Social and Political

RFL/RE – The United States has singled out Iran, China, Venezuela, and Cuba for their gross abuses in its yearly report on human rights practices that covers 199 countries and territories. Iran was chastised for its November crackdown on protesters following a government decision to raise fuel prices, according to the report, which covers global rights developments during 2019. Security …

VOA – Two Americans and a British servicemember are dead, with a dozen more wounded, after a barrage of rockets slammed into Camp Taji, a military base north of Baghdad that hosts coalition troops. According to U.S. and Iraqi officials, the attack was carried out late Wednesday by militants using a modified truck to fire 30 Katyusha rockets, 18 of …

VOA – More than two months after a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, increasing tensions between the United States and Iran and renewing discussion about presidential war powers, U.S. lawmakers are finally sending new ground rules to President Donald Trump. By a 227-186 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Iran War Powers Resolution …

HRW – Iran’s prison authorities should facilitate temporary release of all eligible prisoners and the unconditional release of people detained for peaceful dissent, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Human Rights watch said today. The virus has spread across Iran, and poses a heightened risk in closed institutions. To reduce the risk of further transmission and mortality, authorities should also support “social distancing” …

CHRI – One week after judicial officials announced they had released tens of thousands of prisoners to prevent more coronavirus outbreaks, peaceful political prisoners in Mashhad’s Vakilabad Prison are in limbo and remain untested for COVID-19 even as they exhibit symptoms, according to their relatives. One political prisoner’s relative told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) that her father was …

Al-Monitor – Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), formed by its most powerful officials and chaired by President Hassan Rouhani, has rejected demands from health authorities on the ground to lock down the northern province of Gilan, where the coronavirus epidemic is on a deadly march from one overwhelmed hospital to another. Lawmakers and medical staff in other areas have made similar requests, including …

responsiblestatecraft.org – The future composition of Iran’s parliament will be as expected by many: a striking majority of 75 percent of the 290 seats will be in the hands of the Principlists while Reformists only secured 7 percent. Some constituencies need a second round to determine the final outcome and a portion of roughly 12 percent of the majles goes …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed President Hassan Rouhani as the chairman of the Coronavirus Prevention and Control Task Force, Deputy Majles Speaker Massoud Pezshkian said in an interview on Iran’s state TV on Tuesday March 10. However, Rouhani who spoke at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday did not mention the appointment but tried to shed …

Radiofarda – Iran says it has reported 63 new deaths from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 354. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on March 11 that 958 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were identified in the country, bringing the total number of cases to 9,000. Iran is the hardest-hit country in …

Radiofarda – The commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Marine Corps General Kenneth Franklin “Frank” McKenzie Jr., accused Tehran of threatening free navigation and trade in the Middle East. In a tweet on Tuesday, March 10, General Mckenzie asserted that CENTCOM’s aim was confronting the Islamic Republic of Iran’s threats. Also, speaking at the U.S. Senate’s Armed Forces Committee, …