By Pooya Stone
A powerful Iranian cleric close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publically opposed any attempt to pass the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) bills, which are needed in order to avoid being blacklisted by the global anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing body.
Iran Focus
London, 9 Mar – U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran is very different to the approach his predecessor took. Trump is adamant that the Iran threat will be dealt with in its entirety during his time in office. This includes its nuclear program, its ballistic missile program, its malign meddling and interference in the affairs of its neighbours, its support of proxy groups and militias across the Middle East, its export of terrorism, its corruption, its disregard of human rights, and so on.
By Jubin Katiraie
Iran has executed at least 61 children in the past decade, according to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Iran in a new report published last week, in a horrific defiance of international law.
Javaid Rehman cited records that showed that at least six child offenders were executed in 2018, all of them between 14 and 17 at the time of the alleged crime. He noted that previous UN reports had showed a similar pattern, with 5 child offenders executed in 2017, 5 in 2016, 7 in 2015, and 13 in 2014. He advised that there are at least 85 children still on death row.
By Mehdi
Despite the immense domestic and international pressure that the Iranian ruling system is under, grave human rights abuses are still continuing.
During the month of February, there were a number of executions carried out, prisoners were denied medical care and prison conditions have been very concerning.
There were 12 reported executions carried out during February but the real number is much higher as many are carried out in secret.
Iran Focus
London, 7 Mar – The European Union has decided to leave sanctions that are imposed on dozens of Iranian human rights abusers in place until 2020.
Ambassadors from EU-nations met in Brussels on Wednesday to debate the matter, according to diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity, and agreed that the asset freezes and visa bans on 82 Iranian citizens and the Iranian Cyber Police should be upheld.
By Pooya Stone
A leading Iranian human rights lawyer who has defended people for protesting the country’s forced veiling of women faces up to 34 years in prison and 148 lashes after being convicted on bogus national security charges.
The conviction of Nasrin Sotoudeh, who previously spent three years in prison for her work, shows how insecure the ruling system is to any peaceful challenge and how false the promises by so-called moderates to repeal the law were.
By Pooya Stone
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif resigned from his position on 25th February amid apologies about the “shortcomings” and failures of the government. However, his resignation was rejected by President Hassan Rouhani and he is now back to work.
By Jubin Katiraie
The nationwide teachers’ strike in Iran entered its third day on Tuesday, with teachers holding sit-ins in their principals’ offices to demand basic rights, like better pay, the right to form unions, and the freeing of all jailed teachers’ rights activists, as well as an adequate response to their demands from the government.
Iran Focus
London, 6 Mar – The fishing industry is the latest indicator of widespread and systematic corruption in Iran, with local anglers losing their livelihoods after the Government granted dubious licenses to Chinese fishing boats engaged in deep-sea trawling.
The policy, which would result in increased unemployment and poverty, gathered intense criticism when it became public two years ago, but the relevant government authorities have failed to address the grievances.
By Mehdi
The Netherlands recalled its ambassador to Iran and summoned the Iranian ambassador to its Foreign Ministry for talks after Tehran expelled two Dutch diplomats in a dispute over an alleged plot to assassinate Iran’s political opponents in the European country.
Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said: “The government has decided to recall the Dutch ambassador in Tehran for consultations.”
