Tehran Times

2026-05-03 22:27
By Maedeh Zaman Fashami

Iranian Lego crushes US media hegemony

TEHRAN - Until just a few months ago, anyone who wanted to shape narratives around war and politics had to stand behind official podiums or have access to massive media networks. Today, that equation has flipped in a surprisingly dramatic way: a few young creators, using nothing more than Lego figures, are now challenging the very figures who once dominated narrative-making figures like Donald Trump, a man who turned media into a personal instrument of power and is now himself being turned into a subject of satire and trolling. This time, the game is unfolding on a field where the rules are no longer dictated solely in Washington or inside major studios.

$25bn or $1tn? Hidden price tag of America’s war on Iran

TEHRAN- As the US-Iran conflict enters its third month, a heated clash on Capitol Hill has revealed a staggering discrepancy between the Pentagon’s official figures and the projected economic reality of the war, potentially reaching $1 trillion.
By Shahrokh Saei

Inside Iran’s 14-point plan: The ultimatum Trump cannot ignore

TEHRAN - Iran’s latest comprehensive proposal aimed at bringing a permanent end to the US-Israeli war is a litmus test for the administration of President Donald Trump, which is struggling to extricate itself from the “quagmire” of the conflict.
Araghchi holds talks with German, Omani, Japanese, and Italian counterparts to end the war

TEHRAN – In a concerted diplomatic push to halt the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held a series of telephone conversations with his counterparts from Germany, Oman, Japan, and Italy over the past 48 hours, outlining Tehran's initiatives for ending the conflict and restoring regional peace.
By Hesamoddin Boroumand

Human rights claimants and pirates: The mask comes off

TEHRAN - US President Donald Trump recently stated explicitly that the US Navy, in carrying out Washington’s so‑called naval blockade of Iranian ports, behaves “like pirates.”
By Mir Mohammad Alikhan

Iran's rightful sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz: Historical truth meets legal reality

ISLAMABAD - I have been thinking for a long time to write about this. For years, I have watched the world talk about the Strait of Hormuz as if it were some neutral highway that anyone can police from afar. As someone who spent decades on Wall Street building investment portfolios around global energy flows, I have always kept a sharp eye on how trade actually moves across the oceans. An investment banker worth his salt has to understand not just the numbers on a screen but the physical choke points that make or break entire economies.

Politics

Iran shifts trade corridors to regional ports, delivering major blow to Dubai’s re-export economy

TEHRAN – In the midst of the ongoing US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran, the Islamic Republic has begun pivoting its trade flows away from the UAE’s Jebel Ali port toward alternative hubs in Pakistan, India, and Oman. Industry experts say the move deals a significant financial blow to Dubai, which for years profited enormously from re-exporting goods to Iran.
Axios reveals Saudi-Emirati rift; experts warn of post-war hostility

TEHRAN- US officials fear key Arab allies may turn more hostile toward one another; Abu Dhabi's OPEC withdrawal aligns with American interests and deepens tensions with Riyadh.

Sports

Daneshdoust: Piazza a valuable opportunity for Iran volleyball

TEHRAN — Ehsan Daneshdoust, a member of Iran’s national volleyball team, believes head coach Roberto Piazza is a major chance for Iranian volleyball.
Ali Gholizadeh's 2026 World Cup dream in jeopardy

TEHRAN – Iran’s dynamic winger, Ali Gholizadeh, is facing a potential World Cup nightmare after suffering a devastating knee injury during Lech Poznań’s clash with Motor Lublin in the PKO BP Ekstraklasa Saturday night and his participation in the 2026 World Cup appears to be in serious jeopardy.
Iran not keen on Marco Octavio’s return

TEHRAN — Brazilian beach soccer coach Marco Octavio has previously expressed interest in working with Iran’s national team as a technical advisor, but the Iran Football Federation appears reluctant to cooperate with him.

Culture

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art to hold “Art & War” event series

TEHRAN – The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) will launch a special exhibition titled “Art & War”.
Iranian Artists Forum screens award-winning documentary “Microcosmos”

TEHRAN – The Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran screened the award-winning documentary “Microcosmos” on Sunday.
Filming of new documentary about Pasteur Institute of Iran underway

TEHRAN – The Pasteur Institute of Iran, its history, scientific standing, and current status are the subject of a new documentary, which is currently in the filming stage.

Economy

$25bn or $1tn? Hidden price tag of America’s war on Iran

TEHRAN- As the US-Iran conflict enters its third month, a heated clash on Capitol Hill has revealed a staggering discrepancy between the Pentagon’s official figures and the projected economic reality of the war, potentially reaching $1 trillion.
Iran war: Trump's most expensive economic mistake for Europe

TEHRAN- The aggression of the American-Zionist coalition against the Iranian nation has not only transformed the military and political equations of the region but has also had deep and widespread effects on the economies of various countries, including the major economic powers in Europe that were considered Trump's allies.
Iranian engineers set 99-day record for power plant unit installation

TEHRAN – Iranian engineers have set a new record by reducing the installation and commissioning time of a large-scale Class E gas power unit to 99 days, significantly below the global benchmark of seven to eight months, a senior official said.

Society

Environmental storytelling project unveiled in memory of martyred students

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) and the Ministry of Education unveiled on Sunday an environmental storytelling project in memory of the students martyred during the US-Israeli war against the country.
UNICEF supporting essential health services for children in Iran

TEHRAN – The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is supporting efforts to restore access to essential health services for children and families in Iran.
MMR vaccination launched in high-risk provinces

TEHRAN – The health ministry has launched the supplementary round of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination in four high-risk provinces of Khuzestan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Hormozgan, and Kerman.

Tourism

Iran selects ancient port of Siraf for UNESCO World Heritage nomination in 2026

TEHRAN – Iran has selected the historical port of Siraf in the southern Bushehr province as its official candidate for UNESCO World Heritage inscription in 2026, a provincial cultural heritage official said on Saturday.
UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace undertakes preservation project for historic textiles

TEHRAN - A comprehensive project to organize, document and conserve a collection of historic textiles housed in the ethnography museum of Golestan Palace has been completed, the site’s director said, as authorities step up efforts to protect material cultural heritage.
Ardabil to develop tourism-focused villages, boost infrastructure

TEHRAN - Ardabil province is moving forward with plans to organize rural areas around tourism development, allocating funding to designated villages and prioritizing infrastructure projects to support the sector, local officials said on Saturday.

International

A silhouette of conscience over the American capital

TEHRAN — High above the Anacostia River, where the wind never seems to settle and the noise of the American capital turns faint and metallic, a lone figure sat in the white arc of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge like a living question the conscience could not ignore.
Has Merz faced reality after mindless remarks against Iran?

TEHRAN – After one year in office, it seems that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is gradually coming to his senses or facing the realities on the ground by seeking to correct himself regarding his surprisingly repetitive and reckless remarks about Iran.
The war on Iran broke the NATO protection racket

TEHRAN — The 2026 U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has incinerated the 70-old myth of Atlantic solidarity. What was sold to the world for decades as an ironclad shield has been exposed as a hollow ritual, sustained by habit and propaganda but incapable of surviving a genuine collision with reality.