Radiofarda – Iranian parkour athlete and photographer Alireza Japalaghy has been detained, his brother said on May 18. Japalaghy reportedly said in a video posted before his arrest that he had been summoned by security officials just days after he posted photos and a video where he was seen kissing an unidentified woman who was wearing a sports bra and …

Radiofarda – An Iranian news agency on Monday reported that the outgoing Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani may be proposed for the position of secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. In its report Fars News Agency, which has close ties to the Revolutionary Guard, claimed that the “circles close to Larijani” have decided to propose him for the position, presumably …

Radiofarda – Iranian lawmakers on Monday voted for a “double urgency” motion which obliges the Foreign Ministry to take measures to establish a “virtual” Iranian embassy or consulate for Palestine. Article 2 of the proposed law requires the Foreign Ministry to submit its plan for establishing the virtual embassy of the Islamic Republic. Since its establishment the Islamic Republic has …

Radiofarda – Iranian hardliners have launched a campaign against President Hassan Rouhani’s former aide in women’s and family affairs for “promoting homosexuality” by posting the U.N. “International Day of Families” poster on social media. On May 15 Ms. Shahindokht Molaverdi, an academic and a defender of women’s rights within the boundaries of Islam, reposted the U.N. poster that depicts various …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei says the United States will be “expelled from Iraq and Syria,” adding that “The U.S. government’s long-term performance has led to abhorrence by a major part of the world.” Khamenei’s remarks came during a virtual meeting via video teleconference on Sunday May 17 with a group of students and the members of student …

Radiofarda – Buenaventura is one of the most violent and poorest cities in Colombia. In one of the most dangerous neighborhoods, a music sang by children voices is wafting from a house with a big sign saying Mezquita in front of it. It is a mosque and a headquarters of the local Shia Muslim community led by Sheikh Munir Valencia, a Colombian …

Iran-HRM- Esmail Abdi, former secretary general of the Teachers Trade Union, has been returned to Evin Prison on a new ten-year sentence on trumped up charges. Esmail Abdi only had a few months left to finish his six-year sentence. In mid-March, he went on furlough after the coronavirus outbreak, and should have been granted early freedom. Ironically, the Judiciary hastily …

VOA – Iran is warning the United States against threatening its tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela, where gasoline and oil are in desperately short supply despite Venezuela being a major oil production center.  As many as five Iranian ships loaded with gasoline are believed to be on their way to the South American country.  U.S. sanctions forbid Iran from selling oil and the U.S. is also pressuring all countries against supplying fuel to Venezuela, as part of Washington’s efforts to drive President Nicolas Maduro from power.  Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif wrote a letter Sunday to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about Tehran’s concerns over whatever action the …

Radiofarda – Iran has cancelled the anti-Israeli Qods Day rallies planned for the last Friday of Ramadan, said a statement by the Islamic Propagation Council on Sunday May 17. The statement added that a speech by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be the only program planned for the May 22 and that no other related event will take place …

AFP -Jailed British-Australian Kylie Moore-Gilbert is in good health “considering her situation” in an Iranian prison, her family said in a statement Sunday denying claims she had attempted suicide. Human rights activists in Iran claimed earlier this month that the academic, who is serving a 10-year sentence for espionage, had attempted suicide multiple times and was upset with the Australian …