Tehran Times

2026-04-17 23:30
Lebanon ceasefire: Iran puts the US and Israel in check

Hezbollah keeps ‘finger on the trigger’ as it warns Israel against ceasefire breaches

TEHRAN - A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon after weeks of intense fighting has drawn widespread reactions across the West Asia region and globally. Tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese began returning home to Beirut’s southern suburbs, as well as towns and villages in southern Lebanon, at dawn on Friday after the truce took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT). According to UN figures, more than 1.2 million people across Lebanon had been displaced, the majority from the south.

‘JANFADA’ girls demonstrate readiness to defend country

TEHRAN – Thousands of girls from different age groups and from all walks of life participated in a rally in Tehran on Friday to show their preparedness to defend homeland against any aggression by enemies.
By Shahrokh Saei

Iran’s battlefield strength shapes the course of Pakistan-led talks

TEHRAN - The official visit of Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, to Iran underscores Pakistan’s growing role in regional and global diplomacy at a time of heightened tensions in West Asia involving the United States and Israel.
15-year-old girl recounts ‘dark’ days of war

TEHRAN - I am a 15-year-old girl named Shakiba. Ironically, my name in Persian means “patient,” but I’m not patient at all—though maybe I am, I’m not really sure.
Foreign Ministry spokesman: Vessels can transit the Strait of Hormuz through coordination with Iran

TEHRAN- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain fully open to all commercial vessels for the remainder of the Lebanon ceasefire.
By staff writer

Pete Hegseth faces a reckoning for war crimes in Iran

The Minab massacre fuels a historic impeachment drive in Washington

TEHRAN — The corridors of power in Washington are finally echoing with the screams of the innocent, as the political cost of the U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran reaches a boiling point.

Politics

In Tehran synagogue, Iran's Jewish community mourns martyred Leader in historic display of unity

TEHRAN – In a powerful testament to interfaith solidarity, Tehran's Yusef Abad Synagogue held a solemn memorial ceremony on April 16 for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Iran rejects temporary ceasefire, calls for a comprehensive end to the regional war
Israel and its lobby have means to make Trump dance to their tune, professor says

TEHRAN- Israel and its enormously powerful lobby have the means to make President Trump "dance to their tune," political scientist John Mearsheimer told Judge Andrew Napolitano on the "Judging Freedom" podcast on April 14, 2026.

Sports

Iran come second at 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships

TEHRAN – Iran finished in second place at the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships.
Iran’s PGPL faces a risky plan to resume after 2026 World Cup

TEHRAN - Uncertainty around the future of the Persian Gulf Professional League (PGPL) has turned into a serious challenge for Iranian football. With the season left unfinished due to exceptional conditions of the country and the 2026 World Cup approaching, the idea of resuming the league after the tournament raises more questions than answers.
Iran U18 girls’ volleyball team launch training camps

TEHRAN – The Iran women’s U18 national volleyball team have kicked off their training and selection process in Sari, Mazandaran Province, under the guidance of head coach Fariba Sadeghi, as part of preparations for the 2026 Asian U18 Girls’ Volleyball Championship set to be held from June 30 to July 6 in Thailand.

Culture

Singer Mohsen Chavoshi emerges as Islamic Revolution Artist of the Year

TEHRAN – Renowned Iranian pop singer and composer Mohsen Chavoshi was named the Islamic Revolution Artist of the Year for 1404 (2025-2026) during the closing ceremony of the 12th edition of the Islamic Revolution Art Week held on Thursday evening.
Iranian calligrapher restores Holy Qurans burned in recent unrests

TEHRAN – Iranian calligrapher Mojtaba Sadeqi has dedicated himself to restoring copies of the Holy Quran that were burned during the early January riots.
Head of NLAI calls on global library community to react against threats facing cultural centers

TEHRAN – The head of the National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI) Gholamreza Amirkhani in an official letter to Sam Helmick, President of the American Library Association (ALA), expressed his concern about the damage inflicted on cultural, educational, and library centers during the US-Israeli war against Iran, emphasizing the need to safeguard cultural heritage and protect human lives.

Economy

High-stakes gamble of a Persian Gulf blockade

TEHRAN- Regarding the recent move by the U.S. President to enforce a naval siege of the Persian Gulf aimed at political and economic strain on the Iranian people, analysts warn that if such a measure is implemented, it will have a direct and severe impact on the global energy sector.
‘Global energy markets future: Capital flight from Persian Gulf energy industries’

TEHRAN- An international expert on oil and energy, emphasizing that due to domestic conditions in the U.S., Trump wants nothing more than to end the Strait of Hormuz issue as quickly as possible with a triumphant display, said: "Beyond current prices, capital flight from the oil and gas industries of Persian Gulf countries is now a larger problem, fueling uncertainty about the future of the energy market."
Wheat production, harvest increase

TEHRAN- A member of the Pricing Council for Basic Agricultural Products has announced an increase in wheat production for the 2025–2026 crop year, predicting that approximately 14 million tons of wheat will be harvested in the country this year.

Society

‘JANFADA’ girls demonstrate readiness to defend country

TEHRAN – Thousands of girls from different age groups and from all walks of life participated in a rally in Tehran on Friday to show their preparedness to defend homeland against any aggression by enemies.
IRCS lauds China’s humanitarian assistance during war

TEHRAN – The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pirhossein Kolivand, has praised the aid consignments provided by China’s government to help Iran during the US-Israeli war against the country.
International Day for Biological Diversity should highlight impacts of war on Iran’s environment

TEHRAN - We are approaching the International Day for Biological Diversity in a situation where the unjust US-Israeli war, by causing widespread destruction and the spread of various pollutants, has exposed Iran's environment and its valuable biodiversity to many dangers and threats, putting many plant and animal species at risk, and disrupting ecosystem functions and services.

Tourism

Intl. academics warn of deliberate destruction of Iran’s cultural sites

TEHRAN – A group of 218 international academics and researchers has warned of what it described as the deliberate destruction of Iran’s cultural heritage and scientific centers following recent US-Israeli attacks, calling the actions illegal and a threat to human history.
Minister calls for accelerated restoration of war-damaged heritage sites

TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, on Saturday called for accelerated restoration of cultural heritage sites damaged during recent was with the US and Israel and the expansion of restoration workshops across the country.
Iran, Russia urge UNESCO action over damage to Tehran heritage site

TEHRAN – Iran and Russia have sent a joint letter to the UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany protesting damage to civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage in Tehran following airstrikes.

International

Why the alchemists of America’s secret programs are vanishing

TEHRAN — When President Donald Trump emerged from a closed-door briefing on April 16, he characterized the recent wave of missing and deceased American scientists as "pretty serious stuff," a phrasing that suggests the administration is no longer viewing the "coincidence" of these events as a statistical anomaly.
The disappearance of 10 American scientists and a potential weapons program

TEHRAN — To provide a rational analysis of the disappearance of 10 American scientists within a short timeframe, grounded in technological and security realities, one must examine the loss of specialists beyond mere criminal or conspiracy-driven narratives. Instead, this phenomenon should be viewed within the framework of strategic asset management and the lifecycle of ultra-classified projects.
Hezbollah: Fingers on trigger if ceasefire breaks

TEHRAN – Hezbollah warns the Zionist regime that its “fighters will keep their fingers on the trigger” and are “ready to defend against the enemy’s treachery and betrayal.”

Hezbollah keeps ‘finger on the trigger’ as it warns Israel against ceasefire breaches

The Minab massacre fuels a historic impeachment drive in Washington