Al-Monitor – The Iranian judiciary has dismissed 60 judges since early May in an anti-corruption drive launched by Ebrahim Raisi, the recently appointed conservative chief justice. During a presser in Tehran, Raisi’s first deputy, Gholam-Hossein Ejei, announced that the sacked judges came from a wide range of ranks in the judiciary. An unspecified number of those fired have also been barred …

Al-Monitor – Iran’s Reformist-moderate coalition appears to be nearing its end as the two sides say they will not cooperate with each other in next year’s parliamentary elections, raising concerns that hard-liners will win the vote again. Iran’s Reformist and moderate movements joined forces against the hard-liners during the 2013 presidential election won by moderate Hassan Rouhani. They maintained this …

Iran-HRM – The request by the murderer of political prisoner Alireza Shir-Mohammad-Ali was granted and he was transferred from the detention center of Shapour Detective Department in Tehran to Gohardasht Prison. Hamidreza Shoja’ii Zavareh, accused of complicity in the murder of Alireza Shir-Mohammad-Ali was sent to Gohardasht aka Rajai-shahr Prison, on June 18, 2019. On the same day, Alireza’s cellmate, …

Radiofarda – Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi appears to have changed his mind about night life in Tehran in what seems to be a U-turn from his previous hardline position. Police Chief who had ruled out any night life in Tehran after 1 PM in an interview earlier this week, said on Wednesday June 19 “The police has not made …

Radiofarda – Iran imports Russian equipment and agricultural products in exchange for crude oil it had already sold to Moscow, Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak said on Tuesday, June 18, in Tehran. Novak arrived in Tehran Monday to hold talks with the Iranian Oil Minister, Bijan Namdar Zangeneh. The Islamic Republic state-run monopolized TV&Radio news agency (IRIB) cited Namdar Zanganeh …

Al-Arabia – The US special envoy for Iran told a congressional hearing that Tehran was “without question” behind last week’s attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman. “Those who have seen the intelligence all come away without any question Iran is behind these attacks,” Brian Hook told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The United States sought on …

VOA – The U.S. special envoy says President Donald Trump’s Iran policy is ultimately aimed at bringing Tehran to the negotiating table. Brian Hook briefed lawmakers at a House panel Wednesday amid concerns from some in Congress that the situation in the Middle East could escalate into military conflict. Hook said, “no one should be uncertain about our desire for peace …

lobelog.com – With the failure of the latest mediation efforts between Iran and the United States by the prime minister of Japan, followed by attacks on two tankers in the Gulf  of Oman, Iran has decided to speed up the process of reducing its commitments under the nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA). First, Iran practiced …

Radiofarda – Hostilities are heating up between the United States and Iran and while President Donald Trump says he’s not looking to go to war, it’s unclear how the standoff can be resolved. Here’s a look at what’s behind the mounting tension and what’s at stake for both sides, as well as U.S. allies in Europe and elsewhere: __ IS …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Counter-Intelligence Chief says Tehran has executed a number of online spies linked to the United states, without providing much detail. The official who has not been identified in Iranian news agency reports said on Tuesday that Iran has “successfully” clamped down on “cyber-spies” he claimed were linked to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), ISNA reported. On …