Rugs dedicated to FIFA World Cup unveiled

TEHRAN – Seven rolls of handwoven rugs dedicated to the 2018 FIFA World Cup were unveiled during a ceremony, which was held in the northwestern city of Tabriz on Saturday.

By Payman Yazdani

EU too weak to challenge U.S. hegemony: Prof. Entessar

TEHRAN - Chair of Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at the University of South Alabama believe the EU is too weak politically to challenge America's global hegemony even if it decides to do so.

Putin reaffirms Russia’s commitment to Iran deal

TEHRAN – Russian President Vladimir Putin has underlined Moscow’s readiness to remain committed to the 2015 landmark nuclear deal despite the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement, Press TV reported.

Iranian, Russian diplomats discuss Syria in Astana

TEHRAN – Senior Assistant to Iran’s Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari on Monday held talks with Russian President’s special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

How Iran might benefit Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the JCPOA?

Iranians are justified in being angry about Donald Trump’s decision to violate the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran nuclear deal. After all, Iran has kept to its obligations; thanks to Trump, the United States has not.

By Seyed Hossein Mousavian

The strategic disaster of leaving the Iran deal

Trump is making the Middle East less safe

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), colloquially known as the Iran nuclear deal, which had provided Iran with sanctions relief in exchange for stringent monitoring and limits on the country’s nuclear program.

Iranian arrivals to Russia on rise

TEHRAN – The number of Iranians who visited Russia in 2017 rose considerably compared to the year earlier, IRNA reported, citing an official with Russia’s Federal Agency for Tourism.

Russia calls nuclear deal ‘irrevocable’ document

TEHRAN – The Russian Foreign Ministry has said the nuclear agreement is not a simple deal, calling it an “irrevocable” document which has been confirmed by the UN Security Council.

By staff and agencies

Russia: A U.S. exit doesn’t mean end of nuclear accord

Vladimir Yermakov, the director general of the Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control at Russia’s Foreign Ministry, said on Friday that a U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, does not necessarily mean the end of the deal.

By Javad Heirannia

Saudis are not eager to make significant new troop commitment in Syria: Pillar

TEHRAN – Professor Paul Pillar, who was CIA intelligence analyst for 28 years, tells the Tehran Times that the United States cannot, of course, order Arab states to do specified things with their armed forces.  

Iran, Russia FMs talking Syria, nuclear deal

MOSCOW – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov met in Moscow on Saturday to discuss a range of issues, including the Syrian conflict as well as the Iran nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA.

Iran, Russia, Turkey meet to revive Astana talks after U.S. raid on Syria

MOSCOW – The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met in Moscow on Saturday to revive talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups.

No possibility to make change to nuclear deal: Russia

Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday that there is no possibility to make changes to the 2015 nuclear deal.

By Javad Heirannia

Arab force in Syria would be “ineffective”: Askari

TEHRAN – Professor Hossein Askari, an expert on Saudi Arabia who also teaches international business at the George Washington University, strongly believes that “The Saudis will not do any heavy fighting. Just ask Americans what Saudis contributed during Operation Desert Storm!”

Lavrov: Russia and China will block U.S. attempt to sabotage nuclear deal 

UN, Russia, EU, Germany, France reiterate support for nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Top officials representing world powers and international bodies have voiced support for the JCPOA, Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with the 5+1 group, amid worries that U.S. President Donald Trump might go on with his promise to nix the deal on May 22 if his desired amendments are not made to it.

By Hanif Ghaffari

Conflicts intensified between Russia and West

TEHRAN - Relations between Russia and NATO are now at the worst condition after the Cold War. "Mikhail Gorbachev", the last Soviet President, had warned about the re-start of Cold War between the White House and the Kremlin before. But now Russian officials believe that the constant and extensive conflicts between Moscow and the West leads them to much more complicated conditions than that of the Cold War time.

Iran sees Russian language an option to end English monopoly

TEHRAN – Iran is considering Russian language as an option among other languages to be added to its educational curriculum, aiming to end the monopoly of English as the second language on schools, Tasnim quoted Education Minister Mohammad Bat'haei as saying on Friday.

Iran, Russia, Syria, Iraq hold intelligence committee meeting

TEHRAN – Iran, Russia, Syria and Iraq held a quartet intelligence committee meeting in Baghdad on Thursday, the Mehr news agency reported.

Advisor: Iran, Russia enjoy ties at highest level

TEHRAN – Iran and Russia are enjoying relations at the highest level, a senior advisor to Iran’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Ex-diplomat: Syria attack was retaliation against Russia, Iran

TEHRAN – Ali Khorram, a senior analyst and former Iranian ambassador to UN bodies in Vienna, says the recent U.S.-led attack against Syria was an act of retaliation against Russia and Iran.

By Payman Yazdani

Failed attacks for milking continuity

TEHRAN - Recent chemical attacks in Douma, Syria provoked international community’s anger. The attacks happened when the Syrian army had upper hand and inflicted heavy defeat to the terrorist groups in the region. Couple of weeks before the attacks, Russian officials had repeatedly announced that some efforts were being made by some terrorist groups in the region to carry out chemical attack intending to create enough pretexts for the U.S. to invade Damascus.

Source denies Russia’s use of Iranian soil for its aircraft

TEHRAN – An informed source at the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces has denied report that Russia is using Iran’s soil for deploying its “strategic aircraft”.

Russia expects more Iranian arrivals this year

TEHRAN – Russia anticipates tourist influx from Iran to increase during the FIFA World Cup in June and July.

We might be on the brink of World War 3

As I write this, the United States is on the brink of war. Indeed, the entire world may be on the brink of the Third World War but is too distracted by mindless entertainment to see it.

Iran deal can still be saved: Russian official

TEHRAN – The nuclear deal, which Iran and six world powers struck in 2015, can still be saved, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Non-Proliferation and Weapons Control Department Mikhail Ulyanov has said.

‘S-300 deal a turning point in Iran-Russia relations’

TEHRAN – The Iranian ambassador to Moscow said on Thursday that the delivery of S-300 missile system to Iran was a turning point in military and defense interactions between Iran and Russia.

By Javad Heirannia

Very likely KSA will have to sign the additional protocol: Adib-Moghaddam

TEHRAN - Professor Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Chair of the Centre for Iranian Studies at the London Middle East Institute believes “it is very likely that Saudi Arabia will have to sign the additional protocol and forego nuclear enrichment on its own territory.”

Presidents of Iran, Russia, and Turkey: Astana talks only effective international initiative on Syria

Rouhani says there’s no military, foreign-imposed solution to Syria crisis

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday highlighted the importance of the Astana talks in resolving the long-running conflict in Syria, saying there’s no military, foreign imposed solution for the crisis.

Iran is against military aggression, says defense minister

TEHRAN – Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on Wednesday that Tehran is against any kind of military aggression and respects other countries’ territorial integrity.