Social and Political

Iranwire – If nothing else, the 42-year history of the Islamic Republic leaves little doubt that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is going to pay heavily for his recent leaked interview. The most important takeaway from this three-hour recorded discussion was his detailed portrayal of the Revolutionary Guards’ total dominance over the government of the Islamic Republic and its impact on …

Iranwire – On Sunday, April 25, President Hassan Rouhani hosted the head of Tehran Stock Exchange at the government’s Economic Coordination Headquarters. The purpose of the meeting was to receive a report on the current, unfavorable situation and float ideas for the stock exchange’s recovery. During the discussion, the Iranian president reiterated what he said was “the government’s principled and …

HRW – When the United Nations General Assembly held its annual election for seats on the Human Rights Council last October, five countries in the Asia regional group vied for four open seats, including two of the world’s most notorious rights abusers, Saudi Arabia and China. Member states took notice. In the secret ballot vote, the Saudis lost and the Chinese government …

CHRI —A new policy briefing released today by the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) details the difficulties Iranians have purchasing or using international technology products due to U.S. sanctions, and their increased vulnerability to the Iranian government’s online surveillance and censorship as a result. Without access to international communications tools and services, Iranians must use Iranian-produced products that …

Al-Monitor – Ever since a recording of Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was leaked yesterday, Iranians have been discussing not only the contents but also the possible motivations behind releasing the audio. The audio itself does not reveal anything scandalous or unknown. Zarif, however, does offer his own interpretation of specific events. Zarif accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) …

Iranwire – British-Iranian hostage Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been sentenced to another year in prison and a one-year travel ban by an Iranian court. The charity worker’s initial five-year prison term on trumped-up espionage charges ended in March 2021. But the Iranian regime had also charged her with “propaganda against the regime” in November 2017, for which she has now been found …

Iranwire – In an explosive leaked audio recording from an as-yet unpublished interview, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has identified a problem that other officials of the Islamic Republic first highlighted some 30 years ago. The discussion, in which Zarif criticized the unaccountable role of the IRGC’s Quds Force in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic, was recorded …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Under the terms of the Doha deal former US President Donald Trump negotiated with the Taliban in the Gulf state of Qatar last February, the withdrawal of US forces was contingent on the Taliban renouncing violence, as well as ending its long-standing support for Islamist terror groups like al-Qaeda. [A]s a recent US Treasury report has concluded, the …

VOA – A recording of Iran’s foreign minister offering a blunt appraisal of diplomacy and the limits of power within the Islamic Republic has been leaked, providing a rare look inside the country’s theocracy.  The release of the comments by Mohammad Javad Zarif set off a firestorm within Iran, where officials carefully mind their words amid a cut-throat political environment …

gatestoneinstitute.org – “The connection between the BRI and the strategic partnerships it creates in the region… allows it to gradually take over the region without creating tensions with the U.S. or the West. In other words, the BRI is a sophisticated Chinese plan to transfer hegemony from the West and the U.S. to China without war or conflict”. — Dr. …