CHRI – Iranian actress Maryam Moghaddam (also referred to as Moqadam), has written an open letter to Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi asking why she was suddenly barred from working on a movie. “Mr. Minister! This is the state of the film industry you are in charge of: I was pulled from a film project on the …

Al-Monitor – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif paid an official visit to Turkey on April 17, following his visit to Syria the previous day. Although bilateral issues were a part of the agenda of Zarif’s meetings in both countries, the timing of the trip and the content of his talks in Damascus and Ankara indicated that his diplomatic tour was, …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi has claimed on Friday that his officers have identified tens of U.S. spies outside Iran. Speaking before the Friday prayers in Tehran on April 19, Alavi said his ministry has identified “290 CIA spies” in various countries, Iranian official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying. Alavi said: “CIA spies were identified and …

Radiofarda – Four Iranian republican parties and political organizations have condemned the presence of foreign militia, including the Iraqi Hashd al-Sha’bi in flood stricken areas of Iran and have called for deporting them from the country. The four groups, namely the Union of Iranian Republicans, The National Front of Iran, the Solidarity of Iranian Republicans and the Leftist Party of …

Radiofarda – The Islamic Republic’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has sent a letter to his counterparts around the world warning against U.S. intentions to directly confront Iran. Arguing that Washington’s decision to designate the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization”, is “supported and triggered by some ideological elements within the current US administration”, Zarif says …

Radiofarda – In a meeting with military commanders of Iran on Wednesday, April 17, the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Any action that makes the enemy angry is appropriate and correct; whereas, any move that makes them more aggressive and stronger in spirit must be avoided.” Referring to Washington’s recent decision to designate the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps …

Radiofarda – Iran marked its army day April 18, with a massive display of troops, missiles, submarines, armored vehicles and Russian-supplied S-300 air defense system. President Hassan Rouhani presided over the parade, with armed forces brass accompanying him. A handout picture released by Iran’s Defence Ministry on August 21, 2018, shows the “Kowsar” domestic fighter jet, a fourth-generatiKowsar is reportedly …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Plan and Budget Organization (PBO) says that during the current year, the country’s hidden and direct subsidies is estimated to reach 8,900 trillion rials, or $63.7 billion, based on the current USD rate in open market which stands at around 140,000 rials. If the subsidy is calculated based on the official government exchange rate, the amount will …

VOA – Media rights group Reporters Without Borders says Iran has slipped further toward the bottom of its World Press Freedom index because of an increase in arrests of Iranian journalists and citizen-journalists. In its annual press freedom ranking published Thursday, the Paris-based group also known as RSF said Iran dropped six places to 170th out of 180 countries and …

VOA — Bulgarian customs officials confiscated more than 288 kilograms (635 pounds) of heroin hidden on a truck from Iran, prosecutors announced Thursday. FILE – Bulgarian customs officers display part of 712 kg of heroin, Sept. 29, 2018, in Kapitan Andreevo. The drugs were found in Iranian trucks. On April 18, 2019, prosecutors said Bulgarian officials had confiscated more than …