Eliminated on Paper. Victorious in Character

Iran's 2026 World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak with three draws, yet the team's resilience transcended football. Forced to base in Tijuana and endure exhausting border crossings, the players faced logistical and political challenges unmatched by any other team. Despite a disallowed goal, missed penalty, and stoppage-time winner ruled out, Iran remained unbeaten. International voices—including USA Today and Trevor Noah—praised their professionalism under pressure. The team never surrendered, earning respect through discipline and unity. While statistics show early elimination, the true story is one of character: a team that refused to be defeated by circumstances beyond the pitch.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527749/Eliminated-on-Paper-Victorious-in-Character

South Korea's Steel Miracle: A Model for Iran's Reconstruction

This report by the Iran-South Korea Chamber of Commerce examines how South Korea built a world-class steel industry from post-war ruin despite lacking resources. Key lessons for Iran include: strategic vision overcomes resource limitations, crisis can become opportunity for modernization, human capital development is crucial, and technology adoption drives competitiveness. South Korea's POSCO transformed from state enterprise to global leader, focusing on high-value products and green technologies. Iran possesses natural advantages Korea lacked—iron ore, energy, and domestic market. The report urges Iran to view reconstruction as building a modern, efficient industry ecosystem, not merely repairing what was damaged.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527738/South-Korea-s-Steel-Miracle-A-Model-for-Iran-s-Reconstruction

Iran, France FMs hold phone call on regional developments, MoU implementation

🔹Foreign Ministers Seyyed Abbas Araghchi of Iran and Jean-Noël Barrot of France held a phone conversation on Monday evening.

🔹The two top diplomats discussed the latest regional and international developments in light of the Islamabad MoU and the process of its implementation, aimed at ending the imposed war by the US and the Zionist regime against Iran.

Israel maliciously turns Armenian grief into diplomatic grenade masking Gaza atrocities

Israel's cabinet voted to recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide as a political maneuver, using historical tragedy to retaliate against Turkey's criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza. The author argues this sudden recognition is hypocritical given Israel's military alliance with Azerbaijan, which used Israeli weapons to displace over 120,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. The timing aims to divert attention from Gaza atrocities, where over 73,000 Palestinians, including 20,000 children, have been killed. The article condemns Israel for weaponizing Armenian suffering to launder its reputation while committing what UN reports term genocide.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527748/Israel-maliciously-turns-Armenian-grief-into-diplomatic-grenade

Pezeshkian: If US honors MoU, Iran will fulfill its commitments

🔹President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the understanding is mutual, emphasizing that if the American side adheres to the MoU, Iran will also meet its obligations.

🔹He added that Iran's approach in the face of unreasonable rhetoric and baseless threats is to rely on rationality and human dignity in decision-making, while exercising decisive and resolute defense when action is required.

Lebanon minister: Israeli aggression has targeted all hospitals in south Lebanon

🔹Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nasser al-Din stated that the Israeli regime's aggression has hit all hospitals in the southern regions, commending the immense sacrifices made by medical staff in these areas.

🔹He called on the international community to take immediate action to protect healthcare facilities and ensure the safety of medical personnel amid ongoing attacks.

Qatar spox: No US-Iran meeting in Doha, assets still frozen

🔹Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari confirmed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are present in Doha, but no direct meetings with Iranian officials will take place.

🔹He added that no high-level talks between the US and Iran are scheduled, and stressed that Iran's frozen assets have not yet been released—with their release depending on progress in US-Iran negotiations.

Baghaei: Talks on unfreezing Iran's assets progressing well

🔹Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that negotiations regarding the release of Iran's frozen assets are proceeding favorably.

🔹He announced that Iran's expert team will hold a meeting with Qatari officials tomorrow in Doha. "What matters is that we have free access to these assets and can use them as we see fit to meet our needs and purchase the goods we require," Baghaei emphasized.

More Lebanese figures reject the "framework agreement"

Opposition to Lebanon's framework agreement with Israel is growing, with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri calling it "contradictory and impossible to implement" and warning it fuels internal division. Hezbollah's Sheikh Naim Qassem said the government is legitimizing Israeli occupation for years, vowing resistance continues. Druze leader Talal Arslan condemned it as violating sovereignty. The Amal Movement rejected it as unbalanced. Protests erupted across Lebanon. Israeli Channel 12 revealed a secret security annex granting Israel freedom of action, with no automatic withdrawals. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue strikes in southern Lebanon, confirming an officer killed in clashes with Hezbollah.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527747/More-Lebanese-figures-reject-the-framework-agreement

Iran’s first Olympic wrestling medalist Mahmoud Mollaghasemi has passed away at 97

The legendary freestyle wrestler won silver at the 1951 World Championships and bronze at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Born into a large, struggling family, he took up wrestling at 18 and later became a dedicated coach and international referee, serving at the 1964 Games.

The Tehran Times offers condolences to his family and Iran’s wrestling community.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527781/Legendary-Iranian-wrestler-Mollaghasemi-dies-at-97

Iran says no final deal until US does its part

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei announced that negotiations on a final agreement with the US will only resume after Washington fully upholds the June 17 memorandum. Key provisions, including ceasefire, shipping rights, sanctions relief, and naval blockade lifting, remain unfulfilled. Iran has called off a Doha delegation, citing US violations.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527783/Iran-says-no-final-deal-until-US-does-its-part

‼️ Tehran Times Exclusive:

Art installation in Minab becomes symbol of collective remembrance

The "Red Butterflies" installation at Minab's damaged Shajareh Tayyebeh school, where 168 children were killed on Feb 28, has become a powerful symbol of loss and resilience. Over 2,000 red pieces suspended from the structure represent interrupted dreams. Architect Mostafa Momeni-Rad said the temporary artwork ensures the tragedy remains in public memory.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527769/Art-installation-in-Minab-becomes-symbol-of-collective-remembrance

Ghalibaf: Islamabad MoU is document of US-Israel defeat

🔹Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that the Islamabad MoU represents a defeat for the US and the Zionist regime, adding that the regime opposes the agreement and launched heavy attacks on Lebanon afterward to undermine it.

🔹He noted that Iran's firm follow-up in Switzerland led to a joint committee with US and Lebanese representatives to restore Lebanon's sovereignty. "The volume of attacks on Lebanon is now incomparable to the period before those talks," he emphasized.

🔹Ghalibaf also called on media to highlight Lebanon's improved situation compared to earlier conditions.

Ghalibaf: If the US doesn't honor commitments in talks, we are ready for war

🔹Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that recent incidents in the Persian Gulf constitute a violation of the ceasefire understanding, and Iran will respond accordingly. "In the latest breach, US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait were targeted," he said.

🔹"This process shows we are serious about implementing the MoU. We are engaged in talks—but if they refuse to honor their commitments through dialogue, we are ready for war," ghalibaf emphasized.

🔹He noted that the situation in Lebanon differs, as the Zionist regime occupies parts of the south, though attacks there have significantly decreased since the MoU was signed.

🔹Ghalibaf added that Iran is pursuing diplomacy to fulfill the five conditions required for immediate implementation following the agreement.

‼️ Tehran Times Exclusive:

Britain dully complicit in U.S. war on Iran

🔹Activist Stephen Bell exposes British hypocrisy: from day one, US bombers struck Iran from RAF Fairford & Diego Garcia—yet Starmer claims "this is not our war." Bell calls it a "remarkable feat of hypocrisy."

🔹He slams Western "Orientalist" miscalculations—they underestimated Iran's 50-year resilience, becoming victims of their own propaganda. Gaza, he says, exposed the "carcass of Western liberal democracy" and the hollow "rules-based order."

🔹Britain has no independent role—post-Brexit, it's slavishly followed Washington. The solution? Full implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum, regional security without US forces, and Palestinian self-determination.

🔹"The Iranian people are actively contributing to regional stabilization," Bell stresses.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527750/Starmer-s-Iran-policy-left-Britain-complicit-in-Washington-s

Experts discuss strategies to protect cultural heritage during wartime

A panel at Golestan Palace examined safeguarding Iran's historical identity amid conflict. Officials stressed stronger documentation, digital preservation, and international cooperation. They noted that 149 heritage sites across 18 provinces have been damaged since Feb 28. Experts argued that war traces can become part of a site's narrative, and called for legal accountability.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527779/Experts-discuss-strategies-to-protect-cultural-heritage-and-historic

Behind the new Lebanon framework lies the trap of demographic erasure

An analysis argues that the US-mediated June 26 agreement is a crude instrument for permanent Israeli occupation, not peace. By conditioning ceasefire on resistance disarmament while foreign troops remain, the deal enables demographic engineering and civil strife. The text shields Israel from legal accountability and ensures endless war, not stability.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527785/Behind-the-new-Lebanon-framework-lies-the-trap-of-demographic

ISC 2025 ranking includes more Iranian universities

The Islamic World Science Citation Center's 2025 World University Rankings feature 76 Iranian universities, up from 72 last year. Tehran University of Medical Sciences leads domestically and ranks 373 globally. Iran ranks second among Islamic countries with 76 entries, behind Turkey's 106. Other recent rankings also show progress for Iranian institutions.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527776/ISC-IWUR-2025-includes-more-Iranian-universities