RFL/RE – There were conflicting reports of casualties after a high-rise building in downtown Tehran caught fire and collapsed. The Associated Press cited Iran’s Press TV as saying that 30 firefighters were killed, without giving a source. http://www.rferl.org/a/tehran-building-collapse-plasco-fire/28243130.html A fire brigade spokesman said that such reports were irresponsible as rescue efforts were still ongoing, but added that he feared some …

Al-Arabia – The United Nations Security Council needs to push Iran to abide by an arms embargo, outgoing US Ambassador Samantha Power said on Wednesday amid UN concerns that Tehran has supplied weapons and missiles to Hezbollah. Most UN sanctions were lifted a year ago under a deal Iran made with Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia, the United States and …

VOA  — A U.N. report says Iran has not received any unauthorized transfers of nuclear-related items since an international nuclear agreement was implemented a year ago, but Tehran may have violated some provisions on conventional arms transfers and travel restrictions. “The secretary-general has not received any report, nor is aware of any open source information, regarding the supply, sale or …

Iran Human Rights – Four prisoners were reportedly hanged on drug charges at Mashhad’s Vakilabad Prison (northeastern Iran). According to the human rights news agency HRANA, the executions were carried out on the morning of Tuesday January 17. One of the prisoners has been identified as Ahmad Shekarabi, sentenced to death on the charge of possession and trafficking five kilograms …

Iranhumanrights.org – Political prisoner Mohammad Nazari, imprisoned in Tehran for the past 23 years, has told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that even though his prison warden sent a letter on his behalf, the Judiciary has denied his urgent request for medical furlough (temporary leave), claiming they have “lost” his case files. “I have spent more than half my life in …

Al-monitor – For the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic, Turkic-speaking lawmakers have formed a bloc in the Iranian parliament. The Faction of Turkic Regions was formed in late October. It has been reported to have 100 members in the 290-seat parliament and is led by Masoud Pezeshkian, who represents the northwestern city of Tabriz and who served as minister of health …

Al-monitor – On Jan. 17, Iran’s moderate President Hassan Rouhani held a press conference on the one-year anniversary of the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). AUTHOR Rohollah Faghihi Rouhani addressed a range of issues, including the implementation of the nuclear deal, the country’s economic situation and the termination of sanctions. He also responded to questions about rumors that …

PayvandNews – Russian companies are about to build a power plant and enhance generation at another in Iran in a contract worth several billion dollars, an Iranian deputy energy minister says. A view of the Ramin power plant in Iran’s Khuzestan province Under an agreement signed between the two sides, the Russians will improve efficiency at the Ramin power plant …

RFL/RE – Iran says it opposes the United States joining peace talks on Syria to be held in Kazakhstan next week. That goes against the position of the other two organizers of the talks, Russia and Turkey, which have said the new U.S. administration of Donald Trump should be represented at the Astana talks, which begin on January 23. “We …

RFL/RE – The United States and the UN have criticized Bahrain over the executions of three Shi’ite Muslim men who had been convicted of a deadly bomb attack on police. The UN Human Rights Commissioner’s office issued the harshest rebuke, saying on January 17 that it was “appalled” by the executions, carried out by firing squad on January 15 after …