Iran Focus
London, 20 Apr – The exchange rate for Iran’s rial dropped its lowest ever price on April 9, at 61,000 to the dollar.
The following day, the Iranian govrenment artificially fixed the price at 42,000 and threatened to arrest anyone caught selling at a different price.
This was no empty threat. government arrested some money exchangers for flouting the rules, with some mullahs even calling for the death of the vendors.
Iran Focus
London, 20 Apr – On Thursday, the CHRI reported upon the latest call to action by United Nations experts regarding issues related Iran’s human rights record and its perennial abuse of the death penalty. The statement was signed by a trio of UN special rapporteurs, Agnes Callamard, Dainius Puras, and Nils Melzer, whose areas of focus are, respectively, extrajudicial and arbitrary executions, universal rights to physical and mental health, and cruel, inhumane, and degrading punishments including torture. It called attention to the case of Ramin Hossein Panahi, an Iranian Kurdish prisoner who is facing a potentially imminent threat of execution.
Iran Focus
London, 19 Apr – The instant messaging app Telegram will soon be banned in Iran, with the highest-ranking members of the Iran announcing their intentions to abandon the platform and move to domestic apps instead.
They’ve even issued a directive to Iranian government workers and school to prevent their use of foreign messaging apps.
The mullahs have claimed that the banning of Telegram is necessary to “protect national security” and would have the side benefit of promoting homegrown apps, like Soroush and Gap.
Iran Focus
London, 19 Apr – A senior Middle East analyst has said that the best thing Washington could do is to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal on May 12.
Michael Pregent of the Hudson Institute said: “Iran is the biggest threat to the US interests and its allies in the region, including Israel, due to its activities in the region.”
These activities are the same ones that Donald Trump mentioned when he declared Iran not in compliance with the nuclear deal in late 2017.
Iran Focus
London, 19 Apr – Since United States President Donald Trump took office, he has maintained harsh rhetoric against Iran. His actions have been firm and he is taking steps to address Iran’s belligerence. Trump also wants to strengthen the 2015 nuclear deal and has warned the other signatories of the agreement that he will not keep the United States in the deal if he is not satisfied that it is effective enough.
Iran Focus
London, 19 Apr – When it was announced that John Bolton would be taking up the position of national security adviser in the Trump administration, many claimed that this was increasing the likelihood of another US war in the Middle East.
However, the US is already caught up in several conflicts in the region and the threat to international security is real. Stability in Iraq is uncertain and the Taliban looks set to re-emerge in Afghanistan. The United States has a necessary presence in Syria where is it trying to minimise the damage caused by Bashar al Assad. US allies are facing a threat with the civil war in Yemen.
Iran Focus
London, 18 Apr – The 19,000-hectare wetland in Bandar Anzali, Iran, was once designated as a Ramsar site for its natural beauty, extensive water flora, and important role in the lifecycle of water birds, in particular breeding.
The unique ecosystem was once a flourishing tourist attraction and preservation site, but after decades of mismanagement regarding waste disposal and other environmental matters, the spectacular wetland is facing grave threats that need immediate attention.
Iran Focus
London, 18 Apr – The cost of buying foreign pharmaceuticals in Iran has soared in recent weeks, which is causing major problems for Iranians who are sick or injured.
Some people reported to VOA Persian’s Straight Talk call-in show on Tuesday that some sick people have been unable to afford these imported medications and that insurance does not cover the rise, leaving the sick to pay out of pocket. In a country where one-third of the population live in absolute poverty, no one can afford this.
Iran Focus
London, 18 Apr – Kaveh Madani, a well-known Iranian scientist has allegedly resigned from his position as the deputy head of the Islamic Republic’s Department of Environment. It has been reported that he put in his resignation while he was out of the country.
Madani had previously been arrested and held in prison for charges relating to spying on other environmentalists.
Mahmoud Sadeghi, a reformist member of Iranian Parliament said on social media that according to a “reliable source”, Madani and his wife had left the county after her travel ban was lifted.
Iran Focus
London, 18 Apr – Chaos is still rampant in Iran’s foreign exchange market a week after the Iranian Government artificially set the currency exchange rate at 42,000 rials to the US dollar.
This move, which Paris-based economist Fereidoun Khavand described as “a very dangerous game”, was an attempt by the Hassan Rouhani administration to control the incredible devaluing of the rial. The rial hit an all-time high of 61,000 rials to the dollar on April 10.
