Social and Political

VOA – Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Thursday, while Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi were expected in Uzbekistan, amid renewed diplomatic interest in the region. Central Asia’s former Soviet republics have sought to diversify their partnerships as Moscow’s sway over the region, which it considers as under its sphere of influence, …

VOA – Brazilian police, in cooperation with Israel’s spy agency, Mossad, and other international agencies, foiled an attack planned by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, according to Brazil’s federal police. The federal police arrested two people in Sao Paulo State on terrorism charges, it said in a statement Wednesday. In Israel, a statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said …

Al-Monitor – The United States military on Wednesday launched a new round of airstrikes targeting a facility in eastern Syria which the Pentagon said was used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in the latest sign of broader escalation with Iran-backed groups. “Today, at President Biden’s direction, US military forces conducted a self-defense strike on a facility in eastern Syria used …

iranintl – A Pentagon official has told Iran International that Iran’s proxies have attacked US forces in the Middle East 40 times since the Israel-Hamas war began last month. The attacks have taken place in Iraq (22 times) and Syria (18 times), the official said. On Monday, the Pentagon announced that in the past month, at least 46 American troops …

iranintl – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his ultraconservative allies are likely to present three different lists of candidates for the parliamentary elections in March. This move seems aimed at creating an overwhelming propaganda push to secure a parliament dominated by Raisi’s supporters, ensuring minimal opposition to their complete takeover of the executive and legislative powers. Some social media reports …

Iranwire – Iranian authorities transferred Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who is incarcerated in Tehran’s Evin prison, to a hospital after she launched a hunger strike earlier this week, her husband says.  Taghi Rahmani said on November 8 that the human rights activist “was taken to the hospital without the mandatory hijab for medical tests.” Rahmani, who …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 7, 2023: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi is on a food and medicine strike in Evin Prison after being denied urgent medical care. Authorities are refusing to send her to a hospital under the pretext that she will not wear the mandatory hijab. Narges requires urgent medical treatment for cardiovascular disease. Expressing grave concern for Narges …

iranintl – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would consider “tactical little pauses” in Gaza fighting, but again rejected a ceasefire despite international pressure. Netanyahu said a general ceasefire would hamper his country’s war effort, but pausing fighting for humanitarian reasons, an idea supported by Israel’s top ally the United States, would continue to be considered based on circumstances. “As …

iranintl – The Pentagon says at least 46 American troops have been injured in Iraq and Syria in attacks by Iranian-backed militia during the past one month. This number is significantly higher than the last official figure (around 20), announced a fortnight ago. Since the Hamas terror attack on Israel and the ensuing conflict a month ago, the US government …

RFL/RE – Three people have been detained following an altercation at a Tehran subway station that erupted over the enforcement of Iran’s mandatory hijab law, a sign of the deep discontent among many Iranians over the rule. Tehran’s subway police reported on November 5 that the incident occurred when a woman tasked with advising on the hijab rules was allegedly assaulted after …