Tehran Times

2026-10-12 20:34
By staff writer

Yemen Leaves Riyadh Grounded

Repeated strikes close Riyadh airport and shatter Saudi air defenses as Ansarallah enforces its 'blockade for blockade' doctrine

TEHRAN — Riyadh’s airport has been hit five times since Tuesday, October 6, by Saudi authorities’ own count, and the government cannot promise a sixth will not come. On Saturday, a missile struck King Khalid International Airport, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 300, according to the kingdom. On Sunday, another projectile set Terminal 4 on fire. On Monday, the Saudi civil aviation authority extended the shutdown.
- Yemen breaking the blockade and beginning a new phase
- Yemen hits Riyadh airport again as Saudi flights collapse

US claims do not match what we see on the ground: Baqaei

TEHRAN— Iran has dismissed US assertions that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has returned to normal, saying Washington’s continued naval blockade and economic sanctions are incompatible with restoring security to the strategic waterway.
Parliament vice-speaker warns regional states: Siding with US will not bring security

TEHRAN – Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Nikzad warned neighboring countries on Monday that placing their territory and facilities at the disposal of the United States will not create security for them.
Pezeshkian condemns US complicity in Israeli genocide in Gaza, slams Western double standards

TEHRAN — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has condemned Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, accusing the United States of complicity and denouncing the silence of Western governments that profess to champion human rights while continuing to support Israel with weapons and other resources.
German silence on Gaza and the West Bank ‘has been loud’: Philippe Sands

Winner of German Book Trade's Peace Prize insists on ‘excavating matters that some wish to hide’

TEHRAN — Philippe Sands, a professor of law at University College London and human rights lawyer at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, has criticized Germany’s “silence on crimes committed on the territory of Palestine, in Gaza and in the West Bank.”
The weapon shifting Yemen’s frontlines

By Ali Minabi

TEHRAN – While Yemeni missile attacks on Riyadh airport capture global headlines, another tactical weapon has shifted the frontlines near Bab al-Mandab.

Politics

Iran pledges stronger deterrence, asserts sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN— Iranian military officials have reaffirmed the country’s determination to strengthen its defense capabilities, protect its maritime interests and oppose efforts to restore a US-dominated security order in West Asia, arguing that regional stability must be based on national sovereignty and cooperation among neighboring countries.
The Persians return to Athens

MADRID - Standing before the Acropolis of Athens, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio traced the history of ancient Greece all the way to the rise of American industry in a speech delivered on Wednesday, in which he presented Western civilization as threatened by decline.
Senior MP: Countries backing militant groups should await Iran's response

TEHRAN – Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Ebrahim Azizi has warned regional countries providing resources to counter-revolutionary groups that Tehran possesses documented evidence of their support and will confront them decisively.

Sports

Iran sitting volleyball target historic fifth consecutive Asian Para Games gold

TEHRAN - Iran’s men’s sitting volleyball team will head into the upcoming Asian Para Games in Nagoya with a clear objective: extend their remarkable dominance and capture a fifth consecutive gold medal at the continental multi-sport event.
Tractor coach dissatisfied with draw against Al Shamal

TEHRAN - Tractor head coach Javad Nekounam was disappointed his side failed to turn their dominance into three points.
Esteghlal could have scored more goals against Al Gharafa: Bakhtiarizadeh

TEHRAN - Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh felt Esteghlal should have won by a wider margin following their 2-1 defeat of Qatar’s Al Gharafa SC 2-1 in their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/2027 tie on Monday.

Culture

Majidi dedicates Busan premiere of “Midday Meal” to martyred children of Minab, brave people of Iran

TEHRAN – Majid Majidi’s latest film “Midday Meal” premiered at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), and the director dedicated it to the brave people of Iran and the martyred children of Minab.
President Pezeshkian joins children at “Smile of the Homeland” ceremony

TEHRAN- Iran’s “Smile of the Homeland” ceremony was held in Tehran on Sunday, bringing together President Masoud Pezeshkian, Education Minister Alireza Kazemi and more than 600 children and teenagers, including children with special needs, to mark National Children’s Week.
Tehran theater to host reading performance of “The Star-Spangled Girl”

TEHRAN- On Saturday, the Simorgh Theater Hall in Tehran will be hosting a reading performance of the acclaimed American playwright Neil Simon’s comedy “The Star-Spangled Girl”.

Economy

Government, parliament must reach a common understanding to manage economic conditions: Qalibaf

TEHRAN- Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, emphasizing the necessity of coordination and consensus between the government and parliament in managing the country's economic conditions, said: "Accurate assessment of the current situation and outlining upcoming scenarios can provide the basis for more effective decision-making to improve people's livelihoods and manage economic challenges in the second half of the year."
Financial transactions with Russia are possible: TPO head

TEHRAN- Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, Head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), in response to a question about the organization’s measures to facilitate financial exchanges between Iranian traders and the member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), especially Russia, said: “One of the important issues in trade development is preferential and free trade agreements, which have been pursued seriously in the recent period and are being developed.”
World standards day ceremony held in Tehran

TEHRAN- The ceremony commemorating World Standards Day was held on the morning of October 13, under the slogan "Shared Vision for a Better World" and focusing on "Clean and Affordable Energy." The event was organized by the National Standards Organization of Iran and attended by a number of national officials and those active in the quality sector at the Summit Hall.

Society

“Nurse, Ambassador of Life” program to reach over 800 schools nationwide

TEHRAN – A national program titled “Nurse, Ambassador of Life” will be implemented in more than 800 schools across the country, with the participation of 64 universities of medical sciences, to promote life-saving skills and improve students’ preparedness for emergencies.
Iraqi students taking Persian Language Proficiency Test more than triple

TEHRAN – A total of 268 Iraqi students have taken the Persian Language Proficiency Test at six centers across Iraq, marking a more than threefold increase from the 78 participants recorded last year.
Iran eyes African markets through technology cooperation with Senegal

TEHRAN – Iranian officials have explored ways to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation with Senegal, positioning the West African country as a gateway for Iranian knowledge-based companies seeking to expand into African markets.

Tourism

Jajarm offers budget-friendly rural escape, but rail links need improvement

JAJARM, North Khorasan Province – With its quiet rural surroundings, historical railway station and proximity to protected natural areas, Jajarm has the potential to attract travelers seeking an affordable alternative to Iran’s busier tourist destinations. But poor railway facilities, limited train tickets and a shortage of visitor services remain major obstacles to turning that potential into a thriving tourism destination.
Dozens of possible dinosaur footprints emerge in Iran, researcher urges urgent documentation

TEHRAN – A rock surface bearing dozens of possible dinosaur footprints has been exposed in Iran following a landslide, prompting a paleontologist to call for urgent scientific investigation and documentation to protect the traces from weathering and erosion.
Cultural officials reject Rubio’s remarks on Persian history at Athens’ Acropolis

TEHRAN – Joining Iranian political officials, several senior cultural figures, including the tourism minister, the head of the Iranology Foundation and the director-general of the National Museum of Iran, have criticized US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks on ancient Persian history, saying historical civilizations should not be used to justify political hostility or threats of war.

International

Yemen Leaves Riyadh Grounded

TEHRAN — Riyadh’s airport has been hit five times since Tuesday, October 6, by Saudi authorities’ own count, and the government cannot promise a sixth will not come. On Saturday, a missile struck King Khalid International Airport, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 300, according to the kingdom. On Sunday, another projectile set Terminal 4 on fire. On Monday, the Saudi civil aviation authority extended the shutdown.
German silence on Gaza and the West Bank ‘has been loud’: Philippe Sands

TEHRAN — Philippe Sands, a professor of law at University College London and human rights lawyer at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, has criticized Germany’s “silence on crimes committed on the territory of Palestine, in Gaza and in the West Bank.”
The weapon shifting Yemen’s frontlines

TEHRAN – While Yemeni missile attacks on Riyadh airport capture global headlines, another tactical weapon has shifted the frontlines near Bab al-Mandab.