S. Korea, UNICEF join hands to boost resilience in Sistan-Baluchestan province

TEHRAN – Funded by the Republic of Korea, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in cooperation with the Government of Iran, has constructed a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Kohak, Sistan-Baluchestan province, to foster resilience in the region.

South Pars gas refineries maintain uninterrupted output amid cold snap

TEHRAN – Iran’s South Pars gas processing plants are operating at full readiness and maintaining stable, uninterrupted production despite rising demand as colder weather sets in, the head of the South Pars Gas Complex said.

Esteghlal club celebrate 80th anniversary

TEHRAN – Esteghlal football club marked the 80th anniversary of their establishment on Friday night in a ceremony held close to Yalda Night (the longest and darkest night of the year), attended by current members, former players, and club officials.

Trump says US ‘hit ISIS thugs in Syria’ in retaliation for Palmyra deaths

The United States military “hit the ISIS [ISIL] thugs in Syria,” President Donald Trump said in a speech Friday evening in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, a week after two U.S. soldiers and an interpreter were killed in Syria’s Palmyra city.

Hakim: Unity and Cohesion Will Shape the Region’s Future

Iraqi National Wisdom Movement leader Ammar al-Hakim, speaking at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim, described the region’s rapid developments as a “geopolitical earthquake.” He stressed that Iraq must wisely manage its foreign relations to avoid being drawn into conflicts.

A significant and meaningful journey

TEHRAN - In an analysis, Shargh examined the visit of Vahan Kostanyan, Armenia’s deputy foreign minister, to Israel, where he met with Eden Bar Tal, director general of Israel’s ‏Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Iranians working to facilitate, speed up engagement with Afghanistan: Pezeshkian 

TEHRAN – Iran’s president says the country will make every effort to give fresh impetus to its interactions with Afghanistan along the border.

Iran warns against resurgence of terrorism in Syria

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir-Saeed Iravani says the re-emergence of terrorism and an increase in the operational capability of the Daesh terror group in Syria would pose a threat to the Arab country as well as the entire region.

Two new senior Iranian commanders appointed

TEHRAN – Iran has made new changes to its military leadership, six months after it fought a war against Israel and the United States. 

Washington still stalled on sanctions as it targets 29 vessels in attempt to stop Iran's oil sales

TEHRAN – Leaders in the United States are continuing their efforts to prevent Iran from selling oil, even as Iran appears to have mastered the art of avoiding sanctions and its main customers refuse to stop purchasing Iranian energy.

What’s in Tehran art galleries

Tehran’s CAMA – Contemporary and Modern Art Gallery is playing host to an exhibition of paintings by Jamshid Haqiqatshenas.  The exhibit will be running until December 31 at the gallery located at No. 44, 10th Golestan, Pasdaran St.

Visual album “Come, O Love” featuring Shahram Nazeri, Davlatmand Kholov unveiled in Konya

TEHRAN – The unveiling ceremony of the visual album “Come, O Love,” featuring Iranian tenor Shahram Nazeri and the late Tajik singer Davlatmand Kholov, was held on Tuesday at the Selçuk University in Konya, Turkey, coinciding with the 752nd death anniversary of the great Persian-speaking poet Rumi.

IAF cinematheque to screen Al Pacino’s “Wilde Salomé”

TEHRAN- The Cinematheque of the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) is scheduled to screen a recorded stage performance of “Wilde Salomé” on Wednesday.

Machado’s Nobel win facilitates war crimes and plunder, Julian Assange argues

The Swedish government violated its own laws by awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, according to an explosive legal brief filed by Julian Assange.

EU agrees to loan Ukraine $105 billion after bid to use Russian assets fails

European Union leaders reached a deal early Friday on a $105 billion loan to keep Ukraine’s economy and military from a budgetary blackhole through 2027. While it didn’t come about in the way some of them wanted, the fact it came about at all has been hailed by top officials as a win for the bloc, CNN reported. 

Trump threatens military aggression against Venezuela despite American public opposition

TEHRAN – U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to rule out a military invasion of Venezuela, asserting his objectives are clear to President Nicolás Maduro.

Violence erupts in Bangladesh after youth leader dies 

Violence broke out in Bangladesh’s capital after a youth leader of the country’s 2024 pro-democracy uprising who was injured in an assassination attempt died in a hospital in Singapore, The Guardian reported. 

Gorgan hosts intl. tribal culture festival highlighting regional ties

GORGAN - Iran’s Golestan province hosted the 17th International Festival of Tribal Culture this week, with officials saying the event reflects Iran’s historical links with neighboring countries.

Miami summit to address future of Gaza agreement as Israel continues lethal strikes

The United States Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will hold talks in Miami, Florida, with senior officials from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey as efforts continue to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, even as Israel violates the truce on the ground.

Nvidia deepens complicity in Israeli occupation with new ‘second home’ R&D campus

Nvidia, the world’s most valuable chipmaker, has announced plans to establish a significant new research and development campus in Kiryat Tiv’on, northern occupied Palestine, near Haifa, calling it a strategic “second home” for the tech giant, Al Mayadeen reported Friday.

Iran’s Ilam, Iraq’s Karbala discuss joint tourism exhibition

TEHRAN - Iranian and Iraqi officials have reached an initial agreement to hold a joint handicrafts and tourism exhibition in Iraq, Ilam’s cultural heritage chief said, following talks between provincial authorities.

Tourism minister says Yalda can serve as platform for regional dialogue

TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, has said that the ancient festivity of Yalda should be viewed as a shared cultural framework for dialogue, cohesion and civilizational convergence across the region.

By Afshin Majlesi

Golestan at a glance: forests, ancient monuments and Caspian landscapes

GORGAN - Golestan is one of the least visited provinces in Iran, yet for many travelers who take the time to explore it, the region may quickly become a favorite destination.