Tehran Times

2025-12-23 22:03
By Garsha Vazirian

Trump /// //// // /// //// /////

America may run out of ink covering president's footprint in Epstein files

TEHRAN – The illusion that Jeffrey Epstein was a singular, anomalous monster operating in a vacuum has finally dissolved into the sulfuric air of the American political necropolis.
- Epsteinberg: Not even the tip has surfaced
- At least 16 files vanish from DOJ Epstein records page, including Trump photo

By Dr. Jin Liangxiang

The limits of pragmatism: Persistent fragility in US-PGCC ties

SHANGHAI - The year of 2025 saw a new rapprochement between the U.S. and PGCC countries. U.S. President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar in May while Qatari Emir and Saudi Crown Prince visited the U.S. in the second half of the year. The reasons behind the latest warming-up could be numerous, but the most important should be that the two sides have simultaneously taken pragmatic approaches in their policies toward the other. And pragmatism will underline the relations between the two in the future.
By Sheida Sabzehvari

Blood drips from their pens

US media should be held accountable for its role in the 12-day war against Iran

TEHRAN – Americans frequently label media outlets from other countries as “state-controlled” or “state-affiliated.” They tell their readers and viewers that foreign media is disingenuous, while American outlets are portrayed as independent, unbiased, and professional.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

Lebanon’s phantom prince: A political scandal beyond ordinary fraud

How a fraudulent Saudi envoy swindled Lebanon’s elite

BEIRUT—Lebanon is no stranger to political scandal, but few incidents rival the intrigue of the case now known locally as the “Phantom Saudi Prince” affair.
By staff writer

A ceasefire that bleeds: Gaza war repackaged as peace

TEHRAN – The October 10 ceasefire in Gaza was sold to the world to signal that Israel’s war on the Palestinian enclave had finally stopped. In reality, it may be one of the most effective political tools yet devised to keep the machinery of destruction running while convincing the international community that peace has arrived.
By Wesam Bahrani

The Israeli campaign against UNRWA

TEHRAN – The Israeli regime’s hostility against UNRWA is a politically driven effort to dismantle the Palestinian cause by erasing the refugee issue from the international agenda.

Politics

US faces flak at home for testing copy of Iranian drone

TEHRAN – The U.S. Navy has, for the first time, launched a long-range attack drone from a warship in the Persian Gulf. While the U.S. military hailed this as a step toward optimizing its destabilizing missions in West Asia, American media have viewed it as a sign of Washington falling behind in critical technologies.
Two armadas set sail for South Africa as Iran continues quest for deeper multilateral military ties

TEHRAN – Iran continues to deepen military cooperation with international and regional blocs, dispatching two armadas to South Africa for BRICS military exercises.
Pompeo’s wishful thinking: engineered collapse in Iran

TEHRAN – Mike Pompeo’s recent Fox News op-ed, titled “The Islamic Republic is on the ropes. Time for Trump, Iranians to finish the job,” deserves a careful response — not because it offers some type of analysis, but because it reveals a worldview that treats a sovereign nation as a political project to be engineered from abroad.

Sports

Cyclist Partoazar aims for gold at 2026 Asian Games

TEHRAN – Iran’s most decorated female cyclist says the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya will mark the final chapter of her competitive career, as she plans to transition into a new role after the event.
Tractor book spot in AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16

TEHRAN - Tractor football club booked their spot in the Round of 16 of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 after fighting back to defeat Al Duhail SC 2-1 on Monday.
Iran end 2025 unchanged in FIFA ranking

TEHRAN – Iran national football team ended 2025 year unchanged in the FIFA World Ranking released on Monday.

Culture

Resistance Theater Festival to honor Martyr Soleimani with selected street performances

TEHRAN- The 20th International Resistance Theater Festival will dedicate a special section to street theater works selected from its previous 19th edition, aiming to honor and support the participating groups.
Exploring Iran’s Christian past: a journey through Edik Baroni’s book

TEHRAN- Christianity has a long and intricate history in Iran, predating many other regions of the world. Iranian Christian communities have preserved their faith and cultural identity for centuries. Today, Iran hosts one of the oldest continuous Christian presences in West Asia, with Armenian, Assyrian, and other Christian minorities contributing significantly to Iran’s diverse religious landscape. Recognizing this rich heritage is essential to understanding Iran’s complex history and its multi-religious identity.
Nader Ebrahimi’s “Forty Short Letters to My Wife” published in Portuguese

TEHRAN – The book “Forty Short Letters to My Wife” written by the late Iranian author Nader Ebrahimi has been translated into Portuguese by Khatereh Kianinejad and published by Intelectual Editora, a publisher in Portugal.

Economy

Khuzestan must build an economy beyond oil: head of Ahvaz chamber of commerce

TEHRAN- In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, Shahla Amouri, Head of the Ahvaz Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture, emphasized the urgent need for economic diversification in Khuzestan, Iran's energy powerhouse. She detailed practical strategies to transform the province's deep-seated challenges—including water scarcity, over-reliance on crude resources, and aging industries—into opportunities through investment in non-oil sectors, modern agriculture, and revitalizing the province's unique international waterway.
Iran boosts renewable power capacity by 157% in 18 months

TEHRAN – Iran has increased its installed renewable and clean power generation capacity by 157 percent over the past year and a half, reflecting a steady expansion of wind and solar projects and a rising share of clean energy in the national grid.
IMIDRO, NDF move to shield mining industry from power cuts with renewable contracts

TEHRAN – Iran’s mining and metals sector is seeking to avert electricity shortages through long-term renewable power purchase agreements, following talks between the state mining agency IMIDRO and the National Development Fund (NDF).

Society

Iran hosts IOFS meetings on smart livestock farming, climate change

TEHRAN – A delegation from the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) paid a visit to Iran, holding roundtables on smart livestock farming and climate change, with experts from member states, namely Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in attendance.
Neonatal health workshops held in Sistan-Baluchestan province

TEHRAN – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has held two intensive neonatal health workshops in Saravan, Sistan-Baluchestan province.
Iran at forefront of providing support to refugees

TEHRAN – Over the past four decades, Iran has been one of the top countries hosting the largest number of refugees and migrants, despite many challenges facing the country.

Tourism

Iran-Kazakhstan cultural night held in Tehran to promote shared heritage

TEHRAN - Iran and Kazakhstan held a joint cultural night at Tehran’s Niavaran Palace complex on Monday to promote shared heritage and strengthen cultural diplomacy between the two Caspian Sea countries, officials said.
Gisoom seeks UN Tourism label for Best Tourism Villages

TEHRAN — Iran’s Gilan provincial department of cultural heritage said it is preparing a bid to have the village of Gisoom included on UN Tourism’s Best Tourism Villages list.
Iran's capacity in intangible heritage goes beyond tangible heritage, says minister

TEHRAN--Iran's capacity in intangible heritage goes far beyond the tangible heritage, said Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri.

International

The limits of pragmatism: Persistent fragility in US-PGCC ties

SHANGHAI - The year of 2025 saw a new rapprochement between the U.S. and PGCC countries. U.S. President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar in May while Qatari Emir and Saudi Crown Prince visited the U.S. in the second half of the year. The reasons behind the latest warming-up could be numerous, but the most important should be that the two sides have simultaneously taken pragmatic approaches in their policies toward the other. And pragmatism will underline the relations between the two in the future.
Lebanon’s phantom prince: A political scandal beyond ordinary fraud

BEIRUT—Lebanon is no stranger to political scandal, but few incidents rival the intrigue of the case now known locally as the “Phantom Saudi Prince” affair.
A ceasefire that bleeds: Gaza war repackaged as peace

TEHRAN – The October 10 ceasefire in Gaza was sold to the world to signal that Israel’s war on the Palestinian enclave had finally stopped. In reality, it may be one of the most effective political tools yet devised to keep the machinery of destruction running while convincing the international community that peace has arrived.