Iranhumanrights.org – The majority of Iran’s MPs have signed a proposal to amend a current law that would make it harder to condemn drug-related criminals to death, according to Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi, a member of Parliament’s Legal and Judicial Committee. He told the state ISNA news agency on October 4 that the amendment, signed by more than 150 MPs, was …

Iranhumanrights.org – Experts Suspect Intelligence Establishment’s Direct Influence The government of President Hassan Rouhani is preparing to introduce two bills to Parliament that media experts and journalists say could further erode press freedom and freedom of expression in Iran. The first bill is designed to replace the current Press Law and the second would create a state organization to rival …

Al-monitor – Heated debate has erupted in Iran over the confluence of Tasua, one of the most significant holy days in the Shiite calendar, and the Oct. 11 Iran-South Korea football qualifier for the 2018 World Cup. AUTHOR Misha Zand Tasua and Ashura, the ninth and 10th days of the month of Moharram, are days of national mourning to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam …

Al-monitor — On Sept. 10, Iran and Russia launched a project to add two new 1,000-megawatt (MW) reactors to the already existing 1,000-MW reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the southwest of the country. The operating plant was connected to Iran’s national grid in September 2011, following a long series of delays and technical problems, and amid a dispute …

PayvandNews – Walking at a pavilion near Goftegoo Park in western Tehran, the music of natives from southern Iran attracts all the visitors. The largest pavilion of Qeshm Island, part of Hormozgan Province, is run by a female entrepreneur, Zinat Daryaee. Zinat Daryaee, whose name means adornment of the sea, is really a jewel in the heart of Qeshm Island …

VOA  —Aircraft maker Boeing is making progress on a deal to provide more than 100 commercial airplanes to Iran though none will be delivered in 2016, the company’s top executive said on Tuesday . The deal is part of efforts to rebuild Iran’s elderly fleet, an agreement included in a 2015 pact between Tehran and six world powers to lift …

RFL/RE – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Iran’s economy has “rebounded strongly” over the first half of the year, while authorities are undertaking reforms to boost growth. In a statement issued on October 3 after a visit to Iran, IMF staff said oil production and exports “rebounded quickly” to presanction levels, as an array of international sanctions targeting Iran …

Al-monitor – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appeared before the Iranian parliament Oct. 2 to address questions about Iran’s diplomatic approach in the aftermath of the nuclear deal. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed with six world powers led to the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions in return for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program. AUTHOR Misha Zand …

Al-monitor – Speculation surrounding which film would represent Iran at the 2017 Academy Awards finally came to an end in mid-September with the selection of “The Salesman” by Oscar-winning director Asghar Farhadi. The movie was chosen by a committee of the Farabi Cinema Foundation, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. “The Salesman” won the best …

Iranhumanrights.org – Cases Expose Judiciary’s Lack of Independence In another example of the Iranian Judiciary’s lack of independence, an Appeals Court has upheld disproportionate prison sentences against four civil rights activists following pressure by the Revolutionary Guards, the activists told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Fatemeh (Atena) Daemi and Omid Alishenas have each been sentenced to seven years in prison while Aso …