‘Global energy markets future: Capital flight from Persian Gulf energy industries’

International energy expert Fereydoun Barkeshli told IRNA that capital flight from Persian Gulf oil and gas industries now poses a greater threat than price volatility, fueling uncertainty in global energy markets. Following the collapse of Iran-U.S. talks in Islamabad, President Trump threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz. While roughly 10 million barrels per day of regional supply were cut off, prices only briefly spiked to $119 per barrel due to ample stockpiles and OPEC+ oversupply. Barkeshli noted that Trump, facing weak congressional majorities and midterm elections, wants a quick resolution. He warned that oil companies have become hesitant to invest in the region, with the UAE particularly vulnerable.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/525542/Global-energy-markets-future-Capital-flight-from-Persian-Gulf

Iran to launch campaign to restore war-damaged heritage sites

Iran will launch a national and international campaign to restore historical sites damaged during the recent war with the US and Israel, Cultural Heritage Minister Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri announced Saturday. The restoration process will begin immediately after the conflict ends. A four-stage plan—documenting damage, estimating losses, studying restoration methods, and securing funding—is underway. A coordinating meeting will be held on May 22 in Tehran. The minister condemned US-Israeli attacks on cultural heritage and vowed international legal action. Preliminary estimates show over 140 historical buildings have been damaged.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/525587/Iran-to-launch-campaign-to-restore-war-damaged-heritage-sites

✍️ Ranjan Solomon

Lebanon under fire: Ceasefire as cover, law as casualty

What is unfolding in Lebanon raises serious concerns about the role of ceasefires in modern conflicts. Rather than ending violence, ceasefires may serve as strategic pauses that consolidate battlefield gains and shape future negotiations. The ongoing developments highlight the fragility of the current truce, whose durability depends more on shifting power dynamics than formal commitments.

The conflict’s asymmetrical nature has also intensified civilian suffering, with military operations increasingly affecting populated areas. International humanitarian law calls for greater restraint, yet patterns on the ground suggest growing erosion of legal safeguards.

The situation in Lebanon underscores a troubling reality: when ceasefires fail to ensure accountability, they risk regulating conflict rather than resolving it.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/525591/Lebanon-Under-Fire-Ceasefire-as-Cover-Law-as-Casualty

In a heartfelt letter to Pope Leo XIV, the parents of Iranian schoolgirls who lost their lives in the Minab incident have expressed gratitude for the Pope’s stance on human rights. They have also urged His Holiness to serve as the “voice of the voiceless.”

The appeal underscores the family’s desire for international attention to their tragedy. 🌍

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov discussed the latest regional and international developments in a telephone conversation.

The two top diplomats exchanged views on key issues of mutual interest.

Pezeshkian: Iranians will not yield to pressure

President Masoud Pezeshkian:

"Commitment to obligations provides a valid basis for any dialogue. Beyond the deep historical mistrust Iran has toward the past behavior and performance of the U.S. government, the unconstructive and contradictory approach of U.S. officials in recent days carries a bitter message: they seek Iran's submission. The Iranian people will not bow to pressure."

Mohammad Mokhber, an advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution:

💬 "Diplomacy is only desirable for the nation along the path of 'the field' and authority.

We are vigilant that negotiations do not become a cover for a 'war of attrition' strategy and the prolongation of war.

In this balance, any miscalculation by the adversary will pull the trigger of 'final chastisement'—a response that may extend beyond the region, transforming the future equations of the world."

Oldest Sa'dabad Palace building destroyed in US-Israeli attack

🔹The "Ali Khan Vali" mansion, known as "Ahmadshahi Palace"—the oldest building in Sa'dabad Palace complex has been extensively damaged and destroyed due to heavy US-Zionist airstrikes.

US shifts goalposts as Iran stands unyielding

With a fragile two-week ceasefire near its end, Iran has taken a firm stance against Washington’s violations. The truce, reached April 8 after Trump accepted Iran’s 10-point plan, was meant to end a 39-day US-Israeli war. But Washington has since imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and seized an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman—acts Tehran condemns as “maritime piracy.”

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz in response. While the US demands new talks in Islamabad, Iran insists Washington drop its “excessive demands.” Officials view negotiations as an extension of the battlefield: “If it yields achievements… it’s an opportunity. But not if Americans turn it into bullying.” With Trump’s approval at 37%, the ball is in Washington’s court.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/525625/US-shifts-goalposts-as-Iran-stands-unyielding

Tears among the rubble: Diplomats witness strike aftermath on Tehran civilians

On April 20, foreign ambassadors and journalists toured civilian sites hit during recent conflict.

📍 First stop: Gandhi Hospital—struck on the war’s second day. Once a place of healing, now silent. Wards emptied, medical equipment damaged, corridors scarred.

The delegation also visited damaged residential neighborhoods, schools, and cultural landmarks—each revealing more civilian suffering.

For diplomats, the scenes were impossible to ignore. For Tehran’s residents, impossible to forget.

A haunting question lingers: Will the voices of the affected be heard beyond these streets?