gatestoneinstitute.org – Lawmakers in an Indian state… have approved landmark legislation to… [ban] discrimination against women based on Islamic sharia law… personal laws that would be common for all citizens, regardless of religion. Replacing sharia law with a universal civil code across all of India would vastly ensure more rights for women and children and secure gender equality, and would …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s gas output will reach 1.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) per day in five years, Iran’s Oil Minister Javad Owji said on Sunday according to the semi-official Student News Network, up from 1.07 billion cubic meters per day currently. To “ensure Iran’s central role in global energy,” $80 billion will be invested in the development of its gas …

iranintl – Several top politicians in Iran warned ahead of the lackluster elections on March 1 that popular rejection of the highly manipulated electoral system could prove costly for the regime. Alongside these warnings, they have offered roadmaps and guidelines aimed at navigating the potential challenges arising from the political impasse. Despite the government’s claim of a 40-percent turnout, scattered …

iranintl – In response to an unprecedented surge in currency and gold markets in Iran, security agencies clamped down on exchange bureaus, ordering them not post currency rates on Saturday. Major exchange dealers have even shut down their price announcement boards, according to reports received by Iran International. Following the parliamentary elections in Iran, the currency and gold markets witnessed …

VOA – Iran’s hard-liners were leading in an initial vote count Saturday in the capital, Tehran, following a record-low turnout in a parliamentary election. Officials have not yet released turnout figures, but the state-run IRNA news agency said it was 41%, based on unofficial reports. After the closure of the polls, videos and reports suggest that many people used their …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Whatever the turnout, it is clear that not a single critic of the current domestic and foreign policies will be elected. The two assemblies are likely to return as more ardently committed than before to follow the “Supreme Guide” wherever he is heading. It is in that sense that the twin elections have some interest. They will show …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Both US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron reveal their simplistic, and somewhat imperialist, Western approach to a complex Middle Eastern situation, irrespective of the aims and intentions of the two parties chiefly involved: the radical Islamists of Gaza and the West Bank, and the State of Israel itself. “They [Hamas] told us …

iranintl – While Houthi attacks on shipping have halved grain transit through the Suez Canal, grain ships bound for Iran navigate the Red Sea untroubled, commodities experts say. Apart from those headed to Iran, grain ships originating from the Black Sea are about the only ones still using the route. Iran-backed Houthis have effectively closed the Red Sea with their …

iranintl – The IRGC-affiliated Fars news website claimed a turnout of more than 40% after polls closed at midnight in Iran’s controversial elections, despite numerous reports indicating lackluster participation. The Fars reportestablished a narrative that other outlets hesitated to challenge. Shortly after vote counting commenced, the state news agency IRNA also claimed a turnout of 41%. Compared to the official …

iranintl – The recent revelation that Iran ranks as China’s 38th trading partner has once again cast doubt on the efficacy and depth of the much-touted economic ties between the two countries. While the Iranian regime heavily relies on Beijing as its primary oil customer, the actual data on bilateral economic relations appears less promising for the sanctions-stricken country. China’s …