Social and Political

Radiofarda – A female civil rights activist who was arrested in November and spent close to one month in detention has talked about “brutal torture” of her and a labor activist arrested with her.

Radiofarda – Denying Tehran ever requested to negotiate with Washington, a member of the influential Commission of National Security and Foreign Policy of Majles (Iranian parliament) says the Islamic Republic’s authorities believe that Donald Trump “is not worth talking to”.

Al-Arabia – Mahfouz Ould al-Walid, known as “Abu Hafs al-Mauritani,” the former Mufti of al-Qaeda, revealed in an interview with Al Arabiya English what he described as the balanced relationship pursued by both the Iranian regime and Qatar with armed extremist groups.

VOA — Iran confirmed Wednesday it is holding U.S. Navy veteran Michael R. White at a prison in the country, making him the first American known to be detained under President Donald Trump’s administration.

CHRI – Atena Daemi’s Mother: “[Torture] is not just Mr. Bakhshi’s story. It’s my daughter’s story, too.”

Al-Monitor – In what seemed to be fresh diplomatic pressure on Iran, the European Union announced Jan. 8 that it was freezing assets belonging to a unit of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry and two of its officials. But that’s not where it came to an end. The Netherlands also leveled accusations against Iran, saying Tehran had plotted two murders on its soil. In …

Radiofarda – Satellite imagery broadcast on CNN on Tuesday January 7, showed Iran apparently preparing to launch a remote-sensing satellite into the space.

Radiofarda – Iran said on Wednesday that it would reciprocate after the European Union added two Iranian individuals and an Iranian intelligence unit to the bloc’s terrorist list.

Radiofarda – Iran will continue with its aerospace program despite U.S. warnings, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday, adding there was no international law prohibiting such a program.

Radiofarda – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has visited Iraq in a previously unannounced visit, where he met with U.S. troops and Iraqi leaders to reassure them about a planned U.S. military withdrawal from Syria.