Kermanshah among West Asia’s oldest human settlement areas, researcher says

Kermanshah is one of the oldest known human settlement areas on the Iranian Plateau and West Asia, with evidence dating back one million years, researcher Mohsen Derekeh said. Abundant water, favorable climate, and the Zagros mountains made it an early habitat. Key sites include Bisotun Cave (excavated by Carlton Coon in the 1940s), Warwasi Rock Shelter (with Neanderthal and modern human tools), and Wezmeh Cave (yielding a Neanderthal child's tooth, 40,000–70,000 years old). Recent work continues to reveal early occupation evidence. Derekeh emphasized that studying Kermanshah's prehistoric sites is essential to understanding human settlement across the region.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528653/Kermanshah-among-West-Asia-s-oldest-human-settlement-areas-researcher

IRGC destroys 3 F-35 jets, damages 3 more at Jordan's Al-Azraq base in response to Qeshm massacre

📞 Iran FM warns Bulgaria: Allowing US use of Bezmer base is unacceptable

🔹Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a phone call with Bulgarian counterpart Velislava Petrova, condemned Bulgaria's decision to allow the US military to use the Bezmer Air Base in support of operations against Iran, calling it "unacceptable and contrary to the friendly relations between the two countries" .

🔹Citing UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 on the definition of aggression, Araghchi stressed: "Providing territory for another state to commit aggression against a third state constitutes an act of aggression" . Bulgaria's parliament recently approved hosting up to eight KC-135 tanker aircraft and 250 US personnel at the base .

🔹Araghchi made clear: "Any party that participates in military action against Iran, in any way, must accept responsibility for its consequences"—warning that Tehran will not hesitate to defend its national security and interests.

Lut Desert offers untapped potential for science, geotourism, experts say

Iran's Lut Desert, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the hottest places on Earth, holds significant potential for scientific research and geotourism, experts said at a conference marking its 10th inscription anniversary. University of Tehran geomorphologist Nasser Mashhadi described it as a "natural museum" featuring kaluts (yardangs), sand dunes, and rare "armoured mud balls." First ground-based measurements in July 2022 recorded a surface temperature of 73.5°C, confirming satellite data. The desert hosts heat-resistant plants and adapted animal species. Lut's kaluts—over 225 meters tall and 40 kilometers long—are the world's tallest and longest yardangs. Experts called for science-based management and community involvement.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528693/Lut-Desert-offers-untapped-potential-for-science-geotourism

📞 Iran FM, Cypriot counterpart discuss regional tensions, UK bases

🔹Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos held a phone call on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

🔹Araghchi stressed the need to prevent any misuse of foreign bases in Cyprus for acts of aggression against Iran, citing the UN General Assembly's Definition of Aggression (Resolution 3314), which classifies providing territory for aggression against a third state as an act of aggression itself .

🔹The Cypriot FM reaffirmed his country's commitment to the UN Charter and international law, stating that Cyprus has secured assurances from the UK that its bases on the island will not be used against any country, including Iran .

The return of an eagle: A tribute to the man who bequeathed the sky to his homeland

This tribute honors Brigadier General Pilot Majid Kazemi, a fallen Iranian fighter pilot whose remains were identified through DNA testing and are returning home. The piece describes him as embodying a generation of warriors who pledged to become the shield of Iran's skies. It reflects on the sacrifice of fighter pilots who understand that each flight may be their last, yet climb into the horizon driven by devotion to their homeland. Martyrdom is portrayed not as an end but as immortality—their blood nourishing freedom, their names etched into the conscience of history. The tribute concludes that such men transcend death, soaring into everlasting honor.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528706/The-return-of-an-eagle-A-tribute-to-the-man-who-bequeathed-the

Iran-Pakistan border development: New horizons for trade, regional connectivity

Recent Iran-Pakistan agreements aim to boost bilateral trade from $3 billion to $10 billion annually, focusing on Sistan-Baluchestan province—Iran's only border with Pakistan (930 km). Key initiatives include activating the Kuhak border crossing, expanding Rimdan (adjacent to Chabahar Free Zone), and reviving the ECO corridor connecting to CPEC. Challenges remain: financial mechanisms, customs standards, and container delays at Karachi Port. Solutions proposed include a green border corridor, 24/7 operations, and joint customs mechanisms. A joint committee between the two Balochistan provinces will oversee implementation. The agreements also encompass maritime transit, gas pipelines, railway development, and a 10,000-hectare economic zone around Rimdan.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528661/Iran-Pakistan-border-development-New-horizons-for-trade-regional

🔴 Baghaei: US and Zionist regime are primary factors in UN Charter's normative system decline

🔹Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei, in a post on X, cited UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' July 23 remarks warning of an "alarming disregard for international law," spreading impunity, and the Middle East being pulled into an "ever-widening circle of confrontation."

🔹Baghaei responded: "You are absolutely right, Mr. Secretary-General. But why don't you call a spade a spade? Why do you refuse to name the two primary culprits—the US and the Zionist regime?"

🔹"Why do you shy away from condemning those who have provided absolute impunity to perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, and aggression?"

🔹He urged Guterres to shoulder his responsibility and help prevent the UN and its normative system from suffering the same fate as the League of Nations .

Ghalibaf: Americans will pay the price

🔹In response to the recent US atrocity on Qeshm Island, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated:

🔹"The United States stains its hands with new crimes every day. The terrorist attack on residential homes in Qeshm is a continuation of the massacre in Minab and Lamerd."

🔹"Americans have grown accustomed to compensating for the blows they suffer on the battlefield by shedding the blood of innocents. They will pay the price."

Araghchi warns against Israeli false-flag operations; Egypt's security a priority

🔹Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Egypt as "an important friend and partner" in the region, stressing that its security is of "utmost importance" to Tehran.

🔹"We must all be vigilant against Israeli plots and false-flag operations designed to undermine regional peace. The threat is clear, mutual, and fearful of Muslim solidarity," Araghchi wrote on X .

Iran, UK FMs hold phone call on bilateral, regional issues

🔹Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband held a telephone conversation on Friday to discuss bilateral relations as well as the latest regional and international developments .

‼️ Tehran Times Exclusive:

Destruction of Iran's cultural sites by Israel, US tantamount to destroying a civilization

Historian Touraj Daryaee, editor of Encyclopaedia Iranica, says over 130 registered Iranian monuments—including Golestan Palace ("the Versailles of Iran")—have been damaged since US-Israeli strikes began. He describes this as "tantamount to destroying somebody else's civilization." While international law is difficult to apply to superpowers, Daryaee notes that UNESCO designation can deter attacks and provide restoration funding. He intends to document the damage in Encyclopaedia Iranica entries. He argues these monuments are "sites of memory" for Iranians, and external attacks raise domestic awareness of cultural heritage. The response so far, he says, has been mostly rhetorical rather than protective.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528716/Destruction-of-Iran-s-cultural-sites-by-Israel-US-tantamount

Trump's economic failure: 97,000 workers axed amid AI hype, negligence

U.S. employers announced 97,000 job cuts in May—the highest for that month since 2020—a 16% surge from April and 3% year-over-year, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The tech sector lost 123,653 jobs in five months (up 66% from last year), with AI cited for 40% of May layoffs. Visa cut 2,600 workers, blaming AI. The article criticizes the Trump administration for inaction, arguing deregulation and tax cuts for billionaires incentivize corporate restructuring over worker retraining. It describes the White House as "negligent" and "ineffective," with no national strategy to address what it calls unchecked corporate greed.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/528726/Trump-s-economic-failure-97-000-workers-axed-amid-AI-hype-negligence

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 .