Social and Political

Al-Monitor – US President Donald Trump’s March 21 decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights has sparked widespread international reaction. While European countries announced that they would not follow suit, Russia expressed concern over the “negative repercussions” of the move. Turkey adopted a more active stance, calling for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Trump’s announcement …

Radiofarda – Welcome 1398 Iranians ushered in a new year March 21, according to the Persian calendar. Looking back, the past year has been rife with economic crisis and public unrest leading to protests questioning the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic. Where do the country’s key figures stand now, and what can we expect from them in the coming year? …

Radiofarda – Microsoft says it has seized 99 websites used by Iranian hackers to launch cyberattacks. The company said Wednesday it took control of the websites after suing the hacking group and obtaining a U.S. judge’s approval. Microsoft says it’s been tracking the group since 2013. The company says the group has tried to steal sensitive information from activists, journalists …

Radiofarda – Iran welcomed on Thursday a Luxembourg court’s decision to refuse to reinforce a U.S. ruling that would have helped families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks claim Iranian assets held by a Luxembourg-based clearing house. The court ruled on Wednesday that there were no grounds in international law to uphold in Luxembourg a 2012 U.S. court …

Radiofarda – While Iran is struggling with its flood crisis, a top expert who is on death row told Radio Farda from Iran’s notorious Evin prison that authorities should strengthen the country’s early warning system. Radio Farda interviewed Ahmad Reza Jalali (Djalali), a Swedish- Iranian dual national who is facing the death sentence on charges of “Enmity with God through …

Iranian social media users are accusing their leaders of being out of touch after several politicians displayed glib reactions to massive floods that inundated much of the country last week, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani finally visits the hard-hit Golestan province, March 27, 2019 The floods, which affected 28 of Iran’s 31 provinces, began during …

Al-Arabia – A Syrian war monitoring group says an Israeli airstrike the night before killed seven Iranian and Iranian-backed fighters in northern Syria. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday that the airstrike targeted an Iranian weapons depot and also wounded several other fighters. Syrian state media said the country’s air defenses responded to an “Israeli air …

Iran-HRM – The Iranian regime has stepped up pressure on civil activists, seeking to create an atmosphere of fear and terrorize a restless society. The regime has sentenced Rezvaneh Ahmad Khan Beigi, to four years and five months in prison. The first trial of Mrs. Ahmad Khan Beigi was held on Sunday, February 17, 2019, in the 26th Branch of …

VOA – The United States will redraw government maps consistent with Washington’s decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The move comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. VOA’s State Department correspondent Nike Ching sat down Wednesday with Brian Hook, the State Department’s …

VOA – President Hassan Rouhani travelled to flood-hit zones of Iran for the first time Wednesday after nine days of heavy rains that have inundated most of the country and killed 43 people. The authorities have been struggling to cope with flooding after extreme rainfall which at times has been equivalent to half of the average annual levels within 24 …