Tehran Times

2026-04-27 21:52
By staff writer

Iran’s new Leader sends first letter to Putin

The Russian president announces in the meeting with the Iranian FM that he received a letter from Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei last week

TEHRAN - Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally confirmed receiving a significant message from Iran’s Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, signaling a robust and unbreakable commitment between Moscow and Tehran.

261 lawmakers express strong support for Iranian negotiators with US

TEHRAN - In a significant display of unity, 261 members of parliament have endorsed Iran's negotiators and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf in discussions with the United States.
Without Iran, the ceasefire would not have been possible: Hezbollah chief

TEHRAN - The Secretary-General of Hezbollah in Lebanon has stated that without the Islamic Republic of Iran’s role in negotiations, the recent ceasefire [in Lebanon] would never have been achieved.
Iran signals latent leverage as energy chokepoints

TEHRAN- A top Iranian political figure is signaling that it retains significant, largely unexercised leverage in its standoff with Washington, framing the balance of power less in purely military terms and more through control over energy flows, geography, and timing.
By Garsha Vazirian

Israel’s multi-front collapse exposes a regime weaker and more desperate than ever before

Multi-front exhaustion and failed objectives mark a clear strategic reversal for the entity compared to its pre-war position

TEHRAN — As we hit the two-month milestone of the unprovoked campaign of aggression launched on February 28, the bravado surrounding the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has evaporated. What remains on Israel’s side is the sight of a militarily exhausted and overstretched aggressor that has taken a beating on every front.
‘It is an honor for me to be the mother of Makan Nasiri’

TEHRAN – The mother of Makan Nasiri, a 7-year-old student who was martyred on February 28 by a US missile attack on Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, says it is an honor that she is the mother of Makan.

Politics

Merz questions US strategy in Iran war as economic fallout weighs on Europe

TEHRAN — Friedrich Merz has intensified criticism of Washington’s handling of the war with Iran, warning that the United States entered the conflict without a clear exit strategy while describing Tehran as a capable and “skilled” negotiator.
Top Russian MP: US war on Iran misguided and ill-prepared

TEHRAN - A senior Russian lawmaker has taken a swipe at the United States for attempting to implement a Venezuela-style scenario in Iran. The chairman of the Information Policy Commission of Russia’s Federation Council told TASS news agency that the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro misled US President Donald Trump into launching a war on Iran.
Iranian scholar praises Pope’s anti-war stance

TEHRAN — An Iranian scholar has welcomed the Vatican’s recent opposition to war, as officials and intellectuals in Tehran increasingly frame the confrontation with the United States and Israel in moral, as well as strategic, terms.

Sports

Iran football delegation named “Minab-168” for 2026 World Cup

TEHRAN – The Iranian football team, known as Team Melli, will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup under the banner of Minab-168.
Angola and North Macedonia cancel matches against Iran

TEHRAN - The football federations of North Macedonia and Angola have officially canceled their friendly matches against Iran.
Iran basketball commentator Atashi dies

TEHRAN – The Iranian basketball community mourns the loss of veteran commentator Enayatollah Atashi, who passed away Tuesday in Tehran at the age of 81 after a long battle with cancer.

Culture

Chinese readers welcome Martyr Leader’s memoir

TEHRAN – The Chinese translation of the book “The Pains that Changed into Gains,” memories of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has received a warm welcome from readers across China.
Tehran Rah-Ahan Square unveils mural in memory of Dena martyrs

TEHRAN- A new large-scale mural titled "In Memory of the Brave Martyrs of the Frigate Dena" was unveiled at Rah-Ahan Square in southern Tehran on Sunday, marking the 40th day since the martyrdom of 84 martyrs of the Dena destroyer.
Iranian horror-drama film “The Devil's Mirror” to compete in Italian festival

TEHRAN – The Iranian feature film “The Devil's Mirror” directed by Farid Valizadeh has entered the competition section of the Vespertilio Awards, which will be held in Rome, Italy, on May 23.

Economy

Hidden cost of a conflict: Why a US-Israel war on Iran would shake global energy markets

TEHRAN- As tensions rise over the possibility of a coordinated US-Israeli military strike against Iran, the world’s energy markets are quietly bracing for a shock that could dwarf previous oil crises.
Deadlock in Iran war continues; Goldman Sachs raises its oil price forecast

TEHRAN- Citing the deadlock in the West Asia war and negotiations between Washington and Tehran, Goldman Sachs has raised its oil price forecast.
Capital, facilities should be directed toward production: minister

TEHRAN- The Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade, emphasizing that capital and facilities must be directed toward production, stated that industrial and production units need liquidity to revive and sustain their production lines.

Society

Iran slams UNICEF for failing to denounce US-Israeli crimes against children

TEHRAN - The Iranian High Council for Human Rights has criticized UNICEF for failing to denounce the US-Israeli crimes against Iranian children during the recent aggression.
Italian academics condemn US-Israeli attacks on Iran’s scientific, research centers

TEHRAN – Chancellors of two Italian universities have censured the brutal attacks conducted by the US and the Israeli regime on Iranian universities, as well as research and educational centers.
90 Iranian universities in THE Asia university rankings 2026

TEHRAN –The Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2026 has placed 90 Iranian universities among the top Asian institutions, up from 85 universities in 2025.

Tourism

A closer look at Sa’dabad Palace complex after nearby US-Israeli bunker-buster strikes

TEHRAN – Tehran’s Sa’adabad Palace complex sustained widespread structural and decorative damage following two rounds of airstrikes using bunker-buster bombs, though the historic site remained standing and has since entered an emergency stabilization and restoration phase, officials said.
Tiny seal from Persepolis holds a clear image of Achaemenid naval power

During the 1936 excavations at Persepolis led by Erich Schmidt of the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, a small clay seal impression was recovered from the Treasury. Barely 2.5 centimeters across, it bears the crisp image of a warship, a rare and direct glimpse of how the Achaemenid court viewed its own naval strength.
Study examines four ancient metal smelting sites in central Iran

TEHRAN – A new research project has examined four ancient metal smelting sites in Yazd province, central Iran, shedding light on early metallurgical practices and identifying the types of metals extracted and processed at the locations, researchers said.

International

Israel’s multi-front collapse exposes a regime weaker and more desperate than ever before

TEHRAN — As we hit the two-month milestone of the unprovoked campaign of aggression launched on February 28, the bravado surrounding the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has evaporated. What remains on Israel’s side is the sight of a militarily exhausted and overstretched aggressor that has taken a beating on every front.
Southern Lebanon: From forgotten locality to global influence

LONDON - It is clear that the main goal of direct negotiations with Israel is to remove Lebanon from the Iranian-American negotiation table. The aim is not to give Lebanon anything, even symbolically, but to impose what it must do where the Israeli occupation entity failed, namely, confronting the resistance directly.
Rising support for Trump's impeachment

TEHRAN- A growing wave of domestic dissatisfaction and mounting expert concerns over leadership decision-making are casting a shadow over the political future of U.S. President Donald Trump, as new polling data and analytical assessments point to increasing instability within the American political system.