Iran Focus
London, 17 Nov – A former British lawmaker has written an op-ed for the Scotland Herald in favour of the UN General Assembly’s debate on the situation of human rights in Iran.
Struan Stevenson, a former Conservative MEP representing Scotland, noted that the UN special rapporteur on Iran had been denied access to Iran but had still been able to do enough detailed research, including interviews and analysis, to describe the human rights situation as dire.
Iran Focus
London, 17 Nov – Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of eight prisoners of conscience in Iran – among them human rights defenders, activists, artists and teachers – who have gone on hunger strike to protest against their imprisonment. Their health is deteriorating fast, the human rights group said in an appeal this week.
Iran Focus
London, 16 Nov – In an article in Phys Org on November 14, described a blanket of brown-white smog which descended over Tehran on Sunday. It was so heavy, it blocked views of the mountains, and forced many residents to retreat indoors, or else wear face masks outside.
An Air Quality Index of 156, well over the 150 considered “unhealthy” for the general public, was measured in Tehran, and even worse, in Isfahan, a tourist hotspot, the level hit 167.
Iran Focus
London, 16 Nov – The Iran lobby is scurrying post-election, to save the Iran nuclear deal, as well as to confuse the issues faced by the developing Trump administration towards Iran.
In an article in opinion on November 15, they discuss the problems facing the Iran lobby, such as the possibility that Trump’s administration will rescind the nuclear agreement, or modify it to with further conditions regarding Iran’s support for terrorism. Trump may even re-impose the sanctions the Obama administration lifted.
Iran Focus
London, 15 Nov – It was revealed recently that Iran is manufacturing its missiles in Syria, Iraq and other middle eastern countries.
Iran has been manufacturing missiles outside of its borders to avoid Israeli suspicion.
Iran Focus
London, 15 Nov – Iranian oil fields have been producing much more oil than expected and its rival oil producer Saudi Arabia has called for a collective output cut in order to even out the market.
The Iranian oil fields, near to Iran’s border with Iraq, have reportedly been producing about 250,000 barrels per day, up from 65,000 barrels in 2013.
Iran Focus
London, 15 Nov – A former US ambassador to the United Nations has written an op-ed for the New York Post in which he describes chaos in the middle east as the most immediate foreign policy issue for Donald Trump when he takes office in January.
John Bolton, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote that the middle east is in the midst of a crisis; with a rise of radical Islam spreading across the region, destabilising governments and creating anarchy which terrorists take advantage of.
Iran Focus
London, 15 Nov – The Iranian Regime is the epicentre of conflicts in the Middle East, according to an expert in Iranian affairs in op-ed for the Huffington Post.
Dr Majid Rafizadeh, President of the International American Council, cited an Iranian official who claimed that Iran currently dominated four Arab capitals.
Iran Focus
London, 15 Nov – Eleven Middle East and North African countries accused Iran of sponsoring “terrorism” and constantly interfering in the internal affairs of Arab nations, sparking tension and instability in the region, the Associated Press reported.
In a letter to the U.N. General Assembly circulated Monday, the 11 countries cited Iran’s support for Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Shiite Hezbollah group in Lebanon which has sent fighters to support the Syrian government.
Iran Focus
London, 15 Nov – All across Iran, the families of victims of the 1988 Iranian Massacre have issued statements in support of the political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared and called for her release.
Monfared recently filed a lawsuit with the Iranian regime in order to get justice for her family members who were also killed during the massacre. She wants the deaths of her brother and sister investigated and wants to know where they have been buried.
