Afghan president calls on Taliban to 'enter serious talks' with Kabul

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani called on the Taliban to "enter serious talks" with the government in Kabul Monday, following unprecedented marathon negotiations between the insurgents and the US in Qatar last week.

Qatar’s Al Jassim to officiate Iran vs China match

TEHRAN - Qatari referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim has been chosen to officiate Iran’s AFC Asian Cup quarter-final match against China on Thursday.

Persian Gulf Arabs abandoning their homeland

Fed up with social restrictions and political repression, Saudis are leading the way

Canada lies far north of her intended destination, but Rahaf Muhammad is happy to be enduring its harsh winter. The 18-year-old Saudi hoped to end up in Australia after escaping her allegedly violent family. But she was stopped on the way, in Bangkok.

Persepolis, Bayern Munich, PSG to hold camp in Aspire Academy

TEHRAN – Persepolis football team of Iran will hold a winter training camp at the Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) in Doha, Qatar.

Iran defeat Qatar in friendly

TEHRAN – Iran national football team beat Qatar 2-1 in a friendly match in Doha as part of preparation for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup on Monday.

Amir Abdollahian meets Qatari ambassador

TEHRAN – Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the parliament speaker, met on Monday with Qatar’s Ambassador to Tehran, Mohammed Hamad Saad al-Fahid al-Hajeri.

South Pars phase 13 last train of refinery comes on stream

TEHRAN- The last train of sweetening refinery of Iran’s South Pars gas field’s phase 13 of development was put into operation, Payam Motamed, the operator of this phase, announced.

Jahangiri felicitates Qatar on National Day

TEHRAN – Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri on Monday congratulated Qatar on National Day and called for expansion of relations between Tehran and Doha.

By Mohammad Homaeefar

Red Sea legal regime: Spider’s dream against Iran won’t be realized  

TEHRAN - On Wednesday, December 12, Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh hosted the first Arab-African conference of foreign ministers of six countries bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, a strategic area vital to global shipping.

Iran football team named for Qatar training camp

TEHRAN – Carlos Queiroz has named his 21-man Team Melli squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 on Sunday.

By Javad Heirannia

Continuation PGCC crisis will increase Turkish footprint in Qatar: Entessar

TEHRAN - Nader Entessar, Professor Emeritus of Political Science from university of South Alabama says that Turkey's military base in Qatar allows Ankara to project power in the Persian Gulf while maintaining close ties to Doha.

By Javad Heirannia

PGCC might survive in name only: Chicago professor

TEHRAN – Robert R. Bianchi, a Professor at the University of Chicago, believes that “Nowadays, China and Russia are acquiring greater influence in Iran and the Persian Gulf nations so it is natural that Doha and Muscat are inviting them to balance the destabilizing consequences of American and Saudi policies.”

By Javad Heirannia

PGCC was never effective organization: Shireen Hunter

TEHRAN - Shireen Tahmaasb Hunter, a professor of political science at Georgetown University, tells the Tehran Times that “the PGCC was never an effective organization. Certainly, it has been an unequal partnership in the sense that Saudi Arabia has dominated the Organization.”

PGCC is neither ‘council’ nor ‘cooperation’: advisor

TEHRAN – Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the parliament speaker, has said that neither “council” nor “cooperation” has remained from the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council.

FIFA to decide whether Qatar’s neighbors could host some of 2022's games

TEHRAN - Gianni Infantino reiterated that FIFA will decide in March whether neighboring countries could be allowed to host some of Qatar 2022's games.

By Payman Yazdani

Qatar withdraw from OPEC may increase Iran’s production share: Zaccara

TEHRAN - Dr. Luciano Zaccara says Qatar withdraw from OPEC may increase the quota (of power and production) that OPEC may allocate to Iran, which is not in line with the US policy towards Iran. 

 By Fatemeh Salehi

Fragile alliance in the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council

Qatari Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi announced a few days ago that Qatar intended to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) starting from January 1, 2019. This news has fomented worldwide reactions.

By Payman Yazdani

Iran is able to export 1 million bdp of oil despite U.S. sanctions: expert

TEHRAN - Refereeing to withdrawal of Qatar from OPEC, Omid Shukri says Iran will be able to export 1 million barrels of oil despite Washington's effort to cut Iran's export to zero.

By Payman Yazdani

Political squabbles among OPEC members have weakened its efficacy: Entessar

TEHRAN - Touching upon the Qatar’s reasons to withdraw from OPEC, Prof. Entessar said political squabbles among its members have weakened OPEC's efficacy.  

By Mahmood Khaghani in association with Chris Cook

Iran at the crossroad of 1398 budget

TEHRAN - A journalist called me the other day and requested my opinion with regard to the next Iranian year 1398 budget that it seems the government considers oil prices will be higher than 50 dollars per barrel. I, in turn, asked a Senior Research Fellow at University College London about his prediction with respect to oil market during 2019. He said: "As a wise man said, "It is difficult to make forecasts, especially about the future."

First platform of South Pars phase 13 installed on offshore spot

TEHRAN- The first platform of Iran’s South Pars gas field’s phase 13 of development was installed on its designated offshore spot on Wednesday, Public Relations Department of Pars Oil and Gas Company, which is in charge of developing the gas field, announced.

Energy-Rich Qatar to Pull Out of OPEC in January Amid Isolation in Gulf, Says 'No Potential in Oil'

Qatar is to leave OPEC next month in order for the Gulf state to focus on gas production, Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi announced on Monday.

Friendly: Iran to play Qatar on Dec. 31

TEHRAN – Iran national football team are scheduled to meet Qatar in a friendly match in Doha on Dec. 31.

Friendly: Iran basketball beat Qatar for second time

TEHRAN – Iran national basketball team defeated Qatar once again in a friendly match Sunday night.

Iran basketball team beat Qatar in friendly

TEHRAN - Iran national basketball team defeated Qatar 75-64 in a friendly match in Doha on Friday as part of preparation for the FIBA World Cup qualifier's fifth and penultimate window.

Iran basketball to face Qatar in preparation for Australia match

TEHRAN – Iran national basketball team will meet Qatar twice as part of preparation for the FIBA World Cup qualifier's fifth and penultimate window.

Qatar not willing to act against Tehran: FT

TEHRAN – It is not clear that the Qataris would be willing to play any active role against Tehran even if the U.S. forces the Saudis to end the blockade against Doha, according to the Financial Times.

Iran could host 2022 World Cup teams, but no decision taken yet

TEHRAN - Qatar is considering offers from other countries to host teams during the 2022 World Cup, but no decision has been taken yet, the head of the organizing committee told AFP on Monday.