Tehran Times

2025-12-12 21:41
Leader: Enemy seeks Iranian mind shift as only path towards success

TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Aytaollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei met with a large number of elegists and eulogists in Tehran on Thursday to mark the birth anniversary of Lady Fatimah Zahra (pbuh), the beloved daughter of the prophet (pbuh).
- West pursues illegitimate interests under pretexts of freedom, women’s rights: Leader
- Iran well-equipped in diplomatic and military fields: Leader

By staff writer

Piracy and pressure: US push against Venezuela

TEHRAN – The confrontation between the United States and Venezuela in late 2025 is not a sudden flare-up but the continuation of Washington’s long-standing pressure campaign.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

Israel’s aggressive blueprint: A rebuttal to Lebanon’s pro-Israel propaganda

BEIRUT—In early December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again peeled back the last veneer of diplomatic pretence.
By Wesam Bahrani

Gaza truce at a crossroads

TEHRAN – Growing international pressure and unexpectedly strong Palestinian compliance are reshaping calculations around advancing the Gaza truce.
By Sahar Dadjoo

U.S. actions, not Iran’s behavior, triggered nuclear standoff: Chinese analyst

Professor Jin stresses that progress is impossible unless Washington demonstrates genuine commitment.

TEHRAN – On the sidelines of the Conference on “People’s Rights and Legitimate Freedoms in the Thoughts of Ayatollah Khamenei,” the Tehran Times spoke with Professor Jin Liangxiang, a senior research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, to explore the shifting dynamics of global governance, human-rights discourse, and power politics in West Asia.
Iran strengthens ties in Central Asia as Pezeshkian visits Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan

TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian departed Tehran on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, for a two-day regional tour, beginning with an official visit to Kazakhstan and followed by a trip to Turkmenistan.

Politics

Tehran condemns US tightening of restrictions on Iran’s UN Diplomatic Mission

TEHRAN – Iran has roundly condemned the intensification of restrictions, by the United States, against the Iranian Diplomatic Mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York, saying the U.S. government’s abuse of its host-country status disrupts the efficiency and credibility of the world body.
‘This is piracy’: Iran condemns US seizure of oil tanker off Venezuelan coast

TEHRAN – Iran has roundly condemned the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela by U.S. forces.
Lebanon's FM sees public bickering with Iran cool

TEHRAN – A public back-and-forth between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Lebanese counterpart, Youssef Rajji, may now be entering a lull. The de-escalation follows Araghchi's announcement on X that he had accepted Rajji’s invitation to visit Beirut to sort out their differences—a move prompted by Rajji’s apparent unwillingness to travel to Tehran.

Sports

Para taekwondo athletes snatch three golds at 2025 AYPG

TEHRAN – Iranian Para taekwondo athletes won three gold and one silver medals at the Dubai 2025 Asian Youth Para Games on Friday.
Iran win 2025 ISF U15 World School Volleyball Championship

TEHRAN – Iran’s boys’ team defeated Chinese Taipei 3-1 (15-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-17) at the 2025 ISF U15 World School Volleyball Championship final on Friday.
Iran move down in FIFA Futsal Women’s World Ranking

TEHRAN – Iran moved down one place to 10th in the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Ranking released on Friday.

Culture

Hamedan children's theater festival announces winners

TEHRAN- The 30th edition of Iran’s International Theater Festival for Children and Young Adults, a prestigious event in the world of children's theater, came to a close on Thursday with a grand closing ceremony held in the city of Hamedan.
“Nationalizing Iran” available in bookstores

TEHRAN – The Persian translation of the book “Nationalizing Iran: Culture, Power, and the State, 1870-1940” written by Afshin Marashi has been released in the bookstores across the country.
Da Theater Hall hosting Christopher Durang’s “Nina in the Morning”

TEHRAN – Da Theater Hall in Tehran is hosting the one-act parody “Nina in the Morning” written by Christopher Durang.

Economy

Tehran, Astana plan to boost trade, deepen transport, private-sector ties

TEHRAN – An Iran-Kazakhstan business conference convened in the Kazakh capital Astana on Thursday, with the presidents of both countries, senior ministers, private sector officials, and business delegations from the two countries in attendance, seeking to deepen commercial ties.
South Pars gas output rises 6m cubic meters

TEHRAN – Iran has raised daily gas extraction from the South Pars gas field, it shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf, to 722 million cubic meters, up six million cubic meters from last winter, after a year of targeted drilling and overhaul work, Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), which is in charge of developing the field, announced.
Transit of goods through Iran’s land borders nears 11m tons in 8 months

TEHRAN – Iran’s road transit of goods reached 10.97 million tons in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-November 21), driven by stronger activity in international freight corridors, the country’s road transport authority said.

Society

Global investment essential for sustainable return of refugees: Iran’s UN envoy

TEHRAN –Iran’s UN envoy to Geneva, Ali Bahreini, has called for the international community’s investment in infrastructure, employment, education, and other services to improve conditions in Afghanistan for the sustainable return of refugees to their home countries.
DOE fostering environmental diplomacy at UNEA-7

TEHRAN – Attending the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), the head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, is promoting environmental diplomacy by holding talks with participating countries.
When forests talk: Using AI to listen to nature and protect burning ecosystems

TEHRAN - There is a quiet language in nature that humans rarely notice. Long before a wildfire becomes visible, the forest whispers warnings through rising temperatures, unusual animal movements, and subtle shifts in humidity. For centuries, these signals remained unheard, and by the time flames were seen from a distance, it was often too late. Today, a new kind of listener has entered the world’s forests. Not human, not animal, but artificial intelligence trained to hear what we cannot, and to protect ecosystems that are struggling to survive in a rapidly warming world.

Tourism

Iran, Greece discuss joint action plan to expand tourism, heritage cooperation

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri and Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni met in Athens on Thursday to discuss plans for expanding cooperation in tourism, museums and cultural heritage.
Persian art of Ayeneh-Kari added to UNESCO intangible heritage list

TEHRAN — Ayeneh-Kari, the art of mirror-work in Persian architecture, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Thursday following a decision by the Intergovernmental Committee meeting in New Delhi.
Iran proposes academic cooperation council at Ancient Civilizations Forum in Athens

TEHRAN - Iran’s minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts on Friday urged ancient nations to develop joint mechanisms to protect cultural heritage, warning that armed conflicts and neglect of historical identity pose the greatest threats.

International

Piracy and pressure: US push against Venezuela

TEHRAN – The confrontation between the United States and Venezuela in late 2025 is not a sudden flare-up but the continuation of Washington’s long-standing pressure campaign.
Israel’s aggressive blueprint: A rebuttal to Lebanon’s pro-Israel propaganda

BEIRUT—In early December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again peeled back the last veneer of diplomatic pretence.
Gaza truce at a crossroads

TEHRAN – Growing international pressure and unexpectedly strong Palestinian compliance are reshaping calculations around advancing the Gaza truce.

Professor Jin stresses that progress is impossible unless Washington demonstrates genuine commitment.