Controversy over the celebration of Norooz, the Iranian New Year, at the site of Persepolis in Shiraz continues to divide the Islamic Republic establishment, causing extreme internal tension in the upper echelons of power. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commanders have expressed antagonism against the ceremony planned at Persepolis, the ruins of the Achamenid Palace in Shiraz. [...]

Kaveh Ghassemi Kermanshahi, an Iranian journalist and human rights activist, has been given a confirmed sentence of four years in prison by the Iranian judiciary. The decision by a Kermanshah appeals court reduces the original five-year sentence that had been handed down by the preliminary court, according to opposition websites. Ghassemi Kermanshahi was charged with [...]

The Dutch Parliament has sent a letter to the Islamic Republic Parliament urging Iran to release seven detained Baha’i community leaders who have received a confirmed sentence of 20 years in prison from the Iranian judiciary. “We, the permanent members of the Dutch Parliament’s foreign policy committee, are contacting you because both our countries are [...]

After enduring severe tortures and being subjected to intense pressures, Arash Sadeghi was transferred to solitary confinement by prison officials. According to Danehjoonews and Arash Sadeghi’s facebook page, Arash has been subjected to brutal interrogations and tortures due to his recounting the circumstances leading to his mother’s death and his granting interviews with news organizations [...]

Amnesty International wants an independent investigation of the conflict at Qezel Hessar Prison on Tuesday night which led to death of at least 14 inmates and left many more injured. “Such a high death toll is extremely worrying,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, the Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. Noting [...]

Ten more prisoners were secretly executed yesterday in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, says the International Campaign for Human Rights, citing reliable sources. The report indicates that the prisoners were hanged without prior notice to their lawyers or their families. The Campaign reports that these 10 prisoners were executed without official notification by the government, as [...]

Iranian political prisoners will not be allowed the customary temporary leave to celebrate the upcoming new year, under a directive by the head of the judiciary, RFE/RL’s Radio Farda reports. Last year, many political prisoners including renowned political figures were granted temporary leave — after posting bail of between 5 billion and 10 billion rials [...]

Iran says it has successfully launched a test spacecraft meant to sustain life in orbit. The official news agency IRNA reported that the test capsule was carried by a Kavoshgar-4 rocket some 120 kilometers into orbit on March 15 before returning to Earth. It said the test was a prologue for sending capsules with animals [...]

TEHRAN (Reuters) – Fourteen prisoners were killed and 33 injured in an incident at an Iranian jail Wednesday, that state TV said was a brawl among inmates but which one news agency said was a foiled escape attempt. State TV news reported that a brawl broke out at Ghezel Hesar prison in the city of Karaj, [...]

One of seven Baha’i leaders serving prison terms in Iran is reported to have been refused permission to attend his wife’s funeral, RFE/RL’s Radio Farda reports. Jamaloddin Khanjani, 77, is serving a 10-year term in Gohardasht prison in the northern town of Karaj, west of Tehran. He was detained at least three times before his [...]