Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.

VOA – Iranians go to the polls Friday to choose a new president. But with international monitors banned, critics say the election will be far from free or fair — and as Henry Ridgwell reports, public discontent could lead to a low voter turnout.

Iran-HRM – Ill-treated prisoner of conscience Hossein Sepanta denied medical care Hossein Sepanta a critically ill prisoner of conscience in Adelabad prison in Shiraz, Fars province, has been denied medical access in Shiraz, Fars Province. Sepanta, who has been serving a 13.5-year prison sentence since 2013, suffers from a disorder in his spinal cord, causing him severe pain, numbness, loss of coordination, …

gatestoneinstitute.org – In retrospect, Germany’s much-vaunted Hezbollah ban appears to have been little more than a publicity stunt aimed at silencing critics of the German government’s pro-Iran foreign policy. Hezbollah has effectively evaded the ban by transferring many of its activities to charities and cultural centers controlled by Iran. Iran’s main base of operation in Germany is the Hamburg-based Shiite …

Al-Monitor – Amid intensifying speculation over a prisoner exchange between the United States and Iran, the family of Siamak and Baquer Namazi is appealing to President Joe Biden to secure their release. A Twitter webpage calls for freeing the Namazis. – Twitter/FreeTheNamazis Elizabeth Hagedorn@ElizHagedorn As the United States works to bring Iran back into compliance with the nuclear accord, the family of …

Al-Monitor – In his final speech before Iran’s presidential election on June 18, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iranians to vote. Polls have repeatedly shown that this year’s election will likely see the lowest voter turnout in recent history. One of the reasons for the low voter turnout is the high number of disqualifications that have left a small number of candidates to run. …