*** IRAN DAILY
— SCFR head: Foreign interference root cause of regional crises
Foreign interference is the root cause of different crises in the tumultuous West Asia region, said the head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations (SCFR).
In a virtual address to an international conference on 30 years of Kazakhstan’s independence, Kamal Kharrazi added finding political solutions for these crises is in need of the strong will of the related sides as well as regional and transregional actors, joint consultations and collective cooperation in the region.
— Khorramshahr plays major role in Iran-Iraq trade: Official
A deputy head of the Khorramshahr Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Trade said that Khorramshahr is a main gateway of Iran’s trade with Iraq.
Speaking to Iran Daily in an exclusive interview, Seyyed Mostafa Mousavi added that Khorramshahr border crossings with Iraq are the third-largest trade corridors of Iran.
“Currently, there are two border crossings to Iraq in Khorramshahr; one is the Shalamcheh international corridor, which is the third largest export border crossing of Iran, and the second is the Khorramshahr port, where heavy cargoes including clinker and steel are usually exported to Iraq,” he said.
— Ancient town of Harireh on Kish Island inscribed in UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage Site
The historical town of Harireh in the southern Iranian island of Kish, as an option to be among the UNESCO nominees, has been introduced to the world’s cultural and social organization, and its registration file has also been included in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, according to the Kish Free Zone Organisation. The introduction of the town took place following the ancient town visit by the experts of the Hormuzgan Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department as well as the need for global registration of historic settlements on the northern shores of the Persian Gulf, IRNA reported.
The inclusion of this work in the World Heritage List, with the credit it brings, would properly introduce the architecture and features of the ports and historical settlements of the Persian Gulf to the world. This important matter will also pave the way for tourism development in the region.
*** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
— Iran Sets the Pace in Vienna Talks
The remaining parties to a 2015 nuclear deal and Iran were locked in talks about removing sanctions on Tehran Friday, with Iranian officials saying they were keeping to the country’s stance from last week. The talks resumed on Thursday with the U.S., as well as the occupying regime of Israel which are not a party to the deal, ramping up hostile rhetoric and possible economic or military threats if diplomacy fails.
Iran’s top negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, said Tehran was sticking to the stance it laid out last week, when the Europeans requested a break to take Iran’s two draft proposals to their capitals.
— Iran to Sanction Americans Over Rights Violations
Iran will announce sanctions on a number of American individuals and entities involved in flagrant violations of human rights, days after Washington targeted the Islamic Republic with new bans over baseless claims of rights abuses.
Kazem Gharibabadi, the Iranian Judiciary chief’s deputy and secretary general of the country’s High Council for Human Rights, said Thursday that the blacklist of U.S. individuals and entities was scheduled to be released soon.
The top human rights official said the latest decision by the U.S. to target Iranians with sanctions was “a continuation of the failed maximum pressure policy against the Iranian nation and the use of sanctions as a tool for political gains.”
— Iran Denounces ‘Politicization of Sport’ by U.S., UK
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has denounces U.S.-led efforts to boycott the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and express solidarity with China that is targeted by the American smear campaign.
“Whether it’s ‘diplomatic boycott’ of #Beijing22, or depriving Iranian teams from accessing financial resources, everyone should denounce politicization of sport,” Khatibzadeh wrote in a post on his Twitter account on Thursday, adding, “Looking forward to participation in the event, we express solidarity with China that is targeted by smear campaign.”
*** TEHRANTIMES
Sanaye Mazandaran claim Iranian wrestling league title
Sanaye Mazandaran freestyle team won the 2021 Iranian Premier Wrestling League on Friday. The final match was held in Tehran’s Azadi Hall and Sanaye Mazandaran defeated Fooladin Zob Amol 6-4 and won the title.
Darousazi Sahand Aras also finished in third place after defeating Azad University 9-1.The first edition of the Iranian Premier Wrestling League was held in 2003.
— Let’s treasure natural jewels
Mountains are home to 15 percent of the world´s population and host about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. So, we should value these natural jewels. Mountains provide freshwater for everyday life to half of humanity. Their conservation is a key factor for sustainable development and is part of Goal 15 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Unfortunately, mountains are under threat from climate change and overexploitation. As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people — some of the world’s poorest — face even greater struggles to survive. The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people.
— Italian ambassador visits Persepolis, admires newly-unearthed ‘staggering’ bricks
Rome’s ambassador to Tehran Giuseppe Perrone has paid a visit to the UNESCO-registered Persepolis when he admired sets of glazed bricks recently unearthed by a team of Iranian and Iranian experts.
Accompanied by several diplomates and embassy staff, the envoy visited Tall-e Ajori, a ruined royal gateway in the vicinity of Persepolis, where he admired the discoveries. “Admiring the staggering glazed bricks bearing bull and dragon motives just excavated by an Italian and Iranian team at Tol-e Ajori site in Persepolis,” Perrone tweeted on Wednesday.