** IRAN DAILY
-- ACU meeting kicked off in Tehran
The 51st Asian Clearing Union (ACU) meeting, mainly focused on de-dollarization, kicked off on Tuesday in Tehran. On the first day of the two-day event, expert committees from the attending delegations held meetings to discuss the preliminary issues.
The event is attended by the governors of the central banks of the ACU member countries, in addition to Russia. In the 51st ACU meeting, members are set to discuss various issues including the amendment of the union’s statutes in order to facilitate the acceptance of new members, and determining the new currency basket of the member countries in order to settle exchanges, without the need for euros or dollars.
-- Iran among top 10 crude steel producers: WSA figures
Iran was the world’s 10th crude steel producer during the first four months of the current year, according to figures released by World Steel Association (WSA) on Tuesday.
The country produced 9.7 million tons of steel ingots during January-April 2023, indicating 0.1 percent rise compared to the corresponding figure for the preceding year.
Iranian steelmakers churned out 3.1 million tons of crude steel, 5.9 percent more than in the same period in 2022, the WSA data showed.
-- FAO awards GIAHS certificates to two Iranian sites
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) awarded the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) certificate to two Iranian sites of Qanat-based Saffron Farming System in Gonabad and Grape Production System in Jozan Valley.
During a ceremony held on Tuesday, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, granted certificates of recognition to 24 new GIAHS sites in 12 countries including Iran, according to fao.org. Designated GIAHS in 2018, the sites are located in Brazil (one site), China (four sites), Ecuador (two sites), Iran (two sites), Italy (two sites), Japan (two sites), Korea (two sites), Mexico (one site), Morocco (two sites), Spain (three sites), Thailand (one site) and Tunisia (two sites).
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
--Iran Reminds Germany of Complicity in Saddam’s War Crimes
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani in a tweet on Tuesday has censured German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock for commenting on human rights in the Islamic Republic, recounting Berlin’s complicity in the war crimes committed by the regime of ex-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980s imposed war.
Kan’ani said the European Union “won’t accept” alleged Iranian human rights violations.
“It is very unlikely that the German foreign minister is not aware of the Iranian people’s mentality towards chemical gases and substances and their connection with the German government,” he wrote.
-- UN, Iran Discuss Efforts to Resolve Yemeni Crisis
Officials from Iran and the United Nations have held virtual talks on the situation in Yemen and ways to end the crisis in the Arab country.
Within the framework of the consultations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to solve the crisis in Yemen and achieve sustainable peace in this country, Ali Asghar Khaji, a senior assistant to the minister of foreign affairs of the Islamic Republic for special political affairs, spoke with Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Representative for Yemeni Affairs, via video-link.
-- Qeshm Hosts Ceremony on UNESCO Listing of Oud
TEHRAN -- Qeshm Island in Iran played host to an unveiling ceremony for the UNESCO certificate of inscription for the oud musical instrument. A group of activists, provincial and national officials, and skillful and professional players of the instrument were in attendance, iFilm reported.
Maestro Muhammad Piri, who played the oud during the unveiling ceremony, gave a mesmerizing performance.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Iran’s women’s basketball to compete at 2023 William Jones Cup
Iran’s women’s basketball team will participate at the 2023 William Jones Cup for the first time. Iran will take part at the competition in Taiwan as part of preparation for the 2023 Women's Basketball FIBA Division B Asian Cup in August.
Greek basketball coach Eleni Kapogianni has been recently appointed as head coach of Iran’s women’s basketball team. The R. William Jones Cup, also known as the Jones Cup, is an international basketball tournament organized by the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) held annually since 1977 in Taiwan.
-- Surprise birthday party draws out 100-year-old litterateur’s humor
– On Monday, litterateur Mohammad-Ali Movahhed, was called to attend an official meeting at the Academy of Persian Language and Literature. Unknown to Movahhed, who is most famous for his expertise on Persian mystic and poet Molana Jalal ad-Din Balkhi, he was actually being invited to his 100th birthday celebration.
Due to his humility, Movahhed often hesitates to attend such celebrations, however, this ruse made him show some flashes of humor that delighted the audience.
-- Iran is hoping to gain UNESCO tag for Aras Geopark
Iran is hoping to win a UNESCO tag for Aras Geopark, which has been nominated for new UNESCO Global Geoparks in March, a local official has said. Aras Geopark, which covers an area of about 1670 square kilometers, has been put on a shortlist along with other 18 geoparks from across the world, Mohammad Farzad Mirzai explained on Tuesday.
The possible registration of Aras Geopark will make it Iran’s second registered geopark after Qeshm Geopark, the official added.
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