Social and Political

VOA— Recent comments by a senior Iranian official about the possibility of deporting Afghan refugees living in the country has drawn widespread criticism from governments and rights groups. Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said last week that his country would consider asking Afghan refugees to leave Iran if the United States continued to put economic pressure on Tehran. …

VOA — German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Europe needs to “reposition” itself in a changing world and is welcoming European powers’ unity over Iran, a contrast with their deep divisions over the Iraq war 16 years ago. Merkel said in an interview with Germany’s daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung released Wednesday that Europe needs “forward-looking” arguments and stressed that “simply pointing …

gatestoneinstitute – It was Iran, not the US, that breached international law by carrying out the US Embassy takeover in Tehran…. It was also Iran, not the US, that immediately began using its proxies, such as Hezbollah, to commit terrorism and incite antagonism towards America. Should the mullahs be appeased for killing thousands of Americans? For continually taking Americans as …

CHRI – Citing domestic Islamic religious decrees and common law, Isfahan city prosecutor Ali Isfahani announced on May 14, 2019, a ban on female bicyclists. “Based on fatwas by religious scholars as well as the law, bicycling by women in public spaces is a sinful act,” Isfahani told the state-funded Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The prosecutor also announced that an “Office …

Al-Monitor – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran will force the United States to retreat by “resistance,” which he described as the only option against unrelenting US pressure. During a meeting with the country’s top political elites, including President Hassan Rouhani and parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, Khamenei​ dismissed the possibility that the United States and Iran would go to war, stating that the Americans understand that any such conflict …

Shabtabnews – Yesterday US senate held across party meeting on human rights of violations of the Iranian regime. In particular, in the meeting, that was chaired by Sam Brownback, the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, there were discussion on human rights violations committed by the Iranian regime against religious minorities in Iran. Sam Brownback, and Hamid Gharagozloo During …

Radiofarda – Several Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress have demanded more information form the administration on current tensions with Iran on May 14. In recent days, the U.S. has dispatched more forces to the Middle East citing possible threats from Iran and its proxies, with concern rising of an inadvertent escalation that could draw the region into a …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says a war with America is not likely to happen. He also reiterates that Iran is not going to negotiate with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program. Speaking during a meeting with Iranian state officials in Tehran on Tuesday May 14, Khamenei likened negotiation with America to “poison”. “There will be …

Radiofarda – If E.U. countries take Iran’s nuclear case back to the U.N. Security Council, Tehran will withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or its nuclear deal with world powers, the spokesman of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) has warned. Speaking to the state-run English language channel, Press T.V., May 14 Behrouz Kamalvandi warned that Iran might …

Al-Arabia – Iran has officially stopped some commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers following an order from its national security council, an informed official in the country’s atomic energy body told the ISNA news agency on Wednesday.Last week, Iran notified China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom of its decision to halt some commitments under the …