Word on the Street after Moderate's Landslide Win in Iran

Landslide Win for Iran's Reformists Doesn't Fit Trump's Script, So He Ignores It

Pro-Rohani Reformists Sweep Tehran Council Elections

Interview: Tony Award Nominee Arian Moayed, Star of the Provocative Dual-Language Adaptation of Hamlet

Mr. Trump, When you were Dancing in Riyadh...

10 ways Iran is more democratic and modern than Saudi Arabia

Iran's Zarif Scorns Saudi Deals With U.S., Alleged Ties To September 11 Terror Attacks

Trump Calls For Coalition To 'Stamp Out Extremism,' Slams Iran During Landmark Speech

Iranian president calls US relations 'a curvy road'

Tillerson Says It Is Likely He Will Eventually Speak With His Iranian Counterpart

Hassan Rohani Declared Winner Of Iran's Presidential Vote - President Hassan Rohani has been declared the outright winner with nearly all the ballots counted from Iran's May 19 presidential election, a seemingly emphatic endorsement of the incumbent's efforts to reengage internationally and seek modest reforms within Iran's clerically dominated society. 5/20/17

Scapegoating Iran Will Not Resolve Middle East Challenge - During his Middle East trip, President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to pursue an ambitious list of objectives. Paramount among these is to strengthen regional cooperation in defeating the Islamic State (ISIS or IS) and Islamist terrorism in general... A key difficulty, however, is that President Trump and leaders of his administration clearly seek to achieve these ambitious goals by (mis)representing Iran as the world's leading exporter of terrorism and a threat to Israel and Arab states, especially those in the Persian Gulf. -Shirin T. Hunter 5/20/17

NIAC Responds to President Rouhani's Reelection, Calls on Trump to Choose Diplomacy - "The Iranian people have spoken by coming out in record numbers to vote in Friday's presidential elections. By continuing to engage at the ballot box, and once more demonstrating their preference for the most moderate option available, they have chosen a path of gradual transformation through peaceful participation. Once again, the Iranian people have shown their persistence to choose their own destiny and to reject all attempts to stymie that right." 5/20/17

Azim Gheychisaz: The first Iranian to climb the world's 14 highest summits - Azim Gheychisaz made history, becoming the first Iranian who has climbed the all 14 of the world's highest peaks. Gheychisaz climbed the peak of Mount Lhotse on Friday. Only 36 other climbers in the world have documented their climbs to all 14 of the world's highest peaks. The first mountaineer to make such an achievement was Reinhold Messner, in 1986. 5/20/17

Iran Presidential Vote Pits 'Engagement' Against 'Self-Reliance' - Iranians are voting in a four-man presidential race that could reinvigorate efforts for an economic and diplomatic thaw with the West or draw the curtain on a four-year interlude in hard-line domination at all levels of government. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE 5/19/17

PHOTOS: Iranians go to polls to elect president - Iranians are voting at a presidential election in which four candidates, including incumbent Hassan Rouhani, are competing for the presidential post. The polls opened at 8:00 local time (03:30 GMT) on Friday. More than 54 million people are eligible to vote the election. Exit polls are expected on Saturday. 5/19/17

U.S. Bombs Syrian, Iranian-Backed Forces For First Time, Leaving Eight Dead - U.S. forces have for the first time bombed a convoy of Syrian government and Iranian-backed militia forces after Russia was unable to keep them from entering an area where U.S. allies have been preparing to battle the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, the Pentagon says. 5/19/17

Most Yarsani Religious Minority Candidates Disqualified From Iran's 2017 Councils Elections - The majority of Yarsani candidates seeking seats in Iran's May 2017 elections for local councils have been disqualified, the faith's spokesman, Siavash Hayati, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). The Yarsan spokesman told CHRI that in Hashtgerd, northeast of Tehran in Alborz Province, 28 of the faith's 30 candidates were rejected by the local election monitoring committee. 5/19/17

Sherman: "We Are Safer" Because of JCPOA - In a May 16 event held by the Cato Institute, Ambassador Wendy Sherman spoke at length about the Iran nuclear deal and its status under the Trump administration. Sherman, who served as Barack Obama's under secretary of state for political affairs from 2011-2015 and was one of the key figures in negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, also discussed the administration's policy toward Iran more generally. -Derek Davison, LobeLog 5/19/17

Presidential Vote Count To be Announced Gradually in May 2017 Elections - The authority in charge of counting ballots in Iran's presidential election has backed down from its initial decision to announce the winner after all votes have been counted. "The Interior Ministry actually agrees that it is more practical to report the vote count gradually," said Assistant Interior Minister Mohammad Hossein Moghimi on May 17, two days before Iranians vote for their next president and local councils. 5/19/17

Raeesi 2017, Or Ahmadinejad Redux? Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) - In the run up to the 2017 election, the emergence of Ebrahim Raeesi as the most likely candidate to defeat President Hassan Rouhani has drawn comparisons with the surge of support for Ahmadinejad in 2005. But how much do the two elections really have in common, and how likely is Raeesi to become the next president of Iran? -Reza HaghighatNejad, LobeLog 5/19/17

Analysis: Iran's Younger Generation Positioned To Restore Political Roar - When Mahmud Ahmadinejad was elected to a second term as president in 2009 as a result of what is widely regarded as vote-rigging, Iran's younger generation played a leading role in the massive street protests that ensued and gave birth to the opposition Green Movement. Iran's rulers were shaken. For the first time since the days of the shah, Iranians screamed "death to the dictator!" from Tehran's rooftops. Iran's youth were energized -- and angry. -David Patrikarakos, RFE 5/18/17

US Extends Obama-era Nuclear Sanctions Relief for Iran, Adds Other Sanctions - The Trump administration has announced that it will continue nuclear sanctions relief for Iran, keeping in place an Obama-era deal. Under the 2015 deal, sanctions punishing Iran for its nuclear program were waived in exchange for Iran's commitment to roll back the program. But continuing the sanctions relief requires the renewal of a six-month waiver. The most recent waiver, issued by former Secretary of State John Kerry in December, was set to expire this week. 5/18/17

John Kerry, security experts team up to defend Iran deal from Trump - Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry along with other top security experts have come to defend the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the JCPOA, from the country's hardline President Donald Trump. Through a newly formed organization called Diplomacy Works, Kerry and several national security experts who served under former U.S. President Barack Obama are fighting to protect the nuclear agreement, The Independent reported. 5/18/17

In Iran's Presidential Elections, Reformists' Hopes Are Limited - It may be hard to believe--especially for Western observers who measure change in Iranian society by the extent of women's hair showing under the veil--but many Iranians will not be looking primarily for justice, human rights, or social and personal freedoms when they go to the polls in the presidential elections this Friday. Many are willing to forgo those ideals in exchange for a healthy economy and a foreign policy that brings tranquility, not war. -Scheherezade Faramarzi, Nation 5/18/17

Rouhani's Unlikely Supporters - According to the polls, incumbent Hassan Rouhani is the frontrunner in Iran's upcoming presidential elections, which will be held on May 19. However observers acknowledge that the win is still not guaranteed and that Rouhani faces a tough re-election. According to Rouhani supporters, the greatest threat facing Rouhani is not posed by election rivals but by an apathetic public who may choose not to participate in elections or, even worse, boycott Friday's vote. -Sussan Tahmasebi, LobeLog 5/18/17

Flag of Iranian football team Persepolis to be raised in North Pole - The flag of Persepolis Football Club, Iran Professional League champion, will be raised in the North Pole for the first time in the world. At the lunch ceremony which was held on May 9 with the participation of Persepolis officials, coaching staff and players, the flag of the club was delivered to Hossein Naseri, the innovator of the adventurer manager idea, to be taken to the North Pole in September 2017. 5/18/17

Iranian Judiciary Forbids Campaigners From Printing Rouhani's Criticism of Revolutionary Guard - Since reformist leader Mohammad Khatami endorsed incumbent President Hassan Rouhani's second-term election campaign, hardliners have been working to suppress the message, as well as Rouhani's criticism of his powerful, hardline opponents, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has learned. 5/18/17

Iran's Instagram election sees rivals battle on social media - This is an Iranian election like no other, where the main battles are being fought on social media. For the first time candidates, as well as voters, have discovered the power of messaging apps as a way of bypassing state media and reaching out directly to each other. -Leyla Khodabakhshi, BBC 5/18/17

French automakers rushing into Iran's market in the absence of rivals - French carmakers are rushing into Iranian market in the absence of rivals. PSA and Renault are turning the U.S. absence in the Iranian market into an advantage by piling into a resurgent market still off-limits to foreign rivals fearful of sanctions under Donald Trump's administration, Reuters reported on Tuesday. 5/18/17

Rouhani Not a Sure Bet in Iran's Presidential Elections - Iranians will go to the polls Friday, the same day Donald Trump begins his first foreign trip as U.S. President arriving in Saudi Arabia, where the kingdom's leaders vowed this month to start "the battle against Iran." Trump and America have figured prominently in Iran's presidential election campaigning with hardliners on the Principilist wing of Iranian politics claiming the legacy of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who used to argue, "All our troubles are caused by this America." -Jamie Dettmer, VOA 5/17/17

Iranian Women's Rights Activists Use Elections as "Opportunities" to Put Forth Demands - A member of the Women's Citizenship Center, a non-governmental organization in Tehran, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) that women's rights activists are increasingly using their leverage as an important voting block to put forth their demands during elections. 5/17/17

Iran receives 4 new ATR planes - Iran has received the first batch of medium-range planes that it has purchased from Franco-Italian aviation player ATR. Four ATR 72-600 turboprop planes landed in Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport on a direct flight from the French city of Toulouse. 5/17/17

Iranian Opposition Leader Musavi, From House Arrest, Announces Will Vote For Rohani - Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Musavi, who has been under house arrest since 2011, will vote for President Hassan Rohani in Iran's election on May 19, according to the opposition website Kalameh. The website reported on May 16 that Musavi has requested that security forces bring a mobile ballot box to his residence so that he can cast his vote. 5/17/17

Rouhani's Attempt to Adopt UNESCO Educational Guidelines Emerges as 2017 Election Issue in Iran - In the run-up to Iran's presidential election on May 19, 2017, the country's hardline supreme leader has strongly denounced the Rouhani government's attempt to integrate guidelines from a UN agenda into the country's educational system. Conservative voters have meanwhile been pointing to the document as alleged evidence of centrist President Hassan Rouhani's so-called pro-Western beliefs. Rouhani is currently seeking a second term. 5/17/17

U.S. Signs Defense Deal With United Arab Emirates With Eye On Iran - The United States has signed a new defense cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates, which like Saudi Arabia regards Iran as a strategic adversary that is fomenting conflicts throughout the Middle East. 5/17/17

Iran Bans already Vetted Reformist Candidates from Running - As the elections draw near, Iran's Supreme Leader warned that any "rebellion" in the course of the elections would provoke a "slap" from state security forces. Meanwhile 37 candidates who had been previously vetted by Iran's Election Committee have been banned from running for City and Village Councils Election in Iran. 5/17/17

Tehran City Council Candidate Says "Military Organizations" Intervened to Disqualify Reformist Candidates - Ali Tajernia, a reformist politician and former member of Iran's Parliament, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) that his last-minute disqualification from the Tehran City Council election, following pressure by "military organizations," is "illegal" and he will file a formal complaint. 5/16/17

Turkey's Erdogan Expected To Press Trump On Syria, Gulen, Iran Case - In a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to press the United States to refrain from arming Syrian Kurdish rebels that Ankara considers to be terrorists. The White House meeting comes amid intense and complex international diplomacy over the war in Syria, where Turkey and the United States both support forces in opposition to President Bashar al-Assad's government. 5/16/17

I live in Irvine but my congresswoman seems to be the representative from Trump Nation - I live in Irvine with my family and thousands of other American citizens of Iranian descent. I came to this country as an immigrant and a refugee of war, and I have never taken for granted the opportunities America represents. All across the country, Iranian Americans have worked to better their communities, participating in all walks of civic life. But because Iran is one of the countries targeted by Trump's ban, we now face persecution and separation from family and friends in our native country. -Farshad Farahat, Los Angeles Times 5/16/17

As Trump Cozies Up to Saudi Arabia, War With Iran Becomes More Likely - Many people view Donald Trump as the most dangerous man on the planet, but next week he flies to Saudi Arabia for a three-day visit during which he will meet a man who surely runs him a close second as a source of instability. This is deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, 31 - the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia since his father King Salman, 81, is incapacitated by old age - who has won a reputation for impulsiveness, aggression and poor judgement in the two-and-half years he has held power. -Patrick Cockburn, Counterpunch 5/16/17

Iran starts construction of ion therapy center - KARAJ - Iran began building its National Ion Therapy Center with Austrian help on Monday, in a 200 million Euros project which follow the country's landmark nuclear deal with six world powers in July 2015. 5/16/17

Iran to tap southern coasts maritime tourism potential - Iran aims to take advantage of southern coasts to make the best use of its maritime tourism potential by means of developing hospitality infrastructures, diversifying sea routes, and drawing private sector investors. "Constructing maritime hotels and building recreational vessels by the private sector in the country's free zones is currently on the agenda," Mana news agency quoted an official with the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization as saying on May 10. 5/16/17

Rohani Says Iran Faces 'Historic Decision' In Upcoming Presidential Poll - Iranian President Hassan Rohani has told a Tehran crowd of some 20,000 supporters that the country is "on the edge of a great historic decision" with its May 19 presidential election. Rohani, 68, told the crowd at Tehran's Azadi Stadium that "we should not let Iran become isolated again." 5/15/17

Photos: Magnitude 5.7 Quake In Northeastern Iran Kills Two, Injures Hundreds - A 5.7-magnitude earthquake that shook the northeastern province of North Khorasan on Saturday night claimed two lives and left more than 400 injured. The earthquake hit 3 cities and 97 villages of the province at 22:30 local time which was followed by 26 aftershocks. 5/15/17

In Online Video, Khatami Urges Iranians To Vote For Rohani - Former reformist President Mohammad Khatami urged Iranian voters in an online video to reelect President Hassan Rohani on May 19. Khatami, who was the country's president from 1997 until 2005, has since been banned from any appearances in Iranian media by the country's hard-line judiciary. 5/15/17

Persian Empire in Sasanian Era: Subject of Symposium at Library of Congress - The African and Middle Eastern Division at the Library of Congress (AMED), in cooperation with the Iranian-American Alumni of the Alborz High School will present a symposium on the legacy of the ancient Persian Sasanian empire (224-651 AD). The event is part of an annual series of symposia on the ancient civilizations of the Near East organized by AMED at the Library of Congress. 5/15/17

U.S. Calls On Iran To Free Jailed Baha'i Leaders - The United States has condemned Iran's imprisonment of leaders of the Baha'i religious minority and called on Tehran to release them and other prisoners of conscience. Seven Baha'i leaders were arrested by Iranian authorities nine years ago and convicted of espionage and spreading propaganda against the clerical establishment. They were reportedly sentenced to 20 years in prison. Their sentences were later reduced to 10 years. 5/15/17

Will Proposed Wall Along Turkish-Iranian Border Keep Out Kurdish Separatists? - Ankara's apparent intention to build a wall along its border with Iran is being met with skepticism by some regional experts who question its practicality and whether it will curb cross-border terrorism as Turkey intends. -Mehdi Jedinia, VOA 5/15/17

Iran: The Sanctions Hotel - At the height of Iran's isolation, a fashion designer and an architect attempt to turn an old mud palace into a hotel. This film chronicles the five-year struggle of architect Amir Anoushfar and designer Shadi Parand to preserve one of Iran's largest historical buildings by turning it into an international boutique hotel. -Al Jazeera 5/15/17

Iran's President Hits Back At Rivals In Final TV Debate - Iranian President Hassan Rohani has hit out at his two main conservative challengers, who accuse him of mismanagement, corruption, and failing to improve the economy following a landmark 2015 nuclear accord with world powers. The attacks and tit-for-tat accusations came during the third and final presidential debate aired live on Iran's state-controlled television on May 12 ahead of the vote on May 19. -Golnaz Esfandiari 5/13/17

U.S. Said Near $100 Billion Arms Deal With Saudis Ahead Of Trump Visit - A week ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit to Riyadh, the United States is preparing an arms deal for Saudi Arabia worth more than $100 billion, the Reuters news agency reported on May 12. 5/13/17

Iranian Local Teacher's Union Leader Exiled for Singing Popular Ballad to Students - A teacher in a port city in northern Iran has been exiled for singing to his students. Aziz Ghasemzadeh has been ordered by the Gilan Education Department to move to Roudbar, 65 miles south of Anzali, for one year, an informed source told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). 5/13/17

14th-century Persian poet Hafez a guide for today's Iranian-Canadians - Hafez, the 14th-century Persian poet, still draws a crowd, if the hundreds of Iranians gathering this weekend for several presentations are any evidence. Nasser Kanani, an expert in electrochemistry, is the guest speaker, better known in engineering circles for his textbook on electroplating, rather than his recently-published two-volume study of the poet called Hafez and His Divan As Viewed By the West. Mohandez, the Canadian society of Iranian engineers and architects, sponsored Kanani's lectures at Toronto's Aga Khan Museum and an Iranian community centre -CBC 5/13/17

U.S. District Court Judge "Inclined to Agree" That Muslim Ban Unconstitutional - On Thursday, Judge Tanya Sue Chutkan a judge at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order staying the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) motion for a nationwide freeze on President Trump's Muslim travel ban, indicating that she is "inclined to agree with Plaintiffs that they are likely to succeed on the merits of their claims with respect to Sections 2 and 6 of the Second Executive Order." 5/12/17

Several Reformist Candidates Disqualified at Last Minute From Tehran City Council Election - A number of prominent reformist politicians have been disqualified from running in Tehran's City Council election despite being previously approved by the election monitoring committee. 5/12/17

Iran's Supreme Leader Issues Familiar Anti-Protest Warning Ahead of 2017 Elections - Any citizen or candidate who attempts to disrupt the upcoming elections will receive a "hard slap in the face," warned Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a recent speech reminiscent of one he gave in June 2009 amidst the widespread, peaceful protests against the vote count that year. 5/12/17

Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif says Riyadh 'dangerously' seeking tension - Days after the Saudi deputy crown prince ruled out dialogue with Tehran, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Saudi Arabia is pursuing a "dangerous policy" in seeking tension with Iran. "We believe that Saudi Arabia is seeking tension," Zarif told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday. "The policy is a dangerous one and has no use but insecurity for Saudi Arabia." 5/12/17

At Rouhani Rally, Daring Slogans and Reminders of Iran's Political Ghosts - As supporters of Iran's president awaited his arrival to fire them up for his May 19 re-election bid, the thoughts of many were with two other men under house arrest for years. "Moussavi, Karroubi must be released!" the crowd of thousands thundered over and over, a reference to the country's most prominent opposition leaders. -Thomas Erdbrink, New York Times 5/12/17

Negotiating With Iran Could Pay Off for Trump - If there has been one consistent theme in Donald Trump's foreign policy since the early days of his campaign, it has been his insistence that America has not benefited economically from the global order it mostly protects. Yet when it comes to U.S. policy in the Middle East, he has been wildly inconsistent. -Bloomberg 5/12/17

Financial tech gaining steam in Iran - The Iranian capital played host to the four-day FINEX 2017 exhibition April 15-18. The annual event gathered more than 250 Iranian entities involved in banking and finance. While organizers dubbed it an international expo, only three foreign firms took part. -Alireza Ramezani, Al Monitor 5/12/17

Women and the Iranian Elections - A group of women's rights activists issued a statement on May 6 outlining their demands for the next president of Iran. The statement, which calls for improved economic opportunities for women, reform of discriminatory laws, access to public spaces such as sports stadiums, and more appointments for women to managerial and cabinet positions in government, has received some press and attention. But it seems unlikely to bring about significant change in the focus or discourse of the presidential hopefuls. -Sussan Tahmasebi 5/11/17

Iranian Authorities Block Attempts by Gold Medalist's Husband to Stop Her From Competing Abroad - For the second time, Iranian authorities have allowed two-time Iranian Paralympic gold medalist archer Zahra Nemati to travel abroad to compete despite her estranged husband's attempts to force her to stay home. According to Article 18 of Iran's Passport Law, a married woman needs her husband's permission to travel abroad. 5/11/17

Pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, green spaces: An unusual election platform for a politician in Iran - Last month, in a surprise, Taraneh Yalda, a 62-year-old architect, won the approval of Iran's conservative election monitors to run for a seat on Tehran's City Council. Hailing from a family of artists and musicians, and educated in Italy and France, Yalda is one of a handful of progressive candidates in a field of more than 2,700 vying for 21 places on the council. -Los Angeles Times 5/11/17

Iran's non-oil growth to boost in 2017: IMF - According to the latest report published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Regional Economic Outlook, Iran is expected to see non-oil growth accelerate from 0.75 percent in 2016 to almost 3.5 percent in 2017. 5/11/17

Europeans see huge potential in Iran's energy market - European exhibitors participating in the 22nd International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition of Iran (Iran Oil Show 2017) believe that there is huge potential for business in Iran's oil, gas and petrochemical sectors. The exhibition, which was held at the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds from May 6 to 9, hosted some 2500 domestic companies and 1500 foreign participants from 37 countries including Germany, France, Spain, Britain, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, China, South Korea, Australia, the U.S. and Canada. 5/11/17

Iran upsets Japan to win Asian Men's U23 Volleyball Championship title - The national Iranian volleyball team has lifted the trophy at the conclusion of the 2017 Asian Men's U23 Volleyball Championship following a resounding victory over Japan in the final showdown of the tournament in the northwestern Iranian city of Ardabil. 5/10/17

How Iranian Women Became the Queens of Online Shopping - Persian women, in particular, became the queens of both online shopping and slaying the style game on Instagram. Iranian marketing expert Niki Aghaei wrote on LinkedIn that 7.5 million Iranians between the ages of 16 and 35 are active on Instagram. The digital Persian marketplace is full of original, avant-garde designs and photoshoots that shop owners would never dare display in the real Islamic Republic. "We create freedom for ourselves," Ashgari said. -Leigh Cuen, The Racked 5/10/17

Pall Corporation first US tech firm to invest in Iran in years - An Iranian company says a top American technology leader plans to invest in an Iranian oil equipment production project - what could be the first direct investment by a US oil company in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Speaking at a press conference at Iran's Oil Show, Neda Mousavizadegan, the managing director of Iran's Panid Engineering, named the US company as Pall Corporation. 5/10/17

Iran futsal players finish 3rd in Victory Day Women Cup 2017 - The national Iranian women's futsal team has finished its campaign at the 8th edition of International Futsal Tournament for Women National Teams in Russia, and finished in the third place at the end of the four-nation tournament. 5/10/17

Meet The Iranian Who Looks Like The Soccer Legend Lionel Messi - An Iranian student who happens to look uncannily like soccer great Lionel Messi, nearly ended up in jail for disrupting public order. A photo event in Reza Paratesh's home town of Hamedan attracted so many fans that police had to close it down, according to AFP. 5/9/17

Court Judges Focus On Whether Trump Travel Order Targets Muslims - U.S. appeals court judges asked tough questions about President Donald Trump's temporary ban on travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries, with several voicing skepticism that national security was the measure's true goal. 5/9/17

Student Imprisoned For Refusing to Collaborate With Iran's Intelligence Ministry Denied Medical Care - Political prisoner Hamid Babaei is being refused hospital treatment by the authorities of Rajaee Shahr Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran, an informed source told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). 5/9/17

Iran reports rise in number of tourists - Iran says the number of tourists that visited the country last year increased by above 30 percent from a year earlier - what could be an indication that one of the world's top travel destinations is already finding its lost flavor after the removal of sanctions. 5/9/17

FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP: Iran finishes third to make Asian history - Iran ended their Bahamas 2017 campaign on a high with a 5-3 win against Italy in the play-off for third place to become Asia's highest ever finishers at the Beach Soccer World Cup. These two teams met during the group stage at Bahamas 2017 with Italy edging Iran 5-4 in a thrilling match. The Europeans scored first that day, but it was Iran's turn this time. 5/8/17

Beyond the Ban: Contemporary Iranian Art Exhibition in New York - Beyond the Ban: Contemporary Iranian Art is a group exhibition showcasing the work of leading Iranian artists based in the United States, and featuring painting, photography, video and prints. Artists include Shirin Neshat, Nicky Nodjoumi, Nahid Hagigat, Shoja Azari, Hossein Fatemi, Sara Issakharian, Nazanin Noroozi and Raha Raissnia 5/6/17

New Trump's "Extreme Vetting" Proposal Raises Alarm Bells - The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) is profoundly concerned by the Trump administration's newly released proposal for "extreme vetting" interview questions. "Donald Trump's Muslim ban has been blocked by multiple courts so now he is attempting to circumvent the judiciary and impose a Muslim ban through new measures," said Shayan Modarres, Legal Counsel for NIAC. "This proposal makes America less safe and would do further damage to the values and protections that are fundamental to this country." 5/5/17

Take Action: Make sure Iranian Americans are counted in the next U.S. Census - The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) and a coalition of Iranian-American organizations comprised of Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB) and Iranian American Bar Association (IABA) are urging for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to include an ethnicity category in the Census for Middle Eastern and North African (MENA). 5/4/17

PHOTOS: Magnificent tile-work at Mo'aven al-Molk shrine in Kermanshah, Iran - The Takieh Mo'aven ol-Molk is Iran's finest Hosseinieh, a distinctively Shiite shrine where plays are acted out during the Islamic month of Moharram to commemorate the martyrdom in 680 of Imam Hossein at Karbala. Enter downstairs, through a courtyard and a domed central chamber decorated with grisly scenes from the Karbala battle. -Vahid Hoseini 5/1/17

Winners of 35th Fajr Film Festival Announced - Winners of the 35th edition of Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) were announced Thursday night, with 'The Home' from Iran snatching Golden Simorgh for Best Film in main competition section. Bulgarians Margita Gosheva and Stefan Denolyubov won the Silver Simorgh for Best Actress and Best Actor for their roles in Glory. 5/1/17

NEDLOOK: Classical Persian Artwork Meets Contemporary Jewelry - Just inside the walls of every historic structure in Iran, the unique dazzling tile works sit like a supersize jewel box that you won't forget. Tile works have been one of the most important decorative feature of the Persian architecture since ancient times. Vibrant mosaic tiles lavishly decorate the interior and exterior walls of religious buildings, royal palaces, and residence of dignitaries. While different aspects of architecture are often related to discussions surrounding buildings, the rich details and patterns of Persian tilework served as the inspiration for the jewelry designer, Neda Khalafi. 4/28/17

Iran's Industry Spotlight: Technology Sector - There are many factors that have led to a thriving tech industry in Iran, including abundant resources, lifted sanctions, and a youthful, highly educated population. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the industry has also benefited in large part due to active support from the Iranian government. -Sarah Bryn Witmer 4/28/17

U.S. Visas Issued To Iranians Plummet By Nearly Half From Last Year - The United States has cut by nearly half the number of visas it has issued to citizens of Iran and other countries targeted by President Donald Trump's travel ban even though courts have prevented that ban from taking effect. 4/28/17

Trump Unites Iranian Americans - Generations of Iranians like my parents have admired the United States for almost everything. They wanted their children to attend American universities, promoted America as the land of great opportunities, and proudly sent invitations to friends for their U.S. citizenship ceremonies. But many Iranian Americans today are confused and frightened by the wave of unjust immigration policies targeting Iranians. -Leila Mansouri 4/27/17

"In order to Create, One must First New Trump's "Extreme Vetting" Proposal Raises Alarm BellsDestroy": An Interview with Parvaneh Etemadi - According to Parvaneh Etemadi, she has acquired Bahman Mohassess' taste and Jalal Al-Ahmad's courage. She is Frank. Yet, frankness is just one of her personality. She challenges the current form of knowledge and cognition and expresses far-fetched concepts with new modules, which provokes positive and negative reactions to her approach. Last year, her name appeared on the 11th list of 500 artists of the world together with four other Iranian artists, Farhad Moshiri, Reza Derakhshani, Ali Banisadr and Shirin Neshat 4/25/17

Photos: Easter celebration at Saint Sarkis Cathedral in Tehran - Iran's Armenian Christian community held a ceremony at Saint Sarkis Cathedral in Tehran on Sunday April 16, 2017 to celebrate Easter. During the event, special prayers were said and candles were lit. While Iran is officially designated the "Islamic Republic," among its more than 70 million people is a small but important Christian minority. Most of Iran's Christians are Armenians and Assyrians, who remain relatively free to follow their faith. 4/16/17

PHOTOS: The Ancient Samen Underground City In Western Iran - A two-millennia-old subterranean city has been unearthed in Samen, Hamedan Province, after more than a decade of excavations. The city, located 400 km west of Tehran, provisionally dubbed the Underground City of Samen, is "under the modern city of Samen," said Ali Khaksar, the head of the provincial office of Iran's Culturally Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization. 4/12/17

Moghadam Award: Long-Term, Sustainable Economic Development in Iran - The Stanford Iran 2040 Project announces the first annual Moghadam Award in Iranian Economics to recognize the best original paper on Long-Term, Sustainable Economic Development in Iran. The awardee will be asked to present the paper at the next Stanford Iran Economic Forum to be held in Summer 2017. All travel expenses will be covered and the awardee will also receive a $10,000 prize. 4/12/17

Iranian Americans Use Tech to Count Their Impact in US - Pirooz Parvarandeh, a longtime Silicon Valley executive, saw a problem. Although he has lived in the United States for more than 40 years, he knew little about the contributions and accomplishments of Iranian Americans like himself. That lack of knowledge is widespread, he feared, and in his view makes Iranians in America more subject to stereotypes, discrimination and attacks. -Michelle Quinn, VOA 4/7/17

Joint Statement of Iranian-American Organizations on Detentions of Iranians - As organizations that represent the Iranian-American community, we are deeply concerned by recent arrests of Iranians visiting and studying in the United States. At least two Iranians are currently being held in custody by U.S. immigration authorities: Alia Ghandi and Mohammad Salar Fard-Hajian. We implore authorities to ensure these individuals have ready access to legal counsel and insist they be promptly released from custody. 4/6/17