Social and Political

Radiozamaneh – Figures at various levels of the Islamic Republic continue to react to the release of audio files involving conversations between the late dissident cleric Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri and top government figures regarding the “death committee” in charge of the mass execution of political prisoners in Iran in 1988. by Mohammadreza Sardari Hassan Khomeini a reformist political figure …

RFE/RL – French Environment Minister Segolene Royal has announced plans for a series of joint projects with Tehran that are aimed at dealing with energy, water shortages, and pollution. Royal said on August 28 after talks with the head of Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization, Massoumeh Ebtekar, that they had discussed the creation of several key partnerships by February 2017. photos by …

VOA – Iran has arrested a member of a team that played a role in negotiating a milestone nuclear agreement with world powers. According to IRNA, Iran’s state media, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said Sunday that a “spy who had infiltrated the nuclear team” was released on bail after being held in jail for a few days. The negotiator’s …

Al-monitor – At present, Iran has both an official exchange rate and an unofficial market rate that is used in exchange houses. The rial trades at above 35,000 per US dollar on the open market, compared to the official rate of around 31,000. AUTHOR Navid Kalhor To help boost economic growth, Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Governor Valiollah Seif has …

RFL/RE – Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Iran will work with other OPEC members to support oil prices, but it will not back down from its goal of restoring output lost due to years of economic sanctions. “Iran will cooperate with OPEC on improving prices and the state of the crude market, but we expect our right to restore …

RFL/RE – The White House has expressed concern after several close encounters between Iranian vessels and U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf this week. A White House spokesman said such incidents are cause for concern and increase risks of miscalculation. Josh Earnest said on August 26 the behavior is unacceptable and “in a compressed space like the Strait of Hormuz it …

VOA – Iran’s intelligence minister says security officers have investigated more than 1,500 young men at risk of being recruited by the extremist Islamic State group. The semi-official Tasnim news agency on Friday quoted Mahmoud Alavi as saying that his department has summoned for questioning, detained or talked with the young people to stop them from joining IS. Alavi didn’t …

RFL/RE – Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh confirmed that Iran will take part in an OPEC meeting next month in Algeria to discuss ways to support global oil prices. Zanganeh’s remarks to the ministry’s Shana news service on August 25 helped spur a jump in oil prices, with premium crude rising 62 cents to $49.67 a barrel in London trading. …

RFL/RE – Armenia’s government is working with Iran to create a free economic zone in the country’s southernmost Meghri region, Economy Minister Artsvik Minasyan said on August 25. “The creation of a free economic zone with Iran will make available a good platform for the production of goods and rendering of services especially at the border sector,” said Minasyan, who …

RFL/RE – Iranian fans have taken to Instagram and other social media to demand the release of Amir Tataloo, a popular and controversial rapper arrested on charges of spreading depravity among youth. “Free Tataloo!” and “He Is Not Guilty!” say dozens of comments posted on the Instagram account of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Musicians Don’t Belong In Jail,” …