Tehran Times

2026-07-31 21:14
By Mahmoud M. Ravi-Nejad

US writhes, but Hormuz survives—in Iranian hands

TEHRAN — Iran significantly intensified its military posture across the Persian Gulf on Friday, announcing a series of coordinated military and maritime actions that underscored its determination to tighten control over the Strait of Hormuz while expanding retaliatory strikes against US military facilities in the region.
- Washington's moral credibility is crumbling, says Iran
- Iran urges IAEA to condemn US nuclear site strike

Araghchi warns against support for US military operations

TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi intensified Tehran's diplomatic outreach over the past two days, holding a series of telephone conversations with his counterparts from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Britain and India, as Iran sought to dissuade foreign governments from supporting ongoing US military operations and to reinforce diplomatic engagement amid escalating regional tensions.
Guardian: US military abandons wounded troops after Iran strike

TEHRAN — Mounting evidence of structural disarray and internal cover-ups within the United States military apparatus has surfaced following detailed disclosures surrounding the aftermath of an Iranian retaliatory precision strike during the US-Israeli war that began on February 28. According to a report published by The Guardian, congressional lawmakers in Washington are demanding urgent answers from War Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding severe medical neglect of wounded American personnel and systematic manipulation of official casualty figures.
By Garsha Vazirian

The letter that tore the mask off US occupation of Jordan

TEHRAN — Hundreds of Jordanian public figures have finally said what the kingdom’s rulers desperately hoped would remain unspoken. They publicly named the price of foreign military entanglement.
By Kurosh Alyani

Entertainment against alternatives

“Steal”, the Epstein Class, and the Caricaturing of Resistance Leaders

TEHRAN- On the surface, “Steal” is a crime-thriller miniseries about the “heist of the century” and financial corruption—a seemingly anti-capitalist text alert to inequality. Yet the ultimate layer of its message shores up the same war-driven capitalist order: it hides the Epstein class behind a sacrificial body and absolves that class by killing him; normalizes the war broker; caricatures the resistance’s intellectuals and defense leaders in the figure of Darren Yoshida; and leaves individual theft as the only rational horizon.
By staff writer

Ansarullah leader ties Riyadh to Epstein as Yemen locks in naval blockade

TEHRAN — Hundreds of thousands of residents of Sana’a and surrounding areas gathered in Sab’een Square on Friday amid heavy rainfall, chanting in defense of the resistance and the Yemeni armed forces.

Politics

Senior cleric: Consolidating military gains at negotiating table favors Iran

TEHRAN — A senior Iranian cleric has stated that diplomatic success against the US and Israel is inseparable from battlefield strength, praising Iran's recent retaliatory strikes against American military bases in the region.
Exposing Western and Israeli plots against Iran-Egypt relations

TEHRAN - The recent unclaimed drone strike at Egypt’s Damietta Port on the Mediterranean coast—which targeted gas-storage vessels—was almost instantaneously followed by a coordinated disinformation campaign across Western media outlets. Articles aggressively sought to link Iran to the attack without a shred of forensic evidence or official verification.
CNN: Trump seeks an exit ramp from the Iran war

TEHRAN - President Donald Trump once again intensified military threats against Iran, vowing to continue strikes. Speaking during his cabinet meeting on Friday, Trump told reporters that Washington will be hitting Iran “very hard” when asked what he expects over the next four weeks. “At some point, they’re going to say we just can’t take it anymore,” he said.

Sports

Iran confident of stronger Asian Games campaign: Alinejad

TEHRAN – Mehdi Alinejad, Secretary General of the Iran National Olympic Committee (NOC), says the country's delegation is expected to perform better than it did at the previous Asian Games, but officials will not reveal a projected medal tally in order to avoid placing additional pressure on the athletes.
PGPL confirms 2026/27 fixture list: Date set for Tehran derby

TEHRAN – Iran Football League Organization has officially released the full fixture list for the 2026-27 Persian Gulf Pro League (PGPL) season, confirming the date for the match between Esteghlal and Persepolis.
Persepolis edge past Alanyaspor in friendly

TEHRAN - Persepolis secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Turkish side Alanyaspor in their second preseason friendly of their training camp in Turkey on Thursday afternoon.

Culture

Entertainment against alternatives

TEHRAN- On the surface, “Steal” is a crime-thriller miniseries about the “heist of the century” and financial corruption—a seemingly anti-capitalist text alert to inequality. Yet the ultimate layer of its message shores up the same war-driven capitalist order: it hides the Epstein class behind a sacrificial body and absolves that class by killing him; normalizes the war broker; caricatures the resistance’s intellectuals and defense leaders in the figure of Darren Yoshida; and leaves individual theft as the only rational horizon.
9th Iranian Film Festival in Tokyo honors martyred children of Minab

TEHRAN – The 9th Iranian Film Festival in Tokyo was launched on Friday at the Libra Hall of the Minato City Gender Equality Center in Tokyo, Japan.
“The Cherry Tree” puppet play brings lessons of Ashura to young audiences

TEHRAN- The puppet-live performance "The Cherry Tree", directed by Sharareh Tayyar, is currently on stage at the Mehr Theater of Tehran’s Art Bureau.

Economy

Trump's economic failure: 97,000 workers axed amid AI hype, negligence

TEHRAN- The Trump administration’s hollow "America First" rhetoric stands fully exposed today, as devastating new employment data reveals a labor market spiraling out of control under a visibly inept White House.
Iran, Azerbaijan forge stronger economic ties with new customs agreement

TEHRAN – In a significant step toward deepening bilateral economic relations, Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan have signed a customs cooperation memorandum of understanding aimed at facilitating and accelerating trade and transit between the two neighboring countries.
Tehran, Islamabad place emphasis on developing direct trade, increasing trade exchanges

TEHRAN- Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran, and Mahmoud Najafi Arab, Head of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, held a joint meeting with the presence of Hesameddin Hallaj, Deputy for International Affairs and Trade Development of the Tehran Chamber, Ayman Juwairiyah, Commercial and Investment Attaché of the Embassy of Pakistan in Iran, and Peyman Sanandaji, Head of the Transportation Committee of the Tehran Chamber.

Society

IRCS elaborates on services provided for Arbaeen pilgrims

TEHRAN – The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pirhossein Kolivand, has expounded on a diverse range of services offered by the IRCS staff to people attending the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
No Iranian universities in THE Sustainability Impacts Ratings due to sanctions

TEHRAN – The Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings (previously THE Impact Rankings) report has included no Iranian universities in its 2026 list because of sanctions against the country.
Blood donation: from altruism to saving lives

TEHRAN – National Blood Donation Day is marked annually on the 9th of Mordad, the fifth Iranian calendar month, which falls on July 31, highlighting the importance of the life-saving act of blood donation.

Tourism

Destruction of Iran's cultural sites by Israel, US tantamount to destroying a civilization

TEHRAN – Since US and Israeli strikes began in February, over 130 registered monuments and museums across Iran have sustained damage, from the Golestan Palace to historic quarters in Isfahan, Kordestan, and Lorestan. In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Touraj Daryaee, historian of ancient Iran and editor of Encyclopaedia Iranica, discusses the emotional and scholarly weight of watching millennia-old heritage damaged within weeks, the limits of international legal accountability, and what the destruction means for how Iran's history will be told and remembered.
VP calls cultural heritage key to national unity, soft power

TEHRAN – Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref on Thursday described the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts as the country's "ministry of defending civilization and soft victories," saying Iran's cultural heritage remains one of the country's strongest sources of national unity and international influence.
Iran preparing three new UNESCO World Heritage nominations after Alamut listing

TEHRAN — Iran will pursue three new nominations for UNESCO World Heritage inscription next year following the successful listing of Alamut Castle and Related Fortifications, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri said.

International

The letter that tore the mask off US occupation of Jordan

TEHRAN — Hundreds of Jordanian public figures have finally said what the kingdom’s rulers desperately hoped would remain unspoken. They publicly named the price of foreign military entanglement.
Ansarullah leader ties Riyadh to Epstein as Yemen locks in naval blockade

TEHRAN — Hundreds of thousands of residents of Sana’a and surrounding areas gathered in Sab’een Square on Friday amid heavy rainfall, chanting in defense of the resistance and the Yemeni armed forces.
Iraqi resistance: Our response to America is on the way—perhaps in Saudi Arabia

TEHRAN – The Iraqi National Security Council condemned the joint U.S.-Saudi attack on the country following an emergency meeting chaired by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi.

“Steal”, the Epstein Class, and the Caricaturing of Resistance Leaders