Tehran, Sep 24, IRNA - President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday officially started the new school year in the country by ringing the bell in a high school in downtown Tehran.

President Rouhani also toured the classes of the newly constructed Narjes Girls� High School after ringing the school's bell as the symbol of the beginning of the new school year in the country.

President Hassan Rouhani returned home from New York on Sept 23 He was there to address the 71th session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday (September 22). On the sidelines of the UNGA, the President also held speparate meetings with a number of leaders and his counterparts from other countries.

Concurrent with the opening of the school year by the President Rouhani, over 1,000 educational, training and sports projects were inaugurated across the country.

Each year, Iranian school year starts on September 22 (the first day of autumn on the Iranian calendar) after a three-month summer vacation. [2)

This year, the schools were officially opened by President Rouhani on Sep. 24, two days later due to the weekend.

By IRNA