Radiofarda – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking about the contentious Belarusian presidential election and the ensuing police crackdown against peaceful protesters, says that “we want good outcomes for the Belarusian people, and we’ll take actions consistent with that.” Pompeo, who earlier condemned the conduct of the election that handed authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth-straight term by a …
Read More »Monthly Archives: August 2020
Iran Health Officials Say Coronavirus Contaminating At Much Greater Rate Than Before
Radiofarda – Coronavirus’ contamination power has increased by three to nine times in Iran, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said on Tuesday, August 11. Speaking in a program of the state-run television, Harirchi said the coronavirus is a complex virus and “has even become more complex [due to mutations] now”. “In addition to complexity, its contamination rate has increased by …
Read More »Iran’s Archaeological Society Criticizes ‘National Museum’ At Khomeini Mausoleum
Radiofarda – In a statement on Wednesday, the Society for Iranian Archeology criticized a recent decision of the Cultural Heritage Organization to create a second branch of the National Museum in the opulent mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini. The plan to transfer two to three thousand artifacts from the National Museum of Iran in the center of Tehran to the basement …
Read More »U.S. Says Iran Briefly Seizes Oil Tanker Near Strait Of Hormuz
The Iranian Navy has boarded and briefly seized a Liberian-flagged oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) says, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and the United States. CENTCOM published a black-and-white video on August 13 showing what appeared to be special forces fast-roping down from a helicopter onto the MV Wila, whose last position …
Read More »France’s Macron Holds Talks With Russian, Iranian Leaders Over Lebanon, Belarus
RFL/RE – French President Emmanuel Macron has held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss postelection violence in Belarus and the situation in Lebanon following a devastating blast in Beirut. Macron on August 12 also spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rohani, urging Tehran to avoid interfering in Lebanon or escalating tensions. Iran wields influence …
Read More »Imprisoned Human Rights Lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh On Hunger Strike Demands Release of Political Prisoners
Iran Human Rights (IHR) – Nasrin Sotoudeh, lawyer and human rights activist currently behind bars in Evin Prison, has started a hunger strike demanding the release of political prisoners. According to Iran Human Rights, Nasrin Sotoudeh went on hunger strike by issuing a letter on August 11. A part of her letter reads: “The appellate process, parole, suspending execution sentences …
Read More »The Mullahs and Hezbollah, Lords of Drug Smuggling
gatestoneinstitute.org – “Presumed to have been issued by Iranian religious leaders, the fatwa reportedly read: We are making drugs for Satan — America and the Jews. If we cannot kill them with guns, we will kill them with drugs.” — Matthew Levitt, Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God, Hurst Publishers, 2013. According to an FBI report, declassified in …
Read More »It doesn’t matter who wins in November, Iran will not renegotiate the JCPOA
atlanticcouncil.org – The upcoming US presidential elections in November will likely determine whether the Iran nuclear deal survives. If Donald Trump wins re-election, Iran is likely to quit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and alter its nuclear doctrine to give it more leverage in any future negotiations. If Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is elected, both Iran …
Read More »Iran Parliament Says No To Rouhani Candidate For Industry Minister
Radiofarda – The Iranian Parliament on Wednesday turned down President Hassan Rouhani’s candidate to head the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade. In an open session of the Parliament this morning 140 of the 254 lawmakers present refused to give a vote of confidence to Hossein Modarres-Khiabani, the caretaker of the ministry. He received 104 votes in favor and 10 …
Read More »U.S. Attempts To Win More Support With Streamlined Bid To Extend Iran Arms Embargo
Radiofarda – The United States streamlined its bid on Tuesday to get the U.N. Security Council to extend an arms embargo on Iran, a move that could win Washington more support in the 15-member body but is unlikely to overcome opposition by veto-powers Russia and China. The new text, seen by Reuters, is just four paragraphs and would extend a …
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