Social and Political

VOA – Islamic State has issued a video threatening Iran and promising to conquer the country soon. The 36-minute, Persian-language video is aimed at Iran’s Sunni Muslim minority and accuses Tehran of persecuting them. But analysts said the intention behind the video released late Monday may be a desperate effort to show that IS, at its weakest since its declaration …

Al-monitor – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Moscow on March 27 for a two-day state visit on the official invitation of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The government-run Iran daily on March 28 placed the landmark trip within the context of regional developments, writing, “Syria has faced important developments following Iran and Russia’s cooperation, and terrorist groups have been forced to …

Al-monitor – On the heels of the United States announcing new sanctions against companies and individuals transferring technology for Iran’s ballistic missile program, Iran responded with its own sanctions regime on US military companies involved in supporting Israeli settlements. In a March 26 statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced sanctions on “companies directly or indirectly participating in brutal Israeli crimes in occupied Palestine or that have backed terrorism by [Israel] or …

Al-monitor – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is on an official two-day visit to Moscow, meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues. The trip is taking place during one of the most important periods in Iran and Russia’s relationship, with the Syrian crisis having become a showcase of the growing partnership between the two countries. The …

RFL/RE – Iran said it will impose sanctions on 15 American companies over their alleged support for Israel and “its terrorist actions,” state news agency IRNA reported on March 26. The decision, which is largely symbolic because the firms do not do business with Iran, comes two days after Washington announced sanctions against groups and individuals that it accuses of …

RFL/RE – Iran has denied claims by the United States that Iranian fast-attack boats were “harassing” warships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state news agency IRNA on March 25 quoted Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, as saying U.S. claims were based on false reports or “other intentions.” He said Washington would …

RFL/RE – The Kremlin says Iranian President Hassan Rohani will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a March 27-28 visit to Moscow. Putin’s press service announced the visit in a March 23 statement. It said Putin and Rohani would hold talks on March 28, paying “special attention” to trade ties and investments. They will discuss “implementation of major joint …

Iranhumanrights.org – President Hassan Rouhani has yet to respond to a letter from four reformist members of Parliament demanding an explanation for the spate of arrests of activists and journalists ahead of the May 2017 presidential election. “Foremost we expect your excellency to resolve this problem, but if no action is taken, we will invite the four ministers involved, namely …

Iranhumanrights.org – Amid a widening crackdown on journalists and activists in Iran ahead of the country’s May 2017 presidential election, security agents arrested Morad Saghafi, the reformist editor-in-chief of Goftegoo (Conversation) magazine, on March 15, 2017. His lawyer, Hamed Zargar, said on March 16 that Saghafi had a phone conversation with a family member the day after he was arrested, and has little chance of being …

AL-monitor – Iranian Principlists are finding that getting their house in order ahead of an election is becoming more complicated than ever. As the conservative camp takes measures to agree on a single candidate who can challenge incumbent Hassan Rouhani in the May 19 presidential election, reports of internal strife continue to surface. AUTHOR Saeid Jafari In an attempt to …