** IRAN DAILY
– The Grandeur of Arbaeen in Iran
In a remarkable turn of events, a record-breaking number of pilgrims flocked to Iraq for Arbaeen rituals this year, as confirmed by Iran’s Police Chief, Ahmad Reza Radan. During a recent visit to the Chazzabeh border crossing in southwestern Iran, Brigadier General Radan announced that more than four million people traveled to Iraq from Iran through six border crossings en route to Karbala, Iraq, to participate in the Arbaeen procession, paying tribute to Imam Hussein (PBUH).
– Major railway project launched in eastern Iran
Construction works have started for a major railway project in Iran’s arid eastern regions upon an order by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The project that started on Wednesday will connect the cities of Nehbandan to Yunesi in Iran’s province of South Khorasan with a railway that stretches nearly 400 kilometers in the arid deserts along Iran’s border with Afghanistan, according to Press TV. Raisi said in a speech in the provincial capital of Birjand that the railway will play a major role in the economic empowering of the region, adding that the government had earmarked all the financial and technical resources needed for the completion of the project
– Anzali Wetland full of attractions
Bandar Anzali, one of Iran’s most picturesque ports, is situated in the northern part of the country, close to the provincial capital city of Rasht. Iran’s European North is another name for Bandar Anzali. It is a port that is full of attractions. There are so many sites in Bandar Anzali, and it is impossible to see them all in a brief visit. Bandar Anzali was known as the city of rain in the past, and it still rains a lot, especially in the spring. The humidity in Bandar Anzali is excellent for growing rice.
** TEHRAN TIMES
– Arba’een: A journey of love
Millions of people from around the world just wrapped up their spiritual journey to the holy city of Karbala, creating an unforgettable image of altruism and piety. The annual pilgrimage of Arba’een was different this year as it comes after the Coronavirus pandemic has dissipated to a large extent; The pandemic created a hiatus in the event. This year, the Iranian authorities joined forces with their Iraqi counterparts to successfully hold the Arba’een ceremony. Iranian officials provided a variety of services ranging from medial to transportation, for the Arba’een pilgrims heading to Karbala on foot. More than 20 million pilgrims took part in the pilgrimage, making it one of the biggest events in the world. Accordingly, managing such an event involving this huge number of people is no easy task. It required close cooperation between Iran and Iraq.
– Iran slams interventionist statement by Arab-Japan forum
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman on Thursday censured a joint statement released after the third Arab-Japan Political Dialogue Forum in Cairo, calling it a breach of Iran’s territorial integrity. In a joint statement released after the forum convened at the foreign minister level at the Arab League on Tuesday, participants called on Iran and the UAE to “reach a peaceful solution through bilateral negotiation as per the provisions of the international law and UN Charter” regarding the ownership of the three islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb. Spokesman Nasser Kanaani slammed the statement for lacking any political and legal value, as well as being in violation of the principle of non-interference in domestic affairs of countries and respect for their territorial integrity.
– U.S. sends more health hazards to Ukraine's army
The United States has announced new aid for Ukraine totaling more than $1 billion, which includes, for the first time, controversial depleted uranium ammunition. Exposure to depleted uranium in the conflict will be a serious health risk for years and decades to come; it will affect Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in areas where the ammunition is going to be used. Russian soldiers will potentially be affected as well.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
– If You Resist, You Will Reach Peaks
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has advised Iranian youths to stick to the path of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam, and not to be diverted by “satanic attractions”. In an address during a mourning ceremony on the occasion of the Arba’een on Wednesday, the Leader said the name of Imam Hussein, the way of Imam Hussein and the invocation of Imam Hussein opens the way. “Hussein, in the true sense of the word, is the light of guidance. Hussein is the light of guidance. You can sense this guidance in your mind and within yourselves. Anyone who attends a gathering for Imam Hussein will undoubtedly benefit spiritually from it. There is no doubt about this,” the Leader said.
– France Upholds Ban on Abayas in Public Schools
A top court in France on Thursday upheld a new government decree barring children in public schools from wearing the abaya, a full-length robe worn by some Muslim women, in a blow to critics who had called the ban discriminatory and had filed an emergency petition to strike it down. The Council of State, France’s top administrative court, which has jurisdiction over disputes concerning civil liberties, ruled that the ban was not a “serious and obviously illegal infringement of a fundamental freedom.”
– Ex-Mossad Chief: Israel Enforcing Apartheid System
A former head of the Mossad intelligence agency has said Israel is imposing a form of apartheid on the Palestinians, joining a growing number of prominent Israelis to compare the occupation of the West Bank to South Africa’s defunct system of racial oppression. Tamir Pardo’s views come at a time when far-right members of the Zionist regime are moving to kill off any prospect of an independent Palestinian state.
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