PayvandNews – Iran overpowered Australia in straight sets (25-14, 25-17, 25-21) in the 2019 Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship at the 12,000-seater Azadi Sports Complex here on Saturday. Team Melli win Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship for the third time, as the Persian had already won the title in 2011 and 2013. Earlier on the day, Japan defeated South Korea 3-1 (25-23,25-17, …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister has told the Independent that Iran might start negotiations with the United States if Washington lifts the sanctions it has imposed on Iran. Abbas Araqchi (Araghchi) told the Independent on Sunday September 22, “Stopping the economic war can lead to real negotiations.” Demanding the lifting of U.S. sanctions, Araqchi added that not only Iran, but no …

Radiofarda – In unprecedented remarks by a regime insider, reformist activist and veteran politician Behzad Nabavi has said four financial institutions linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei control 60 percent of Iran’s national wealth. He has also expressed concern over the presence of “spies at the highest levels of the Islamic Republic,” a remark unlikely to come from anyone linked …

Radiofarda – In a letter written from Tehran’s Evin prison, four inmates have lambasted the Islamic Republic’s establishment for persecuting independent journalists, political and civil rights activists accusing them of security-related crimes and issuing harsh verdicts. The four prisoners, all young women, have criticized their condition in custody and referred to the long sentences issued against them. Two of the …

Radiofarda – Iranian military commanders have been talking big since Friday evening, threatening the United States and Saudi forces in the region, warning against even limited attacks against Iran, boasting about Tehran’s military capabilities and mocking the United States for selling a defense system to Saudi Arabia that didn’t work. Some commanders such as IRGC commander Hossein Salami spoke at …

Radiofarda – CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour has quoted Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif as saying that President Hassan Rouhani is willing to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in New York this week if sanctions are scrapped in exchange for “permanent monitoring” of Iran’s nuclear activities. Amanpour tweeted the news late on September 22, after another tweet where again she quoted …

Radiofarda – FIFA President Gianni Infantino says soccer’s world governing body “cannot wait any more” and has been “assured” by Tehran that the authorities will allow women spectators into the arena when Iran hosts its next international match. Infantino’s September 22 comments follow a FIFA delegation visit to Iran over the conservative Shi’ite leadership’s longtime ban on women at major …

Al-Arabia – US President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that he has no plans to meet with Iranian officials at the UN General Assembly. His statement came after Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Tehran would present to the UN a regional cooperation plan for peace. Rouhani added that the presence of foreign forces creates “insecurity” in the Gulf, …

Iran-HRM – Two Iranian Baha’i women, Kimia Mostafavi and Kiana Rezvani, were sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison. According to the verdict issued by the Revelutionary court of Kerman, the Baha’i women were each sentenced to five years in prison for “membership in Baha’i community” and one year in prison for “spreading ropaganda against the state in …

Iran-HRM – Two political prisoners, Soheil Arabi and Haj Jaffar Kashani held in Evin prison, went on hunger strike to protest continued detention and situation of Farangis Mazloum, Arabi’s mother. The two politcal prisoners started their hunger strike on Friday, September 20.In an open letter the political prisoners said, “Hear the sound of our protest. We heard your protests from …