Social and Political

Radiofarda – An outspoken member of Iran’s outgoing parliament has said that the country is in “transition from an Islamic Republic to an Islamic rule”, meaning a non-parliamentary government. Ali Motahari, who was barred from running for the recently-elected parliament, in an interview says, “A group within the state seriously strive to achieve Islamic governance, because people’s vote has only …

Al-Arabia – Iranian authorities went ahead with a funeral procession for a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who recently died despite the coronavirus outbreak in the country, according to pictures published by Fars news agency. A funeral procession, attended by hundreds, was held for IRGC commander Hossein Asadollahi in the capital Tehran on Monday, images from …

Al-Monitor – Religious sites in Iran have never before been closed — even during the war with Iraq — yet with the spread of the novel coronavirus across the country, infecting tens of thousands and killing hundreds every week, things have changed. The decision by Iran’s Interior Ministry to close all the shrines in Qom, Mashhad and Tehran has stirred mixed feelings among Iranians, assuring …

Radiofarda – The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has once again rejected the United States offer to help Tehran control the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Khamenei called the U.S. government “the most vicious enemy of the Islamic Republic,” adding “They are lying, brazen, avaricious charlatans, and cruel, merciless terrorists.” Meanwhile, he reiterated that the United States has …

Radiofarda – Deputy Governor of Tehran Province has announced that all commercial establishments must stay closed from Sunday, March 22, except for chain supermarkets and pharmacies. Meanwhile, a health official in Tehran said there has been a five percent spike in visits of people infected with coronavirus to hospitals in Iran’s capital. Hamidreza Goudarzi, deputy governor was quoted by IRNA …

Radiofarda – Data gathered by Radio Farda from various national and local media in Iran quoting local authorities and Health Ministry officials indicate that the coronavirus (COVID-19) death toll in the country is at least 660 more than the officially announced tally on March 21. On Saturday in his daily announcement Dr. Kianoush Jahanpour, Spokesman of Iran’s Health Ministry, said …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani referred to a photoshopped image from social media in a cabinet meeting on Saturday when comparing Iran’s response to coronavirus to the rest of the world. https://vid.alarabiya.net/2020/03/22/irnrphtig2220ba970c71/irnrphtig2220ba970c71___irnrphtig2220ba970c71_video.mp4 A photoshopped image of a British soldier and police officer with firearms standing in front of packs of toilet paper in a UK store was widely circulated …

Iran-HRM – Forty political prisoners in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary have started a hunger strike since Monday, March 16, 2020 to protest Judiciary officials’ rejection of granting leaves to political prisoners and prisoners of conscience after the spread of Coronavirus to prisons. Protesting inmates include those arrested in the protests in November 2019. The political prisoners announced their hunger strike in a …

VOA – Iran’s supreme leader refused U.S. assistance Sunday to fight the new coronavirus, citing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be man-made by America.  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments come as Iran faces crushing U.S. sanctions blocking the country from selling its crude oil and accessing international financial markets.  But while Iranian civilian officials in recent days have …

RFL/RE – Two former detainees released in a prisoner swap between France and Iran have returned to their home countries after each having spent months in confinement.French researcher Roland Marchal arrived in Paris on March 21, with his support group releasing a short statement saying, “Roland has returned.”Meanwhile, Iranian engineer Jallal Rohollahnejad, who is wanted in the United States, arrived …