Al-Monitor – “Universities should be a venue for dialogue. As student representatives, we are walking out of this venue in protest,” a union leader declared loudly, interrupting a speech by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during an Oct. 16 ceremony that marked a belated commencement of the academic year at the University of Tehran — the country’s largest higher education center. The union leaders …

PayvandNews – One Mideast player in particular looks likely to benefit from the travesty playing out between Turkey and the Syrian Kurds.  Because it has close ties to both Damascus and Ankara, Iran was in an awkward position when Turkish forces entered Syria last week to attack the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Ankara considers factions of the SDF to be affiliated with terrorists, though the SDF has …

PayvandNews – Reports in the Iranian media shows a female captain and her co-pilot have flown a passenger plane, a first in the history of the country’s aviation industry. The reports published on Tuesday showed photos of the two pilots taken from the social media showing them before and after the two-way flight between the capital Tehran and the second …

PayvandNews – Iran beach soccer team lost to Russia 6-2 at the Association of National Olympic Committees World Beach Games semifinals on Tuesday. Iran will face either Brazil or Italy in the bronze medal match on Wednesday. BeachSoccerWorldwide✔@BeachSoccer_WW FINAL WHISTLE: @beachsoccerrus move into a superior gear in the final third to see off Iran and make the final!#AWBG2019 @AWBG2019 #beachsoccer …

PayvandNews – Iran suffered a 1-0 loss against Bahrain at matchday 4 of Asia’s Round 2 qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar in Group C on Tuesday. Uzbekistani referee Valentin Kovalenko awarded a penalty stroke to Bahrain in the 65th minute which Mohamed Al Hardan coolly slotted home at Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa. Iran’s Team Melli had …

Radiofarda – Students at the University of Tehran today protested during a speech by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, demanding cancellation of prison terms for their peers. Students protest during Iranian President’s speech at Tehran University. October 16, 2019 Several university students have received a total of 100 years in prison for having participated in anti-government protests since 2017. Iranian universities, …

Reuters – (Exclusive)- The United States carried out a secret cyber operation against Iran in the wake of the Sept. 14 attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, which Washington and Riyadh blame on Tehran, two U.S. officials have told Reuters.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the operation took place in late September and took aim at Tehran’s …

Radiofarda – The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently proven how much damage it can cause without having access to high-tech military equipment and formal arms markets. The past few months are indeed instructive. Under a slashed defense budget and outmatched in terms of regional military spending, Iran still managed to turn-up the heat without inviting kinetic reprisal. Western powers and Saudi Arabia have …

Radiofarda – The Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic (SCI) has dismissed a lower court verdict against a conservative politician and former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps commander. Iranian MP Salman Khodadadi (L), who’s been accused of sexual misconduct, and one of his alleged victims Zahra Navidpour. Salman Khodadadi, 57, was sentenced to two years’ exile, a two-year ban on serving …

Radiofarda – Iran’s customs chief has said that his country’s non-oil exports increased by 22 percent from March 21-September 21, compared with the same period last year, reaching 70 million metric tons. He also said that the total value of these exports was close to $21 billion, but he did not mention the monetary value of exports last year. Iran’s …