gatestoneinstitute.org – Germany has, in fact, been decidedly hostile to Israel in recent years… Germany continues to provide millions of euros annually to organizations that promote anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) and “lawfare” campaigns, anti-Zionism, antisemitism, and violence, according to NGO Monitor. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in 2008 that Israel’s security is “non-negotiable” and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas …

RFL/RE – A photo that went viral on social media in Iran last month epitomized the sad state of affairs for women who simply want to watch a male sports event in person. It showed a group of men watching the Esteghlal soccer team play in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, with a woman standing on her toes behind a metal fence …

Leblog – Once again, we are at a state of war, and we have an unfinished job of exterminating the dissidents, all at once.  This is the essence of a recently broadcast Mosalas magazine interview with Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi, Iran’s former Minister of Justice. It has had a chilling effect on Iranian activists, particularly those in prison, at a time when the nation …

Radiofarda – An outspoken member of Iran’s parliament has criticized President Hassan Rouhani for not applying his constitutional powers to advance the policies of his elected office. Ali Motahari, Tehran’s representative to Majlis (parliament) says, “President Hassan Rouhani has been reluctant to apply some of his constitutional powers, while [his predecessor, hardline] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had more audacity in using his …

Radiofarda – Iran unveiled on Saturday what authorities said was a locally upgraded missile defense system with a range of 400 km (250 miles) and able to defend against cruise and ballistic missiles and drones. The announcement comes at a time of rising tension between Iran and United States. Iran shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone in the Gulf …

Radiofarda – Hashem Aghajari, an outspoken academic in Iran, has stated in a recent article that the relatively open political environment prevailing in the late 1990s and early 2000s marked the limit of the Islamic Republic’s tolerance for reforms. Aghajari maintains that not only did reforms not continue beyond that point, but Iranians have witnessed a day-by-day decline in the …

Radiofarda – Iran’s traditional clerics see smaller families, empowered women and global lifestyles as threats that cross political borders, but they find it hard to confront modern changes with their outdated tools and methods. The Chairman of Iran’s Islamic Propagation Organization says there are nearly 100,000 religious associations active in Iran “to solve modern day’s problems,” but still calls for …

Al-Arabia – France said on Friday it “needs no permission” to work towards easing tensions between Iran and the US, after President Donald Trump accused his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron of meddling in the standoff. “On Iran, France speaks with complete sovereignty. It is working hard for peace and security in the region, it is working to facilitate a de-escalation in …

RFL/RE – Iran’s foreign minister has described “any extra-regional presence” in the Persian Gulf as a “source of insecurity” and said his country “won’t hesitate to safeguard its security” in the strategic waterway that abuts eight Middle Eastern states and serves as a vital conduit for global oil and gas supplies.A recent spate of naval confrontations and a shipping seizure …

HRW – A long-awaited bill that would allow the children of Iranian women married to foreign spouses to obtain citizenship for the first time hangs in the balance. Iran’s elected executive and legislative branches have advanced this bill, which would change the lives of thousands of Iranians. But its potential protections have been eroded by appointed bodies, revealing the increasingly steep …