** Iran Daily
-- Collaboration with KSA, China to boost Iran’s oil market status
Iran’s former representative to OPEC, Mohammad Khatibi, said Saturday that increased cooperation between Iran, Saudi Arabia and China will boost Tehran’s status in the oil market. Khatibi told ISNA that such collaboration will bolster Iran and Saudi Arabia’s positions as members of various organizations, leading to stronger positions for both nations in the market.
He maintained that the region’s efficiency will improve, resulting in better regional prospects such as peace, stability, and development.
Khatibi also highlighted that mutual investments between Iran and Saudi Arabia could help enhance bilateral ties. However, any economic cooperation must be matched by practical measures to compensate for past wrongdoings.
-- Iran, Uzbekistan discuss boosting bilateral ties
Bakhodir Abdullaev, the ambassador of Uzbekistan to Iran, discussed boosting bilateral ties with Gholamreza Nouri-Qezeljeh, the Iranian chairman of the Iran-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Speaking at the meeting, which was held in Tehran, the Uzbek envoy emphasized the need to implement the agreements already made between Tehran and Tashkent.
“Many Iranian companies are active in Uzbekistan, but in order to implement the agreements made, concrete measures must be taken in various fields including iron production, agriculture, industries and mines, as well as investments,” he added.
-- IME weekly trade nears $600m
The IME witnessed trade of 2.66 million tonnes of commodities with a total trading value of more than $599 million on its physical market. During the week to April 14. The exchange saw on its metals and minerals trading floor trade of 2.21 million tonnes of commodities valued at more than $376 million, reported ime.co.ir.
On this floor the IME sold 1.28 million tonnes of cement, 429,000 tonnes of iron ore, 339,870 tonnes of steel, 132,600 tonnes of sponge iron, 26,800 tonnes of zinc, 6,550 tonnes of copper, 6,400 tonnes of aluminum, 200 tonnes of molybdenum concentrate and 60 tonnes of precious metals concentrate.
** Kayhan International
-- OPEC: Iran Produces Over 2.5mn bpd of Oil in One Month
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has reported that said Iran produced 2,567,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) in the last month of the previous Iranian calendar year of 1401 (February 20-March 20, 2023).
The country’s oil production output volume in the last quarter of the previous year increased by 36,000 barrels of oil per day as compared to the last year’s corresponding period, the report added.
-- Iran in Talks With 17 Countries to Launch Joint Free Zones
The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Free Trade-Industrial and Special Economic Zones Hojjatollah Abdolmaleki said on Saturday that talks are underway with 17 countries in order to set up joint free zones.
Once these free zones are launched, trade and investment will be facilitated and consequently, export will be boomed, Abdolmaleki stated.
-- Aide Rejects Rouhani’s Plan to Run for Seat in Parliament
The head of the office of ex-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani rejects media claims about a bid by the former chief executive to run in the country’s parliamentary elections slated to be held in early 2024.
Earlier this week, Tasnim news agency claimed that Rouhani has started political activities as political groups begin for election competitions for securing seats on the country’s legislative chamber.
Tasnim referred to Rouhani’s publishing of the memoirs of his presidency as a “first step” in his new political bid. It also pointed to the former president’s activities on Club House and weekly meetings with his former officials.
** Tehran Times
-- Islamic Revolution Art Week honors top artists of the year
Top artists of the year in various categories were announced on Friday evening on the closing day of the Islamic Revolution Art Week. This year, the organizers of the event, which is organized by the Art Bureau of the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization every year, selected one figure as the Islamic Revolution Artist of the Year for each of the categories of art. The previous editions picked only one artist from all categories.
The closing ceremony of the event was held after iftar, the evening meal for breaking the fast during Ramadan, as the stage director Ayyub Aqakhani was named artist of the year in the dramatic arts section.
-- Iran’s gas export value rises 79% in 2022
Iran’s gas export rose 79 percent in terms of worth, and 10 percent in terms of amount, in 2022, the managing director of National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) announced. Majid Chegeni also announced that the country’s gas swap experienced a 530 percent rise in terms of value, and a 358 percent growth in terms of amount, in 2022.
Back in November 2022, an Oilprice.com report stated that Iran has been ramping up its natural gas production with the aim of increasing exports to global markets as the demand in Europe for natural gas is surging ahead of winter.
-- Over 91% of villages connected to internet
More than 91 percent of villages with a population of over 20 households across the country have now access to the internet via the national information network, Issa Zarepour, the Minister of Information and Communications Technology, has said.
The villages with above 20 households having access to the internet have increased from 80 percent to 91 percent since the incumbent administration took office in August 2021, said the minister. The internet had been made available to some 3,425 villages across Iran, he noted.
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