*** Iran DAILY
-- NIX U.S.-ISRAEL LIES; FIX REGIONAL TIES
Anti-Iran schemes spearheaded by the United States and Israel have intensified since the government of President Raeisi took office in August last year, despite adopting a policy of rapprochement with neighbors and regional nations.
Ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East this week and his meeting with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia, media outlets and analysts have speculated that the trip would focus on pushing Arab oil exporters to raise output and ensure Israel’s security.
The Russia-Ukraine war has had far-reaching economic consequences for Europe and the US, triggering a deepening energy crisis which has already mounted pressure on the Biden administration in the run up to the midterm congressional elections. In a U-turn, President Biden appears to have backed down on his sharp criticisms of Saudi Arabia over the devastating war in Yemen and its human rights record, and hopes to seal new deals with the Arab kingdom and other regional allies.
-- Iran allocates 300 containers to transport goods to Russia
The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) allocated 300 containers to transport goods to Russia, making the International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC) operational again.
The containers have been allocated to execute the first phase of a plan for transiting Russian commodities to India via the corridor, the IRISL announced in a statement.
-- Kandovan, only living village in the world carved out of rock
Efforts are underway to register Kandovan village in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, said director general of the province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Iran Daily, Alireza Bayramzadeh said the construction of hand-carved houses in the heart of rocks has a very long history in the village. The special architectural structure of the village is unique in the world.
He added that there are only three rock-carved villages in the world including Cappadocia village in Turkey and Dakota village in the US.
*** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iran to Host Regional Meeting on Sandstorms
Iran is going to host a meeting of environmental officials from regional countries to address problems caused by sandstorms that continue to plague West Asia, President Ebrahim Raisi said.
His administration, the president said, has formed a team of experts to weigh plans for dealing with the dust pollution problems. Raisi said the Iranian team of experts has traveled to Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and other neighboring states, noting, “We need to solve the problem in cooperation with the neighbors.”
-- Iran’s U20 Volleyballers Come 6th in Asian Women Championship
Iran lost to Chinese Taipei 3-1 (25-21, 25-18, 22-25, 25-11) in the 5th–6th Classification round of the 2022 Asian Women’s U20 Volleyball Championship on Monday. Iran lost to Thailand and South Korea in the competition but emerged victorious over Kazakhstan and India.
The competition is being held at the Nazarbayev University Spot Complex in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan from July 4 to 11. The champion and vice-champion teams shall earn direct berths as Asian representatives in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U21 World Championship, with the host city to be announced at a later date.
Defending champions Japan will play China in the final.
-- Kazakhstan Announces Visa-Free Travels for Iranians
Kazakhstan has announced visa-free travel for Iranian nationals seeking to visit the country and stay there for up to 14 days.
Kazakhstan’s interior ministry says the decision is made based on earlier mutual agreements with Iran.
Under the new regulations also implemented for nationals of China and India, Kazakhstan also allows a total of 42 calendar days of stay in the country in any six-month period for Iranians using the visa-free travel.
*** TEHRAN TIMES
--“The Savior”, “The Zoo”, “A Narration of a Funeral” to represent Iran at Durban filmfest
Iranian shorts “The Savior”, “The Zoo” and “A Narration of a Funeral” will be competing in the Durban International Film Festival. The movies will be screened in the short competition of the festival, which will take place in the South African city from July 21 to 30.
Directed by Soheila Purmohammadi, “The Savior” tells the story of a little girl who lives with her father in a village. After witnessing the death of her mother, she tries to save the fish instead.
-- New FTZs in need of budget to be developed
Establishment of free trade zones (FTZs) in Iran dates back to Iranian calendar year 1368 (March 1989 - March 1990) following the fall in the country’s oil income in the preceding year which prompted the government to promote the non-oil exports.
The first two free trade zones of Iran were established in the south of country. The first one was Kish Free Trade Zone established in 1368 on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf and the second one was Qeshm Free Trade Zone established the year after on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
-- Yazd celebrates fifth anniversary of its UNESCO registration
On Sunday evening, hundreds of people including tourism officials, cultural heritage experts, artists, and travel insiders attended a ceremony to mark the fifth anniversary of Yazd’s registration on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami, Yazd province’s governor-general Mehran Fatemi, and several ambassadors and diplomats were among attendees of the event held at the UNESCO-designated Dowlat Abad Garden which is well-known for its high windcatcher.
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