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Trump Defends Waivers on Iran Sanctions

Trump and Mike Pompeo and John Bolton

Iran Focus

London, 6 Nov – Donald Trump defended on Monday his decision to give waivers to eight countries, including India and China, from the Iran oil sanctions in order to keep global oil prices down.

These ” toughest ever” sanctions on Iran, targeting the country ’s banking and energy sectors, are designed to alter the Iran’s malign behaviour and cut off the flow of money that funds it. Trump vowed earlier this year to get Iran’s oil exports to zero and bring in harsh penalties for countries and companies in Europe, Asia and elsewhere that do not comply.

U.S. Sanctions on Iran Take Effect

U.S.  sanctions on Iran

Iran Focus

London, 6 Nov – U.S. President Donald Trump announced earlier this year that the United States was exiting the nuclear deal and that crippling economic sanctions would be re-imposed. The first batch of sanctions have already taken effect and they have had a major impact on the Iranian economy.

Yesterday, Sunday 4th November, the next batch of sanctions were reinstated by President Trump.

Iran Rejects Bill to Combat Terrrorism Financing

(CFT)

Iran Focus

London, 5 Nov – Iran’s Guardian Council has rejected a bill on joining the UN convention against financing terrorism (CFT), just weeks after it was passed by the Iranian Parliament.

Joining the CFT is one of the requirements for removing Iran from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) blacklist.

Iran: Political Prisoner Protests New Fabricated Charges Against Him With Open Letter

Iranian political prisoner Mohammad Ali (Pirouz) Mansouri

Iran Focus

London, 5 Nov – Iranian political prisoner Mohammad Ali (Pirouz) Mansouri has written an open letter to gain the attention of human rights defenders, especially the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, after learning of new charges against him that will extend his prison sentence by another five years.

Mansouri, who has been imprisoned at Rajai Shahr for eleven years, has just been accused of “gathering and conspiring against the government” through his hunger strikes, his support for Mohammad Ali Taheri, and his condemnation of the execution of a Sunni prisoner.

80% Decrease in Iranian Workers’ Purchasing Power as the Rial Continues to Spiral

Iran market

Iran Focus

London, 3 Nov – On Wednesday, economic expert close to Iran, Davoud Mirzaie, said that as the country’s currency, the rial, continues to plummet, Iran’s workers have lost 80 percent of their purchasing power.

In an interview with the state-run ISNA news agency, Mirzaie continued. “The 19.5 percent wage increase has not shown itself in the workers’ lives, meaning the value of their wages in March 2018 is far below its value in March 2016. In other words, the workers’ purchasing power has decreased between 50 to 80 percent. This is causing numerous problems for the families of the country’s workers.” He added, “Such conditions have left the workers unable in providing for their basic needs. Therefore, labor unions have time and again called on the Ministry of Labor to see into this issue. Unfortunately, this remained unresolved.”

Azerbaijani Activists Attacked by Iranian Agents

Azerbaijani activists

Iran Focus

London, 2 Nov – Iranian security forces have violently attacked two female Azerbaijani activists in an attempt to extract false confessions, leaving one in the hospital with broken teeth and injured fingers.

In late October, agents arrested Nasim Sadeghi and Hakimeh Ahmadi without explanation and sources close to the women reported that the pair were severely beaten.

Ahmadi’s husband Gholamreza Ghorbani posted a video on October 30, where he explained that she had been severely injured – agents broke her fingers and two of her rib bones – and has now been moved to the hospital. He said that the authorities had refused to tell him which hospital she was in, forbade him from visiting, and said that he would be liable for the cost of the medical treatment.

Iran Sends 10 People to Prison on Religious or Political Grounds

Iran sends 10 people to prison on religious or political grounds

Iran Focus

London, 2 Nov – This week alone, the Iranian government has sentenced several people to prison on religious or political grounds, dressed up as national security charges.

Religious people

Zabihollah Raoufi, 69, a member of the persecuted Baha’i religious minority in Iran was sentenced to one year in prison and one year in exile for “propaganda against the state” and “assembly and collusion against national security by promoting Baha’ism” by Iran in July, a sentence upheld on appeal in October.

Protests Grow Across Iran in Last Week on October

Protests grow across Iran

Iran Focus

London, 2 Nov – Protests and strikes across in Iran and growing in number and size by the day and with each new demonstration the government loses more control, so let’s take a look at some of the rallies from this past week.

Iran’s Car Deaths Are No Accident

Iran’s car deaths are no accident

Iran Focus

London, 1 Nov – Roughly 50 people are killed and 650 injured in road traffic accidents every day in Iran, according to the police chief of Khorasan province, but when even the health minister admits that the crash rate in Iran is 100 times the world average, how long can we continue calling these accidents?

Denmark Accuses Iran of Assassination Plot

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Denmark's Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen

Iran Focus

London, 1 Nov – Denmark’s Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen accused Iran on October 30 of plotting to assassinate an Iranian Arab opposition leader in Denmark.

Samuelsen explained that Denmark would urge the EU to bring in new sanctions against the mullahs. Denmark recalled its ambassador from Tehran later that day.

Of course, this is not the only act of terror that Iran has committed (or attempted to commit) in Europe. (The US State Department published a comprehensive list of Iran’s attacks on Europe over the past 40 years.) It’s not even the first one this year.