Tehran Times

2025-12-06 22:18
By Faramarz Kouhpayeh

Scrambling to Sustain a Waning Hegemony

Decoding the 2025 US National Security Strategy

TEHRAN – The White House's periodic document outlining United States foreign policy and national security strategy was released by the Trump administration on Thursday. The 33-page document, which appears to draw heavily on Trump's "America First" policy, has raised alarms in nearly every region of the world—with the probable exception of Israel.
- Strategic confrontation with new round of hostilities
- U.S. ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran: road to repeated failure

Iran gaining access to technology of advanced American GBU bombs: Report

TEHRAN – Lebanese media have reported that Hezbollah, the Lebanese Resistance movement, has provided its ally Iran with images and components of the advanced U.S.-made GBU-39B bomb.
Iran tests missile with range beyond length of Persian Gulf in latest naval drill

TEHRAN – The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Navy (IRGC Navy) says a domestically produced missile with a range exceeding the length of the Persian Gulf was test-fired during a recent naval drill.
By M.A. Saki

Trump reverting to 1920s–30s ‘gunboat diplomacy’ in Venezuela: ex-CIA officer

'Military pressure on Venezuela sends this sense to the world that Trump’s US is imperialist'

TEHRAN – Paul Pillar, a former CIA officer and now a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies, tells the Tehran Times that the Pentagon’s attacks on Venezuelan boats in the Caribbean, carried out under the claim that they are trafficking drugs to the United States, reflect President Donald Trump’s return to the “gunboat diplomacy” of the 1920s and 1930s, when U.S. military forces intervened in several Latin American countries.
By Shahrokh Saei

A thousand cuts: Israel’s hybrid war tactics in the Persian Gulf

TEHRAN – In the Persian Gulf, the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb have long stood as enduring symbols of Iran’s sovereignty. The renewed mention of the islands in the final communique of a Persian Gulf Arab summit in Bahrain was not a mere diplomatic formality, but part of a broader geopolitical maneuver. The statement, which condemned what it called Iran’s “continued occupation” of the islands, was swiftly rejected by Tehran.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

LF outsourcing patriotism to the occupiers: See how it ended in Afghanistan

BEIRUT—No contradiction in Lebanese politics is more glaring than the desire of the Lebanese Forces (LF) to see the Israeli enemy resolve their political dispute inside Lebanon. A party that claims to defend state sovereignty routinely seeks foreign intervention against a Lebanese actor with a proven popular and national base.

Politics

Iran and Egypt foreign ministers discuss Gaza, bilateral ties

TEHRAN - In a telephone call on Saturday, the foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt discussed bilateral relations and the ongoing Israeli violence in Gaza. Iran’s Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and Egypt’s Badr Abdelatty agreed to continue dialogue to develop ties between the two nations.
Terrorists arrested before Tehran metro bombing; trainer a ‘NATO officer’ residing in Sweden

TEHRAN – A number of individuals in Iran, receiving funds and training out of Europe, were arrested by intelligence forces before they could carry out the terrorist operations they had been instructed to conduct, which included the bombing of Tehran’s vast metro station, the killing of police and security forces, and the murder of random civilians.
Army budget to be strengthened, Iran’s parliamentary committee says

TEHRAN – The spokesperson for Iran’s parliamentary Plan and Budget Committee says financial support for the country’s Army (Artesh) will continue and be strengthened following a recent meeting with senior military officials.

Sports

We tested youths at 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania: Moeini

TEHRAN – Azade Sadat Moeini, head coach of Iran’s women’s wheelchair basketball team, has expressed satisfaction with her squad’s performance at the 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships, recently held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Iran to play 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage on U.S. soil

TEHRAN – Iran national football team will play their group stage matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Iranians win accolades at 2025 World Taekwondo U21 Championships

TEHRAN – Abolfazl Zandi of Iran was chosen the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the inaugural Nairobi 2025 World Taekwondo Under 21 Championships.

Culture

Hamedan celebrates as children’s theater festival kicks off

TEHRAN- The 30th edition of Iran’s International Theater Festival for Children and Young Adults opened in Hamedan on Saturday, featuring 45 theatrical performances.
Tehran Art Fair “Open Paper” kicks off

TEHRAN – The first edition of Tehran Art Fair “Open Paper” kicked off at the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon).
“Fear of Others” published in Persian

TEHRAN – The Persian translation of the book “Fear of Others” written by Christophe André, Patrick Légeron, and Antoine Pelissolo has been released in the bookstores across Iran.

Economy

Iranian, Turkish private sectors emphasize strengthening bilateral ties

TEHRAN- During the side programs of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (TCCIMA)’s delegation at the Plast Eurasia Istanbul exhibition, a meeting was held between this delegation and a group of board members and managers of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce.
5,000 National Housing Movement units to be ready for delivery by March 2026

TEHRAN- The managing director of New Towns Development Company announced the company's readiness to deliver 5,000 units of the National Housing Movement Plan by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2026), stating: “Approximately 52,000 National Housing Movement units in these towns have achieved over 50 percent physical progress.”
Iran's private sector ready to play leading role in strengthening economic ties with Kazakhstan

TEHRAN- Hamed Asgari, the vice president of international affairs at the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) regarding the president's trip to Kazakhstan at the head of a large trade delegation, stated: “Iran's private sector is ready to play a leading role in strengthening economic relations with Kazakhstan.”

Society

FAO holds workshop on effective use of agricultural water in Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in cooperation with the Governorate of West Azarbaijan Province, has held a workshop on a project titled ‘Enhancing Restoration Activities in Lake Urmia through the Effective Use of Agricultural Water’, marking the official launch of the project’s second phase.
INSF, Uzbekistan Innovative Development Agency to support joint scientific research

TEHRAN – Iran and Uzbekistan will support the implementation of 10 research projects following a joint call by the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and the Agency for Innovative Development under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Iran explores potential to develop health ties with Africa

TEHRAN – The ministries of health and foreign affairs, in a virtual meeting with Iranian ambassadors and attachés in Africa, have discussed ways to promote cooperation with African countries in the health sector.

Tourism

Elymaean rock carving discovered in southwest Iran

TEHRAN – A newly identified Elymaean rock carving has been discovered in the highlands of Kuh-e Manar in Andika, southwest Iran, according to the director of the Masjed Soleyman Cultural and Industrial Landscape National Base.
Minister urges restoration of Arak bazaar ahead of possible UNESCO review

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister said on Saturday that the historical bazaar of Arak requires urgent restoration work as the government pursues its possible inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
National document for Iran’s cultural heritage declared

TEHRAN--President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is also chairman of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, declared the national document for cultural heritage, which is the result of cooperation between the country's scientific, cultural, and executive administrations.

International

A thousand cuts: Israel’s hybrid war tactics in the Persian Gulf

TEHRAN – In the Persian Gulf, the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb have long stood as enduring symbols of Iran’s sovereignty. The renewed mention of the islands in the final communique of a Persian Gulf Arab summit in Bahrain was not a mere diplomatic formality, but part of a broader geopolitical maneuver. The statement, which condemned what it called Iran’s “continued occupation” of the islands, was swiftly rejected by Tehran.
LF outsourcing patriotism to the occupiers: See how it ended in Afghanistan

BEIRUT—No contradiction in Lebanese politics is more glaring than the desire of the Lebanese Forces (LF) to see the Israeli enemy resolve their political dispute inside Lebanon. A party that claims to defend state sovereignty routinely seeks foreign intervention against a Lebanese actor with a proven popular and national base.
Israel shifts focus from crises with Gaza aggression

TEHRAN – In continued violations of the truce agreement in the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) carry out new strikes east of Gaza City and Khan Younis.

Decoding the 2025 US National Security Strategy

'Military pressure on Venezuela sends this sense to the world that Trump’s US is imperialist'