Tehran Times

2026-10-18 20:38
By staff writer

France in a web of problems partly fueled by the war on Iran

More than 1,800 arrested as police clash with protesters across France

TEHRAN — France spent Sunday sweeping up after its worst street unrest in years. A town hall lies gutted in Limoges, about 1,800 people are under arrest, and as of writing this, the government has yet to say what it will do next.
- Students, farmers and the Yellow Jacket movement are taking to the street in France
- Public anger rises over police racism in France

Pezeshkian: Iran ends gasoline imports, will stand against coercion with people's support

TEHRAN – President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran has become self-sufficient in gasoline supply through consumption management and public cooperation, stressing that the government will stand against US and Israeli plots with the support of the people.
Upgraded military capabilities have changed adversaries’ calculations: minister

TEHRAN — Iran’s newly appointed Defense Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi says the country has upgraded and modernized its defense capabilities since the 12-day war imposed on Iran by the United States and Israel, changing adversaries’ military calculations and raising doubts about the prospects of further confrontation.
Araghchi’s Baghdad diplomacy: Hormuz, regional security and Muslim unity top Iran’s agenda

TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has used a series of diplomatic meetings in Baghdad to press for an end to military escalation in West Asia, outline Iran’s conditions for restoring security in the Strait of Hormuz and call for a more active role for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in addressing disputes among Muslim countries.
By Ali Minabi

The decline of US dominance in West Asia

TEHRAN – Several factors have contributed to the decline of U.S. hegemony in West Asia.
Iran’s missile capabilities have changed the equation, caretaker defense minister warns US

TEHRAN- Iran’s caretaker Defense Minister, Brigadier General Majid Ebn al-Reza, has responded to US President Donald Trump’s threats against Iran, warning that any renewed military action would carry consequences for Washington’s international standing, economy and domestic political calculations.

Politics

Tehran slams Macron over ‘Indefensible Double Standards’

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of applying double standards to protests in Iran and France, pointing to “a stark contrast” between Macron’s response to unrest in Iran and his stance on attacks against public institutions in France.
No Kings protests shift focus to early voting ahead of US midterms

TEHRAN- The latest round of “No Kings” protests across the United States on Saturday, October 17, focused on a new objective: turning opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies into electoral participation ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Iran to answer 'mother of all bombs' with 'father of bombs': senior IRGC commander

TEHRAN – Deputy Coordinator of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, has warned the United States against any military miscalculation against Iran, saying Tehran would respond to Washington's "mother of all bombs" with the "father of bombs."

Sports

Iran at Nagoya 2026: A smaller squad chasing a strong record

TEHRAN - The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games opened with Iran’s delegation parading behind flag bearer Rouhollah Rostami.
Iran marches at 2026 Asian Para Games

TEHRAN - Iran's delegation marched in the parade at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, with Rouhollah Rostami as flag bearer.
Iranian wrestlers win five medals at 2026 U23 World Championships

TEHRAN – Iranian freestyle wrestlers claimed two gold and three bronze medals in the first five weight classes at the 2026 U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, United States.

Culture

Iran’s Kanoon nominates two candidates for 2027 Astrid Lindgren Award

TEHRAN- Iran’s Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCY-Kanoon) has nominated writer Abbas Jahangirian and illustrator Amir Shabanipour for the 2027 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), one of the world’s most prestigious honors in children’s literature.
Lesser-known classical music pieces performed at Roudaki Hall

TEHRAN - Tehran’s Roudaki Hall hosted the “Mourning to Dawn” concert, featuring performances of classical music compositions, on Saturday.
Exhibition of Farshchian’s works underway in Paris

TEHRAN - An exhibition of images of selected miniature paintings by the late master Mahmoud Farshchian opened on Friday at the Cultural Attaché Office of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Paris and will run for a week.

Economy

New corridors help preserve country’s trade capacity: TPO official

TEHRAN- Deputy Head of the Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) said: With the cooperation of various sectors and the creation of new infrastructure and corridors, part of the country’s trade capacity was preserved and it became possible for activities to continue.
Vietnam embassy, Iran–Vietnam chamber of commerce chart a path for bilateral trade, investment co-op

TEHRAN- Vietnamese Ambassador to Iran Nguyen Luong Ngoc and Mr. Seyed Mostafa Mousavi, President of the Iran–Vietnam Joint Chamber of Commerce, met at the Chamber’s headquarters in Tehran on Saturday, together with members of the visiting Vietnamese trade delegation and representatives of Iranian business associations and enterprises, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation.
Iran Chamber calls for rethinking export resilience, opening a trade path to Africa

TEHRAN- The president of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, referring to the approach of National Export Day, said: This year’s National Export Day should be an opportunity to rethink the resilience of the country’s foreign trade.

Society

Royan Intl. Twin Congress slated for September 2027

TEHRAN – Tehran will play host to the Royan International Twin Congress, including the 28th Congress on Reproductive Biomedicine, the 23rd Congress on Stem Cell Biology and Technology, and the 22nd seminar on Nursery and Midwifery, from September 1-3, 2027.
Iranian delegation attends Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies in Japan

TEHRAN – Supported by the Prosperity and Innovation Fund, an Iranian delegation consisting of 17 knowledge-based companies participated in Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (CEATEC) held from October 13 to 16 at Nippon Convention Center, Chiba, Japan.
FAO representative highlights livestock sector’s role in food security, rural employment

TEHRAN – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran Farrukh Toirov, has underscored the strategic importance of the livestock and poultry sector for the country’s food security, rural employment and agricultural economy, emphasizing the need to promote sustainable development through innovation, stronger animal health services and the conservation of indigenous livestock genetic resources.

Tourism

National Museum of Iran highlights public role of archaeology on Intl. Archaeology Day

TEHRAN – The National Museum of Iran has reaffirmed its commitment to making the country’s archaeological heritage accessible to the public, highlighting the role of museums in communicating scientific discoveries and fostering a broader appreciation of the past on International Archaeology Day.
Crafting and playing the oud: A living musical heritage in Iran

TEHRAN – With its resonant melodies and distinctive pear-shaped body, the oud has long been part of the musical traditions of Iran and the wider West Aisa. Its craftsmanship and performance, sustained through generations of makers and musicians, received international recognition in 2022 when Iran and Syria jointly inscribed the tradition on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Feast of grapes: A harvest tradition and travel experience in Iran

TEHRAN - Held between August 21 and September 21 in different grape-growing regions of Iran, the feast of grapes is a traditional harvest celebration with roots believed to date back around 3,000 years.

International

The decline of US dominance in West Asia

TEHRAN – Several factors have contributed to the decline of U.S. hegemony in West Asia.
Handala breaches Israeli military’s media intelligence hub, leaks thousands of files

TEHRAN — Handala said on Sunday that it broke into the Israeli military’s Media Intelligence Monitoring and Analysis Unit and put more than 500 classified documents and tens of thousands of internal messages online.
Trump’s White House chaotically turns on itself as Republicans brace for defeat

TEHRAN — A press secretary hired on a Friday and gone the next. An ambassador’s ouster announced during her only briefing. Loyalists feuding over money while the chief of staff’s family draws scrutiny. With the November 3 midterms less than three weeks away, Donald Trump’s White House has stopped hiding its disorder.

More than 1,800 arrested as police clash with protesters across France