Social and Political

Iranwire – With the first anniversary of the September 16 death in police custody of Mahsa Amini approaches, the Iranian government is intensifying its crackdown on university students and activists across the country. According to the Telegram channel Khabarnameh Amirkabir, 2,843 university students have been summoned to appear before university disciplinary committees in recent days. These summonses mainly aim at …

Iranwire – In a message written in Tehran’s Evin prison, prominent human rights activist Narges Mohammadi says she has witnessed over the past few months a sharp increase in the number of women entering the detention facility with visible signs of physical abuse. The text, published on Mohammadi’s Instagram page on August 17, says that violence against women inmates is …

VOA – Martin Scorsese has backed a petition against the jailing of prominent Iranian movie director Saeed Roustaee for screening a film at the Cannes Film Festival. Scorsese, the Oscar-winning director of “Taxi Driver” and “Goodfellas,” reposted a campaign launched by his daughter Francesca this week after news of Roustaee’s prison sentence emerged. “Please sign this petition to bring justice …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived Thursday in Riyadh on his first trip to Saudi Arabia since a landmark rapprochement deal in March, Iranian state media reported.Amir-Abdollahian “has arrived at Riyadh Airport a few minutes ago for a one-day trip, and was welcomed by the deputy foreign minister of Saudi Arabia,” according to official news agency IRNA.Amir-Abdollahian will …

Iranwire – An August 13 column by Hossein Shariatmadari, managing editor of the hardline Kayhan newspaper, sparked many reactions in Iranian media. Referring to photographs showing startup female employees without the mandatory headscarf, he wrote that these platforms have acted in step with the “enemy.” Shariatmadari, who is also the representative of Supreme Leader Khamenei at Kayhan newspaper, then argued that since …

VOA – As Iranian seizures threaten oil tankers plying the Gulf, the United States is raising its military presence, a move long demanded by Gulf Arab states who accused Washington of retreating from the region. Three thousand additional U.S. personnel on troop-landing warships have passed through the Red Sea, and U.S.-led maritime forces are warning ships against approaching Iranian waters. …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Palestinian terrorists… have already turned the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into a base for firing tens of thousands of rockets towards Israel. Now, the terrorists, with the help of Iran, are trying to use the West Bank to launch rockets at Israeli civilian communities. Even worse, US Congressional oversight, required for any deal with Iran, was nullified this week when the …

Al-Arabia – US lawmakers from both political parties have urged President Joe Biden and members of his administration to resolve a months-long delay in the transfer of a cargo of oil from a seized Iranian tanker off Texas. The Suez Rajan has been stuck near Galveston about 50 miles (80 km) from Houston since May 30, as shipping companies fear …

iranintl – The former US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has warned that the latest prisoner release deal with Iran, providing billions in ransom, sets a “dangerous precedent”. Five US citizens unlawfully held in Iran have been released on the back of a deal which has freed up at least $6bn of funds from South Korea, but experts say the price …

iranintl – While the approaching parliamentary elections in March fail to generate enthusiasm among Iranians, the media diligently covers what analysts and regime figures say.  This is part of the regime’s strategy to stoke anticipation, giving the impression that noteworthy developments might unfold. However, the electorate’s disillusionment stems from the heavily manipulated elections of 2020 and 2021, which ushered in …