Tehran Times

2025-05-09 22:05
By Mohammad Nobakht, Mona Hojat Ansari

Persian Gulf: Our waters, our lands

TEHRAN – A land or body of water can hold diverse meanings. The Persian Gulf, for example, is a vital waterway for global oil transport, an exotic destination for tourists, and a geostrategic location for military forces. But for those who have thrived along its shores for thousands of years, it's a heritage, heritage so deeply ingrained, so fiercely its own, that no flood of propaganda or political maneuvering can ever truly wash it away.
- Iran rejects fabricated names for Persian Gulf, affirms sovereignty over strategic islands
- Why the Persian Gulf’s identity is non-negotiable

India and Pakistan agree to a ceasefire

India and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to a ceasefire following U.S.-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades, AP reported.
Iran, India reaffirm strategic ties at high-level talks in New Delhi

TEHRAN – In a series of high-level diplomatic engagements aimed at reinforcing long-standing bilateral ties and addressing shared regional concerns, Indian and Iranian foreign ministers convened in New Delhi on Thursday for the 20th meeting of the India-Iran Joint Commission.
IRGC unveils first underground drone base, publishes surveillance footage of US Navy

TEHRAN – Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled its first publicly disclosed underground drone base on Thursday, showcasing advanced unmanned systems capable of evading radar detection and conducting prolonged surveillance of U.S. naval assets in the Persian Gulf.
‘Talks with US unpredictable,’ says security chief, as Israel ramps up efforts to derail diplomacy

TEHRAN – As indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States prepare to resume on Sunday, Iran’s security chief asserted that the ongoing negotiations with Washington are “unpredictable,” emphasizing that progress in talks “hinges squarely on the U.S.’s conduct.”
By Sahar Dadjoo

Divisions emerge between Israel and US over Gaza and Yemen

TEHRAN - Prior to President Trump's trip to the Middle East in mid-May, his administration has stepped up diplomatic efforts to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel is continuing its relentless military operations there.

Politics

‘Enrichment is our right,’ Iran’s academics rally behind nuclear negotiators

A coalition of prominent Iranian professors, scholars, and professionals has issued a public statement endorsing the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic efforts in nuclear negotiations and advocating for peaceful engagement with the United States and Western nations.
Narrative warfare: How Trump uses preemptive optimism to pressure Iran

TEHRAN – In a world increasingly shaped by narratives, optimism can be used in a preemptive strike. While recent rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump and his confidantes oscillates between threats of dismantlement and a sense of measured optimism regarding a potential deal with Iran, Iran’s strategic patience must be translated to strategic caution at this stage. Iranian policymakers know better than to be drawn into the illusion of goodwill.
Iran equips all fighter jets with indigenous long-range missiles, announces Air Force commander

TEHRAN – The Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Air Force has announced that all Air Force fighter jets have been equipped with a full range of domestically produced munitions, advanced equipment, and long-range missiles, marking a significant step forward in the country’s military self-sufficiency.

Sports

Alexis Guendouz: I'm pleasantly surprised by Iran

TEHRAN — Trained at Saint-Étienne, then moved to Algeria, and now at 29 years old, Alexis Guendouz is in Iran, defending the colors of Persepolis in Tehran.
Iran win gold in kayak double 500m in Asian championships

TEHRAN – Iran won a gold and a bronze medal in the final day of the 2025 Asian Canoe Confederation Canoe Sprint Asian Championships on Saturday.
Esteghlal's crucial role in Persepolis and Sepahan's ACL Elite spot battle

TEHRAN - As the Iran Pro League draws to a close, the fierce rivalry between Tehran giants Persepolis and Isfahan's Sepahan has taken an intriguing twist. With the league title already secured, the focus now shifts to the coveted second-place finish, which guarantees a spot in either the AFC Champions League Elite or the second-tier AFC Champions League.

Culture

Vasily Pushkov congratulates Tehran Times on its 46th anniversary

TEHRAN- Vasily Pushkov, Director of International Cooperation at Rossiya Segodnya, has extended his warm congratulations to Tehran Times on the occasion of its 46th anniversary.
Iranian video art “Sculpture” wins at IndieFEST Film Awards

TEHRAN-The Iranian video art “Sculpture,” written, directed, and composed by Ramin Hosseinpour, received the Award of Merit Special Mention at the April 2025 edition of the IndieFEST Film Awards in California, the United States.
Imam Reza visual arts festival wraps up

MASHHAD — The closing ceremony of the visual arts section of the 21st Imam Reza (AS) International Festival was held in Mashhad on Thursday, recognizing outstanding artists and their contributions to various artistic fields.

Economy

Iran restarts Caspian Sea drilling after 3-decade hiatus

TEHRAN - Iran’s Oil Minister has ordered the resumption of exploratory drilling in the shallow waters of the Caspian Sea, ending a 30-year pause in operations.
Annual liquid fuel supply to power plants rise 40%

TEHRAN – Iran delivered 21.8 billion liters of liquid fuel to power plants in the previous Iranian year 1403 (ended in late March), marking a 40 percent increase compared to the previous year, a senior oil official said on Saturday.
Iran to boost South Pars daily gas output by up to 15 mcm this winter

TEHRAN – Iran plans to increase daily gas production from the South Pars Gas Complex by 10 to 15 million cubic meters (mcm) this winter as part of an early overhaul strategy to prepare for rising seasonal demand, the company’s head said on Saturday.

Society

IRCS, UNICEF host workshop on early childhood education in emergencies

TEHRAN – Recognizing the vital role of early learning, especially in times of crisis, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have held a national training workshop to ensure children are not left behind, even in emergencies.
Midwives cornerstone of health care system: WHO rep

TEHRAN – World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Syed Jaffar Hussain has highlighted midwives’ commitment to providing compassionate and skillful care as a cornerstone of the health care system.
Cheetahs running towards survival or extinction?

TEHRAN – With an estimated number of less than 30 Asiatic cheetahs remaining in Iran, the head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, has expressed hope yet worry about the animal’s survival in the country, being pushed to the brink of extinction.

Tourism

A monument of engineering and history, Veresk turns 89

TEHRAN - Veresk Bridge, one of Iran’s most iconic engineering feats of the 20th century and a vital link in the Trans-Iranian Railway, has reached its 89th anniversary.
Iran’s Kandelous turns folk tale into a tourism asset

KANDELOUS (Mazandaran province) - The bizarre tale of “Mina and the Leopard” is a cherished oral legend from the village of Kandelous, nestled in Iran’s northern Mazandaran province.
Paleolithic evidence discovered on Iran’s Makran coast

TEHRAN - A team of archaeologists, led by Dr. Morteza Hessari, has succeeded in discovering stone artifacts from the Paleolithic era on the Makran coast in Sistan-Baluchestan province.

International

Divisions emerge between Israel and US over Gaza and Yemen

TEHRAN - Prior to President Trump's trip to the Middle East in mid-May, his administration has stepped up diplomatic efforts to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel is continuing its relentless military operations there.
Lessons Lebanon can learn from what is happening in Syria

BEIRUT — By intensifying its attacks on “New Syria”—under the pretext of protecting the Druze—the Israeli enemy is trying to make anyone who dares to challenge the HTS-led regime’s positions understand that they are forbidden from objecting to Israel’s known conspiracy to expand, destabilize, and subjugate West Asia’s peoples.
Hamas ambushes occupation forces

TEHRAN – The armed wing of Hamas inflicts heavy losses on two separate units of the Israeli occupation forces.