Europe steps up drive to exempt Swift from Iran sanctions

European finance ministers will try to persuade the Trump administration not to cut off Iran’s access to Swift, the global financial messaging service, in meetings with Steven Mnuchin, the U.S. Treasury secretary, at the IMF gathering in Bali this week.

Recovered Achaemenid relief to go on tour across Iran

TEHRAN – A newly recovered Achaemenid-era (550-330 BC) bas-relief, which President Hassan Rouhani brought it back from the U.S. on September 27, will be put on show in a select of cities across the country.

Tuyserkan holding walnut, woodcarving festivals

TEHRAN - Tuyserkan, nicknamed Iran’s city of walnut, is playing host to walnut festival as its farmers are celebrating an end of the walnut-picking season.

Zarif, Lavrov discuss energy cooperation

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov discuss energy cooperation in a phone conversation on Monday.

A weak, helpless Iran is the objective of U.S., Israel: expert

TEHRAN – It is the objective of the United States and Israel to have a weak and helpless Iran, a political expert and former diplomat believes.

Iranian Silk Road Ultramarathon announces winners

TEHRAN – Winners have been announced for the 3rd Iranian Silk Road Ultramarathon, which commenced on September 29 as a tourism event across the UNESCO-registered Lut Desert famed for being one of hottest places on earth.

India Will Buy Weapons from Russia and Oil from Iran, Ignoring U.S. Warnings

India was set to enter lucrative bids for Russian weapons and Iranian oil, despite warnings and potential sanctions from Washington.

Oman to go ahead with Iran gas pipeline project despite U.S. sanctions

TEHRAN - Muscat plans to move ahead with the natural gas pipeline project in Iran, hopeful that U.S. sanctions on Iran will strictly target oil.

VP asks Health Ministry to report on U.S. violation of ICJ ruling

TEHRAN – The Iranian vice-president for legal affairs has called on the Health Ministry and other governmental bodies to provide the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with cases of the U.S. violation of the ICJ's decision on Tehran-Washington dispute.

Omanis can travel to Iran without a visa

TEHRAN – Omanis can travel to Iran without a visa, Oman’s Foreign Ministry has announced, lauding the friendly relations between the two countries.

Iranian parliament approves bill to combat financing of terrorism

TEHRAN – The Iranian parliament on Sunday voted in favor of CFT, a legislation to combat financing of terrorism.

By Martin Love

Those who temporarily are losing badly often do win

By the time this column is printed it’s more than likely Brett Kavanaugh will have won a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, voted in by the slight majority of GOP senators in the U.S Congress… to the dismay and consternation of most all thoughtful Americans, including (notably) many hundreds of professors at law schools across the country.

Tehran strongly condemns terrorist attack in Turkey

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Saturday denounced a recent terrorist attack in Turkey’s southeastern province of Batman, expressed Tehran’s deepest sympathy to the Turkish nation and families of the lost and wounded soldiers, Mehr reported.

By Mohammad Ghaderi

Idlib is no exception and its fate will be a defeat for terrorists

The battle of Idlib is likely to be the final struggle towards the restoration of calm to Syria. How it will pan out and how the Syrian people see the struggle ahead is worth examination. Tehran Times sat with the head of the Political Department of the Syrian Army, Major General Hassan Ahmed Hassan, to discuss recent political developments in Syria and the future of Iranian-Syrian ties.

First permanent handicrafts exhibit opens in northern Iran

TEHRAN – The first permanent handicrafts exhibit in northern Mazandaran province opened its doors to the public on Wednesday in Sari, the capital’s province.

Diplomat: ‘Hidden hands’ at work to cause rift between Iran, Iraq

TEHRAN - Iraj Masjedi, the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad, said on Saturday that “hidden hands” are at work to cause rift between Iran and Iraq.

Iran, Afghanistan discuss refugee issues

TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs, Hossein Zolfaqari, has held talks with Afghan Minister of Refugees and Repatriations Hussain Alami Balkhi on the sidelines of the 69th session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme.

President Minnikhanov: Tatarstan firm to cement ties with Iran’

TEHRAN – Rustam Minnikhanov, the president of the Republic of Tatarstan, has said that he is determined to expand ties with Iran in various areas.

Guards crush armed group on Afghan border

TEHRAN – Iranian border guards on Thursday disbanded a three-member team of gunmen as they were trying to cross the country’s border with Afghanistan, local news outlets reported

Iran expecting 7m foreign travelers by yearend

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism chief on Wednesday estimated that international arrivals in the country will be reaching seven million during the current Iranian calendar year (to be ended on March 20, 2019).

‘It’s complete folly’ to threaten Iran out of Syria: ex-Pentagon chief

Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Thursday sharply criticized tough talk on Iran from senior Trump administration officials determined to ouster the forces backed by Tehran from Syria.

Iran row may lead to more European financial autonomy: French FinMin

BERLIN - Sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States offer an opportunity for Europe to develop its own independent financial institutions, France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said.

By Javad Heirannia

U.S. sanctions on Iran can affect trade of humanitarian goods: Nephew

TEHRAN – Richard Nephew, who served as the lead sanctions expert for the U.S. team negotiating with Iran, is of the opinion that it is certainly true that U.S. sanctions on Iran can affect the trade of humanitarian goods and the hostile licensing policy from the United States on civil aviation licenses is a complication.

Bolton is obsessed with Iran: French official

TEHRAN – “Bolton is obsessed with Iran, and everything else plays second fiddle,” said one senior official from France, whose president, Emmanuel Macron, pleaded unsuccessfully with Trump to remain in the Iran nuclear deal during an April visit to the White House, Reuters reported.

Moscow wants further cooperation with Iran: Novak

Moscow is interested in continuing cooperation with Iran, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday.

‘Road crashes, main cause of death among teenagers aged 15-17’

TEHRAN — The leading cause of death among teenagers aged 15 to 17 is traffic-related accidents, Iran’s Emergency Medical Services director Pir Hossein Kulivand has said.

Rehabilitation center for persons with disabilities inaugurated in Sarpol-e Zahab

TEHRAN — A rehabilitation center was inaugurated on Thursday for persons with disabilities in the western city of Sarpol-e Zahab, Kermanshah province, ISNA reported on Friday.