Social and Political

Radiofarda – Demonstrations ignited by anger over economic hardships continued for the fifth day in northern Iran on August 4, a day after media reported on the first protester death and an attack on a Shi’ite seminary.

Al-Arabia – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Sunday that it held war games in the Gulf this week, saying it was aimed at “confronting possible threats” by enemies, the state news state news agency IRNA reported.

IRAN-HRM – One killed overnight as Iran cracks down on nationwide protests

RFL/RE – North Korea’s foreign minister is scheduled to visit Iran on August 7, as both countries deal with stepped up political and financial pressure from the United States over their nuclear programs.

RFL/RE – For 77-year-old Safura Ahmedova, living in Azerbaijan along one of the globe’s most notorious drug-trade routes has come at immense cost: two sons and a husband dead, and another son in prison.

gatestoneinstitute – “Will Allah hang me from my hair? The religious and Quran teacher at our school told us in class that if we show our hair in public, God will hang us from our hair in the afterlife and torture us for infinity.”

PayvandNews – Iran’s First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri says the government will announce on Monday its new Forex policy in the face of the looming US sanctions.

NYT — Across Iran’s heartland, from the sweltering heat of its southern cities to the bustling capital, protesters have taken to the streets with increasing intensity in recent months, much to the satisfaction of the Trump administration, which is hoping the civil unrest will put pressure on Iranian leaders.

Radiofarda – Tehran’s outspoken MP, Ali Motahari, has lambasted the chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) for recent comments on the possibility of Tehran-Washington rapprochement.

Radiofarda – Friday Prayer leaders in Tehran and other cities have expressed their opposition to negotiating with the United States, a topic that has stirred controversy in Iran since U.S.President Donald Trump said last week that he was prepared to talk with his Iranian counterpart, President Hassan Rouhani, “without any preconditions” to solve problems in their relations.