PayvandNews – While the United States is moving towards wrapping its rather unusual election, Iran is about to begin its electoral cycle. The date for the combined presidential and municipal elections was set for May 19, prior to the start of the fasting month of Ramadan, in order to avoid the hardship imposed on hundreds of thousands of election workers. …

PayvandNews – President Rouhani won the presidency of his country under a campaign which promised to improve Iran’s economy and increase the standard of living of its people. This promise was grounded in another promise, to negotiate a deal with the United States which would end a decade’s worth of economic sanctions; as a result the fate of the Rouhani …

Time.com – Boniadi conquers the big screen in the new remake of ‘Ben-Hur’ Child of the Revolution Born in Tehran in the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, ­Nazanin Boniadi was just 20 days old when her parents immigrated to London in 1980. “They were forced to flee,” she says. “My parents didn’t want to raise their daughter in a place …

VOA – Iranian weightlifter Kianoush Rostami has set a new world record of 396 kilograms in his 85-kilogram weight class, securing a first medal and a first gold for Iran at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Rostami had set the previous record of 395 kilograms himself in May in Iran. In Rio, China’s Tian Tao also lifted 395 kilograms and won …

VOA  —The foreign ministers of Turkey and Iran agreed Friday to boost trade relations and pledged greater cooperation on resolving the Syria crisis despite their differences on the issue. At a joint news conference, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed his country’s support to Turkey over last month’s failed coup attempt by military officers that left more than 270 …

thehill.com – Following Iran’s nuclear agreement, the thinking was the country would begin to wind down its human rights violations, especially the use of executions. However, recent reports indicate 33 people were sent to the gallows on Aug. 2. Congress should dismiss any call for appeasement in relation to Iran, and continue pursuing and holding firm its sanctions against those in …

trend – A few weeks after an inflated salaries scandal turned viral in Iran, the government has issued a circular that strictly limits the payments to high officials. According to the new circular signed by Planning and Budget Organization’s chief Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, high-ranking officials of the legislative, executive and judicial branches will receive no more than 100 million rials ($3,200) …

alarabiya – The number of Iranian dual citizens being detained and thrown in jail has reached its highest level. Most of those being targeted are from Western countries (Europeans or Americans), who have Iranian ethnicity. Iran does not recognize dual citizenships even if the person was born in another country. Many believed that Iran would open up politically and socially after …

HRANA News Agency – At least 52 young drug offenders whose execution sentences have been approved, are waiting to be handed to the gallows in the Great Prison of Tehran (Fashavieh). The prisoners are all younger than 32 years old. According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), at least 52 young drug offenders whose …

Iran Human Rights –  On Thursday August 11, two prisoners were hanged in public, one in the city of Ravansar (Kermanshah province, western Iran) and one in the city of Kazeroon (Fars province, southcentral Iran). On Wednesday August 10, at least two prisoners were reportedly executed at Karaj’s Rajai Shahr Prison (west of Tehran) on murder charges. On Monday August …