Health ministry, UNICEF join hands to equip 13 PHC centres in deprived areas

TEHRAN –Supported by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) has staffed and equipped 13 Primary Health Care (PHC) centres in highly refugee-populated regions in Sistan-Baluchestan and Khorasan Razavi provinces.

Tehran, Islamabad to boost scientific ties

TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy science minister, Abolfazl Vahedi, and Pakistan’s Science Minister, Khalid Hussain Magsi, have discussed ways to develop collaborations between universities of the two countries.

IRCS, IFRC discuss ways to address regional challenges

TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have explored the potential to foster joint activities for dealing with regional challenges.

Medicinal plants worth over $30m exported from Isfahan province in a year

TEHRAN- Isfahan province exported medicinal plants, rose water, and plant essences worth more than $30 million in the past Iranian calendar year 1403 (ended on March 20, 2025), according to a provincial official.

Monthly PMI posts another drop amid falling demand and supply

TEHRAN - Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) has released the country’s new PMI data for the fiscal month of Esfand (February 19 – March 20, 2025) which has posted a fourth drop in a row.

Khaf-Herat railway to be fully operational by Mar. 2026, official says

TEHRAN – Iran plans to complete the remaining deficiencies of the Khaf-Herat railway by August and finalize the fourth segment of the cross-border project by the end of the Iranian year in March 2026, the project manager said.

EDBI to expand support for global competitiveness of exporters

TEHRAN – The Export Development Bank of Iran plans to step up support for exporters, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in a bid to boost their competitiveness in international markets, a senior bank official said.

At least 38 killed, 102 injured in US air strikes on Yemen

Air strikes by the United States on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port have killed at least 38 people in what is one of the deadliest attacks on the country by U.S. forces.

Land transit surpasses annual target by 25%, sets new record

TEHRAN – Iran’s combined road and rail transit volume in the past Iranian year (ended in March 2025) exceeded the first-year target of the country’s 7th National Development Plan by 25 percent, reaching a record 17.5 million metric tons, a senior official said on Thursday.

Russian experts working on Rasht-Astara rail project in Iran

TEHRAN – Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said on Wednesday that Russian specialists are currently in Iran working on the Rasht-Astara railway project, a key segment of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

100 MW of new solar plants ready for inauguration across Iran

TEHRAN – Iran’s Energy Ministry announced on Thursday that 15 newly constructed solar power plants with a combined capacity of 100 megawatts are ready for operation across the country, despite a delay in the official inauguration ceremony originally planned for this week.

Iran, India seek closer agricultural ties at BRICS summit

TEHRAN – Iran and India have called for expanded cooperation in agriculture during a meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS agriculture ministers’ summit in Brazil, underscoring their shared commitment to food security and sustainable development.

Russian Supreme Court suspends ban on Taliban

Russia’s Supreme Court has suspended its ban on the Taliban, which it had designated for more than 20 years as “a terrorist organization”, Al Jazeera reported.

Controversy in Iraq over Al Sharaa's invitation to Arab summit in Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani's confirmation that Syrian President Ahmad Al Sharaa has been invited to the Arab summit in Baghdad next month has caused controversy in Iraq, The National reported on Thursday.

Hostile motives against Iran-Saudi ties must be overcome: Leader

Saudi defense minister delivers King Salman’s message to Ayatollah Khamenei

TEHRAN – On Thursday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in Tehran.

“The Dictator's Last Night” at Iranian bookstores

TEHRAN-A Persian translation of Algerian author Yasmina Khadra’s book “The Dictator's Last Night” has recently been published by Vazn-e Donia Publications in Tehran. 

Iranian theater director Amir Reza Koohestani to lead 34th Ecole des Maîtres

TEHRAN-Iranian theater director and playwright Amir Reza Koohestani has been invited to direct the 34th Ecole des Maîtres (School of Masters), which is an advanced theatre training project, set to be held in various European cities from August 26 to October 3.

13th Flying Turtle Awards concludes without golden prize winner

TEHRAN- The 13th edition of the Flying Turtle Awards took place on Tuesday evening, with no announcement made by the jury for a winner of the golden prize.

US in talks with Yemeni forces on land offensive against Ansarullah

Yemeni forces opposed to Ansarullah are in talks with the U.S. and Persian Gulf Arab allies about a possible land offensive to oust the group from the Red Sea coast, according to people involved in the discussions.

Maldives bans Israelis in protest against Gaza's 'ongoing genocide'

The Maldives has banned Israelis from entering the country in protest against Israel's war on Gaza and in "resolute solidarity" with the Palestinian people, MEE reported.

US could cancel ‘almost all’ NATO funding

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a budget proposal that would eliminate “almost all funding for international organizations like the United Nations and NATO,” the New York Times reported on Monday, citing officials and an internal memo.

Global voices unite for Gaza in mass demonstrations

TEHRAN - As the atrocities in Gaza go unabated, rallies are spreading across the globe with thousands gathering to express solidarity and demand an end to violence. These demonstrations reflect a growing international outcry against Israel’s barbaric acts in Gaza.

Palestinian Photographer killed in Israeli attack on Gaza

Israeli airstrikes in the early hours of Wednesday morning have killed renowned Palestinian photographer Fatima Hassouna, along with several members of her family, in a targeted attack on their home in Gaza City.

US to reduce military footprint in Syria, officials say

The Trump administration has decided to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Syria, officials and a source familiar with the planning said on Tuesday, according to Al Arabiya.