Social and Political

Al-Arabia – Iran is faced with a second round of truckers’ strikes this year. It has spread to 290 cities in 31 provinces across the country.

Al-Arabia – The US’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an advisory on Thursday to aid financial institutions in identifying and reporting any possible illicit transactions related to Iran. 

RFL/RE – Serbia has scrapped visa-free entry for Iranians little more than year after it was introduced out of concern that some Iranians were using the system as an avenue to permanently relocate to Europe.

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)- The Coordinating Council of Teachers Syndicates in Iran (CCTSI) has issued a statement critical of the Ministry of Education, drawing public attention to a trend of paltry compensation for teachers.

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – From the walls of Evin Prison’s Women’s Ward, political prisoners Maryam Akbari Monfared, Golrokh Irayee, and Atena Daemi wrote a letter dated October 10th — the World Day Against the Death Penalty — urging the United Nations Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman to come and witness Iranian human rights violations in person.

Iran Human Rights-  Iranian state-run media say Ramin Majidifar has been executed on rape charges while some human rights activists say he was initially arrested by security forces for propagating his religious beliefs.  

Al-Monitor – Nearly three weeks have passed since a deadly terrorist attack targeted a military parade in Iran’s southwestern city of Ahvaz. Some say this attack was the result of negligence on the part of the military and security forces, with resulting calls for these organizations to be held accountable.

Al-Monitor – After months of a drastic and ongoing depreciation, the Iranian rial started recouping losses last week, mostly on the back of government intervention.

Al-Monitor – Given that Saudi Arabia is Iran’s main regional rival, Iranian censors have allowed the Iranian media to extensively cover the disappearance and possible murder of The Washington Post columnist and Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey.

Al-Monitor – In surprising news, the local Iranian press reported Sept. 25 that Ali Khomeini, a grandson of revolutionary leader and Islamic Republic of Iran founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, had transferred from Qom seminary in Iran to the Najaf seminary in Iraq.