Tehran Times

2026-01-23 20:53
Pezeshkian: Enemies wrought recent crisis in revenge for defeat in 12-Day War

By Soheila Zarfam

TEHRAN – President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a message to the Iranian nation a day after casualty figures from the terrorist surge convulsing Iran early this month were released, confirming official accusations that the U.S. and Israel had mobilized mercenaries and exploited legitimate protests to compensate for the defeat they suffered during the 12-Day War in June.
- 10 lies Western media is telling you about the unrest in Iran
- Mossad hunting for blood in Iran's protests

By Fatemeh Kavand

Trump, Iran International, and the dream of saving Iran

A project to humiliate a nation’s collective intellect

TEHRAN - They say Trump is the savior, protests are democracy, and tanks are on the streets of Iran; yet the admissions of American analysts expose the collapse of the Western media narrative. The issue is not Iran; the issue is a lie that must fall.
By Xavier Villar

How the Iranian diaspora shapes Western views of Iran

MADRID - Within the landscape of the Iranian diaspora, a particular phenomenon demands critical attention: the aspiration toward political whiteness. This is not a physical trait but an epistemic and symbolic position that organizes privileges, establishes hierarchies, and produces consent for foreign intervention. This logic, frequently adopted by sectors of the diaspora embedded in media, academia, and Anglo-American political circles, entails identifying with the Western civilizational framework, its narrative of progress, and its capacity to wield violence under the guise of ethical rationality.
Iranian FM calls Zelenskyy ‘confused clown’

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has reacted to hostile remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy against the Islamic Republic.
US-Israeli strategy in Iran reflects long-term regime change tactics: Pakistani expert

Dr. Barrech draws parallels between the current unrest and the 1953 coup in Iran through sanctions, proxies, and disinformation

TEHRAN - Tehran Times spoke exclusively with Dr. Dost Muhammad Barrech, a Pakistani expert in security and regional politics at the University of Balochistan, Quetta, on the ongoing unrest in Iran and the role of external actors. Dr. Barrech argues that U.S. and Israeli support for violent elements within Iran aimed to weaken the country’s economy and undermine national cohesion.
From ‘dirty work’ to ‘great things’: How Europe became America’s lackey

By Saleh Abidi Maleki

TEHRAN – “Do you still believe that by helping the United States commit its crimes we will be safe?” Irene Montero, Spain’s representative in the European Parliament, asked her colleagues this week. It was not a rhetorical flourish so much as an indictment.

Politics

People’s demands should be addressed: Pezeshkian

TEHRAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on the country’s Supreme National Security Council to work out proper methods to prioritize and address people’s demands and protests.
Armed forces in high spirits and quite ready to defend Iran: IRGC deputy chief

TEHRAN – Iran's armed forces are prepared for any confrontation following military threats by the United States, Ahmad Vahidi, deputy head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has said.
US treasury chief admits sanctions intended to fuel unrest in Iran

TEHRAN – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has openly acknowledged the role of American sanctions in destabilizing Iran’s economy and fueling public unrest, describing the sanctions as a form of “economic statecraft” that had contributed to recent riots in Iran.

Sports

Persepolis beat Sepahan to move top of 2025/26 PGPL

TEHRAN – Persepolis football team defeated Sepahan 2-1 in matchweek 17 of Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League (PGPL) on Friday.
Hossein Khanzadeh joins Al Arabi of Qatar

TEHRAN – Poriya Hossein Khanzadeh, Iran’s young talented outside hitter, has joined Al Arabi of Qatar.
Iran beat India in 2026 Asian Handball Championship

TEHRAN – Iran defeated India 39-16 in Group IV of the 2026 Asian Handball Championship on Thursday.

Culture

Ammar Popular Film Festival kicks off in Tehran

TEHRAN- The 16th edition of the Ammar Popular Film Festival kicked off in Tehran on Thursday, during a ceremony attended by the families of martyrs, media figures, artists, and a diverse public audience.
Jihad Square mural depicting Ferdowsi’s line on love of homeland

TEHRAN – A new mural at Jihad Square in Tehran was unveiled on Thursday, showing the great Persian poet Ferdowsi along with one of his most famous verses in the legendary Persian epic “Shahnameh” (Book of Kings).
“The Displacements” appears at Iranian bookstores

TEHRAN- “The Displacements” by American writer Bruce Holsinger has been published in Persian.

Economy

Major infrastructure projects inaugurated in Chabahar Port

TEHRAN – Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadegh inaugurated and ordered the beginning of 14 major infrastructure and equipment projects worth 98 trillion rials (about $196 million) in Chabahar Port on Thursday.
Installed capacity of Iran’s renewable power plants exceeds 3,700 MW

TEHRAN - The head of Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) said the installed capacity of the country's renewable power plants has exceeded 3,700 megawatts.
Iran-Algeria trade increases by 5 folds in 8 months yr/yr

TEHRAN- The value of trade between Iran and Algeria rose by five folds during the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-November 21, 2025), as compared to the same period of time in the past year, according to the head of Iran Trade Center in Algeria.

Society

‘Transportation renewal best way to address air pollution’

TEHRAN – Shina Ansari, the head of the Department of Environment (DOE), has said that the aging transportation fleet is a major source of air pollution in the country, so renewing the transportation system is the best way to deal with the problem.
IRCS rescues over 7,000 people from snowstorm

TEHRAN – Over the past three days, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has provided rescue services to 7,738 people affected by floods and snow blizzards in the country.
Over 1200 cases of dengue reported in 11 months

TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2025) till January 21, a total of 1209 cases of dengue fever have been diagnosed in the country, according to the health ministry.

Tourism

Lalejin, pottery town where clay becomes culture

TEHRAN - Lalejin is a small city in west-central Iran, near the city of Hamedan, and is widely known as the country’s main center of pottery and ceramics.
Isfahan showcases tourism potential at FITUR 2026

TEHRAN – Iran’s central province of Isfahan is presenting its tourism, cultural and historical capacities at the FITUR 2026 which is currently underway in Madrid.
Culinary tourism, an overlooked potential of South Khorasan

TEHRAN - South Khorasan province is home to a wide range of traditional foods that, despite their simplicity, reflect rich diversity and authentic flavors shaped by local climate and lifestyle. These culinary traditions offer significant but largely overlooked potential for the development of culinary tourism.

International

Fox in the henhouse: Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ lets Bibi off the leash

TEHRAN — The decision to include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a so-called U.S.-led “Board of Peace” for Gaza highlights the deep incoherence of Washington’s approach to Israel’s war against the enclave and its aftermath.
Israeli wars deepen domestic anxiety

TEHRAN – Rather than increasing settlers’ sense of security, the Israeli regime’s aggression across the region has had the opposite effect.
Trump’s Greenland obsession turns Davos into a test of Europe’s resolve

TEHRAN — President Donald Trump’s appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday was a display of geopolitical brinkmanship, delivered with the swagger of a leader who treats alliances as leverage rather than partnerships.