Monday, March 18

Iran

Iranian Dissident Released After Three Months in Prison
Asia, Iran, News

Iranian Dissident Released After Three Months in Prison

Iranian authorities have released Majid Tavakoli, one of the country's most well-known dissidents, from prison three months after his arrest during the protests shaking Iran for several weeks. He was released under conditions, his brother said on Twitter “We are delighted with this news, but our happiness will not be complete until all detainees who are now in prison are released,” Mohsen Tavakoli, with a photo of his brother holding a bouquet at the exit of prison. Dissident Majid Tavakoli was detained shortly after the start of anti-regime demonstrations over the death of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old Kurdish woman died after being arrested in Tehran by the vice squad, who accused her of violating the strict dress code that requires women to wear the veil in public. Sever...
More Than 1,200 Arrested in Protests After Death of Iranian Mahsa Amini
Iran, News

More Than 1,200 Arrested in Protests After Death of Iranian Mahsa Amini

More than 1,200 people have been arrested in Iran recently in protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old woman died earlier this month after being arrested for violating the strict dress code. Iran has been unsettled since the announcement of Amini's death on September 16, resulting in at least 41 deaths. Three days earlier, she was arrested by religious politicians in the capital Tehran because her hijab was "inappropriate". Although Iranian authorities say the Kurdish woman died of heart problems, protesters say she was mistreated. Demonstrations are being held across the country, especially at night. Some women cut their hair and burn their headscarves. In addition to protesters, journalists and lawyers were also arrested. Protests also took place on Sunday ...
Iranian Media: Execution of Swedish-Iranian Scientist This Month
Iran, News

Iranian Media: Execution of Swedish-Iranian Scientist This Month

Iran plans to execute Swedish-Iranian scientist Ahmadreza Djalali this month. The Iranian news site ISNA reports that the execution is scheduled for May 21.   Djalali lived in Sweden and was arrested in 2016 during a working visit to his homeland Iran. As a spy, he is said to have provided information to Israel that could have eliminated Iranian nuclear scientists. Amnesty International said it received a letter from Djalali in 2018 in which he said he was being detained for refusing to spy for the Iranian government. In 2018, Sweden naturalized Djalali, hoping to prevent his execution. Djalali was a doctor and professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. He was also a guest professor at the Free University of Brussels. Djalali's execution was postponed indefinitely because...
Iran’s New President Raisi Wants Sanctions to End
Iran, News

Iran’s New President Raisi Wants Sanctions to End

The ultra-conservative Ebrahim Raisi was inaugurated as president of Iran on Tuesday. In his maiden speech, he immediately made it clear that he is committed to ending economic sanctions against his country. But he's not very sure. Britain wants to find 'a suitable response' to new drone attacks in the Gulf of Oman.   Raisi was inaugurated on Tuesday after Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved his election. "Following the choice of the people, I at this moment proclaim the wise, tireless, experienced and popular Ebrahim Raisi as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the Grand Ayatollah wrote in a decree read by his chief of staff. Raisi will also be sworn into parliament on Thursday. Raisi, 60, won the presidential election in June with nearly 62 percent of the vote. However,...
Iran Threatens to Block Nuclear Inspections in the Absence of A Breakthrough
Iran, News

Iran Threatens to Block Nuclear Inspections in the Absence of A Breakthrough

Iran has threatened to block inspections by UN atomic agency IAEA. The State Department says a breakthrough in the United States' conflict over Iran's nuclear program must be made before the end of the month.   Washington and Tehran have conflicted for years over a 2015 nuclear deal. This was to prevent Iran from gaining access to nuclear weapons. The Iranians pledged to curtail their nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief from the international community. Previous US President Donald Trump thought a bad deal had been struck. He withdrew from his country and again imposed severe punitive measures. Current President Joe Biden wants to reverse Trump's decision, but that takes some doing. Iran decided to no longer comply with some atomic agreement agreements because the US ...
Iran Satisfied After Consultation With Nuclear Agency
Iran, News

Iran Satisfied After Consultation With Nuclear Agency

Iran is pleased with Tuesday's talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iranian nuclear agency head Ali Akbar Salehi says a "new chapter of cooperation" has begun.   "Our talk today was constructive. We have agreed that the agency will continue to carry out its duties independently," said Salehi. IAEA head Rafael Grossi said after the talk that cooperation with Iran is constructive and will continue. "However, there are several glitches that need to be resolved. However, that does not mean that our approach is politically motivated." Iran and the IAEA have had regular disagreements in the past, including over the admission of regulators to Iran. The country accused the agency of making politically motivated decisions at the beginning of this year. Iran enriched ...
A Record Number of Coronavirus Deaths in Iran
Aisa, Iran, News

A Record Number of Coronavirus Deaths in Iran

Iran registered a record number of deaths from the coronavirus on Monday. In the last 24 hours, 162 deaths have occurred, the death toll is 10,670.   The previous highest death toll was 158 in April. The number of infections and hospital admissions is also rising again, says a spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Health. "This is a worrying development. The increase in the number of infections is an indication of how well the rules are being observed." The number of infections in Iran stands at 225,205. Since Iran relaxed the strict lockdown rules on April 11, the number of infections has risen sharply. From July 5, it is therefore mandatory to wear mouth masks in public buildings and in crowded places.
Iran Wants to Relaunch Satellite After Two Failed Attempts
Iran, News

Iran Wants to Relaunch Satellite After Two Failed Attempts

Iran wants to launch a satellite at the end of the week to orbit the earth. The information minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi reported this on Twitter.   In 2019, Iran has undoubtedly tried twice to launch a satellite, but both attempts failed. "We are not afraid of failure and we are not losing hope," said Javad. "At the end of the week, the Zafar satellite flies in orbit of 530 kilometres around the earth." The United States suspects Iran of using satellite launches to test intercontinental missiles. According to the US, these rockets could also transport warheads over a considerable distance instead of satellites. Iran denies that it has to do with this. Iran did successful satellite launches in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Iran releases American Scientist in Exchange for the Return of Imprisoned Iranians
Iran, News, US

Iran releases American Scientist in Exchange for the Return of Imprisoned Iranians

Iran releases American Scientist in Exchange for the Return of Imprisoned Iranians. In the Swiss city of Zurich, the US and Iran exchanged two imprisoned scientists.   It concerns the American historian of Chinese descent Xiyue Wang and the Iranian biologist Massoud Soleimani. This exchange is remarkable at a time when the relations between Washington and Tehran are abysmal. The American Xiyue Wang was arrested in Iran in 2016 during a study trip, and a year ago he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage. He and his university in Princeton have been denying those facts all the time. Thanks to Swiss mediation, Washington and Tehran have now apparently reached an agreement. Besides, Wang would be exchanged with Massoud Soleimani, an Iranian biologist who was arrested in Ch...