Tehran Times

2026-08-07 20:50
By Fardin Molaei

Mossad sacks architects of its failed regime change dream

Mossad chief Roman Gofman has ousted two senior officials behind a failed plan to topple Islamic Republic of Iran

TEHRAN- Months before the onset of the US-Israel war against Iran, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last Shah, undertook a visit to the occupied territories. During this trip, he held meetings with Benjamin Netanyahu, senior Mossad officials, and several influential Knesset members.
- Iran’s national unity shatters Mossad’s regime-change calculus

‘Humble, reasonable, and patient’: President Pezeshkian on the new Leader’s virtues

TEHRAN - President Masoud Pezeshkian has praised military forces, officials, and the public for elevating Iran's global standing in the face of US-Israeli aggression and foreign-backed plots aimed at triggering domestic unrest. The Iranian president made these remarks during a televised broadcast, marking the second anniversary of his inauguration.
Iranian military, officials stress firm stance as tension with US persist

TEHRAN — Over the past 48 hours, a series of statements from senior Iranian military commanders and government officials have underscored the Islamic Republic's heightened state of military readiness and its firm stance against continued US pressure, as tensions between Tehran and Washington show no signs of abating.
By Garsha Vazirian

Yemen flips the battlefield on Saudi Arabia

Sanaa’s shifting military doctrine traps Riyadh as the kingdom seeks external shields

TEHRAN — The video clips from August 6 were unmistakable. Flames consumed a desert encampment. A row of armored vehicles sat reduced to twisted metal. The Yemeni Armed Forces struck first.
Saudi ⁠Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign ⁠joint defense pact

TEHRAN - Saudi ⁠Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a ⁠joint defense agreement, officially known as the Mecca Defense Pact, on Friday, deepening ‌security cooperation.
Israel expands West Bank offensive with camp-by-camp strategy

TEHRAN — Israeli troops pulled out of the Qalandia refugee camp north of occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem) late Thursday after a brutal two-day assault that left 51 Palestinians injured and more than 60 detained, yet the withdrawal brought no relief. The machinery simply pivoted elsewhere.

Politics

Iran sets the tempo of the conflict

MADRID - As early as February, analysts questioned whether any viable military solution existed that could guarantee US strategic objectives: regime change, the destruction of uranium enrichment capabilities, the end of Iranian support for groups such as Ansarullah, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and the dismantling of the ballistic missile program. Months into the hostilities, reality has spoken. Not only has Washington achieved none of those goals; Iran now controls the Strait of Hormuz, something it did not do before being attacked.
Qalibaf slams Trump’s ‘theater diplomacy’ toward Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf criticized US President Donald Trump’s shifting statements on military threats and negotiations with Iran, calling them “theater diplomacy.”
Iranian attacks leave hundreds of US service members with enduring brain trauma

TEHRAN — Relentless Iranian drone and missile strikes targeting American bases across West Asia have wounded nearly 700 US service members, with traumatic brain injuries rapidly becoming the leading casualty of the joint US-Israeli war, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Sports

Three friendly matches on agenda for Team Melli

TEHRAN - Iran’s Football Federation is working to arrange three friendly matches for Team Melli during the upcoming FIFA international window as preparations continue for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
Iran volleyball coach Piazza arrives in Tehran

TEHRAN - Italian head coach of the Iran men’s national volleyball team, Roberto Piazza, arrived in Tehran Friday night to oversee preparations for the upcoming 2026 Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Iran handball team set for Serbia camp ahead of Asian Games

TEHRAN - Iran’s men’s national handball team will travel to Serbia after completing three preparation camps to play five friendly matches as part of their final technical assessment ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Culture

Iranian architects, project present at World Architecture Festival 2026

TEHRAN – An Iranian project is among the nominees of this year’s edition of the World Architecture Festival (WAF).
Iran, Russia seek deeper cultural ties as Kazan added to Cultural Week program

TEHRAN- Iran's ambassador to Russia has announced that the city of Kazan, the capital of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, has been added to the list of host cities for Iran Cultural Week in Russia, expanding the event beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg.
What’s in Tehran art galleries

Keiman Gallery is playing host to an exhibition of paintings by a group of artists. Entitled “Summer”, the exhibition will be running until August 16 at the gallery located at 10 Akhgari St. in the Elahieh neighborhood.

Economy

Iran, Azerbaijan forge new economic corridor as border trade surges

TEHRAN- In a decisive move that signals a new phase in regional economic integration, Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan are rapidly expanding their bilateral trade and transit cooperation through a series of high-level agreements, infrastructure projects, and customs facilitation measures. The momentum, driven by political will at the highest levels and supported by tangible results at border crossings, positions the two neighbors as strategic partners in connecting the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Persian Gulf.
Iran-India joint trade working group reviving necessary

TEHRAN- The Deputy Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade for Commercial Affairs emphasized the revival of the Iran-India Joint Trade Working Group to expand trade relations between the two countries.
Agriculture, energy ministries’ systems connected for smart water management

TEHRAN- The Director General of the Agricultural Water Affairs Office at the Ministry of Agriculture announced the groundwork for initiating the implementation phases of connecting the agricultural production zoning and cropping pattern systems with the water systems of the Ministry of Energy, stating that this program has been placed on the agenda with the aim of optimizing water utilization and determining the water consumption volume for each farmer.

Society

Tehran, New Delhi to boost scientific ties

TEHRAN – Iranian and Indian officials have highlighted the need to foster scientific ties between the two countries, particularly in education, research, technology, and innovation sectors.
Iran wins medals at International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence

TEHRAN – Iranian students won a gold medal, two silver medals, and a bronze medal at the third edition of the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI 2026), held from August 2-8 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
World Association for Medical Law appoints first Iranian representative

TEHRAN - Roya Rashidpouraei, a member of the medical ethics committee of Iran’s Medical Council, has been appointed as the country’s first National Country Representative to the World Association for Medical Law (WAML).

Tourism

Monitoring begins at centuries-old sites in UNESCO-listed city of Yazd

TEHRAN — Monitoring of centuries-old monuments in the UNESCO-listed Historic City of Yazd has begun as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen conservation and management of the Iranian oasis city, a local official has said.
Isfahan heritage records undergo digital preservation

TEHRAN - Isfahan’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department has begun digitizing around 2,000 documents and records held by the province’s cultural heritage documentation center, an official said on Saturday.
Restoration begins at historic Seb castle in central Iran

TEHRAN - Restoration work has begun on the historic Seb castle in Abarkuh county in Iran’s central Yazd province, a local cultural heritage official said on Saturday, as part of efforts to preserve the region’s traditional adobe architecture.

International

Yemen flips the battlefield on Saudi Arabia

TEHRAN — The video clips from August 6 were unmistakable. Flames consumed a desert encampment. A row of armored vehicles sat reduced to twisted metal. The Yemeni Armed Forces struck first.
Saudi ⁠Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign ⁠joint defense pact

TEHRAN - Saudi ⁠Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a ⁠joint defense agreement, officially known as the Mecca Defense Pact, on Friday, deepening ‌security cooperation.
Israel expands West Bank offensive with camp-by-camp strategy

TEHRAN — Israeli troops pulled out of the Qalandia refugee camp north of occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem) late Thursday after a brutal two-day assault that left 51 Palestinians injured and more than 60 detained, yet the withdrawal brought no relief. The machinery simply pivoted elsewhere.