gatestoneinstitute.org – The Europeans pretend to be working on a magic potion that shall have the dead donkey up and running in no time. For their part, Tehran’s Khomeinist leaders insist that the donkey is alive and well but continue to pull off its legs one by one. The Russians and the Chinese serenade the dead donkey every now and …

Radiofarda – The Speaker of Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, has once again relished the thought of “looking to East”, and dreaming about a long term “strategic relationship” between Tehran and Beijing. “Looking to East”, and dreaming of a closer relationship with China and Russia have always been a favorite refrain for the Islamic Republic’s officials, especially when they find themselves …

Radiofarda – President Hassan Rouhani says Iran’s negotiations with the remaining parties in the 2015 nuclear deal might bear “positive results” in the coming weeks. This is the first time in recent years that an Iranian official sounds optimistic about talks with the West. Speaking in Tabriz on Thursday August 1, Rouhani pointed out that suggestions made so far by …

Radiofarda – The deputy of Islamic Republic judiciary in legal affairs has insisted that defense attorneys should respect the “public’s rights”, and avoid defending those accused of “espionage”. The Islamic Republic often makes unsubstantiated accusations of espionage against activists or critics in order to justify their prosecution and bring about longer prison sentences. Speaking on Thursday, August 1, in the …

Radiofarda – Final oil export figures for the month of July show Iran’s oil shipments down compared with June, standing at just below 400 barrels per day. Figures received by Radio Farda from Kpler, a data intelligence firm, show Iran’s seaborne loadings managed just 399,000 bpd, a decline of 133,000 bpd against an already weak June exports. After the United …

Al-Arabia – Iran will take another step to reduce its compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday without elaborating, according to parliamentary news agency ICANA.Iran has repeatedly said it will reduce its commitment to the nuclear accord in stages and may even withdrew from the pact altogether unless the remaining signatories …

CHRI – Discriminatory Law Remains on the Books, New Law Just Has State Pay to Make Up Difference Following news in Iran on July 2, 2019, declaring equality between men and women in blood money (financial compensation paid to the family of someone who has been killed or to the victim who has been injured), many people incorrectly assumed that the existing discriminatory …

CHRI – The health of Amirhossein Mohammadifar, the detained editor-in-chief of the independent “Gam” Telegram app news channel, has severely deteriorated since he has been on hunger strike for nearly a month in Tehran’s Evin Prison, his mother-in-law Golkhanom Norouzi told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on August 1, 2019. “We heard Amirhossein was in terrible shape,” she said. “His …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – Imprisoned Iranian-Swedish Scientist Ahmadreza Djalali (Jalali) who is sentenced to death in Iran, has been transferred to an unknown location. Rights organizations and Mr. Djalali’s family are concerned about his safety. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the Spokesperson of Iran Human Rights (IHR) said: “Under current political circumstances, sudden transfer of a dual citizen who is sentenced to …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – A man was hanged at the Iranian northern city of Gorgan’s prison for an alleged murder charge. He had always insisted that he is innocent. According to IHR sources, a man was hanged on Wednesday, July 31, at Gorgan prison (Amirabad prison). IHR identified him as Hamid Samaei.  “In a wedding, a gang fight happened. A …