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

Radiofarda – The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to witness a rise in the amount of seized opium and opiates such as heroin or morphine, owing largely to its locationon the Golden Crescent, a drug pathway leading fromAfghanistan and Pakistan through Iran to Europeanmarkets.

Iran-HRM – Iran’s intelligence and security forces have rounded up and detained hundreds in Ahvaz, Khoramshahr, Sosangerd, and Abadan, in what appears to be an escalating crackdown in Iran’s Khuzestan province, following an attack on a military parade in the provincial capital, Ahvaz.

RFL/RE – The Iranian parliament has approved a bill aimed at bringing Iran’s laws in line with international standards and allowing the country to join the UN convention against the funding of terrorism, or CFT.

gatestoneinstitute.org – “The government often uses it [the charge of ‘acting against national security’] against converts instead of the charge of apostasy… in an attempt to avoid international scrutiny.” — Morning Star News, July 13, 2017.

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Judge Mehdi Shams of Sarab Revolutionary Court in East Azerbaijan Province has overruled Sahand Ma’ali’s objection to his 10-month prison sentence ruled in absentia.