, and “Kianushka” are some of these handmade chocolates. There are also Armenian chocolates that are ordered for weddings or baptisms.

“We’ve done our best to keep our business alive in this economic situation, so we still have our old customers. We even have customers from three different generations,” she added.

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46 IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 201946 IRAN MIRROR OCTOBER 2019

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Call for Deadline: Panel Proposals 20 Nov. 2019

Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran, 30-31 May 2020 Keynote Speakers Prof. Sari Hanafi, President of the International Sociological Association Prof. Syed Farid Alatas, Professor of Sociology at the National University of Singapore

Conference Themes 1. Social Thought, Muslim Social Thinkers and

Indigenous Social Sciences 2. Identities, Values, Social Changes and

Religious Developments 3. Globalization, Modernity and Muslim

Societies 4. Sects, Denominations, Ethnicities and

intercultural Relations 5. Diaspora (Muslims in Non-Muslim Societies

and Non-Muslims in Muslim Societies), Migration and Refugees

6. Children, Youth and Generational Issues 7. Media, Communications and representations 8. Family, Women and Gender 9. Social Problems and social work 10. Islamophobia and Interfaith Understanding

11. Democracy, Social Movements and Civil Societies

12. Social Development, Social policy and Welfare

13. Socio-environmental Issues 14. Leisure, Sports and Tourism 15. Cooperation, Social Innovation, labor and

production 16. Cities, Rural Areas and Regional

Development 17. Population Dynamisms and Policies 18. Science, Education and Technology 19. Conflicts, Resistance, Peace and Proximity

(Taghrib) 20.Cultural Heritage, Arts, Popular Culture and

Cultural Policy Call for participation: At the first round of call for participation (20 September to 20 November 2019), SCMW welcomes proposals for open and closed panels. The main aim is to stimulate formation of new networks around topics of interest which could be well continued beyond the conference time. To submit a panel proposal please fill the Panel Proposal Form and email it to us while writing the ‘Panel Proposal’ in the subject area of the email: [email protected]

Travel grants There are a number of travel grants for authors of selected papers who will have oral paper presentation. Grants cover the following items: accommodation, food, and domestic transportation. Research students or other participants without travel grants could stay at the University student accommodation for free. Partners A number of outstanding national and international entities are partners of ATU in organizing this event including the International Sociological Association, Iranian Sociological Association, National Library of Iran, Iranian Association of Cultural Studies & Communication, and UNESCO National Commission. Queries Please do not hesitate to email us ([email protected]) if you need any further information which could not be found in the conference website.


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MEDICAL TOURISM

Medical tourism is on the pick of its development. According to the Patients Beyond Borders data,

approximately 20-24 million people travel overseas to get medical help. on average, each of them waste about $3,400 per one visit.

Medical tourism is on the pick of its development. According to the Patients Beyond Borders data, approximately 20-24 million people travel overseas to get medical help. on average, each of them waste about $3,400 per one visit.

Among the most popular specialties why people go abroad are: Plastic surgery, Dentistry, Cardiovascular surgery, orthopedics, oncology, Reproductive medicine, Weight loss, Check-ups/second opinion.

There are 3 main reasons why patient travel abroad for medical assistance — lower prices, accessibility of latest technologies and treatments, absence of queues. so, according to the analysis of Patients Beyond Borders and International

Medical Travel Journal, we have composed a ranting of top destinations for medical tourism considering their pros and cons.

ThailandAbout 2 mln foreigners go Thailand

to receive medical help every year. They choose this country due to affordable prices (20-40% lower than in the usA, Canada, or some European countries), experienced doctors, and modern medical centers (for instance, Bumrungrad International Hospital is one of the most advanced in the world). The greatest number of medical centers are located in Bangkok. some of them are accredited by JCI that confirms the high quality of medical care.

Thailand attracts patient who want to have medical services in plastic surgery (the most popular specialty), dentistry, check-ups, orthopedics, oncology, etc.

one more advantage of this country is its exotic nature and picturesque views, so the tourists, who do not have some advanced treatment or operations, can

Choosing Iran as a medical tourism destination has many benefits, from the affordable treatments and fantastic customer service to a wide range of tourist attractions.

“Top Medical Tourism Destinations in the World

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... reasons why patient

travel abroad for

medical assistance ;

lower prices, accessibility

of latest technologies

and treatments, absence of

queues.

“combine the medical procedures with vacation.

IndiaIndia is among countries with one of

the cheapest healthcares. Despite the low prices, the quality of medical assistance remains at the high level. The main patient stream goes from the neighboring countries will less developed medicine — Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, etc. However, a number of medical tourists from the usA, Canada, Europe also grows mostly because of Indian affordability.

Patients go here to have plastic surgery, and also with fertility, orthopedic, and oncological medical issues. India is also one of the leading destinations for organ transplant (liver, kidney, pancreas).

Mexicoone more top destination for medical

tourism is Mexico. If above-mentioned countries attract foreigners with multi-specialized treatment, Mexico is one of the leading countries to have plastic surgery mostly among patients from the usA and Canada. And a number of esthetic procedures performed there is

about 1,000,000 every year!The deal is that esthetic procedures

are not covered by insurance, and can significantly flatten the wallet. The same procedures in Mexico cost 1.5-3 times lower than in the usA or Canada, so patients even with travel expenses save much money.

Turkey Turkey has all chances to become a

medical tourism leader. For the last 10 years, the Turkish government has invested a lot to develop medicine making it affordable but competitive. Hundreds of hospitals have been renovated, the latest equipment installed, doctors trained overseas. Nowadays, Turkish healthcare is reaching the level of such countries as the usA, Germany, Israel, etc.

Turkey is visited by international patients from over the world. The reasons are affordable medical care (2-5 times lower than in above-mentioned countries) and high standards of treatment. The most demanded specialties in Turkey are plastic surgery, neurosurgery, oncology, gastroenterology, etc. Just click for more info to see the list of medical centers and

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NATIONAL HERITAGE

choose the best clinic in Turkey.

Germany220,000+ international patients choose Germany

for the treatment every year. In most of the cases, people go to this country to treat severe diseases: all types of cancer; cardiac, orthopedic, neurological, neurosurgical disorders; obesity treatment.

The cost of therapy in Germany is not considered as low. However, it is still more affordable than in the usA, Canada or some European countries as switzerland, for instance.

The prices for all medical services in Germany are regulated at the state level. They can change depending on the doctor’s experience and complexity of operation.

South Koreasouth Korea is often called a world’s capital of

plastic surgery — 1,000,000 cosmetic surgeries are carried out annually. such procedures are so common in the country that people present them to each other as gifts for birthday, for instance. so, local doctors have advanced expertise in this field.

Except plastic surgery, international patients visit south Korea to cope with a wide range of health disorders — from simple operations and check-ups to the treatment of advanced cancer.

IranChoosing Iran as a medical tourism destination has

many benefits, from the affordable treatments and fantastic customer service to a wide range of tourist attractions.

The country is widely known as the world’s capital of plastic surgery, and has in numerous cases grabbed the headlines after reputable celebrities visited the country for surgeries.

SummaryMedical tourism continues blurring the boundaries

and opens endless possibilities to have affordable but qualitative healthcare. A patient does not need to wait in queues for receiving treatment of waste much money for the procedure that is much cheaper in the neighboring country.

The tendency for medical tourism allows saving money, starting treatment immediately and having access to the latest therapeutic developments.

MEDICAL TOURISM

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Medical tourism refers to the practice of travelling to different countries in order to obtain

health care facilities. It also refers to the practice of healthcare service providers travelling worldwide to deliver world class healthcare facilities. The services that the travelers are looking for include simple procedures as well as complex specialized surgeries such as cardiac surgery, dental surgery, joint replacement (knee/hip), and cosmetic surgeries.

Iran has several features, which make it an attractive destination for medical tourists. The relatively low prices of medical services and the high-quality

and modern medical operations are the driving forces of medical tourism in Iran.

Iran health care systems including hospitals and clinics have high tech equipment and technologies which can provide the best services without any waiting time.

Iranian doctors and specialists are world-class ones, and they are first-class professionals.

Dr. Abdiwahab sheikh Abdisamad, the Director of Nairobi Centre For Global studies had an opportunity to experience first hand why Iran has become one of the main hubs of medical tourism in the world today when he took his Father, and sister

MEDICAL TOURISM

Kenyan patients receive first-class medical treatment in Iran

Iranian doctors

and specialists

are world-

class and

first-class profes-sionals.

Dr. Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad, the Director of Nairobi Centre For Global Studies

“


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MEDICAL TOURISM

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to Tehran for medical treatment.Below is the Excerpt of his Interview when he had

a chitchat with Iran Mirror Magazine team Khamis Mohamed and Athman Farsi on his Medical trip to Iran.

Q: Please tell our Reader about yourself?A: My name is Dr. Abdiwahab sheikh Abdisamad, Director and senior researcher of the Nairobi Centre for Global studies. A think tank organization that focuses on security and geopolitical issues in East Africa region and beyond.

Q: You recently had a medical trip to Iran …Why Iran?

Iran offers a wide range of state of the art treatment, through an extensive network of highly equipped hospitals, at reasonable costs.

An analysis of the costs of the various procedures shows that treatment costs in Iran are much lower as compared to the developed countries. Iran is also very cost competitive as compared to its regional competitors, including Turkey, uAE, saudi Arabia, and Bahrain as well as southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and India.

Q: How did you know about Iran Medical Tourism?Cost and quality are obviously the most important factors patients consider in choosing specific destinations for treatment.

so seeking Medical Treatment in Iran was just spontaneous as I was comparing hospitals quotations from Turkey, Iran and India for my Family; my Father, who had a liver and stomach issue, and My sister who had a lung issue when I discovered Iran’s hospitals quotation was far much cheaper.

I took two visas for Turkey and Iran, I decided to pass by Iran as I was heading to Turkey, a fact finding mission to see if they had quality medical services and to my amazement Iran had an advanced healthcare systems and at a lower cost! So I had to remain in Tehran for their treatment.

Q: Did the Treatment Meet your Expectation?My Father was hospitalized for 6 days and my sister was in hospital for 5 days in Tehran and both of them got the best medical care and exceptional high-quality medical service.

Iran has the most reliable professional doctors with top notch medical equipment.

What amaze me is their Medical imaging technique and process of creating visual representations of the interior of a body for clinical analysis. A patient is given a tablet like object to swallow the object then take picture of the interior of the body to identify any abnormalities as well as to diagnose and treat disease.

Q. What are the differences between Kenya and Iran in terms of quality of treatment and health infrastructure?There is a big difference between Iran and Kenya. In fact the difference is like heaven and earth. Iran is one of the most highly educated, scientifically advanced countries in the World; Kenya is still a developing nation. Most Hospitals in Iran are far much better than The Nairobi Hospital and Agha Khan Hospital and far much cheaper.

Scientific and medical innovation, technological advances and the development of health infrastructures in Iran during the recent years were so impressive that has attracted the whole world’s attention to itself. These items, along with the low costs of therapeutic and cosmetic surgeries, have made Iran the first destination for the health tourists.

Q. Is Iran Safe?Iran is a country that is often portrayed as unwelcoming, but the reality is quite the opposite. Iran is much safe than Nairobi. You can walk at 3.00 am in Tehran and be assured of your security.

Tehran is a city of over 15 million people but astonishingly you can never see police officers patrolling the street. In Nairobi you can’t walk for instance from south C to town centre late at night without worrying if you will actually reach your destination.

The only thing to fear in Tehran is the cold weather, the winter.

The anti-Iranian sentiment or Iranophobia and propaganda, which has long been forged and spread by some Western governments and media that Iran is not safe should not prevent you from visiting the country.

Q. Iran is home of rich civilization and culture. What is the situation of touristic attraction in Iran and were you able to visit some of them? Iran enjoys a rich culture, history, and civilization. Iran is a land of vast discovery through the ancient and historical Tourist attarctions, preserved in the Great

MEDICAL TOURISM

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Persepolis, Tehran, Beautiful Esfahan, and Lovely shiraz and or a Desert beauty like Yazd, Iran is a land that everyone should visit and experience at least once in a life-time.

Iranians are liberals. There is no sunni – shia issue in Iran. You can pray in any mosque without any problem.The Jews are highly regarded in Iran and there is no religious discrimination or oppression on the basis of faith.

I personally visited Milad towers in Tehran and I can attest that this place is a piece of marvelous architectural genius. Milad Tower of Tehran is a multipurpose skyscraper located in northwest Tehran. As the tallest tower of Iran, with a height of 435 m, the tower is the sixth-tallest communication tower in the world.

Q . What can Kenya Learn from Iran?Kenya can learn a lot in terms of advancement in Scientific and technological field, in the Agricultural sector, Infrastucture and service sector. There is much to be learnt from Iran.

Q.Do you think the United States’s Sanction on Iran is holding Iran’s Health Sector?The 40 years sanctions on Iran is in fact a blessing in disguise. The sanction made Iran stronger and independent.

Iran Medical field is advanced and the sanction can never bring it down.

Iran will continue to progress and its medical sector will continue to shine in the World arena.

MEDICAL TOURISM

Mahmoud Majlesain, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of the IRI with Dr. Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad, the Director of Nairobi Centre For Global Studies, who paid him a courtesy call to share his Medical Tourism experience in Iran

“A sinner who confesses to his sin is better than an obedient man who

brags about his deed”

[Imam Ali, Ghurar al-Hakim, No. 6334]

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For the first time, he

generated the mouse

and human embryonic stem cells

(2003) and induced

pluripotent stem cells (2008) in Iran. This

has enabled his team to

pursue many avenues of

research into translational

research and regenerative

medicine

“SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Iran is one of the most pioneering countries in the world and the second country in the Middle East regarding

stem cell knowledge and technology, Hossein Baharvand, director of Royan Institute for stem cell biology and technology, has said.

Baharvand is a distinguished professor of stem cells and developmental biology at Royan Institute.

He received his B.sc. in biology from shiraz university in 1994, and M.sc. in developmental biology from Shahid Beheshti University in 1996. He also received his Ph.D. in cell and

developmental biology from Khwarizmi university in 2004. In 2012, he became professor at Royan Institute.

For the first time, he generated the mouse and human embryonic stem cells (2003) and induced pluripotent stem cells (2008) in Iran. This has enabled his team to pursue many avenues of research into translational research and regenerative medicine.

He is the founder and director of Royan Institute for stem cell biology and technology, where the institute is committed to cross-disciplinary partnerships and collaborations by

Iran pioneers in stem cell knowledge technology

Hossein Baharvand, director of Royan Institute for stem cell biology and technology

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Iran is one of the most pioneering countries in the world and the second country in the region regarding stem

cell knowledge and technology, Hossein Baharvand, director of Royan Institute for stem cell biology and technology, has said.

Baharvand is a distinguished professor of stem cells and developmental biology at Royan Institute.

He received his B.sc. in biology from shiraz university in 1994, and M.sc. in developmental biology from Shahid Beheshti University in 1996. He also received his Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology from Khwarizmi university in 2004. In 2012, he became professor at Royan Institute.

For the first time, he generated the mouse and human embryonic stem cells (2003) and induced pluripotent stem cells (2008) in Iran. This has enabled his team to pursue many avenues of research into translational research and regenerative medicine.

He is the founder and director of

Royan Institute for stem cell biology and technology, where the institute is committed to cross-disciplinary partnerships and collaborations by biology, engineering, and medical academics to improve human health and life quality. Now, the institute includes 4 main departments named as stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, Cell Engineering and the newly established Brain and Cognitive sciences.

In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, Baharvand explained about his research works and the potential of cell therapy and regenerative medicine technologies in “curing the diseases.”

Below is the text of the interview: Liver and heart diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide; how does your research on regenerating liver and heart cells, winning an award in the 32nd Khwarizmi International Award, help in treatment of such diseases?

Chronic degeneration of different organs is the major cause for mortality

Cell therapy is an alternative strategy for patients suffering from organ failure. In Royan Institute, we developed advanced protocols to produce liver and heart cells from human stem cells.


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and morbidity worldwide. organ transplantation is the “gold standard” protocol for the end stage patients suffering from organ failure. However, the limited number of donated organs make a potential obstacle in organ transplants. In addition, post transplantation complications are another obstacle after organ transplants. Cell therapy is an alternative strategy for patients suffering from organ failure. In Royan Institute, we developed advanced protocols to produce liver and heart cells from human stem cells. The generated cells were functional in lab and performed their physiological functions. Then we tried to scale-up these protocols and generate sufficient cells for any possible application in industry and clinic. The differentiation protocols are updated continuously and we are going to optimize them.

You also won the Word Academy of Sciences (TWAS) 2019 prize in biology. You received the prize for your fundamental contribution to the understanding of how pluripotency and differentiation establish and maintain in stem cells. Can you elaborate on how the research can help in treatment of diseases

in human beings?Pluripotent stem cells have unique

abilities that make them an ideal source to produce any functional cell. The proliferation capacity of these cells is unlimited and they can differentiate into all cell types in the human body, thus they provide an exceptional platform to treat a wide range of diseases. The cutting-edge research in stem cell science, however faces many challenges. We are working on these challenges now.

one of the biggest hurdles in any embryonic stem cell-based therapy is forced directed differentiation of stem cell to the desired cell. The process of specification and maturation to a functional cell type from a pluripotent state is called differentiation.

Guiding embryonic stem cells to become a particular cell type has been fraught with difficulty. Normally, stem cells growing in a developing embryo receive different signals from the surrounding tissue as well as cells. In lab, we have to mimic those conditions and microenvironment. For example, in addition to producing liver and heart cells, we have successfully differentiated human embryonic stem

For the first time, he

generated the mouse

and human embryonic stem cells

(2003) and induced

pluripotent stem cells (2008) in Iran. This

has enabled his team to

pursue many avenues of

research into translational

research and regenerative

medicine



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cells into retinal pigment epithelium and dopaminergic cells for age related macular degeneration and Parkinson’s diseases, respectively. We transplanted the cells in animal models and found improvement. For this translational science, we need to pass many regulations and many quality controls before clinical trials. so, to take a step further, we have established a special unit to produce stem cells under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) condition. This enables to provide clinical-grade cells with defined quality and assured safety for human use for Parkinson’s disease and age-related macular degeneration.

As the director of Royan Institute for stem cell biology and technology, how much do you think stem cell technology can prove to be effective in treatment of diseases and how much advancement Iran has made in this regard?

Regenerative medicine technologies, aimed at changing form and function of therapeutic methods, inform the prospect of transforming standard-of-care practices in the near future.

The evolution from the traditional perspective of “caring the disease” to the increasingly actionable paradigm of “curing the disease”, has shown its

efficiency in huge number of clinical trials in recent years and also increasing number of industrial units emerging in this field which are more than 900 companies all over the world.

Iran is one of the most pioneering countries in the world and the second country in the region based on stem cell knowledge and technologies. There are several registered companies in this field which have approved 5 cell-based products in Iran FDA up to now. Also regulatory guidelines have been set which will promote stem cell technologies progression in coming years. Different autologous and allogenic cell transplantation clinical trials in patients with diseases such as myocardial infarction and diabetes and vascular, liver, skin, eye, bone, cartilage, and neurological disorders have been done in Iran. up to now, Iran has registered 119 clinical trials in https://clinicaltrials.gov.

[ClinicalTrials.gov is a resource provided by the US National Library of Medicine. It is a database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world.]

Interview by: Maryam Qarehgozlou

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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one of the most distinguished names in Iranian film history, Majid Majidi has won numerous awards in his home country as well as acclaim

across the globe. In 1998, his film Children of Heaven was the first Iranian film to be nominated for the Academy Award’s Best Foreign Language Film category.

Despite his fame, Majidi’s output has remained simple and modest.

His films have continued to focus on the lives of

ordinary families since he came from one himself, while his preference for child actors comes from his belief in the innocent of kids.

With the help of a Persian translator, I sat down with Majidi in Beijing ahead of Asian Film Week, which he will attend on Thursday, to talk about his views on film.

Secret to successMajidi explained that he came from a traditional

Majid Majidi: AN award-winning Iranian filmmaker

By Wang Qi Source:Global Times

FILM INDUSTRY

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FILM INDUSTRY

family in Iran, which meant that they did not support his dream of working in film.

“I have five siblings, but I am the only person working with films in my family,” Majidi said.

“I have been interested in drama since I was about 12 or 13 years old. I was really

attracted by the art of performance and acting and started my creation. I studied drama and theater at college as well.”

However, talent and interest alone cannot guarantee success, especially considering his background, when facing problems, his determination drove him to solve them by himself one after another.

“There were actually a lot of difficulties and challenges in my career,” said Majidi.

“People only see the result. They think that Majidi is falling right out of the blue, with sudden success.”

According to Majidi, he become independent in an early age. When he was in high school and college, he often worked to earn his tuition and living expenses. For him, these difficulties were like fighting a war.

“There were countless difficulties when I filmed Children of Heaven,” said Majidi.

“I know it is easy to lose your confidence and give up, but you must take ceaseless efforts to achieve your goals.”

Love of innocenceUnlike the flamboyant blockbusters from Hollywood,

Majidi’s films rely on real life experiences, mainly seen through the eyes of children. Young actors play the protagonists in many of his most important films, such as The Color of Paradise and Children of Heaven.

“The world of children, is the world of purity and sincerity… they believe whatever you tell them,” said Majidi, talking about why he prefers to observe the world from the perspective of children.

“Children’s innocence will have an impact on adults, and that’s what I always want to express.”

However, finding suitable child actors is a far more difficult task than casting adults, Majidi admitted. For instance, when shooting Children of Heaven, Majidi and his team selected actors from tens of thousands of school children in Iran. In the end, it took them four months to find the right actor.

“It is equivalent to losing a child and then finding him, not just in a city like in Beijing, but all over the world.”

Cultural ambassador In August 2015, he released the first part of an

intended trilogy on the life of the Prophet (PBuH), with Muhammad: The Messenger of God being the most expensive film in Iranian movie history ($40 million).

In 2008, Majidi was invited to shot a promotional short film for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games titled

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The world of children, is the

world of purity and sincerity…

they believe whatever you

tell them,” said Majidi, talking

about why he prefers to observe the

world from the perspective of

children

FILM INDUSTRY

Vision Beijing. Per his modus operandi, a large number of children appeared in this five-minute short, which he said was a joyful experience to shoot. He noted that while his Chinese crew gave him their full support and cooperation, he naturally felt a great deal of pressure since he was representing a different cultural than his own.

“It was a great honor for me, but it was also a hard job,” said Majidi.

“It is a great challenge to depict China’s 5,000 years of civilization in a five-minute short film.”

This was not the last time Majidi worked with a crew from another country. In 2017, Majidi shot his first Indian film Beyond the Cloud with an Indian crew. According to a report from the Hindustan Times, he has another Indian film in the works, which will be filmed in a small town. He also headed the jury of the 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala, India, in 2018, positively bridging the cultural gap and promoting the communication between Iran and

India. In April, he joined the jury for the 9th

Beijing International Film Festival and, according to Majidi, he also plans to shoot another film in China in 2020.

Commenting on Asian Film Week, Majidi said he believes that it makes a great jumping off point for film cooperation among Asian countries, and he is very confident in the future of the Asian film industry.

“Connected by the silk Road, our continent possesses the best cultural base in the world. I am not interested in those Western things,” Majidi said to the Global Times.

“China has a very good development in Asia and plays a leading role, which can help Asian countries to cooperate and communicate better. China’s Belt and Road Initiative provides the perfect platform for other countries, through which we can revive the silk Road,” said Majidi.

Short Biography

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FILM INDUSTRY

Majid Majidi was born in Tehran in 1959; raised in a middle-class family, he developed an interest in theater in his early teens, and began performing with a group of amateur players at 14. While studying theater at Tehran’s Institute of Dramatic Arts, Majidi started to take an interest in filmmaking, which only grew when he began winning small roles in local film productions. Majidi’s first screen role to gain any significant notice outside of Iran was in the 1986 drama Boycott, and shortly after his acting career began to take flight, he moved over to the director’s chair; 1992’s Baduk was his

first feature film, and it began to earn the filmmaker a reputation in the West. In 1996, Pedar became Majidi’s real breakthrough, receiving awards at a number of international film festivals and finding distribution in nations not known to screen Iranian films. 1997’s The Children of Heaven proved to be an even bigger success, scoring an Academy Award nomination as Best Foreign Language Film as well as top honors at the Los Angeles and Montréal International Film Festivals.

source: Global times

Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi has received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala in India.

Majid Majidi with Ishaan Khatter on the sets of Beyond The Clouds.

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IRAN NATIONAL PARKS

In Iran, a whopping 30 national parks are scattered all over the country, each offering their unique blend of flora, fauna, heritage and natural beauty. Here

we will take a look at three national parks located in central Isfahan province.

To preserve the existing biodiversity over the wide geographic expanse of Iran, four types of areas have been designated for preservation and protection, including, national parks, wildlife refuges, protected

areas and natural national monuments. In 1997, the Department of the Environment (DoE) held supervision over 7,563,983 hectares of such areas. By the year 2003, the size of the DoE supervised areas reached 11,791,788.225 hectares.

National park is a designated part of Iran’s environment - including forests, rangelands, woodlands, prairies, water or mountains - that is an outstanding representation of Iranian nature. As such, it is brought

Astonishing National Parks in Central Iran

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The Persian fallow Deer

Wild Boar, Golestan National Park,

IRAN NATIONAL PARKS


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under protection in order to permanently preserve its natural ecology and to create a suitable environment for the flourishing of wildlife and the growth of flora under natural conditions.

The wildlife of Iran includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. one of the most famous members of wildlife in Iran are the world’s last surviving, critically endangered Asiatic cheetah also known as the Iranian cheetah, which are today found nowhere else but in Iran .

The national parks currently cover 1,649,771 hectares of the country’s area.

Protected areas also are significantly important natural resources due to its impact on wildlife breeding, preservation of plant life or its natural state. The total area of regions protected is 6,600,601 hectares.

A Wildlife refuge has natural habitats and special climate qualifications, which brought under protection in order to revive wild animals and is stretching to 3,524,181 hectares.

Kolah Ghazi National Park and Wildlife Refuge

Kolah Ghazi is located in the southeast of Isfahan, which was initially a protected area since 1967, while in 1995, 47,142 hectares of it were designated a national park and 3,227 hectares also have defined as a wildlife refuge.

Named after the strange shape of its highest peak, Kolah Ghazi is graced by a mountain formed with two large rocky cliffs with steep slopes that makes a view remotely similar to the hat worn by judges in a historical period in Iran.

The mountainous region encompasses a relatively vast plain called the White Desert.

The park is home to a variety of plants, mammals, birds, and reptiles, some of which are highly valuable and some are at risk of extinction while others are under constant protection.

In the early 1370s (falling on 1991-2001), the park was home to Leopards which was estimated at 15, however, residential and industrial settlements encroaching the leopard’s habitat, as well as illegal hunting, has resulted the leopard population to shrink to 5 in less than a decade.

The wildlife of Iran

includes its flora and

fauna and their natural

habitats. one of the

most famous

members of wildlife in

Iran are the world’s last

surviving, critically

endangered Asiatic

cheetah also known as

the Iranian cheetah.

“sassy-Caracal

IRAN NATIONAL PARKS


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IRAN NATIONAL PARKS

The dominant species of the region is a wild goat and the next species is black-tailed gazelle. According to the census conducted in the Iranian calendar year 1390 (March 2011-March 2012), about 1,551 black-tailed gazelle, 1,862 wild goats, and 58 urials were living in the area.

so far, 17 species of mammals, 44 species of birds, 17 reptile species and 1 amphibian species have been identified and recorded in Kolah Ghazi National Park.

Persian leopard, wildcat, caracal, hyena, common fox, small five-toed jerboa, porcupines, Persian jird are among the mammals identified in this national park.

The Green Arabian Toad is the only amphibian recognized in the national park.

Qamishlou National Park and Wildlife RefugeLocated 45 kilometers southwest of Isfahan city,

Qamishlou National Park is stretching to 29,886 hectares, and the wildlife refuge is covering 83,888 hectares of the area.

It is said to be the world’s oldest protected area as a Qajar prince declared the area off-limits for hunting and livestock grazing since 150 years ago, which was finally designated as a national park in 2007.

Due to the prevailing microclimate and the difference in altitude, the Qamishlou area can be divided into three large habitats, including, mountainous and snowy habitat, Mahouri hill habitat, lowland and steppe habitats.

This mountainous and snowy habitat includes highlands with steep snowy slopes and a breezy climate that includes grasslands, shrubs, and single pistachio and almond trees. Cold in winter and temperate in summer, the area is suitable for wild goats.

Mahouri hill habitat is located on low altitude having a moderate climate and suitable vegetation.

Lowland and steppe habitat is small and large plains lie between the mountains and seem separated, but they are interconnected. The plains are important in providing security for wildlife and its suitable ecological conditions are favorable for the gazelles, the most prominent lowland animal found in the plains.

some 371 plant species have so far been recorded in the area while being home to numerous animal species namely, wild goats, black-tailed gazelle and hyena.

Muteh Wildlife RefugeWith an area of about 205,000 hectares, Muteh

Wildlife Refuge is situated at 95 kilometers northwest of Isfahan, which is home to over 478 species plants live along with various species of animals.

Called the most important black-tailed gazelle habitat in the country, over 5,000 black-tailed gazelle are living in the region.

Muteh Wildlife Refuge is hosting 25 species of mammals, 88 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles and one amphibian species.

source Tehran Times

Crocodiles in the south of iran

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“IRAN NATIONAL PARKS

The endangered Persian leopard

Cheetah

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GEOGRAPHY

Have you ever thought about the hottest place in the world? What have you heard about that? Did you

know that it is actually in Iran? Yes!The hottest place in the world is

somewhere in the middle of Iran. It is actually in the center of Lut Desert.

According to data from NAsA’s satellite, the Lut Desert is home to the hottest recorded spot on the earth’s surface.

However, there are some doubts about this idea, so let’s take a deeper look into this matter.

The Lut DesertThe “desert” is a large salt desert. Lut

is actually the world’s 27th-largest desert with an area of 51,800 square kilometers (20,000 square miles). In Farsi ‘Lut’ literally means bare land without water and devoid of vegetation.

Lut desert is situated in the south-east of the country. The eastern part of the desert displays a low plateau covered with salt

flats, while the center displays a series of parallel ridges and furrows. strong winds sweep this arid area From June to october.

The main attraction areas of Lut desert, include Gandom Berian, shahdad Kalut, and Rig Yellen. In addition, the desert is home to diverse animal life, including insects, reptiles, and desert foxes.

Iran uNEsCo’s World Heritage List inscribed the Lut Desert in 2016.

If you are planning to travel to Iran and would like to book your Iran Tour Packages in advance or submit your Iran Visa application through an Iranian travel agency, feel free to contact us at your convenience.

Where was the previous hottest spot in the world?

In 1913, scientists in Death Valley, California measured a temperature of 134°F (56.7°C) and declared it the hottest temperature ever recorded. In 1922, a weather station in Libya recorded a

Where is the World’s Hottest Place?

According to data from NAsA’s satellite, the Lut Desert (in Iran) is home to the hottest recorded spot on the earth’s

“Lut desert

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temperature of 136.4°F (58.0°C).The World Meteorological

organization (WMo) recognized this observation as the hottest temperature recorded on Earth for some time.

However, according to another research by the university of Montana, using data from the u.s. Geological survey’s Landsat satellites, neither is the world’s hottest place.

In a statement by NAsA from a team member, “Most of the places that call themselves the hottest on Earth are not even serious contenders”.

Is Lut Desert actually home to the world’s hottest place?

To find a proper answer to this question, we have to look at the scientific evidence.

Running and his colleagues examined infrared data from the Landsat satellites during seven years. They found that the winner in five of those years — 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 — was actually the Lut Desert in Iran.

A temperature of 159.3°F (70.7°C) was measured in 2005- the highest temperature ever officially confirmed for a location on Earth.

However, the Lut Desert did not encounter the highest temperature every year.

so why didn’t the Lut Desert previously named as the world hottest spot? Because “the Earth’s hot deserts — such as the sahara desert, the Gobi, the sonoran, and the Lut — are climatically harsh and so remote that access for routine measurements and maintenance of a weather station is impractical,” said team member David Mildrexler.

Queensland, Australia had the highest temperature in 2003, with the record of 156.7°F (69.3°C), and in 2008, Turpan Basin in China had the highest temperature on the earth with the temperature of 152.2°F (66.8°C).

It is worth knowing that the Turpan Basin is covered with dark red sandstone that heats up the extreme temperature, especially in the afternoon sun.

A number of factors influence the land surface temperature (LsT). For instance:

changes in solar radiation, changes in land cover and changes in atmospheric conditions. Therefore, dry, rocky and dark-colored lands absorb heat well, while lighter sand will tend to reflect more sunlight.

However, some scientists argue that the “hottest place” on the earth should be framed in terms of land temperature, not air temperature.

And years of analysis have revealed that parts of Iran and Australia are particularly hot from an LsT perspective.

What is the best time to travel to the deserts of Iran?

Have you ever imagined yourself trekking, or walking in a silent desert? Do you enjoy watching the stars at night without annoying city lights? Do you want to visit the world’s hottest spot?

If your answer is yes, maybe you want to visit Lut Desert. If you would like to visit deserts of Iran, especially the Lut Desert, and step on the golden sands of this amazing place with breathtaking nature, it’s the time!

From october, till the end of February, it is the best time to visit the deserts of Iran.

Don’t miss this opportunity and your chance of visiting Iran with this amazing offer.

Have you ever imagined

yourself trekking,

or walking in a silent

desert? Do you enjoy watching the stars at night without

annoying city lights?

Do you want to visit the world’s

hottest spot?

“GEOGRAPHY

The Holy Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a) said:

Avoid borrowing as far as you can, because it causes grief during

the night and contempt during the day.

[Bihar al-Anwar, volume 103, page 141]


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MUSIC

The term Tanbur can refer to various long-necked, string instruments originating in Mesopotamia, southern or Central Asia. The term tanbur (or

tambur) is applied to a variety of distinct and related long-necked string instruments used in art and folk traditions

Nowadays Kermanshahan tanbur (or Kurdish tanbur or tembûr or tanboor or tanbour) is played all over Iran, and that is what is called just “tanbur” in Iran nowadays. Iranian tanbur is mainly designed in Kermanshahan (about Kermanshah Province), Kurdistan Province and Lorestan. Kermanshahan tanburs are more famous and accepted and are specially designed in Kermanshah’s Goran Region and sahneh. The tanbur is currently

the musical instrument used in Ahl-e Haqq rituals, and practitioners venerate tembûrs as sacred objects.

There is also a Taleshi tanbur in small region Talesh in the north of Iran, and Tanburak (Tanburg) in Balochistan in the southeast of Iran. But Kermanshahan tanbur is the main and the most famous tanbur in Iran. The Iranian tanbur has a narrow pear-shaped body that normally is made with 7 to 10 glued together separate ribs. Its soundboard is usually made of mulberry wood and some patterned holes are burned in it. The long neck is separate, and has three metal strings that the first course is double. The melody is played on the double strings with a unique playing technique with three fingers of the right hand. Iranian tanbur is associated with the

Tanbour, a Persian Traditional Musical Instrument from kermanshah, Iran

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The term tanbur (or tambur) is

applied to a variety of distinct

and related long-necked

string instruments used in art

and folk traditions

“MUSIC

Kurdish Sufi music of Western Iran. It measures 80 cm in height and 16 cm

in breadth. The resonator is pear-shaped and made of either a single piece or multiple carvels of mulberry wood. The neck is made of walnut and has fourteen frets, arranged in a semi-tempered chromatic scale. It has two steel strings tuned in fifth, fourth, or second intervals. The higher string may be double-coursed

Tanbur, a long-necked fretted lute, is

an inseparable part of the lives of the Kurds in Iran, so much so that the children learn how to play it before they learn how to read and write.

The body of the tambur is semispherical and made by sticking layers of wood together side by side. It generally has a diameter of up to 35 cm. The stem is joined to the body be being buried in a wedge, and is about 104 cm. long.

The peg area is an extension of the

Ali AkbarMoradi


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This instrument was the one most often played by ostad Elahi, née Nur Ali (1895–1974)a tanbar master and influential Persian thinker and jurist.

“stem. Each of the strings that emerge from the peforated string wedge at the edge of the body goes over the bridge and along the stem, being attached to the pegs by being tapped into the notched main bridge made of bone and the other bone bridge at the end of it.

The bridge is generally made of fir, and presses onto the chest, itself generally made of thin pine. The vibration of the strings lead to that part of the chest under the bridge being indented. The bottom of the stem is round, and the top flat.

The fret links used to be made of gut, although nylon is usually preferred these days. The tambur had between 45 and 55 frets. some tambur virtuosi wanted to make the transposition of the melodic creation to several frets easier by linking 64 and even 65 of them.

The oldest known form of the tambur is two-stringed, although these days it generally has seven. Eight strings were employed in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The inflexible tambur plectrum is usually made of tortoiseshell. It is about 12 cm. long, 9-10 mm. wide and 1-1.5 mm. thick, and both ends can be used.

However, the two ends are different to one another to allow them to be used for different timbres. The plectrum is held with the thumb and index and middle fingers

of the right hand, and the thin side is used to strike the strings in a perpendicular manner.

That is what gives the instrument its full-bodied sound. Apart from the kopuz, which has had its own place in courtly Ottoman music since the 16th century, the tambur is presently the only instrument to be played in this manner.

This instrument was the one most often played by ostad Elahi, née Nur Ali (1895–1974), a tanbar master and influential Persian thinker and jurist. Considered sacred by the Ahl-e Haqq order, the tanbar is used to complement meditation and communication with the divine. Elahi transformed the two-stringed instrument, adding a third string and developing new playing techniques that used all ten fingers.

Elahi also made substantial contributions to the art of the tanbur, an instrument that has existed in various forms for 5,000 years. It has been considered sacred since the 14th century, when it was adopted by the Kurdish Ahl-e Haqq order, also known as the Fervents of Truth.

on recordings, Elahi’s music can sound startlingly modern and dissonant, and strikingly beautiful, interwoven with complex rhythmic patterns and so richly polyphonic that it sounds as if multiple

Ritual of playing Tanbur, a special Iranian musical instrument, was recently held in the city of Dalahu in the western province of Kermanshah.

MUSIC


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Ghashghayi

73

instruments had to be playing.ostad Elahi, however, never played in public, turning

down requests to perform in halls or on the radio and opting instead for more intimate and spiritual settings. While working as a judge, he played frequently at private gatherings for Persian speakers and foreigners.

one element that encouraged the current revival of

the instrument in Iran is its alluringly theatrical strumming sound. As this line from Rumi portrays; the sounds of the tanbur are the closest to the sounds of heaven.

Elahi developed his own unique strumming pattern, enhancing the instrument’s potential as both a percussive and a melodic instrument. It sounds “like a drum with notes.

MUSIC

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ART & CULTURE

Iran: Is It Really That Bad?

Reinier van oorsouw is a filmmaker and photographer

from the Netherlands

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TOURISM

Iran is a perfect destination to travel to, Dutch filmmaker says

Reinier van oorsouw is a filmmaker and photographer from the Netherlands who has a keen interest in travel. He often visits places that are not common to the average person. In a five-episode documentary titled “Iran: Is It Really That Bad?” Reinier sheds light on the unseen aspects of life in the country.

“Whenever Iran is in the news, it is about something negative. That made me skeptical — can a country be as bad as the media depicts it? I wanted to investigate for myself if Iran is open to foreigners and if it is a safe place to visit, and also share my travel experiences with the world,” Reinier van oorsouw, a Dutch photographer and filmmaker has said.

“I found people on the street to be warm, friendly and interested, rather than the “angry Western-hating” stereotype people might have in mind. We were invited into people’s houses on almost a daily basis. overall, Iran was one of my best travel experiences,” he told the Fair observer in an interview released on october 15.

The interview was conducted by

Iranian journalist and writer Kourosh Ziabari earlier this year revolving around the filmmaker’s observations of the country.

In response to a question corresponding how the filmmaker was inspired to make documentary about his trip to Iran and the feedbacks he had so far received from international audience as well as Iranians, van oorsouw said:

“Whenever Iran is in the news, it is about something negative. That made me skeptical — can a country be as bad as the media depicts it as? I wanted to investigate for myself if Iran is open to foreigners and if it is a safe place to visit, and also share my travel experiences with the world.”

“From Iran, the majority of feedback is positive. People are happy that a different light is being shone on their country, though some say I don’t show enough from real life. From international audiences, I had a mixed response: some people are genuinely surprised, while others think I’ve been hired by the Iranian government,” he explained.

other excerpts from the interview

IRAN MIRROR DECEMBER 2019

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RANKINGS

Whenever Iran is in the news, it is about something negative. That made me skeptical — can a country be as bad as the media depicts it? I wanted to investigate for myself if Iran is open to foreigners and if it is a safe place to visit, and also share my travel experiences with the world

“TOURISM

are given below:You might have received warnings about traveling to Iran from friends and family members before boarding the plane. What were the reactions of your relatives and colleagues when you first raised the idea of traveling to Iran?

Yes! The responses from my surroundings were quite negative. But their cautions were all based on what they had seen in the media, rather than their own experiences. And that was exactly what I wanted to find out. Then again, I had obviously done some research by reading other travel experiences, which all seemed to say more positive things than the general media, hence my expectations were quite mild.

How strong are the stereotypes about Iran in your community and country? What are some of the most notable

misconceptions that you think are not representative of the reality of Iran?

The general public thinks Iran is “unsafe,” a sandy country at war. But that’s just based on bias. The most notable misconception is that people think everyone is a religious fanatic. But I experienced that to be the other way around. sure, there is a group of people who are very strict in their religion, but that happens in every country. The difference in Iran is that these people have a big say, compared to other countries.

I found people on the street to be warm, friendly and interested, rather than the “angry Western-hating” stereotype people might have in mind. We were invited into people’s houses on almost a daily basis. overall, Iran was one of my best travel experiences.

What is the most remarkable characteristic of Iranian


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TOURISM

people in your view? Why do you think they’re so keen to paint a better picture of their country in the eyes of foreign observers?

Whenever I said to people in Iran that I was on holiday, the response I got was a very surprised one. It’s a bit like people feel inferior due to the image that’s portrayed about the country. some asked me, “Weren’t you afraid?” If you feel you are misunderstood, you try to correct the misconception. I feel that is what a lot of people want to do. The “most remarkable characteristic,” in my opinion, is hospitability — people tend to take that very seriously.

What’s your advice to your fellow citizens who either plan to travel to Iran or have thought about doing so? Do you recommend Iran as a must-see tourist destination?

Iran is a perfect destination to travel to. Travel is comfortable. Traveling between cities is well-organized and car rentals are also easy. Visas for a lot of European citizens can be arranged upon arrival, flight connections are plenty and the food is great. Iran is full of culture and history, nature comes in many shapes and sizes, and people are all very friendly and warm. There are plenty of reasons to

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SPORTS

Katayoun Khosrowyar, an American-Iranian head coach of the Iran’s u-19 women’s football team, says Iranian female football players are more

determined than ever.“Nothing can hold Iranian women’s footballers

down”, Khosrowyar, who is also known as Coach Kat, tells the Tehran Times in a recent interview.

Katayoun, Katiana in English, was born in Tulsa oklahoma, an oil and gas city where her family is affiliated with energy industry.

she began playing football or soccer when she was five years old, mainly because soccer was becoming a

big sports program for girls. she was athletic at a very young age, like her parents and siblings. Her father preferred her to play a team sport, because he saw that she was a team player and enjoyed being with kids her age.

Katayoun went quite far, as far as the football levels go, and she was going to play for a university, and everyone on her team got full scholarships including herself. However, that same summer when she was going into her senior year, she decided visit Iran to see relatives before her final year and heading off to college, and that is when her story in Iran begins.

Katayoun Khosrowyar, an American-Iranian head coach of the Iran’s U-19 women’s football team

Katayoun Khosrowyar: Iranian women’s football Coach


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SPORTS

she has empowered Iranian women in football.

In 2014, she was the first Iranian woman to have earned a FIFA/AFC “A” license. At such a young age, she has been able to inspire many girls to pursue their dream of playing football.

Kat has opened up many doors for future generation of girls through her tenacity and persistent. Few of her girls have received offers from Europe.

In addition, Kat not only manages the u-19 side of Iran’s women’s national team, but advises the U-16/U-14 side as well.

she is doing the job of three or more people simply because she believes she can create a pathway for a better future for these girls.

Furthermore, she has built communications and bridges with other nations to empower more women in various other countries. This lady single-handedly has been able to build a better relationship with the united states through football. This by itself is great for diplomacy.

Below is Khosrowyar’s interview with the Tehran Times.

... she has built commu-nications and bridges with other nations to empower

more women in

various other countries. This

lady single-handedly has been able to

build a better relationship

with the united states through

football. This by itself is great for

diplomacy.

“

Kat and her U-19 side of Iran’s women’s National team

Q. Could you tell us how you ended up in Iran?A. I had heard so much about Iran that I wanted to come and visit it. It wasn’t something that was pre-planned for me to move here. It just kind of happened. When I first came here I spent a lot of time with the family and was playing futsal, because that was the only sports similar to football, and from there word got around that this American girl is here and she is a professional football player, and that same summer, a few weeks before I had

to go back to the u.s., shahrzad Mozaffar came to me in my training session and said that she is starting a national team, and she wants me to be part of it.

Because of her telling me what is happening in the country is why stayed. Back in the u.s., I was on a team and everybody was expecting me to come back, because I had an important position on the team. But at 17 when I had that opportunity to play for Iran, I decided to take it on but this was way before I knew I had to play with hijab, and I would be playing with girls who had


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never played football before. one of the reasons I decided to do this was

because of Mozaffar who said if I stayed we will be making a movement, and you will be part of history, whereas in the u.s., players come and go, you are replaceable where here you are not. You are going to be part of

this movement and you are always going to be part of the development of it.

so that was something that I decided at 17 to continue.

No one was really happy with my decision at the beginning, because everyone was leaving Iran to have a better life in the u.s. or wherever it is, and I was taking the opposite direction and coming back to Iran, but I didn’t mind that move.

Q. Did Iranian officials help you to stay here?A. I was already comfortable here and had many people in my family. Iranian officials were helpful, because they knew I chose to stay in Iran rather than go back to the u.s. They have been very lenient with me, and worked with me, and gave me that path so that I can excel as an athlete and as a coach. If it wasn’t for their support, there was no way I could have been here as an American-Iranian, as a player and as a coach. They trust me as the head coach of the national team. They trust me to be a decent role model for the future generations as football players as well as to get more coaches involved at a higher level.

I feel my path has already been set, and now it is just the matter of taking one day at the time getting more women involved in this global game.

Q. Are you still dreaming more for your team?A. oh, sure. Not until we make it to the World Cup or Olympics. I don’t think we will be finished any time soon.

Q: What is the women’s soccer culture in Iran like?A: Women’s indoor soccer (futsal) has created a strong atmosphere for women to get involved in sports more especially as they (Iran) are back-to-back Asian champions in this. soccer, on the other hand, has taken some time to get to the same level because building the base and infrastructure has been challenging. Although women would prefer to play soccer rather than futsal, futsal has more fields, sponsors and leagues than soccer.

Q. How do you resolve issues on your coaching path?A. Being raise as an athlete, you come across a lot of issues, but how you solve them is what makes the difference between an athlete and non-athlete. Most people will just sit back and be like oh, there was a problem and I can’t do anything about it and just try to move on to something else, whereas people with an athletic mindset, nothing can put them down.

Q. How has the experience of playing internationally for the Iranian female players been for you?A. This was one of the challenges we thought we were

Women football lovers singing the Iranian National Anthem in unidentified stadium before start of the game

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We are the only team

in the world that has to

wear the hijab. our outfits are different,

and we are coming

from a country that

the media portray in

a bad way that people are wary of us wherever

we meet them

“SPORTS

going to face. Because whether we like it or not, people already have a negative connotation about us. We are the only team in the world that has to wear the hijab. Our outfits are different, and we are coming from a country that the media portray in a bad way that people are wary of us wherever we meet them. But we are breaking a lot of mindsets that people thought they had, and we are doing this via football and this is an important step forward especially in an Islamic country like Iran. We are fighting alongside all the other teams who want to make it to the World Cup and to the Asian Games.

Q. Your thoughts on the Uzbekistan Tournament, and the wild game between Iranian players and Uzbekistanis.A. At this tournament I don’t think anyone thought that the Iranian team was going to be strong. Our first game was against Afghanistan, and we beat them 6-0. Then we played with an entire differently lineup, because we knew uzbekistan was very strong, so we were hiding all our good players against Afghanistan. When we played against uzbekistan we put

all our strong players in, and everyone was completely confused about how this Iranian national team is playing so well, at this high intensity and this aggressively. We shocked pretty much everybody at that stadium. It was extremely aggressive, because uzbek players are generally very aggressive, but what we did in my training session leading up to uzbekistan was that we had a lot of weight lifting and a lot of training in karate and kick boxing, so the girls would get used to it, because football is a highly aggressive game, it is not like ballet where no one comes near you. You are being tackled and they are trying to break something in your body. That is what football is. With those players I told them during half time, that either you will be sent to the hospital or they will be sent to the hospital, so you choose which one. That’s how aggressive this match was. But it was a great match to see because you were witnessing the development of women’s football.

Q. How do you assess women’s football coaching in Iran?A. The coach education that we have in football has never been strong enough. But

Kat in atraining session


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now with the presence of Mr. Hossein Abdi, the technical director of the program, he is making a lot of changes and now we are actually seeing the improvement. The female coaches are very hungry for knowledge, and he is actually here to fill that void and to get women’s football going.

Q. Do you have any message for Iranian women, young girls to hold on to?A. Never, ever, ever give up. That is something that is rotating in my head right now. I know it is a cliché thing to say, but you should never give up on something that you have a belief in, or you have an idea about, or if you really believe in it, then you have to continue forward to the end, and the positive energy that you put in it, you will get the results.

Short Bio:Date of birth: september 19, 1987Nationality: Iranian-American

Awards / Achievements:Best youth coach of the year 2016 in Iran

Core Qualifications:FIFA/AFC ‘A’ licenseMaster’s in Chemical Engineering

Past winners:3rd Place Kuban spring 2018- sochi, RussiaJob role: Head Coach

Job Responsibilities/Duties:1.) Manage the u19 National Team2.) Help develop youth talent in Iran3.) Conduct coaching courses in Iran (C,B and A

license courses)

Interview by: Marjan GolpiraEditing by: Masoud Hossein

Kat in atraining session

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