Social and Political

gatestoneinstitute.org – A leading Republican lawmaker, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), also the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has pointed out that recent intelligence obtained about Iran’s threat was extremely detailed. These are simply preemptive measures that any rational state would take in the face of those clear threats. They were being taken to save the lives of …

Al-Monitor – The long arm of the Iranian law seems to be reaching individuals accused of misusing political connections for personal profit at a time when the economy is under severe strain due to mismanagement at home and reimposed US sanctions. The latest in a series of “special trials” opened in the past year was that of Hossein Hedayati, also known …

lobelog.com – Recently, President Donald Trump gave Iran’s leaders a telephone number, saying that he is waiting to talk to them. Observers and analysts in both Tehran and Washington dismissed this gesture as meaningless. Given the background of U.S.-Iran relations under Trump, especially American withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the imposition of harsher sanctions on …

Radiofarda – The Islamic Republic judiciary spokesman says that the order issued by the city of Isfahan’ prosecutor to ban cycling for women has been misunderstood. Speaking on Tuesday, Gholam Hossein Esmaeili reiterated that women’s cycling is not banned, provided the religious rules are respected. Earlier on May 14, the prosecutor in Iran’s third largest city had announced that women …

Radiofarda – Half of all Americans believe that the United States will go to war with Iran “within the next few years,” according to a Reuters/Ipsos public opinion poll released on Tuesday amid increased tensions between the two countries. While Americans are more concerned about Iran as a security threat to the United States now than they were last year, …

Radiofarda – Mohammad Hadi Razavi – the son-in-law of Iran’s labor minister, Mohammad Shariatmadari – has been charged with embezzlement and “disruption of the economy” after receiving 2.11 trillion rials (around $51m) in loans from banks, which he has failed to pay back. Tehran’s deputy prosecutor Rasoul Qahremani accused Hadi Razavi along with 30 other suspects during the second hearing …

RFL/RE- Iraq will send delegations to Washington and Tehran to help “end tension” amid concerns of a possible military conflict between the United States and Iran, the Iraqi prime minister has said.Adel Abdul Mahdi said on May 21 that Iraq, which has close ties to both Iran and the United States, is “playing a role to calm the situation but …

VOA — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday it was “quite possible” Iran was responsible for sabotage of Gulf oil interests as he prepared to brief lawmakers on rising tensions. Pompeo cautioned that the United States has not made “a definitive conclusion” that can be presented publicly over mysterious sabotage incidents of oil tankers off the United Arab …

VOA — Acting Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan said the steps taken to bolster the U.S. military presence in the Middle East have deterred Iran and “put on hold the potential for attacks on Americans,” even as Iran carried out other attacks. “It doesn’t mean that the threats that we previously identified have gone away. Our prudent response, I think, …

Al-Monitor – For now, dialogue with the Trump administration is not on Iran’s agenda. The Islamic Republic is instead implementing a policy of “resistance” by focusing on improving its economy and mobilizing public support. In parallel, it is engaged in active diplomacy to boost trade and circumvent US sanctions. As part of the diplomatic frenzy, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif …