Iranwire – Alireza Raeesi, the National Coronavirus Taskforce’s spokesman, has backed down and apologized to the clergy and Friday imams of Qom for criticizing their apparent failure to comply with health protocols at religious ceremonies. The apology came after Raeesi faced several days of sustained attacks and even calls for him to stand trial over the comments. In a recorded message released …

Iranwire – Human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was yesterday returned to her cell in the notorious Qarchak Prison in Varamin. It came just days the attorney, who has been jailed for 34 years for her defense of civil rights activists in Iran, underwent a heart angioplasty at Pars Hospital in Tehran. Her husband Reza Khandan announced the news on Twitter, …

CHRI — In light of the statement by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on January 8, 2021, that the Islamic Republic will not import any COVID-19 vaccines made in the United States or the United Kingdom, we the undersigned organizations call upon the Supreme Leader to rescind this order and allow Iranians to purchase any safe and effective vaccines …

Al-Monitor – Iran: Timing is everything on return to Iran deal Rouhani praises Biden’s ‘political experience.’ Amidst the congratulatory messages from world leaders on Joe Biden’s inauguration, Iran President Hassan Rouhani had one too.    “The new US administration understands politics and has political experience,” Rouhani said, drawing contrast with former US President Donald Trump, who “was a tower builder and did not know politics. …

(AP) — Iran’s judiciary released the country’s telecom minister on bail Wednesday after he was summoned for prosecution by Iran’s general prosecutor, state TV reported. The state media outlet quoted Jamal Hadian, a spokesman for the telecommunications ministry, as saying Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi appeared before a prosecutor Wednesday, was released and had already returned to his office. The office …

iop.org – Professor Nader Engheta’s trailblazing contributions to the physics of light-matter interactions have been monumental. He has introduced and pioneered several transformative fields in electromagnetic and optical sciences, and is considered the father of material-based analogue computing and optical nanocircuit elements, near-zero-index physics and plasmonic cloaking. His game-changing work on optical circuit elements has unified the two fields of …

Amnesty – On the third anniversary of the nationwide protests of December 2017 and January 2018, Amnesty International renews its calls for justice for the dozens of protesters, including children, who were killed by Iran’s security forces across the country, and their bereaved families. The organization also stands in solidarity with those seeking truth and accountability for the thousands of …

Shabtabnews – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) applauds the U.S. Department of State for designating China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as genocide and crimes against humanity. USCIRF released the following statement: https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-applauds-state-department-designation-uyghur-muslims-treatment USCIRF applauds the @StateDept for designating #China’s treatment of #Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the #Xinjiang …

Iranwire – Iranian health officials have continued to warn against travel during the holidays, but religious ceremonies to mark Fatimiyya, the days when Muslims and especially Shias mourn the martyrdom of Fatimiyya al-Zahra, the youngest daughter of Prophet Mohammad, have continued despite the ban on gatherings. Alireza Raeesi, spokesman for the National Coronavirus Taskforce, said that travel is a very important factor in …

Radiofarda — President-elect Joe Biden’s secretary of state nominee said the incoming administration would seek a “longer and stronger” nuclear agreement with Iran as he laid out a foreign-policy vision for the next four years.However, Antony Blinken also said Washington is a “long way” from reaching a new accord with Tehran, echoing comments made earlier in the day by Biden’s …