Radiofarda – In a fiery speech on Monday an outspoken female Iranian lawmaker criticized the Islamic Republic for “grim despotism” and the ever-increasing powers of parallel, unelected centers of power. In her speech Parvaneh Salahshouri who is a representative of Tehran in the Majles (Iranian parliament) said the concentration of power in unelected bodies is destroying the “republican nature of …

In a letter to the Islamic Republic President Hassan Rouhani, 160 prominent Iranian lawyers have called for an investigation of the deadly mid-November protests in Iran and punishment of those responsible for killing protesters. Attributing the protests to “foreign plots”, as well as “ignoring the causes and the objective reasons of people’s dissatisfaction,” would have no result other than recurrence …

Al-Arabia – Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz, during his opening speech at the 40th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit held in Riyadh on Tuesday, stressed that the Gulf region must unite against the Iranian regime’s aggression in the region. “The Iranian regime has continued its aggressive policies in the region that undermine the stability of neighboring countries,” King Salman …

Al-Arabia – Protesters were set to gather in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square on Monday in response to a call for Iraqis to head to the capital on Victory Day. Images had been circulated on social media calling on Iraqis from across the country to gather in Baghdad on December 10, which is a public holiday commemorating the Iraqi government’s victory over …

Iran-HRM – November saw angry protests across Iran over fuel price hike which overshadowed all other issues. The protests began on 15 November after the tripling of fuel prices and rapidly spread to 189 cities in just a few days. In the days that followed the eruption of protests, the regime cut off access to internet across the country to hide the scale …

RFL/RE – The delegations of Turkey, Iran, and Russia have arrived in Kazakhstan’s capital, Nur-Sultan, for two days of trilateral talks, Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman Aibek Smadiyarov has told reporters. The meetings are designed to find a permanent solution for the eight-year Syrian civil war and include ongoing talks on drafting a postwar constitution, political transition, security, and resettlement of …

RFL/RE – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran is ready for more prisoner exchanges with the United States, days after the two countries exchanged two of their detained nationals.“After getting our hostage back this week, fully ready for comprehensive prisoner exchange,” Zarif tweeted on December 9, adding: “The ball is in the [U.S.’s] court.” The December 7 prisoner exchange between …

Radiozamaneh – Media and human rights organizations are still working on the documentation of cases of arrests, injuries and deaths of protesters who took to the streets in Iran after a hike in the price of gasoline was announced on 14 Nov 2019. The Islamic Republic of Iran has not been transparent about the death toll. Body count projects outside …

Amnesty – Amnesty International issues a joint letter urging members of the United Nations General Assembly to support resolution A/C.3/74/L.27, adopted by the General Assembly’s Third Committee on 14 November 2019, when it comes for adoption by its plenary later this month. As the situation in Iran has been marked in recent weeks by another human rights crisis, in addition …

CHRI – “My son was only defending the rights of his people” The family of Pouya Bakhtiari, a 27-year-old man shot and killed by security forces in the Mehrshahr district of Karaj, west of the capital Tehran, on November 16, 2019, during the recent protests that gripped Iran, will seek justice through domestic and international channels, his mother told the Center …