rferl.org – The United States has imposed sanctions on two networks it says are engaged in “covert procurement activities” benefiting Iranian military organizations and supporting Iran’s “missile proliferation programs,” the Treasury Department has said. One of the networks used a Hong Kong-based front company to “evade U.S. and international sanctions and facilitate tens of millions of dollars’ worth of proliferation …

rferl.org – An Iranian journalist who accompanied Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier this month on an official trip to Europe has fled the entourage and sought political asylum in Sweden. But critics are questioning the credibility of Amir Tohid Fazel, accusing him of working with Iranian intelligence agents to help undermine critics of the Iranian clerical establishment. Some suggest …

alarabiya – An Iranian appeals court has upheld a 10-year jail sentence against British Council staffer Aras Amiri for “cultural infiltration”, the judiciary spokesman said on Tuesday. Amiri was “sentenced to 10 years in jail… and she is already serving her term. This verdict has been upheld by the court,” spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said, quoted by the judiciary’s Mizan Online …

alarabiya – Iran’s judiciary has sentenced British-Iranian dual national Anousheh Ashouri to 10 years jail on spying charges, Iranian state TV reported on Tuesday. “British-Iranian Anousheh Ashouri has been sentenced to 10 years jail for spying for Israel’s Mossad … also two years for acquiring illegitimate wealth,” judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili was quoted as saying. He did not give any …

radiofarda – The Paris-based international organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has declared Iran as the largest prison in the world for female journalists. In its latest report published on August 26, RSF says “The Islamic Republic is now the world’s biggest jailer of women journalists, with a total of ten currently held.” Insisting that it is alarmed by a new …

radiofarda – Japan will try to help ease tension in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Taro Kono said on Tuesday as he began a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif. Zarif said he looked forward to discussions with Kono as both countries had special interests in the security of the energy market and stability in the Gulf. “We …

radiofarda – In the wake of a series of diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, the value of the Iranian currency rial rose 1.8 percent against the dollar on Tuesday. Various currency websites at midday Tuesday local time in Iran reported the rial trading at just below 110,000 to the dollar. In July the …

radiofarda – A member of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, IRGC has been assassinated in the town of Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan province, the local governor announced on Tuesday. Ali Torabi told the media that IRGC member was shot dead in Esteqlal (Independence) avenue in the Kurdish town near the Iraqi border. The town has a substantial Kurdish community. There …

radiofarda – Israel is ready to use “all means necessary” to defend itself against Iranian threats “on several fronts”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday. The warning comes after the Israeli army launched strikes late Saturday in Syria to thwart what it said was an impending Iranian attack against the Jewish state. Just hours later, Lebanon’s army said two Israeli …

rferl.org – Iran won’t talk to the United States unless it lifts all the sanctions Washington has imposed on Tehran, President Hassan Rohani has said, after President Donald Trump said he was open to meeting him under the “right” circumstances. In an August 27 speech broadcast live on state television, Rohani said that Iran is ready to hold talks, “but …