Iran brings Washington to its knees

Democrats have won both chambers of Congress, and the Iran war proved decisive. JD Vance and Trump himself acknowledged the conflict cost Republicans dearly, with voters unwilling to bear rising gas prices. The writer argues Iran didn't need battlefield victory—only strategic patience—while El-Sayed's win shows AIPAC's money can't guarantee success, and criticism of Israel is entering the mainstream.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531887/Iran-brings-Washington-to-its-knees

Artists Pay Tribute to Martyred Minab Schoolchildren

Iranian artists from theater, cinema, television, and music visited Minab on National Students' Day to honor the 168 students and teachers killed in the US-Israeli strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh School. They visited the school and martyrs' cemetery, expressing solidarity with families. Among participants were Maryam Motaref, Babak Khajehpasha, Bahram Ebrahimi, and Alireza Ostadi. Investigations by Al Jazeera, NYT, BBC Verify, CBC, and NPR concluded the school was a clearly distinct civilian facility, deliberately triple-tapped in three separate strikes.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531865/Artists-pay-tribute-to-martyred-Minab-schoolchildren

Iranian House of Cinema, French Embassy Willing to Implement Cultural, Cinematic Programs

Homayoun Asadian, CEO of the Iranian House of Cinema, met French Ambassador Pierre Cochard during the "Dialogism in World Cinema" session on the French New Wave. Asadian noted the movement's influence, referencing Godard and Truffaut's "Breathless," and described the House's 33 guilds and weekly screenings. Cochard expressed readiness to cooperate on cultural programs, citing shared support for independent cinema and France's resistance to "Americanization." Both emphasized dialogue amid difficult conditions, with Cochard recalling his earlier posting in Iran thirty years ago.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531853/Iranian-House-of-Cinema-French-Embassy-willing-to-implement

Araghchi holds calls with 12 regional foreign ministers in 48 hours

🔹 Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said he held separate phone calls with counterparts from 12 countries — including Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Kuwait, the UAE, Tunisia, Iraq, and Pakistan — over the past 48 hours.

🔹 They reviewed the latest regional and international developments and the consequences of US and Israeli tension-creating actions.

🔹 Araghchi stressed respect for national sovereignty, an end to aggression and threats, and the need for regional security arrangements without extra-regional intervention, while emphasizing Iran's legitimate right to defend its sovereignty and national security.

IRGC spokesman: The missile range limitation has been lifted for Iran

🔹 IRGC spokesman Sardar Hossein Mohebbi said the range limitation on Iran's missiles has been lifted, but that Iran will demonstrate these capabilities on the battlefield rather than through slogans.

🔹 Commenting on last night's events in the Strait of Hormuz, he said most explosions were from air defense firings and that an American aircraft was hit.

🔹 He said Iran's battle is asymmetric, that it can strike the enemy where he least expects it, and that the armed forces brought the enemy to its knees in the recent war.

7 Spectacular Destinations to Experience Autumn in Iran

Autumn offers quieter, cooler travel across Iran's diverse landscapes. The Tehran Times highlights seven destinations: Mesr Desert's golden dunes in Isfahan, Olsabelangah's cloud-kissed meadows in Gilan, and Alangdarreh Forest's colorful canopy near Gorgan. Kish Island offers warm Persian Gulf sunshine, while Yush village in Mazandaran combines Nima Yushij's literary heritage with mountain scenery. Nayband's green oasis contrasts with South Khorasan's desert, and Jangal-e Abr's misty Cloud Forest near Shahroud completes the seasonal journey.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531855/7-spectacular-destinations-to-experience-autumn-in-Iran

Semnan: A Natural Treasure Trove of Plant and Animal Diversity

Semnan Province hosts remarkable biodiversity: 254 bird, 69 reptile, 67 mammal, 10 fish, and four amphibian species. Notably, it shelters all eight Iranian felids—Asiatic cheetah, Persian leopard, lynx, caracal, jungle cat, Pallas's cat, sand cat, and wildcat. Some 2.8 million hectares fall under the Department of Environment's protection. Official Peyman Valizadeh says preservation plans exist for 25 endangered species, with 13 more in development, though funding and trained personnel remain challenges. Distribution maps are being prepared with Shiraz University.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531898/Semnan-a-natural-treasure-trove-of-plant-and-animal-diversity

Diwali Celebration in Tehran Puts Spotlight on Iran-India Ties

The Indian Embassy in Tehran celebrated Diwali, with Ambassador Vishvas Negi describing the festival as a triumph of light over darkness. He drew parallels between Diwali and diplomacy, calling for patient efforts to build trust and replace mistrust with dialogue. Negi highlighted India's civilizational ties with Iran, noting historical exchanges of ideas and culture. He expressed optimism about expanding tourism, citing shared heritage, and said he would introduce both Iran's ancient and contemporary attractions to Indian audiences.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531904/Diwali-celebration-in-Tehran-puts-spotlight-on-Iran-India-ties

Gen. Rezaei to Washington: If you start a war, you will face a devastating response

🔹 Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei, addressing American officials on social media, said: "You lost both the war and the election. Vance has accepted defeat, Rubio is on the verge of leaving, Hegseth will soon be dismissed, and the CENTCOM commander has now become a podcaster!"

🔹 He then asked: "Exactly in Washington, who should we deliver this message to, that if you start a war, you will face a devastating response?"

Video footage shows mounted police deployed in Paris to suppress protests, as demonstrations continue across France over wages, purchasing power, and public services.

Washington and Tel Aviv: A Rift, Not a Rupture

The Iran war and midterm elections have exposed growing US political backlash against the Israel alliance. Vice President JD Vance called for reconsidering the relationship, and Trump announced ending $4 billion in annual military aid from 2027. Democratic victories brought critics like Senator Abdul El-Sayed into office. The objections increasingly concern policies, not personalities. Yet from Tehran's perspective, this is a rift, not a rupture—the US and Israel remain deeply intertwined strategically, militarily, and politically. The shield's cracks may be widening, but the shield itself remains.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531915/Washington-and-Tel-Aviv-A-rift-not-a-rupture

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The Iran War Signals a Tectonic Shift Toward a Non-Polar World Order: Global Affairs Scholar

Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, professor at SOAS University of London, tells the Tehran Times that the Iran war reveals a structural failure in international law, which powerful actors manipulate to rationalize aggression. He argues the conflict signals a tectonic shift toward a non-polar order where military dominance no longer manufactures legitimacy, and a pluralistic "cosmic citizenry" is co-authoring global authority. On AI warfare, he calls the Minab school strike "algorithmic terrorism" with no accountability due to a technological fog around the "trigger to death" loop.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531918/The-Iran-war-signals-a-tectonic-shift-toward-a-non-polar-world

US-Israel Military Aid: End of Dependence, or a New Chapter?

Trump's announcement to end roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by year's end signals a reshaping, not a rupture, of the alliance. Netanyahu proposed the phase-out, seeking to insulate Israel from shifting US public opinion and pivot "from aid to partnership"—arms purchases, technology cooperation, and joint R&D. The 2016 MOU's $3.8 billion annual package runs through 2028, and arms sales will continue. The paradox: Israel wants greater military independence without losing the US umbrella sustaining its superiority.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531911/US-Israel-military-aid-End-of-dependence-or-a-new-chapter

Eisenkot tasked with forming the cabinet

🔹 The head of the Zionist regime, "Isaac Herzog," concluded his consultations with the parties and announced that he would entrust the formation of the next government to "Gadi Eisenkot."

🔸 Eisenkot will have 28 days starting tomorrow to reach an agreement with the parties to form a cabinet, with the possibility of a 14-day extension.

Trump Answers Midterm Defeat by Elevating the "Extremist" Architect of His Rejected Agenda

Days after Republicans lost Congress, Trump appointed Stephen Miller as White House Chief of Staff, replacing Susie Wiles. Miller, architect of the immigration crackdown, faces criticism as "a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist" from Hakeem Jeffries, who demanded his firing. Wiles took the fall for the defeat, though allies say she is paying for a strategy Trump wrote. Vance said "the reason we lost is the war," and Trump called it "largely true." Miller reportedly pitched winding down the war to get the job.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/531912/Trump-answers-midterm-defeat-by-elevating-the-extremist-architect