Iranwire – A leading Iranian Sunni cleric has called on the country’s Shia clerical leadership to organize a referendum, as security forces clashed with anti-government protesters in several mainly Sunni cities in the eastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan. “The majority of people aren’t happy,” Molavi Abdol Hamid said in his Friday sermon, adding: “Hold a referendum in the presence …
Read More »Social and Political
Iran Acknowledges Sending Drones to Russia for First Time
VOA – Iran’s foreign minister on Saturday acknowledged for the first time that his country has supplied Russia with drones, insisting the transfer came before Moscow’s war on Ukraine that has seen the Iranian-made drones divebombing Kyiv. The comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian come after months of confusing messaging from Iran about the weapons shipment, as Russia sends …
Read More »Iran Marks 43rd Anniversary of US Embassy Takeover Amid Protests
VOA – Iran’s government held rallies in cities across the country marking the 43rd anniversary of the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Iran and the Islamic revolution, which brought the current clerical government to power, while anti-government protests continue around the nation. In 1979, radical students cemented Iran’s Islamic Revolution by storming the U.S. Embassy soon after the fall …
Read More »The Danger of a “Sleeping” Nuclear Deal: Stronger Russia, China, North Korea, Iran
gatestoneinstitute.org – In spite of US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley’s recently having said that the White House is not going to “waste our time” on the nuclear deal “if nothing’s going to happen,” he nevertheless stressed that the Biden administration is still committed to employing diplomacy, presumably to revive it at a later date. Pelosi might recall that …
Read More »Iranian President Raisi slams back at Biden’s pledge to ‘free’ Iran
Al-Arabia – Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday ridiculed a vow by US President Joe Biden to “free” Iran, as weeks of protests in the country show little sign of abating. Campaigning for mid-term elections in the US, Biden had on Friday said: “Don’t worry, we’re gonna free Iran. They’re gonna free themselves pretty soon.” Iran has for more than …
Read More »Many young Iranians lose their fear in struggle for freedom
Al-Arabia – As a child in Iran, Shideh heard her parents warn her older siblings against taking part in anti-government demonstrations because of the bloody crackdown that would follow. But today, with protests raging across Iran, things have changed. Both Shideh – now a teenager – and her mother say they have joined seven weeks of demonstrations ignited by the …
Read More »Videos Of Latest Protests In Iranian Cities Appear To Show Violent Response Of Security Forces
RFL/RE – Iranian protesters have gathered in the city of Karaj, northwest of Tehran, to mark 40 days since the death of Hadis Najafi, a 20-year-old woman who was shot dead by Iranian security forces near Tehran.Videos posted on social media show a large number of protesters in Karaj chanting “Death to Khamenei,” a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali …
Read More »IRGC Chief Was Against Foreign Meddling Amid Iran Protests
Iranwire – The top commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that the clerical regime will respond decisively to any meddling by the country’s foreign foes, amid nationwide protests triggered by the September death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody. Major General Hossein Salami’s warning also came as the Islamic Republic marked the 1979 takeover …
Read More »Car Accident, Not Bullets! Protester’s Family Pressured To Lie About Cause Of Death
Iranwire – Iranian authorities are putting strong pressure on the family of a 22-year-old woman who was killed during an anti-government protest in West Azerbaijan province to say she died in a car accident, IranWire reports. Yashar Hakakpour, director of the Association for the Defense of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran (ADAPP), said that Nasim Sedghi, an ethnic Azeri, was …
Read More »Shia Iranian Cleric Slain In Restive, Mostly Sunni City Of Zahedan
Iranwire – A Shia cleric in the mostly Sunni Iranian city of Zahedan has been shot dead, officials say, threatening to enflame sectarian tensions following weeks of nationwide unrest. A “special task force” has been set up to identify and arrest those behind the killing of Sajjad Shahraki, the imam of Moulay Motaqian mosque, said Ahmad Taheri, police commander of …
Read More »