Tehran Times

2025-05-03 22:00
By Mohammad Sarfi, Editor-in-Chief

'I feel imprisoned, but it's enjoyable'

Tehran Times' exclusive interview with Pezeshkian provides behind-the-scenes look at president's life

TEHRAN – Last Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his delegation set off on an official trip to the Republic of Azerbaijan. The trip was scheduled for two days: the first day in Baku and the second in Ganja, the resting place of the famous Persian poet, Hakim Nezami Ganjavi. However, the tragic fire incident in Bandar Abbas forced us to cut the trip short.
- Europeans can only dream of Iran's weakening: President Pezeshkian
- President Pezeshkian praises law enforcement forces as pillars of security, justice

By our staff writer

Israel has desperately resorted to war of starvation against Gaza

TEHRAN - Failing to defeat the Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip, Israel has resorted to starving Palestinians to an unprecedented level to make the combatants feel pity for the people and stop resisting.
By Garsha Vazirian

Iran’s Araghchi defends country’s right to ‘possess full nuclear fuel cycle’

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to social media on Friday to reaffirm Tehran’s right to pursue a civilian nuclear program under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), directly countering recent U.S. demands for Iran to halt uranium enrichment.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

Lebanon’s Aoun hints he seeks to annul the 1969 Cairo Agreement

BEIRUT – The Lebanese Supreme Defense Council, headed by President Joseph Aoun, issued a shocking warning to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) “against using Lebanon as an arena to violate Lebanese sovereignty and endanger Lebanon.”
By Wesam Bahrani

Israel using Druze community as excuse to undermine Syria’s sovereignty

Israel launches most intensive strikes against Syria

TEHRAN – The Israeli occupation regime has launched its most extensive bombardment of Syria since the beginning of the current year.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

Is replacing UN Resolution 1701 Supervisory Committee chief a routine?

BEIRUT — Following the recent Israeli aggression on the southern suburbs, Lebanese media outlets exaggerated the dimensions of the visit of U.S. General Jasper Jeffers, the head of the committee supervising the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon.

Politics

Tehran condemns US war crimes in Yemen, warns about West Asia’s ‘deteriorating security’

TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baqaei issued a scathing condemnation of the United States’ recent military strikes across Yemen, describing the attacks as “war crimes” and a “flagrant breach of international law.”
Fires in occupied Palestine: A reminder of the Zionist colonial project

MADRID – Israel faces an ecological crisis as forest fires ravage the woods near occupied Al-Quds. For two consecutive days, firefighting teams have struggled to control the flames, which have forced the evacuation of thousands of people and the closure of major communication routes.
Iran’s nuclear dispute a political standoff, not a legal matter: Leader’s aide

TEHRAN – Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, says the nature of Iran’s nuclear dispute has turned entirely political, driven by global power dynamics rather than international law.

Sports

Iran down Paraguay in 2025 Beach Soccer World Cup

TEHRAN - A suffocating defense carried Iran to a second consecutive victory at Seychelles 2025, leaving winless Paraguay on the brink.
Skocic's masterclass leads Tractor to historic Persian Gulf Pro League triumph

TEHRAN - Dragan Skocic orchestrates Tractor's maiden league title, ending years of anticipation in Tabriz, as relegation drama unfolds in a captivating PGPL week.
Mohajeri named Nassaj head coach in PGPL

TEHRAN – Mohammadreza Mohajeri was appointed as the new head coach of the struggling football team Nassaji on Saturday.

Culture

Iran, Tajikistan to expand artistic cooperation

TEHRAN-The Iranian Deputy for Artistic Affairs at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Nadereh Rezaei and Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Tajikistan Alireza Haghighian met with the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan Matlubakhon Sattoriyon, on Friday in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, and discussed the importance of expanding cultural and artistic relations between the two countries.
Iran participating in Bogotá International Book Fair

TEHRAN-The Islamic Republic of Iran has participated in the 37th Bogotá International Book Fair (FILBO), which is underway in Colombia.
Iqbal Lahori memorial held with Iranian, Pakistani scholars

TEHRAN- The Iqbal Lahori Memorial Conference, organized by the ECO Cultural Institute (ECI)and the International Affairs Department of the Art Bureau of the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization, was held on Thursday with the presence of distinguished Iranian and Pakistani scholars and poets in Tehran.

Economy

Tehran, Ashgabat urge structural reforms to boost bilateral trade

TEHRAN - The deputy head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) called for the removal of key structural barriers—particularly in banking, transport, logistics, and visa issuance—to unlock the trade potential between Iran and Turkmenistan.
Iran’s annual petchem export expected to hit 34.8m tons by March 2026

TEHRAN – Iran’s annual export of the petrochemicals is anticipated to reach about 34.8 million tons in the current Iranian calendar year (ends on March 2026), according to the head of the National Petrochemical Company (NPC).
SEO aims for capital market to fund half of economy within 5 years

TEHRAN - The head of the Securities and Exchange Organization (SEO) said that the capital market’s share in the national financing system is going to increase to 50 percent over the next five years, positioning it as a key engine of economic activity, employment, and industrial growth.

Society

Russia needs to enhance cooperation with Iran in emerging technologies: presidential aide

TEHRAN –Russian Presidential Aide Andrei Fursenko has underscored the significance of promoting partnerships and collaborations with Iran in emerging technologies.
DOE develops data bank of over 5,000 species in Persian Gulf, Oman Sea

TEHRAN –The head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, has announced the provision of a data bank of more than 5,000 creatures in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea, saying that it will serve as a regional and even international platform for the preservation of the biodiversity in these waters.
Farabi International Award extends submission deadline

TEHRAN – The deadline for submitting articles to the 16th Farabi International Award (FIA) has been extended to May 21.

Tourism

Locals revive tradition of cherishing ancient qanats with flowers and rosewater

TEHRAN - After more than five decades of silence, the people of Bam in southeastern Iran have revived an ancient tradition honoring qanats – the man-made subterranean aqueducts that sustained life in this arid region for centuries.
Soltaniyeh, a UNESCO-listed mausoleum of the 14th century, undergoes restoration

TEHRAN – Phase two of a restoration and conservation project on the southern gate of the UNESCO-listed Soltaniyeh Dome has commenced, according to the director of the World Heritage site.
Yazd to introduce tourist path dedicated to traditional jewelry

TEHRAN – Yazd authorities plan to introduce a tourist path dedicated to the city’s time-honored tradition of handmade jewelry, which was recently registered as a world city of handicrafts by the World Crafts Council.

International

Israel has desperately resorted to war of starvation against Gaza

TEHRAN - Failing to defeat the Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip, Israel has resorted to starving Palestinians to an unprecedented level to make the combatants feel pity for the people and stop resisting.
Lebanon’s Aoun hints he seeks to annul the 1969 Cairo Agreement

BEIRUT – The Lebanese Supreme Defense Council, headed by President Joseph Aoun, issued a shocking warning to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) “against using Lebanon as an arena to violate Lebanese sovereignty and endanger Lebanon.”
Israel using Druze community as excuse to undermine Syria’s sovereignty

TEHRAN – The Israeli occupation regime has launched its most extensive bombardment of Syria since the beginning of the current year.

Tehran Times' exclusive interview with Pezeshkian provides behind-the-scenes look at president's life

Israel launches most intensive strikes against Syria