VOA – The coalition headed by fiery anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr appears headed to victory in Iraq’s parliamentary election. With nearly all the ballots counted, al-Sadr’s Marching Toward Reform alliance was leading in six regions, followed by the group headed by Iraqi militia commander Hadi al-Amiri. Current prime minister Haider al-Abadi, who is supported by the United States, trails …

CHRI – A young man has been expelled from the University of Gilan in northern Iran because of his Baha’i faith in another example of Iranian universities discriminating against students for their religious beliefs without consequences.  

Al-Monitor – Since President Donald Trump fulfilled his campaign promise of breaking the nuclear deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany (P5+1), Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has been working to determine whether the deal can still be salvaged. After visiting China, Zarif, who was Iran’s lead negotiator during the …

Radiofarda – White House national security adviser John Bolton says “regime change” in Iran is not currently part of the administration’s policy, despite his past suggestions that the United States should push for a new government in Tehran.

PayvandNews – Tehran City Council members elected Mohammad Ali Afshani as the new mayor of the Iranian capital May 13, after his predecessor resigned last month amid controversy.  Afshani won by 19 votes, while his main challenger, Acting Mayor Sami’ollah Hossaini Makaram, garnered only one vote.

Radiofarda – A new directive issued by the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has set strict limits on the amount of foreign cash travelers can take with them out of the country amid a deepening currency crisis.

Radiofarda – An Iranian official defended the decision of the country’s judiciary to block the popular messaging application Telegram and said that the measure will be in effect permanently.

Iran-HRM – On Friday, May 11, 2018, Mehrdad Heyrani, a Baha’i citizen residing in Tehran was arrested and transferred to an unknown location by intelligence agents after his residence was searched and his personal belongings such as computer and religious books were confiscated.

RFL/RE – The ninth round of Syria peace talks sponsored by Iran, Russia, and Turkey began on May 14 in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.

RFL/RE – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif are meeting in Moscow to discuss ways to save a landmark Iran nuclear deal.