*** IRAN DAILY
-- Iran replace Japan as Asia’s top side in latest FIFA World Ranking
Iran are the top ranked men’s Asian team in the latest FIFA World Ranking issued on Thursday.
Iran replaced Japan at the top of the Asian ranking following their perfect start to the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar – earlier this month, the-afc.com wrote.
Dragan Skocic’s side defeated Iraq 3-0 and Syria 1-0 in Group A as they began their bid to qualify for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup Finals as they moved up to 22nd from 26th.
Japan’s defeat to Oman in their opening AFC Asian Qualifiers Group B match saw the Blue Samurai drop to second in the FIFA World Ranking. They, however, rebounded with a 1-0 win over China in their second match with Hajime Moriyasu’s side now ranked 26th.
-- Iran’s fuel, petchem sales boom despite unilateral U.S. sanctions
Iranian fuel and petrochemical exports have boomed in recent years despite stringent U.S. sanctions, leaving Iran well placed to expand sales swiftly in Asia and Europe if Washington lifts its curbs, trading sources and officials said.
The United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s oil and gas industry in 2018 to choke off the Islamic Republic’s main source of revenues in a dispute with Tehran over its nuclear work, Reuters wrote.
-- Rais Ali Delvari, symbol of resistance against British colonialism in southern Iran
Rais Ali Delvari (1882-1915) is one of the most famous Iranian fighters, known as a symbol of resistance against colonialism in southern Iran.
During World War I, he led the resistance of people of Tangestan and Bushehr, in the southern province of Bushehr, against the British forces and sacrificed his life in this way. His struggles and leadership helped the brave people of southern Iran to defeat British soldiers.
He and his companions, known as the Daliran of Tangestan (the Braves of Tangestan), aimed to defend Bushehr, Dashtestan and Tangestan, prevent foreign forces from crossing Iran’s borders, and protect the independence of our homeland.
In an exclusive interview with Iran Daily, Soudabeh Ma’muri, an official at Bushehr Province’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, said with the beginning of the First World War in 1914, Iran declared its neutrality to the European governments involved in the war.
*** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iran Down Kuwait at Asian Women’s Handball Championship
Iran overpowered Kuwait 38-11 at the 2021 Asian Women’s Handball Championship at the Princess Sumaya Hall in Amman, Jordan on Thursday.
Iran has been drawn in Group B along with Palestine, Kuwait, Syria, Japan and Jordan.
Team Melli, who suffered a narrow 23-20 loss against Japan in its opening match, will play Palestine on Saturday.
South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are in Group A.
The 2021 Asian Women’s Handball Championship is being held from September 15 to 25 in Jordan.
-- Oil Minister: Refinement Capacity in Iran to Rise by 50% in 3 Years
The Iranian minster of oil Javad Owji has unveiled a plan to increase the country’s capacity for the refinement of petroleum and gas condensates by 50 percent within the next couple of years.
In a radio interview on Thursday, Owji said his ministry has formulated a plan to increase the refinement capacity.
He explained that the new plan entails an improvement of the quality and quantity of output in the existing refineries and the construction of new refinery complexes.
-- Iran’s Petrochemical, Fuel Sales Boom as Sanctions Hit Crude Exports
Iranian fuel and petrochemical exports have boomed in recent years despite stringent U.S. sanctions, leaving Iran well placed to expand sales swiftly in Asia and Europe if Washington lifts its curbs, trading sources and officials said.
The United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s oil and gas industry in 2018 to choke off the Islamic Republic’s main source of revenues in a dispute with Tehran over its nuclear work.
The steps stymied crude exports but not sales of fuel and petrochemicals. Crude can be identified as Iranian by its grade and other features, while big oil tankers are more easily tracked via satellite.
*** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Alireza Qorbani, Alim Qasimov team up for Konya mystic music festival
Iranian vocalist Alireza Qorbani and Azerbaijani singer Alim Qasimov will give a joint concert during the 18th edition of the Konya International Mystic Music Festival. The concert will be performed at the Seljuk Congress Center of the Turkish town of Konya on September 30, the organizers have announced.
Musicians from England, Lebanon, Tanzania, Turkey, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan will also perform concerts at the Konya International Mystic Music Festival, which is organized annually by the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism of Konya.
-- Industry ministry approves new plans for improving domestic markets
Iranian Industry, Mining, and Trade Ministry approved seven programs for improving the commodity distribution system in the domestic markets in a meeting held on Thursday, IRIB reported.
As reported, attended by the Industry Minister Reza Fatemi Amin and some of his deputies, the mentioned meeting was held to present and review reform programs for improving the goods distribution system and the domestic market in order to amend the policies related to this area.
-- UNWTO plans restart of tourism across Asia and the Pacific
Tourism leaders from across Asia and the Pacific have met to plan the sector’s restart and recovery even as borders remain closed throughout the region. The meetings attracted around 120 participants from 25 of UNWTO’s 29 member states in the region under the chairmanship of Malaysia and the Maldives.
Participants exchanged views to jumpstart tourism during the 33rd joint meeting of the World Tourism Organization’s Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and its Commission for South Asia, on the back of a challenging year for the region.
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