News Digest
February 18
Justice: Tehran released a German citizen who was sentenced to three years in prison for taking photographs of “sensitive places” in Iran. The move came two days after Ahmad Khalili, an Iranian national detained in Germany on charges of violating U.S. sanctions, was released by Berlin…
February 10
Economy: Iraqi officials said that the United States will grant sanctions waivers to allow Iraq to import gas and electricity from Iran. The previous waiver will expire on February 13. Iraq was heavily dependent on Iran to meet its domestic electricity demands, especially during the…
February 3
Military: Iran announced that it would launch a satellite into orbit within a week. “We are not afraid of failure and we will not lose hope. With your prayers and trust in God, the Zafar satellite by the end of this week ... will be heading toward an orbit of 530 km from Earth,” said…
January 27
Politics: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for national unity ahead of February parliamentary elections. He urged high voter turnout and condemned the mass disqualification of reformist candidates by the Guardian Council, which was dominated by hardliners. “We should not let…
January 20
Nuclear: Iran said that it could withdraw from the global nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if its case is referred to the U.N. Security Council. “If the Europeans continue their improper behavior or send Iran’s file to the Security Council, we will withdraw from the NPT,” said…
January 13
Protests: Students at universities in Isfahan and Tehran shouted, “Clerics get lost!” Police in riot gear reportedly patrolled the capital. A steep drop in internet connectivity registered at Sharif University, where students protested the deaths of colleagues and alumni killed on the…
January 6
Society: Hundreds of thousands of Iranians turned out for Qassem Soleimani’s funeral in Tehran. The head of the elite Qods Force was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad’s international airport on January 3. Many mourners shouted “Death to America.” Supreme Leader Khamenei wept …
December 30
Nuclear: Russia warned that the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was in danger of “falling apart” if the United States and the European Union did not begin complying with its terms. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his Iranian…
December 23
Protests/Human Rights: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered a violent crackdown on demonstrations over fuel that began on November 15, according to a Reuters report. On November 17, Khamenei allegedly told his top security aides to “do whatever it takes to stop them.” Unnamed…
December 16
Human Rights: Amnesty International updated its death toll from the November fuel price protests. At least 304 people were killed and thousands more were injured in the harsh government crackdown, according to the watchdog. The report said that security forces “massacred” scores of…