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

Al-Monitor – The decision by Iranian authorities allowing pilgrims who wish to visit holy sites in neighboring Iraq to pay visa fees at the rate afforded to importers on the secondary foreign currency market has sparked criticism from both religious and non-religious segments of Iranian society. The controversy is partly fueled by the government’s parallel adoption of policies that seem to …

RFL/RE – The U.S. ambassador to Germany has told Bloomberg News that automaker Volkswagen has agreed to comply with U.S. sanctions and suspend most of its operations in Iran. “We are pleased with this decision because Iran diverts its economic resources away from its people to spread violence and instability across the globe,” Ambassador Richard Grenell said on September 19.

CHRI – Keyomars Marzban, a 26-year-old satirist, has been held incommunicado in Tehran’s Evin Prison and without access to counsel since the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested him on August 26, 2018.

VOA – The United States is seeking to negotiate a treaty with Iran that will cover both its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, the U.S. special envoy for Iran said on Wednesday ahead of U.N. meetings in New York next week.

observers.france24.com – Selfies with a pet tiger, a Ferrari, or a $3800 handbag… the Instagram pages of children of the Iranian political elite are causing controversy back home, where the currency has lost 70% of its value in the past year and prices are skyrocketing.