*** IRAN DAILY
-- Moscow, Tehran, Ankara see no alternative to Syrian Constitutional Committee: Russian envoy
The guarantors of the Astana process (Russia, Iran and Turkey) see no alternatives to the Syrian Constitutional Committee and are determined to furnish all-round support for its activities, Russia’s special presidential representative for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, said after bilateral consultations with Turkish and Iranian delegations on Tuesday.
“It is most important that all three guarantor countries support this process and see no alternatives to the constitutional committee in Geneva. All sides will furnish comprehensive support for its activities,” he said, according to TASS.
-- Iran-EAEU eight-month trade rises 73%: IRICA
Iran’s trade with the members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) exceeded $3.62 billion in the eight months to November 21, registering 73 percent growth compared to the corresponding figure for last year.
Spokesman of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Rouhollah Latifi said on Tuesday that Iran traded 8.56 million tons of commodities with the EAEU members, up 42 percent in terms of weight.
-- Iran home to ancient festivals and celebrations
Ancient Persia was the land of festivals and celebrations, many of which have been forgotten today.
In today’s Iran, along with religious ceremonies and celebrations like Eid al-Adha, Ghadir, Fitr, Ashura mourning rituals… ancient traditions and rituals have been gaining a special place among Iranians over the centuries, however, most of them have suffered neglect.
According to survey results, there were 24 festivals and ceremonies marked in long distant years, however, some of them are still alive among Zoroastrians, especially in the central province of Yazd.
In those days, glorious celebrations and festivals such as Tirgan, Ordibeheshtgan, Espandgan, etc. were held, each of which was dedicated to a specific time.
*** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iran, Pakistan, Turkey Revive Train Link
The first freight train to run from Pakistan to Turkey through Iran departed Tuesday after a 10-year hiatus in a major boost to the trading credentials of the three founders of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).
The 6,540 km journey from Islamabad to Europe’s largest city will take 10 days, less than half the time needed for the equivalent voyage of 21 days by sea.
The train carrying rice, dates and pink salt left a depot at Margala station in the Pakistan capital to the Turkish city on the Bosphorus Strait on Tuesday, hauling 13 containers.
-- Iran Urges Increased International Aid for Afghanistan
- Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian in a meeting with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called for a boost to international humanitarian efforts for Afghanistan, describing as massive the influx of Afghan refugees into neighboring countries compared to the very small volume of international aid for them.
Amir-Abdollahian praised the agency’s assistance but described it as “woefully insufficient” given the wave of displaced Afghans heading toward neighboring countries.
-- Iran Futsal Team Beats Italy in Friendly Match
Iran futsal team defeated Italy 6-4 Monday night in a friendly match. Team Melli also met the Azzurri Tuesday night at the Emilia Romagna Arena in Salsomaggiore Terme.
Mehdi Karimi (three goals), Mohammad Shajari, Hossein Tayebi and Saeid Ahmad Abbasi scored for Iran. Alex Merlim, Gabriel Motta, De Matos and Murilo Ferreira were on target for Italy.
Mohammad Nazemosharia’s team showed a poor performance in the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup where the team lost to Kazakhstan 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Iran prepares for the 2022 AFC Futsal Asian Cup, which will be held in Kuwait.
*** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Why is the Divan of Hafez the sole book Iranians use for divination?
The Divan of Hafez composed by Shams ad-Din Mohammad, the celebrated Persian lyric poet who is best known as Hafez, is the sole book Iranians use for divination on various occasions, including the Yalda Night celebration. “Why the Divan of Hafez?” many people may ask. Top Persian litterateur Mohammad-Ali Eslami Nadushan has given two reasons for this subject in a speech.
One of the reasons, as Eslami Nadushan says, is the equivocal and metaphorical language in Hafez’ poetry.
-- Railway fleet receives 526 domestically-made, renovated wagons
Iranian railway fleet received 526 new domestically-made and renovated wagons worth 7.94 trillion rials (about $27.379 million) in a ceremony on Tuesday.
Of the mentioned 526 wagons, 500 were the new freight wagons worth 6.6 trillion rials (about $22.758 million), one was a new passenger wagon worth 160 billion rials (about $551,724), and 25 were renovated passenger wagons worth 1.18 trillion rials (about $4.068 million).
The ceremony to add these wagons to the railway fleet was attended by senior transport officials, including Transport and Urban Development Minister Rostam Qasemi, and Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (known as RAI) Seyed Miad Salehi.
-- Tourism development in Sistan-Baluchestan, a powerful means to solve region’s challenges: official
The development of Sistan-Baluchestan through tourism can help the region address its challenges, the deputy tourism chief of the southeastern province has announced. Through the development of tourism, a peace project can be pursued with the neighboring countries in the region, CHTN quoted Mojtaba Mirhosseini as saying on Tuesday.
To date, tourism activists in the province have focused on activities for the sustainable development of tourism, which is highly commendable, the official added.
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