Iran Human Rights – Since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, about 90 case files were reportedly opened in the city of Qazvin (central Iran) for individuals who were caught eating or drinking during the fasting hours. The Iranian state-run media, Mehr, announced the news, citing the Prosecutor of Qazvin. According to the Qazvin Prosecutor, 20 individuals …

Reuters – Iran has arrested almost 50 people in connection with twin attacks on Tehran that killed 17 people last week, officials said, as security forces stepped up efforts to crack down on suspected militants.   Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings and gun attacks on parliament and the mausoleum of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s intelligence minister said the mastermind behind Wednesday’s attacks in Tehran, which killed 17 people, had himself been killed on Saturday by security forces. “The mastermind and main commander of terrorist attacks on the parliament and Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini was killed today by the security forces,” Mahmoud Alavi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. ISIS …

Payvand.com — Rare Persian artifacts are on display at the Art and Exhibition Hall of Germany (Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn) in an exhibition entitled “Iran: Ancient Cultures between Water and Desert“. The exhibition is organized in the city of Bonn with cooperation of Iran’s National Museum and Cultural Heritage Organization in Tehran. VIDEO: Highlights of Iran & Persian Garden Exhibition in Bonn, Germany The exhibition …

PayvandNews – Iranian artist Mehdi Mahdian won special prize and a certificate of honour at the 20th Lahti Poster Triennial in Finland. Dramatic Quote, 2015 By Mehdi Mahdian, Iran The Triennial exhibition, arranged every third year, brings the latest top posters from Finland and from around the world to Lahti Art Museum June 9 – September 24, 2017. The side exhibitions of the Poster …

PayvandNews – Further indications have emerged that a blockade declared by several Persian Gulf states against Qatar has already opened a food corridor between Tehran and Doha since last week. Iranian officials say the country is already sending at least 100 tonnes of food supplies to Qatar by plane every day. Source: Iranian daily Haft Sobh Shahrokh Noushabadi, Iran Air’s spokesman, …

RFL/RE -Iran has voiced its opposition to a decision by Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region to hold a referendum on independence, saying the vote would lead to “new problems.” Iraqi Kurdistan “The Kurdistan region is part of the Iraqi republic and unilateral decisions outside the national and legal framework, especially the Iraqi constitution… can only lead to new problems,” Iranian foreign …

RFL/RE – Iranian police have arrested two more suspects allegedly linked to twin attacks in Tehran that killed 17 people earlier this week, Iranian media reported. State TV reported on June 9 that the two suspects were arrested in the western province on Kermanshah and that “some terrorist cells also have been dismantled” in police raids there. Funerals for the …

RFL/RE – Four Arab countries which cut ties with Qatar this week over its alleged support of extremism on June 9 designated dozens of people with alleged links to Qatar as “terrorists.” The designations by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates intensified a dispute that threatens stability in the Persian Gulf region and was quickly rejected by …

RFL/RE – A drone that U.S. officials say was likely provided by Iran to Hizballah forces in southern Syria fired on troops allied with the United States on June 8 and was shot down by an American fighter jet. U.S. defense officials said the weapon fired by the drone did not detonate and no one was hurt. But Army Colonel …