Social and Political

VOA – Iran is voicing support for an impending Syrian offensive to recapture the last remaining major opposition stronghold, saying the Idlib region in northwestern Syria should be cleared of “terrorists.”

Al-Monitor – Whether it is the lavish spending of well-connected elites or the nepotism evident in state institutions, there seems to be no shortage of reasons for Iranians to be outraged at rampant corruption at a time of economic crisis. The intensity of public anger has forced the Islamic Republic to respond.

Radiofarda – As Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attempts to turn military success into postwar reconstruction, Western sanctions are a major obstacle that could scare off foreign companies.

Radiofarda – The Iranian Parliament’s Research Center has forecasted two dystopian economic growth rates for Iran by the end of the Iranian year (March 20, 2019) as a result of the U.S. pull-out from the nuclear deal with Tehran: an optimistic forecast rate of -0.5 percent and a pessimistic scenario in which the economic growth rate will be -2.8 percent.

Al-Arabia – Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday war was unlikely but called on Iran’s armed forces to boost their defence capacities, according to his official website.

Al-Arabia – Iran’s parliament called off a planned vote to impeach the education minister on Sunday, Iranian media reported, offering some respite for the embattled government of President Hassan Rouhani.

Al-Arabia – Satellite images have revealed that Iran is building new missile bases in Syria, most notably in Wadi Jahannam in Banyas west of Syria.

RFL/RE – Censors for Iran’s state-controlled broadcasters routinely go to considerable lengths to prevent audiences from seeing anything they might consider un-Islamic, offensive, or politically sensitive.

RFL/RE – Iraq says its senior military commanders have met in Baghdad with their counterparts from Russia, Iran, and Syria to discuss regional security and the fight against Islamic State (IS) and other militants.

PayvandNews – European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the 28-nation bloc would continue its work to preserve a 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement Iran signed with the P5+1 group of countries after the US unilateral move to pull out from the deal.