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

RFL/RE – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull all American troops out of Syria will not stop Israel’s efforts to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent presence in Syria.

RFL/RE – Iranian activist Reza Khandan, the husband of imprisoned human-rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, has been released from custody in Iran, his lawyer said in a post on Facebook on December 23. 

VOA – U.S. President Donald Trump says Turkey will eliminate the rest of the Islamic State militants in Syria after the U.S. military withdraws its forces.

HRANA – The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on December 23rd, 2018 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

Radiofarda – Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, the head of World Assembly of Solidarity Among Muslim Sects, announced earlier in December that Iran will seek to sponsor the families of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces this year. While not mentioning the exact number of sponsored families, Araki’s statement highlights the Islamic Republic’s desire to expand influence in the Gaza Strip.