EU Agrees To Ramp Up Iran Sanctions After Attack On Israel
The European Union has reached an agreement to bolster sanctions against Iran in response to Tehran’s attack on Israel this month, following a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers.In a press briefing held in Luxembourg on Monday, EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said EU members had agreed for new sanctions to cover the production of missiles and enlarge...
After 9-Year Hiatus, Iranian Muslim Pilgrims Return to Saudi Arabia
For the first time in nine years, Iran has resumed sending Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, after receiving approval from Riyadh.Two groups, each consisting of 85 people from Iran, began their journey to Saudi Arabia to perform what’s known as the Umrah.The non-mandatory Islamic pilgrimage can be undertaken at any time of the year,...
Iranian Foreign Ministry Denies Swiss Envoy Summoned By IRGC
The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied Monday that the Swiss ambassador in Tehran was summoned by the Revolutionary Guards over recent tensions between Iran and Israel.The controversy began last week when Mojtaba Abtahi, an advisor to the minister of interior, claimed that "At 3 AM on Monday, April 14, when the Iranian attack on Israel was nearly...
US Report Highlights Iran’s Systematic Abuse Of Human Rights
The US State Department on Monday released its annual report on Iran's human rights situation, stressing that the country's "already severe restrictions on human rights worsened in a number of areas" during 2023.The report outlines an increase in government restrictions and violence against citizens. It also highlights discriminatory laws and executions, including those of juveniles. It documents arbitrary killings,...
Iranian Women Face Extortion And Abuse Amid Hijab Crackdown
As Iran's Islamic government tightens its grip on enforcing mandatory hijab, reports of extortion and abuse of Iranian women at the hands of hijab enforcement officers have surfaced.According to information obtained by Iran International, instances of Iranian police officers demanding money from women to avoid hijab-related arrests have come to light. The coercion further extends to confiscating valuables and...
Iranian Lawmaker Hints At A Nuclear Test
Iranian lawmaker Javad Karimi Ghoddusi says there is only "a one-week gap from the issuance of the order to the first test" of a nuclear bomb, despite previous assertions of peaceful intentions.His Monday statement on X came amidst escalating tensions with Israel and just hours after the Iranian foreign ministry reiterated that nuclear weapons have no place in Iran's...
Iranian Lawmaker Warns Of Insecurity From Currency Devaluation
Mehdi Toghyani, the spokesperson for the Economic Committee of the Iranian Parliament, has pointed to currency instability as a factor contributing to national insecurity."The problem of insecurity is not solely caused by warfare instigated by enemies, but also by the currency policies that devastate the people’s morale," Toghyani stated during a parliamentary session.In a related development on Sunday, another...
Beware Of Who Speaks About A ‘Grand Bargain’ In Mideast
In assessing the statements of analysts and commentators about Iran’s foreign policy and human rights record, it is essential to be aware of their relationship with the government in Tehran.In his latest article, "Iran-Israel tensions: Only a grand bargain in the Middle East can avert regional war," published on April 18, 2024, Seyed Hossein Mousavian once again casts the...
HRW: State Forces Raped, Tortured Detainees Amid Iran’s 2022 Protests
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a new report revealing instances of rape, torture, and sexual assault by Iranian state security forces against detainees during nationwide protests in 2022.The findings, according to human rights experts, underscore the systematic use of torture and rape by authorities, exposing a troubling pattern of abuse aimed at suppressing dissent.The Woman, Life, Freedom uprising...
EU Sanctions On Iran ‘Unlawful’ Says Iranian FM
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticized the European Union's recent decision to expand sanctions against Iran, labeling them "unlawful".The EU's decision followed Iran's extensive drone and missile attack on Israel, which Tehran asserts was a defensive measure in retaliation to a suspected Israeli assault on its consulate in Damascus."It is regrettable to see the EU deciding quickly to apply...
