Iranwire – Article 18, the human rights organization that advocates for freedom of religion or belief, with a special focus on Christian converts in Iran, published a report on February 1, 2022, on the summons of Ahmad (John) Sarparast, Morteza Hajeb Mashhudkari and Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh on charges of “activities, propaganda, and deviant educational initiatives contrary to holy Sharia [law], …

Iranwire – IranWire sources in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, report that at least five Kurdish labor and civil activists have been summoned to the Sanandaj Intelligence Office. Hajar Saeedi, Fardin Mirki, Eghbal Shabani, Issa Moradi and Ramin Karimi were summoned on the morning of February 9. The reasons for summons are not yet known. Hajar Saeedi, Fardin Mirki …

Iranwire – Gold-plated baby bottles and pacifiers, strollers costing 30 million tomans ($710) and baby bedrooms decorated by interior designers; these are among the sismuni, or items for newborns, that have become fashionable among affluent people in Iranian society. An IranWire citizen journalist, who has gone shopping for baby supplies, has written about Instagram pages items selling “luxury” baby items. …

Iranwire – A controversial historian and filmmaker has revived long-running speculation about the death of Ahmad Khomeini, the youngest son of the founder of the Islamic Republic, in 1995. In a tweet on February 5, Hossein Dehbashi appeared to challenge the theory that Ruhollah Khomeini’s son died due to “excessive drug use,” indirectly suggesting that he could instead have been …

VOA— The White House publicly pressured Iran on Wednesday to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement quickly, saying it will be impossible to return to the accord if a deal is not struck within weeks. “Our talks with Iran have reached an urgent point,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, noting that the U.S. special envoy for Iran, Rob …

CHRI – Universities Not Escaping Intensifying Repression in Islamic Republic In yet another reflection of intensifying repression in the Islamic Republic, a large group of prominent scholars and academics from around the globe have written a letter in protest against the firing of several professors from universities in Iran “for political reasons.” The letter by the academics rejected any legitimate …

CHRI – An Iranian-born German citizen, U.S. resident and political dissident, Jamshid Sharmahd, who was abducted by Iranian agents in Dubai and forced to return to Iran in 2020, is at risk of being executed there while being denied the right to defend himself in court. Sharmahd, 66, is one of several Iranian dissidents that have been illegally abducted by Iranian agents and …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Sentenced to qisas for murder, Mirza Rouhifar was executed in Aligoudarz Prison on February 7. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Aligoudarz Prison on the morning of February 7. His identity has been established as 37-year-old Mirza Rouhifar, who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. Speaking to Iran Human …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Cousins Behzad and Yousef Tahmtan were executed on charges of murder in Ardabil Central Prison. On 16 May 2018, Babak Rezaei was wrongly executed for murders Behzad Tahmtan received the death penalty for. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Ardabil Central Prison on the morning of February 6. …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Khatoun Hamidi, a young woman who may have been a juvenile offender, sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Qazvin Central Prison. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a woman was executed in Qazvin Central Prison (Choobindar) on the morning of February 5. Her identity has been established as Khatoun Hamidi who was …