Gunrunning charges against Iranians ridiculous, Tehran tells Rome
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN -- Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi has said Iran is capable of manufacturing the same type of arms that Italy claims two Iranian nationals had been smuggling into the country.

Iran calls on OPEC to hold output steady
Tehran Times Economic Desk

TEHRAN — Iran's oil minister said Monday that OPEC nations should not change their crude output targets at their upcoming meeting in Vienna.

Iran inaugurates major highways
Tehran Times Economic Desk

ISFAHAN – Iran's first double-decker highway and the Qazvin-Rasht freeway were officially inaugurated on Monday.

U.S. spy mercs run amok in Af-Pak

KABUL (New York Times) — Under the cover of a benign government information-gathering program, a U.S. Defense Department official set up a network of private contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan to help track and kill suspected militants, according to military officials and businessmen in Afghanistan and the United States.

Persian Press Review
Tehran Times Political Desk

The column ‘Persian Press Review’ features the headlines and leading articles carried by Farsi dailies.

Police will firmly deal with fire festival lawbreakers
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN – Police chief Ismail Ahmadi Moqaddam warned on Monday that police will take firm action against people who cause disturbances during the celebrations marking the Chaharshanbeh-Suri festival late Tuesday.

‘Dust pollution is Iran’s greatest environmental problem’
Tehran Times Science Desk

TEHRAN - Department of the Environment Chairman Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh says dust pollution is Iran’s greatest environmental problem.

Welcome to the world’s first murdochracy
By John Pilger

Adelaide is Australia’s festival city. Its arts festival is currently in swing. Polite debate, aesthetics and high-octane wine are putting the world to rights. With one exception. Adelaide is where Rupert Murdoch began his empire. The voracious trail starts here. No statue stands; his is a spectral presence, controlling the only daily newspaper, even the printing presses. Across Australia, he owns almost 70 percent of the capital city press and the only national newspaper, and Sky Television, and much else. Welcome to the world’s first murdochracy.

“Fire Keeper” given conditional screening license after modifications
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- The Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance granted a conditional screening license on Sunday to “Fire Keeper”, an Iranian comedy about vasectomy.

Iranian director withdraws from Prague festival over discrimination
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- Iranian stage director Azadeh Ansari withdrew her play “Macondo” from Prague’s World Festival of Puppet Art due discrimination against Asian theater troupes, which are to participate in the event.