Social and Political

Iranwire – In a powerful display of support for the women-led protest movement in Iran, hundreds of “art performance protesters” are expected to rally in central London on September 13 while holding posters depicting Mahsa Amini. The participants will be wearing white clothes in solidarity with the victims of the Islamic Republic’s bloody crackdown on the months-long nationwide protests that …

Iranwire – The second and final hearing in the high-profile trial of Iranian journalist Elahe Mohammadi took place on July 26, with the defendant denying the charges against her, her husband says. “The hearing concluded with the final defense. Elahe strongly denied all the charges, and we are hopeful that her clear defense presented in court will be duly considered,” …

VOA – A group of families who lost relatives when Iran shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane in 2020 tells VOA the four nations that initiated international legal action in the case this month have not supported their request for a separate global probe. In September, the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims asked the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s …

VOA – Bolivia is interested in obtaining Iranian drone technology to protect its borders and combat smuggling and drug trafficking, the Andean country’s defense minister confirmed Tuesday, a day after Argentina demanded information on an agreement reached by Iran and Bolivia that has raised security concerns in the region. Edmundo Novillo dismissed those concerns, saying they were “exaggerated” and came …

Al-Monitor – The head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) overseeing all American forces in the Middle East, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, met Wednesday in Tel Aviv with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, just two days after the Knesset adopted controversial legislation called the “Reasonableness Clause” eroding the powers of the Supreme Court and triggering concerns in Israel over the readiness of …

RFL/RE – What should have been a time of celebration of a young couple’s life journey has become a time of remembrance of the death of the “Groom of Mahabad.” It was one year ago that Zaniar Abubakri and his fiancee announced their engagement in a ceremony before friends and family. Videos on social media show the lovestruck 20-year-old nervously …

RFL/RE – Gholamali Koveitipor, an Iranian singer known for his support of the Islamic government and whose military anthems were a significant part of the Islamic republic’s propaganda during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, has released a song critical of the crackdown authorities have waged in the face of months of unrest. Released in tandem with the traditional mourning …

Al-Monitor – Iran topped the list of countries that imposed the highest number of internet restrictions in the first half of this year. Much of the disruption happens during protests, according to new data. According to figures from cyber security company Surfshark, Iran took the lead globally with 14 new restrictions, followed by India with nine and Pakistan with three. Protests were …

Al-Monitor – Iran’s Defense Ministry said it had mass-produced the country’s first long-range naval ballistic missile with a host of new combat features, designed to “completely destroy” enemy carriers, state media outlets reported on Tuesday.  “We have employed artificial intelligence within the software of the naval missile’s trajectory planning,” Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani announced at a televised ceremony …

Al-Arabia – Recently, Iran and Russia have been gradually strengthening their ties, forging a deeper strategic partnership that has implications not only for their bilateral relations but also for regional dynamics and international geopolitics. Several factors have contributed to the development of closer ties between the two nations. One significant factor is the shared interest in countering common adversaries and …