Al-Arabia – Iraq’s powerful Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Monday he was quitting politics and closing his institutions in response to an intractable political deadlock, a decision that could fuel instability. “I hereby announce my final withdrawal,” Sadr said in a statement posted on Twitter, criticizing fellow Shia political leaders for failing to heed his calls for reform. …

Al-Arabia – The head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency will visit the US in early September for talks on the possible revival of the Iran nuclear deal, an official said Sunday. The announced visit is the latest in the Jewish state’s push to sway Western powers from a deal to return to the landmark 2015 deal with Tehran. Israel says …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Abbas was obviously not thinking about these prisoners when he expressed concern over the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. He seems uncomfortable discussing the fact that his security forces are arresting and torturing Palestinians. Instead, Abbas would like the world to focus only on the prisoners held by Israel and ignore the protests against the “political …

RFL/RE – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says there can be no revival of a nuclear deal with global superpowers unless the UN’s nuclear watchdog drops its probe into the origins of nuclear material found at three undeclared Iranian sites. In a news conference in Tehran to mark his first year in power on August 29, Raisi also said that he …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Esmail Bargrizan, a Baluch man sentenced to death for drug-related offences, was executed in Bandar Abbas Prison. According to the Hal Vash, a Baluch man was executed in Bandar Abbas Prison on August 28. His identity has been reported as Esmail Golrizan, a 28-year-old father. Esmail Golrizan was arrested for drug-related offences around four years …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Omid Ali Geravand, a man sentenced to death for murder charges, was executed in Khorramabad Prison. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Khorramabad Prison on August 27. His identity has been established Omid Ali Geravand who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. Omid Ali was arrested around two years …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Interestingly, none of the problems that nation-states might have with one another, problems such as border disputes, competition for sources of raw materials and markets, water-sharing disputes, irredentism, maltreatment of kith-and-kin, and bitter historic memories, exist between Iran and Israel. No Iranian leader, even under the present regime, could rationally explain why Israel should be regarded as Iran’s …

jpost.com – An airstrike Thursday on the Syrian city of Masyaf that was attributed to Israel struck a missile warehouse containing more than 1,000 Iranian-made missiles, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Saturday. The warehouse, in the city’s Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) complex, stored thousands of medium-range, surface-to-surface missiles assembled under the supervision of Islamic Revolutionary …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Gholamreza Kazemi and Reza Zahmati, two Baluch men sentenced to death for drug-related offences, were executed in Zabol Prison. According to the Hal Vash, two Baluch man were executed in Zabol Prison on August 27. Their identities have been reported as Gholamreza Kazemi and Reza Zahmati who were arrested around four years ago. They were …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Official sources have reported the execution of an unnamed man for rape in a Tehran prison. On August 26, Rokna reported the execution of an unnamed man for rape in a Tehran prison. The report does not specify the exact date and location of the execution. Iran Human Rights has been unable to independently verify …