Araghchi arrives in Pakistan with Pezeshkian delegation
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday as part of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation on a state visit to Pakistan, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
Araghchi was received at Nur Khan Airbase by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the ministry said.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the two countries shared ties rooted in history, faith and culture, and welcomed the Iranian delegation to Islamabad.
Iran and Oman formed a joint committee to hold talks on the Strait of Hormuz after an Iranian delegation’s visit to Muscat, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday.
Ghalibaf said further details would be included in a joint statement to be released later.
The Israeli military said it struck armed militants in southern Lebanon on Tuesday after identifying a cell operating close to Israeli soldiers in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area.
The IDF said the militants posed an immediate threat to soldiers operating in what it described as the Security Zone, and that troops struck them north of the zone to remove the threat.
The military said it would continue to act against immediate threats and would not allow Hezbollah to harm Israeli civilians or soldiers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s confrontation with Iran and its allies was “not over,” during a meeting last Thursday with reserve officer cadets in Gush Etzion, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.
“We are now facing Iran and its proxies. We struck them. It is not over yet, but it depends on our strength,” he said, according to the reports.
He said Israel’s position over the next 30 years would depend on its power and that the country was now building “greater strength.”
He also called for reducing dependence on US weapons, while saying he appreciated American support.
“I want arms independence,” he said. “We need an independent arms system of our own. We are producing our own weapons.”
Soaring gym fees and shrinking household budgets are forcing many Iranians to abandon sports and fitness activities, turning what was once a routine part of daily life into an unaffordable luxury, according to messages sent to Iran International.
Monthly gym memberships that were once within reach for many families now cost at least 20 million rials ($12.5) in smaller cities. In some gyms in Tehran and other major urban centers, 12 training sessions can cost as much as 200 million rials ($125). The average wage in Iran is $150.
Gym owners say inflation, rising rents, higher energy bills and the growing cost of imported equipment have left them little choice but to raise fees. For many households, however, food, housing and transportation now take priority over exercise.
Teen athletes forced to quit
Many of the messages received by Iran International on the issue came from teenagers who said financial pressures were disrupting their athletic ambitions.
A 15-year-old taekwondo athlete said she had spent months trying to save enough money to buy a punching bag. A 13-year-old basketball player said he had been forced to stop training indoors because of rising fees.
A university student in Mashhad said gym membership remained out of reach despite a strong interest in fitness.
“Registering at a gym and working out is something I still want to do, but my salary is so low that I cannot afford it,” the student said.
The decline in participation is also hitting gym owners and coaches.
A gym manager in eastern Tehran said the number of clients at his facility had fallen to roughly one-third of previous levels, despite keeping membership fees unchanged.
Coaches in several cities said they had lost most of their students in recent months and lacked both fixed salaries and insurance coverage. Many warned that smaller sports businesses could face closure if the trend continues.
Rising costs beyond membership fees
The financial pressure extends beyond gym subscriptions. Coaches and athletes say the price of protein-rich foods and sports supplements has climbed sharply, making it harder to maintain training programs.
Citizens reported that whey protein now costs around 200 million rials ($125), while a 300-gram container of creatine sells for about 40 million rials ($25).
Football players also pointed to soaring equipment costs, saying cleats priced below 50 million rials ($31) have become difficult to find. One player said football field rental fees can also reach 50 million rials ($31).
Health experts have long warned that lower levels of physical activity can contribute to higher healthcare costs over time. For many Iranians, however, regular exercise is increasingly becoming a financial burden rather than a basic part of a healthy lifestyle.
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq received Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at Al Barakah Palace on Tuesday to discuss the latest developments in Iran-US negotiations, the Oman News Agency reported.
The sultan listened to the Iranian side’s explanations on the different tracks of the talks and expressed support for the negotiations.
He voiced hope that the talks would lead to a peaceful and definitive settlement of outstanding issues, including the restoration of safe and unhindered navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear file and other related matters.
