Tehran Times

2026-01-03 21:39
We will not back down against the enemy: Leader

TEHRAN – On the sacred occasion marking the birth anniversary of Amir al-Mumineen, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (pbuh), as well as the sixth anniversary of the martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and their companions, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution held a meeting with the honored families of the martyrs from the 12-day War.
- Leader: Enemy seeks Iranian mind shift as only path towards success
- Chants of 'Haidar, Haidar', Tears of 'Ey Iran'

By staff writer

The law of the jungle: U.S. aggression tramples on Venezuelan sovereignty

TEHRAN – The early Saturday U.S. strike on Venezuela and the reported abduction of President Nicolás Maduro were not acts of justice or legitimate defense. They were manifestations of raw power politics — the law of the jungle — where might is imposed over right and international norms are discarded in favor of brute force. By bypassing international law and seizing a sitting president, Washington has spread instability across Latin America, undermining the very principles of sovereignty and self-determination.
By Faramarz Kouhpayeh

Everything you need to know about recent protests in Iran

And what the anxious reactions from Washington and Tel Aviv reveal

TEHRAN - When protests over currency market volatility first broke out among Iran’s bazaaris last Sunday, the Tehran Times wrote that the peaceful demonstrations could be exploited by the U.S. and Israel—regimes that view protest in Iran not as a healthy sign of a living democracy, but as a tool to overthrow the Islamic Republic.
By Wesam Bahrani

Global condemnation mounts over Venezuela attacks

TEHRAN – Condemnation is mounting as countries worldwide denounce U.S. military aggression on Venezuela and call for restraint and international law.
Iran flatly condemns US military aggression against Venezuela

TEHRAN – Iran has categorically condemned the United States’ military aggression against Venezuela, dismissing it as a “flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity” of that country.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

Gen. Soleimani’s vision and Iran’s steadfastness

BEIRUT—When martyr Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani wrote his final testament, he was not addressing a moment of defeat or retreat, but a phase of historical ascent cloaked in pressure.

Politics

The architecture of a legacy

MADRID – As a new anniversary of the martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani is marked, his figure emerges not as a closed chapter, but as an interpretive key for understanding the geopolitical transformations of West Asia over the past two decades.
When miscalculation meets a civilisation-state

GOA – What unfolded between Israel and Iran in June of 2025 was not a conventional war, nor was it a fleeting exchange to be dismissed as theatrical posturing. It was a confrontation rooted in decades of hostility, layered conflict, and imperial assumptions—one that exposed the limits of coercive power when directed against a civilisation-state that has learned how to absorb pressure without collapse.
Iranians honor late general Qassem Soleimani on 6th martyrdom anniversary

TEHRAN – Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has issued a statement, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani, the revered anti-terror commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force.

Sports

Drama, dreams, and deadlocks: The best of Iran’s Pro League first half

TEHRAN - The first half of the 2025/26 Iranian football season ended with a fantastic match in Isfahan. In the beautiful Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium, Esteghlal defeated the league leaders, Sepahan, with a 2-1 victory. This win was very important for the "Blues" and their coach, Ricardo Sa Pinto.
Mirzapour named 2025 Iran’s pahlevan

TEHRAN – Ahmad Mirzapour won the title of 2025 Iran’s Pahlevani Wrestling Championship on Friday.
Esteghlal earn late win over Sepahan: 2025/26 PGPL

TEHRAN - Esteghlal football team defeated Sepahan 2-1 in Matchweek 15 of the 2025/26 Iran’s Persian Gulf Professional League (PGPL) on Thursday.

Culture

"Iran-Mard" theater performance to debut at Velayat Park in Tehran

TEHRAN- The “Iran-Mard” theater performance is planned to go on stage on Monday in Tehran’s Velayat Park, running for ten consecutive nights, simultaneously with the anniversary of martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani.
IAF cinematheque to screen “National Theater Live: Medea”

TEHRAN- The Cinematheque of the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) is scheduled to screen a recorded stage performance of the Royal National Theater's “Medea” on Wednesday.
“Funny Story” at Iranian bookstores

TEHRAN- A Persian translation of American author Emily Henry’s novel “Funny Story” has recently been published by Amut Publications in Tehran.

Economy

Iran’s non-oil exports reach $41.2b in 9 months

TEHRAN – Iran exported non-oil goods worth $41.243 billion in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2025), customs data showed, as shipment volumes rose slightly despite a decline in export value.
230 domestic, foreign firms take part in Iran textile, apparel exhibitions

TEHRAN – Iran on Friday opened its 31st International Textile Industry Exhibition and the 13th Iran Apparel Exhibition, with the participation of more than 230 domestic and foreign companies, organizers said.
Three ports to be upgraded to 3rd-generation hubs under 7th development plan

TEHRAN – Three major ports are set to be upgraded to third-generation ports by the end of the country’s Seventh National Development Plan, the head of the Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) said.

Society

UN-Habitat, Japan join efforts to empower women, boost climate resilience in Hormozgan

TEHRAN – With generous support from the government of Japan, the UN-Habitat office in Iran has launched a women-led tree nursery to strengthen both livelihoods and the ecosystem in Sayeh-Khosh village, southern Hormozgan province.
INSF, NSFC to support implementation of five joint research projects

TEHRAN – Iran and China will support the implementation of five out of 190 research projects proposed in the Traditional Medicine and Medicinal Plants, and Energy sectors after the fifth joint call by the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
‘Aging rate in Iran exceeds global average’

TEHRAN – The rate of aging in Iran is growing faster than the global average, so that the country will be among the oldest countries in the world in 25 years, the head of the Welfare Organization has said.

Tourism

Archaeological evidence indicates 10th-century Persian settlement in Madagascar

TEHRAN - The mysterious archaeological site of Teniky, hidden within the remote rainforests and canyons of Madagascar's Isalo National Park, has long puzzled scientists with its unique rock-cut niches and stone walls.
Iranian author calls for Safavid-era oil mill to be turned into Bahram Beyzaie museum

TEHRAN - An Iranian author has called for the conversion of the historic oil-extracting mill, a filming location for the movie Death of Yazdgerd, into a museum dedicated to Bahram Beyzaie, a celebrated playwright and filmmaker. The oil-extracting mill, better known as Assar-Khaneh in Persian, is located in Aran and Bidgol county of Isfahan province.
Folk artist known as ‘Father Geppetto of Iran’ dies at 68

TEHRAN - Iranian folk artist Osman Rahmanzadeh, widely known as the “Father Geppetto of Iran” for his wooden figurines depicting Kurdish life, died on Friday after a period of lung illness.

International

The law of the jungle: U.S. aggression tramples on Venezuelan sovereignty

TEHRAN – The early Saturday U.S. strike on Venezuela and the reported abduction of President Nicolás Maduro were not acts of justice or legitimate defense. They were manifestations of raw power politics — the law of the jungle — where might is imposed over right and international norms are discarded in favor of brute force. By bypassing international law and seizing a sitting president, Washington has spread instability across Latin America, undermining the very principles of sovereignty and self-determination.
Global condemnation mounts over Venezuela attacks

TEHRAN – Condemnation is mounting as countries worldwide denounce U.S. military aggression on Venezuela and call for restraint and international law.
Gen. Soleimani’s vision and Iran’s steadfastness

BEIRUT—When martyr Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani wrote his final testament, he was not addressing a moment of defeat or retreat, but a phase of historical ascent cloaked in pressure.

And what the anxious reactions from Washington and Tel Aviv reveal