Hawzah News Agency- The following headlines appeared in English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Saturday, November 23, 2024:

** IRAN DAILY

-- President says gov’t ready to support NTBFs

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday announced the government’s readiness to support new technology-based firms (NTBFs), particularly in commercializing and marketing their products.

As part of his first provincial visit to Sistan and Baluchestan, Pezeshkian toured the province’s Industrial Park in the city of Zahedan, where he made the remarks.

-- Iran produced 2.6m tons of rice: Deputy minister

The deputy minister for planning and economic affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture announced an 800,000-ton rice deficit in the country despite the production of 2.6 million tons this year, adding that the shortfall will be compensated through imports.

Talking to IRNA on Friday, Akbar Fat’hi also said with the current population and a per capita consumption of about 36 kilograms, Iran requires 3.4 million tons of rice annually as most of this demand is met through domestic production, and the remainder is imported.

-- SCI: Annual inflation rate drops to 33.1%

The annual inflation rate for households in Iran reached 33.1% in the month to November 20, registering a 0.5 percentage point decrease compared to the previous month, according to the Statistical Center of Iran. In the eighth Iranian month that ended on November 20, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for households rose to 279.5, showing a 2.8% increase compared to the previous month and a 32.5% rise compared to the related figure for the eighth month of the previous Iranian year (which ended on March 19, 2024).

The CPI for the 12 months that ended on November 20, 2024, also registered a 33.1% increase compared to the 12 months that ended on November 20, 2023.

** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL

-- IRGC Chief urges Muslims to cut Israel’s economic lifeline

The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Friday urged “all the Muslim countries” to stop helping the occupying regime of Israel so it fully collapses.

“The economic arteries of the regime must be closed, and we say, especially to the Muslim governments, close the land, sea and air routes of economic and military aid to this regime,” Major General Hossein Salami said.

-- NIOC Chief: Oil output rises by 60,000 bpd

The CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Hamid Bovard has said that the country’s daily oil production volume has increased by 60,000 barrels.

Speaking with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Bovard added, “With the planning and efforts made in this regard, despite some unforeseen repairs that occurred, fortunately, more than 60,000 barrels per day have been added to the country’s oil production since August this year.”

-- President Maduro hails ‘emerging power’ Iran

Iran and Venezuela have signed a series of cooperation documents here where Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh visited at the helm of a high-ranking delegation.

Nasirzadeh, who traveled to Caracas on Tuesday to participate at the 10th meeting of the Iran-Venezuela joint economic cooperation commission, met President Nicolas Maduro who highlighted the extensive work done by various working groups to map out bilateral cooperation.

“Iran has established itself as an emerging power in the multipolar and multicentric world that is emerging today,” Maduro said. “It is a country with great technological capacity, a rich educational, cultural, and scientific tradition,” he said, noting Iran’s resilience against imperialist siege for over 45 years, which has strengthened its fighting spirit.

** TEHRAN TIMES

-- Iran attending 47th Kuwait International Book Fair

Iran is participating in the 47th Kuwait International Book Fair, which kicked off on November 20 in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate under the theme “The World in a Book”. A number of publishers from Iran are presenting the latest works of prominent Iranian authors in Arabic and Persian at their pavilions.

On the first day of the fair, Mohammad Totonchi, Iran’s ambassador to Kuwait, met with the participating Iranian publishers, who explained their problems and needs.

-- Iran's oil output rises 60,000 bpd

The head of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has said that the country's daily oil production volume has increased by 60,000 barrels.

"With the planning and efforts made in this regard, despite some unforeseen repairs that occurred, fortunately, more than 60,000 barrels per day have been added to the country's oil production since August this year," Hamid Bovard told IRIB.

The deputy oil minister stated that since the 14th administration took office in August, Iran's daily oil production has increased by 60,000 barrels, predicting that the country's oil output will rise by 200,000 to 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2025).

-- Archaeological discoveries shed light on Abu Musa’s rich history

Iranian archaeologist Mohammad Esmaeili-Jelodar has revealed fascinating insights from archaeological excavations conducted on Abu Musa, a strategic Iranian island in the Persian Gulf.

Speaking at a conference organized by the House of Humanities Thinkers in downtown Tehran, Esmaeili-Jelodar on Wednesday emphasized the island’s importance in cultural tourism and its historical role, highlighting the Persian Gulf was an ancient hub for trade connecting Iran to Africa, India, and China.