Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

Publisher: Jerusalem Post

Author:

28 Sep 2014

Barred from social media, Iranians demand access to Twitter

Iranians on Sunday launched a campaign on Twitter asking the social network to allow Iran-based users full account verification services, at the same time as the Twitter CEO called on the Islamic Republic to end its ban on the popular social network. Twitter, like Facebook, is officially banned in Iran. Iran blocked direct access to Twitter in 2009, saying that anti-government demonstrators were using the social network to organize mass protests.
Iranians on Sunday launched a campaign on Twitter asking the social network to allow Iran-based users full account...

Publisher: The Economic Times

Author:

28 Sep 2014

Iran builds surface-to-surface missile

From time to time Iran announces building new military devices, which cannot be independently verified. Iran began a self-sufficient military program in 1992, under which the country produces weapons from mortars to submarines
From time to time Iran announces building new military devices, which cannot be independently verified. Iran began a...

Publisher: lalehsr

Author:

27 Sep 2014

A number of recently detained cyber activists identified amid continued crackdown

In the wake of the continued crackdown on Internet freedom, a number of activists who were arrested by the Revolutionary Guards for their activities on social media and messaging outlets have been identified. According to CHRR, Omid Moghadam, Kourosh Najdad, Habib Dehghani, Mehdi Ghanbari and Hadi Ghanbari are among 11 individuals active on Facebook and social networks recently detained in Fars province. There is no news on the situation of these activists who were arrested by IRGC forces.
In the wake of the continued crackdown on Internet freedom, a number of activists who were arrested by the Revolutionary...

Publisher: gatestone institute

Author:

25 Sep 2014

Iran Executing Iran’s Mandela, Dissident Hero Ayatollah Boroujerdi

Now that the world's headlines are dominated by ISIS, and while Iran's President Hassan Rouhani is at the UN, the Iran is using these distractions to step up its executions, its mass-arrests of minorities, and now its execution of Ayatollah Boroujerdi -- that is if Iran, by again withholding crucial medical attention, does not passively execute him first.
Now that the world's headlines are dominated by ISIS, and while Iran's President Hassan Rouhani is at the UN, the Iran...

Publisher: NYTimes

Author:

25 Sep 2014

Iran’s President Says West’s Blunders Helped ISIS Rise

President Hassan Rouhani of Iran delivered a searing indictment of Western and Arab states on Thursday in his annual speech to the United Nations, blaming them for sowing the seeds of extremism in the Middle East with "strategic blunders" that have given rise to the Islamic State and other violent jihadist groups. "Certain intelligence agencies have put blades in the hands of madmen, who now spare no one," Mr. Rouhani said, adding that "all those who have played a role in founding and supporting these terror groups must acknowledge their errors" and apologize.
President Hassan Rouhani of Iran delivered a searing indictment of Western and Arab states on Thursday in his annual...

Publisher: Al Jazeera

Author:

25 Sep 2014

Family of detained UK citizen in Iran plea for her release

Ghoncheh Ghavami, a 25-year-old United Kingdom-Iranian citizen, has been in prison in Tehran since June 29 after being arrested for trying to enter a stadium to view a men s volleyball game. Now her brother has come to New York in the hope of bringing her case to the attention of Iran s President Hassan Rouhani, in town for the United Nations General Assembly. Iman Ghavami, a 28-year-old genetic researcher, hopes to meet with Rouhani - although he knows that s unlikely - or, at least, to draw attention to his sister's plight.
Ghoncheh Ghavami, a 25-year-old United Kingdom-Iranian citizen, has been in prison in Tehran since June 29 after being...

Publisher: NYTimes

Author:

24 Sep 2014

Iranian President Praises Cooperation in New York

In two days of back-to-back interviews, speeches and meetings in New York this week, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran has gone to some lengths to sound much like President Obama in describing the need to defeat Islamic radicals and to seize what may well be a last opportunity over the next two months to reach an accord with the West over Iran s nuclear program.
In two days of back-to-back interviews, speeches and meetings in New York this week, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran...

Publisher: Reuters

Author:

24 Sep 2014

Israel says Iran used Parchin military site for testing nuclear detonation technology

Israel said on Wednesday that Iran has used its Parchin military base as the site for secret tests of technology that could be used only for detonating a nuclear weapon. The Jewish state has been a severe critic of six big powers' negotiations with Iran on curbing its nuclear energy programme, suspecting Tehran is only trying to buy time to master sensitive nuclear know-how and would evade the terms of any final deal.
Israel said on Wednesday that Iran has used its Parchin military base as the site for secret tests of technology that...

Publisher: Fox News

Author:

22 Sep 2014

Concern over US concessions as Iran seeks to leverage ISIS issue in nuke talks

Republican lawmakers are raising alarm that Secretary of State John Kerry is putting too much on the table in talks over Iran's nuclear program -- as Tehran reportedly tries to leverage its cooperation in the Islamic State crisis in return for nuclear concessions from the U.S. and its allies. The White House denies that any such trade-off is in the works.
Republican lawmakers are raising alarm that Secretary of State John Kerry is putting too much on the table in talks over...

Publisher: RTE

Author:

22 Sep 2014

Iran Arrests 11 Over Insulting Text Messages

An Iranian newspaper says 11 people have been arrested in the south after allegedly sending text messages deemed insulting to the founder of the Islamic Republic, the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Haft-e-Sobh daily on Monday quoted Col. Ismaeil Mohebipour of the Revolutionary Guard, as saying the arrests were made after social networking applications on mobile phones - such as WhatsApp, Viber, Line and Tango - were monitored
An Iranian newspaper says 11 people have been arrested in the south after allegedly sending text messages deemed...

Publisher: Fars News

Author:

22 Sep 2014

Judiciary Spokesman: UN Chief’s Report on Human Rights Conditions in Iran “Ridiculous”

Ban Ki-moon's annual report on human rights in Iran expressed concern at executions in the country and what it called the limitations imposed on the press. In response Iranian officials blasted Ban Ki-moon's report to the UN General Assembly as "unjust" and "biased". Secretary of Iran's Human Rights Council Mohammad Javad Larijani strongly criticized the UN chief for presenting an insulting report on the human rights conditions in Iran. "One of the West's tactics for inducing the wrong ideas against those countries that are not conforming to its interests is repeating the same lie in different shapes and by different means," Larijani said, addressing a forum of Iran's Human Rights Council in Tehran last week.
Ban Ki-moon's annual report on human rights in Iran expressed concern at executions in the country and what it called...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

22 Sep 2014

Rouhani’s credibility under scrutiny at UN as Iran’s hardliners block reforms

But this year, Rouhani s second visit to New York has been marred by a series of failures at home that have exposed his declining credibility both in Iran and on the world stage. As he arrives in New York, Iran s judiciary, which operates independently of his government, has tightened its grip on civil rights advocates, human rights activists and opposition figures. At least three American nationals remain behind bars in Iran, including the Washington Post s Tehran correspondent, Jason Rezaian, who is being kept in Tehran s Evin prison nearly two months after being arrested. Rezaian s detention has exposed the limits of Rouhani s power and his reluctance to speak out in support of prisoners of conscience in the country, including nearly 40 journalists and bloggers.
But this year, Rouhani s second visit to New York has been marred by a series of failures at home that have exposed his...

Publisher: Hrana

Author:

22 Sep 2014

The latest list of Political prisoners at Ward 350 Evin Prison

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), after the mass transfer of prisoners from Ward 350 at Evin prison - the most renowned place in Iran to jail Political Prisoners - only 54 out of more than 200 Political and high security prisoners are now kept at this ward. Those removed from this ward was sent to other wards at Evin Prison or prisons in other cities, especially Rajaee Shahr Prison in Karaj.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), after the mass transfer of prisoners from Ward...

Publisher: Payvand

Author:

22 Sep 2014

Water Shortage Arrives In Tehran Khamenei Authorizes Use of 10 Billion Dollars

While water shortage is not a new phenomenon in Iran, some specialists have said that this issue has a 17 year history. A report last week indicated that this shortage is not confined to Tehran but to a total of 12 large cities in the country. During the last few months a number of reports had warned that various Iranian cities faced a water shortage and were struggling with its consequences. Social networks in Iran had launched a virtual campaign to educate people to conserve on their water usage to avoid an extensive crisis.
While water shortage is not a new phenomenon in Iran, some specialists have said that this issue has a 17 year history....

Publisher: Iran Liberty

Author:

20 Sep 2014

17 prisoners executed in one day, 5 in public

On Thursday, September 17, 2014, at least 17 prisoners were hanged in cities across Iran, including five in public. The executions were carried out in cities of Shiraz, Marvdasht, Kerman and Bandar Abbas. A group of four prisoners were hanged in public in Shiraz while another group of eight sent to gallows in Shabab Prison in city of Kerman. The Thursday s executions followed reports of more executions that had been carried out in other cities in Iran. A group of seven young men, mostly in their 20s, were executed on September 10 in cities of Karaj and Hamadan.
On Thursday, September 17, 2014, at least 17 prisoners were hanged in cities across Iran, including five in public. The...

Publisher: Rooz Online

Author:

20 Sep 2014

Ghods Force is Tasked to Spread the Revolution

The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards force (IRGC) general Mohammad Ali Jaafari told reporters last week, "The mission of the Ghods Force is external, to help Islamic movements, to expand the revolution and to provide assistance to suffering people across the world and to people who need help in such countries as Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The Guards help the Ghods Force. It views its duty to support and defend the nations under the hegemony of America and Israel and to provide them any technology, something that is even more important than the transfer of weapons. We have announced this in the past and are fulfilling this, and will respond to questions on these anywhere."
The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards force (IRGC) general Mohammad Ali Jaafari told reporters last week, "The...

Publisher: HRANA

Author:

18 Sep 2014

Eighty-one days in solitary confinement without trial -Saba Azarpeyk

Saba Azarpeyk, a Reformist Journalist who was arrested 81 days ago, is still kept at solitary confinement with no clear vision of possible trail date. According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) in Iran, Saba Azarpeyk was arrested on Wednesday morning, May 28th, 2014 by security forces and was transferred to an undisclosed location. Despite the fact that she has been in solitary confinement for the past 81 days , her fate is still undecided and there is still no news of a possible trail date and explanation of charges.
Saba Azarpeyk, a Reformist Journalist who was arrested 81 days ago, is still kept at solitary confinement with no clear...

Publisher: Iran Human Rights

Author:

17 Sep 2014

As Rouhani Comes to NY, Domestic Repression in Iran Remains Unabated

Ahead of President Rouhani s visit to New York next week, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran released a video today, bringing into sharp focus the disconnect between Rouhani s rhetoric on domestic affairs and the reality on the ground. The record of the past year speaks for itself. The number of executions continues to distinguish Iran as the highest state executioner in the world on a per capita basis. Freedom of expression, assembly, and association remain highly restricted. Iran remains the second largest prison for journalists in the world. Gender policies aiming to exclude women from public life, particularly in higher education and employment, have increased. Hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars, many imprisoned following the disputed 2009 election. The Campaign urges diplomats, the international media, and experts who will meet Rouhani during his visit to express their serious concerns regarding Iran s continued abysmal human rights record.
Ahead of President Rouhani s visit to New York next week, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran released a...
16 Sep 2014

More arbitary Repression in Iran

The Islamic Republic of Iran remains the worst global example of capricious interference by Muslim theocrats in the personal and spiritual lives of its citizens. On September 9, as reported by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran (ICHRI), seven young Iranians went on trial. Their supposed crime? Producing a dance video of the Pharrell Williams s pop hit "Happy" and uploading it to YouTube.
The Islamic Republic of Iran remains the worst global example of capricious interference by Muslim theocrats in the...

Publisher: The Washington Post

Author:

15 Sep 2014

Iran won’t team with U.S. against Islamic State

Iran has rejected a U.S. appeal to join a global fight against Islamic State militants, the country s top religious and political figure said Monday, as Western and Arab diplomats gathered to frame strategies against the terror network that controls large areas of Iraq and Syria.
Iran has rejected a U.S. appeal to join a global fight against Islamic State militants, the country s top religious and...

Publisher: HRANA

Author:

15 Sep 2014

Mass arrests at Qezel Hesar after the rebellion footage published

in his interview with Fars News Agency reporter, Asghar Jahangiri , head of State Prison, Security and Corrective Measures Organisation of Iran mentioned that they have identified, pictured and published the pictures of the prisoners behind the recent riot at Qezel Hesar Prison .However, well informed sources claim that Intelligent and Security Unit of Qezel Hesar Prison initiated mass arrests at this prison to cover the riot incident and its after effects. Some of those arrested has no relation with the riot and have been arrested with no clear reason.
in his interview with Fars News Agency reporter, Asghar Jahangiri , head of State Prison, Security and Corrective...

Publisher: Economist

Author:

14 Sep 2014

Jon Stewart and Iran: Highlighting the lot of journalists

Jon Stewart's movie Rosewater tells the story of Maziar Bahari, Iranina Candaian Journalist imprisoned in the aftermath of the 2009 disputed elections. The country's clerical rulers say the protests in the poll's aftermath were an attempt at sedition led by America and Israel. Hundreds of activists remain in jail.
Jon Stewart's movie Rosewater tells the story of Maziar Bahari, Iranina Candaian Journalist imprisoned in the aftermath...

Publisher: aawsat

Author:

12 Sep 2014

Radical group gears up to begin morality patrols

A radical Iranian pressure group has reaffirmed its vow to patrol Tehran s streets to enforce Islamic norms in the face of disapproval from government officials, in what may become the next showdown between President Hassan Rouhani and his conservative opponents.
A radical Iranian pressure group has reaffirmed its vow to patrol Tehran s streets to enforce Islamic norms in the face...

Publisher: Iran Human Rights

Author:

11 Sep 2014

More Than Two Months in Solitary Confinement for Protesting Exclusion of Women in Stadium

A young woman s detention in solitary confinement continues after her June 30, 2014 arrest, following her earlier arrest and release outside a Tehran sports stadium when she tried to attend a volleyball game. Ghoncheh Ghavami s lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaee, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he is unaware of his client s charges despite the fact that Ghavami has been in solitary confinement at Evin Prison for more than two months and her temporary detention orders have been extended twice.
A young woman s detention in solitary confinement continues after her June 30, 2014 arrest, following her earlier arrest...

Publisher: HRANA

Author:

10 Sep 2014

50% increase in the executions during recent 2 weeks

The Statistics and Publication Unit of human rights Activists in Iran has publicized a Comparative report on the executions in Iran in the first half of Shahrivar ( 23rd August- 6th September) this year, against the statistics of executions in the previous month and also same time last year. Finally, they have announced a fifty percent of growth in the executions.
The Statistics and Publication Unit of human rights Activists in Iran has publicized a Comparative report on the...

Publisher: Frontpage Mag

Author:

9 Sep 2014

Iran’s Quiet Military Build Up

Iran s covert activities appear to be continuing unabated in countries such as Syria and Iraq. Despite Iran s public denials, for example, other information suggests Iran is increasingly involved, along with Lebanese Hizballah, in the Syria conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) remains a key tool of Iran s foreign policy and power projection, in Syria and beyond. IRGC-QF has continued efforts to improve its access within foreign countries and its ability to conduct terrorist attacks.
Iran s covert activities appear to be continuing unabated in countries such as Syria and Iraq. Despite Iran s public...

Publisher: Huffington Post

Author:

7 Sep 2014

Henry Kissinger: Iran ‘A Bigger Problem Than ISIS’

In an interview with NPR that was released on Saturday, Kissinger explained that because Iran has a stronger footing in the Middle East, it has a greater opportunity to create an empire. "The borders of the settlement of 1919-'20 are essentially collapsing," he said. "That gives Iran a very powerful level from a strategic point of view.
In an interview with NPR that was released on Saturday, Kissinger explained that because Iran has a stronger footing in...

Publisher: NYTimes

Author:

6 Sep 2014

Iranian nuclear R and D centre ‘visited by UN inspectors’

UN inspectors have gained rare access to an Iranian nuclear facility, giving them a "better understanding" of Tehran's disputed programme, it has been reported. They observed a plant where centrifuges for enriching uranium were developed as part of a transparency deal but acknowledged that Iran remains resistant to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation.
UN inspectors have gained rare access to an Iranian nuclear facility, giving them a "better understanding" of Tehran's...

Publisher: Iran Human Rights

Author:

4 Sep 2014

Gender Segregation Gains Momentum in Iran: Women Prohibited from More Jobs

The accelerated efforts to restrict women s access to jobs, professions, and public venues continue in Iran. In the latest announcement, Colonel Khalil Helali, Head of the Public Buildings Office of the Iranian Police, said on August 30, 2014, that henceforth women are not allowed employment in coffee shops, coffee houses, and traditional Iranian restaurants. No laws or reasons were cited as the basis for the decision to bar women from having such jobs.
The accelerated efforts to restrict women s access to jobs, professions, and public venues continue in Iran. In the...

Publisher: NYTimes

Author:

2 Sep 2014

Tehran Unfetters Cellphones, and the Pictures Start Flowing

Last week, the government unexpectedly granted 3G and 4G licenses to the Islamic republic s two principal mobile operators, which are rushing to roll out high-speed connections to their tens of millions of subscribers. While Iranians willing to flout the law have long used illegal software to gain access to banned Internet sites like YouTube and Twitter, until now, Iran s main cellphone operators had been ordered to reduce Internet speeds to a sub-snail s pace, effectively making it impossible to use the sites, make video calls or send images.
Last week, the government unexpectedly granted 3G and 4G licenses to the Islamic republic s two principal mobile...
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Publisher: BBC

Author:

30 Aug 2014

Iran President Rouhani hits out at US sanctions

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has criticised the US for new sanctions, saying they are "not compatible" with the spirit of current negotiations. Speaking on Iranian TV, he said Iran was still committed to continuing nuclear talks with the US and five other international powers. New sanctions on 25 firms and individuals were announced in Washington on Friday.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has criticised the US for new sanctions, saying they are "not compatible" with the...
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Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

29 Aug 2014

Iranian film director attacks US sanctions

Iranian director Rakhshan Bani-E'temad has hit out at the impact of US economic sanctions while in Venice to promote a new film that documents social ills in her country. Bani-E temad said the hard-hitting competition entry, titled Ghesseha (Tales), was a realistic portrayal of life on the skids in an Iran permeated with prostitution, drug abuse, bureaucracy and single motherhood. "Our children who are sick with diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis are paying the direct consequences of the embargo because they cannot get the medicines they need," Bani-E'temad said
Iranian director Rakhshan Bani-E'temad has hit out at the impact of US economic sanctions while in Venice to promote a...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

29 Aug 2014

Persian paranoia: America’s fear of Iranian cyber power

When Israel stepped up Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in July, a crew of hackers going under the name of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Cyber Fighters readied their attack tools to show support for their Palestinian brothers. They attempted to flood a core piece of Israel s internet infrastructure, the Domain Name System that acts as the web s phone book for the country. They also tried to take down websites for the national stock exchange and Mossad, the intelligence and special operations body. Months of research into Iranian networks uncovered at least 16,000 systems controlled by Iran outside of its borders.
When Israel stepped up Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in July, a crew of hackers going under the name of the Izz...

Publisher: rudaw

Author:

26 Aug 2014

Iran Overestimated Role in IS Fight

What we now know is that Iran was the first country to send weapons and artillery to stop the extremists advance into Makhmur. But why Iran? And why weren t Iranian Kurds allowed initially to join the fight against the Islamist militants? Why is the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) - which was hiding in the mountains until it joined the fight against the extremists - roaming freely around Iraqi Kurdistan now?
What we now know is that Iran was the first country to send weapons and artillery to stop the extremists advance into...

Publisher: Radio Zamaneh

Author:

23 Aug 2014

Arrest of protesters heightens conflict at Bafgh mine

The head of the Bafgh Islamic Council and another four miners were arrested on Saturday August 23, further intensifying the labour protests. ILNA reports that a spokesperson for the Islamic Council reported that five more iron ore miners were arrested and one of them is Hassan Tashakori, the head of the Islamic Council.
The head of the Bafgh Islamic Council and another four miners were arrested on Saturday August 23, further intensifying...

Publisher: HRANA

Author:

22 Aug 2014

A number of prisoners killed and wounded in a revolt in Qezel Hesar

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on 17th August, after a group of prisoners who were sentenced to death were transferred for execution, prisoners from unit 1 and unit 2 wards 2 and 3 of Qezel Hesar prison revolt and fought with prison guards and security forces. Security unit in the prison used firearms to control violence and prisoners protest, which led to the killing and wounding a number of prisoners.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on 17th August, after a group of prisoners who...

Publisher: The Motely Fool

Author:

22 Aug 2014

What’s Really Behind Russia’s Massive Oil Deal With Iran?

The outline of the deal, which is all that's available, suggests it is a five-year agreement worth up to $20 billion. Russia will provide goods and services to Iran, including food and oil industry expertise. Iran, meanwhile, will get an outlet for its oil. And a big one! Russia appears willing to buy up to half of Iran's oil exports, or roughly a fifth of its total output.
The outline of the deal, which is all that's available, suggests it is a five-year agreement worth up to $20 billion....
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Publisher: FT

Author:

21 Aug 2014

Dried out

Poor planning, populist policies and drought have contributed to a critical water shortage. The water that disappeared - a result largely of mismanagement and overuse rather than drought - is stored at the Zayandeh Roud dam and diverted for domestic and industrial consumption, leaving the city s 11 river bridges standing as symbols of what is missing
Poor planning, populist policies and drought have contributed to a critical water shortage. The water that disappeared -...

Publisher: Iran Human Rights

Author:

20 Aug 2014

Political Prisoners at Evin Transferred into Quarantine without Explanation

Twenty-seven political prisoners have been transferred from Evin Prison s Ward 350 to quarantine, where they are now being held in conditions tantamount to clear and serious ill treatment. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Atieh Taheri, the wife of Saeed Matinpour, who is an Azeri journalist and civil activist and one of the prisoners transferred into quarantine, reported that Matinpour believes the transfer will last for some time. In a brief phone conversation with his wife, Matinpour said no reason had been given for the sudden transfer of prisoners from this ward.
Twenty-seven political prisoners have been transferred from Evin Prison s Ward 350 to quarantine, where they are now...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

18 Aug 2014

Iranian photographers face the lash after criticising official’s book

Two photographers in Iran have been sentenced to a total of 75 lashes after criticising an illustrated book published by a local official. Both men, who are from Qazvin province, were put on trial when Mohammad-Ali Hazrati, the head of the local cultural heritage organisation, felt insulted by the negative reviews the pair had written in separate posts online about his photography book, "Qazvin, the Land of Times Past".
Two photographers in Iran have been sentenced to a total of 75 lashes after criticising an illustrated book published by...

Publisher: The Iran Project

Author:

7 Aug 2014

Iran Policeman Gets 3 Years Over Death of Blogger

ISNA said the policeman was sentenced to three years in jail, 74 lashes and two years of internal exile in the remote southern town of Borazjan. The prison time was for assaulting Beheshti and the lashes were for insulting and cursing the blogger. ISNA quoted Giti Pourfazel, a lawyer hired by Beheshti's mother, as saying the sentence was too light considering the nature of the crime. "While journalists are sentenced to six years in this country, it's surprising that a murderer is sentenced to three years in jail," the lawyer was quoted by ISNA as saying.
ISNA said the policeman was sentenced to three years in jail, 74 lashes and two years of internal exile in the remote...

Publisher: NYTimes

Author:

7 Aug 2014

Jason Rezaian of Washington Post and Wife Still Held

Jason Rezaian knew he was being watched. A man on a motorcycle had been following him and his wife for weeks, his colleagues said. The tail was so blatant that Mr. Rezaian, The Washington Post correspondent in Tehran, had even managed to take a picture of the license plate. Like many foreign journalists accredited by the Iranian authorities, Mr. Rezaian had grown painfully accustomed to being under constant suspicion.
Jason Rezaian knew he was being watched. A man on a motorcycle had been following him and his wife for weeks, his...

Publisher: Persian2English

Author:

6 Aug 2014

Iranian Authorities Execute 8 Prisoners in Public in Less than a Week

A large banner at the execution site listed the names of the prisoners as: Mohammad Ghareh Ghaani, Bahman Koochakpour, Peyman Rostami. According to IHR s annual reports on the death penalty from 2012 and 2013, most public executions in Iran were carried out in the province of Fars.
A large banner at the execution site listed the names of the prisoners as: Mohammad Ghareh Ghaani, Bahman Koochakpour,...

Publisher: IranPressNews

Author:

5 Aug 2014

Seven Cyber-Activist arrested in Mashhad

Although several days passed since these Cyber-Facebook Activists were arrested, there is no news about their conditions and their whereabouts is unknown regardless of their families' attempts to locate them. It must be said that "Hekmati" and "Chinisaz" are known for their previous blogging activities which criticized Iranian Government and have been arrested -after Ashoora - in 2009 after Presidential election events.
Although several days passed since these Cyber-Facebook Activists were arrested, there is no news about their conditions...

Publisher: Alarabiya

Author:

4 Aug 2014

Iran Says It Gave Missile Technology to Hamas

Hamas is able to fire missiles into Israel because Tehran provided weapons technology to the militant group to defend itself against Israeli attacks, a senior Iranian official said Monday. Officials from Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards have said in the past that Fajr-5 missiles are part of Hamas' Gaza Strip arsenal, whose technology has been supplied by Iran and produced locally without needing direct shipment.
Hamas is able to fire missiles into Israel because Tehran provided weapons technology to the militant group to defend...

Publisher: Middle East Eye

Author:

4 Aug 2014

Iran: one year under Rouhani

"Prices are still high and girls are being bothered again about their veils," she said, referring to Iran's morality police who have taken to the streets in the sweltering summer heat to ensure women comply with clothing regulations. - Meanwhile, international human rights organisations have decried the rise in executions since Rouhani took office, while the sentencing of journalists and activists who were apprehended during the Ahmadinejad era for political reasons continue under Rouhani s watch. Domestic news media has become more openly critical of the government, but a number of reformist-minded journalists have been detained in recent months.
"Prices are still high and girls are being bothered again about their veils," she said, referring to Iran's morality...

Publisher: Worldbulletin News

Author:

3 Aug 2014

How Iran sanctions fears hurt humanitarian trade

The sanctions regime, imposed by the United States and European Union over Tehran's nuclear programme, permits trade in humanitarian goods such as food and phamaceuticals. Yet many banks are steering clear of financing any deals with Iran due to a series of fines handed out by U.S. authorities for dealing with sanctioned countries, including a recent $8.97 billion penalty for BNP Paribas of France. So from January to March this year the Greek-run tanker lay at anchor before it was forced to head to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to refuel - this also being difficult in Iran due to the sanctions.
The sanctions regime, imposed by the United States and European Union over Tehran's nuclear programme, permits trade in...

Publisher: NYTimes

Author:

1 Aug 2014

Rounding Up Journalists in Iran

For all the hints of a thaw in Iran s hard-line behavior since President Hassan Rouhani took office, the government s oppression of working journalists has continued unabated most recently with the egregious arrest of Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post s correspondent in Tehran, and his wife and fellow journalist, Yeganeh Salehi. The two were taken for questioning on July 22 by security police who confiscated their laptops and other property, with Iranian justice officials later commenting darkly about being "vigilant towards all kinds of enemies activities." The couple has not been heard from since.
For all the hints of a thaw in Iran s hard-line behavior since President Hassan Rouhani took office, the government s...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

31 Jul 2014

Six judges accused of leading role in Iranian crackdown on free speech

The six judges are accused of losing their judicial impartiality and overseeing miscarriages of justice in trials in which scores of journalists, lawyers, political activists and members of Iran's ethnic and religious minorities have been condemned to lengthy prison terms, lashes and even execution. Those accused are judges Abolghassem Salavati and Mohammad Moghiseh, former justices Yahya Pirabbasi and Hassan Zareh Dehnavi (known as judge Haddad), and appeal judges Hassan Babaee and Ahmad Zargar.
The six judges are accused of losing their judicial impartiality and overseeing miscarriages of justice in trials in...

Publisher: National Post

Author:

27 Jul 2014

Jonathan Kay: Ending Iran’s support of Hamas must be part of any final P5+1 nuclear deal

Iran s efforts to supply Hamas with missiles and supporting technology has fuelled the current conflict and it would be unconscionable for Western leaders to ignore the blood on Tehran s hands to sign a (flawed) nuclear deal. Any final agreement with Iran should require that regime not only agree to stringent and verifiable controls on its nuclear development, but also end to its logistical support of terrorists in Gaza and elsewhere. Iran is likely to balk at such conditions, of course. But better no deal than one that effectively gives an international imprimatur to Iran s destructive role in the Middle East.
Iran s efforts to supply Hamas with missiles and supporting technology has fuelled the current conflict and it would be...

Publisher: NYTimes

Author:

24 Jul 2014

Washington Post Reporter Apparently Detained in Iran

The Washington Post s correspondent in Iran is believed to have been detained this week, the newspaper said Thursday. The correspondent, Jason Rezaian, was reported to have been taken into custody Tuesday evening along with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, also a journalist, and two other people, The Post s foreign editor, Douglas Jehl, said in a statement. "We are deeply troubled by this news," Mr. Jehl said, "and are concerned for the welfare of Jason, Yeganeh and two others said to have been detained with them."
The Washington Post s correspondent in Iran is believed to have been detained this week, the newspaper said Thursday....

Publisher: Reuters

Author:

23 Jul 2014

Iran’s supreme leader calls for end to ‘murderous’ Israeli regime

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called for a referendum canvassing the Arabs and Jews that live in Israel in order to end the "Zionist state", but said until such a vote could be held, armed resistance was necessary. Khamenei and his predecessor the Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini have called repeatedly over the years for an end to the Jewish state, including through a referendum in the region, where Palestinians are in the majority.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called for a referendum canvassing the Arabs and Jews that...
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Publisher: RFERL

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20 Jul 2014

Iran’s Repressed Religious Minorities Using Internet To Practice Faith

ajzooban.org, a website dedicated to news and information about the Gonabadi dervishes in Iran, has been blocked more than 40 times since its launch in 2007. Iranian authorities have also arrested most of its founders. The website is an example of dozens of sites, social-media networks, and online communities that religious minorities in Iran depend on to make their voices heard, practice their faith, highlight abuses by the state, and reach out to potential followers.
ajzooban.org, a website dedicated to news and information about the Gonabadi dervishes in Iran, has been blocked more...

Publisher: The Guardian

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18 Jul 2014

Iran nuclear talks gaps remain as deadline approaches

Nuclear negotiations with Iran in Vienna stalled in recent weeks following disagreements over limits on Iran's enrichment capacity and how long those limits should last. All sides at the talks are prepared to extend them beyond Sunday's deadline, but an extension faces significant opposition in the US Congress.
Nuclear negotiations with Iran in Vienna stalled in recent weeks following disagreements over limits on Iran's...

Publisher: CTV News

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17 Jul 2014

Iranian general fighting on front lines of Iraqi conflict against Sunni militants

A powerful Iranian general has emerged as the chief tactician in Iraq's fight against Sunni militants, working on the front lines alongside 120 advisers from his country's Revolutionary Guard to direct Shiite militiamen and government forces in the smallest details of battle, militia commanders and government officials say.
A powerful Iranian general has emerged as the chief tactician in Iraq's fight against Sunni militants, working on the...

Publisher: Independent

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14 Jul 2014

Iran sentences 8 facebook activist to 128 years in prison for criticizing the government

An Iranian court handed jail sentences of eight to 21 years to eight Facebook page administrators, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday. The report said the defendants were convicted of plotting against national security, spreading propaganda against the ruling system and insulting officials. It did not identify the defendants or the Facebook pages.
An Iranian court handed jail sentences of eight to 21 years to eight Facebook page administrators, the official IRNA...

Publisher: The Guardian

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13 Jul 2014

Iran nuclear talks deadline nears as foreign ministers gather in Vienna

The US secretary of state, John Kerry, and European foreign ministers have arrived in Vienna to try to galvanise talks on Iran's nuclear programme, amid increasing fears that agreement cannot be reached before a deadline of 20 July. US officials are refusing to discuss the option of an extension of a few months, for fear of lessening the pressure on negotiators to make concessions in the last week of talks, but there is still a considerable distance between the negotiating positions of the Iranians and a six-nation group representing the international community.
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, and European foreign ministers have arrived in Vienna to try to galvanise talks...

Publisher: The Guardian

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8 Jul 2014

Iran needs greater uranium enrichment capacity, says Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran's supreme leader said on Tuesday that his country would need to significantly increase its capacity to enrich uranium if it was to meet its long-term energy needs, in an unusually detailed speech highlighting the obstacles to a deal on its nuclear programme. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei conceded that Iran would not need to immediately increase its capacity but made clear that his government sought the right to carry out industrial-scale enrichment in order to be self-sufficient in nuclear fuel for its research reactors and a Russian-built power station at Bushehr.
Iran's supreme leader said on Tuesday that his country would need to significantly increase its capacity to enrich...
3 Jul 2014

Veteran Journalist Charged with Propaganda Against State

Shamsolvaezin wrote on his Facebook page: "I did not accept the charges. I said propaganda against someone needs to have both material and non-material elements, both of which I lack. I am a journalist and criticizing things within the framework of the law is a natural tool of my profession,". He added that the deed to his mother's home was submitted to the court as collateral for his bail.
Shamsolvaezin wrote on his Facebook page: "I did not accept the charges. I said propaganda against someone needs to have...

Publisher: Iran Human Rights

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28 Jun 2014

Mass execution of 11 prisoners in Ghezelhesar Prison of Iran

Twelve prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in prison prior to the execution on Wednesday, June 25. Eleven of them were then executed the next morning, but the execution of one of them, named Ghasem, was postponed.
Twelve prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in prison prior to the execution on Wednesday, June 25. Eleven...

Publisher: The Guardian

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22 Jun 2014

Iran opposes US intervention in Iraq, says Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday he is against US intervention in neighboring Iraq, where Islamic extremists and Sunni militants opposed to Tehran have seized a number of towns and cities, the official IRNA news agency reported. "We strongly oppose the intervention of the US and others in the domestic affairs of Iraq," Khamenei was quoted as saying, in his first reaction to the crisis.
Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday he is against US intervention in neighboring Iraq, where Islamic...
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21 Jun 2014

Eleven Internet Professionals Sentenced to One to Eleven Years in Prison

Eleven Kerman Province Internet professionals have been sentenced to prison, with terms ranging from one to eleven years. Yadollah Movahed, the Prosecutor for Kerman Province General and Revolutionary Courts, said at a press conference on June 19, 2014, that the eleven individuals were arrested and prosecuted for "designing sites, websites, and creating content for media hostile to the regime."
Eleven Kerman Province Internet professionals have been sentenced to prison, with terms ranging from one to eleven...

Publisher: WSJ

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21 Jun 2014

Iran Could Outsource Its Nuclear-Weapons Program to North Korea

Tehran could outsource the completion of a bomb to its longtime ally, North Korea. As a venue for secretly completing and testing a nuclear bomb, North Korea would be ideal. North Korea is the only country known to have tested any nuclear bombs since India and Pakistan both performed underground tests in 1998. Despite wide condemnation, it has gotten away with three nuclear tests, in 2006, 2009 and 2013. Pyongyang threatened to carry out a fourth test in March, which it said would take an unspecified "new form."
Tehran could outsource the completion of a bomb to its longtime ally, North Korea. As a venue for secretly completing...

Publisher: The Guardian

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19 Jun 2014

Iranian film-maker jailed for five years for ‘collaborating with the BBC’

Prominent Iranian documentary film-maker and women's rights activist Mahnaz Mohammadi has been jailed for five years, charged with collaborating against the state with the BBC. Mohammadi's detention comes on the fifth anniversary of the bloody crackdown that followed the 2009 presidential election, when tens of thousands took to the streets to claim the election had been rigged. Hundreds were arrested, many of whom, including the main opposition leaders, remain in custody.
Prominent Iranian documentary film-maker and women's rights activist Mahnaz Mohammadi has been jailed for five years,...
17 Jun 2014

Two Iranian-Arabs Executed in Secret

Chabishat and Mousavi were arrested on November 11, 2012 on charges of blowing up a gas pipeline in Ahvaz. However, news reports said the explosion was an accident. The head of the Khuzestan gas company had ruled out sabotage and said the incident was under investigation.
Chabishat and Mousavi were arrested on November 11, 2012 on charges of blowing up a gas pipeline in Ahvaz. However, news...

Publisher: Eurasia Review

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14 Jun 2014

Call For Iran To Halt Execution Of 33 Sunnis

The Iranian authorities should quash the death sentences of 33 Sunni Muslim men, including possibly a juvenile offender, convicted of enmity against God (moharebeh), and impose an immediate moratorium on all executions, 18 human rights organizations and one prominent human rights lawyer said today. The call comes amid serious concerns about the fairness of the legal proceedings that led to the men s convictions and the high number of executions reported in Iran during the last year, including the June 1, 2014 hanging of a political dissident, Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani, on the same charge.
The Iranian authorities should quash the death sentences of 33 Sunni Muslim men, including possibly a juvenile offender,...
14 Jun 2014

Journalist Put on Trial for Propaganda Against State

The lawyer representing Hossein Nouraninejad, the Iranian journalist and member of the now-banned reformist political party the Participation Front, told ILNA News Agency that his client was put on trial on June 9, 2014, at Branch 15 of Tehran Revolutionary Court under Judge Salavati.
The lawyer representing Hossein Nouraninejad, the Iranian journalist and member of the now-banned reformist political...

Publisher: NYTimes

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13 Jun 2014

Building Nuclear Weapon Would Take Years, Not Months, Iran Says in Report

The Iranian government this week published its first detailed study of how long it estimates it would take its scientists and engineers to assemble a nuclear weapon, saying that with its current infrastructure, "the required time span is in years.: Iran described the estimate as entirely hypothetical, and it was clearly intended to allay fears that Iran has the ability to race for a bomb.
The Iranian government this week published its first detailed study of how long it estimates it would take its...

Publisher: Persian2English

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12 Jun 2014

Execution of Gholamreza Khosravi means Iran’s authorities are still ready to execute prisoners of conscience

The execution of Gholamreza Khosravi showed that the Judicial and Intelligence Ministry authorities in Iran are still ready to execute prisoners of conscience. There is currently great concern for [approximately] 33 Sunni prisoners of conscience held in Rajai Shahr, Ghezel Hesar and Sanandaj prisons. Particularly, in the wake of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) s recent seizure of an Iraqi city, and the fear of support from the Sunni population for ISIS, the security organizations in Iran may use the execution of these inmates to instigate fear in Sunni-populated areas.
The execution of Gholamreza Khosravi showed that the Judicial and Intelligence Ministry authorities in Iran are still...

Publisher: Persian2English

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11 Jun 2014

Execution and Extortion

Iranian authorities have reportedly asked for money in exchange for the bodies of two executed prisoners. In May 2014 two brothers, Abdol Jamal Zehi, 26, and Hamid Jamal Zehi, 22, were reportedly hanged to death in Chabahar Prison in southern Iran on drug trafficking charges. Iranian authorities reportedly refused to hand over the bodies of these two young men until their family paid 11 million Tomans (approximately $4,000).
Iranian authorities have reportedly asked for money in exchange for the bodies of two executed prisoners. In May 2014...
2 Jun 2014

Political Prisoner Executed Despite Lack of Due Process

Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani had been sentenced to death following his arrest in 2008 on charges in connection with his alleged support for the Mojahedin-e Khalgh Organization (MEK). Khosravi s sister told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the family, who visited him the night before the execution, was unaware that his death sentence was to be imminently carried out.
Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani had been sentenced to death following his arrest in 2008 on charges in connection with his...

Publisher: Amnesty International

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2 Jun 2014

Silenced, Expelled, Imprisoned: Repression of Students and Academics in Iran

This report is based on research that Amnesty International conducted using a wide range of private and public sources. This included in-depth interviews with more than 50 individuals, both women and men, with direct knowledge of Iran's universities and system of higher education, including former students and academic teaching staff. Amnesty International has not been permitted to visit Iran for fact-finding and research on the country since shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and thus was unable to investigate conditions at Iran's universities first hand.
This report is based on research that Amnesty International conducted using a wide range of private and public sources....

Publisher: Persian2English

Author:

1 Jun 2014

Urgent Action: Iran’s Authorities Plan to Execute an Innocent Man on Death Row

They somehow converted a six-year prison sentence to a death sentence. What has he done to deserve this? Which of the authorities in Iran helped us through this injustice? None of them. We ve even gone to the Supreme Leader's [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] office. None of them have paid any attention to us. Authorities are playing games with us. They want to inflict psychological pressures on us. They want to create an atmosphere of chaos.
They somehow converted a six-year prison sentence to a death sentence. What has he done to deserve this? Which of the...

Publisher: mashable

Author:

29 May 2014

Iran Sentences 8 Facebook Users to Combined 123 Years in Jail

An Iranian court has sentenced eight people to a combined 123 years in prison for various charges including insulting the country's supreme leader on Facebook. The sentencing is the latest in a recent crackdown on Internet freedom in the country
An Iranian court has sentenced eight people to a combined 123 years in prison for various charges including insulting...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

29 May 2014

Journalist Saba Azarpeik arrested in Iran

Azarpeik has been arrested before, including in January 2013 when security officials raided at least four newspapers and arrested several journalists in advance of the presidential elections that gave Hassan Rouhani a victory. Azarpeik has been critical of the state's treatment of journalists and opposition figures and has repeatedly grilled officials and politicians in her interviews. She has been particularly under pressure for her comments and reports on her Facebook page. She particularly covered the case of the Iranian blogger, Sattar Beheshti, whose death in custody brought embarrassment for the authorities.
Azarpeik has been arrested before, including in January 2013 when security officials raided at least four newspapers and...
29 May 2014

New Details Emerge on Coercion of “Happy” Youths During Detention

The morality police pressured the participants in the "Happy in Tehran" video during their detention to implicate Reyhaneh Taravati and Sassan Soleimani and file complaints against them, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has learned. "They threatened them with a gun. They put a gun to the head of one of the detainees and told him if they did not cooperate they would kill them and get rid of their bodies so that no one would find them."
The morality police pressured the participants in the "Happy in Tehran" video during their detention to implicate...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

28 May 2014

Briton among eight jailed in Iran for web insults

Eight people, including an Iranian-born British woman, have been jailed in Iran on charges including blasphemy and insulting the country's supreme leader on Facebook. The opposition website Kaleme reported that two of the eight, identified as Roya Saberinejad Nobakht, 47, from Stockport, and Amir Golestani, each received 20 years in prison and the remaining six - Masoud Ghasemkhani, Fariborz Kardarfar, Seyed Masoud Seyed Talebi, Amin Akramipour, Mehdi Reyshahri and Naghmeh Shahisavandi Shirazi - between seven and 19 years.
Eight people, including an Iranian-born British woman, have been jailed in Iran on charges including blasphemy and...

Publisher: LA Times

Author:

24 May 2014

IAEA assessment plan presents new hurdle in Iran nuclear talks

The United Nations is unlikely to complete its assessment of whether Iran has conducted research on nuclear weapons before the deadline set by six world powers for a deal to curb the country's nuclear activities, a new complication in the international negotiations.. In its latest quarterly report released Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, said it would conduct a comprehensive "system assessment" of all evidence on the sensitive issue of whether Iran has sought to gain nuclear weapons capability.
The United Nations is unlikely to complete its assessment of whether Iran has conducted research on nuclear weapons...

Publisher: Al Jazeera

Author:

24 May 2014

Iran cuts nuclear stockpile, IAEA says

Iran has neutralized most of its stockpile of higher-grade enriched uranium that could be turned quickly into the core of a nuclear weapon, the U.N. nuclear agency said Friday, leaving the country with only about a fifth of what it would need for such a purpose. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a in a quarterly report that Iran now has less than 90 pounds of the material
Iran has neutralized most of its stockpile of higher-grade enriched uranium that could be turned quickly into the core...

Publisher: Persian2English

Author:

22 May 2014

Propaganda Activist for Iran’s Dictatorship: Men have the right to rape unveiled women

Attempting to spread fear among Iranian civil society, *Tasnim, a state-run news agency in Iran controlled and operated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC), interviewed Hadi Sharifi, a "media activist" (I.e. Regime propaganda activist), who attempted to send the message to campaign supporters: stop, or else.
Attempting to spread fear among Iranian civil society, *Tasnim, a state-run news agency in Iran controlled and operated...

Publisher: Huffington Post

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21 May 2014

Young Iranians Arrested For Dancing In ‘Happy’ Pharrell Video

Sources report that seven to eight young Iranians have been arrested in Tehran, for the simple crime of being "Happy." Three men and three women danced unveiled to Pharrell Williams' smash hit in a video that was widely shared on social media, garnering over 30,000 views before it was taken down. Copies have been quickly re-uploaded as news of the arrest has broken, sparking the hashtag #FreeHappyIranians.
Sources report that seven to eight young Iranians have been arrested in Tehran, for the simple crime of being "Happy."...

Publisher: WSJ

Author:

20 May 2014

Repression of Baha’i Minority in Iran

As Iran approaches the anniversary of Hasan Rouhani's presidential victory, the Islamic Republic's human-rights record, particularly its treatment of religious minorities, remains abysmal. This is especially true for the Baha'is, Iran's largest non-Muslim religious minority. As with the cases of jailed Christian pastors, such as Saeed Abedini and Farshid Fathi, the Tehran regime shows no signs of wanting to free the so-called Baha'i seven - Baha'i leaders jailed on spurious charges, from espionage to "spreading corruption on the earth"- nor of stopping the persecution of its Baha'i population, which numbers more than 300,000.
As Iran approaches the anniversary of Hasan Rouhani's presidential victory, the Islamic Republic's human-rights record,...

Publisher: Rooz Online

Author:

19 May 2014

Annual Loss of Nuclear Program $160 Billion Dollars

As the fourth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 major world powers stalled in Vienna last week, the White House issued a warning that time was not limitless and a senior cabinet minister in Ahmadinejad s administration revealed that the nuclear program cost the country some $160 billion Dollars annually. These and other developments have cast a shadow of doubt on the success of the talks and informed sources have leaked that the differences are over Iran s military programs.
As the fourth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 major world powers stalled in Vienna last week, the White...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

19 May 2014

Iran is at breaking point under US sanctions – and its leaders feel the heat

On the streets of Tehran, and in the capital's shops, garages, markets, businesses and private homes, the story is that Iran Isolated and ostracised to an unusual degree is a nation under appalling stress. The strains are telling. The ties that bind are fraying. The leadership is feeling the heat. And if relief, in the form of a comprehensive nuclear deal with the west and a consequent lifting of sanctions, does not come soon, the political and social consequences may be far-reaching. 
On the streets of Tehran, and in the capital's shops, garages, markets, businesses and private homes, the story is that...

Publisher: Before its news

Author:

16 May 2014

No, Sanctions Didn’t Force Iran to Make a Deal

Sanctions are neither the reason for the breakthrough, nor the impetus behind the government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani s openness to talks. They also did not get Rouhani elected. The idea that the United States has the ability to engineer the outcome of elections in a country that is thousands of miles away, with which it has no trade, where it has had no diplomatic presence for 35 years, and where only a handful of current U.S. diplomats have ever served or even visited, expands the concept of arrogance to new and exciting frontiers.
Sanctions are neither the reason for the breakthrough, nor the impetus behind the government of Iranian President Hassan...

Publisher: The Guardian

Author:

16 May 2014

Why Canada is getting it wrong on Iran

Ever since Canada broke off diplomatic relations with Tehran, Ottawa has toughtened its stance on Iran, taking a similar approach to that of Israel. As the west seizes upon the opportunity to engage with the moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, Canada just seems to be going in the opposite direction, ignoring not only calls for dialogue by the international community but also from the very Iranian dissident voices Ottawa claims to be defending. Instead, Canada is siding with radicals - dodgy exiled groups and rightwing Israelis - and moving away from the realities on the ground.
Ever since Canada broke off diplomatic relations with Tehran, Ottawa has toughtened its stance on Iran, taking a similar...
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