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

Iranwire – The following article is a narration from a prison inmate in Iran, published by IranWire as part of a collection of reports from convicts on their experiences behind bars. In this instalment, current and ex-inmates describe the youth ward of the 4th Brigade of Greater Tehran Penitentiary, known as Shafark Valley: a hellscape so badly out of control …

RFL/RE – A Taliban delegation has held talks with high-ranking Iranian officials in Tehran amid ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the militant group.Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem tweeted that the delegation led by deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met with Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and other officials on January 27.Naeem said the two …

VOA – The U.S. military says it flew a B-52 bomber over the Persian Gulf in a show of force “to deter potential aggression” amid fears that heightened tensions with Iran could result in attacks on U.S. or allied targets in the region.It was the third such mission this year and the first since President Joe Biden took office on …

VOA – Top U.S. diplomat Antony Blinken has signaled that U.S. sanctions on Iran will remain in place for some time as Washington waits to see if Tehran verifiably stops violating a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers before potentially rejoining the deal that the prior U.S. administration quit. Speaking Wednesday in his first news conference since being sworn in …

VOA – Ongoing talks about restoring ties between the Syrian government and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are part of a new attempt by Iran to revitalize a regional alliance, some experts say.   Iran and its proxy militia groups in the Middle East refer to their alliance as the “Axis of Resistance.”   In a recent interview with the pro-Iranian television …