Tehran Times

2026-08-10 21:44
By Shahrokh Saei

Rezaei appointment highlights lockstep coordination between Iran’s military and political leadership

Pezeshkian names Rezaei as SNSC secretary after the Leader designates him as his representative to the council

TEHRAN — Certain Western and regional media outlets have attempted to cast a new spotlight on alleged rifts between Iran’s military and political leadership following the appointment of Major General Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of the country’s top security body.
- Leader’s advisor draws Iran’s red line in Hormuz, warns US against maritime provocation

Iran’s Leader appoints six top military commanders

TEHRAN — Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei issued separate decrees on Monday appointing six senior military commanders and officials to key positions in the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Basij Organization.
Iran says regional defense pact signals shift toward indigenous security

TEHRAN — Iran has welcomed the emerging defense understanding among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey as evidence of a broader shift in regional thinking about security, arguing that countries in the region are increasingly recognizing the limits of relying on external powers for protection.
By Habib Ahmadzadeh

Makan Nasiri’s family meets Hiroshima mayor on 81st anniversary of atomic bombing

Minab tragedy recounted in Hiroshima as Makan’s mother calls for children killed in wars to become a global cause

Hiroshima — On the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the parents of Makan Nasiri, a seven-year-old student who went missing in the Minab school tragedy, met with Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and briefed him on the Minab incident and the consequences of war for children and civilians.
By staff writer

Why is Yemen confronting Saudi Arabia?

TEHRAN – Operations by Yemeni Armed Forces targeting Saudi Aramco facilities and imposing a naval blockade on Saudi-linked shipping aim to pressure Riyadh to lift its blockade on Yemen and, ultimately, secure Yemeni sovereignty.
By Seyda Farheen Naqi Mossavi

Iran is not Venezuela: Hormuz Strait and limits of US power

TEHRAN - The Americans are masters of grand pronouncements and miserable failures in execution.

Politics

Former minister: US, Israel have lost their aura of invincibility

TEHRAN — The United States and Israel have lost their aura and myth of invincibility, Iranian official Hossein Dehghan said, arguing that the recent war had demonstrated the limits of Washington and its allies in providing security for themselves or others.
MP: Retaliation for martyred leader’s assassination to be pursued on all fronts

TEHRAN — A member of the Iranian Parliament’s Presiding Board has stressed that Iran will pursue retaliation and retribution for the assassination of the martyred leader, saying the effort must be pursued simultaneously through military-security, legal-international and political channels.
US senator admits Trump has ‘lost’ Iran war

TEHRAN — Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has acknowledged a deteriorating US position in the conflict with Iran, saying President Donald Trump has “lost this war” and that prolonging the fighting is working to Tehran’s advantage.

Sports

Women’s volleyball fixtures for 2026 AVC Continental Championship revealed

TEHRAN - Iran’s women’s national volleyball team will open their campaign at the 2026 AVC Women's Volleyball Continental Championship against Chinese Taipei before facing hosts China and Iraq in the preliminary round.
Iran targets 2026 Asian Para Games success, Koohpayehzadeh says

TEHRAN – Jalil Koohpayehzadeh, head of Iran's Sports Federation for the Disabled, says the 2026 Asian Para Games are a matter of national pride, with Iran determined to defend its runner-up finish from the Hangzhou edition.
Jahanbakhsh joins Dutch Eredivisie side Excelsior

TEHRAN - Iran national football team winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh has returned to the Netherlands after one season in Belgium, completing a move to Excelsior in the Eredivisie.

Culture

Iranian platform uses AI to support Persian language learning for foreign students

TEHRAN- The growing presence of international students at Iranian universities has brought renewed attention to a practical question: how can Persian language education be made more accessible to learners who may begin their studies with little or no knowledge of the language?
Works of 30 Iranian artists to be showcased in virtual exhibition in Netherlands

TEHRAN- A group exhibition of visual arts and handicrafts titled "Idea," featuring the works of 30 Iranian artists, is set to open online in the Netherlands on Tuesday evening.
Iran highlights culture as key to peace at BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting

TEHRAN- Iranian Deputy Culture Minister for Cultural Affairs Mohsen Javadi has stressed the pivotal role of culture in promoting peace, stability and closer ties among nations, saying it can serve as a common language for addressing global challenges.

Economy

Private sector can be a pillar of sustainability for any potential agreement: ICCIMA head

TEHRAN – The head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) emphasized: The private sector can be one of the pillars of sustainability for any potential agreement, because the deeper the healthy, balanced economic ties and shared interests among countries become, the higher the cost of returning to tension will be.
Production support should be accelerated in financing system: finance minister

TEHRAN- The Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, at a meeting of the State Banks Coordination Council, emphasized the need to strengthen coordination among banks, improve discipline in the banking network, and accelerate support for the production sector and economic enterprises.
‘Iran's transport network has high resilience against crises’

TEHRAN- The chairman of the board of the Rail Transport and Related Services Association, emphasizing the high resilience of the country's transport network, said that through managerial, policy, and software measures — without extensive infrastructure development — freight and passenger capacity on the existing rail and road network can be increased by up to 50 percent.

Society

Iran to beef up ties in evolving technologies with Indonesia, South Africa

TEHRAN – Acting Minister for Science, Research and Technology of Iran, Masoud Shams-Bakhsh, in separate meetings with Indonesian and South African officials has explored avenues for the development of scientific and technological cooperation.
Intl. Tech Olympics 2026 slated for fall

TEHRAN – The third international Technology Olympics will be held in fall; the preliminary stage is scheduled to be conductedon linefrom October 19 to 22, and the final round will take place in person from November 2 to 5 at Pardis Technology Park, Tehran.
Iranian students shine at RobotChallenge 2026

TEHRAN – Thirteen Iranian students aged below 12 have showcased their scientific, technical capabilities, and creativity ranking second and third in different leagues of the RobotChallenge 2026 which was held in Beijing, China.

Tourism

Safeguarding Iran, its values is shared national responsibility: tourism minister

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri has identified safeguarding Iran and its values, protecting people’s security and livelihoods, and preserving the political system as three key priorities amid what he described as a “historic turning point.”
Iranian actor calls for artists to become cultural ambassadors for tourism

TEHRAN – Veteran Iranian actor and cultural heritage advocate Majid Mozaffari has called for greater use of the country’s artistic and cultural figures to promote Iran’s cultural heritage, historical and natural attractions and handicrafts to domestic and international audiences.
Restoration of historical alleyways begins in Abarkuh

TEHRAN - Restoration and rehabilitation of alleyways and urban spaces in the historical district of Abarkuh has begun under a cooperation agreement between the local Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department and Abarkuh Municipality, an official said.

International

Why is Yemen confronting Saudi Arabia?

TEHRAN – Operations by Yemeni Armed Forces targeting Saudi Aramco facilities and imposing a naval blockade on Saudi-linked shipping aim to pressure Riyadh to lift its blockade on Yemen and, ultimately, secure Yemeni sovereignty.
Iran is not Venezuela: Hormuz Strait and limits of US power

TEHRAN - The Americans are masters of grand pronouncements and miserable failures in execution.
The sealed watermelon of the Mecca Agreement

TEHRAN — Three leaders signed a promise inside Al-Safa Palace on Friday: an armed attack on Saudi Arabia, Turkey or Pakistan will be treated as an attack on all three. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan compared the clause to NATO’s Article 5. The full text stays sealed, unread outside the rooms where it was drafted. Persian has a phrase for exactly this situation: a watermelon still in its rind, “Hendevaneh-ye dar basteh.”