Tehran Times

2026-04-15 21:49
US naval blockade risks wider conflict at sea

Iran threatens to halt trade in three seas

TEHRAN - Iran has issued a stern warning to the United States over the imposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports, cautioning that continued pressure could endanger regional maritime security and undermine the fragile post-war ceasefire environment.
- Trump’s blockade forged in the ashes of strategic failure

Pakistan’s army chief in Tehran for high-level mediation talks

TEHRAN - A senior Pakistani delegation led by the country’s army chief arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for high‑level talks with Iranian officials.
By Xavier Villar

Why the US naval blockade against Iran will fail

MADRID - When Washington announced the start of operations to intercept vessels carrying Iranian oil, markets barely moved. That lack of alarm was not a sign of indifference, nor simply the result of traders grown accustomed to crisis; it was, rather, an indication of how thin the gap has become between Washington’s language of blockade and the material reality of the Persian Gulf.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson: Iran will not compromise on enrichment rights

TEHRAN- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has emphasized that Iran will not compromise on its enrichment rights, asserting that its entitlement to nuclear energy is firmly rooted in international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iran says evidence links Persian Gulf states to weapons used in US-Israeli attacks

TEHRAN- Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has accused several Persian Gulf states of complicity in the recent US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, asserting that evidence indicates that weapons used in the strikes originated from their arsenals.
Iranian academic jailed in France returns home

TEHRAN- An Iranian academic who had been imprisoned in France on charges related to her public statements about the war in Gaza has returned to Iran, according to reports from Iranian media outlets.

Politics

Spain reopens its embassy in Tehran in bold challenge to US-Israeli war strategy

TEHRAN - Spain’s decision to reopen its embassy in Tehran has become the clearest demonstration yet of Madrid’s steadfast opposition to the US‑Israeli military campaign against Iran, launched on February 28.
Iran rejects UAE claims on Strait of Hormuz at maritime meeting

TEHRAN- Iran has dismissed as “baseless” accusations by the United Arab Emirates regarding the security and status of the Strait of Hormuz, pushing back against claims that it has threatened commercial shipping in the critical transit route.
Iran turning into key architect of regional security

TEHRAN – The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has backfired.

Sports

Iran-Puerto Rico friendly in jeopardy amid new demands

TEHRAN – A highly anticipated friendly match between Iran and Puerto Rico, slated for June on U.S. soil, is reportedly facing cancellation.
Iran ready for 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship, coach says

TEHRAN – Head coach Arash Sadeghiani has expressed confidence in Iran’s readiness for the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U17 World Championship, where the young Persians will compete in Pool E with Brazil, Bulgaria and Japan.
2025/26 PGPL likely to be cancelled

TEHRAN – After several intensive meetings in recent days aimed at determining the fate of the 2025/26 Persian Gulf Pro League (PGPL) season, new reports indicate a significant development: the competition is now considered unlikely to resume.

Culture

Iran condemns YouTube’s removal of AI-driven Lego-style channel over anti-US narratives

TEHRAN- A YouTube channel producing artificial intelligence-generated animations in a Lego-inspired format focusing on recent US-Israeli aggression on Iran has been taken down, drawing criticism over what some describe as selective enforcement of content policies.
Iranian short animation to compete in 4th Voronezh International Animation Film Festival

TEHRAN – The Iranian short animation “The Last Deer” by Mehdi Barghzadegan will compete in the fourth Voronezh International Animation Film Festival “AniMakers,” which will be held in Voronezh, Russia, from May 22 to 24.
Nationwide street performances honor Dena martyrs during Islamic Revolution Art Week

TEHRAN – The sixth day of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Art Week was marked by a series of street theater performances across the country, with 57 productions staged in Tehran and other cities in tribute to the martyrs of the IRIS Dena.

Economy

Strait of Hormuz under threat: Global energy security & economic vulnerabilities

TEHRAN - Trump's warning of a "maritime siege of Iran" has once again directed attention to the Strait of Hormuz as one of the world's most critical chokepoints for energy transportation; a corridor where any disruption could impact the structure of the global energy market and even seaborne trade.
Maintaining economic stability in wartime requires full coordination of monetary policies: president

TEHRAN- During a staff inspection and visit to the Central Bank, the President, referring to the exceptional circumstances caused by the 40-day war and simultaneous external pressures, emphasized the necessity of maintaining financial stability and controlling inflationary expectations.
Solutions to strengthen supply chain of essential goods reviewed

TEHRAN- In a joint meeting between the Ministry of Agriculture and regulatory bodies as well as private sector associations, issues related to the supply chain of essential goods were reviewed.

Society

Pezeshkian praises services of rescue and relief organizations during war

TEHRAN - President Masoud Pezeshkian paid a visit to the Iranian Red Crescent Society and Tehran’s Emergency Medical Services Organization on Wednesday, honoring their dedicated staff for offering ceaseless services during the US-Israeli aggression.
Iranian inventor dedicates intl. award to Minab martyred schoolgirls

TEHRAN - Leila Keshavarzi, an Iranian inventor and national taekwondo athlete, just won a gold medal at the Asian Youth Innovation Awards, which was held from April 9-11in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Students, professors expelled from US ‘warmly welcomed’: science minister

TEHRAN – Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaei-Sarraf has announced that Iranian students and professors who have been sacked from American universities will be warmly welcomed.

Tourism

Damage to Chehel Sotoun Palace worsens as shockwave impact persists

TEHRAN – Damage to the historic Chehel Sotoun Palace has continued to worsen in the weeks following nearby airstrikes, with falling decorative elements and expanding structural concerns raising alarm among heritage officials and conservation experts.
Discover 40,000 years of human history at Tamtaman Cave

TEHRAN - Nestled in the rugged landscapes of northwestern Iran, near the historic city of Urmia, the Tamtaman Cave stands as one of the most evocative windows into humanity’s distant past.
Iran, Afghanistan advance joint UNESCO dossier for Asbads

TEHRAN – Iran is moving closer to finalizing a “complex” UNESCO World Heritage nomination for its ancient wind-powered structures, known as Asbads, with officials confirming that the dossier will be submitted jointly with Afghanistan.

International

The trillion-dollar folly of America’s war on Iran

TEHRAN — As the fog of war partially thins, the economic numbers have hardened into a reality that Washington can no longer mask with the kind of military bravado it relied on during the height of its campaign of aggression against Iran.
Bint Jbeil’s symbolic value for Hezbollah

TEHRAN – Hezbollah’s heroic resistance in Bint Jbeil, a historic nightmare town for the Zionist regime, has been turned into a fresh hell for invaders with a dozen confirmed casualties.
Trump’s brazen 'Antichrist' complex meets torrent of condemnation and Pope’s defiance

TEHRAN — In the quiet, heavy hours following Orthodox Easter Sunday, the world glimpsed something far more unsettling than mere political theater. U.S. President Donald Trump, fresh from waging a campaign of aggression against Iran and issuing apocalyptic ultimatums against the Iranian people, turned his digital fury toward Pope Leo XIV.