Social and Political

Iran Human Rights (IHR); – IHR calls for Iran to immediately release its imprisoned women leaders in an open letter co-signed by 20 other international and Iranian human rights organizations as well as the Vice President of the European Parliament. Here are the letter, names of Iranian female prisoners of conscience, and the signatories: In this COVID-19 pandemic, Iran is suffering …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has tried to put a brave face on the latest setback to hit the regime, claiming that Iran is unlikely to suffer as much as other countries from the oil price drop because it is less reliant than others on crude exports. If that were truly the case, then Tehran would not be asking …

Shabtabnews – Yesterday in a virtual meeting attended by various speakers including – Ambassador Sam Brownback , the US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom , the role of Iranian regime and Chinese goverment in spreading the Covid-19 emidemic was discussed. During this meeting which was attended by Dr Hamid Gharagozloo the representative of IOPHR (International organisation for preservation of human rights), made …

Radiofarda – Medical officials in several Iranian provinces have expressed concern about the second wave of coronavirus outbreak following the lifting of some restrictions. The president of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Abbas Mousavi, says, “lifting intercity traffic restrictions” and increased number of travelers has deepened “concerns about the second wave of the deadly virus outbreak. Speaking to the state-run …

Reuters -Iran and Russia should increase their cooperation in the fight against the new coronavirus outbreak and continue to trade with each other, President Hassan Rouhani told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, the Iranian presidency website said. Iran is one of the Middle Eastern countries hardest hit by the outbreak and Russia has seen a recent surge in infections. …

Radiofarda – The Islamic Republic’s Judiciary spokesman has dismissed as “politically motivated” a United Nations human rights report that all political prisoners must be granted furloughs during the coronavirus outbreak. Iran’s performance in dealing with the issue — compared with that of the West — has been “exemplary”, Gholam Hossein Esmaili told reporters on Tuesday, April 21. Giving the local …

RFL/RE – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on April 22 that it launched a military satellite into orbit, after months of failed attempts.State television and the Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the IRGC, reported the launch on April 22, calling it “successful.”There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch of the satellite but analysts said …

RFL/RE – The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran will hold a video conference on April 22 to discuss Syria and a de-escalation deal in the last rebel-held enclave in Idlib. Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in the conflict, brokered a March 5 cease-fire in rebel-controlled Idlib Province following a monthslong Russia-backed offensive by Syrian forces that …

RFL/RE – In an image shared on Twitter recently by the U.S. State Department, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is seen sitting next to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while between them is a small table with a large pile of cash on it. There is also a pile of cash on Assad’s lap as well as an Iranian banknote …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – Imprisoned human rights defender, Narges Mohammadi, has been threatened to death by inmates with criminal background in Zanjan prison. She was exiled from Tehran’s Evin prison to Zanjan prison, 300 kilometres far from the capital, over raising her voice in jail against killing hundreds of protesters in Iran in November 2019. Narges Mohammadi who was arrested …