RFL/RE – Iraq’s parliament has elected Sunni lawmaker Muhammad al-Halbusi as its new speaker as the country moves closer to establishing a new government after months of tense negotiations.

VOA – Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday said that extremists were responsible for an attack on Tehran’s embassy in Paris the day before, and that the city police’s response to the attack was slow and weak.

Iran Human Rights – One prisoner was executed at Zahedan Central Prison on the charge of “trafficking, possessing, and selling drugs and carrying out the armed action.”

Iran Human Rights – Arash Sadeghi, imprisoned civil activist, was transferred to a hospital of the prison’s choice last week, however, he will apparently be returned to prison on Saturday, September 15 without completing his treatment process.

Radiofarda – Germany, France and Britain are mulling setting up a new financial institution to allow EU trade with Iran to continue despite American sanctions renewed by US President Donald Trump, German media reported Friday.

Al-Arabia – Are world circumstances apt to jettison American dollar dominance? Since Donald Trump took over the presidency of the United States, opponents of Washington’s policies have been increasing. After Russia, Iran and North Korea were the main enemies, China and Turkey had also become at the top of the list of Washington’s trade war.

Al-Arabia – The United States is still studying possible waivers of sanctions against countries or businesses that continue commerce with Iran after November 4, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

Iran-HRM – The head of the  judiciary, Sadeq Amoli Larijani, has warned Iranian media not to cover sex tourism in Iran unless they want to face prosecution.

Iran-HRM – In the absence of both the defendants and their attorneys, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz has sentenced five of its Baha’i citizens –Farhad Sarafraz, Shahram Mansour, Vahid Dana, Saeid Abedi, and Adib Haghpajouh– to one year in prison and one year in exile each.

RFL/RE – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized predecessor John Kerry for meeting several times recently with Iran’s foreign minister, saying the Obama-era official was “actively undermining” U.S. policy toward Tehran.