By Payman Yazdani

EU too weak to challenge U.S. hegemony: Prof. Entessar

TEHRAN - Chair of Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at the University of South Alabama believe the EU is too weak politically to challenge America's global hegemony even if it decides to do so.

By Javad Heirannia

Trump’s decision foolish and damaging: Matthew Bunn

TEHRAN - Matthew Bunn, a specialist in nuclear security at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, believes that “Despite President Trump’s foolish and damaging decision, I believe it would be in Iran’s national interest to stay in a deal with the “P4+1”.”

By Haniyeh Sadat Jafariyeh

Expert: Non-European trade partners better for Iran

TEHRAN - European countries have been looking to increase trade ties with Iran since the 5+1 countries and Iran struck a nuclear deal according to which Tehran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for termination of most economic sanctions.

By Ebrahim Fallahi

Indonesia’s Pertamina considers Iran a priority in region

TEHRAN - Indonesia’s state-run oil and gas company Pertamina sees cooperation with Iran as a priority for its activities in the region, Junizar Harman Dipodiwirjo, a field manager at Pertamina, said in an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times.

UEC ready to provide flexible financing schemes for Iran

TEHRAN - United Engine Corporation (UEC) is ready to provide “flexible financing schemes” for the sale of its products to Iran, UEC deputy marketing chief Sergei Eremenko tells the Tehran Times.

By Javad Heirannia

Pull out of JCPOA serious mistake for security of U.S.: Matthew Bunn

TEHRAN - Matthew Bunn, a specialist in nuclear security at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, believes that “There is still a chance that President Trump will decide to stay in the deal for a time, but it is more probable than not that he will pull out of the agreement and reimpose U.S. nuclear sanctions.”

By Javad Heirannia

Netanyahu relying on confusion and ignorance about JCPOA: Pillar

TEHRAN – Professor Paul Pillar, who was CIA intelligence analyst for 28 years, tells the Tehran Times that “Netanyahu is relying on confusion and ignorance about the JCPOA.”

By Javad Heirannia

Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula is step-by-step process: ex-White House official

TEHRAN – Professor Frank N. von Hippel, former assistant director for national security in the White House Office of Science and Technology says that it will have to be a long step-by-step process to denuclearization Korean Peninsula including other agreements that accomplish mutual confidence building.

By Mohammad Homaeifar

Iran much bigger country than you think, Korean ambassador tells Iranians

‘Iran is one of the strategic countries shaping the world’s politics.’

TEHRAN - In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, South Korea’s outgoing ambassador says, “One thing I would like to tell my fellow Iranians is that Iranians shall know that Iran is a much bigger country than you think.”

Slovenia doing its best to keep JCPOA ‘alive’: ambassador

TEHRAN – Kristina Radej, the Slovenian ambassador to Tehran, says Slovenia along with European Union are doing their “best” to keep the nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA, “alive”.

By Manijeh Rezapoor

Slovenian director Hanna Slak promotes “The Miner” at Fajr 

TEHRAN – Slovenian filmmaker Hanna Slak is currently in Tehran to promote her latest movie “The Miner” (“Rudar”) at the 36th Fajr International Film Festival.

Seismologist blames accumulated seismic energy for frequent quakes in Iran

TEHRAN - A renowned Iranian seismologist says the frequent jolts across Iran over the past few months are the result of a compensation for the “accumulated seismic energy” in the form of natural consecutive seismic events.

By Payman Yazdani

Pompeo, Bolton to present challenge to Iran's foreign policy: Entessar

TEHRAN - Professor Entessar is of this opinion that the Pompeo-Bolton team will present the most significant challenge to Iran's foreign policy in more than 30 years.

By Payman Yazdani

Prof. Zonis: Trump’s tariff policy global effect to be less than expected

TEHRAN - Professor Marvin Zonis believes that due to many tariff exceptions to be offered to other countries by Trump administration the overall effect of his decision on global economy will be less than expected.

By Javad Heirannia

JCPOA future is very limited: Nephew

TEHRAN – Richard Nephew, who served as the lead sanctions expert for the U.S. team negotiating with Iran, is of the opinion that “Bolton and Pompeo are both much more hawkish.”

By Javad Heirannia

Bolton wants JCPOA abandoned: Lendman

TEHRAN- U.S. columnist Stephen Lendman says that “Bolton wants the JCPOA abandoned, I believe a key reason why he was appointed.” 

By Javad Heirannia

Former CIA Officer Evaluates Changes In Trump’s National Security Team

TEHRAN, Mar. 26 (MNA) –Robert David Steele, the former CIA clandestine operations officer, tells “John Bolton, apart from being a corrupt and very stupid man in the pockets of the Zionists, is now — according to Larry Flynt — an alledged swinger, rapist, and pedophile.”

Bitter experience of Chinese investor with Iranian contractor

Recently Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation (known as Sinopec) which is the main contractor in developing Iran’s Yadavaran oilfield (shared with Iraq in Iran’s southwestern region of Karoun) has claimed that an Iranian company caused them several hundred millions of dollars of financial damage under two EPCC contracts.

We have intensified our relations with Iran: ICRC president

TEHRAN — “Over years we have intensified our relations and cooperation with Iran,” says Peter Maurer, president of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

By Javad Heirannia

U.S. - EU trade war will weaken liberal values: Askari

TEHRAN – Professor Hossein Askari, an expert on Saudi Arabia who also teaches international business at the George Washington University, strongly believes that “rising tide of nationalism or the right is a threat to EU institutions and its architecture but this will not erode EU’s trade policies as a bloc.”

By Maryam Qarehgozlou

Trump knows nothing about Cuba: ambassador

TEHRAN - Alexis Bandrich Vega, Havana’s ambassador to Tehran, believes that U.S. President Donald Trump is ignorant of the realities in Cuba.

By Jalal Heirannia

New Atheist writers tend to misread and misrepresent Islamic sources: Michigan Professor

TEHRAN - Professor Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Director of the Muslim Studies Program of Michigan State University says new Atheist writers also tend to misread and misrepresent Islamic sources.

By Afshin Majlesi

Swiss roamer roams the world in his ‘Land Roamer’

TEHRAN – As a Tehran Times correspondent, I was about to enter the office late last week when I bumped into an imposing camper-truck parked across from the bureau. It was plastered with phrases and vivid sets of drawings and pictures.

By Payman Yazdani

Entessar: EU too subservient to U.S. to challenge Washington

TEHRAN - Prof. Nader Entessar is of the opinion that the newly revealed documents of the U.S. State Department indicate the Trump administration has had some success in bridging the gap between the publicly stated positions of the US and Europe about the fate of the JCPOA.

By M.A. Saki

Austria has strong stake in preserving JCPOA: ambassador

TEHRAN - Stefan Scholz,Vienna’s ambassador to Tehran, believes that the 2015 nuclear deal will continue to stand even in the most unwanted event that the United States withdraws from it, provided that Iran continues to fulfill its obligations, thus enabling European countries to follow suit.

By Javad Heirannia

Iran-Saudi conflict not a zero-sum game: Adib-Moghaddam

TEHRAN - Professor Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Chair of the Centre for Iranian Studies at the London Middle East Institute believes “This is a part of a new strategy to deepen the perception that Saudi Arabia and the UAE are actively fighting against terrorism and to signal to Europe (and the United States) that they are doing what they can to that end”.

Iranian diplomat says missiles are matter of ‘national security’

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has said Tehran will not compromise on its missile defense program, noting missiles are necessary to guard the country against possible foreign aggression.