Tehran Times

2025-12-06 22:18
By Faramarz Kouhpayeh

Scrambling to Sustain a Waning Hegemony

Decoding the 2025 US National Security Strategy

TEHRAN – The White House's periodic document outlining United States foreign policy and national security strategy was released by the Trump administration on Thursday. The 33-page document, which appears to draw heavily on Trump's "America First" policy, has raised alarms in nearly every region of the world—with the probable exception of Israel.
- Strategic confrontation with new round of hostilities
- U.S. ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran: road to repeated failure

By Sahar Dadjoo

Iran’s steadfast stance has transformed resistance politics in West Asia: Malaysian activist

Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid says Iran’s resistance to Western pressure gives it unique strategic weight

TEHRAN – At the sidelines of the Conference on “People’s Rights and Legitimate Freedoms in the Thoughts of Ayatollah Khamenei,” The Tehran Times sat down with Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, President of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM), to discuss the evolving landscape of global justice, Palestine advocacy, and the role of the Muslim world in confronting oppressive power structures.
By Soheila Zarfam

Sahand 2025 showcases Iran's role as hub for counter-terrorism cooperation

Drill comes despite Western attempts at stigmatizing IRGC

TEHRAN – The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Force concluded its hosting of a five-day multinational military exercise on Iranian soil, with drills that not only sent a message to terrorist factions in the region but also delivered a political message to Western states seeking to isolate and stigmatize the unit.
By Shahrokh Saei

Professor Azarov argues the West moves Ukraine like a pawn in a grand game

TEHRAN – The war in Ukraine has emerged as one of the defining struggles of the 21st century, redrawing global fault lines and igniting fierce debate over its origins. While the result of US-mediated talks over the war between Russia and Ukraine remains unclear, the question of how this confrontation began — and why it has endured — has taken on fresh urgency.
By Lucia Hubinská

Is Japan sliding back toward militarism?

XIAMEN – Relations between China and Japan are undergoing their most serious shock in a decade. And yet, as recently as 2024—after the lifting of pandemic restrictions—it seemed the two countries were slowly moving toward improved relations. This trend was abruptly disrupted in recent weeks, when a series of diplomatic missteps gave way to open disputes.
By Sondoss Al Asaad

Lebanon’s art of giving everything away for free

BEIRUT — For decades, Lebanon’s leaders have embraced a peculiar diplomatic approach: yield concession after concession, gain nothing in return, and feign surprise as the nation’s leverage steadily disappears.

Politics

‘Political statements won’t change reality’: Tehran denounces PGCC remarks on Iranian territories

TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baqaei has strongly rejected as “unfounded and invalid” allegations in the final statement of the 46th summit of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) regarding the three Iranian Persian Gulf Islands of the Greater and Lesser Tunbs as well as Bu Musa.
Iran stages second major naval drill since war with Israel

TEHRAN – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has launched a large-scale military exercise in the Persian Gulf, unveiling advanced AI-enhanced defensive and offensive systems in what marks the country’s second major naval drill since it fought a war against the U.S. and Israel in June.
Public back-and-forth continues between Araghchi and Lebanese counterpart

TEHRAN – Tehran moved to calm diplomatic waters on Thursday after Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, firmly reiterated the Islamic Republic’s unwavering respect for Lebanese sovereignty, following what appeared to be an excessive and unexpected reaction from Lebanon’s top diplomat to an Iranian politician’s warning about the whittling away of Lebanon’s defense prowess in the face of continued Israeli aggression.

Sports

Tehran derby defined by fear, not football

TEHRAN - The 106th Tehran Derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal should have brought fresh offensive concepts to the rivalry. The match had to offer a clash of ideas, intensity, and attacking ambition, especially with two foreign coaches on the hotseats. Instead, fans witnessed a match defined not by tactical ingenuity but by an overwhelming fear of losing.
Iran aims to defend title at 2025 Asian Youth Para Games: chef de mission

TEHRAN – Maryam Kazemipour, chef de mission of Iran’s delegation, says the team is determined to defend its title at the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games.
Iran lose to Paraguay at 2025 President’s Cup

TEHRAN – Iran’s women’s handball team lost to Paraguay 33-20 at the 2025 President's Cup Group I on Saturday.

Culture

Persian version of “A Country Doctor” republished

TEHRAN- The fifth edition of a Persian translation of the Czech writer Franz Kafka’s 1919 short story collection “A Country Doctor” has recently been released by the Kharazmi Publications in Tehran.
What’s in Tehran art galleries

Sharif Gallery is playing host to an exhibition of paintings by Hanieh Azmoodeh. The exhibit entitled “Moment” will be running until December 19 at the gallery that can be found at 11 Mahruzadeh Alley, Shariati Ave. near Quds Square.
43rd Fajr International Film Festival concludes in Shiraz

TEHRAN-The 43rd Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) concluded on Tuesday night, with an awards ceremony held at the Honar Shahr Aftab Cineplex in Shiraz, Fars Province.

Economy

President inaugurates project to transfer seawater to central plateau

TEHRAN- The project to transfer seawater to the central plateau (spanning from Sirjan to Isfahan), which was implemented with the major support of the Mobarakeh Steel Company, was officially inaugurated by order of President Masoud Pezeshkian, on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
Sponge iron production increase 5% in 7 months on year

TEHRAN- The production of sponge iron in Iran rose five percent in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year (September 23-October 22), as compared to the same period of time in the past year, the Iranian Steel Producers Association (ISPA) announced.
Iran, Iraq officials call for deeper provincial cooperation

TEHRAN – Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad and the governor of the Iraqi capital stressed the need to expand cooperation between the provinces of both countries, highlighting continued communication and the exchange of expertise as key to addressing shared challenges.

Society

WHO, Tehran University of Medical Sciences discuss ways to strengthen national laboratory capacities

TEHRAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergency team and Tehran University of Medical Sciences have discussed ways to boost the capacities of the National Polio Laboratory (NPL) and the National Influenza Centre (NIC), two of Iran’s leading public health reference centres.
Iran to attend United Nations Environment Assembly

TEHRAN – An Iranian delegation led by the head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, will participate in seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) which is scheduled to take place from 8 to 12 December at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, on the theme ‘Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet’.
Tehran to host conference on management of technology, innovation

TEHRAN –The 15th Conference on Management of Technology and Innovation is scheduled to be held on December 10 and 11 in Tehran, with the theme ‘redefining Iran’s future based on innovation’.

Tourism

Persepolis launches new conservation program using advanced material and imaging technology

TEHRAN – Iranian restoration teams have launched a new conservation program at the UNESCO-designated Persepolis and the nearby Naqsh-e Rostam site using advanced imaging, special material, and stone-analysis technologies, officials said on Saturday.
Archaeologists uncover traces of ‘7,000-year-old’ village beneath Iran’s historic Dehdasht

TEHRAN - Archaeologists in Iran have discovered evidence of a prehistoric settlement dating back up to 7,000 years beneath the historic city of Dehdasht in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, the lead researcher said on Saturday.
Visitors to access Darius I’s trilingual inscription at Persepolis

TEHRAN – Visitors to Persepolis would have access to the splendid inscription of the Achaemenid King Darius I by Nowruz 1405 (March 2026). The trilingual rack-carved relief is currently being restored, local authorities said.

International

Is Japan sliding back toward militarism?

XIAMEN – Relations between China and Japan are undergoing their most serious shock in a decade. And yet, as recently as 2024—after the lifting of pandemic restrictions—it seemed the two countries were slowly moving toward improved relations. This trend was abruptly disrupted in recent weeks, when a series of diplomatic missteps gave way to open disputes.
Lebanon’s art of giving everything away for free

BEIRUT — For decades, Lebanon’s leaders have embraced a peculiar diplomatic approach: yield concession after concession, gain nothing in return, and feign surprise as the nation’s leverage steadily disappears.
Israel utterly failed to shield its protégé in Gaza

TEHRAN – The occupying Israeli regime suffered a setback after its most prominent militia leader was killed in Gaza.