China FM holds talks with Taliban leaders in Kabul, mining and BRI top agenda

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Kabul on Wednesday morning for a visit to Afghanistan and to attend the sixth China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Ardabil Friday Mosque under restoration with credit worth over $333,000

TEHRAN--The restoration of the Friday Mosque of Ardabil in northwest of Iran has been realized after years of waiting, and this valuable historical mosque was placed in the hands of restorers with a credit of 300 billion rials ($333,333), said the deputy head of Ardabil Cultural Heritage Department.

Family tourism route focuses on Tehran’s historical monuments

TEHRAN—Family tourism route with focus on historical and cultural monuments, creates the possibility of easy visit for all ages and boosts promoting tourism sector of Municipal District 12 of Tehran, said Mayer of Tehran’s District 12 Mohammad Ayini.

Opportunity available for 1m pilgrims to reside in holy city of Mashhad: deputy minister

TEHRAN—Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpei gave news of the possibility of providing accommodation for one million people in the holy city of Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi province, during the last days of the month of Safar, which coincides with the anniversary of the demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the martyrdom of Imam Hassan (AS), and the martyrdom of Imam Reza (AS).

Iran to host intl. Lut Desert tourism conference focused on investment, sustainability

TEHRAN – An international conference on tourism in Iran’s Lut Desert will be held with a focus on investment and sustainable development, a provincial tourism official said on Wednesday.

Iran, Belarus agree to launch direct flights, ease visa rules

TEHRAN – Iran and Belarus have agreed to launch direct flights and expand tourism exchanges during President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Minsk, Iran’s tourism minister said on Wednesday.

6,000-year-old fishing village reveals ancient maritime diet and fishing technology in Iran’s Makran

TEHRAN - Archaeologists working at the Koupal site in Dashtyari county, southeast Iran, have uncovered remarkable evidence of a 6,000-year-old fishing settlement, providing detailed insights into ancient maritime subsistence strategies.

Iran to take on Kazakhstan in 2025 FIVB U21 World Championship opener

TEHRAN - Defending U21 men’s volleyball world champions and title-holders of the three most recent AVC Asian U20 Men’s Championships Iran, whose team also claimed the U19 world silver two years ago, will play Kazakhstan in Pool B in one of the three opening matches at the upcoming 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship in China on Thursday.

TEDPIX loses almost 19,000 points on Wednesday

TEHRAN- TEDPIX, the main index of the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), dropped 18,915 points to 2.475 million on Wednesday, which is the fifth day of the Iranian calendar week.

By Farrokh Hesabi

PGPL week 1: Shocking upsets and strong starts set tone

TEHRAN - The first week of the Iran’s Persian Gulf Professional League (PGPL) unfolded with intense matches on Monday and Tuesday, delivering unexpected results and early signs of fierce competition in the 25th season.

Iran, Pakistan sign 2 agricultural cooperation agreements

TEHRAN – Iran and Pakistan signed two agreements on agricultural cooperation, focusing on the creation of a joint agriculture committee and collaboration in plant protection and quarantine.

Poll: Majority of Americans back UN recognition of Palestine

A significant shift in American public opinion is emerging on the world stage, as a new Reuters/Ipsos survey reveals that a majority of U.S. citizens believe the international community should formally recognize Palestine as a sovereign nation.

Israeli–Australian diplomatic spat: Author calls it ‘nothing more than theatre’

Antony Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory, a book examining Israel’s arms and surveillance industry, told Al Jazeera from Sydney that the latest diplomatic spat between Israel and Australia was “theatre.”

Intl. Conference on Persian Gulf oceanography slated for January

TEHRAN – The sixth international conference on the Persian Gulf oceanography is scheduled to be held on January 27 and 28, 2026.

Belarus views industrial cooperation with Iran as promising

TEHRAN- Belarusian Industry Ministry places great importance on the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Belarus and Iran, Belarusian Industry Minister and Co-chair of the Belarusian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation Andrei Kuznetsov told BelTA on the sidelines of the high-level talks between Belarus and Iran at the Palace of Independence in Minsk on August 20.

Iran among top five countries in DOAJ-indexed journals

TEHRAN – According to the latest Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) data, Iran, with a total of 1,003 indexed journals, is one of the top five countries among 138 countries publishing the most open-access journals.

Six Iranian universities in Shanghai ranking 2025

TEHRAN – Shanghai University ranking 2025 has placed six Iranian universities among the top 1,000 institutions worldwide, down from 9 in 2024.

Iran pair win 10m air pistol mixed bronze in 2025 Asian Championship

TEHRAN – Iran’ Haniyeh Rostamiyan and Vahid Golkhandan claimed a bronze medal at the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championship on Wednesday.

Comprehensive plan for combating SDSs approved

TEHRAN – The national specialized working group on sand and dust storms (SDSs), in cooperation with other governmental bodies, has approved a comprehensive plan to address SDSs, which will be used as a national reference document to enhance the country’s resilience against one of the most acute environmental threats.

Iran, Armenia slash tariffs as trade pact deepens under Eurasia framework

TEHRAN – Iran’s Industry, Mining and Trade Minister said tariffs on 87 percent of goods traded between Iran and Armenia have been eliminated, as Tehran presses ahead with efforts to expand a preferential trade pact with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Michael Oenning named Persepolis assistant coach

TEHRAN – German coach Michael Oenning has been named Persepolis football club’s new assistant coach.

Trump hails ICC‑wanted Netanyahu as 'war hero' while Gaza bleeds

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly hailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “war hero” — despite Netanyahu being wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in Gaza, where Palestinians are enduring one of the worst humanitarian crises in decades.

Macron hits back at ‘abject’, ‘erroneous’ anti-Semitism accusations by Netanyahu

A diplomatic row between Israel and France has broken out after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused French President Emmanuel Macron of fueling “the anti-Semitic fire” in France by planning to recognize Palestinian statehood, Al Jazeera reported Wednesday.

Israel kills dozens of Palestinians in Gaza

At least 35 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the enclave since Wednesday dawn, Al Jazeera reported, citing sources on the ground.

Sheila R. Canby, who shaped the study of Islamic art, dies at 76

TEHRAN - The world of Islamic art history is mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished figures, Sheila R. Canby, who passed away this week.