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

Al-Monitor – Another presidential election is unfolding in Iran. Many observers expect a low turnout as many ordinary Iranians are either discouraged or disillusioned. However, those in power seem not to mind. The political elite of the Islamic Republic of Iran had once considered elections a source of the regime’s legitimacy. According to them, Iranians who voted in the past polls approved the system …

Al-Monitor – Since finalizing a 25-year strategic partnership agreement in March, Beijing and Tehran have remained rather quiet on any news regarding the deal and there have been no major announcements. This may be because Iran’s presidential elections are just around the corner, on June 18, and any further decisions would be taken by the next administration. While there are …

Al-Monitor – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said his country’s already “friendly relations” with Russia have expanded during his eight years in office, as he expressed “gratitude” to his “esteemed” Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Rouhani made the comments during a virtual inauguration ceremony for the launch of a 1,400-megawatt power plant in the southern province of Hormozgan. The plant is to be built …

thedispatch – In the past, the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader inevitably gave a speech before a presidential election extolling how the revolution welcomed variety among the men running for office. This was never true, of course: Ali Khamenei and his minions on the Guardian Council, which supervises elections, have always tried to prune off those who didn’t have the right …

Iranwire – On June 13, 2021, a bill will go before the Iranian parliament’s Judicial Committee bearing the cumbersome title “Intensifying the punishment of collaborators with hostile countries to disrupt security and national interests.” Part of the bill includes specific mention of Iranian citizen journalists. According to Article 7 of the bill, Iranian citizens found to have sent videos or …