A senior Saudi Arabian diplomat and member of the ruling royal family has raised the spectre of nuclear conflict in the Middle East if Iran comes close to developing a nuclear weapon. Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to Washington, warned senior Nato military officials that the existence of such a device “would [...]
The world’s largest container firm suspended operations at several Iranian ports on Thursday, potentially disrupting critical food shipments as it complies with tightening U.S. sanctions. Maersk line, a unit of A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), manages several refrigerated ships and container vessels that transport food to the country, including wheat, rice and bananas from Asia. Shipments could [...]
German authorities have expressed “outrage” over last week’s arrest of Iranian sports photojournalist Maryam Majd, who was detained by Iranian authorities one day before she was supposed to travel to Germany to cover the Women’s World Cup of Soccer. Markus Loening, the German Human Rights Commissioner, said Majd’s arrest is linked to the work she [...]
Four political prisoners in Rajai Shahr ‘Gohardasht’ prison in Karaj were moved on June 28th to solitary confinement cells run by the IRGC, according to Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran. The prisoners are: Behrouz Javid Tehrani, Mohammad Ali Mansouri, Farzad Madadzadeh, and Saleh Kohandel. The reason for the transfers is unknown. More than 60 [...]
Fines, floggings and prison terms are among the punishments meted out to 14 Iranian university students for events that occurred two years ago at the Tehran University dormitory. Daneshjoo news reports that the students have received sentences that range from three to 10 months in jail, fines of various amounts and floggings. On the evening [...]
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions against a Syrian police unit and key Iranian security officials in connection with Syria’s lethal crackdown on protestors. U.S. officials accuse Iran of providing material support for Syrian repression. The sanctions announced by the Treasury Department add to a growing list of Syrian and Iranian individuals and entities [...]
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday warned the authorities against making arrests of members in his government whom he vowed to defend, IRNA state news agency reported. “I consider defending the cabinet as my duty… the cabinet is a red line and if they want to touch the cabinet, then defending it is my duty,” [...]
Iran has carried out secret tests of ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear payload in breach of UN resolutions, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Wednesday. Hague’s comments came a day after Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards said they had fired 14 missiles in an exercise, one of them a medium-range weapon capable of striking [...]
In recent days nine Iranian citizens in the border regions of Kurdistan Province have been killed or injured by Islamic Republic security forces. Zamaneh’s correspondent reports that Jamal Ghaznavei, a trader in Oshnouyeh, was shot by security forces, and three other citizens injured in the same incident are currently in hospital. Several transport horses were [...]
three Kurdish political prisoners in Rajai Shahr ‘Gohardasht’ (Karaj) prison entered their 26th day of hunger strike. The political prisoners reportedly plan to be on hunger strike until their demands are met by prison officials who have so far ignored the prisoners. Alnoor Khaziri, Kamran Sheikhi, and Seyed Ebrahim Seyedi are three Kurdish political prisoners [...]