Social and Political

RFL/RE – The U.S. State Department has condemned the recent sentencing of three Iranian women, including a mother and daughter, to combined prison terms of 55 years for protesting laws that make wearing a hijab compulsory. Yasaman Aryani (left), Monireh Arabshahi (center), and Mojgan Keshavarz have been detained since April. “We condemn the Iranian regime for sentencing Yasaman Aryani, Monireh …

gatestoneinstitute – “[T]orture is widely used against suspects after their arrest and in the pre-trial phase in order to extract a confession,” in spite of the fact that “Article 38 of the Iranian Constitution bans all forms of torture and forced confessions.” — Latest Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran, Iran Human Rights. “In 2014, a man who had …

Radiofarda – The Islamic Republic security agents have arrested at least seven Iranian Baha’is in the past ten days, reports say. While confirming the reports, the Geneva-based Baha’i International Community says it is not yet clear which state-run entity is behind the arrests, or what are the charges against the detainees. At least four Iranian followers of Baha’i faith have …

Radiofarda – The former mayor of Tehran, who has been sentenced to death for murdering his second wife, has been pardoned by the victims family and will not be executed. According to the attorney of the relatives of the victim Mitra Ostad, the family of Mohammad Ali Najafi’s second wife has pardoned him. Mohammad Ali Najafi shot his second wife …

Radiofarda – Iran’s reformist political faction seems to have split as one of the groups constituting its backbone has officially pulled out of the lose-knit political force. After remarks by the leader of the centrist Executives of Construction Party, Iranian media reported Tuesday August 13 that the group has all but officially split from the reformist camp . The reports …

Radiofarda – A source “close” to the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani has denied reports that he is involved in self-enrichment and corruption. “An informed source” has told Iran’s national broadcaster that some individuals are spreading “unsubstantiated” reports to conduct “character assassination against. A well-connected seminarian, Seyyed Mehdi Sadrolsadati has published posts on his Instagram account …

Radiofarda – The spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Behrouz Kamalvandi announced on Tuesday, August 13, that the Islamic Republic’s enriched uranium stockpile has reached 370 kilograms. “We are producing [enriched uranium] with a good capacity and our stockpile is 60 to 70 kilograms above the 300kg [JCPOA limit] and this amount is growing fast,” Behrouz Kamalvandi …

Al-Arabia – The Houthi militia in Yemen are an Iranian proxy and should be designated as such, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Wednesday. “Houthi relations with Iran, for long in search for proper designation, is clearer following their leadership’s meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei,” Gargash said in a tweet. “Stated in black & white …

VOA – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledged on Tuesday Tehran’s continued support for Yemen’s Houthi movement and called for dialogue among Yemenis to safeguard the war-shattered nation’s territorial integrity. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling to restore Yemen’s ousted government in a devastating four-year war with the Iranian-aligned Houthis that has killed tens of thousands and pushed the …

Al-Monitor – Iran-backed Shiite militias have been under increasing pressure recently in Iraq not only from the United States — which monitors their activities closely — but also from the public and the Iraqi government. During an interview Aug. 9 with a small group of Iraqi and foreign media representatives, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said he has already begun implementing a decree he issued last month regarding the regulation of …