** IRAN DAILY
-- Russia, Iran using local currencies in bilateral trade: Kremlin
National currencies are being used in more than 96% of mutual payments between Russia and Iran, the Kremlin’s press service said on the verge of the meeting between presidents of the two countries to be held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan.
“The leadership of both countries pay the most attention to development of trade and economic ties. Growth of mutual trade in 2023, despite a certain decline, totaled over $4 billion. We record growth by 12.4% as of the end of January - August. The share of national currencies in mutual payments is over 96%,” the press service said.
-- Energy diplomacy in shaping Iran’s power dynamics
World countries have become increasingly reliant on each other for sustainable economic growth and trade benefits where anything that happens to one country also affects others.
Today, political relations have become a function of the economic situation of countries where the prosperity of nations is transforming diplomatic relations and political equations, wrote Press TV.
The urgent need of industrialized countries for energy and cheap labor and the reciprocal need of developing countries for industrial products and technology of industrialized countries have created a situation where countries are forced to use existing capacities based on national interests to interact with each other.
-- WSA: Iran among top 10 crude steel producers despite power cuts
Iranian steelmakers churned out 21.3 million tons of crude steel in the first nine months of 2024, according to statistics released by the World Steel Association (WSA) on Tuesday, indicating that the country ranks 10th among steel producing countries despite power cuts ordered for industries over the summer months.
The nine-month steel ingot production of Iranian mills indicated 3.1 percent of drop compared to the corresponding figure in 2023. The country’s steel ingot production for September 2024 hit 1.5 million tons, registering a 41.2-percent drop compared to the figure for September 2023.
World crude steel production for the 71 countries reporting to the association was 143.6 million tons in September 2024, a 4.7-percent decrease compared to September 2023.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iranian Delegation Discusses Qur’anic Research in Malaysia
An Iranian delegation led by the head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO)’s International Qur’an and Propagation Center Mostafa Husseini Neyshabouri is on a visit to Malaysia to identify areas of cooperation in Qur’anic and religious fields.
In a meeting with the president of the International Islamic University of Malaysia, Husseini Neyshabouri said cooperation should expand between the two countries in organizing Qur’anic research and identifying and removing problems and obstacles.
-- Fajr Festival to Premiere Pilot Version of ‘Prophet Moses’
The pilot version of the highly anticipated TV series ‘Prophet Moses’, directed by renowned filmmaker Ebrahim Hatamikia, will be unveiled at the upcoming edition of the Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) in Iran.
The series, produced by Seyed Mahmoud Razavi, is being filmed in five seasons, employing advanced virtual production technology. The initial footage released is from virtual production technology tests.
-- Army Chief: Iran Ready to Deal Devastating Blow to Israel
The chief commander of the Iranian Army says any mistake by Israel will be met with a decisive response, warning that the Islamic Republic is fully prepared to deliver a ‘crushing blow’ to the regime.
The spokesman for Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Ebrahim Rezaei, cited Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi as saying that in case the Zionist regime makes a slightest mistake, it would certainly face a decisive response from the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Tehran International Short Film Festival announces jury for international section
The jury for the international section of the 41st Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF) has been announced with two jurors from Iran and five foreign jurors.
The members of the jury include the Indian musical composer and record producer A. R. Rahman, Ghanian-Belgian director Anthony Nti, Bangladeshi screenwriter and film critic Sadia Khalid Reeti, Italian filmmaker Maja Costa, and Russian festival producer Ekaterina Yakovleva, as well as Iranian filmmakers Ahmad Reza Motamedi and Masoud Madadi.
-- Pezeshkian submits $98.5b budget bill to Majlis
President Masoud Pezeshkian submitted the national budget bill for the next Iranian calendar year (March 2025-March 2026) to the Majlis (parliament) on Tuesday. The proposed budget for the next year amounts to about 64.76 quadrillion rials (about $98.5 billion at the free market rate of 650,000 rials).
The bill has estimated the public resources at 59.876 quadrillion rials (about $92.116 billion). The oil, gas, and oil products income is predicted to be 21.07 quadrillion rials (about $32.415 billion), with 32 percent growth compared to the present year’s figure. Crude oil production is estimated at 3.75 million barrels per day at an average sales price of €57.5.
-- Archaeological discoveries shed light on ancient urban settlement in southeast Iran
A recent archaeological survey in the Girdi region near the former course of the Helmand River has uncovered a range of artifacts, hinting at the presence of an urban settlement dating back to the mid-to-late Islamic period.
The excavation, led by archaeologist Mojtaba Sa’adatian, marks the completion of a systematic field study carried out in the desert areas of southern Sistan Plain. The team of five archaeologists explored a 4,000-hectare area, identifying cultural landmarks and cataloging both movable and immovable objects.
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