Iran to launch iFilm TV on Eid-ul-Fitr

The Islamic Republic plans to launch Iran’s first Arabic-language movie channel during the Muslim feast of Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The new channel, dubbed iFilm, will begin airing programs, mainly movies and television series, on Thursday afternoon Tehran time, the deputy head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Mohammad Sarafraz, told reporters on Monday.

The September 9 launch of the 24-hour television network is meant to familiarize some 300 million Arabic speakers in the Arab world with Iran’s history and art.

The Islamic Republic also has plans to launch a round-the-clock Spanish-language channel for the large Spanish-speaking audience in the world.

The slated launch of iFilm comes following growing popularity of Iran’s 24-hour English news channel Press TV.

Launched on July 2, 2007, Press TV is widely recognized as an alternative news source which provides accurate and unbiased coverage of Middle East events as they unfold.