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

gatestoneinstitute.org – In the absence of any desire on the part of the Biden administration to support the Saudis — for decades one of Washington’s most important allies in the region — China has moved quickly to fill the diplomatic vacuum to launch its own initiative to restore ties with Iran. [T]he fact that the Chinese can pull off a …

Al-Arabia – The UK government on Tuesday said it had imposed a full asset freeze on a Lebanese businessman suspected of financing Hezbollah. The Treasury action against Nazem Said Ahmad on national security grounds follows similar restrictions imposed in 2019 by the United States. “All assets and economic resources belonging to Ahmad in the UK have been frozen and no UK …

RFL/RE – An association representing the families of those killed in the downing of a Ukrainian commercial flight by Iran more than two years ago has criticized the verdicts issued in Iran against the alleged perpetrators as a “show trial.” Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 crashed on January 8, 2020, while en route to Kyiv, killing all 176 people on …

Iranwire – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated threats against Israel during a ceremony marking the Islamic Republic’s annual Army Day celebrating the country’s regular military. Raisi made the comments on April 18 as fighter jets and helicopters flew overhead in Tehran during a ceremony carried live by state television. “Enemies, particularly the Zionist regime, have received the message that any …

Iranwire – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is calling on Iranian authorities to immediately release journalist Saeed Seif-Ali and drop any charges against him. “Authorities must let members of the press do their work without fear that they will be subject to arbitrary arrest and detention,” Sherif Mansour, the New York-based media freedom watchdog’s Middle East and North Africa …