BEIJING, Sept. 11--Minister of Welfare and Social Security Mohammad Sharifzadegan here Saturday said his ministry's programs can transform people's living standards in the coming years.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of welfare ministries and organizations in Beijing, Sharifzadegan told IRNA that Welfare and Social Security Ministry is pursuing welfare policies, poverty alleviation and social compensation policies.
"For upgrading the level of social standards, people from different walks of life, including farmers should be provided with social security services," he said.
The minister pointed out that the ministry should pay more attention to people's social security needs.
"About 63 percent of Iranians benefit from services provided by State Retirement Organization and 94 percent are covered by health insurance services. Iran is one of the ten developing countries social security standards have been declared satisfactory by the International Social Security Organization," he said.
Commenting on the reason for holding the ISSO meeting in Beijing that opened on Sunday, Sharifzadegan pointed out that the ISSO convenes to exchange information and experiences of world security organizations.
A total of 180 countries and 390 organizations attend the ISSO meeting.
The ISSO meeting is held once in every four years.

Mostafa Tajzadeh

TEHRAN, Sept. 11--Any initiative to increase voter turnout in the upcoming presidential election should be welcomed, a senior member of Islamic Revolution's Mujahideen Organization said.
Mostafa Tajzadeh also told IRNA on Saturday that the best strategy for holding the next presidential election is to allow all political groups with faith in Iran's Constitution to field a candidate.
"A political atmosphere should be created to make every Iranian feel there is a presidential candidate who can provide the incentive to participate in the election," he said.
Tajzadeh noted that the best option for conservatives is to disqualify all reformist candidates, so that victory will be guaranteed for their favorite candidate.
"However, if conservatives realize that the majority of people support a particular candidate, then they will stop trying to have the same candidate disqualified," he said.
The IRMO member opined that conservatives might introduce a common candidate within the next two months.
"It is not possible for each conservative political party to introduce a candidate, but they prefer to have a single candidate supported by all conservatives," he said.
Tajzadeh pointed out that the most important criterion considered by reformers is that the candidate should enjoy the support of a majority of people.
"Reformers are the only activists with minimum consensus among themselves. They have done their best to maintain unity in their ranks in recent years," he said.

QAZVIN, Sept. 11--A prominent member of the Assembly of Combatant Clerics here Friday announced that ACC strongly backs the nomination of former prime minister, Mir Hosein Mousavi, for the 2005 presidential election.
Addressing the annual gathering of the Office for Consolidating Unity (Shiraz Branch), Ali Akbar Mohtashamipour added, "ACC's only candidate for the next presidential elections is Mir Hosein Mousavi for a number of reasons."
The former MP emphasized that during previous weeks, a committee has been established for negotiating with Mousavi regarding his participation in the upcoming presidential elections, IRNA reported.
Noting that one of the most important responsibilities of the next Iranian president would be launching an effective campaign against economic corruption, the ACC member added, "The next government should be strong enough to fight economic corruption effectively."
Encouraging the Iranian youth, and particularly university students, to make up their minds on the forthcoming presidential elections, he said, "There are many competent contestants for the sensitive post, but let's not forget that competence and capability are both relative qualities, and your choice should be the best."
OCU's annual meeting convened at Imam Khomeini International University in Qazvin for four days from September 9.
Leaders of the student movement usually discuss the latest political developments in the annual meeting and will focus on presidential elections and the need to prepare the ground for a democratic election.

Mohammad Reza Bahonar

TEHRAN, Sept. 11--Second Vice Speaker Mohammad Reza Bahonar rejected media reports that a seven-member committee is seeking compromise with Roads and Transportation Minister Ahmad Khorram.
Some sections of press reported that the MPs have told Khorram they could withdraw an impeachment motion against him if the minister were to dissolve an agreement with a Chinese company for establishing the Isfahan-Shiraz railroad. They reportedly wanted the project to be handed over to Astan-e Qods Razavi, a large state-controlled organization managing endowed property.
In an interview with IRNA on Saturday, Bahonar denied that the issue had been discussed in the committee.
"It is true that the lawmakers are against the deal and have suggested the scheme be assigned to a domestic contractor," he said.
The agreement is worth $600 million.
Bahonar also denied reports that Khorram was facing a deadline for attending the parliament. He said the minister has until Sept. 29 to present himself to the legislature and respond to MPs' questions.
"Otherwise, the impeachment motion will be put on the parliament's agenda," he said.
The impeachment motion, signed by 60 MPs, was presented to Majlis Presiding Board last week.

VIENNA, Austria, Sept. 11--Iranian 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, who is in Austria to attend an international conference, conferred with Austria's Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schussel here on Friday.
Austrian Foreign Ministry's Press Department told IRNA that during the hour-long meeting, Ebadi and Schussel exchanged views on the current status of human rights in Iran, particularly those related to women and children.
The department also noted that ways of boosting cooperation between Iranian and Austrian human rights organizations were also surveyed.
Ebadi and a number of other Nobel Peace Prize laureates, as well as dozens of internationally renowned scientific, cultural and religious figures, have been invited to take part in the international event called "Waldzell 2004" in Vienna.
The two-day international gathering is being held at Melk Monastery, 85 kilometers to the west of Vienna, on September 11-12.
One of the sponsors of the international cultural event, Godolla Shutts, told IRNA, "The main topic of the event, held in Austria for the first time in its history, is focusing on the meaning of life.
Shutts, a researcher on natural sciences, modern technology and their link, added, "Prominent personalities, such as Ms. Ebadi, and dozens of other internationally renowned figures will address this year's gathering."
Ebadi is also scheduled to meet Austrian President Heinz Fischer during her five-day visit to Austria. She is also scheduled to attend a UN-sponsored conference on Dialogue Among Civilizations.

TEHRAN, Sept. 11--Ivory Coast's Minister for Religious Affairs Konte Gnoun Adzire Agneso met with the head of Charity and Endowment Organization, Mohammad Ali Nezamzadeh, here Saturday.
According to IRNA, Agneso said Muslims account for 36 percent of Ivory Coast's population and need religious centers.
Noting that there are 200 religious communities in Ivory Coast, he said, "The Ivory Coast government is laic and has not established any religious center in the country."
Nezamzadeh, for his part, said 12 students from Ivory Coast are currently studying at Iran's religious schools and they will establish religious training centers upon their return home.
"The University of Qu'ranic Studies has expressed its readiness to accept Ivory Coast students," he said.

ZANJAN, Sept. 11--Nearly 25 people were killed and 18 others injured on Saturday morning as a bus swerved off the road and overturned in this western province.
The accident occurred on Zanjan-Qazvin Road after the bus carrying 43 passengers suddenly changed direction, IRNA reported.
The injured were rushed to a provincial hospital.
Iran has one of the highest rates of road accidents in the world with an average of 200,000 reported annually.
According to state officials, one Iranian dies every 24 minutes in car accidents.
Experts link the high casualties to dilapidated vehicles, reckless driving, insufficient emergency assistance, lack of communication facilities and inadequate emergency facilities on the roads.

BEIJING, Sept. 11--An Iranian delegate here Saturday said Iran's efforts to empower women in various fields were welcomed by Muslim delegations attending the Second International Conference on Development and Population.
Deputy Interior Minister for Social and Councils Affairs Ashraf Boroujerdi added that high rates of literacy, women's skills and population control in the country surprised the participants, saying the Muslim delegations sought guidelines by the Iranian delegation to implement similar programs, IRNA reported.
She noted that the Iranian delegation called for preparing educational grounds to lower the mortality rates for mothers and children.
"War is a crucial and influential factor behind the mortality of mothers and children in the world, and Iran called for stopping wars throughout the globe which was welcomed," she said.
The Iranian official noted that participants stressed cooperation between governmental and non-governmental organizations as a mutual need.
Boroujerdi said AIDS and poverty eradication were also discussed at the conference.
Over 400 participants, comprising of ministers, deputy ministers and heads of institutions and universities, from various countries attended the Second International Conference on Development and Population during Sept. 9-11.

BRUSSELS, Belgium, Sept. 11--Concurrent with the Sept. 13 meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors in Vienna, the European Union foreign ministers will discuss relations with Iran in their monthly meeting in Brussels.
EU officials will focus on nuclear contamination and centrifuge devices, IRNA reported.
They stress greater Iranian accountability and collaboration with IAEA, as a consequence of which the EU will resume trade negotiations with Iran.