*** IRAN DAILY
-- Iran rejects ‘baseless’ nuclear allegations
The Iranian envoy said in response, “On regional security, raising unfounded accusations against the defensive ballistic missile program of Iran is also an attempt to cover up the skyrocketing trend in the military expenditure of Saudi Arabia and its unquenchable appetite for importing deadly arms.”
While expressing hope that Riyadh will heed Iran’s calls to establish a dialogue within the region to address regional problems, Balouji said the real source of regional insecurity is the massive build-up of foreign forces and military installations, a large number of which are hosted by some regional countries, including Saudi Arabia.
-- Tehran, Yerevan agree on construction of new transit routes
Iranian Deputy Roads and Urban Development Minister Kheirollah Khademi announced conclusion of an agreement between Iran and Armenia for establishing new transit routes.
“The alternative transit route for Iranian trucks in Armenia will be asphalted within the next month, and there will be no need to use the previous route which passes through Azerbaijan and requires us to pay tolls to the country,” IRNA quoted him
saying.
Khademi visited Armenia on top of a delegation last week for discussing resolution of recent transit problems along a 20-kilometer section of Armenia’s Goris-Kapan road stretching from Nurduz (in Iran) to Yerevan.
-- Qazvin Province, land of Tati language
The Tati language is one of the oldest Persian languages surviving from ancient times, said the head of the Anthropology Department of Qazvin Province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization.
In an exclusive interview with Iran Daily, Mojtaba Abbasi said, presently, the northern province of Qazvin is the main area where the Tati language is spoken.
He said that Tati is in the category of Median languages, dating back to 500 BCE, and that Tati has some similarities with many common languages and dialects spoken in various parts of Iran, including Persian, Taleshi, Gilaki, Lori and Kurdish.
He continued that, presently, a large number of people who are living in Qazvin Province, especially in its center, Takestan and Buin Zahra, speak Tati as their first language.
*** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Raisi Hopes for New Page in Iran-Japan Ties
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has offered congratulations to Fumio Kishida on his election as Japan’s prime minister, expressing hope that the new premier’s term in office will open a new page in friendly ties between the two countries.
“On behalf of the Iranian nation and government, I sincerely congratulate Your Excellency on your election as prime minister of the friendly country of Japan. I hope your tenure will open a new chapter in the friendship between the two states,” Raeisi wrote in a message to Kishida on Thursday.
-- Iran Reaffirms Support for Lebanon
Iran aims to continue sending fuel products to Lebanon in the future and hopes a bilateral agreement can be struck for that purpose, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian said on Friday during a visit to Beirut. Hezbollah has been coordinating Iranian fuel shipments for Lebanon since August as shortages spread amid an economic meltdown, despite U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil sales.
“At any point in time if the Lebanese government asks Iran formally within the context of their brotherly ties ... Iran is ready to send fuel products,” Amir-Abdollahian said at a news conference. Amir-Abdollahian held talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and President Michel Aoun on Thursday.
-- Iran Cruise Past UAE in 2022 World Cup Qualification
Iran secured three priceless points on the road to Qatar, emerging from a dramatic AFC Asian Qualifiers clash against the United Arab Emirates with a 1-0 win at Zabeel Stadium on Thursday.
A Mehdi Taremi strike with 20 minutes remaining proved decisive, keeping Dragan Skocic’s side on top of Group A with its third win from as many matches in the Final Round.
The visiting team had a golden chance to add to the scoring when it was awarded a penalty after Taremi was impeded by Abdullah Ramadan in the dying minutes, but Ali Khaseif saved brilliantly to deny Sardar Azmoun from the penalty spot.
*** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Azartash Azarnush, member of Center for Great Islamic Encyclopedia, dies at 84
Linguistic Azartash Azarnush, whose studies centered Persian language’s influence on Arabic and was a member of Iran’s Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia, died on Thursday. He was 84.
Azarnush’s death was announced by the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia, which did not mention the cause of his death.
He was the director of the Arabic Department of the Center since 1986 and also a senior advisor and a member of the Supreme Council of the institute.
“One of the prominent figures of the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia leaves us alone after 35 years of continuous collaboration and writing many books and articles,” the director of the center, Kazem Musavi Bojnurdi, said in a press release.
-- World Post Day: a brief history of postal service in ancient Iran
World Post Day is celebrated on October 9, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss capital, Bern. It is an occasion to recognize the invaluable contributions of postal workers and post offices to our societies all over the world.
The history and post and postage, however, goes far back in time as Iranians, during the Achaemenid era (c. 550-330 BC), enjoyed an innovative efficient system, which remained a source of inspiration for subsequent generations.
Prehistorical Iranians were able to deliver messages from one end of the gigantic Persian Empire, which stretched from Ethiopia, through Egypt, to Greece, to Anatolia (modern Turkey), Central Asia and to India, to the other just within few days using couriers on horseback.
--Iran coach Dragan Skocic hits milestone
Iran national football team head coach Dragan Skocic sets a new record of 10 consecutive wins in all competitions. Iran edged the UAE 1-0 in Group A of the 2022 World Cup qualification Round 3 Thursday night and Skocic overtook Mohammad Mayeli Kohan’s nine-match winning streak in the National Team.
Skocic was appointed as Iran coach in February 2020 as Marc Wilmots’s replacement. The Croat started his career with Iran with three wins over Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Syria in three friendly matches.
6125**9417
Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish