Social and Political

Radiofarda – Radicals linked to the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement were found to be stockpiling bomb-making ingredients in London in 2015 in a case that was kept “hidden from the public”, the Daily Telegraph reported on Monday. Following a tip-off from a foreign government, British police and the MI5 intelligence service discovered thousands of disposable ice packs containing three tonnes of …

Radiofarda – Iranian army’s air defense has showcased a new generation of Sayyad-3 missiles said to be twice as much powerful than the previous generation Sayyad-2. The new missile has been delivered to the 15 Khordad air defense missile site on Sunday June 9 with Defense Minister Amir Hatami and army air defence commander Amir Sabahi Fard present at the …

Radiofarda – The U.N. atomic watchdog’s chief said on Monday he was worried about rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and called for de-escalation through dialogue, departing from his usual guarded language on the country. Washington has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran over what it sees as its nefarious role in the region. It has tightened already punishing economic sanctions, …

Radiofarda – During its first half-year in office, the Trump administration actively flirted with the idea that it might be possible, under the proper conditions, to “flip” the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin and get it to support American attempts to pressure Tehran. That effort, however, fizzled over time, derailed by the longstanding nature of the strategic ties between …

Radiofarda – The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is eighty-years-old. For a senior Shi’ite cleric in the Iranian regime, the eighth decade of life does not necessarily mean being closer to death. There are several Shi’ite clergymen in Iran today who are much older than Khamenei, including, to name a few, ayatollahs Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani, 100, …

Radiofarda – In a statement on Sunday, June 9, more than 200 civil and political activists living in and outside of Iran called for unconditional talks between Iran and the U.S. Referencing the Iranian people’s desire for détente with forces around the region and world at large, 225 signatories to the statement called for the public and civil and political …

Radiofarda – In a speech on June 9, the special military adviser and aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, described recent comments by Khamenei as “coded and having a hidden meaning.” Rahim Safavi was referring to Khamenei’s remarks on May 23, when he urged the young Iranian generation to launch an upward movement …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s foreign minister warned the US on Monday that it “cannot expect to stay safe” after launching what he described as an economic war against Tehran, taking a hard-line stance amid a visit by Germany’s top diplomat seeking to defuse tensions. A stern-faced Mohammad Javad Zarif offered a series of threats over the ongoing tensions gripping the Arabian …

RFL/RE – German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has met with his Iranian counterpart during a visit to Tehran aimed at exploring options for preserving the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Maas held talks with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on June 10 and is expected to also meet with President Hassan Rohani during his visit. Ahead of his …

RFL/RE – Ahead of a trip to Tehran by Germany’s foreign minister, Iran’s top diplomat, Mohammad Javad Zarif, told European countries not to criticize the Islamic republic for seeking to bolster its military capabilities. “Europeans are not in a position to criticize” Iran for issues outside the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, Iran’s foreign minister was quoted …