Social and Political

VOA – As U.S. President Joe Biden begins a diplomatic push to revive a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, supporters of the deal say he will need a long-term effort to succeed, while opponents say he should focus instead on pressuring Tehran into a new and tougher deal. The 2015 agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, …

Al-Arabia – US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by phone on Thursday to convey Washington’s continued support for the kingdom’s defense against Houthi attacks emanating from Yemen. The Pentagon chief “underscored Saudi Arabia’s role as a pillar of the regional security architecture in the Middle East and the importance of sharing the responsibility …

theguardian.com – Samira Zargari, the coach of the Iranian women’s Alpine skiing team, has been barred by her husband from travelling to Italy for the world skiing championships, according to reports in the Iranian press. The squad left for Cortina d’Ampezzo, where the championships are being held, on Wednesday, but without Zargari, who was replaced by another athlete, Marjan Kalhor. Iran’s pro-reform …

Al-Arabia – The United States announced several moves Thursday that appeared to be a sign of easing pressure on Iran, including its willingness to meet with officials from Tehran to discuss the now-defunct nuclear treaty signed in 2015. Several decisions to backtrack from Trump-era decisions against Iran were announced hours after Secretary of State Antony Blinken participated in a virtual meeting with his …

VOA – The United States says it is ready to talk to Iran about the possibility of reviving a 2015 agreement intended to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the deal nearly three years ago. VOA’s Penny Dixon has more.

shabtabnews – In a statement IOPHR condemned the ‘cowardly murder by the Islamic Republic of Iran of Mr. Behnam Mahjoubi whilst in prison.’ The statement stated that the treatment of Mr Mahjoubi was not only violation of international treaties on treatment of prisoners, which Iran is a signatory to, but it was also in violation of Iranian domestic laws. Moreover, …

RFL/RE – U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken by phone amid reports of a strained relationship between the two countries following Netanyahu’s close ties to the Trump administration. A statement released on February 17 by the Israeli leader’s office said the two leaders discussed the “Iranian threat” as well as other issues, including the …

RFL/RE – An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 shook southwest Iran near the town of Sisakht late on February 17, with at least 40 people injured, Iranian media reported. Iranian state TV quoted an official in the region as saying, “People in Sisakht and the town of Yasuj left their homes in panic. Water and electricity have been cut …

RFL/RE – The top diplomats from the United States, Germany, France, and Britain will hold talks on February 18 to discuss the future of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which Washington pulled out of in 2018. The deal signed by Tehran with the four Western powers, along with China and Russia, called for curbs on Iran’s uranium-enrichment program …

Iranwire – The Islamic Republic of Iran executed at least 233 people last year, according to a new report by Professor Javaid Rehman, the third United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran. Among those executed were three people who had committed crimes as children, 11 who were sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh (war against God) or “corruption on …