Tehran Times

2026-03-21 23:56
By Xavier Villar

Endurance as political form: Reading the Leader’s Nowruz message for 1405

MADRID – Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei’s Nowruz message for the Iranian year 1405 was delivered in a context defined by sustained external pressure. Since the joint U.S.–Israeli air campaign in early 2026 and the subsequent assassination of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iran has faced a continuous combination of military, economic and regional challenges.
- Leader highlights balance of mourning and tradition in Nowruz message

By Matin Jamshidi

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s great affection to eastern neighbors

Iran’s bonds with Pakistan and Afghanistan are unbreakable

TEHRAN - In his New Year message on March 20, the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei pointed to some key issues with a primary focus on national unity, resistance economy, and developing relations with Muslim countries, especially the eastern neighbors.
Leader highlights balance of mourning and tradition in Nowruz message

TEHRAN – Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei has said in a message marking the Persian New Year that the country should maintain its cultural traditions while observing a period of national mourning.
By Batool Subeiti

Taxi tales: Young Khamenei's engagement with citizens for better solutions

LONDON - Not much is known about Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei. He was not a man in the spotlight and his father held the reins of leadership that charted the general course for serving the people, framed by dignity and pride. Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei did not highlight his children, though they are several, and Mojtaba is one of them.
By Garsha Vazirian

Flying and exploding under a false flag

The pedigree of deception and the architecture of the plot against Iran’s neighbors

TEHRAN — The traditional Nowruz and Eid al-Fitr celebrations of 2026 arrived amid the thickest fog of war the region has seen in decades, yet the message from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, cut through it with absolute precision.
By Mohammad Sarfi Editor-in-chief

The spirit of spring

How the Iranian nation endured the past year and entered the new one

Tehran — This year, Nowruz was different. It is no exaggeration to call it the most unprecedented Nowruz in Iran’s contemporary history. The Persian year 1404 was a difficult and bitter one for Iranians. Early in the year, the country became embroiled in a 12-day war imposed by the United States and Israel, during which more than a thousand honorable Iranian citizens lost their lives and became victims of the lies, ambitions, and crimes of those two regimes.

Politics

Iran targets an F-16 in its skies, bringing the number of intercepted enemy aircraft to six

TEHRAN – Iran’s air defense units successfully detected and intercepted an Israeli F-16 fighter jet in the early hours of Saturday, a day after they hit and damaged an American F-35 warplane.
Trump still has no solution for oil markets

Trump still has no solution for oil markets
Putin says Russia Iran’s ‘Loyal ally’ in New Year message

TEHRAN- President Vladimir Putin of Russia used the occasion of the Persian New Year to reaffirm Moscow’s commitment to Tehran, describing the two nations as loyal allies facing shared challenges.

Sports

Iran to meet Nigeria, Costa Rica in Turkey

TEHRAN – Iran national football team will play two friendly matches on March 27 and 31 in Turkey, respectively.
Iran in ‘group of death’ of 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship

TEHRAN – Iran are drawn in a tough group in the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Boys' U17 World Championship.
Mexico ready to host Iran’s matches in 2026 FIFA World Cup

TEHRAN – Mexico president Claudia Sheinbaum has said they are ready to host Iran’s matches in Group G of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Culture

New mural in Tehran blends Nowruz traditions with national defiance

TEHRAN- A new large-scale mural was unveiled at Tehran’s Valiasr Square mural in the early hours of Friday on the occasion of the new Persian calendar year 1405.
A convergence of faith and heritage: celebrating Nowruz amidst war

BABOLSAR- As the sun dips toward the horizon on this final Friday of the Persian calendar year 1404, the air in the northern city of Babolsar, Mazandaran, carries a bittersweet fragrance. It is the scent of blooming bergamot blossoms—the namesake of my eight-year-old daughter, Toranj—mingled with the salty mist of the Caspian Sea and the heavy, solemn aroma of rosewater from a recent funeral procession.
Culture minister calls for solidarity among Islamic nations against U.S.-Israeli aggression

TEHRAN –The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance has issued a message to the culture ministers of Muslim countries regarding the war imposed by the U.S. and the Zionist regime on Iran.

Economy

US opinions to confront closing of Hormuz Strait not operational: economic analyst

TEHRAN- Ali Ashraf Afkhami, an economic analyst, believes that the US opinions to confront closing of the Strait of Hormuz are not operational, and the outlook for oil price reduction is weak.
Transport minister orders acceleration of commodities transfer from ports

TEHRAN- Iran’s Transport and Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadeq ordered the acceleration of transfer of goods from the ports and more use of transport networks capacity, IRNA reported.
Foreign investment in free zones rises 268% in 11 months on year

TEHRAN- As announced by Iran’s Secretariat of the High Council and the Free Zones Organizations, foreign investment in the country’s free zones reached $1.025 billion during the first 11 months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2025-February 20, 2026), with an increase of 268 percent compared to the same period of time in the previous year.

Society

The power of Nowruz: a renewal of hope, even when everything is against it

Every year, as the spring approaches, Iranians prepare for Nowruz; a holiday that marks a new beginning, light after darkness, and hope after a long winter.
Nowruz, a unique opportunity to reinforce national unity

Despite the ongoing U.S.-Israeli imposed war, people from all walks of life in the country are preparing to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with the universal message of boosting unity and peace among people.
Life goes on, civic services underway despite attacks

TEHRAN – Despite the ongoing attacks by the U.S. and the Zionist regime against the country, people in Tehran, as in other cities, have no problem benefiting from civic services to meet their daily needs thanks to the efforts of responsible organizations.

Tourism

Nowruz in the shadow of war

This year, Nowruz does not feel the way it used to. Many things still look the same on the outside. The Haft-Seen table is ready, just like every year. There is green wheat, flowers, a mirror, a copy of the Holy Quran, and a glass bowl with small red fish swimming quietly.
Protecting cultural heritage under fire: The fragile role of international law

The deliberate targeting of cultural heritage during armed conflict remains a grave concern. International law provides crucial instruments for protection, anchored by agreements such as the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. These conventions represent a foundational effort to safeguard sites of historical and artistic significance, recognizing their intrinsic value beyond purely monetary terms.
How are Isfahan’s UNESCO and national heritage sites faring after airstrikes?

ISFAHAN - Airstrikes on the Iranian city of Isfahan have severely damaged two of its most iconic heritage sites: the UNESCO-listed Chehel Sotoun Palace and the National Heritage Site Ashraf Hall, alongside damage to over 12 other cultural landmarks.

International

London erupts in protest against the US-Israeli war on Iran

TEHRAN — Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of central London on Saturday, marking a nationwide day of mobilization to condemn the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and demand an end to British military support.
Joe Kent’s resignation is telling that speaks volumes

TEHRAN – In a social media post on Tuesday, Joe Kent announced that he was resigning as Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center in protest to the Trump administration’s decision in joining Israel in the war against Iran.
The roar against dangerous war against Iran

TEHRAN - After the United States and Israel started a surprise and unlawful war on Iran on Feb. 28, waves of protests have gripped the United States. The protests have spread to more than 50 cities across the country. The huge protests in Washington, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles have been of particular importance.