President Masoud Pezeshkian held a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan's capital .

Trump's Venezuelan delusion: same foolish blueprint he plots for Iran

Trump claims he'll refill US oil reserves with "the biggest oil deal in history"—taking 65 billion barrels from Venezuela. But critics say it's a delusion: Venezuela's oil infrastructure is crumbling, and the plan can't fix America's depleted SPR. Worse, the same reckless blueprint is now being eyed for Iran—a vastly more resilient adversary.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529555/Trump-s-Venezuelan-delusion-Same-foolish-blueprint-he-plots

Mecca Pact nations announce permanent secretariat, defense cooperation boost

🔹Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have agreed to establish a permanent secretariat in Riyadh under the "Mecca Defense Alliance," following the first meeting of the pact's Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Istanbul .

🔹The secretariat will initially be headed by a Pakistani secretary-general for a three-year term .

🔹The three countries reaffirmed their commitment to de-escalation, self-restraint, and institutionalizing cooperation to enhance "collective deterrence and defense" .

🔹They will also boost defense capabilities through joint military industry cooperation . The pact, signed on August 7, considers an armed attack on any member as an attack on all .

IRGC shoots down US MQ-9 drone over Strait of Hormuz

🔹The IRGC announced that its modern air defense system intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz moments ago, with the aircraft crashing into the waters of the Persian Gulf .

From rail to coast and wellness: A new tourism chain takes shape in northern Iran

A media tour from Tehran to Bandar-e Anzali showcased HEGTA's plan to link railway travel, coastal resorts, and wellness services into a unified tourism chain. Key projects include the Gilora wellness complex—blending traditional medicine with modern health programs—and new prefab villa developments. The goal is transforming Anzali Coastal Village into a diversified destination offering recreation and health services.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529539/From-rail-to-coast-and-wellness-A-new-tourism-chain-takes-shape

Iran strikes US bases in Jordan, UAE, vows 'more devastating' responses to every attack

Iran's IRGC and Army launched coordinated missile and drone strikes on US bases in Jordan and the UAE's al-Minhad Air Base, in response to a US attack on Larak Island that killed and wounded several Iranians. Tehran warned every aggression will be met with "even more devastating" responses, stressing its right to self-defense under international law.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529559/Iran-strikes-US-bases-in-Jordan-UAE-vows-more-devastating

Armed Forces: US has no choice but to leave region

🔹The Armed Forces General Staff and Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that despite official denials by some regional states, the US continues to use their territory against Iran.

🔹"We will not tolerate any aggression and will deliver far heavier responses—as demonstrated last night," the statement said.

🔹The military emphasized that "the US aggressor army has no choice but to leave the region" and warned facilitators that Iran's Armed Forces will "crush any source of aggression."

🔹"You have tested our resolve before—do not test it again," the statement concluded.

Satellite imagery shows destruction at Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base after IRGC missile strike

General Naqdi: Over 90% of Iran's missile reserves remain intact

IRGC General Naqdi has dismissed rumors of missile depletion, stating over 90% of Iran's strategic stockpiles remain intact—with domestic production offsetting operational use. Meanwhile, US media reports reveal Washington's strikes have failed to neutralize Iran's underground networks, while depleting US interceptor inventories faster than replacements can be produced.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529565/General-Naqdi-Over-90-percent-of-Iran-s-missile-reserves-remain

The looming failure of Operation Economic Outcast

Washington's "Operation Economic Outcast" aims to choke Iran's oil exports, but analysts say it's illegal, cruel, and doomed. China and Pakistan have already refused to comply. With Hormuz closed, global supply is strained, and the campaign targets Beijing directly—risking retaliatory rare earth curbs that could cripple US industry. The US has repudiated the UN Charter, and the world is turning away from dollar reliance.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529561/The-looming-failure-of-Operation-Economic-Outcast

Baghaei: EU has reduced itself to executor of US orders

🔹Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that the EU can no longer speak of "strategic autonomy" while reducing itself to implementing Washington's orders.

🔹Citing French philosopher Étienne de La Boétie, he noted that domination often takes shape through the compliance of those capable of independent action.

🔹"Strategic autonomy is achieved by showing the will to make independent decisions—even when they contradict a greater power," he said.

🔹Baghaei urged Europe to choose: "Be an independent actor, or mistake echoing US policy for independence."

Foreign Ministers Abbas Araghchi and Jeyhun Bayramov met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments .

Army air defense Cmdr. : New indigenous systems with no foreign equivalent in development

🔹Brigadier General Alireza Elhami, commander of Iran's Army Air Defense Force, announced that new fully indigenous air defense systems with "no known foreign equivalent" are being designed and will gradually become operational.

🔹He noted that during the 40-day war, Iran's domestically developed systems played a key role in downing over 200 enemy aircraft—partly because the enemy lacked full knowledge of their capabilities and operating methods.

🔹"In some cases, the enemy didn't know which system was targeting them, nor how to counter it," he said.

🔹The new systems will undergo field evaluation before entering mass production.

Army chief: War experience proved air defense's vital strategic importance

🔹Major General Amir Hatami, in a message marking National Air Defense Day, stated that the experience of recent wars has revealed the "vital and strategic importance" of air defense.

🔹"Today, the use of advanced indigenous equipment and systems, alongside the knowledge, faith, and round-the-clock readiness of air defense personnel, is a symbol of the Islamic Republic's defense authority and self-reliance in protecting the nation's skies," he said.