Social and Political

Iranwire – The arrests of suspects in the brutal murder of renowned director Dariush Mehrjui, and his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar, has sparked fresh questions into the facts of the violent incident. A film reenacting the crime scene itself has also amplified uncertainties over the precise sequence of events leading to the double murder. Statements made by the Mehrjui family’s lawyer have also intensified the confusion.  …

RFL/RE – Iran’s Guardians Council has returned a chastity and hijab bill to parliament due to “ambiguities” in the legislation, which has drawn criticism both inside the country and abroad. Hadi Tahan Nazif, the council’s spokesman, echoed arguments made by the Expediency Discernment Council that parts of the bill are inconsistent with the “general policies of the legislative system.” The bill, which …

VOA – Recent efforts to de-escalate tensions between the West and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program have been set back by the recent Hamas terror attack on Israel, and Iran could seek to use the atomic program as leverage, according to analysts. Western powers accuse Iran of supporting Hamas as a proxy militant group in the region, although they have …

gatestoneinstitute.org – The hundreds of millions of dollars the Qataris have given Hamas during the past decade have been instrumental in helping the terrorist group to develop the infrastructure that enabled it to carry out its murderous assault on Israel in the first place. Qatar would like the world to believe that it is acting as an honest broker with …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday accused the United States of being complicit in the “crimes” being committed in Gaza by Israel. “The US is definitely the Zionist regime’s accomplice in its crimes against Gaza. In fact, it is the US that is orchestrating the crimes being committed in Gaza,” Khamenei said in a speech remarks from …

iranintl – American forces in Iraq and Syria have come under attack on at least 13 occasions over the past week, the Pentagon has confirmed, by militant groups armed by Iran. In a statement Tuesday, Pentagon’s press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the incidents occurred between October 17 and October 24 and involved a combination of one-way attack drones …

iranintl – Four decades of propaganda by the Islamic Republic to garner support for its anti-Israeli campaign seems to have backfired as many Iranians want defeat for Hamas. This heightened interest in the war’s developments is driven by growing concerns about the potential for an escalation that could entangle Iran in a deadly conflict with Israel, and potentially even involve …

Iranwire – After the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the beginning of his rule, Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, twice announced that he had written his last will and testament. The second time, in front of television cameras and in the presence of the heads of the three branches of government and the prime minister, he handed identical copies …

Iranwire – In recent years, a rising trend has emerged in Iran’s healthcare landscape – a brain drain of nurses.  Reports from Iranian media paint a stark picture, revealing that approximately five to six nurses are leaving the country every day, amounting to around 150 nurses a month and a staggering 1,200 to 1,500 nurses each year. Mohammad Mirzabeigi, the …

RFL/RE – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the UN Security Council on October 24 that Washington does not seek conflict with Iran but warned that the United States would act swiftly and decisively if Iran or its proxies attack U.S. personnel anywhere. Blinken spoke to the council amid international fears the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants …