Iran

Washington, D.C. (RFE/RL) – Thirty-three-year-old Mostafa Abdi, a member of Iran’s largest Sufi order and editor of a news outlet focused on the Gonabadi dervish community, appears set to spend the most productive years of his life in an Iranian prison. Abdi was reportedly sentenced earlier this month to more than 26 years, and 148 […]

Iran

Iran Parliament rakes Pres. Rouhani over Coals on Economy as Centrists Weaken

Eric Randolph

Tehran (AFP) – Iran’s parliament declared its dissatisfaction with President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday, voting to reject his answers after grilling him over the deteriorating economy. It was the first time Rouhani had been summoned by parliament in his five years in power, and MPs demanded answers on unemployment, rising prices and the sharp depreciation […]

Iran

Iran Launches Suit at UN Court against Trump Sanctions

AFP

By Jan Hennop and Roland Lloyd Parry | – The Hague (AFP) – Iran demanded Monday that the UN’s top court order the United States to suspend nuclear-linked sanctions against Tehran, but Washington vowed to “vigorously” fend off the legal challenge. The Islamic Republic launched a suit at the International Court of Justice over US […]

Featured

Iran Parliament Fires Finance Minister, as US Sanctions Bite (Cost Iran $1.1 Trillion)

Juan Cole

Iran’s parliament on Sunday fired the Finance Minister, Massoud Karbasian, in a severe political setback for president Hassan Rouhani. The Iranian rial has fallen dramatically against the dollar in recent months, eating into the purchasing power of Iranian consumers who buy goods from abroad. Supporters of Karbasian in parliament clashed physically with his critics, leading […]

Iran

Trump Iran Sanctions Knee-Cap Baghdad’s Recovery from ISIL Catastrophe

Middle East Monitor

(Middle East Monitor) – The Iraqi government is worried about US sanctions imposed on Iran, which seem to have a negative impact on the Iraqi economy too. There is currently political unrest in Iraq, as the protests calling for economic reforms have restarted. Baghdad declared that it would ask Washington to exempt Tehran from the […]

art and photography

From State Censorship to Western Stereotypes. Interview with Iranian Artist Maryam Palizgir

Omid Memarian

This is part of a series done by Omid Memarian for Global Voices called How globalization, identity and culture intersect in art. ( GlobalVoices.org) – Maryam Palizgir is an Iranian-born artist and designer who currently lives and works in the U.S. Her work is interdisciplinary in nature, combining two and three dimensional drawing, sculptural painting […]

Iran

Iran: Europe Hasn’t yet Shown It Will Defy Trump to Preserve Nuclear Deal

AFP

Tehran (AFP) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Sunday that Europe had not yet shown it was willing to “pay the price” of defying Washington in order to save the nuclear deal. Zarif said European governments had put forward proposals to maintain oil and banking ties with Iran after the second phase of […]

China

China will Defy Trump, Trade with Iran, Rejecting “Unilateral Sanctions”

Middle East Monitor

China will continue its cooperation and relations with Iran, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday, citing a statement from Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 deal in which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for the lifting of most Western sanctions, is in […]

Featured

If you Put an old W. Bush crony in Charge of Iran Policy, doesn’t it Signal a War-Like Intention?

Juan Cole

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has appointed Brian H. Hook, the State Department director of policy planning, to head a coordinated “Iran Action Group.” Hook served in several important posts in the George W. Bush administration, indicating his support for lying the country into war with Iraq and the years-long US military occupation of that […]