** IRAN DAILY
-- TPOI supports boosting commercial cooperation with China
There are many grounds for the development of commercial cooperation with China, said the head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI).
Mohammadali Dehqan Dehnavi, who was in Shanghai to visit the China International Import Expo (CIIE), also noted that the expo is an astonishing innovation of the Chinese government and a sign of a very long-term plan to achieve targeted economic development.
-- Iran, Armenia, India plan meeting on transportation: Envoy
Iranian, Armenian and Indian officials have agreed to hold a meeting on trilateral cooperation in the transportation sector, Iran’s ambassador to Yerevan said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters in Kapan, the capital of Armenia’s Syunik province, Mehdi Sobhani said that agreements have been reached to hold a meeting among Tehran, Yerevan and New Delhi on public transportation.
-- NIDC to renovate drilling equipment
The CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) announced that $800 million in credit has been allocated to the National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) for the renovation of drilling equipment.
Speaking at the induction ceremony of the NIDC head on Thursday, NIOC managing Director Hamid Bovard said increasing efficiency and restructuring should be among the NIDC’s priorities.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Researchers Call for Re-Defining of ‘Tribe’ in Arab World
The study of Arab tribes should not be abandoned because Middle East and North African citizens continue to insist on the relevance of the term in their daily lives, says a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Political Science.
The use of “tribe” has been discredited and is now rarely used by researchers, who are concerned it is too vague, evocative of primitive and backwards connotations, and has been inappropriately applied.
-- Shahsavari Named Director of Fajr Film Festival
In a recent appointment, Manouchehr Shahsavari has been named the director of the 43rd Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF). This appointment was made by Raed Faridzadeh, director of Iran’s Cinema Organization (ICO), who highlighted the importance of collaboration with cinema professionals, guilds, and cultural institutions to ensure the festival’s success.
The organization hopes this approach will foster unity and align with the broader cultural policies of the country.
-- Sudan, Iran Agree to Expand Economic Ties
Iran’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Abdolnaser Hemmati and Sudan’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Gibril Ibrahim Mohamed have agreed to increase economic and trade cooperation between the two states. The Sudanese minister visited Tehran at the head of an economic delegation.
Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the re-establishment of political relations between the two countries and hoped that this new phase of relations would lead to the development and flourishing of economic and trade ties.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Iran’s weightlifting team face crucial test in Bahrain
Iran's once-dominant weightlifting team face a critical juncture as it prepare for the 2024 World Weightlifting Championships in Bahrain. The team, which have seen a significant decline in recent years, are under intense pressure to deliver a strong performance and reverse their fortunes.
The team's struggles were evident at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where top lifters Ali Davoudi and Mir Mostafa Javadi failed to secure medals, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. These disappointing results came after a relatively successful 2023 World Championships in Riyadh, where Javadi and Davoudi won two gold and one bronze medal. However, the team's overall performance has been on a downward trajectory.
-- Over 30 Iranian universities in QS Asia University Rankings
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings has placed 32 Iranian universities in the list of top universities in 2025, compared to 31 universities in 2024.
Published annually since 2009, the QS Asia University Rankings highlight the top universities in Asia each year.
University of Tehran (with a global ranking of 87) is placed first among Iranian universities, followed by Sharif University of Technology (ranking 97 globally) and Amirkabir University of Technology (ranking 114 globally).
-- Tourism minister inaugurates multi-storey bazaar of handicrafts in Shiraz
In a grand ceremony on Thursday evening, the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, officially inaugurated the Art Bazaar of Shiraz, amid hopes to promote traditional handicrafts and visual arts in the ancient city.
The inauguration was attended by prominent officials, including Fars Governor-General Hossein-Ali Amiri, Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage Ali Darabi, Shiraz Mayor Mohammad-Hassan Asadi, and Ali Hemmati, Director of Iran Tourism Development Corporation, along with guests from the cultural heritage and tourism sectors.
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