Tehran Times

2026-08-04 21:19
By Garsha Vazirian

The Biggest Red Banner of Vengeance Rises in Karbala

Up to 22 million pilgrims from tens of nations took part in the Arbaeen pilgrimage, transforming the sacred plaza into a unified demand for justice

TEHRAN — Karbala awoke Tuesday beneath a sweltering August sky and a horizon ablaze with the crimson of vengeance. As millions of black-clad pilgrims converged for the climax of this year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage, the space between the twin shrines of Imam Hussein (AS) and his brother Abbas (AS) became the epicenter of a ritual fusing grief with geopolitical defiance.

By Shahrokh Saei

Leader's office rejects attributed comments on Pezeshkian's alleged resignation

TEHRAN - The Public Relations Office of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution has formally repudiated claims attributed to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei concerning the alleged resignation of President Masoud Pezeshkian, denouncing such assertions as "fundamentally false" and entirely devoid of truth.
By staff writer

No panacea but acknowledging Iran’s power, respecting its legal rights

TEHRAN – CENTCOM’s appeal to military analysts to put forward new proposals to get the U.S. rid of the crisis it has created with its war against Iran clearly shows that the Pentagon has run out of options on how to deal with the issue.
Iran warns of decisive response to any new attack

TEHRAN — Iran has issued one of its strongest warnings in recent weeks, declaring that any new military action by the United States or Israel would trigger a "decisive and proportionate" response from its Armed Forces, while insisting it will continue ‘legitimate defensive operations’ against ongoing American aggression.
By Garsha Vazirian

For many Arbaeen pilgrims, every step honors martyred Ayatollah Khamenei

He described the ‘magnetic attraction’ that drew the first pilgrim to visit Karbala on Arbaeen; now his own martyrdom has fused with that gravity

TEHRAN — The architects of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran expected paralysis. They calculated that assassinating the Leader of the Islamic Revolution would fracture the Resistance. They were fluent in the sterile language of decapitation. They were blind to the mechanics of martyrdom. Look at the road from Najaf to Karbala. This is the first Arbaeen since American and Israeli warplanes ignited the current war. The pilgrims did not scatter.
Judiciary and MFA are pursuing assassination case of martyred leader

TEHRAN — Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Judiciary have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation on international legal proceedings and expanding joint legal, technical and educational initiatives.

Politics

US general's warning underscores Iran's strategic success

TEHRAN - The institutional admission by General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of US European Command, published by The Washington Post, marks a momentous turning point in the US-Israeli war on Iran that initially began on February 28.
Hamas disarmament efforts are doomed to fail, IRGC says

TEHRAN — Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that any effort to disarm Hamas is "doomed to fail," while reaffirming that retaliation for the killings of Ismail Haniyeh and the "martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution" remains inevitable.
How Iran's unyielding stance exposed President Trump's TACO pattern

TEHRAN - The ongoing conflict between Iran and the US has once again cast a spotlight on President Donald Trump’s distinct pattern of foreign policy, widely known as the TACO phenomenon—short for "Trump Always Chickens Out".

Sports

Hazratpour: Iran will come back stronger after difficult VNL

TEHRAN - Iran men's national volleyball libero Mohammadreza Hazratpour has vowed that the national team will bounce back from a challenging 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League campaign, insisting the setbacks of this season will not be repeated.
Asian Games campaign will be tough: Ghavidel

TEHRAN - Asian Games bronze medalist Peyman Ghavidel believes Iran's canoe sprint team faces a difficult challenge at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, but remains confident that strong preparation can put the team in medal contention.
Manolopoulos returns to Iran as Team Melli resume Preparations

TEHRAN - Greek head coach Sotiris Manolopoulos has returned to Iran to oversee the men's national basketball team's preparations for the upcoming 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers and the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya.

Culture

New York art installation mocking Trump’s Iran policy gains international attention

TEHRAN- A satirical art installation mocking US President Donald Trump over his role in the recent war against Iran has attracted widespread international media attention after appearing in New York, with major outlets including Euronews, The Washington Post, TIME, and NBC New York covering the display and the public debate it has generated.
Sohrab Pournazeri joins Grammy Recording Academy

TEHRAN – The Iranian composer and musician Sohrab Pournazeri has become a member of the Recording Academy, the institution that organizes and oversees the annual Grammy Awards.
Iran, Sri Lanka keen on expanding joint media, cultural cooperation

TEHRAN – In a meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Kebriaeizadeh, and the President of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (National Television), Kehan De Silva, explored ways for expanding media and cultural cooperation.

Economy

Iran, Pakistan forge path to $10b trade milestone as joint committee meets in Islamabad

TEHRAN- In a significant display of economic diplomacy, Iran and Pakistan have convened the 19th session of their Joint Trade Committee in Islamabad, with high-level delegations from both sides charting an ambitious course toward a $10 billion annual trade target that would fundamentally transform the economic landscape of the two neighboring countries.
Reviving economic relations with Italy a priority: Iran’s envoy

TEHRAN- In the meeting between Ali-Akbar Rezaei, Iran's ambassador-designate to Italy, and Samad Hassanzadeh, the head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, the capacities for economic cooperation between the two countries, the role of the private sector in developing commercial relations, and ways to restore Italy's position as one of Iran's traditional partners in Europe were examined.
US oil reserve strategy: A futile gamble amid Iran's Strait of Hormuz leverage

TEHRAN- Washington's desperate bid to tame oil prices through strategic reserve releases is doomed to fail, experts warn, as Iran's commanding position in the Strait of Hormuz renders American threats increasingly hollow.

Society

Iran explores avenues to foster scientific, technological ties with Belarus

TEHRAN – The head of the Organization for the Development of International Cooperation in Science and Technology, Hossein Roozbeh, and the Ambassador to Belarus, Mohsen Omid-Zamani, have discussed ways to promote scientific, technological, and innovative collaborations between Tehran and Minsk.
Royan Institute, Kazakhstan NCB agree to develop sci-tech co-op

TEHRAN – Royan Institute and the Kazakhstan National Center for Biotechnology (NCB) have explored the potential to expand joint efforts, agreeing to enhance educational, research, and technological cooperation and implement joint research projects.
Khwarizmi Youth Festival extends registration deadline

TEHRAN - The registration deadline for the 28th Khwarizmi Youth Festival, one of Iran’s leading national scientific and research events for young innovators, has been extended for a second time. Applicants now have until September 6, 2026 to submit their entries.

Tourism

French archaeologist calls for more research into Sasanian military architecture

TEHRAN – French architectural researcher and archaeologist Jean-Claude Voisin has highlighted the need for further studies on Sasanian military architecture, describing it as a field that reflects interactions among Roman, Byzantine and Central Asian traditions while remaining one of the less explored areas of ancient Iranian studies.
Heritage benefactor steps forward to restore Isfahan's historic Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse

TEHRAN – The first private philanthropist to support the restoration of a historical monument in Iran's central province of Isfahan has pledged about 60 billion rials (some $33,000) to help revive the centuries-old Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse, provincial cultural heritage officials said on Monday.
HEGTA chief highlights Ardabil’s potential as a storytelling destination

TEHRAN – Alireza Tabesh, chief executive of the Tourism Group of the Social Security Organization (HEGTA), has described Ardabil as a destination that needs to be introduced through storytelling, saying the province’s rich historical, cultural, natural and spiritual capacities have yet to be presented to visitors as a coherent tourism experience.

International

For many Arbaeen pilgrims, every step honors martyred Ayatollah Khamenei

TEHRAN — The architects of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran expected paralysis. They calculated that assassinating the Leader of the Islamic Revolution would fracture the Resistance. They were fluent in the sterile language of decapitation. They were blind to the mechanics of martyrdom. Look at the road from Najaf to Karbala. This is the first Arbaeen since American and Israeli warplanes ignited the current war. The pilgrims did not scatter.
Israel intensifies Gaza killings to quash Hamas’s disarmament plan

TEHRAN - Though the Palestinian Hamas declared on Friday that it has agreed to disarmament and transfer power to a team of Palestinian technocrats, Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians on Sunday.
Five Lebanese soldiers wounded in southern town blast amid ongoing Israeli aggression

TEHRAN — Five Lebanese army soldiers were injured on Sunday when a suspicious explosive device detonated in the southern town of Kafra as their military vehicle escorted local residents through the volatile Bint Jbeil district, according to a statement by the Lebanese army.