** IRAN DAILY
-- Iran weaned off wheat imports despite sanctions: Minister
Iran’s minister of agriculture announced on Friday that the country has become self-sufficient in wheat output, eliminating the need for wheat imports.
Gholamreza Nouri-Qezeljeh added that the government has purchased 12 million tons of wheat from farmers across the country this year. “However, the actual wheat production in the country is far more than the number,” he added.
-- Tehran, Caracas sign two MoUs on telecommunications
Two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed in Caracas on Friday, on the sidelines of a meeting between Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Sattar Hashemi and Venezuelan Electricity Minister Jorge Márquez.
Speaking at the meeting, the Iranian minister said Iranian companies that have voiced their readiness to cooperate with the friendly nation of Venezuela are among the best companies in Iran.
-- Iran to construct 14 power plants to prevent electricity cuts: MP
Iran will add a sum of 14 power plants to its electricity grid to prevent power cuts during the hot months of the next year, said a member of Parliament’s Energy Committee.
Reza Sepahvand told Iran Daily that over 3,600 MW will be added to the country’s electricity generation capacity by launching the new power stations, which are expected to help the country to face no outages next year.
Referring to the need to develop renewable energy, Sepahvand said renewable energy is developing rapidly in the world but it is not well-developed in our country.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iranian Reciters Finish Second in Qur’an Contest in Turkey
Two young Iranians have finished second in the international Qur’an competitions held in Turkiye.
Milad Asheghi and Seyedparsa Angoshtan, both 25, ranked second in the Qur’anic contests and receive plaques of honor from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at the closing ceremony on Friday.
The International Qur’an Memorization and Recitation Competitions of Turkiye started in Şanlıurfa on October 24.
-- Majlis Grants Approval to Iran’s Gov’t to Increase IMF Quota
Members of the Iranian parliament have granted the government of President Masoud Pezeshkian the authorization to increase Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In an open session of the Iranian parliament, lawmakers endorse a government bill seeking to increase its assets in the IMF by SDR 1.783,600 billion to a total of SDR 5.350,700 billion (equivalent to more than $7.112 billion).
-- Iran Football Chief Taj Meets FIFA President Infantino
Head of the Iran football federation Mehdi Taj met FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Seoul. Taj has traveled to Seoul, South Korea to attend the AFC Annual Awards Seoul 2023.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, Taj met Infantino and AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. Iran stalwart Saeid Ahmad Abbasi was named the 2023 AFC Futsal Player of the Year on Tuesday.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Leader’s advisor says Iran may change nuclear doctrine if threats become ‘existential’
Kamal Kharrazi, Iran’s former Foreign Minister and head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, has clarified that while Iran’s policy against nuclear weapons remains intact, any existential threat to Iran could alter this stance.
The advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution made the remarks in an interview with Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen, where he offered insights into Iran’s nuclear policy and regional security stance.
Kharrazi began by emphasizing that while Iran currently refrains from developing nuclear weapons due to a religious decree, this position might not hold if Iran faces an existential threat. “Iran has respected the Leader’s fatwa prohibiting nuclear weapons,” Kharrazi stated, “but if the survival of Iran comes under serious threat, we reserve the right to reconsider.”
-- Truth through art: amplifying revolutionary voices on global stage in Ammar festival
In a recent interview with the Tehran Times, Marzieh Hashemi, an American-Iranian journalist, television presenter, and the new secretary of Ammar Popular Film Festival, spoke passionately about the evolving role of the festival in showcasing revolutionary art and providing a platform for underrepresented voices.
Hashemi articulated a vision for expanding Ammar festival's reach beyond its regional origins to embrace a more global perspective.
"Since its inception by the late Iranian filmmaker Nader Talebzadeh, the Ammar festival has served as an essential counterpoint to events like the Fajr Film Festival. It offers revolutionary filmmakers a chance to present their works and share messages that often go unheard," Hashemi shared. She emphasized the importance of discovering emerging talents, particularly young artists, whose perspectives contribute to the festival's unique narrative.
-- NIDC indigenizes know-how for manufacturing 610 drilling equipment
National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) has managed to indigenize the knowledge for manufacturing 610 drilling equipment items in collaboration with domestic manufacturers and engineers over the past two years, an official with the company said.
Mohammad-Ali Beygzadeh, the director of research, technology and construction engineering at NIDC, said by localizing these items, more than 1.586 trillion rials (about $3.172 million) has been saved for the company. According to the official, the mentioned items were manufactured by 160 domestic companies including 85 knowledge-based firms.
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