Shabtabnews– The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) joins in the calls on President Joseph R. Biden to immediately sign the directive raising the numerical ceiling for refugees accepted from abroad through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for the current Fiscal Year, which runs until October 1, 2021. The International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) requires that religious persecution …

Iranwire – On Tuesday the third round of talks on reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ended in Vienna, with the various parties admitting they have a difficult task ahead. Concurrent with the new round of talks, economists have engaged in various debates about the likely impact of the revival of the JCPOA on Iran’s economy. Some compare …

Iranwire – Five people were arrested and sentenced to death over protests that broke out in Khomeini Shahr, Isfahan province, in December 2017. Their situation remains acutely worrying and there are a number of outstanding questions the Islamic Republic is not willing to answer. The judiciary agreed to a “retrial” of the case about four months ago. But no proceedings have been …

Iran-HRM- Jailed dissident Majid Khademi has been in limbo for 15 months in Behbahan Prison in Khuzestan Province. He has been prevented from contacting his family and banned from being released on bail, which was set in December at 3.5 billion Tomans. There have been grave fears over the spread of coronavirus in Behbahan Prison, where prisoners have complained of overcrowded and …

CHRI —The situation of dual-nationals and foreign persons taken hostage and imprisoned by the Iranian government has not only remained unchanged, but in certain cases it has deteriorated, despite the new US administration’s approach to Iran and resumption of nuclear talks between the P5+1 and Iran in recent weeks. It is essential that the US and EU prioritize the release …

amnesty – Countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) ruthlessly persisted with executions, defying the unprecedented challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, making them some of the world’s most prolific executioners of 2020, said Amnesty International in its annual global death penalty report today. The report reveals that four out of five of the world’s top executioners are MENA …

Al-Monitor – “There is no discussion whatsoever on an interim deal,” declared Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, as Tehran and the remaining members of the Iran nuclear deal were resuming talks in Vienna on how to revive the accord. Araghchi, who was also a senior member of the Iranian team during talks that culminated in the original deal in 2015, …

AL-Monitor – Iranian officials have canceled this year’s Quds Day rallies due to coronavirus concerns. The annual Iranian-led event aimed at opposing Israel was also called off last year. An official from Iran’s Islamic Propagation Coordination Council said on Tuesday that the annual event is not scheduled to take place due to the COVID-19 situation in the country. “Although the …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s minister of intelligence Mahmoud Alavi has tested positive for COVID-19, the Rouydad24 news website reported on Monday. The 66-year-old is reportedly quarantining in his home. For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Alavi was appointed minister of Iran’s intelligence ministry after Hassan Rouhani assumed the presidency in 2013. He was …

Al-Arabia – Top Iranian commander Brigadier General Mohammad Hejazi was a key figure for the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen and oversaw projects targeting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, a former Iranian government official said. For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Hejazi, who served as the deputy commander of Iran’s …