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

As angry reactions and calls for protests in Iran have begun against the government’s fuel price increase, President Hassan Rouhani has defended the decision by the heads of Judiciary, executive and legislative branches as being “in the interest of those who are under pressure” economically. Speaking to members of his cabinet on Friday November 15, he said “There were plans …

HRANA – Behnam Eskandari, Yalda Firouzian, and Ardeshir Fanaiyan, three Baha’i citizens residing in Semnan, were sentenced to 23 years in prison and live in exile. They were arrested on April 30, 2019 by the security forces, their personal belongings were confiscated, and they were transferred to Semnan Prison. The Revolutionary Court of Semnan put hold on their temporary releases. …

HRANA – On November 10, 2019, Moin Hajizadeh, Raha Ahmadi, Leila Mirghafari, Armin Sourani, Mohammad Abolhasani, Saman Zandian, and Vahid Ghadirzadeh were tried at the Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court headed by judge Abolghasem Salavati. They were charged with “propaganda against the state” and “assembly and collusion”. Moin Hajizadeh was arrested on August 8, 2019 by security forces and …

RFL/RE – Iranians are blasting their government for rationing gas and greatly increasing its price, with many concerned that the move will lead to inflation and greater hardship in a country where so many people are struggling to make ends meet. The state-run National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company said in an overnight announcement on November 15 that each motorist …

VOA – Iraqi security forces fired live ammunition and tear gas in renewed clashes with anti-government protesters in central Baghdad on Friday, killing three people, while Iraq’s top Shi’ite religious leader warned its government to heed calls for sweeping political reforms. Separately, a bomb placed under a car exploded near a central square, killing two protesters and wounding 10 others, …