By Mahmood Monshipouri, PhD

The implications of declining U.S. leadership

The Trump administration’s ongoing policy of withdrawal from international institutions—including the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the 2016 Paris Climate Change Accord, the Open Skies Treaty, and now the World Health Organization (WHO) in the middle of the greatest global health crisis—demonstrates the declining U.S. leadership ever since the post-World War II order was created.  This latest move is made at a time when the world relies heavily on the WHO’s leadership to steer the COVID-19 pandemic response.  

Zarif says Trump advisors made a ‘dumb bet’ by inciting him to quit JCPOA

TEHRAN - Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s advisors, that now most of them have been dismissed, made a “dumb bet” by encouraging him to quit the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as JCPOA.

Iran confirms talks with Richardson over Michael White’s release

TEHRAN - Iran confirmed on Friday that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had discussed prisoner releases with former U.S. ambassador Bill Richardson.

Iran urges France to stop interference in its domestic affairs

TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has urged France to stop interfering in Iran’s domestic affairs.

By staff and agency

Russia says sanctions for Iran oil supply to Venezuela are unacceptable

Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said on Thursday that threats hurled by the United States at other governments of imposing sanctions in case they facilitate supplies of Iranian oil to Venezuela are unacceptable.

U.S. Senate approves Trump pick to lead Voice of America

TEHRAN — U.S. Senate on Thursday approved President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Voice of America and other U.S. government-funded international broadcasters that have been criticized by the White House over claims of unfavorable news coverage.

Rouhani to Trump: Holding Bible to justify violence against Americans is ‘shameful’

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that it is “shameful” that President Donald Trump holds Bible in his own hand to justify violence against Americans who are protesting the death of a black man by a White policeman.

Iran condemns new U.S. sanctions on Syria

TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Friday condemned new sanctions of the United States on Syria and urged removal of them.

Imam proved U.S. knee can be forced off the neck of the oppressed: Ghalibaf

TEHRAN — New Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says Imam Khomeini proved to the world that the United States’ knee can be forced off the neck of the oppressed.

Iranian students rally in solidarity with African Americans

TEHRAN — Iranian students and rights activists gathered outside the Swiss embassy in Tehran on Wednesday to express solidarity with African Americans over the shocking killing of George Floyd at the hands of a white police.

Tehran urges U.S. to free all Iranian hostages after prisoner swap

TEHRAN — Tehran has confirmed a prisoner swap between Iran and the United States, urging Washington to release all Iranian hostages held by the U.S. government.

Who are the secret puppet-masters behind Trump’s war on Iran?

(Pressenza) – On May 6th, President Trump vetoed a war powers bill specifying that he must ask Congress for authorization to use military force against Iran. Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign of deadly sanctions and threats of war against Iran has seen no let-up, even as the U.S., Iran and the whole world desperately need to set aside our conflicts to face down the common danger of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Killing blacks is not something new in U.S., it is American nature, Leader says

TEHRAN - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the founder of the Revolution created big changes to the fates Iranians.

Imam Khomeini legacy lives on as Iranians mourn 31st anniversary of passing

Iranians are marking 31 years since the departure of the revered founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, an eternal example of the defeat of the West in imposing its will on freedom-seeking nations.

Zarif slams Europe’s ‘deafening silence’ on U.S. brutalities against protesters

Iran’s foreign minister slams Europe’s double standards on protest actions in different parts of the world, calling on the Europeans — who have a habit of jumping to conclusions on demonstrations in non-Western states — to break their “deafening” silence on “scenes of brutality” in the U.S.

Rome-Tehran relations thriving, Italy's ambassador says on Republic Day

TEHRAN -- On the occasion of the 74th anniversary of Italy’s Republic Day, the Italian Ambassador in Tehran, Giuseppe Perrone, addressed a message, published on the Embassy’s social media channels, to the Italian community in Iran and to all Iranian friends.

  By Javad Heirannia

Trump unashamedly right-wing, says professor of comparative philosophies

TEHRAN - Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, a professor in global thought and comparative philosophies, tells the Tehran Times that “President Trump is unashamedly right-wing”.

Columnist calls Iranian fuel shipments to Venezuela a crack in wall of sanctions

TEHRAN - Conn Hallinan, a columnist for Foreign Policy In Focus, has said that arrival of Iranian fuel tankers in Venezuelan waters was a crack in wall of the United States’ illegal sanctions against Caracas.

230 people killed in November protests: MP

TEHRAN — Top MP Mojtaba Zonnour has said 230 people were killed during the protests in November 2019.

Sirous Asgari who is in U.S. will return to Iran in coming days

TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that Iranian scientist Sirous Asgari freed in U.S. captivity will return to Iran in the coming days.

Tehran criticizes S. Korea for overdue medical shipment

TEHRAN — Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has criticized South Korea for their submissive conduct toward the United States, saying the Koreans have been waiting to receive a green light from the U.S. government for sending a medical shipment to Iran.

Rouhani says Iran stands beside Afghanistan

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has said that Iran will stand beside the Afghan government and people to help them promote peace, stability and security.

Iran dismisses claims of interference in anti-racism protests in U.S.

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has dismissed claims of Iran’s interference in protests against racism in the United States.

Islamic Students Association condemns racism in U.S.

TEHRAN - The the Islamic Students Associations issued a statement on Monday condemning racism in the United States and urged Washington to practice justice over the brutal killing of an African-American man in Minneapolis.

Tehran to Washington: Let your people breathe

TEHRAN — Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has condemned the U.S. government’s brutal crackdown on protests over the killing of an unarmed African-American man by the police in Minneapolis, urging Washington to let the American people breathe.

‘Claims that U.S. is siding with Iranian people is nothing but dishonesty’

TEHRAN - Daniel Lazare, a U.S. author and journalist, has said that the United States’ claim of siding with the Iranian people is “specious” and “dishonest”.

Boosting combat power is on Army’s agenda, says General Abdolrahim Mousavi

TEHRAN - Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, the chief of Iran’s Army, said on Sunday that increasing combat power is always on the Army’s agenda.

Famous Iranian dissident glorifies violence against American protesters

TEHRAN — A well-known U.S-based Iranian dissident has celebrated the U.S. police’s violence against protesters as rallies flare around the U.S. over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

By Tehran Times editorial board

What does Trump’s handling of protests tell us Iranians? 

When thousands of Iranian demonstrators took to the streets to vent outrage at surprise hikes in gasoline price in major cities in December and January, the White House masked its evil face under an angelic language to support vandalism and terror inside the country.  

By Javad Heirannia

Police violence against Blacks is not new phenomenon: Professor Scanlon 

TEHRAN - Thomas M. Scanlon, Alford professor of natural religion, moral philosophy, and civil polity at Harvard University, tells the Tehran Times that “police violence especially against Blacks and other minorities is not a new phenomenon.”