Hawzah News Agency- The following headlines appeared in English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Sunday, December 22, 2024:

**IRAN DAILY

-- Iran plans to slice off four zeros from national currency

The Iranian government submitted a bill to the Parliament on Saturday, proposing the removal of four zeros from the national currency and the conversion of its unit from rial to toman.

The administration of President Massoud Pezeshkian stated that the goal of the legislation is to reduce the setbacks caused by long-lasting inflation and the decline in the purchasing power of the national currency.

-- Persian Gulf water transfer spurs industrial growth in central Iran: MP

A member of the Industries and Mines Committee of the Iranian Parliament said the completion of water transfer project from the Persian Gulf to central Iran will transform the region and establish a chain of industries in Yazd Province.

Mustafa Pourdehqan told Iran Daily that the first phase of the water transfer project from the Persian Gulf to Yazd, Kerman, and Isfahan has been completed, adding that currently, desalinated water from the Persian Gulf is being pumped to Ardakan in Yazd Province and made available for industrial use.

-- VP says gov’t bent on battling fuel smuggling

Iran’s vice president said the current administration is seriously committed to preventing fuel smuggling and tackling the fuel mafia while considering these issues vital to the country.

Mohammad Reza Aref made the remarks during a meeting with members of the country’s Reformist Front, according to Shana. He emphasized that for the country to be saved, there is no alternative to embracing a reformist discourse, adding that officials must adhere to the principles of national unity.

** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL

-- Chennai Festival Awards ‘In the Arms of the Tree’

Directed by Iranian filmmaker Babak Khajehpasha, the movie “In the Arms of the Tree” was awarded at the 22nd Chennai International Film Festival in India.

In the Arms of the Tree is a 2023 Iranian drama film written and directed by Babak Khajehpasha, and produced by Muhammad Reza Mesbah and Sajjad Nasrollahi Nasab. It premiered in February 2023 at the 41st Fajr International Film Festival.

-- Iran increases daily oil output by 15mn liters

Deputy head of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) Muhammad Ali Dadvar on Saturday announced an increase of 15 million liters in the country’s daily oil production.

Dadvar stated that the average daily production of oil in the first five months of the current Iranian year (started March 20, 2024) was approximately 111 million liters, which has now risen to over 125 million liters.

-- Pakistan, Iran to hold talks to extend power sale agreement

Pakistan and Iran are all set to hold negotiations to extend electricity sale agreement which is to expire on December 31, 2024.
Currently Pakistan imports 100 MW electricity from Iran for bordering areas of Baluchistan, payments of which are made through under barter trade agreement between the two countries. Import is in the range of 18 million units per annum.

** TEHRAN TIMES

-- Tehran's regional doctrine: weathering storms and hardships

Since Hamas launched its surprise offensive against Israel in October 2023, the face of West Asia has been changing. The operation brought the Palestinian cause back to the forefront of media coverage and became a key topic of discussion in elite circles. Although the "two-state solution" remains a distant prospect, it has gained renewed public support in the West as a potential resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In a recent article for The Hill, Mark Toth and Jonathan Sweet argue that "Iran's nuclear phoenix may yet rise from the ashes of Gaza, Lebanon, Syria." However, their argument is unsupported by the facts on the ground. The authors' suggestion that Iran has been completely defeated by Israel in the region is inaccurate.

Since October 2023, Israel has targeted Hezbollah facilities and fighters across Lebanon, without significant success. Hezbollah operations continued in northern occupied Palestine and even into Haifa and Tel Aviv until a ceasefire took effect last month. Israel's operations in southern Lebanon failed to gain significant territory, and Hezbollah successfully repelled those attacks. The Lebanon ceasefire, largely mirroring UN Resolution 1701, offers no substantial changes. Hezbollah retains its weaponry and maintains its capacity to resume operations against Israel at any time.

-- “Rojin's Dream” wins award at Duhok International Film Festival

The semi-feature documentary “Rojin's Dream” directed by Serwa Aliveysi from Iran won an award at the 11th Duhok International Film Festival in Kurdistan region, Iraq.

The festival, held from December 9 to 16, presented the Best Kurdish Documentary Award. The film tells the story of a disabled couple who yearn to have children, Honaronline reported on Thursday.

-- Transit of goods via Iran’s ports rises 37%

Transit of commodities through the ports of Iran has increased by 37 percent in the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 20), the head of the country’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) announced.

Speaking in a TV program, Ali-Akbar Safaei stated that 9.366 million tons of goods have been transited via Iranian ports during the eight-month period. Iran is one of the countries with a special status in trade and transit relations due to its strategic location and special geography, as the country is the passage of several important international corridors.