Social and Political

VOA—Indirect talks between the United States and Iran on returning to the 2015 nuclear agreement are entering the “final stretch,” with all sides having to make tough political decisions, a senior U.S. State Department official said on Monday. The latest talks in Vienna were “among the most intensive that we had to date” on returning to the deal formally known …

CHRI – In a letter from Iran’s notoriously harsh Gharchak Prison, translated into English below by the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), renowned rights defender Narges Mohammadi decried her 8.2-year prison sentence after a “five-minute trial” and “without the presence of my lawyer.” In calling for her release, the European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS), the EU’s diplomatic service, condemned the sentence—issued a little over a …

CHRI – “People’s tolerance level has decreased in recent years, given the increasing economic pressures,” said Iran’s deputy interior minister in charge of the Social Services Organization, Taghi Rostamvandi, at a conference focused on tackling social malaise on January 16, 2022. “If we get a sense that, due to our inabilities, the people are tilting towards thinking that the religious government can’t …

Al-Monitor – President Joe Biden met Monday with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, following reports that Iran asked for the Persian Gulf country’s help on a possible prisoner exchange with the United States. Qatar’s ruling emir is the first ​​Gulf leader to visit the White House since Biden took office last year. On Monday, he …

Al-Monitor – In a highly symbolic move, the Iranian Council of Ministers recently approved the opening of a Chinese consulate at Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main trading port and the capital of the coastal province of Hormozgan. While Tehran currently has three consulates in China, this will be the first for Beijing in Iran. This development is likely linked to the …

Shabtabnews – In a statement IOPHR warned about renewed death threats by the security elements of the Islamic Republic of Iran against the life of Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh and his family. The statement stated ” the instructive and anti-superstitious activities of Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh, who is a human rights activist, Islamologist, prominent jurist and an educator of Sufism …

RFL/RE – Hundreds of teachers are protesting across Iran to demand a fair pay, adjustment of pensions, and the release of their detained colleagues. The protests in dozens of cities follow two days of sit-ins in schools where teachers had reportedly gone on strike. On January 31, teachers staged a protest outside the parliament building in Tehran and in front of Education …

Iranwire – A principalist MP for Tehran has warned of “great social uprisings” in Iran in the coming year because of rising costs of living and non-investment in public services.  Ahmad Naderi was speaking in reaction to the Raisi administration’s controversial proposed budget for 2022-23, which allocates a relatively small amount to social services compared to large, unaccountable bodies like the …

Iranwire – The number of Iranians testing positive for coronavirus has risen sharply to almost 22,000 in the past 24 hours, with 30 members of parliament reportedly among them. Abolfazl Abu Torabi, the MP for Najafabad, confirmed the news about his colleagues, adding: “The Presidium of the parliament has urged all deputies to take a coronavirus test.” The true number …

Iranwire – Residents in five counties in the deprived Iranian border province of Sistan and Baluchistan held a rally on Friday to demand what they called their “water rights” from the Helmand River at the zero point of the Iran-Afghanistan border. Citizens of Zabol, Zahak, Helmand, Nimrouz and Hamoon counties were among those who attended the protest on the Milk …