Tehran [Iran], March 20 (ANI): Iranian authorities accorded a hero's welcome to the national women's football team upon their return from Australia, where several members had briefly sought asylum before withdrawing their applications, Al Jazeera reported.
(Photo credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-Imagn Images) The president of Iran's soccer federation said his country would 'boycott the United States, but not the World Cup' as it attempts to move its group stage matches south of the border to Mexico.
Nowruz and the turning of the year have always carried, even in the happiest times, a blend of celebration and sorrow. Remembering the departed is part of welcoming the new year.
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], March 19 (ANI): The ongoing conflict in West Asia and the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei continue to affect communities in India, with the Shia community in Rajasthan announcing that they will not celebrate Eid this year. Members of the community will instead offer prayers, wearing black armbands as a mark of mourning.
Nigel Farage says Sadiq Khan attempted 'dominance' over 'our culture' by praying in public Submitted by Imran Mulla on Thu, 03/19/2026 - 11:02 The Reform leader's tirade came after the London mayor was seen praying among other Muslims at an interfaith event in London Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage speaks during a party press conference in central London on 17 March 2026 (AFP) Off Reform leader Nigel Farage has claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan "headed up" a group of people "attempting dominance over our capital city and our culture" after he prayed with other Muslims at an interfaith event in Trafalgar Square over the weekend. The event in London's iconic landmark reportedly attracted people of many different faiths and Khan hailed it as the "biggest iftar in the western world". The mayor said in an address to the crowd that he had met Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and atheists attending the event.
From the Balkans to Bengal: How Persian culture has left an imprint around the globe Submitted by Imran Mulla on Wed, 03/18/2026 - 14:48 Since the start of the Iran war, in India and Pakistan there has been a renewed interest in Iran’s cultural ties with South Asia A Mughal miniature from 1574 to 1575 shows the Emperor Akbar's troops in pursuit of enemies (Wikimedia Commons) Off In March 1986 Sayyid Ali Khamenei , who would three years later become Iran ’s supreme leader, gave a speech at a major conference in Tehran on the Indian poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal. Iqbal lived in British India and engaged in the politics of that land. He died in 1938 and never visited Iran.
Berlinale 2026: Arab and Turkish filmmakers deliver strong line-up despite Gaza controversy Submitted by Joseph Fahim on Wed, 03/18/2026 - 09:18 Palestinian-Syrian director Abdallah al-Khatib ruffled the feathers of the German elite with his passionate defence of the Palestinian cause A scene from Rania Rafei's 'The Day of Wrath: Tales from Tripoli' (Orjuane Productions) Off After a week of “will they, won’t they” speculation, as this writer had anticipated , Tricia Tuttle, the artistic director of the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), has not been removed from her post, despite hints to the contrary from right-wing German tabloids. Several letters of support have since been signed by Berlinale staff, as well as filmmakers and programmers from around the world. “Supporting genuine freedom of expression, including the freedom to articulate imperfect or unpopular opinions, has never been more important,” one open letter reads The German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported that Tricia Tuttle will remain in her position “after agreeing to plans for an advisory council and a code of conduct”, according to Wolfram Weimer, chair of the festival’s supervisory committee, Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin (KBB).
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Mexico said on Tuesday that the country stands ready to host some of Iran’s matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nowruz is approaching with far less of its usual energy across Iran this year, as many families abandon long-standing New Year preparations while war, economic strain and an atmosphere of uncertainty dampen the festive mood.
Iran has always been the target of invaders and has outlived them all Submitted by Hamid Dabashi on Mon, 03/16/2026 - 05:48 For Iranians, the current assault is part of a much longer history in which repeated invasions have tested the country's civilisation but never succeeded in breaking it An Iranian flag flutters as a digger arrives to remove debris from buildings destroyed in US-Israeli military strikes on the capital Tehran, on 15 March 2026 (Atta Kenare/AFP) On Iranians have a very long historical memory. The way they talk about the Alexander invasion of Persia in 344 BC, it is as if it happened last week on Tuesday. The subsequent Arab and Mongol conquests of the seventh and 13th centuries happened just a few days ago.
These are the heritage sites devastated by US and Israeli attacks in Iran Iran ’s history is layered with conquest, cultural renewal and craftsmanship - all of which can be seen in its remarkable heritage sites. The iconic turquoise domes of Isfahan and the intricate interiors of mosques and palaces across the country are internationally renowned. Iran's architectural heritage can be divided roughly into two eras.
Baby lies | Fuel price fairness | Gut feelings | Fifa fiasco | Human connection | Cooking instructions When gently asked about a pen scribble in a picture book “Goodness, I wonder who did that? ”, 27-month-old Emily confidently retorted “Nancy! ” – our miniature dachshund ( Little liars: babies younger than one practise deceit, study suggests, 16 March ).
(Photo credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-Imagn Images) Iran has given no indication it intends to remove its national team from this summer's FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a representative for the Asian Football Confederation said Monday.
Bardem hits out at film industry for lack of activism Actor Javier Bardem has called out members of the film industry for their lack of activism at Sunday's Oscars . Bardem , 57, told the Independent that "I think it's comfortable-ness" that prevented members of the industry from speaking out. He added, "I think they don't want to feel, themselves, uncomfortable.
Several players were granted Australian visas after concerns the team would face repercussions at home.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s heritage campaign director demanded UNESCO condemn damage to the Abbasian Mosque near Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Square during the US-Israeli aggression on Iran.
Los Angeles [US], March 16 (ANI): At major events, especially the Oscars, celebrities have often used the platform to highlight important global issues alongside celebrating cinema. At the 98th Academy Awards, actor Javier Bardem did the same. On Sunday night, Javier Bardem took to the stage to present the Oscar for best international film with actress Priyanka Chopra.
‘I did it for the people,’ says Farbod Mehr, of song drawing lyrics from the work of revolutionary 20th-century poet Aref Qazvini A stirring song – sung, apparently, by a young woman, with lyrics expressing the hope that sacrifice will lead to a better future – has become a soundtrack for Iranians in the first part of 2026, as the country experienced the brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests and then the US-Israeli air assault, now in its third week. However, the singer, called Nava, is a product of artificial intelligence, created by a London-based artist of Iranian origin, Farbod Mehr. Continue reading...
Sizing up | Kind Hearts and Coronets | Accounting for taste | Deranged scumbags Regarding unusual measurements ( Letters, 13 March ), at the time of conversion to the metric system in the 1970s, a colleague proposed a novel set of standard units – the barleycorn, firkin, fortnight system. The barleycorn unit of length, based historically on one-third of the length of Henry VIII’s thumb to the first joint (about one inch); the firkin unit of weight equivalent to nine gallons of water; the fortnight unit of time – a micro-fortnight is about 1. 2 seconds.
Veteran Al Jazeera journalist Jamal Rayyan dies aged 72 Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Sun, 03/15/2026 - 15:19 Rayyan made history by becoming the first presenter to appear on Al Jazeera Arabic and deliver its inaugural address Jamal Rayyan was born in the city of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank of Palestine on 23 August 1953 and held Jordanian citizenship (Al Jazeera) Off Veteran broadcaster Jamal Rayyan, one of the most recognisable figures in Arab television news and a founding voice of Al Jazeera, has died at the age of 72 after a media career spanning more than five decades. Rayyan was widely regarded as a pioneering figure in modern Arab journalism and played a central role in shaping the identity of Al Jazeera following its launch in 1996. He made history as the first presenter to appear on the network, delivering the inaugural news bulletin that marked the beginning of a new era in Arab media.
