*** IRAN DAILY
— Navy commander: Iran ‘slapped’ Americans six times in 18 months
The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy said during confrontations in the Persian Gulf over the past 18 months, Iranian forces have “slapped” the Americans six times.
Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, in an address to a gathering of Basij students at the former U.S. Embassy compound in Tehran on Saturday, was apparently referring to the period since the U.S. assassination of Iran’s legendary anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.
— Iran increases condensate loading capacity of South Pars Gas Field
The Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) put a new single point mooring (SPM) into operation at Phase 19 of South Pars Gas Field to increase the condensate loading capacity of the giant field, an official with the company announced.
According to the Operator of South Pars Phase 19 Development Project Seyed Hossein Azimi, a one-million-barrel cargo has been loaded from this SPM for the first time.
— Fifth excavation season underway in Chehrabad Mine
Iranian and German archeologists, under the joint supervision of Abolfazl Aali and Thomas Stoellner, are implementing an excavation project in Chehrbad Salt Mine located in the southern part of the Hamzehlu Village in the northwestern province of Zanjan.
Announcing the above, the Iranian head of the Iranian-German excavation team, Aali said that the archeologists aim to gain more knowledge about the manner of mining during the Achaemenid (550-329 BCE) and Sassanid (224-651 CE) periods.
*** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
— Eviction of Iran Commander in Syria Debunked
A senior political expert has rejected media reports that the commander of the Iranian military advisers in Syria had been expelled at the request of the UAE.
Massoud Asadollahi categorically dismissed allegations that General Javad Ghaffari had been expelled by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after a request by the UAE foreign minister.
Asadollahi said the Iranian general’s mission ended last month after holding the post for six years, adding foreign media had offered wrong analyses by linking the termination
— Minister: 1,400 Iranian-Made Cars to Be Exported to Azerbaijan
Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi said Sunday that Iran exported 400 automobiles to Azerbaijan last year but this year exports will increase to 1,400 automobiles.
Ghasemi made the comments at a meeting of Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission which was also attended by visiting Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev in Tehran.
Ghasemi pointed to similarities and long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries, expressing hope that the two countries will resolve the barriers to bilateral relations during the Azeri delegation’s visit.
— Iran, Qatar Set to Boost Sports Cooperation
Qatar Olympic Committee secretary-general Jassim Rashid on Sunday met and held talks with President of National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri and pointed to the good relation of the two countries.
The Qatari official said that sports relations should increase as well. Jasem Rashid at the sideline of the general assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) underscored that developing sports relations between Iran and Qatar will undoubtedly lead to more friendship and global peace and the two sides have always had good relations.
Jasem Rashid noted that Iran and Qatar can make proper use of the other side’s capacities and for his part, declared readiness for boosting sports relations of the two countries.
*** TEHRAN TIMES
— Iran volleyball federation’s long-term plans revealed
Mohammadreza Davarzani, head of Iran volleyball federation, has revealed the long-term plans of the federation until 2024 Olympic Games.
He had targeted a place in top four teams in the 2020 Olympic Games but Iran, headed by Russian coach Vladimir Alekno, finished in ninth place out of 12 teams. Shortly after, the National Team claimed the gold medal of the 2021 Asian Volleyball Championship under guidance of Iranian coach Behrouz Ataei.
— Leader writes commendation for memoirs “Cry in Solitude”
A book entitled “Cry in Solitude” has received a commendation from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Published by Hemaseye Yaran in summer 2020, the book contains the memoirs of Ashraf Sadat Montazeri, the mother of Mohammad Memarian, a 13-year-old volunteer who was martyred in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. The book has been authored by Akram Eslami.
The commendation was unveiled in a special ceremony held at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Sunday to celebrate a day from the 29th edition of the Iran Book Week named after “Books, Martyrs’ Mothers and Women in the Sacred Defense”.
— Restoring tourism flow far preferable to profitability, Iranian expert says
Iranian Tour Operators Director Ebrahim Pourfaraj has said the restoration of tourism flow to the country is very important for Iranian tour operators and travel insiders.
“At the moment, we are not thinking about revenues, but we are looking for the beginning of the tourist flow to the country and renew our links [with international fellows],” Pourfaraj said on Saturday.
His comments came after months of steep recession triggered by massive coronavirus restrictions which led many travel insiders, hoteliers, and tour operators towards bankruptcy, unemployment, debts, and the prospects of not being competitive on the international level.