Tehran Times

2025-12-12 21:41
Leader: Enemy seeks Iranian mind shift as only path towards success

TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Aytaollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei met with a large number of elegists and eulogists in Tehran on Thursday to mark the birth anniversary of Lady Fatimah Zahra (pbuh), the beloved daughter of the prophet (pbuh).
- West pursues illegitimate interests under pretexts of freedom, women’s rights: Leader
- Iran well-equipped in diplomatic and military fields: Leader

By staff writer

Piracy and pressure: US push against Venezuela

TEHRAN – The confrontation between the United States and Venezuela in late 2025 is not a sudden flare-up but the continuation of Washington’s long-standing pressure campaign.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

Israel’s aggressive blueprint: A rebuttal to Lebanon’s pro-Israel propaganda

BEIRUT—In early December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again peeled back the last veneer of diplomatic pretence.
By Wesam Bahrani

Gaza truce at a crossroads

TEHRAN – Growing international pressure and unexpectedly strong Palestinian compliance are reshaping calculations around advancing the Gaza truce.
By Sahar Dadjoo

U.S. actions, not Iran’s behavior, triggered nuclear standoff: Chinese analyst

Professor Jin stresses that progress is impossible unless Washington demonstrates genuine commitment.

TEHRAN – On the sidelines of the Conference on “People’s Rights and Legitimate Freedoms in the Thoughts of Ayatollah Khamenei,” the Tehran Times spoke with Professor Jin Liangxiang, a senior research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, to explore the shifting dynamics of global governance, human-rights discourse, and power politics in West Asia.
Iran strengthens ties in Central Asia as Pezeshkian visits Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan

TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian departed Tehran on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, for a two-day regional tour, beginning with an official visit to Kazakhstan and followed by a trip to Turkmenistan.

Politics

Tehran condemns US tightening of restrictions on Iran’s UN Diplomatic Mission

TEHRAN – Iran has roundly condemned the intensification of restrictions, by the United States, against the Iranian Diplomatic Mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York, saying the U.S. government’s abuse of its host-country status disrupts the efficiency and credibility of the world body.
‘This is piracy’: Iran condemns US seizure of oil tanker off Venezuelan coast

TEHRAN – Iran has roundly condemned the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela by U.S. forces.
Lebanon's FM sees public bickering with Iran cool

TEHRAN – A public back-and-forth between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Lebanese counterpart, Youssef Rajji, may now be entering a lull. The de-escalation follows Araghchi's announcement on X that he had accepted Rajji’s invitation to visit Beirut to sort out their differences—a move prompted by Rajji’s apparent unwillingness to travel to Tehran.

Sports

Iran stripped off of hosting rights in 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers

TEHRAN – Iran’s national basketball team will be forced to play their home games in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers at a neutral venue.
Men’s doubles claim title: 2025 AYPG

TEHRAN - Iran’s men’s doubles table tennis team won the title at the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) on Saturday.
Girls’ goalball team crowned 2026 AYPG champions

TEHRAN – Iran’s girls’ goalball team claimed the title of the Dubai 2025 Asian Youth Para Games on Saturday.

Culture

Irreparable Defeat cartoon festival to highlight themes of resistance, justice

TEHRAN- The third edition of the Irreparable Defeat Cartoon and Caricature Competition will be held on the themes the irreparable defeat of the Zionist regime in the Al-Aqsa Storm operation, the defeat of the Zionist regime in the Operation True Promise III, and the martyrs of the 12-day war.
Iranian artist showing artwork in “The Temple of Dreams” international exhibition in Italy

TEHRAN – An artwork by the Iranian artist Shirin Mohseni-Nasab is present at the international exhibition “The Temple of Dreams” in Lecce, Italy.
Jules Verne’s “Mathias Sandorf” published in Persian

TEHRAN – The Persian translation of the 1885 adventure book “Mathias Sandorf” written by the French writer Jules Verne has been released in the bookstores across the country.

Economy

Caspian maritime consortium, ports expansion highlight Iran’s push for sea-based growth

TEHRAN – Iran plans to establish a maritime consortium in the Caspian Sea with the participation of private-sector companies from Iran and Russia in the coming months, the head of the Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) said on Saturday.
Tehran to host next Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Committee meeting in late Jan. 2026

TEHRAN- The 11th Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Committee meeting is planned to be held in Tehran in the beginning of the Iranian calendar month Bahman (late January2026), Iranian energy minister announced.
Iran, Kazakhstan private sectors sign 9 co-op agreements during Astana visit

TEHRAN – Private-sector representatives from Iran and Kazakhstan signed nine cooperation agreements during a visit by a trade delegation from the Iran Chamber of Commerce to Astana, aimed at expanding bilateral business ties.

Society

National Research, Technology Week underway

TEHRAN – The National Research and Technology Week is being held from December 13 to 18 across the country.
Iran Lab Expo kicks off in Tehran

TEHRAN – The 13th Iranian-Made Laboratory Equipment and Materials Exhibition, known as Iran Lab Expo 2025, opened in Tehran on Saturday and will run till Tuesday.
IRCS provides relief services to people affected by severe rains

TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) provided rescue services to 5,442 individuals affected by blizzards, floods, and heavy rain over the past few days.

Tourism

Iran, Greece discuss joint action plan to expand tourism, heritage cooperation

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri and Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni met in Athens on Thursday to discuss plans for expanding cooperation in tourism, museums and cultural heritage.
Iran, India discuss expanding cultural heritage cooperation

TEHRAN – Ali Darabi, Iran’s deputy minister for cultural heritage, has met with Vivek Agarwal, India’s deputy minister of culture, in New Delhi to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural heritage.
10 conservation, organizing projects planned for Sassanid World Heritage site of Fars

TEHRAN--Director of Sassanid Landscape World Heritage site of Fars province announced the completion of administrative procedures to sign contracts for 10 new conservation and organizing projects in two world heritage sites of this landscape.

International

Piracy and pressure: US push against Venezuela

TEHRAN – The confrontation between the United States and Venezuela in late 2025 is not a sudden flare-up but the continuation of Washington’s long-standing pressure campaign.
Israel’s aggressive blueprint: A rebuttal to Lebanon’s pro-Israel propaganda

BEIRUT—In early December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again peeled back the last veneer of diplomatic pretence.
Gaza truce at a crossroads

TEHRAN – Growing international pressure and unexpectedly strong Palestinian compliance are reshaping calculations around advancing the Gaza truce.

Professor Jin stresses that progress is impossible unless Washington demonstrates genuine commitment.