Tehran Times

2026-05-19 19:47
Trump’s Iran brinkmanship: The secret behind six retreats

TEHRAN - President Donald Trump has once again backed down from his threat of military action against Iran, as US officials cited by The New York Times acknowledged that Iran’s “successful resistance” and “enormous resilience” have complicated Washington’s war aims and strengthened Tehran’s position on the battlefield.
- Trump’s Iran war: A hubristic gamble bogged down in escalation and miscalculation
- NBC News report exposes extent of US losses in Iran conflict

New fronts will open if enemy attacks Iran again: Army

TEHRAN- Army Spokesperson Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia has warned that Iran will open new fronts against its enemies if they launch another attack on the country.
Iran's Leader advisor: US will surrender

TEHRAN- A senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei has stated that the iron fist of Iran’s armed forces and the resolute Iranian nation will compel the United States to retreat and surrender.
Sumud activists demand safe passage, accountability amid Israel’s illegal abductions

TEHRAN — Battered but entirely unbowed, a defiant contingent of the Global Sumud Flotilla continues its perilous voyage toward the Gaza Strip, surviving a harrowing, day-long assault by Israeli naval forces in the Mediterranean
UAE spent $6m on Epstein-linked reputation firm to suppress ambassador report

The United Arab Emirates paid more than $6 million to a secretive U.S. reputation management firm tied to whitewashing a client’s link to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to manipulate Google search results and suppress damaging reporting about its ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al-Otaiba, according to a New York Times investigation.
Shadows in the desert: How US treachery facilitated Israeli outposts on Iraqi soil

TEHRAN - A profound geopolitical scandal is unraveling in Baghdad following revelations that the United States weaponized its military presence to deceive Iraqi authorities, directly facilitating the establishment of at least two clandestine Israeli military outposts within Iraq’s borders.

Politics

Lawmaker: Strait of Hormuz will remain under Iran’s control forever

TEHRAN - A senior Iranian lawmaker has announced that Iran will continue to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic lever.
Pakistani defense minister says renewed war on Iran unlikely

TEHRAN — Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said he believes the war against Iran is unlikely to resume, citing growing opposition within the United States to another military conflict in West Asia.
China backs political solutions, plays role in Islamabad mediation: Iranian envoy

TEHRAN — Iran’s ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, says Beijing has played a significant role in the ongoing mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington in Islamabad, while continuing to advocate political solutions and regional stability amid escalating tensions in West Asia.

Sports

2026 World Cup: Iranian players still await U.S. visas

TEHRAN - Iran’s national team have traveled to Turkey to continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup while still waiting for the visas required to enter the United States.
Nemati expresses concerns for Iran’s Para archery team ahead of Nagoya 2026

TEHRAN – Iran’s Para Archery national team head coach, Zahra Nemati, has voiced significant apprehension regarding the team’s prospects for the Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games. Citing the ongoing conflict, Nemati revealed that Iran has secured only three qualification quotas for the Games, and alarmingly, even these qualified athletes are reportedly far from peak physical condition.
Aida Arab named best line player at Asian U16 Handball Championship

TEHRAN - Iranian line player Aida Arab has earned the distinction of being recognized as the tournament's top line player at the Asian Girls' U16 Handball Championship, which recently concluded in Kazakhstan.

Culture

“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: From Cradle to Eternity” published in Indonesia

TEHRAN- Following the growing interest in the influential figures of the Islamic world within the Indonesian intellectual sphere, a new comprehensive book titled "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: Dari Haribaan Hingga Keabadian" (“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: From Cradle to Eternity”) has been released across Indonesia.
Spain’s ambassador to Iran visits “Art & War” exhibition at TMoCA

TEHRAN – Concurrent with the International Museum Day, May 18, the Spanish Ambassador to Iran visited the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) to view the second part of the “Art & War,” showcasing 11 works by four Spanish modernist painters from its treasured collection.
International literary prize launched to honor Minab victims

TEHRAN- The International Six-Word Story Award: Minab School – 168 Unfinished Short Stories was officially launched on Sunday.

Economy

Global oil reserves depleting rapidly amid Hormuz crisis

TEHRAN- The world is facing an "energy countdown" as global oil reserves decline at an unprecedented pace, driven by IEA warnings and the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has cautioned that commercial oil inventories may only last a few weeks, urging markets to recognize the severity of the situation.
Iran-China rail corridor has annual transit capacity of 1m tons of cargo

TEHRAN- A railway expert said that Iran-China commercial train frequency to one daily train would enable cargo movement of one million tons per year.
Power grid ready for summer with focus on consumption management

TEHRAN- The managing director of Iran's Power Generation and Distribution Company (known as TAVANIR) has announced the power grid's readiness for the summer peak load, the development of renewable energy sources, and the implementation of a restriction program for high-consumption subscribers.

Society

DOE supports ecotourism projects in Zarivar wetland

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) has announced it will support ecotourism and nature-based projects around Zarivar, designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Products with nano-scale certificates rise despite war

TEHRAN – Despite the 12-day war in June 2025 and the recent 40-day war, 230 products have received nanoscale certificates in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2025-March 2026), surpassing the targeted number.
Health minister discusses boosting health ties with BRICS counterparts

TEHRAN – Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi has explored avenues to expand cooperation with his counterparts from BRICS member states in different fields of the health sector.

Tourism

Attacks on heritage sites show US, Israel ‘civilizational hostility’, minister says

TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, said on Monday that attacks on Iranian historical monuments by the United States and Israel reflected what he described as “civilizational hostility” toward Iran, adding that damage to 149 historical sites would remain “a stain” on their faces.
A look at Iran’s treasure trove in Russia

The State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, houses one of the most important and richest collections of pre-Islamic Iranian art and artifacts in the world. This unique collection ranges from Elamite pottery to Achaemenid reliefs and Parthian coins, offering visitors a vivid picture of the history and art of ancient Iran.
Riab cited as model for community-based tourism

TEHRAN - The village of Riab in eastern Iran has emerged as a model for community-based tourism development and has been nominated as one of Iran’s candidates for the Best Tourism Villages program organized by the UN Tourism.

International

Sumud activists demand safe passage, accountability amid Israel’s illegal abductions

TEHRAN — Battered but entirely unbowed, a defiant contingent of the Global Sumud Flotilla continues its perilous voyage toward the Gaza Strip, surviving a harrowing, day-long assault by Israeli naval forces in the Mediterranean
UAE spent $6m on Epstein-linked reputation firm to suppress ambassador report

The United Arab Emirates paid more than $6 million to a secretive U.S. reputation management firm tied to whitewashing a client’s link to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to manipulate Google search results and suppress damaging reporting about its ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al-Otaiba, according to a New York Times investigation.
Hezbollah pounds IOF with FPV drones

TEHRAN – The Lebanese resistance movement has announced more operations targeting the Israeli regime’s military positions and equipment inside Lebanese territory.