Al-Arabia – A research project by Singapore University of Technology and Design used data-based estimations to create models which show the coronavirus life-cycle in specific countries, and estimated an “end date” for the COVID-19 outbreak globally and in specific countries, including the US, UK, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, India and Turkey. The research uses the SIR (susceptible-infected-recovered) model which describes the spread of infectious diseases and data of coronavirus cases as …

RFL/RE – Three months after the first round of national elections in Iran, a behind-the-scenes battle over the parliament speaker’s post is pitting several conservatives against an ambitious former mayor of Tehran. The new 290-seat parliament, or Majlis, is dominated by hard-liners whose victories in February were all but assured through the disqualification of 9,000 candidates — including scores of …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Reports recently revealed that in the last week of April alone, the sanctioned Iranian airline, Mahan Air, with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), made several flights to Venezuela. Reportedly, the Iranian regime delivered “parts, technicians, and gasoline additives to fix a major refinery in Venezuela,” and received nine tons of gold bars in return. The …

Al-Monitor – An Iranian warship was accidentally hit by a missile during exercises in the Gulf of Oman, killing at least one, state television said Monday, amid tensions with the US in the waterway. The friendly fire incident involving the Konarak vessel occurred on Sunday afternoon near Bandar-e Jask, off the southern coast of the Islamic republic, it said on …

Al-Arabia – Iran is ready for a full prisoner exchange with the United States, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei was quoted as saying by Khabaronline news website on Sunday, adding that Washington has yet to respond to Iran’s call on a prisoner swap.“We are ready to exchange Iranian and American prisoners and we are prepared to discuss this issue but …

Radiofarda – Ex-president of the Islamic Republic, Mohammad Khatami, has warned that people in Iran might resort to violence as an answer to their state of hopelessness and despair. He has also warned that a “cycle of reciprocal violence between the people and the government” could occur in the clergy-dominated Iran. In an “online speech”, the mid-ranking cleric reiterated that …

Radiofarda – Tasnim news agency in Iran says some foreign media and analysts got a tweet by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei wrong and portrayed it as if he was prepared to make peace with the United States. The IRGC-linked news agency said that the interpretation about the tweet in praise of Imam Hassan, the second Shiite Imam, as a …

Radiofarda – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has renewed his pledge to use all means available to extend a ban on conventional arms sales to Iran beyond October.Pompeo reiterated the vow in a statement on May 9 to mark the second anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.U.S. President Donald withdrew …

Radiofarda – Iran’s health officials say the coronavirus situation in the capital Tehran and Khuzestan Province is still alarming despite fewer deaths from COVID-19, while the police continue suppression of online activities that question official figures. On Saturday the Commander of Police said his forces have identified and dealt with 1,300 websites and arrested 320 individuals for “spreading rumors” about …

Radiofarda – The U.S. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus on Friday called on all countries to keep Iran’s Mahan Air out to “avoid coronavirus and sanction risk”. “Deeply troubled weapons of mass destruction proliferator Mahan Air, which supports terrorism and the Maduro regime, is also reportedly suppressing air crew concerns and spreading COVID-19, Ortagus wrote in a tweet and added: ‘Avoid the …