lobelog.com – The unfolding university admissions scandal here in the United States has been an education in American exceptionalism. That the standard of entry to higher education might include the ability to play squash or ride a show horse proves difficult to explain to much of the rest of the world, where high-stakes standardized testing reigns as the sole gatekeeper …

Radiofarda – Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has openly shrugged off responsibility for the nuclear agreement Iran concluded with world powers in 2015. Khamenei, who was speaking to hand-picked representatives of Iranian students on Wednesday, May 22, expressed his dissatisfaction with the way President Hassan Rouhani and his team handled the nuclear deal also known as JCPOA. He insisted …

Radiofarda – A pro-reform member of the Iranian Parliament (Majles) has suggested Tehran should form a group of 100 politicians to strengthen Iran’s lobbying efforts in other countries including the United States. Iranian member of Parliament Elias Hazrati, in an interview with ILNA news agency, undated. File photo The official news agency of the Iranian Parliament (ICANA) has on Wednesday …

Radiofarda -Iran’s President Rouhani has claimed a rhetorical victory after President Trump expressed a willingness for talks with Tehran – a day after warning that the U.S. could destroy the country. Speaking on Tuesday May 22, Rouhani said a Tweet by Donald Trump on Monday marked a retreat from talk of war that reflected the “strength of the Iranian nation”. …

Radiofarda – The Iranian Customs Administration closed Soumar border crossing in Western Iran on Tuesday May 21, bringing export of Iranian goods to Iraq to a halt, Mehr news agency reported. A statement issued by the Iranian Customs Administration orders transportation companies “To stop sending export goods to the Soumar border until further notice.” The Iranian Customs Administration has issued …

Radiofarad – The spokesman of Iran’s hardliner-dominated Guardian Council, Abbasali Kadkhodaei has criticized President Hassan Rouhani for complaining about his “limited powers.” Kadkhodai tweeted that “Iranian Presidents have always had extensive powers,” adding that “even more authority has been vested in the president in this presidential term in view of the country’s situation.” The hardliner spokesman of the Guardian Council …

Al-Arabia – Ankara stopped importing oil from Iran at the beginning of May out of “respect” for American sanctions despite disagreeing with them, a Turkish official said on Wednesday. “As a strategic ally” of the United States, “we respect” the sanctions, said the official, who asked to remain anonymous, during Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yavuz Selim Kiran’s visit …

Iran-HRM – An Iranian female singer has been charged for singing solo as part of a sightseeing tour in the village of Abyaneh, according to Isfahan’s prosecutor. Neghar Moazam sang solo in the historical village of Abyaneh on Friday, while traveling with a sightseeing tour. In comments carried by the state-run Tasnim news agency, Ali Isfahani, prosecutor of Isfahan said, “The …

Iran-HRM -The state security forces on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, raided a restaurant in a university in the northeastern city of Mashhad that was serving food during the Ramadan fast. A video circulated on social media showed college students fleeing from rooftops as state authorities raiding the restaurant to arrest anyone eating during fasting hours. Iranian morality police and Basijis …

RFL/RE – The Pentagon is analyzing a U.S. military request to send 5,000 more troops to the Middle East amid growing tensions with Iran, Reuters is reporting, quoting two U.S. officials. The officials, who spoke to Reuters on May 22 on condition of anonymity, said U.S. Central Command made the request, but added that it was unclear whether the Defense …