RFL/RE – The European Union has put sanctions on Iran’s information minister, the country’s “morality police,” and other senior officials over the death of a young woman while in custody and the brutal crackdown on nationwide protests that have followed. The bloc published the list of those it hit with sanctions — including 11 persons and four entities — in its official …

Iranwire – The Baha’i faith, one of the world’s youngest religions, was founded in Iran in the nineteenth century, but its followers have long faced persecution in the country, especially since the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Dozens have been arrested, imprisoned and attacked. As recently as July, several preschool teachers were detained in a series of raids by intelligence …

Iranwire – Day 30 of the recent round of protests against the government in Iran was marked by further protests, an intensified crackdown, and continuing confusion about a fire in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison that left at least eight dead, and perhaps many more. Fire and blood in Evin The Iranian authorities claim there was a “riot” in Evin on …

Iranwire – Iranian officials have intensified a crackdown against members of the Baha’i minority amid ongoing unrest across Iran. According to the information received by IranWire, Badie Khazei, 31, a Baha’i citizen, was stopped by intelligence agents when he and some of his friends were out for dinner in Tehran.  Authorities in Fashafuye prison separated him from other prisoners and …

gatestoneinstitute.org – “[T]his relationship [between the US and Saudi Arabia] should be based on reciprocity. If Washington is looking for its own interests, as with the Iran nuclear deal or the cancellation of the [Iranian-backed] Houthi group’s designation as a terrorist group, Saudi Arabia also has the right to seek its own interests….” — Rami Al-Khalifa, Syrian author, Elaph, October …

VOA —The fate of a top Iranian female athlete was unclear Tuesday after she competed in an international rock-climbing competition in South Korea without wearing the head covering mandated by her country’s government. Elnaz Rekabi received global headlines after she participated in the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Asian Championships in Seoul with her hair tied back in a …

VOA – The United States said Monday that Iran is violating a U.N. Security Council resolution by supplying drones to Russia. “Earlier today, our French and British allies publicly offered the assessment that Iran’s supply of these UAVs to Russia is a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, and this is something that we agree with,” deputy State Department …

Iranhr.net – 43 organizations, Including Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to act as a matter of urgency by holding a special session and — given the gravity of crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations committed in Iran and the prevailing systemic impunity — establish an independent, investigative, reporting and …

Al-Monitor – The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a warning to Saudi Arabia about the country’s Persian-language media coverage of protests in Iran.  IRGC commander Hossein Salami said, “I have a recommendation to Saudi Arabia, which is trying to trick our youth with the support of some media outlets. I am warning the Saudi regime: Be careful of your …

Shabtabnews – In a twitter statement USCIRF Commissioner expressed concern for the safety of religious prisoners of conscience at Evin Prison . USCIRF Commissioner @Skleinbaum: "USCIRF is deeply concerned for the safety of religious prisoners of conscience at Evin Prison including protestors against mandatory hijab. The Iranian government must ensure the well-being of religious prisoners." https://t.co/sE34bNDkQB— USCIRF (@USCIRF) October 17, …