commentarymagazine -The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) has long been sensitive about accusations that it acts as, at best, a de facto lobby for the Islamic Republic of Iran and, at worst, an unregistered foreign agent on behalf of the Iranian regime. By MICHAEL RUBIN The reason for suspicion with regard to the idea that NIAC is a lobby runs deep, …

RFL/RE – U.S. President Donald Trump has told a delegation from Iraq that “nobody” can figure out why former President Barack Obama signed a nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. At the start of his first meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi on March 20, Trump said Iran was one of the issues his team would discuss with …

Al-Arabia – After almost a year of calm, spraying people with burning acid has returned in Iran where a family of four has been attacked on Saturday in Sharada, within Isfahan province, Iran’s top tourist destination. Last month, unidentified people also attacked two women in Maashour, within the Ahwaz province, according to Iranian news agencies. Isfahan’s Investigative Police Chief Sitar …

Al-monitor – In June 2014, Mosul was seized by the Islamic State (IS), whose leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi soon afterward announced a caliphate from the city’s grand mosque. Now the caliphate is seemingly coming to an end. AUTHOR Zakiyeh Yazdanshenas Iraqi government forces took the eastern part of Mosul from IS on Jan. 24 after three months of fighting. On March 15, a spokesman for Iraq’s Counterterrorism Service said 60% …

Al-monitor – On March 20, Iranians bid farewell to 1395 on the Iranian calendar, celebrating the arrival of a new year. In keeping with tradition, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have both issued video messages to mark the occasion of Nowruz. AUTHOR Rohollah Faghihi In his video message, the supreme leader usually congratulates the Iranian people on Nowruz and …

PayvandNews – Monday, March 20th, marks the grand festival of Norooz (Nowruz). On this day, Iranians usher in the Persian New Year at the exact moment of the vernal equinox which marks the start of spring. Norooz, a festival of Persian origin, Norooz is also celebrated by hundreds of millions of people from other ethno-linguistic groups in a dozen countries. Haft-Sin table …

euronews – What is Nowruz? It is a day that marks the New Year across parts of the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Asia. It can be spelled Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz or Nevruz depending on the region. Where is it celebrated? Nowruz is celebrated by 300 million people in places such as Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, the …

NewsWeek – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Monday for greater self-sufficiency in the nation’s growing economy, criticizing President Hassan Rouhani’s liberal post-nuclear treaty economic policies ahead of May’s presidential elections. Speaking in a televised, pre-recorded message for Nowruz, or the Persian New Year, Khamenei acknowledged Rouhani had made progress by opening the economy after signing the 2015 Joint …

VOA – In a sign of the Iranian government’s increasing openness over its involvement in Syria’s civil war, state television will air a documentary during the Iranian New Year known as “Nowruz” praising the thousands of pro-Iranian fighters who died in Syria over the years. The documentary is in 13 parts and will air for 13 days, corresponding with the …

HRW – Iran’s presidential elections, as well as those for town and village councils, are scheduled for May 19. Yet even before registration opens for candidates, a string of journalists have been arrested. If they have been arrested simply for speaking out peacefully, it would violate the right of free expression and possibly threaten the fairness of the elections. This …