Tehran Times

2026-05-06 21:33
By staff writer

‘Project Freedom’ runs aground in Hormuz Strait

TEHRAN - President Donald Trump’s decision to pause the so-called “Project Freedom” lays bare his desperation to open the Strait of Hormuz through military force.
- Deterrence through punishing the aggressor
- US blockade dwarfed by Iranian naval power

Iranian president discusses regional peace with Iraqi, French leaders in calls

TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held separate telephone conversations with Iraq's Prime Minister-designate and France's President emphasizing Tehran's readiness for dialogue to resolve regional disputes while expressing deep distrust toward the United States over its hostile actions during past negotiations.
By Garsha Vazirian

The death of Washington’s Dimona omertà and the return of JFK’s ghost

TEHRAN — For more than half a century, Washington played its part in a carefully staged omission: Israel's nuclear weapons were never to be officially named. On May 4, it became obvious that the script has been torn up.
By Wesam Bahrani

Why should Lebanon’s president avoid meeting Netanyahu?

TEHRAN – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said it is “not appropriate” to meet Israeli regime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at this time, amid mounting pressure from Washington to hold direct talks.
FM Araghchi in Beijing: China reaffirms support for Iran ahead of Trump trip

TEHRAN - Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to China has underscored strategic relations between Tehran and Beijing amid the East Asian nation’s efforts to restore stability to the Middle East in the wake of US military adventurism in the region.
What I witnessed in Iran challenges dominant Western narratives: American journalist

Christopher Helali details destruction sites, civilian response, and military presence in sensitive regions

TEHRAN- In this exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Christopher Helali, an American journalist, political analyst, and activist known for his coverage of international conflicts and U.S. foreign policy, shares his observations following his recent visit to Iran as part of a delegation of international journalists.

Politics

$Qalibaf: US naval blockade aims to fracture Iran’s national unity$
Qalibaf: US naval blockade aims to fracture Iran’s national unity

TEHRAN - Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that the United States is trying to drive a wedge within Iranian society through its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran accuses West of ‘economic terrorism’

TEHRAN—A senior Iranian human rights official has sharply criticized Western governments, accusing them of waging “economic terrorism” against Iran.
Iran-US confrontation: Illusions, threats, and a possible way out

TEHRAN- A new analysis by Mel Gurtov, professor emeritus at Portland State University, warns that Donald Trump’s assumptions about the war with Iran have all proven wrong. Despite a naval blockade, Iran’s economy has bent but not broken.

Sports

Iran’s U23 team in limbo as Asian Games approach

TEHRAN – Iran U23 football team—traditionally known as Team Omid—find themselves in a familiar state of uncertainty just months before the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya. Despite official assurances that the team will represent the country, a lack of clarity over their technical staff, squad composition, and preparation plans has once again raised serious concerns about the federation’s long-term planning.
Asian Para Games: Nagoya team managers hold session

TEHRAN — Team managers participating in the 2026 Asian Para Games convened for a session at the Iranian Paralympic Committee (NPC) headquarters on Tuesday.
Iran seeks FIFA guarantees for World Cup participation

Iran’s football federation chief said Tuesday the national team is preparing to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but its presence depends on receiving firm guarantees from the governing body FIFA.

Culture

Minab school tragedy survivor's story chronicled in new doc “Hoda”

TEHRAN – Iranian director Hamed Saadat’s documentary “Hoda” on a survivor of Minab school’s tragedy, is currently in the final stages of editing, the Documentary and Animation Center (DEFC) has announced.
“Revolutionizing Motherhood” published in Persian

TEHRAN – The Persian translation of the book “Revolutionizing Motherhood: The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo” written by Marguerite Guzman Bouvard has been released in the bookstores across Iran.
IAF’s “The American Lie” program screening anti-war films

TEHRAN – The Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) is showing selected anti-war films in a program titled “The American Lie”.

Economy

War on Iran triggers geopolitical earthquake; hitting neighbors, poor nations hardest

TEHRAN – The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has not only targeted Tehran. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's main energy artery, is now putting immense pressure on numerous countries, with Iran's neighbors and poor Asian nations emerging as the biggest victims.
Global oil stocks approaching 8-year low, depletion speed a concern: Goldman Sachs

TEHRAN – Global oil stocks are approaching their lowest level in eight years, Goldman Sachs said, warning that the speed of depletion was becoming a concern as supplies through the Strait of Hormuz remained restricted.
Beijing defies Washington, blocks Iran oil sanctions in landmark move

TEHRAN – In a stunning diplomatic escalation days before a planned visit by Donald Trump, China has officially nullified American sanctions against buyers of Iranian crude oil, declaring that Washington's unilateral measures hold "no enforcement value" on Chinese soil.

Society

Health ministry launches campaign to equip NICUs damaged in war

TEHRAN – The health ministry has launched a national campaign to help repair and equip the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of hospitals that were damaged during the US-Israeli war against the country.
Rainfall brings intl. Quri Gol wetland back to life

TEHRAN – After several months of water scarcity, spring rainfall has eased the drought in northwestern East Azarbaijan province, reviving the international Quri Gol wetland.
Precipitation forecast to be high in fall, winter

TEHRAN – With the El Niño phase developing across the Pacific Ocean, the country is forecast to receive considerable rain in the fall and winter.

Tourism

Iran registers 400 cultural elements linked to Persian Gulf

TEHRAN - Iran has recently registered more than 400 cultural and heritage elements that are connected to the Persian Gulf, a senior official said, underscoring efforts to preserve the historical and cultural significance of one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
A living museum: The cultural and natural wonders of West Azarbaijan province

Situated in the northwest of Iran, West Azarbaijan province is a region where history, culture, and nature converge to create one of the country’s most compelling tourist destinations. Bordering several countries and shaped by centuries of interaction among civilizations, the province has long served as a crossroads of cultural exchange and human settlement.
Warnings raised over threats to UNESCO-listed Sassanid landscape in southern Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian cultural heritage authorities have issued a warning over a series of escalating threats facing the UNESCO-listed Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region, citing structural decay, incomplete excavations, and ongoing legal and management challenges that risk undermining one of the country’s most significant historical ensembles.

International

The death of Washington’s Dimona omertà and the return of JFK’s ghost

TEHRAN — For more than half a century, Washington played its part in a carefully staged omission: Israel's nuclear weapons were never to be officially named. On May 4, it became obvious that the script has been torn up.
Why should Lebanon’s president avoid meeting Netanyahu?

TEHRAN – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said it is “not appropriate” to meet Israeli regime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at this time, amid mounting pressure from Washington to hold direct talks.
American military hegemony begins to look increasingly hollow: analysis

TEHRAN – In a commentary published on May 3, Statecraft analyzed how Donald Trump’s war on Iran is exposing limits to American power.

Christopher Helali details destruction sites, civilian response, and military presence in sensitive regions