Social and Political

RFL/RE – Iranian President Hassan Rohani says Iranians who do not wear masks will be denied public services and workplaces that fail to comply with health protocols will be shut for a week. Rohani made the comments on July 4 as he announced new steps to try to curb the coronavirus pandemic that was first confirmed in Iran in February. …

VOA – A fire broke out at a power station in southwestern Iran on Saturday, Iranian media reported, the latest in a string of fires and explosions, some of which have hit sensitive sites. The blaze, which affected a transformer in the power station in the city of Ahvaz, was put out by firefighters, and electricity was restored after partial …

Radiofarda -A member of the national Coronavirus Combat Taskforce of Iran on Saturday said based on random serologic test findings 20 percent of Iranians must have had been infected with the coronavirus so far. “This test is done to find out what percentage of the population in an area have been infected with the coronavirus. Random tests we carried out …

Radiofarda – The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) on Friday said it has obtained an audio recording that suggests Iranian authorities did not close the airspace over Tehran on January 8 to conceal their plans to strike U.S. military bases in Iraq, leading to the shooting down of a Ukrainian airliner. The Kyiv-bound Ukraine International Airlines aircraft was shot down by …

Radiofarda – The Director of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, IRGC-affiliated Owj Media Organization has published a statement insisting that four Iranian government employees abducted, in northern Lebanon in 1982, were killed on the spot. Meanwhile, “commemorating the name and memory of the abducted diplomats,” Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday, July 3, “Some evidence shows that Iranian …

Radiofarda – In a statement on Friday the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, said that although its inspectors were not present at the time of a fire/explosion at Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz, the Islamic Republic authorities had informed the U.N. nuclear watchdog of the incident. “Iran also informed the IAEA late on Thursday that the fire was quickly extinguished …

Radiofarda – The European Union’s top diplomat disclosed Friday that he has received a letter from Iran’s foreign minister that triggers a dispute mechanism in the 2015 nuclear agreement, complaining that Britain, France and Germany are not living up to their side of the deal. The accord, which Iran signed with the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, China and Russia, has …

Radiofarda – The top foreign policy aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has criticized UK, France and Germany for voting against Iran at the latest meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Kamal Kharrazi who is known for furthering Khamenei’s policy on Europe, also accused IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi of behaving “suspiciously.” Kharrazi’s remarks appeared as an identical …

RFL/RE – Iran’s top security body has said the cause of an incident at one of the country’s nuclear facilities has been determined, but it declined to release details, citing security reasons. A building at the Natanz uranium-enrichment plant was damaged in what appeared to be an explosion or fire in the early hours of July 2, fueling speculation of …

VOA – Iran will retaliate against any country that carries out cyberattacks on its nuclear sites, the head of civilian defense said, after a fire at its Natanz plant that some Iranian officials said may have been caused by cyber sabotage. The Natanz uranium-enrichment site, much of which is underground, is one of several Iranian facilities monitored by inspectors of …