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

iranintl – Iran has increased arms exports four to five times in the past two years, Minister of Defense Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani was quoted as saying by media in Tehran on Wednesday. “Certainly, in the future, these exports will increase even more, considering the innovations being made and the new armaments we are pursuing and unveiling,” Ashtiani was quoted as saying by …

iranintl – Less than two weeks after the lackluster elections in Iran, hardliners who have claimed victory find themselves embroiled in a contentious battle over the speakership of the parliament. The struggle for this coveted position commenced months prior to the next parliament’s convening. Meanwhile, due to the remarkably low turnout in the capital, more than half of the lawmakers …

iranintl – The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could “challenge” the Islamic Republic, the US intelligence community has suggested in its annual Threat Assessment. Published Monday, the report says the state in Iran has undergone only a single supreme leader transition in its 45-year history and is mired by “elite factionalism.” Khamenei –who will be 85 next month– has held …

Iranwire – “The violation of the Hijab and Chastity law carries a fine of three million tomans [$50]. This legislation is set to be ratified by the Guardian Council within three days and will be enforced after the [Persian] New Year.” These comments, made on Friday, March 8, during a state TV show, mark Amir Hossein Bankipour’s first reply to …

Iranwire – Iran’s police announced on Wednesday the arrest of five key individuals linked to a company that scammed people out of tens of millions of dollars by promising cheap iPhones. Authorities are still searching for Kourosh Company’s owner, Amirhossein Sharifian, who has been flagged by Interpol with a red notice, according to Tasnim news agency.  Sharifian vanished in late …