** IRAN DAILY
-- Millions bid farewell to Raisi
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other martyrs were laid to rest, concluding days of funeral attended by several million of mourners after they were died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
At least three million mourners marched in Raisi’s home town Mashhad Thursday to bid farewell to the president, the mega city’s mayor said, following processions in the cities of Tabriz, Qom, Tehran and Birjand.
Later at dusk, the president’s body was lowered into a tomb at the Imam Reza (PBUH) Shrine, where Shia’s eighth Imam is buried.
-- Pakistan opens borders with Iran 24/7 to boost trade: Envoy
Pakistani Ambassador to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu Friday said Pakistan has decided to open two border crossing points with Iran 24 hours a day and seven days a week in a bid to push bilateral trade.
The envoy hoped that this will improve the flow of goods between the two countries and provide more economic opportunities.
-- Iran’s foreign trade keeps upward trend during Raisi’s term: IRICA
Iran’s foreign trade registered a considerable jump during the late President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration (32 months in service) and reached more than $301 billion, according to a report by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA).
About 347 million tons of goods, valued at over $137.8 billion, were exported from the country between August 2021 and April 22, 2024, showing a 17.19 and 1.5 percent hike in terms of value and weight respectively compared to the same period in the previous administration, it said.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Int’l Film Producers Attend Sobh Media Festival
The 2nd Sobh International Media Festival has hosted a specialized panel on documentary filmmaking.
A diverse group of documentary filmmakers from around the globe discussed industry challenges and media-related issues at Tehran’s Mellat Cineplex on May 20.
Prominent participants included Ukrainian-American film producer Igor Lopatonok, Libyan-Lebanese journalist and filmmaker Radwan Mortada, Irish documentarian Sean Murray, American journalist and filmmaker Dan Cohen, and Iranian documentarian Hassan Yadegari. The panel was moderated by Iranian cinema activist Bahman Nouraee.
-- Petroleum University to Open Center in Africa
Iran’s Petroleum University of Technology is due to establish an international academic center in Africa, said the university’s chancellor.
Muhammad Chahardowli said that the Petroleum University of Technology with an 85-year history of activity was the second oldest higher education institution in Iran, adding during the recent years it has been one of the superior scientific and research institutions of the country, having served the Petroleum Ministry and the domestic and international companies in training human resources.
– Iran, Indonesia Ink PTA to Boost Bilateral Trade
The director general of the East Asia-Pacific Office of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) announced that the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) was signed between Iran and Indonesia to enhance trade-economic ties.
Kaveh Daliri said Indonesia is a lucrative market for the Iranian products.
Increasing the trade exchanges and joint cooperation between the two countries is the main objective behind signing the agreement, he said, adding that countries facilitate the process of entering each other’s markets by considering the tariff discounts.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Persepolis leapfrog Esteghlal at top of Iran’s PGPL
Persepolis football team came from three goals down to beat struggling Esteghlal Khuzestan 4-3 in Iran’s 2023/24 Persian Gulf Pro League (PGPL) here at the Azadi Stadium on Friday.
Alireza Kazemi opened the scoring for the visiting team Esteghlal Khuzestan just four minutes into the match and Aso Rostam made it 2-0 with a powerful shot inside the area in the 41st minute. Kazemi completed his brace just before the halftime.
-- Photo exhibit marks Khorramshahr liberation anniversary
A special exhibition is underway at the Film Museum of Iran to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of Khorramshahr's liberation from Iraqi occupation.
The exhibition showcases a collection of iconic photos of the movies and TV series that tell the story of the historic city, ISNA reported on Friday.
-- World Bank evaluation of Raisi administration proves its economic success
The World Bank, in its latest report on the economic situation in Iran, has examined the performance of the administration of late President Ebrahim Raisi, indicating its successful track record in the economic sphere.
The WB report shows that the Islamic country’s economy experienced sustained growth over the past four years, despite the continuation of economic sanctions and the intensification of geopolitical uncertainties. Although the boom in the oil sector contributed to this growth, the non-oil sector, especially services and industry, was also the main engine of economic growth.
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