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

Amnesty – Two Iranian women’s rights defenders, Yasaman Aryani and Monireh Arabshahi, have each been sentenced to 16 years in prison, while a third, Mojgan Keshavarz, has been sentenced to 23 years and six months in prison. They are all prisoners of conscience jailed solely because of their peaceful campaigning against discriminatory forced veiling laws. If the verdicts are upheld …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – Five prisoners were hanged for murder charges at the Iranian city of Karaj’s Rajai-Shahr prison Wednesday. According to IHR sources, on the morning of Wednesday, August 7, at least 5 prisoners were hanged at Karaj city’s Rajai-Shahr prison, near Tehran. All were sentenced to death for murder charges.  Three of them were identified by IHR …

Radiofarda – Israel says it will join the U.S. effort to boost navigation security in the Persian Gulf as international concerns grow about tensions in the area. According to Israel-based Y-Net news, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said on Tuesday August 7 that his country is part of the U.S.-led coalition to protect the security of the Persian Gulf. Katz further …

Radiofarda – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani had another telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron August 6, to discuss issues surrounding U.S. sanctions on Iran and related tensions. Rouhani and Macron have been reportedly discussing ways to reduce heightened tensions in recent weeks, with several telephone contacts between the two. Rouhani’s office quoted him as having told Macron, “Concurrent with …

Radiofarda – Two weeks after a visit to Tehran by representatives from HAMAS, Israeli media on Tuesday August 6 reported an eye-catching increase in Iran’s financial assistance to this Palestinian group. Quoting unnamed Israeli government sources, these reports say Iran has increased its usual annual $100 million aide to HAMAS to $360 million after the visit. The Jerusalem Post and …