Radiofarda – Iranian police in the city of Arak in the Central Province attacked Azar Ab Industry workers during a gathering marking the second week of their walk-out Sunday October 20. The police attacked the workers with tear gas and arrested scores of them, semi-official news agency ISNA reported. The workers blocked the North-South railway for several hours, but the …

Radiofarda – As mediation efforts are under way to reduce tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia amid an escalation caused by the attacks on the Aramco oil facilities, there are indications that the United Arab Emirates has started to improve its ties with Iran. In one of the latest developments, Akbar Torki, a member of the Iranian Parliament, said on …

Radiofarda – Acting on advice from the government, Australian universities have warned academics not to travel to Iran, after three Australians were detained by the Islamic Republic in recent months. Iran currently holds several foreigners and dual nationals on ambiguous charges, leading to Western governments and international human rights organizations to conclude that Tehran is in effect arresting innocent people …

Al-Arabia – A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck in southern Iran on Monday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.The earthquake was focused near the town of Kukherd in the southern province of Hormozgan, according to Fars.The report did not provide any information about possible casualties or material damage from the earthquake.Last Update: Monday, 21 October 2019 KSA 14:32 – GMT 11:32

Iran has rejected the establishment of Turkish military posts inside of Syria, saying borders between the two countries should be respected.Speaking at a weekly news conference broadcast on state TV, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mosavi said issues between Syria and Turkey should be resolved “by diplomatic means.”“We are against Ankara’s establishing of military posts in Syria … Syria’s integrity should …

RFL/RE – British and U.S. intelligence agencies say Russian hackers hijacked Iran-based cyberspy groups to attack dozens of countries and organizations while pretending to be Iranian.The details of the operation were revealed in an October 21 statement accompanying a joint advisory by Britain’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) and the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA).The Russian hacking group known as Turla “acquired Iranian tools …

VOA – Influential Iraqi Shi’ite leader Moqtada al-Sadr has given his supporters the green light to resume anti-government protests, after the movement was interrupted following a deadly crackdown. Protests shook Iraq for six days from October 1, with young Iraqis denouncing corruption and demanding jobs and services before calling for the downfall of the government. The protests — notable for …

Reuters – Nothing will come of a case against Turkey’s state-owned lender Halkbank “if the law in the United States works”, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday, adding that the case was politically motivated. U.S. prosecutors on Tuesday charged Halkbank with taking part in a multi-billion-dollar scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. Halkbank said the U.S. charges …

Radiofarda – The Iranian government is continuing to cut off cash subsidies as the economic crunch resulting from U.S. sanctions become increasingly daunting. Based on estimates published by Mehr news agency and Eghtesad Online news website, some 24 million Iranians will no longer receive cash subsidies by the end of the current Iranian year on 20 March 2020. Officials have …

AP – Millions of pilgrims made their way on foot to the Iraqi city of Karbala on Saturday for the Shiite pilgrimage of Arbaeen, regarded as the largest annual public gathering in the world. The commemoration marks the 40th day following the death of a Shiite saint in the 7th century and included more than 2 million Iranians and other …