FAO representative: Iran amazing in beekeeping
By Farzam Vanaki
Iran has always had an amazing performance in apiculture, said an official of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
According to official statistics, the country has improved its global ranking in honey production by four places from No. 7 to No. 3, Rao Matta, the FAO representative ad interim to Iran, told Iran Daily on the sidelines of a ceremony to mark World Bee Day at the Slovenian Embassy in Tehran on Sunday.
He said at present China and Turkey are the world’s first and second biggest honey producers.
“Given the importance people attach to honey and its products in Iran, the country will definitely have excellent prospects of reaching loftier heights [in this field].”
Commenting on the event, Matta said being initially promoted by Slovenia through FAO, World Bee Day is an important occasion.
“We took it to the United Nations and finally May 20 was declared as World Bee Day.”
He noted that not many people realize the critical role bees and other pollinators play in term of ensuring food diversity and security, nutrition and maintaining ecological balance.
Matta underlined that bees are very important in understanding the ecosystem health and diversity as they are indicators.
“We are happy that this event is being promoted to raise public awareness of the importance of bees and other pollinators.” Canete in Tehran.
“The announcement of the possible withdrawal by major European companies from their cooperation with Iran is not consistent with the European Union’s commitment to implementing (the nuclear deal),” Zarif said.
Several European giants have said they will leave Iran after the US threatened to target companies doing business with the Islamic Republic.
Canete told Zarif that US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal has created some problems for Europe but the EU seeks to continue cooperation with Iran and save the nuclear deal.
EU protection for ¿rms
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday France is looking to see if the European Union could compensate European companies that might be facing sanctions by the United States for doing business with Iran.
Le Maire referred to EU rules going back to 1996 which he said could allow the EU to intervene in this manner to protect European companies against any US sanctions, adding that France wanted the EU to toughen its stance in this area. Powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-sadr met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-abadi on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the his bloc was declared winner of Iraq’s parliamentary election, the clearest sign yet they could work together to form a coalition.
“During our meeting, we agreed to work together and with other parties to expedite the process of forming a new Iraqi government,” Abadi said at a joint press conference, Reuters reported.
“It will be a strong government, capable of providing to its citizens services, security and economic prosperity.”
Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, cannot become prime minister because he did not run in the election. However, his bloc’s victory puts him in a position to have a strong say in negotiations. His Sairoon electoral list captured 54 parliamentary seats, 12 more than Abadi’s.
“Our door is open to anyone as long as they want to build the nation, and that it be an Iraqi decision,” Sadr said.
A bloc led by Hadi al-amiri, one of the most powerful figures in Iraq, came in second. It won just seven seats fewer than al-sadr’s bloc. Amiri, who leads an umbrella of paramilitary groups, has maintained close ties with Iran for decades.
Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister.
Parties will have to align themselves to try and form a bloc large enough for the parliamentary majority necessary to nominate a candidate. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results, but negotiations are expected to drag on for months.
The election dealt a blow to Abadi, but he could still emerge as a compromise candidate palatable to all during his term in office.
In recent days, Sadr also met with Ammar al-hakim, whose Hikma Movement trailed in seventh place, as well as with ambassadors from Iraq’s neighboring countries including Saudi Arabiat.
It is unlikely Sadr can pull together a governing coalition without other political groups, which have the votes to form their own alliance that could challenge Sadr’s right to name a prime minister.