- "The unparalleled brilliance of this creative scientist and yet humble person which made the name of Iran resonate in the world's scientific community was a milestone in introducing the grand efforts and determination of Iranian women and youth for climbing the peaks of success in various international fields," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a message on Saturday. 7/17/17
- The growing number of women refusing to cover their hair while driving in Iran, especially during the hot summer months, has resulted in renewed threats of arrests for violations of the country's mandatory hijab law. 7/17/17
- Photographer Mohammad Moheimany has captured some very beautiful pictures from natural landscapes and surrounding environments of Iran in Landscape and Minimal styles. 7/17/17
- An audio version of the Shahnameh, the epic masterpiece of Persian poet Ferdowsi, has been released in English with an introduction by U.S. filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola in the United States. American voice actor Marc Thompson has narrated the stories based on the latest translation by Ahmad Sadri published by Quantuck Lane Press in 2013, Kingorama, the U.S.-based publisher of "Shahnameh, the Epic of the Persian Kings", has announced. 7/17/17
- Iran has identified the U.S. national sentenced to 10 years for spying as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old researcher at Princeton University. Mizanonline, the official news agency of Iran's judiciary, said on July 16 that Wang, who was born in China, was arrested on August 8, 2016, while trying to leave Iran. 7/17/17
- Iran has dismissed a recent accusation by US Navy that an Iranian patrol boat had shined laser at an American helicopter flying over the Strait of Hormuz. Back in June, US Navy Commander Bill Urban claimed that the Iranian vessel recently turned its spotlight on two American ships, the USS Cole and USS Bataan, which were moving through the strait. 7/17/17
- When ten American sailors found themselves captives of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Persian Gulf last year, then-Secretary John Kerry secured their freedom in less than sixteen hours. He used a remarkable instrument to score this stunning victory: A telephone. Within hours of their capture, Kerry had his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, on the line. They spoke five times that evening, but they already had a deal by the second call. -Trita Parsi, American Conservative 7/17/17
- Mirzakhani in 2014 won the Fields Medal, the mathematics equivalent of the Nobel Prize that is awarded every four years by the International Congress of Mathematicians. The medal is given to people aged 40 or younger who make major contributions to math. She received hers for her "striking and highly original contributions to geometry and dynamical systems," the committee said at the time. Mirzakhani died in an undisclosed U.S. hospital after the cancer she had been fighting for four years spread to her bone marrow. 7/16/17
- On the two-year anniversary of the agreement, U.S. supporters of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, including many former Obama administration officials, are admirably working to defend the deal through media appearances and coordinated statements. Their message that "diplomacy works" is an important one at a time when America's global leadership seems in doubt. However, the rhetoric in Washington defending the JPCOA remains problematic, because it pursues the preservation of the deal in a way that undermines the unfolding detente between Iran and the international community. -Esfandyar Batmanghelidj 7/16/17
- Iranian President Hassan Rohani's younger brother, Hossein Fereidoun, has been arrested on financial crimes charges,the Iranian judiciary said on July 16. "Multiple investigations have been conducted regarding this person, also other people have been investigated, some of whom are in jail," spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said in a televised press conference. 7/16/17
Responding to the Cotton Letter - Four GOP senators wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this week urging him not to certify that Iran is in compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Tom Cotton (R-AR) has been one of the most vocal opponent of the agreement. The other signatories are Ted Cruz (R-TX), David Perdue (R-GA), and Marco Rubio (R-FL). These talking points come from Diplomacy Works, an organization devoted to a diplomacy-first approach to foreign policy -LobeLog 7/16/17
Knife Attacker Shot Dead At Tehran Subway Station - Police in Tehran have shot dead a man who attacked a cleric and other people with a knife at a subway station, Iran's state media reported. A spokesman for the metro said traffic at the Shar-e Rey station had returned to normal after the incident. 7/16/17
U.S. Federal Court Rules Against Trump Restrictions On Travelers With U.S. Relatives - A U.S. judge has ruled against the Trump administration's restrictions on refugees and travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries who have American relatives. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu said late on July 13 that people with grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other American relatives currently barred by the administration should be allowed into the country. 7/14/17
Staged Visit by Foreign Ambassadors to Iran's Evin Prison Condemned by Rights Activists - A state-choreographed visit by dozens of foreign ambassadors based in Iran to Tehran's Evin Prison has been condemned by prominent human rights activists inside and outside the country for glossing over the prison's documented history of ongoing human rights violations. 7/14/17
Trump Administration Expected To Certify Iran Still Complying With Nuclear Deal - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is expected to certify next week that Iran is still adhering to its nuclear agreement with world powers, despite Trump's criticism of the deal, U.S. media report. The State Department is required to notify Congress by July 17 whether Iran continues to comply with the 2015 deal, which requires Tehran to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. 7/14/17
A Delusional James Mattis: Iran commander slams US regime change 'dream' - A senior Iranian commander has dismissed the Pentagon chief's call for regime change in the Islamic Republic as a "ridiculous dream", saying Iran would respond to US officials' nonsensical talks. James Mattis on Monday described Iran "the most destabilizing influence in the Middle East", saying a regime change would be necessary before the US and Iran could have substantially positive relations. 7/14/17
US not fully compliant with spirit of nuclear deal: Iranian FM Zarif - The Iranian foreign minister has lashed out at the US for its failure to completely observe its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal by occasionally preventing the Islamic Republic from enjoying the full benefits of the agreement. Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in New York, Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed that all parties to the deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), must remain committed to the terms of the agreement. 7/14/17
Japanese, Korean firms to fund "Octopus of the Persian Gulf" - A consortium of South Korean and Japanese companies has signed agreements to fund and implement a chain of condensate refining projects in southern Iran - a project known as the Octopus of the Persian Gulf. The agreements were signed between South Korea's Daelim and Hyundai as well as Japan's Chioda - all partners in the project to construct Siraf refineries in Iran's southern province of Bushehr. 7/14/17
'Game of Thrones' fever grips Iran - Westeros fever has gripped Tehran and other cities as Iranians eagerly count down the days to season seven of HBO's series to begin on July 16. Some might credit the interest to the fact that its composer Ramin Djawadi is of Iranian descent. Others point to the fictional legend of Azor Ahai - a deity known as the Lord of Light - being inspired by Zoroastrianism... -Holly Dagres, Al-Monitor 7/14/17
This London-based investor says Iran holds huge promise -- and it's not just in energy - Iran has piqued financial interest throughout the world for its massive energy reserves, but the country actually has a host of other opportunities in less obvious areas, according to one global investor. For Clemente Cappello, CIO of London-based Sturgeon Capital, Iran holds promise in part for its cheap labor, abundance of natural resources, and well-educated youth. -CNBC 7/14/17
Iranian researcher: Political past not related to US work - An Iranian researcher denied entry to the United States without explanation told The Associated Press in an email Friday that he was given no indication his political activity or prior involvement in a volunteer paramilitary militia were reasons for the denial. -AP 7/14/17
New Details on the 1953 Coup in Iran - In June, the State Department's historical office finally released a new collection of documents on the US role in the August 1953 coup in Iran, after years of delay. These documents provide interesting new details about the circumstances surrounding the coup, in which a team of CIA officers worked with certain Iranians to overthrow Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddeq, and install retired general Fazlollah Zahedi in his place, establishing a dictatorship that lasted for 25 years. -Mark Gasiorowski 7/13/17
Reza Sixo Safai on his Film "The Persian Connection" - Samuel Goldwyn Films is releasing its first Iranian film, The Persian Connection this week on July 14th. This stylish neon-noir thriller is set in the opium underworld of "Tehrangeles" and features a protagonist who was a child soldier during the Iran-Iraq War. The film premiered at TriBeCa 2106 to rave reviews. Reza Sixo Safai produced the film and plays the lead role; he spoke with us about it 7/13/17
Rights Activists Urge Iran's President Rohani to Nominate Women to His Cabinet - "If women were given the opportunity, they could show that they are equally capable and competent [as men] at serving in high levels of government," journalist and women's rights activist Asieh Amini told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). "We have many well-qualified women in politics, business, social services and cultural affairs who could handle being ministers or even the president," she added. 7/13/17
Retired Flag Officers Warn Against Regime Change and "Aggressive Posturing" Toward Iran - An open letter to President Trump from 38 retired generals and admirals and warning against policies of "regime change" and "aggressive posturing" toward Iran has just been released amid growing concerns that Washington and Tehran could be sliding into a war. -Jim Lobe, LobeLog 7/13/17
Iranian Doctor Denied U.S. Entry Accused Of Links To Basij Force - An Iranian medical researcher who was prevented from entering the United States to work at a Boston hospital is believed to have been an active member of the Basij force used in Iran as a tool of state repression. Seyed Mohsen Dehnavi was the head of the Basiji at Tehran's Sharif University, former students at the university and activists claim. 7/13/17
Iran, EU start first ever joint project on nuclear safety - Iran and the European Union have launched their first joint project aimed at strengthening bilateral nuclear safety cooperation on the eve of the second anniversary of Tehran's nuclear deal with six world powers. 7/13/17
Iran's Newest Robot Is an Adorable Dancing Humanoid - Over the last several years, a team of roboticists at the University of Tehran has been working on increasingly large and complex life-size humanoids. For their latest project, however, the Iranian researchers decided to build something smaller--and cuter. -Erico Guizzo, IEEE 7/13/17
Why Iran Will Not Go the Way of the USSR - Since the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991, articles have appeared in the West arguing that, sooner or later, Iran's ethnic and linguistic diversity will lead it to go the way of the USSR and dissolve into several states. Moreover, subscribers to this theory believe that the United States should encourage such a disintegrative process by further isolating Iran economically and politically, while also supporting its separatist elements. -Shireen T. Hunter 7/12/17
Political Debate Heats Up in Iran - A popular joke was bouncing around in South Africa in the early 1990s. Given the country's overwhelming challenges, people have two options, a practical one and a miraculous one. The practical option is for everyone to get down on their knees and pray for a band of angels to come down from heaven and solve the problems. The miraculous option is that people and politicians talk with each other and work things out. Today, this joke applies to both Iran and America-despite their many differences. -Ali Reza Eshraghi 7/12/17
Yikes, Mattis Still Has It in for Iran! - Secretary of Defense James Mattis remains as hostile as ever towards the Islamic Republic of Iran, as he recently made clear in remarks to The Islander, the newspaper of Mercer Island High School. The Pentagon chief, often referred to as one of the few "adults in the room" that presumably makes up the national-security contingent of the Trump administration, gave an extended interview to senior Teddy Fischer, which the Seattle-area school paper published in full on its website. -Jim Lobe, LobeLog 7/12/17
U.S. Hands Off Iran - I just travelled to Iran where was I was invited to speak at the University of Tehran about human rights and "humanitarian intervention." I put this term in quotes because I've rarely ever seen any intervention that was truly humanitarian or that produced humane results, but more on that later. Before I traveled to Iran, a number of friends and family members expressed shock that I would go there, feared for my safety and well-being, with some urging me not to go at all... -Dan Kovalik, Huffington Post 7/12/17
On Iran, Canada Should Pick Up Where Obama Left Off - As the two-year anniversary of the Iran nuclear deal approaches, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has an opportunity to put his government's new approach to foreign policy into effect by expressing support for the historic agreement reached between world powers and Iran, particularly as uncertainty increases surrounding the Trump administration's support for the deal. -Navid Hassibi, LobeLog 7/12/17
International firms negotiate $200B of oil deals in Iran - Asian and European companies are negotiating participation in Iran's oil and gas development projects which need $200 billion worth of investment, according to Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh. Iran looks to absorb 65% to 70% of this sum from abroad, the minister told Iran's Parliament where he was Tuesday to answer questions about a $5 billion gas deal signed with French giant Total earlier this month. 7/12/17
Rights Groups are Concerned as more Arrests are Allegedly Linked to ISIS in Iran - Human Rights activists are concerned that the recent attacks claimed by ISIS is rippling into intensified crackdown on members of Iran's minority Sunnis. Especially during the whole of month of Ramadan, Iran security forces raided four Sunni mosques in cities of Bukan and Mahabad in the Kurdish regions arresting at least 25 individuals. 7/12/17
Italy, Iran sign $1.3B high-speed rail deal - Iran's state railway company and its Italian counterpart have signed a deal worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) to build a high-speed rail line between Iranian cities of Arak and Qom. Renato Mazzoncini, CEO of Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), and head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Saeed Mohammadzadeh oversaw the signing of the agreement in Tehran on Tuesday for the first stretch of a high-speed rail line which FS plans to build in Iran. 7/12/17
Iran's Qeshm Air to launch weekly Tabriz-Hamburg service - Iran's Qeshm Air on Friday will start its maiden weekly flight connecting Tabriz to Hamburg with return legs set to be operated on Saturdays, asriran.com reported. Last November, the private airline received its TCO (third country operator) license from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), announcing five flights to Europe. 7/12/17
Did Trump Just Violate the Iran Deal? - One of those achievements (of Donald Trump), Sanders said was that "In his discussions with more than a dozen foreign leaders, he underscored the need for nations to join together to strip terrorists of their funding, territory and ideological support--and to stop doing business with nations that sponsor terrorism, especially Iran." -Mitchell Plitnick, LobeLog 7/12/17
Iranian Soccer Stars Call For End To Ban On Women Spectators - Ali Karimi, who is widely regarded as one of the best Iranian players of all time, expressed hope on July 10 that "the conditions are set with the help of" President Hassan Rohani and the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) "for women to enter stadiums" as spectators. Weeks earlier, Iranian national team captain Masud Shojaei called on Rohani to lift the ban. 7/11/17
Iran Air appoints first female CEO - For the first time, a female board member of Iran Air - the Iranian flag carrier - has been appointed as the airline's chief executive officer. Farzaneh Sharafbafi will replace the current CEO Farhad Parvaresh. 7/11/17
White House Seeks Changes In Senate's Russian/Iranian Sanctions Bill - The White House is seeking to change a Senate bill imposing tough new sanctions on Russia so it doesn't constrain the president's authority to impose or waive sanctions, a top White House official said on July 10. The bill to impose new sanctions on Russia for allegedly meddling in the U.S. election and other matters passed the Senate overwhelmingly but has been stalled in the House of Representatives. The bill also imposes new sanctions on Iran. 7/11/17
The Trump administration should read its own documents about regime change in Iran - At the end of last month, the U.S. State Department quietly published a trove of hundreds of documents detailing the American role in Iran's 1953 coup. In that year, a combined CIA and British plot deposed democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, an act fueled by Cold War geopolitics as well as Western indignation at Mossadegh's nationalization of Iran's oil assets. -Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post 7/11/17
New Tree-Free Heritage and Travel Magazine: "GILGAMESH" - Arash Nooraghayee, Publisher, announced the July 2017 launch of the new 'Tree-free' English language quarterly magazine, Gilgamesh. Just like the hero who was the first traveller from the ancient epic poem with the same name, it will take its readers on a quest to arrive at transcendence. It covers Cultural Heritage and Tourism through sections discussing Geography, Lifestyle, Art, Mythology, Environment, History, etc. 7/11/17
IRGC's General Soleimani: Daesh defeat in Mosul victory for whole world - Iran's Major General Qassem Soleimani has hailed Iraq's defeating of Daesh in Mosul as a major victory in the battle against terrorism. The commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) made the remark during a ceremony on Monday. He went on to note that Daesh is one of the most dangerous entities which the world has ever faced. 7/11/17
Iran's Kish tropical island to launch giant winter recreation hub - Kish Free Zone Organization has started construction of a massive winter recreation center in a bid to lure more domestic and foreign travelers to the southern Iranian island, yet expand its tourism infrastructure with a regional outlook. 7/11/17
How Do You Measure Commitment To The Iran Nuclear Deal? - As the two-year anniversary of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) approaches, uncertainty over the Trump administration's commitment to the Iran nuclear deal is growing, heightening the tensions in the Middle East. At a Senate hearing on June 13, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson remarked that although Iran was complying with the JCPOA, the bar for Iranian compliance was "pretty low." - Arvand Mirsafian, Huffington Post 7/11/17
Photos: Lake Maharloo simmers, turns red - The waters of rich salt lake Maharloo (map), situated on the outskirts of Shiraz in southern Iran, look reddish for a good reason. The growth of bacteria and particularly seaweeds come to change the color of the water body which is rich in potassium and salts. In mid-summer the lake loses its water due to high evaporation leaving behind a white bed and reddish color water. -Reza Ghaderi 7/10/17
Iranian Women: Zahra Inche Dargahi elected as Iran's Gymnastic Federation president - Zahra Inche Dargahi was elected as the President of the Iran's Gymnastic Federation. Inche Dargahi received 24 votes (out of 44) in the presidential elections held at the Iran's Academy Olympic on Monday. Inche Dargahi has been elected for a four-year term till 2021. 7/10/17
'Bodyguard' by Iranian director Ebrahim Hatamikia wins top prizes at VIFF 2017 - 'Bodyguard' directed by Iranian filmmaker Ebrahim Hatamikia won Best Art Direction, Best Supporting Actor (for Babak Hamidian), and Best Director award at the 3rd Vienna Independent Film Festival (VIFF 2017) in Austria. 'Forgiveness' by Iran's Rima Irani also won Best Short Film Award at the festival. 7/10/17
Iran launches Freedom of Information website - Iran has launched a website that allows its citizens to freely seek and obtain information from all government organizations and institutions according to law. The website had been operating in beta version mode for 45 days before its public launch. The landmark step was taken roughly two years after the executive bylaw for the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was prepared by the administration of President Hassan Rouhani and government institutions were notified of it. 7/10/17
Iran Plans First Oil-And-Gas Tenders After Sanctions Easing - The Iranian government is planning to announce tenders for the exploration of 14 oil-and-gas blocks over the next three months, a top executive at Iran's NIOC state oil company has said. NIOC Deputy Director Rahim Nematollahi told Reuters in Istanbul on July 10 that the tenders would be offered for joint exploration together with NIOC. 7/10/17
Sohrab Sepehri's painting breaks record at Tehran Art Auction - An untitled work from Sohrab Sepehri's Tree Trunk series sold for 31 billion rials (over $800,000) at the Tehran Auction Friday evening, breaking a record at the annual sale of national contemporary art. A selection from the series that was sold for 30 billion rials last year held the record at the auction till now. 7/10/17
The Enemy of My Enemy Is My...? The Saudi-American-Iranian-Russian-Qatari-Syrian conundrum - The Middle East. Could there be a more perilous place on Earth, including North Korea? Not likely. The planet's two leading nuclear-armed powers backing battling proxies amply supplied with conventional weapons; terror groups splitting and spreading; religious-sectarian wars threatening amid a plethora of ongoing armed hostilities stretching from Syria to Iraq to Yemen. And that was before Donald Trump and his team arrived on this chaotic scene. -Dilip Hiro, Bill Moyers 7/10/17
Poll: Negative Campaign Against Arabs and Muslims Has Consequences - While, as president, Donald Trump has worked to cultivate a relationship with Arab leaders, the antipathy towards Arabs and Muslims that he and his party have cultivated in recent years continues to have a worrisome impact on American public opinion and policy. Recent polling conducted three weeks after Trump's summits in Saudi Arabia, establishes the persistence of a deep and disturbing partisan divide in American attitudes toward Arabs and Muslims. - James J. Zogby, LobeLog 7/10/17
Iran's historic city of Yazd inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added the historical texture of Yazd in central Iran to its list of world heritage sites. According to the UNESCO website, the historical structure of Yazd is a collection of public-religious architecture in a very large scope comprising of different Islamic architectural elements of different periods in a harmonious combination with climatic conditions. 7/9/17
Six Designs from Iran competing in 2017 World Architecture Festival in Berlin - Six designs by Iranian architects have been shortlisted for awards at the 2017 World Architecture Festival, which will be held in Berlin from November 15 to 17. Pars Hospital in Rasht and a house named Three Views in Tehran, both completed at the New Wave Architecture Company, have been nominated in the Completed Buildings' category. In the Future Projects, the Tehran Mixed Use Complex in Tehran designed at the EAA Emre Arolat Architecture will compete... 7/9/17
Here's Why Washington Hawks Love This Cultish Iranian Exile Group - What were a Saudi prince, a former Republican House Speaker and a former Democratic vice-presidential candidate doing together in a suburb of Paris last weekend? Would you be surprised to discover that Prince Turki Bin Faisal, Newt Gingrich and Joe Lieberman were speaking on behalf of a group of Iranian exiles that was officially designated a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" by the United States government between 1997 and 2012? -Mehdi Hasan, Intercept 7/9/17
It's Time for Washington and Riyadh to Defuse the War Hysteria - The ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the devastating Saudi-led offensive in Yemen, the bellicose rhetoric towards Iran, the fracturing of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the regional involvement in the bloody Syrian civil war, are all increasing the probability of regional war. This conflict may pit Gulf Sunni states against each other, or Saudi Arabia and the United States against Iran. -Emile Nakhleh, LobeLog 7/9/17
Country Managers Make Post-Sanctions Iran Work - On July 3, Patrick Pouyanne, the imposing, former rugby-playing CEO of Total, arrived in Tehran to sign a landmark $5 billion contract to develop Phase 11 of Iran's South Pars gas field in cooperation with the China National Petroleum Corporation and Petropars, an Iranian firm. The deal was a sign of Pouyanne's ambition and resolve in the face of the Trump administration's rhetoric towards Iran. -Esfandyar Batmanghelidj 7/8/17
Conservative MPs Pressure Culture Ministry to Ban Films Portraying "Realistic Picture" of Modern Iranian Life - Director Ali Ahmadzadeh's film "Atomic Heart," about the lives of young, modern Iranians, including Christians, could be removed from cinemas in Iran just weeks after a three-year ban on the movie was lifted. "Although it was made in 2014, the film only recently received a screening permit," Ahmadzadeh told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) in a recent interview. "Now there are threats to ban it again." 7/8/17
Iranian speed climber grabs gold medal in IFSC Climbing World Cup Villars 2017 - Iranian speed climber Reza Alipour Shenazandifard has put on impressive displays at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) at the Climbing World Cup Villars 2017 in Switzerland and finished as the champion to snatch the gold medal. (watch video) 7/8/17
Iran Fully Backs United Nations Treaty Banning Nuclear Arms - Reza Najafi, Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Saturday that Iran as a victim of weapons of mass destruction fully supports the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons. The remarks by Ambassador Najafi came after the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was signed at a UN conference in New York on Friday. 7/8/17
Erik Prince to Prince bin Zayed: The Private Military Connection - In 2014, retired Gen. James Mattis, now secretary of defense, reportedly referred to the United Arab Emirates as "Little Sparta." He was favorably comparing the UAE to the historic Greek city-state, known for its military prowess, especially against the Persians during the Greco-Persian Wars. Mattis presumably did so not only because of a strong politico-military alliance between the United States and the UAE, but also because the UAE has for years been working on strengthening its military capabilities. -David Isenberg, LobeLog 7/8/17
Iran fails to advance to World Polo Championship 2017 - Iran came third at the World Polo Championship 2017 qualifiers which took place in Tehran's Kanoon Chogan, Qasr Firoozeh & the Army Polo Club. India defeated Pakistan 8-7 and booked a place in the competition as champion. India came first, followed by Pakistan, Iran and South Africa. 7/8/17
The Foolishness of Regime-Change Fantasies - Stop me if you've heard this one before. There's an out-of-control regime run by a madman halfway around the world, and if the U.S. government doesn't topple it ASAP, a lot of people are going to die. The United States has tried its hand a lot at regime change. By one count, the US tried to overthrow 72 different governments during the Cold War alone-and that's before the most recent misadventures in Iraq and Libya. It's not exactly a track record of success: the United States failed most of the time to accomplish the fundamental goal of toppling the target. And a quick glance at Iraq is enough to remind you that even when America "succeeds," it often really fails. -Stephen Miles 7/7/17
New Neocon Mantra: Iran, like Soviet Union, on Verge of Collapse - Iran hawks suddenly have a new mantra: the Islamic Republic is the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, and the Trump administration should work to hasten the regime's impending collapse. It's not clear why this comparison has surfaced so abruptly. Its proponents don't cite any tangible or concrete evidence that the regime in Tehran is somehow on its last legs. But I'm guessing that months of internal policy debate on Iran has finally reached the top echelons in the policy-making chaos that is the White House these days. -Jim Lobe, LobeLog 7/7/17
How Five Iranian Women Built Iran's Biggest Female Portal - In 2015, five long-time friends were at a bridal shower in Tehran when they came up with the idea to launch a website dedicated to the needs and wants of Iranian women. The five female founders launched the site, Benita, last May which has now grown to 40 employees and a monthly reach of 2 million unique users and 23 million page views until May 2017. -TechRasa 7/7/17
IRAN: Laft village's Historical mansions on path to glory - Iran's heritage body plans to lead several restoration projects at the village of Laft (map) on the southern Qeshm Island with the aim of bringing fifteen historical mansions and houses back to their heyday glory. Perched on a rocky slope in the Persian Gulf, the fishing village offers its visitors a patchwork of delightfully photogenic scenes of badgirs (wind towers) and minarets. 7/7/17
Book Review: Losing an Enemy - Trita Parsi has written a great book about what remains the most outstanding diplomatic feat of the 21st century. It is the first work to describe in detail the whole course of the extraordinarily complex international negotiation that led to the conclusion in Vienna on July 14, 2015 of the now famous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA-the arrangement between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, UK, US), plus Germany to cap Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic. -Francois Nicoulaud 7/6/17
Iran's Supreme Leader Comes to Judiciary's Defense After Rouhani Criticizes Problematic Arrests - Iran's supreme leader is continuing his public criticism of newly re-elected President Hassan Rouhani, this time accusing him of not doing enough to aid the judiciary in protecting the "dignity of the Islamic system." "The judiciary should be a pioneer in establishing public rights within the society ... and confront anyone who violates laws," said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on July 3, 2017 during a speech outside his residence in Tehran to judicial officials. 7/6/17
'Los Angeles embodies diversity.' The city's new sculpture celebrating freedom is unveiled - Production of the sculpture was organized by the Farhang Foundation, an L.A.-based nonprofit organization, and the unveiling was part of the inaugural Freedom Festival, a nightlong block party that featured live music, food and fireworks. The Farhang Foundation promotes the study and appreciation of Iranian art and culture. Organizers said they hope the Freedom Festival becomes an annual event. -Matt Hamilton, Los Angles Times 7/5/17
New Revelations of the U.S. involvement in 1953 Coup in Iran - The State Department has finally released a much-awaited volume of internal documents from 1951 to 1954, the period during which Mohammad Mossadeq was president of Iran. The department is obliged to publish 30-year-old documents in its annual series entitled Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS). -Ervand Abrahamian 7/4/17
France's Total seeks long-term coop. with Iran: CEO - Total plans to boost long-term cooperation with Iran in the fields of gas, oil and petrochemicals, the French energy giant CEO Patrick Pouyanne said in a meeting with President Rouhani in Tehran on Monday. The meeting followed the signing ceremony of a $4.5B development deal with France's Total for investment in Phase 11 of South Pars - the world's largest gas field - as envisaged in the new model of oil contracts, dubbed as the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC). 7/4/17
Mehdi Fard-Qaderi's "Immortality" crowned best at Italy's Ischia Film Festival - "Immortality" by Mehdi Fard-Qaderi won the award for best feature movie at the 15th Ischia Film Festival on the Italian island on Saturday, the organizers announced. The film was competing in the official section of the festival, which began on June 24. "Immortality", which is a one-shot feature film, tells the story of some strangers who have to spend a rainy night together on a train. 7/4/17
Can Iran lead a global fight against dust storms? - In the last two years, the UN passed four resolutions on sand and dust storms in an attempt to facilitate a global political will to tackle this pressing environmental problem. Now an international conference hosted by Iran and UN has brought together leaders and experts from 34 countries to discuss ways to combat dust storms and form partnerships to take action. -Ali Mirchi and Kaveh Madani 7/3/17
France's Total seals Iran's biggest gas deal in years - French energy giant Total signed a multi-billion-dollar gas deal with Iran, the first by a foreign firm in more than a decade. Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanne and Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namadar Zanganeh signed the 20-year deal, which would eventually see the consortium pour $4.8 billion into the project. 7/3/17
Iranian maestro Maziar Heidari among Canada's Top 25 Immigrants of 2017 - Iranian composer and orchestra conductor Maziar Heidari is among Canada's Top 25 Immigrants of 2017. The Canadian Immigrant magazine has announced winners of its ninth annual RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards which chooses and celebrates the success stories of Canadian immigrants who have made an influential contribution to Canada. The award is sponsored by Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). 7/1/17
Foreign Minister Zarif Says Trump Travel Ban Shows 'Blind Hostility' Toward Iranians - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on June 30 that the new U.S. ban on travelers from six Muslim countries shows "blind hostility" toward Iranians. "U.S. now bans Iranian grandmothers from seeing their grandchildren, in a truly shameful exhibition of blind hostility to all Iranians," Zarif tweeted. Many Iranian-Americans are posting tweets under the hashtag #GrandparentsNotTerrorists to voice their opposition. 7/1/17
Iran finishes third in 2017 World Taekwondo Championships - Iran men's national taekwondo team has put in convincing performances at the 2017 World Taekwondo Championships in South Korea, and ranked third at the end of the high-status international event. On Friday, the Iranian team stood on the third podium, having garnered 46 points. Also on Friday, 18-year-old Iranian taekwondo practitioner and bronze medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Kimia Alizadeh Zenoozi, got the silver medal in the women's minus 62-kilogram class. 7/1/17
The Real Security Threats on Iran's Periphery - Pressure has once again become the name of the game in regards to U.S. policy on Iran. The Senate has passed sweeping new sanctions, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has declared that the U.S. will "counter Iran's aspiration of hegemony" and work towards a "peaceful transition" of the Iranian government. As U.S.-Iran tensions increase in eastern Syria, murmurs are growing of a potential disastrous war on the horizon. -Seyed Hossein Mousavian 7/1/17
Persistent Iranian Women's Movement Chipping Away at State Ban on Females in Sports Stadiums - The peaceful battle by women's rights activists geared towards ending the ban on female spectators in Iranian sports stadiums is inching forward despite ongoing opposition by religious conservatives. "Women's rights activists are pursuing this matter from every direction, but athletic officials are asking us to allow change to happen gradually without a ruckus," journalist and civil rights advocate Saba Sherdoust told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) in a recent interview. 7/1/17
Iranian American Organizations Denounce State Department Travel Ban Guidelines - As organizations representing the Iranian American community, we denounce the new guidelines for the revised Travel Ban issued by the State Department on Wednesday night. Following the Supreme Court's June 26th, decision to move the Travel Ban forward while exempting those who can "credibly claim a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States," the State Department's guidelines ban extended family including grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and fiances from entering the country. 6/30/17
The Growing Danger of War With Iran - A combination of circumstances has increased the risk that armed conflict will break out between the United States and Iran. Such a war is no certainty, but the chance that one will occur is greater today than it has been in years. Some of the relevant circumstances, such as the first two mentioned below, have been around in some form for a substantial amount of time, while others are more recent. -Paul Pillar 6/29/17
Germany stands by Iran nuclear deal, praises it as 'historic window' - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Tuesday a nuclear deal with Iran has helped lower the risk of a major conflict in the Mideast and that Germany will do whatever is possible to hold all parties to it. "Our clear position is we stand by this agreement," Gabriel told reporters after talks in Berlin with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. 6/28/17
Iranian-American Organizations issue statements on Trump's Muslim ban after Supreme Court decision - "Today's Supreme Court decision immediately places the status of many Americans' families into question again. The Iranian-American community, Muslims across America, and families directly impacted by the ban are now reliving the chaotic days following the Muslim ban in January. Fears of the Trump administration once again spreading chaos by triumphing in the courts and reinstituting parts of its ban that has separated families have been realized. 6/27/17
Golnaz Fathi's Solo Exhibition at AB43 CONTEMPORARY in Switzerland - AB43 CONTEMPORARY is pleased to present the solo exhibiton "Traces of Yesterday" of new works by GOLNAZ FATHI, opening on August 26, 2017. GOLNAZ FATHI (born 1972 in Tehran, Iran) trained at the renowned Iranian Society of Calligraphy and went on to receive various awards for her work as a calligrapher. She then chose to embark on a much freer career in the fine arts and, in doing so, has developed her own unmistakable style. She is an internationally celebrated artist, who has succeeded in bridging the gap between traditional and contemporary culture as well as between Eastern and Western ways of life. 6/26/17
IAPAC Proudly Endorses Campaigns of Iranian American Candidates - Today, the Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC) proudly announced its support for the campaigns of Kia Hamadanchy and Amir Farokhi who are running for the U.S. Congress and the Atlanta City Council, respectively. For more information about how you can get involved in these races, please visit: Kia for Congress and Amir for Atlanta. 6/26/17
Secretary Tillerson Eschews Iran Diplomacy in Favor of Regime Change - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson indicated he has no plans for negotiations with Iran and expressed favor for moving to support elements within Iran intent on regime change during testimony on the State Department budget in the House Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday. Tillerson's remarks are certain to ratchet up tensions with Iran, where elements remain deeply suspicious of U.S. intentions and have levied charges on ordinary citizens for alleged collaboration with hostile powers. -Darius Namazi, NIAC 6/23/17
Beyond the Ban: Exhibition Spotlights Major Iranian-American Artists - Works by prominent Iranian-American artists were showcased to a packed house on June 14, the opening night of the "Beyond the Ban" art exhibition, a collaboration between the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) and the Susan Eley Fine Art gallery in New York City. 6/21/17
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