** IRAN DAILY
-- BRICS economic chiefs chart course
Top economic policy officials from BRICS member states held talks Friday to outline proposals to be reviewed by leaders at a summit later this month as Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov called for the creation of an alternative to the Western-dominated global financial system.
Head of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Mohammad Reza Farzin attended the meeting along with finance ministers from Egypt and the United Arab, while other member states sent more junior officials, according to Reuters.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, has expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Russia, heavily sanctioned by the West over its war in Ukraine and cut off from international capital markets, is trying to woo BRICS partners with initiatives such as the creation of the BRICS Bridge international payment system.
-- Chabahar railway to neutralize Zangezur corridor: Official
The secretary of Iran’s Free Zones High Council stated that completing the railway lines from the southeastern port of Chabahar as well as the Jolfa– Cheshmeh Sorayya route could render many perceived threats, including the Zangezur corridor, economically unviable.
“Strengthening and stabilizing the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially its free zones, in transit corridors can generate foreign currency for the country and mitigate the effects of economic sanctions,” Reza Masrour added. Highlighting that one billion tons of goods are transported from East Asia to Europe, he maintained, “We must be able to transit three to four percent of this volume through our country.”
-- Bam Khatoon eyes first win in AFC Women’s Champions League
Bam Khatoon football team is going to earn its first win in the AFC Women’s Champions League.
The Iranian side has collected just one point from its two previous matches against Melbourne and Kaya. Khatoon is scheduled to meet College of Asian Scholars of Thailand on Saturday at the Pathum Thani Stadium.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iranians Mark Hafez Day
On Hafez Day, Iranians pay homage to one of the most beloved figures in the Persian literature. Each year on October 11, Iranians celebrate the literary legacy of Khwajeh Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez of Shiraz, known simply as Hafez.
Friday was Hafez Day in Iran, celebrating the enduring influence of the 14th-century poet whose words resonate across centuries and cultures. Born in Shiraz, Hafez lived during the turbulent times of the Mongol invasion of Iran. Despite the upheavals of his era, Hafez crafted poetry of unparalleled beauty and depth. His collection of poems, known as the Divan-e Hafez, is a cornerstone of Persian literature and a source of wisdom and inspiration for millions.
-- Iran Awaits Repatriation of Iron Age Swords From UK
For the first time, an imaging method has been used to investigate Iron Age bronze Iranian swords, revealing significant modern modifications that prove the weapons have been altered to increase their commercial value in the illicit antiquities market.
Early Iron Age Iranian bladed weaponry is crucial in understanding the metalworking technologies in one of the world’s heartlands of metallurgical innovation, the ancient Near East. Illicit alteration and forgery of ancient objects complicates efforts to trace the evolution of metalworking techniques at the dawn of the Iron Age, 3,000 years ago.
-- U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Surge Amid Hurricane Helene Distortions
The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits surged last week, partially boosted by Hurricane Helene and furloughs at Boeing, opens new tab amid a nearly four-week-old strike at the U.S. planemaker.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 33,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 258,000 for the week ended October. 5, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 230,000 claims for the latest week. There were large increases in unadjusted claims in North Carolina and Florida and claims also rose in Washington state. Helene, which tore through Florida and devastated large swathes of the U.S. Southeast in late September, is likely to continue distorting claims data in the weeks ahead.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Isfahan children’s film festival announces winners
The 36th edition of the International Film Festival for Children and Youth came to an end in the central Iranian city of Isfahan on Thursday, recognizing the achievements of winners across various categories. The Golden Butterfly for the Best Film was awarded to the feature “The Dog Thief” directed by Chilean filmmaker Vinko Tomicic.
A joint production of Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, France, and Italy, “The Dog Thief” is about Martin, a shoeshine boy, who works in the streets of La Paz, Bolivia. One day he decides to steal the dog of his best client, a lonely tailor he has begun to imagine as his father.
-- Iran, EAEU PTA zeroes customs tariffs on 87% of exchanged goods
The head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) said on Thursday that the preferential trade agreement (PTA) between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has canceled customs tariffs on 87 percent of the goods exchanged between the two sides, IRNA reported.
Mentioning the fact that the two sides are currently finalizing a free trade agreement (FTA) as well, Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi said: “The free trade agreement with the member countries of Eurasia will facilitate and increase the volume of our trade exchanges.”
-- More Iranian universities in THE rankings 2025
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 has placed 85 Iranian universities among the top institutions compared to 75 universities in 2024. The 2025 rankings include 2,092 ranked universities from 115 countries. There are 185 new entries compared with last year.
Recognized as the world’s most comprehensive evaluation of university performance, the latest methodology includes 18 carefully calibrated indicators to assess institutions across five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.
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