The Three Snakes of Zahhak
In the Persian classic Shahnameh, Ferdowsi tells the story of Zahhak, the usurper king who is kissed on each shoulder by Ahriman, the spirit of evil, and finds two black snakes growing from the wounds.
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Museums in Iran to Reopen Only after Security Clearance
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s museums will remain closed until the country’s senior security authorities determine that conditions are safe following the US-Israeli war of aggression, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi Amiri said.
‘Dawn of A New World Order’ Unveiled in Iraq
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The book “Dawn of a New World Order” was unveiled during the conference “The New World Order in the Thought of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei,” held at the Intisar Hall in Baghdad on August 15.
The Iranian YouTube Show Posing Questions Few Dare Ask
Azad, a popular online debate program, has tackled topics that push the limits of Iran’s authoritarian system. Some wonder how it has remained on air.
President Lauds Iranian Girls for Asian Weightlifting Runner-Up Finish
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated the country’s girls’ weightlifting team on securing a historic runner-up finish at the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan.
Global tricolour relay, landmark illuminations, and worldwide felicitations mark India's 80th independence day
New Delhi [India], August 15 (ANI): As India marks its 80th Independence Anniversary, Indian embassies, high commissions, and international partner nations across the globe have rolled out vibrant celebrations, cultural showcases, and high-profile diplomatic gestures.
'Mayfair means money': A walk through the Gulf elite's favourite part of London
'Mayfair means money': A walk through the Gulf elite's favourite part of London Submitted by Oscar Rickett on Fri, 08/14/2026 - 13:01 In Mayfair, wealthy tourists from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and elsewhere in the Gulf visit restaurants and department stores as London bakes in the heat Selfridges department store in central London is pictured in 2022 (AFP) Off It is 10am on Thursday, but the temperature on the streets of central London is already pushing beyond 30C, in what is set to be the UK ’s hottest summer on record. Outside Oxford Street’s Selfridges, the sun beats down on the pavement, a homeless man asks for change and a discarded free newspaper tells of yet more wildfires across the country. Inside, the air conditioning runs smoothly and a concession selling Arabic coffee promotes Saudi Arabia , whose Public Investment Fund now owns 40 percent of the famous department store.
Christopher Nolan remakes 'The Odyssey' as an Anglo-American imperial fantasy
Christopher Nolan remakes 'The Odyssey' as an Anglo-American imperial fantasy Submitted by Hamid Dabashi on Mon, 08/10/2026 - 05:40 Homer's epic emerged from the eastern Mediterranean, but Hollywood's latest adaptation continues a long tradition of appropriating ancient Greece for an invented western identity Matt Damon, Christopher Nolan and Anne Hathaway attend the New York premiere of 'The Odyssey' at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on 14 July 2026 (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images via AFP) On By sheer serendipity, I watched Christopher Nolan's new film, The Odyssey , far from the madding crowd of Hollywood hype, in a small Greek town called Markopoulo Mesogaias. A historic little municipality in the East Attica region of Greece, it is a 15-minute ride from the temple ruins of the fifth-century BCE Sanctuary of Artemis at Vravrona (ancient Brauron), dedicated to the goddess of wild nature and childbirth. Artemis is also the name of the cinema where we sat to see Sir Christopher Nolan's new film, located right behind the splendid Saint John Orthodox Church of Markopoulo, built in 1904.
Iran International's Negar Mojtahedi wins top Canadian journalism honor
Iran International's Negar Mojtahedi has won Canada's 2026 Bill Good Award, part of the Jack Webster honors regarded as western Canada's preeminent journalism awards, cited for reporting that bridged the gulf between the West and Iran, often at risk to her own safety.
When the language of home is no longer the language of life
The child understands every word her grandmother says in Persian. She answers in English. She can ask what's for dinner in her parents' language, but not describe her anxiety, her love or her future in it.
Over 4 Million Pilgrims Gather in Mashhad for Mourning Ceremonies
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – More than 4 million pilgrims have gathered in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to take part in mourning ceremonies marking the final days of Safar, with more than 700,000 people making their way to the city on foot, an official said.
Iranians Hold Mourning Ceremonies to Mark Prophet’s Passing, Imam Hassan’s Martyrdom
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranians across the country held mourning ceremonies on Wednesday, August 12, to mark the passing anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hassan (AS), the second Imam of Shiite Muslims.
Iran-Pakistan Razavi Culture Event Held at Imam Reza (AS) Shrine
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The “Iran-Pakistan Razavi Culture Event” and a poetry night were held at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad for Urdu-speaking pilgrims.
Iran name 12-member kabaddi squad for Asian Games 2026, Fazel Atrachali to lead
New Delhi [India], August 11 (ANI): Veteran defender Fazel Atrachali and all-rounder Mohammadreza Shadloui will headline Iran's 12-member men's kabaddi squad for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Atrachali, 34, will captain Iran at the continental showpiece and is set to make his fifth Asian Games appearance.
Iran’s reality TV boom abroad captures a generation in limbo
Persian-language reality shows filmed outside Iran are giving young Iranians freedoms that would be impossible on television under the Islamic Republic, while revealing another side of life abroad: uncertainty over work, residency, identity and where ultimately to belong.
The Mediterranean’s own odyssey: An ecological treasure feels the strain
More than 2,500 years after Homer’s epic was first told, Christopher Nolan's blockbuster retelling of The Odyssey has brought the journey back to big screens worldwide. But, behind the sweeping plot is another character facing an odyssey of its own: the Mediterranean Sea.
Iran, Azerbaijan Weigh Plans to Boost Sports Cooperation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Ministers from Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan agreed to strengthen cooperation in sports and youth affairs, including joint training camps, competitions, exchanges of athletes and coaches, and talent development programs.
Iran, Iraq Plan to Expand Academic Cooperation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran and Iraq have agreed to accelerate existing academic agreements and broaden cooperation in higher education, research and student exchanges, with Tehran offering to share its experience in expanding the Arab country’s university system.
Turkey: Mo Salah welcomed by fans chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ after move to Trabzonspor
Turkey: Mo Salah welcomed by fans chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ after move to Trabzonspor Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Wed, 08/05/2026 - 11:44 The 34-year-old Egyptian forward was mobbed by supporters following his reported two-year deal with the Turkish club Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah gestures as he arrives at Istanbul Ataturk Airport to complete his transfer to Turkish football club Trabzonspor in Istanbul on 5 August 2026 (Ozan Kose / AFP) Off Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Trabzonspor this week, triggering a social media frenzy across the country. The “Egyptian King” will reportedly receive a €5m ($5. 6m) signing bonus and a guaranteed annual salary of €17m ($19.
Iran, Iraq Put 180 Scientific Cooperation Deals into Effect
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s minister of science said approximately 180 cooperation agreements between Iranian and Iraqi universities have moved into the implementation stage as academic relations between the two countries continue to grow.
