AFP: The Baha’i International Community on Thursday accused Iran of excavating a cemetery where hundreds of its followers are buried, and urged the Tehran government to halt the work. The grave site in the southern city of Shiraz has been used by Baha’is for decades.
Iran desecrating Baha’i cemetery
Can Iran be trusted?
Philadelphia Inquirer: The Iranian regime had appointed Hamid Abutalebi as its new envoy to the United Nations, a decision that triggered a strong rebuke from Congress because of Abutalebi’s role in the 1979-81 hostage-taking of American diplomats in Tehran.
Rouhani’s “moderate” tone contradicts his actions
The Hill: This violent incident in Evin Prison makes two issues clear. The first is that the international community must take action immediately. Without pressure the regime is more likely to torture and abuse these prisoners.The international community has a duty to stand for change.
The bright spot in Iran’s latest political repression
The Diplomat: People who care about human rights and democracy should be appalled by the recent news of the unprovoked raid on a Tehran prison housing many of Iran’s political prisoners. However it is important to recognize hopeful story that lays buried beneath the major narrative.
Iran to buy 400 airliners if sanctions lifted, top official says
Reuters: Barred by sanctions from buying Western airliners since the 1970s, Iran has pent-up demand for 400 new planes, Tehran’s top aviation official was reported as saying, offering potential billions to manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing.
How Rouhani treats political prisoners in Iran
The Hill: On the morning of April 17, more than 100 prison guards and intelligence agents carried out a brutal raid at Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison. Many were severely injured and some were sent to solitary confinement. Eyewitnesses said bus carrying the wounded prisoners was “drenched in blood.”
Freedom of religion or belief is a foreign policy priority
The Hill: Iranian pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen, has been serving an eight-year prison sentence since January 2012 for “threatening national security” through his involvement in Iran’s house church movement. The “Baha’i Seven,” Iran’s Baha’i leaders, have been jailed since 2008.
Six powers meet in Brussels to fine-tune Iran talks strategy
Reuters: Senior diplomats from six world powers met in Brussels on Wednesday to fine-tune negotiating strategy towards Iran with talks on its contested nuclear program entering a crunch stretch before a July 20 deadline.
Barbaric attack on Iran’s political prisoners draws condemnation
NewsBlaze: The British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom, strongly condemned the attack on political prisoners in Iran’s notorious Evin prison and appealed to the international community to take effective measures against crimes committed by the Iranian regime.
Iran’s oil exports fall in April, closer to Western limits
Reuters: Iran’s oil exports fell in April for a second month, according to sources who track tanker movements, moving closer to levels allowed by November’s interim deal on curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme.
