Palestinian poet awarded the Pulitzer Prize for giving voice to Gaza’s pain

Palestinian poet and writer Mosab Abu Toha has been awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his essays in The New Yorker. His writing, shaped by life under siege in Gaza, documents the daily horrors faced by Palestinians through a voice that is both personal and poetic.

Booth Tarkington’s “Alice Adams” published in Persian

TEHRAN-The Persian translation of the 1921 novel “Alice Adams” by Booth Tarkington has been released in the Iranian book market.

Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie” on stage at IAF

TEHRAN-The Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran is hosting the play “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams.

Iranian video art “Sculpture” wins at IndieFEST Film Awards

TEHRAN-The Iranian video art “Sculpture,” written, directed, and composed by Ramin Hosseinpour, received the Award of Merit Special Mention at the April 2025 edition of the IndieFEST Film Awards in California, the United States.

Pakistan denies firing hundreds of drones into India

Pakistan targeted 36 Indian sites with 300 to 400 drones overnight on Thursday into Friday, an Indian military official said, an assertion denied by Islamabad.

PKK set to officially disband, sources say

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was expected to announce as soon as Friday that it has decided to end its armed struggle against Turkey and will disband itself, two sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.

France, Poland pledge mutual defence

France and Poland on Friday signed a new cooperation and friendship treaty with a defence clause committing the parties to mutual support in case of an attack by an aggressor, as the two NATO and EU allies strengthen ties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, France 24 reported .

Saudi minister in Pakistan as tensions flare over Kashmir

Saudi Arabia’s minister of state for foreign affairs arrived for an “official visit” to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Friday on a potential mission to calm tensions between the country and its neighbor India, CNN quoted Pakistan’s foreign ministry as saying.

TEHRAN PAPERS

Persian Gulf is Iran's red line

TEHRAN - In a note, Jam-e-Jam addressed purported reports that Trump intends to use a fake name for the Persian Gulf.

Iran equips all fighter jets with indigenous long-range missiles, announces Air Force commander

TEHRAN – The Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Air Force has announced that all Air Force fighter jets have been equipped with a full range of domestically produced munitions, advanced equipment, and long-range missiles, marking a significant step forward in the country’s military self-sufficiency.

‘Enrichment is our right,’ Iran’s academics rally behind nuclear negotiators

A coalition of prominent Iranian professors, scholars, and professionals has issued a public statement endorsing the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic efforts in nuclear negotiations and advocating for peaceful engagement with the United States and Western nations.

‘Talks with US unpredictable,’ says security chief, as Israel ramps up efforts to derail diplomacy

TEHRAN – As indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States prepare to resume on Sunday, Iran’s security chief asserted that the ongoing negotiations with Washington are “unpredictable,” emphasizing that progress in talks “hinges squarely on the U.S.’s conduct.”

IRGC unveils first underground drone base, publishes surveillance footage of US Navy

TEHRAN – Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled its first publicly disclosed underground drone base on Thursday, showcasing advanced unmanned systems capable of evading radar detection and conducting prolonged surveillance of U.S. naval assets in the Persian Gulf.

Iran, India reaffirm strategic ties at high-level talks in New Delhi

TEHRAN – In a series of high-level diplomatic engagements aimed at reinforcing long-standing bilateral ties and addressing shared regional concerns, Indian and Iranian foreign ministers convened in New Delhi on Thursday for the 20th meeting of the India-Iran Joint Commission.

By Mohammad Nobakht, Mona Hojat Ansari 

Persian Gulf: Our waters, our lands

TEHRAN – A land or body of water can hold diverse meanings. The Persian Gulf, for example, is a vital waterway for global oil transport, an exotic destination for tourists, and a geostrategic location for military forces. But for those who have thrived along its shores for thousands of years, it's a heritage, heritage so deeply ingrained, so fiercely its own, that no flood of propaganda or political maneuvering can ever truly wash it away.

Kashan rosewater distillation ritual added to national tourism callender

TEHRAN—The Head of Kashan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department said the rosewater distillation ritual was registered in the national tourism calendar of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Pakistani investors express readiness to invest in Kish Island

TEHRAN— A number of Pakistani investors have expressed their readiness to start administrative cooperation with Kish Island in the south of Iran during their trip to the touristic island.

Ambassadors of five nations visit Qazvin

TEHRAN—Ambassadors and representatives of Uganda, Sierra Leon, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka visited Qazvin to become acquainted with the economic, cultural, and tourism potentials of the Iranian province.

Iran offers to help restore Taq Kasra in Iraq

TEHRAN – Iran has expressed readiness to assist in the restoration of Taq Kasra, a masterpiece of Sassanid-era Persian architecture located near Baghdad.

Iranian-made HPV vaccine enters domestic market

TEHRAN – A homegrown human papillomavirus (HPV) quadrivalent recombinant vaccine has been supplied to the domestic market for the first time.

Iran’s annual saffron export stands at $184.7m

TEHRAN- Iran exported 214,300 tons of saffron worth $184.7 million in the past Iranian calendar year 1403 (ended on March 20), according to an official with the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA).