Iran, India FMs hold phone call on bilateral ties and regional developments

🔹Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephone conversation on Friday afternoon to discuss bilateral relations and the latest regional developments .

US writhes, but Hormuz survives—in Iranian hands

Iran intensified military operations across the Persian Gulf, with the IRGC disabling two oil tankers attempting unauthorized transit through the Strait of Hormuz and forcing four others to reverse course. Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Affairs Authority suspended commercial transit due to "continuing US military aggression." Iranian forces also struck Ahmad Al Jaber Air Base and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, targeting aircraft shelters and fuel depots, and released evidence of damage to Jordan's Al Azraq Air Base. Meanwhile, Iran condemned US strikes on civilian areas, including Qeshm Island (killing a family of three, including a two-year-old) and Bushehr and Fars provinces. Tehran framed its military response as retaliation for attacks on both strategic and civilian targets.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528743/US-writhes-but-Hormuz-survives-in-Iranian-hands

The letter that tore the mask off US occupation of Jordan

Hundreds of Jordanian public figures—including former ministers, activists, academics, tribal chiefs, and retired military officers—signed an open letter demanding withdrawal of all foreign forces and cancellation of the 2021 defense agreement with the US. The pact, enforced by royal decree, grants roughly 4,000 American troops free entry and access to bases like Muwaffaq Salti and King Faisal. The article argues these bases serve as "target magnets" for Iranian strikes, with satellite imagery confirming damage at Azraq and American casualties. It criticizes Jordan's role as a forward shield for Israel, while tourism plummets and unemployment soars. The regime faces a choice between subservience or sovereignty.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528741/The-letter-that-tore-the-mask-off-US-occupation-of-Jordan

General Abdollahi: Any country acting as US shield will burn in war fire

🔹Major General Gholam Ali Rashid warned that any nation serving as a US shield will be consumed by war, as Washington accelerates its strategy of expanding regional conflict.

🔹The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters commander stated that the US is "using the capital, wealth, and infrastructure of Muslim nations to shield its own forces" while fueling the Zionist regime's war machine.

🔹He added that Iran and the Resistance Axis have proven the "balance of power in the region no longer follows past patterns," warning Muslim states to "reconsider cooperation with America" as any country acting as a US shield will burn in the war fire.

Entertainment against alternatives

This analysis critiques the Amazon miniseries "Steal" (starring Sophie Turner) as soft propaganda that ultimately reinforces the "Epstein class" it appears to criticize. The article argues that the series uses Milo Carter-Walsh as a sacrificial body to absorb moral outrage while the wider network of war brokers, financiers, and security apparatus remains intact. The character of Darren Yoshida—a resistance leader with anti-capitalist rhetoric—is reduced to a caricature, condemned as naïve and dangerous. The ending reinforces the ideological message: individual theft (Milo's £20 million accepted by protagonists) is rewarded, while collective transformation (Yoshida's £10 million project) is rejected. The author concludes that "Steal" substitutes personal escape for genuine change, serving as propaganda for the existing order.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528715/Entertainment-against-alternatives

Ansarullah leader ties Riyadh to Epstein as Yemen locks in naval blockade

Hundreds of thousands rallied in Sana'a in support of Yemen's naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, following Ansarullah leader Sayyid Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's address. He condemned U.S.-Saudi airstrikes on Iraqi PMF bases and Arbaeen pilgrims as part of a "Zionist-American campaign" for a "Greater Israel." Al-Houthi exposed Saudi officials' alleged 2017 gift of Kaaba Kiswah curtain pieces to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, citing DOJ-released photos and emails, and called for an Islamic investigation. He vowed to maintain the Bab al-Mandeb embargo until the siege on Yemen and allies is lifted. Saudi Arabia's 50-nation maritime coalition faces obstacles, with regional states hesitating to participate.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528745/Ansarullah-leader-ties-Riyadh-to-Epstein-as-Yemen-locks-in-naval

Iran, Azerbaijan forge stronger economic ties with new customs agreement

Iran and Azerbaijan signed a customs cooperation MoU at the Bileh Savar border to facilitate trade and transit. The agreement aims to address border congestion and infrastructure gaps, with both sides committing to 24-hour online communication for issue resolution. Key infrastructure projects include completing bridges at Astara and Nakhchivan, the Kalaleh–Aghband bridge, and the Astara rail terminal. A broader 10-sector cooperation document covers transport, energy (joint oil blocks, power grid connections), water projects (Khoda Afarin and Qiz Qalesi dams), customs, industry, tourism, and agriculture. Iran aims to increase INSTC transit to 15 million tons by 2030. Trade has reached ~$650 million annually, with both sides expressing high-level political commitment.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528728/Iran-Azerbaijan-forge-stronger-economic-ties-with-new-customs

🏅 Iranian swimmer wins gold medal in Kazakhstan

🔹The West Asian Swimming Championships (AOSI 2026) kicked off today in Astana, Kazakhstan, with Iran's national team competing among the region's top swimmers.

🔹In the 100m backstroke (Open category), Hoomer Abbasi delivered a stellar performance, clocking 57.45 seconds to finish ahead of all competitors and claim the gold medal.