Tehran Times

2026-03-09 21:14
By Sheida Sabzehvari

The Leader they tried to kill is still here

TEHRAN – Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei long regarded security as the most valuable asset a nation could possess. When he became Iran’s Leader in 1989, the country was emerging from one of the most devastating periods in its modern history.
- Iran’s top officials, clerics, and armed forces rally behind Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei
- Assembly of Experts elects Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Leader

Senator Lindsey Graham’s greedy remarks about Iranian oil enrage Iranians

TEHRAN - Hawkish American senator Lindsey Graham has shocked the Iranian people by indirectly suggesting that the U.S. war on Iran is intended to gain control over the country’s abundant oil reserves.
IRNA CEO calls on Asian news agencies to reflect truth about US-Israeli war on Iran

TEHRAN- The CEO of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) has sent a letter to the CEOs of Asian news agencies, calling for efforts to reflect the realities and voice of the Iranian people amid widespread propaganda by Western media.
The life of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei

Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei is a prominent Iranian cleric and the second son of the late Leader and marja', Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He was born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad, one of Iran’s most important religious centers.
Iran’s top officials, clerics, and armed forces rally behind Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei

Tehran - In a decisive display of constitutional continuity and national solidarity, senior Iranian military commanders, political leaders, and heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches have formally pledged their allegiance to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Nation pledges allegiance to new Leader

TEHRAN – Iranians took to the streets on Monday, converging in massive rallies to pledge strong allegiance to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Politics

President Pezeshkian: Strikes on U.S. bases in Persian Gulf constitute ‘legitimate defense’

TEHRAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that attacks on U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf littoral states fall under the category of “legitimate defense.”
Amnesty: Minab school strike an absolute violation of international law by the U.S.

Tehran — Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International and former UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, delivered one of the strongest public assessments to date regarding the February 28 strike on a girls’ school in Minab in southern Iran in the wake of the joint U.S.-Israeli military aggression.
Political economy of modern warfare: Why mines are bedrock of military sustainability

TEHRAN - As an expert in defense economics, an analysis of the logistical and economic dimensions of the recent clashes between the United States, the Israeli regime, and the Islamic Republic of Iran reveals a jarring reality: the modern military-industrial complex is precariously dependent on mining and global supply chains.

Sports

Iran likely to withdraw from 2026 FIFA World Cup

TEHRAN – FIFA will "monitor developments" in Iran following the outbreak of military action by the United States -- the co-hosts of this summer's men's World Cup -- against Iran, who have qualified for the tournament and is due to play their group games in the U.S.
Iran, South Korea to lock horns at AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026

TEHRAN - The respective head coaches of Korea Republic and Iran expressed confidence in their tournament preparations ahead of their opening AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 clash at the Gold Coast Stadium on Monday, which will represent the first-ever meeting between the pair.
Iranian women carry the hopes of a generation

TEHRAN - As the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup unfolds in Australia from March 1–21, few stories are as inspiring and hard-earned as that of Iran’s women’s national football team. For only the second time in its history, Iran have qualified for this premier continental tournament, a milestone that reflects both sporting progress and social resilience.

Culture

Over 3,000 artists pledge allegiance to new Leader

TEHRAN- In a powerful display of solidarity and revolutionary commitment, more than 3,000 Iranian artists have issued a collective statement pledging their allegiance to the newly appointed Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei.
500 publishers, bookstores declare allegiance to new Leader

TEHRAN – Some 500 publishing houses and bookstores have declared, in a message, their allegiance to the third leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.
Cultural organizations reaffirm loyalty to new Leader

TEHRAN- Following the appointment of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Assembly of Experts, various artistic institutions and cultural organizations have issued statements pledging their allegiance to the new leadership.

Economy

Iranian workers, employers urge ILO, global unions to condemn US-Israeli aggression

TEHRAN- Representatives of the Supreme Council of Iranian Workers Association (SCIWA) in a letter addressed to Gilbert Houngbo, the Director-General of the International Labor Organization (ILO), and Luc Triangle, the Secretary-General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), while condemning the recent aggression by the USA and Israel against Iran, called for the support of the ILO and the ITUC for the working community of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the face of the overt aggression by the USA and Israel. They declared: "Launch an international campaign demanding the cessation of the recent aggression by the USA and Israel."
‘Private sector fully prepared to meet country’s food needs’

TEHRAN- Stressing the full readiness of the private sector to supply the country's needs under the current circumstances, the Secretary General of the Federation of Iranian Food Associations stated: "The production capacity of Iran's food industry exceeds domestic demand, and the necessary raw materials for production over the next few months have already been secured."
Construction of over 2,800 MW of solar power plants underway

TEHRAN- Despite the imposed war, the construction of 2,878 megawatts (MW) of solar power plants is underway across the country.

Society

Damage to Iranian petroleum facilities risks contaminating food, water and air: WHO

TEHRAN – The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned that damage to Iranian petroleum facilities risks contaminating food, water and air.
Life goes on in Tehran, even under the shadow of war

TEHRAN - Despite the heavy atmosphere and the concerns that are repeated every day, Tehran is still a city where life goes on; a city where millions of people leave their homes every morning, work, study, shop, and return home at night.
Tehran intensifies plea to UNESCO amid mounting threats to cultural heritage sites

TEHRAN – Iran has issued a plea to UNESCO for accelerated and enhanced protection of its national treasures, urging the organization to help safeguard all of its World Heritage sites amidst a growing barrage of attacks and regional instability.

Tourism

Airstrikes damage 17th-century mosque in Isfahan

TEHRAN – Recent airstrikes on the Iranian city of Isfahan have damaged the historic Imam Mosque, also known as Masjed Jameh Abbasi, according to a provincial heritage official.
Science minister writes to UNESCO chief denouncing humanitarian law violations in attacks

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology has urged UNESCO to strongly condemn recent attacks by the United States and Israel against Iranian territory, citing violations of international humanitarian law and UNESCO-protected sites.
Qazvin’s mirror and glass production unit damaged by U.S.-Israeli attacks

TEHRAN- Following U.S.-Israeli attacks, a mirror and glass production unit faced heavy damages in Qazvin province, said a cultural heritage official.

International

Pro-Iran march is banned in London

TEHRAN - British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Tuesday night caved in to demands to ban a pro-Iranian rally in London this weekend, Daily Mail reported on Wednesday.
The resistance movement in Lebanon entering at the right time

LONDON - It was neither logical nor functional for the Islamic resistance movement of Lebanon to continue remaining silent in the face of the comprehensive violations and arrogance of the Israeli occupation entity. Not taking action while enduring daily losses, killings, the burning of villages, and violations on land, sea, and air becomes humiliating.
Tehran leadership's 'defiance' vs Washington's 'Epic Failure'

TEHRAN — Immediately after Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei was officially elected as Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the Western press has produced a body of coverage that reveals far more about its own analytical frameworks—and their failures—than about the reality on the ground in Iran.