Tehran Times

2026-06-22 20:54
Iran, US advance post-war diplomacy as Swiss talks yield roadmap toward final agreement

TEHRAN – Iranian officials have described the latest round of indirect negotiations with the United States in Switzerland as a significant step toward implementing a recently signed ceasefire memorandum and laying the groundwork for a comprehensive agreement aimed at ending months of regional tensions and military confrontation.
- Iran seeking lasting and guaranteed US compliance in Geneva talks

Iran show resilience against Belgium;

Epic Ali Beiro, stands tall

TEHRAN – Iran produced a disciplined and courageous performance to hold Belgium to a goalless draw in Group G, with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand emerging as the hero of the night. Yet despite earning a valuable point against one of the tournament favorites, Team Melli may ultimately look back on the result as a missed opportunity.
Iranian and Iraqi cities prepare to hold funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

TEHRAN - Iraqis are preparing to hold funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei alongside the Iranian people to bid farewell to the martyred Leader.
Qaani warns Israel of another forced withdrawal from southern Lebanon

TEHRAN – Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Brigadier General Esmaeil Qaani has warned Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon that continued military action and occupation could lead to a repeat of Israel’s withdrawal from the area in 2000.
By Majid Abdullah, a senior resistance commander in Gaza

Hajj Ramadan, from Gaza in the midst of the flood to martyrdom in Qom

As we faced a barbaric aggression in Gaza, overflowing with Talmudic hatred and Nazi-like conduct, and as we waited every moment for heavy, devastating, and incendiary bombs to strike without warning, [at the onset of the 12-day war in June 2025,] we watched with deep anguish the Zionist-American aggression against a Muslim country that had stood beside us.
By Garsha Vazirian

London Bridge is finally falling down. No fresh sacrifices can save Britain.

TEHRAN — The children’s nursery rhyme has been sung for centuries, its jaunty rhythm masking a foundational horror. “London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down...” What the melody glosses over is the grim medieval folklore of immurement, the belief that a grand structure could only be preserved from collapse if a living soul, often a child, was entombed alive within its masonry.

Politics

Iran proposes 'Islamic Security Belt'

TEHRAN– Iran has proposed the creation of a regional security framework involving major Muslim nations, arguing that closer defense and security cooperation among Islamic countries is essential to counter Israeli aggression and promote long-term stability across the region.
NYT spills the beans on Trump’s failed Iran strategy: 'US bit off more than it could chew'

TEHRAN - The New York Times has acknowledged that Washington failed to achieve its objectives through either military action or diplomacy in the aftermath of the joint US–Israeli war against Iran, which began nearly four months ago.
Pezeshkian to go to Pakistan on a one-day visit tomorrow

TEHRAN- President Masoud Pezeshkian will leave for Pakistan on Tuesday to hold consultations and exchange views with Pakistani officials.

Sports

Iran, Egypt set for high-stakes in Group G: 2026 World Cup

TEHRAN - Iran and Egypt meet in one of the most significant Group G fixtures of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with both nations still firmly in contention for a place in the Round of 32.
Our main goal is securing a Paralympic berth: Hadi Rezaei

TEHRAN – Hadi Rezaei, technical director of Iran’s national sitting volleyball teams, says the primary objective at the 2026 Sitting Volleyball World Championships in China is to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
Szymon Marciniak appointed referee for Iran-Egypt clash

TEHRAN – FIFA has appointed Polish referee Szymon Marciniak to officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G match between Iran and Egypt.

Culture

“Broken Country” appears at Iranian bookstores

TEHRAN- “Broken Country” by British novelist Clare Leslie Hall has been published in Persian.
A walk along Tehran's Enghelab Street, the capital's booksellers' district

TEHRAN- I had missed books in a way that felt almost physical, like the absence of a familiar scent. That feeling drew me back to Enghelab Street in Tehran, the city’s long-standing artery of print, where ideas have circulated for decades between students, writers, and quiet, attentive readers.
Iranshahr Theater to host Antonio Buero Vallejo’s “In the Burning Darkness”

TEHRAN – Iranshahr Theater will host the play “In the Burning Darkness” by the Spanish playwright Antonio Buero Vallejo from June 28.

Economy

Oil minister stresses BRICS cooperation to achieve energy security

TEHRAN- Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad, on Thursday, attending the 11th BRICS Energy Ministers Meeting in Gurugram, India, emphasized the necessity of convergence among BRICS members and announced the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran for active and constructive participation with BRICS members to achieve the goals of secure and affordable energy, Shana reported.
Iran, India emphasize expansion of oil, trade cooperation

TEHRAN- Iranian Oil Minister, in a meeting with the Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, discussed the development of bilateral cooperation in the fields of oil and energy.
Iran, Asia-Pacific willing to expand cooperation, exchange of experience in smart customs

TEHRAN- The Head of Iran's Customs and the Head of the Asia-Pacific Regional Office for Capacity Building met and held talks on the sidelines of the World Customs Organization Council Session on the topic of smart customs and digital transformation.

Society

Welfare Organization, WHO discuss ways to address future of care for elderly

TEHRAN – The head of the Welfare Organization, Mohammad-Javad Hosseini, and the World Health Organization representative, Jean Jabbour, at a capacity-building session have discussed the urgent actions needed for health and social systems to adapt to meet the requirements of a significantly older population.
IRCS ready to dispatch rescue, relief aid to quake-hit Venezuela

TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has announced readiness to send rescue forces to assist people impacted by the earthquake in Venezuela.
Flamingo population rises as 36,000 chicks recorded in Shadegan Wetland

TEHRAN – Ongoing conservation efforts and favorable ecological conditions have led to an increase in the population of flamingo chicks in Shadegan Wetland, southwestern Khuzestan Province.

Tourism

Gonabad, an emerging destination for religious tourism

TEHRAN - Gonabad, a historic city in Khorasan Razavi province, is an emerging destination for religious tourism after registering the highest number of Ashura-related events in Iran’s national tourism calendar, a local cultural heritage official said.
Genetic tests underway on remains found in Ilkhanid royal cemetery

TEHRAN - Iranian archaeologists have begun genetic analysis of human remains uncovered in newly excavated Ilkhanid-era royal tombs near the UNESCO-listed Dome of Soltaniyeh in northwestern Iran, as researchers seek to identify members of the ruling dynasty buried at the site, officials said.
French Iranologist Charles-Henri De Fouchécour dies at 100

TEHRAN - Charles-Henri de Fouchécour, a French Iranologist, scholar of Persian literature and translator of the Divan of Hafez into French, died on June 19 at the age of 100, IRNA reported on Friday.

International

Hajj Ramadan, from Gaza in the midst of the flood to martyrdom in Qom

As we faced a barbaric aggression in Gaza, overflowing with Talmudic hatred and Nazi-like conduct, and as we waited every moment for heavy, devastating, and incendiary bombs to strike without warning, [at the onset of the 12-day war in June 2025,] we watched with deep anguish the Zionist-American aggression against a Muslim country that had stood beside us.
London Bridge is finally falling down. No fresh sacrifices can save Britain.

TEHRAN — The children’s nursery rhyme has been sung for centuries, its jaunty rhythm masking a foundational horror. “London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down...” What the melody glosses over is the grim medieval folklore of immurement, the belief that a grand structure could only be preserved from collapse if a living soul, often a child, was entombed alive within its masonry.
IOF manpower crisis: A battle over identity, not tanks

TEHRAN – The Israeli occupation regime's military is facing a severe manpower crisis that threatens its very collapse, amid a deep struggle over its identity and future.