Tehran Times

2026-03-19 22:19
By Garsha Vazirian

Schrödinger’s strait

How Trump constructed a parallel reality to mask the failure of his war on Iran

TEHRAN — Beyond the kinetic exchange of bombs and missiles, the 2026 war on Iran has revealed its true foundation: a meticulously constructed parallel reality. Twenty days in, it is clear that Washington is also waging a war of optics, built entirely upon a fragile architecture of institutionalized mendacity.
- Trump’s Iran war: A hubristic gamble bogged down in escalation and miscalculation

First on record: Iran strikes US F-35 stealth jet in historic attack, releases footage

TEHRAN — Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Thursday that its air defense systems successfully struck and seriously damaged a U.S. Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet in the skies over central Iran. The incident marks the first time a fifth-generation stealth aircraft has been hit by enemy fire in combat.
Out of control: Trump, the machine of lying

TEHRAN – The U.S. President Donald Trump's contradictory statements about the war with Iran, especially when it comes to attacking civilians, has turned him into a pathological liar who has no control over chronic lying.
Trump misled the world: Iran’s leadership unshaken and unyielding

TEHRAN - From the earliest days of the U.S.–Israeli military aggression that began on February 28, President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that Iran’s political leadership has collapsed and that the country is seeking a ceasefire out of desperation. These statements have circulated widely in his public remarks, where he has described Iran as being on the verge of political disintegration and portrayed the initial wave of strikes as having eliminated the core of the Iranian state.
By Xavier Villar

The lies that built a war: Deconstructing Washington’s shifting justifications for attacking Iran

MADRID – One way to analyze the current U.S. aggression against Iran is through the political language that precedes and organizes it. In 2003, the invasion of Iraq was justified by a discursive apparatus centered on weapons of mass destruction that never appeared. The sequence is known: first, a set of propositions is presented as self-evident; then, reality is read through them. The decision for war does not emerge from the evidence. The evidence is adapted to the decision.
Ali Larijani: A life dedicated to Iran’s security, stability, and progress

TEHRAN - Dr. Ali Larijani was a distinguished philosopher–statesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran whose intellectual depth, political experience, and strategic vision shaped the country’s policies over his decades of public service.

Politics

Headline-grabber footballers back home - What happened in Australia?

TEHRAN - After more than a week of intense debate and widespread international media attention, Iranian female footballers have finally returned home from Australia, bringing an end to a wave of speculation and conflicting reports.
Trump feigns ignorance after Iran retaliates for strikes on its energy infrastructure

TEHRAN - U.S. President Donald Trump sought to distance himself from responsibility after Iran followed through on its warning that any attack on its energy infrastructure during the ongoing war would be met with strikes on regional energy assets in which the United States holds shares or interests.
Giant tanker forced to back down as Iran successfully maintains control of Hormuz Strait

TEHRAN - A 160,000-ton oil tanker sailing under a Barbados flag was forced to retreat from the Strait of Hormuz this week after attempting to challenge Iran's transit restrictions, in what the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) called a clear demonstration that Tehran's control over the strategic waterway remains absolute and uncontested.

Sports

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.
Iran decide to participate at 2026 FIFA World Cup: official

TEHRAN – Mehdi Taj, head of Iran football federation, says that Iran will participate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Homecoming: Iranian women players opt for return amidst speculation

TEHRAN - The saga surrounding the Iran's women football team took a significant turn as five players, who had initially opted not to return to Tehran from Australia, have now decided to come back. This decision follows an earlier announcement that seven players had chosen to remain in Australia, where Team Melli played three matches in Group A of the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup.

Culture

104 public libraries to remain open during Nowruz holidays amid Zionist-U.S. aggression

TEHRAN- Iran Public Libraries Foundation has announced that 104 public libraries across the country will remain operational throughout the Nowruz holidays amid the ongoing conflict and recent U.S.-Zionist strikes against Iranian soil.
Flying Turtle Award jury condemns Zionist-U.S. missile strike

TEHRAN- The jury committee of the Flying Turtle Award, Iran's distinguished children's literature prize, has issued a statement condemning the Zionist-U.S. military strikes against Iran that devastated a school in Minab, Hormozgan province, and a sports facility in Lamerd, Fars province, while urging international organizations to intervene and prevent such tragedies from recurring.
Culture minister expresses condolences for Ali Larijani’s martyrdom

TEHRAN – Following the martyrdom of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's National Security Council, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance expressed condolences in a message.

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

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.
Iran Digital empowering 200,000 students in AI sector

TEHRAN – Following the development of Iran Digital, a national program which aims to teach artificial intelligence (AI) to four million students free of charge, the ministry of education started teaching AI to 200,000 students on Monday.
With women of such bravery, Iran will always be victorious

TEHRAN - Amidst the ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes, a powerful wave of national unity is sweeping across Iran; people gather in public spaces to express resilience and defiance.

Tourism

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.
Airstrike shockwaves put Iran’s ancient landmarks at risk

TEHRAN - Although Iran’s enemies have repeatedly claimed that their strikes target nuclear and missile infrastructure, their massive airstrikes have also damaged historic districts and monuments that represent centuries of Persian civilization.

International

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.
Iran's strategic and operational mastery over US-Israeli aggression

TEHRAN – To assess the current trajectory of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran as of March 2026, it is essential to analyze how the involved parties have arrived at their present positions.

How Trump constructed a parallel reality to mask the failure of his war on Iran