Hawzah News Agency- The following headlines appeared in English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Wednesday, October 9, 2024:
** IRAN DAILY
-- Iran’s annual pistachio exports could hit $2m: Association head
If the export barriers are removed, Iran can earn $1.5 to $2 million by exporting pistachios, as announced by the head of the Iran Pistachio Association. Talking to Iran Daily, Mohammad Salehi said Iranian pistachios are very good in terms of taste and quality, so there are always customers for our produce in the international market.
“Except for Australia and the American countries that supply their needs from the US (the world’s largest pistachio producer) due to proximity, all other countries buy pistachios from Iran,” he noted.
-- Four water desalination units to open in Iran’s south
Four water desalination units to be launched in the southern provinces of Hormuzgan and Bushehr by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2024), announced the managing director of the Water and Waste Organization on Tuesday.
There are 105 water desalination projects across the country, of which 87 water desalination plants with a total daily capacity of 511,185 cubic meters are in operation, Hashem Amini said.
-- Iran, China hold talks on electrifying Tehran-Mashhad railroad
Iran and China held talks to finance the electrification of Tehran-Mashhad train lines, said Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Jabar-Ali Zakeri on Tuesday.
Zakeri also called for using a new system in Iranian railways to reduce costs and increase efficiency of trains.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iranian Short Film to Compete at Chennai Festival
Iranian short film the “Wood” has entered the competition section of the Chennai International Film Festival in India. The Chennai International Film Festival is held from October 4 to 10 in the city of Chennai. So far, the “Wood” has participated in film festivals in Italy, France and the U.S.
The short documentary film has been directed by Morteza Payeshenas. The 3-minute short documentary has already attended the Très Court International Film Festival in France, the LAMPA International Film Festiva in Russia and the Arlington International Film Festival in the U.S.
-- 14-Year-Old Iranian Table Tennis Player Faraji Defeats World No. 1
Iran’s 14-year-old table tennis player Benyamin Faraji has defeated world number one Wang Chuqin from China in a match held as part of the 2024 Asian Table Tennis Championships.
Faraji beat Wang 3-2 on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the tournament that is being held in Astana, Kazakhstan. As the first Chinese paddler out of the gate, Wang conceded a grueling 11-8, 3-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-9 loss to Faraji, who sits 209 places lower than him in the world rankings.
-- Hussein Vafaei Starts Wuhan Open in Style
Iran’s Hossein Vafaei has defeated Irish player Jordan Brown 5-3 in Round One of the Wuhan Open.
The world’s best players are back in China for the third time this season, with the campaign’s sixth ranking event taking place at the China Optics Valley Convention & Exhibition Center (COVCEC) from October 6-12. Judd Trump is the defending champion.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Iran - Qatar 2026 World Cup qualifier relocated
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced that the World Cup qualifying match between Iran and Qatar, originally scheduled to take place at the Emam Reza Stadium in Mashhad, Iran, will be held in a neutral country. AFC has decided to change the field after Iran launched dozens of missiles toward Tel Aviv last week. Israel has also vowed to respond to the attack.
The Iranian football federation must introduce a neutral field until Wednesday. Team Melli will meet Uzbekistan in Group A on Thursday at the Bunyodkor Stadium and the stadium could be one of Iran’s options for the match against Qatar.
-- Energy Ministry pursuing new plans to pass next summer peak period
Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said his ministry is pursuing 14 major plans to prepare the country’s electricity sector for passing next summer’s peak consumption period, IRIB reported.
Speaking at a meeting with managers of the country’s electricity sector, Aliabadi said: “Maintaining water reserves for maximum use of the capacity of hydroelectric power plants, developing the capacity of renewable power plants, performing power plant overhauls on time, removing the limitations of the power grid, and paying special attention to promoting consumption awareness are among the measures that the ministry is going to take to pass the next year’s peak summer period.”
-- Sa’d al-Saltaneh: UNESCO-listed caravanserai still under restoration
The second phase of a restoration project on the centuries-old Sa’d al-Saltaneh Caravanserai in Qazvin has officially begun, according to the province’s tourism chief. Alireza Khazaeli on Monday announced that the project is being carried out in collaboration with the private owner of the caravanserai.
Khazaeli explained that the restoration project, approved by the technical council of the provincial tourism directorate last winter, aims to transform the caravanserai into a traditional hotel.
