Al-Monitor – Iranian members of parliament have pushed ahead a controversial bill that would essentially cut off most Iranians from the internet and hand over the country’s internet infrastructure to the armed forces. On Feb. 22, a special parliamentary committee approved the general outline of the “Bill to Protect Users in Cyberspace,” first introduced three years ago. Last July, members of parliament …

Al-Monitor – Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Bageri Kani, is leaving Vienna for Iran for what might be the final sign-off on a deal which would restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran has been negotiating in the Austrian capital with the other JCPOA signatories — the UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China — and indirectly the United States, …

Al-Arabia – While the world’s attention has been focused on Ukraine, the Biden administration also has been racing with world powers toward restoring the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran. After months of negotiations in Vienna, the various sides have indicated a new deal is close, perhaps in the coming days. But instead of the “longer, stronger” agreement originally promised by …

Iranwire – Branch 2 of the Mazandaran Court of Appeal has upheld the initial sentence of a Baha’i citizen named Shiva Khalili, a resident of Babol. Shiva Khalili appeared at the General and Revolutionary Court of Babol at the session of the Court of First Instance, on December 13, 2021, to be sentenced to one year in prison on charges …

Iranwire – Three days ago members of the Iranian Shooting Federation elected Morteza Ghorbani, a long-standing commander and officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as its new president for the next four years. Ghorbani secured the top role with 32 of the 57 votes cast and is now set to head one of Iran’s most important sporting bodies until …

VOA – Talks on restoring a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program and ease sanctions are near conclusion, a Russian envoy said on Tuesday, and sources close to the negotiations said a prisoner swap between Iran and the United States is expected soon. “Apparently the negotiations on restoration of #JCPOA are about to cross the finish line,” Mikhail Ulyanov said …

Iran-HRM – Kurd activist lashed 70 times in northwest Iran prison Kurd political prisoner Chia Aghabigpour was lashed 70 times in a prison in Bukan, western Iran on charges of “spreading propaganda against the state”. He hass also been sentenced to one and two months of prison and a heavy fine. The sentence on Tuesday, February 22, the same day …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – The repression of civil society and human rights defenders has intensified with the revival of the JCPOA talks. Prominent human rights defender, Narges Mohammadi’s eight-year sentence has been upheld. Human rights defender, Zartosht Ahmadi-Ragheb has been arrested and his and at least one other family seeking justice’s homes have been raided and searched. Iran Human …

Al-Monitor – Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi said his country is ready to serve as a regional safe route for natural gas and connect key producers to consumer markets. Speaking at a summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Doha Feb. 22, Raisi added that Iran’s energy strategy seeks to boost gas production and provide greater access to the regional nations. Iran possesses one …

Iranwire – Two more horrific so-called “honor killings” of women and girls came to light this month. The patriarchal belief system that underpins these murders can sometimes be hard to unpack. But there are signs that it is beginning to lose its grip on the younger generation of men and boys in Iran. Two recent studies by Iranian universities found that male students in …