Social and Political

Radiofarda – Government controlled Syrian newspaper Al-Watan has disclosed in an April 17 article that the serious shortage of fuel Syria is facing is the outcome of Iran halting a credit line to Syria since October 15, 2018 under pressure from U.S. sanctions. Al-Watan also added in this “unprecedented disclosure” that no oil tanker has reached Syrian ports during the past six …

Radiofarda – The White House will have to weigh costs and benefits carefully before tightening sanctions on Iran and Venezuela further – and decide whether the economic price is worth the diplomatic gains. If the White House toughens sanctions on Iran and Venezuela significantly (and the next decision on Iran sanctions is scheduled for the first week of May) any …

Al-Arabia – The Saudi Red Crescent Authority, in coordination with the Emirates Red Crescent sent a relief plane to Tehran carrying 95 tons of humanitarian aid to support those affected by the floods in Iran. Last Friday, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced a joint initiative to help alleviate the suffering of Iranian citizens affected by the recent floods. On Wednesday, …

Al-Monitor – “Sorry, this page isn’t available.” That’s the message that now greets Instagram users trying to access accounts purportedly run by top figures of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Last week, President Donald Trump designated the IRGC a “foreign terrorist organization,” and a day after the measure took effect, Instagram banned the accounts. “We work with appropriate government authorities to ensure we meet our legal …

BBC – An Iranian who became the first woman from her country to contest an official boxing match says she has cancelled her return home from France after hearing a warrant had been issued for her arrest. Sadaf Khadem beat the French boxer Anne Chauvin in an amateur bout on Saturday. She had planned to fly to Tehran with her …

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on April 17 denied the veracity of remarks by one of its former generals who has claimed to have worn Iran’s Red Crescent Society’s (IRCS) uniform for “military purposes” during the civil war in Bosnia. Saeed Qassemi (Ghasemi), retired IRGC General, is an outspoken ultraconservative, renowned for his vitriolic attacks on reformist former President …

Radiofarda – The Iranian parliament (Majles) has approved new regulations that will impose further restrictions on Iran’s strictly controlled media ahead of parliamentary elections slated to be held on February 21, 2020. The regulations, which are part of the bill to amend the election law, defines new punishments for those who might ignore or undermine them. The punishments particularly target …

Radiofarda – The representative of the Lebanese Hezbollah in Iran says a significant number of young Lebanese are currently in Iran, helping relief operations for the flood-stricken people. A Hezbollah fighter holds an Iranian-made anti-aircraft missile on the border with Israel, in Naqoura, April 20, 2017 Speaking to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)-run Tasnin news agency, Sheik Mo’ein Daqiq …

Al-Arabia – Between 2010 and 2013, businessman Babak Zanjani carried out one of the biggest money laundering operations in Iran’s history to help the Iranian government bypass US oil sanctions. Al Arabiya English recently revealed how Rostam Ghasemi, one of Iran’s top generals and its former oil minister, acted as Zanjani’s sponsor. Little is publicly known about the full extent …

RFL/RE – Instagram has blocked the accounts of several commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), with the photo-sharing website saying it was complying with U.S. sanctions. U.S. President Donald Trump on April 8 announced the designation of the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization, calling it the Iranian government’s “primary means of directing and implementing its global terrorist …