Tehran Times

2026-01-02 18:23
Trump’s ‘rescue’ threat and Iran’s unified rebuttal: From official condemnation to public ridicule

TEHRAN- A provocative social media post by U.S. president Donald Trump has triggered a wave of sharp reactions across Iran’s political establishment and social media landscape, reviving long-standing memories of U.S. interventionism and exposing what Iranian officials describe as the deep hypocrisy embedded in Washington’s rhetoric on human rights.
- Any realized U.S. threat will trigger swift reaction: Tehran
- Trump’s approach toward Iran suffers from fundamental contradiction: Hill

Exclusive dispatch from Venezuela:

Washington’s ‘vile’ violation of Bolívar’s homeland

"Tense calm in country after ‘vile’ US strikes"

TEHRAN — In a brazen escalation of longstanding hostility, the United States conducted airstrikes on Venezuela on January 2 in what international observers have widely denounced as an illegal violation of national sovereignty.
By staff writer

The law of the jungle: U.S. aggression tramples on Venezuelan sovereignty

TEHRAN – The early Saturday U.S. strike on Venezuela and the reported abduction of President Nicolás Maduro were not acts of justice or legitimate defense. They were manifestations of raw power politics — the law of the jungle — where might is imposed over right and international norms are discarded in favor of brute force. By bypassing international law and seizing a sitting president, Washington has spread instability across Latin America, undermining the very principles of sovereignty and self-determination.
Iran denounces US attack on Venezuela, calls it a violation of UN Charter

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Monday strongly condemning the U.S. military attack on Venezuela, calling the strike a flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Americans be mindful of their soldiers’ safety, Iran says in response to Trump’s military threat

TEHRAN - Iran’s national security chief on Friday warned President Donald Trump that any U.S. interference in Iran’s internal affairs would put the lives of American soldiers in the region in jeopardy, saying Trump should understand the consequences of any military intervention.
By Sahar Dadjoo

Targeted killing of scientists is a criminal act, says Indian analyst

Vineet Tiwari says the assassinations linked to “Operation Narnia” violate sovereignty, international norms, and basic human ethics

TEHRAN – In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Vineet Tiwari, an Indian writer and civil society activist, offers a critical assessment of revelations contained in a recent Washington Post’s investigation produced in partnership with PBS Frontline, which details Israel’s covert campaign, known as “Operation Narnia,” targeting Iran’s nuclear scientists.

Politics

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi appointed IRGC deputy chief

TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has appointed Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi as the new deputy commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), according to an official announcement.
General Soleimani’s legacy remain alive and influential: parliament speaker

TEHRAN – Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Wednesday that the legacy and teachings of martyr Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani remain alive and influential, describing them as a guiding model rooted in resistance, regional stability, and strategic foresight.
Pezeshkian says foes eying on economic pressure on Iran, not bombardment

TEHRAN – President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that Iran’s adversaries are pinning their hopes on economic pressure rather than military force, stressing that no country can be defeated through bombardment alone.

Sports

Drama, dreams, and deadlocks: The best of Iran’s Pro League first half

TEHRAN - The first half of the 2025/26 Iranian football season ended with a fantastic match in Isfahan. In the beautiful Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium, Esteghlal defeated the league leaders, Sepahan, with a 2-1 victory. This win was very important for the "Blues" and their coach, Ricardo Sa Pinto.
Mirzapour named 2025 Iran’s pahlevan

TEHRAN – Ahmad Mirzapour won the title of 2025 Iran’s Pahlevani Wrestling Championship on Friday.
Esteghlal earn late win over Sepahan: 2025/26 PGPL

TEHRAN - Esteghlal football team defeated Sepahan 2-1 in Matchweek 15 of the 2025/26 Iran’s Persian Gulf Professional League (PGPL) on Thursday.

Culture

"Iran-Mard" theater performance to debut at Velayat Park in Tehran

TEHRAN- The “Iran-Mard” theater performance is planned to go on stage on Monday in Tehran’s Velayat Park, running for ten consecutive nights, simultaneously with the anniversary of martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani.
IAF cinematheque to screen “National Theater Live: Medea”

TEHRAN- The Cinematheque of the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) is scheduled to screen a recorded stage performance of the Royal National Theater's “Medea” on Wednesday.
“Funny Story” at Iranian bookstores

TEHRAN- A Persian translation of American author Emily Henry’s novel “Funny Story” has recently been published by Amut Publications in Tehran.

Economy

Iran’s non-oil exports reach $41.2b in 9 months

TEHRAN – Iran exported non-oil goods worth $41.243 billion in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2025), customs data showed, as shipment volumes rose slightly despite a decline in export value.
230 domestic, foreign firms take part in Iran textile, apparel exhibitions

TEHRAN – Iran on Friday opened its 31st International Textile Industry Exhibition and the 13th Iran Apparel Exhibition, with the participation of more than 230 domestic and foreign companies, organizers said.
Three ports to be upgraded to 3rd-generation hubs under 7th development plan

TEHRAN – Three major ports are set to be upgraded to third-generation ports by the end of the country’s Seventh National Development Plan, the head of the Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) said.

Society

UN-Habitat, Japan join efforts to empower women, boost climate resilience in Hormozgan

TEHRAN – With generous support from the government of Japan, the UN-Habitat office in Iran has launched a women-led tree nursery to strengthen both livelihoods and the ecosystem in Sayeh-Khosh village, southern Hormozgan province.
INSF, NSFC to support implementation of five joint research projects

TEHRAN – Iran and China will support the implementation of five out of 190 research projects proposed in the Traditional Medicine and Medicinal Plants, and Energy sectors after the fifth joint call by the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
‘Aging rate in Iran exceeds global average’

TEHRAN – The rate of aging in Iran is growing faster than the global average, so that the country will be among the oldest countries in the world in 25 years, the head of the Welfare Organization has said.

Tourism

Archaeological evidence indicates 10th-century Persian settlement in Madagascar

TEHRAN - The mysterious archaeological site of Teniky, hidden within the remote rainforests and canyons of Madagascar's Isalo National Park, has long puzzled scientists with its unique rock-cut niches and stone walls.
Iranian author calls for Safavid-era oil mill to be turned into Bahram Beyzaie museum

TEHRAN - An Iranian author has called for the conversion of the historic oil-extracting mill, a filming location for the movie Death of Yazdgerd, into a museum dedicated to Bahram Beyzaie, a celebrated playwright and filmmaker. The oil-extracting mill, better known as Assar-Khaneh in Persian, is located in Aran and Bidgol county of Isfahan province.
Folk artist known as ‘Father Geppetto of Iran’ dies at 68

TEHRAN - Iranian folk artist Osman Rahmanzadeh, widely known as the “Father Geppetto of Iran” for his wooden figurines depicting Kurdish life, died on Friday after a period of lung illness.

International

Washington’s ‘vile’ violation of Bolívar’s homeland

TEHRAN — In a brazen escalation of longstanding hostility, the United States conducted airstrikes on Venezuela on January 2 in what international observers have widely denounced as an illegal violation of national sovereignty.
Peace on paper, fire on the ground: Trump’s seven-nation strikes in 2025

TEHRAN – Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Donald Trump has tried to cast himself as a peacemaker, insisting that his second term has brought an end to conflicts that long tied down the United States abroad. He has spoken of breaking with what he calls America’s era of “endless wars,” presenting his foreign policy as restraint, not intervention.
The anatomy of a broken Syria and the mirage of sovereignty

TEHRAN – More than a year after the collapse of the al-Assad government in December 2024, the “New Syria” has proved to be a cruel mirage.

"Tense calm in country after ‘vile’ US strikes"

Vineet Tiwari says the assassinations linked to “Operation Narnia” violate sovereignty, international norms, and basic human ethics