TEHRAN – The Tehran Times, Iran’s oldest English-language newspaper, celebrated its 46th anniversary on Monday afternoon in a ceremony attended by foreign ambassadors, media executives, and senior cultural officials in Tehran.

Speaking at the ceremony, His Excellency Mr. Cong Peiwu, the Chinese Ambassador to Iran, hailed the Tehran Times as a respected institution that has remained faithful to its founding mission for over four decades.

“Over the past 46 years, it has always adhered to its founding mission and the principles of objective and fair reporting,” he said. “It has vividly introduced Iran’s development achievements and unique cultural charm with warm and engaging writing, and deeply interpreted regional and international hotspots from an independent and discerning perspective.”

The ambassador also emphasized the paper’s role in advancing media diplomacy and inter-civilizational understanding:

“As an outstanding representative of Iranian media, Tehran Times is both an active participant and a strong promoter of dialogue among countries. Through comprehensive and in-depth reporting, it has shown the world an Iran committed to multilateral cooperation and shared development.”

Highlighting the challenge of rising protectionism in global trade, the envoy praised Tehran Times for its critical analysis: “Your recent opinion pieces, which deeply analyze the impact of protectionism on developing countries, fully demonstrate that the media are not only recorders of the times but also guardians of fairness and justice. Your voice represents the just voice of the international community.”

He concluded by calling for stronger media ties between Iran and China, especially following the recent signing of a cooperation agreement between Mehr Media Group and China’s Xinhua News Agency: “Standing at this new historical starting point, let us join hands, using media as a bond and civilizations as bridges, to jointly spread positive energy and promote mutual understanding.”