irannewsupdate -Iranian News Agency (IRNA) published a report about Asma Jahangir, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, alleging that she planned a visit to Saudi Arabia, with the intention of defaming the authorities in Tehran. IRNA’s report also alleged that Ms. Jahangir was carrying out the mission on behalf …

ABC – A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer fired a warning flare toward an Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel coming near it in the Persian Gulf, an American official said on Wednesday, the latest tense naval encounter between the two countries. The incident happened Monday as the vessel attempted to draw closer to the USS Mahan despite the destroyer trying to turn away from …

Bloomberg – President Donald Trump personally intervened to inject tougher language into a State Department letter to Congress last week that found Iran was in compliance with the deal limiting its nuclear program, according to an administration official familiar with the matter. The letter to Congress from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson certified that Iran is complying with terms of …

RFL/RE – Iran’s supreme leader has called on presidential candidates to focus on making the economy grow without help from the West, distancing himself from President Hassan Rohani’s policy of promoting growth through foreign trade and investment. “The candidates should promise to focus on national capabilities and domestic capacities to resolve the economic issues…rather than looking abroad,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei …

Al-Arabia – Iranian presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi approved executing thousands of prisoners in 1988 when he was member of the commission of death that was tasked with eliminating political prisoners who opposed the regime. According to the Iranian opposition, the authorities executed between 3,500 and 15,000 political prisoners in 1988. The majority of those killed were members of the People’s …

CHRI – The husband of Nazanin-Zaghari Ratcliffe, an Iranian-British citizen imprisoned in Iran since April 2016, is urging the British government to secure her release now that Iran’s Supreme Court has rejected the second appeal of her five-year prison sentence. “We have asked the [UK] government to do three things now that the process has finished: to speak out and …

CHRI – The Guardian Council’s attempt to ban religious minorities from running in Iran’s nationwide local council elections on May 19, 2017 is unlawful and infringes on their constitutional rights, a former reformist member of Parliament told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). Ahmad Shirzad, who represented Isfahan in the sixth parliamentary session (2000-04), said the Guardian Council is …

Al-monitor – According to a recent survey released by the polling firm IranPoll, incumbent Hassan Rouhani remains popular just as Iran’s presidential campaign kicks into high gear. But Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Rouhani’s chief rival from the last presidential election in 2013, is also well regarded by voters. Does the poll, which was conducted April 11-14, set the stage for a …

Al-monitor – As Iran approaches its May 19 presidential elections, the conservative candidates — who are determined to unseat incumbent moderate Hassan Rouhani — are making new campaign pledges to attract votes. AUTHOR Rohollah Faghihi Opponents of Rouhani have been focusing on unemployment and people’s livelihoods, saying Rouhani has been wholly unable to solve the economic hardships many ordinary Iranians are facing. Conservative …

PayvandNews – Parvaneh Etemadi in an interview with Parviz Barati from Shargh Newspaper Translated by Roya Monajem, Tavoos Magazine Parviz Barati- According to Parvaneh Etemadi, she has acquired Bahman Mohassess’ taste and Jalal Al-Ahmad’s courage. She is Frank. Yet, frankness is just one of her personality. She challenges the  current form of knowledge and cognition and expresses far-fetched concepts with new modules, which provokes …