Al-monitor — Iran is among the top wheat consumers in the world. Consumption per capita in the country is estimated at 167.6 kilograms (369 pounds) per year, almost three times the global average of some 67 kilograms (148 pounds). At the same time, Iran is one of the driest countries in the world, with an average rainfall of only 250 mm (10 inches) a year, causing huge …

PayvandNews -A popular joke was bouncing around in South Africa in the early 1990s. Given the country’s overwhelming challenges, people have two options, a practical one and a miraculous one. The practical option is for everyone to get down on their knees and pray for a band of angels to come down from heaven and solve the problems. The miraculous option is …

PayvandNews – Asian and European companies are negotiating participation in Iran’s oil and gas development projects which need $200 billion worth of investment, according to Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh.  Iran looks to absorb 65% to 70% of this sum from abroad, the minister told Iran’s Parliament where he was Tuesday to answer questions about a $5 billion gas deal signed …

PayvandNews – Iran’s state railway company and its Italian counterpart have signed a deal worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) to build a high-speed rail line between Iranian cities of Arak and Qom.  Renato Mazzoncini, CEO of Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), and head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Saeed Mohammadzadeh oversaw the signing of the agreement in Tehran on …

RFL/RE – An Iranian cancer researcher arriving in the United States to start work at a prominent Boston hospital was detained this week at Logan International Airport, the hospital has said. Boston Children’s Hospital said that Mohsen Dehnavi was prevented from entering the country with his wife and three young children despite holding a J-1 visa for visiting scholars. They arrived …

Radiozamaneh – While Iranian MPs are requesting that judiciary temporary suspends executions for minor drug charges, a proposal to amend the law and reduce execution rates returns back to the parliament for some changes. Iranian Parliament’s Judiciary Commission has called on the judiciary to impose a moratorium on the execution of all death sentences in connection with drug convictions until the …

Radiozamaneh – An official with Mashhad Judiciary in Iran says that the recent arrests of 27 individual in Iran are linked to “ISIS terrorists”. Hussein Heidari, the deputy prosecutor of city of Mashhad has told local media on 9 July, that initially 21 individuals were arrested but the number of arrests is now 27 mostly Afghan nationals. Heidari characterized the arrests …

VOA — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s effort to resolve a dispute between Qatar and four of its Persian Gulf neighbors shifted Wednesday to Saudi Arabia where he is due to meet with officials from the nations accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism. The talks in Jeddah come a day after Tillerson announced the U.S. and Qatar signed a memorandum of …

Iran Human Rights – At least two prisoners were hanged on drug related charges. A prisoner was reportedly executed at Mahabad Prison and at least one prisoner was reportedly executed at Rasht’s central prison. Both prisoners were reportedly executed on drug related charges. According to close sources, the prisoner at Mahabad Prison was executed on the morning of Monday July 10. …

Al-monitor – The recent changes in Saudi leadership were not a surprise to Iran. “We all knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time,” a senior Iranian official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. AUTHOR Ali Hashem In fact, last October, long before the appointment of Mohammed bin Salman as Saudi Arabia’s new crown prince, Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani told a gathering in …