Pezeshkian arrives in New Delhi for BRICS summit

New round of Lebanon-Israel talks to be held in Rome

🔹Despite no progress in previous direct negotiations, Israeli media reported a new round of talks between Lebanon and the Zionist regime will be held in Rome on Tuesday and Wednesday

Iran, South Korea FMs hold phone call on regional developments

🔹Foreign Ministers Abbas Araghchi and Cho Hyun held a telephone conversation on Friday morning to discuss the latest regional developments.

🔹The call comes after Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman warned South Korea earlier this week that any military presence in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz would be considered "direct support for the American aggressor" with serious consequences.

Araghchi: American people should not pay for Israel's wars

🔹Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao's admission that Iran's Armed Forces "leveled the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain," saying the statement deserves gratitude for its candor.

🔹"He is right—our powerful Armed Forces did indeed level the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, just as they did with other bases supporting US aggression," Araghchi wrote on X.

🔹"The American people should not have to pay the price for Israel's wars."

Baghaei: Iran committed to ensuring maritime security in Strait of Hormuz

🔹Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that Iran is committed to ensuring maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that this cannot be guaranteed as long as US aggression—including the naval blockade and economic war—continues.

🔹"Iran considers itself committed to efforts to secure shipping in the Strait, but naturally, as long as US aggressive actions and illegal interventions continue, maritime security cannot be guaranteed," he said.

Araghchi: US debt financing crisis is just the beginning

🔹Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the crisis stemming from the cost of financing US debts "is just the beginning," as global confidence in the American financial system erodes.

🔹"The US Treasury Secretary proudly boasts of wanting to impoverish Iranians and collapse our economy. But instead, he stands helpless before public opinion—while the world increasingly loses trust in the US financial system," Araghchi wrote on X.

🔹He added: "The crisis caused by the cost of financing US debts is only the start of the story."

Iran President Pezeshkian meets India PM

Pezeshkian at BRICS: Economic security inseparable from national security

🔹Speaking at the BRICS Economic Summit in India, President Masoud Pezeshkian said economic security cannot be separated from national and regional security, warning that pressure on trade, energy, or financial systems transcends borders.

🔹He called for BRICS to move "from potential to operational cooperation," urging joint trade, investment, and financing networks.

🔹Pezeshkian proposed a $10 billion joint BRICS reinsurance company, expanded use of national currencies, and transforming the New Development Bank into the bloc's main financing engine.

🔹He also stressed food and energy security, offering Iran as a strategic partner in energy, food, and transportation supply chains.

Museum featuring 220 sound and music artifacts opens in Tehran’s Azadi Tower

A museum with over 220 musical instruments and sound-related objects has opened at Tehran’s Azadi Tower. The collection includes Iranian and international instruments, plus vintage recording and playback equipment such as gramophones, radios and tape machines. Officials say it aims to preserve Iran’s musical heritage and host specialized cultural events. The opening ceremony featured an Iranian music ensemble performance.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529867/Museum-featuring-220-sound-and-music-artifacts-opens-in-Tehran-s

Moscow: Russia and Iran Will Continue to Strengthen Strategic Partnership

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a statement today (Friday) that Russia and Iran will continue to strengthen their strategic partnership.

Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, met with Mehdi Sobhani, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who had traveled to Moscow on a working visit.

According to a statement published on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: During a substantive conversation, the two sides exchanged views on current issues related to bilateral relations and cooperation in the field of foreign policy, and reaffirmed their commitment to the continuous strengthening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Iran.

‼️ Exclusive interview:

Technofascism Is Already Here; Big Tech Built It, Warns Philosopher

In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Vienna-based philosopher Mark Coeckelbergh warns that Big Tech, led by figures like Peter Thiel and Palantir's Alex Karp, is building a new authoritarianism through AI, mass surveillance, and militarization. He argues that Silicon Valley's anti-democratic ideology, glorification of war, and close ties to governments threaten freedom worldwide. Coeckelbergh calls for a "quiet revolution" toward digital humanism—grounded in education, regulation, and global governance—to halt Big Tech's power grab and prevent a post-democratic future.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529911/Technofascism-is-already-here-Big-Tech-built-it

Ansar Allah Now Commands Strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait

Yemeni Armed Forces have seized control of Yemen's western coast, capturing over 5,400 square kilometers and securing the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait. The sweeping operation expelled Saudi-backed forces from six districts, with weapons and prisoners captured. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree confirmed the maritime ban on Saudi vessels remains active. With Ansar Allah controlling Bab al-Mandab and Iran controlling Hormuz, Saudi oil exports face severe constraints. This strategic victory marks a major blow to US and Saudi influence, strengthening Yemen's position at the critical maritime chokepoint.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529918/Ansar-Allah-Now-Commands-Bab-al-Mandab-Strait

Iranian Strikes Force UAE to Dismantle AI Mega-Campus Plans

The UAE is dismantling its 5-gigawatt AI project, abandoning a centralized Abu Dhabi campus for dispersed, hardened facilities in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Iranian missile and drone strikes—including March attacks on AWS data centers and April targeting footage of Stargate UAE—have shattered the safe haven myth for regional autocracies hosting US forces. Abu Dhabi's gamble of embedding critical infrastructure beside Al Dhafra Air Base has backfired, forcing costly underground relocation. No Western air defense shield can protect infrastructure built in the shadow of US military bases.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529920/Iranian-strikes-force-UAE-to-dismantle-plans-for-its-AI-mega-campus

A Quarter Century of US War Crimes at Wedding Celebrations

Dr. Saied Reza Ameli documents over 25 years of US airstrikes targeting wedding celebrations across Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran—from the 2002 Uruzgan attack to the September 1, 2026 strike on a Kuhestak wedding in Hormozgan that killed five and wounded nearly 70, including a four-year-old child. Weapons analyses confirmed American JSOW or SLAM-ER munitions. The author demands an independent international fact-finding committee, legal prosecution, and accountability, arguing these attacks form a systematic pattern of state terror against civilians.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529901/A-quarter-century-of-US-war-crimes-at-wedding-celebrations

"Land of Angels" Wins Grand Prix at Kazan International Film Festival

Iranian filmmaker Babak Khajehpasha's "Land of Angels" won the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at the 22nd Altyn Minbar Kazan International Film Festival. The film, depicting the plight of children in Gaza, also earned Best Actress for Syrian star Sulaf Fawakherji and Best Cinematography for Alireza Barazandeh. Receiving the award from Majid Majidi, Khajehpasha said the film was the least he could do for Palestinian children. The production previously won five Crystal Simorgh awards at Iran's Fajr International Film Festival.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/529893/Land-of-Angels-wins-Grand-Prix-at-Kazan-International-Film

Army chief: Army-IRGC unity is Iran's 'iron shield'

🔹Army Commander-in-Chief Major General Amir Hatami praised the IRGC as a pillar of Iran's national power, security, and deterrence for over four decades.

🔹He said enemy hostility toward the IRGC proves its decisive role in protecting national authority.

🔹Honoring martyred commanders including Hossein Salami, Mohammad Pakpour, and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Hatami emphasized that the IRGC—in coordination with the Army—remains "a solid barrier against any threat."

🔹"The unbreakable unity of the Army and IRGC is the iron shield protecting our country against conspiracies."