Let's talk Iran - Biden's Iran policy receives strong slap from Senate
Congress fires its first warning shot on Biden’s Iran deal
A bipartisan majority delivered the White House a symbolic message that any new nuclear deal better be stronger than the 2015 agreement. A bipartisan super-majority of senators voted late Wednesday to endorse a Republican-led measure stating that any nuclear agreement with Tehran should also address Iran’s support for terrorism in the region, and that the U.S. should not lift sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). LINK
Iran nuclear threat: After Ayatollah's son reveals regime was secretly trying to build a nuclear bomb, West must now support democratic opposition
“There is no need to beat around the bush,” he said. “When we began our nuclear activity, our goal was indeed to build a bomb.” Former Iranian MP Ali Mottahari acknowledged that the goal of constructing a nuclear bomb was to use it as a “means of intimidation and to strike fear in the hearts of the enemies of Allah”.
The West's ongoing appeasement of Tehran's regime must come to an end, writes Struan Stevenson, former Member of the European Parliament. LINK
Seyed Hossein Mousavian: Regime Exile or Iran's Man in America?
Is it possible that the Obama admin facilitated him coming to the US to serve as Tehran's unofficial ambassador? Obama admin repeatedly sought his advice in the run-up to the 2015 Iran deal. LINK
Frustration growing among US diplomats at the State Department
"... sources familiar with the [Iran talks] have told Al Arabiya English that there was dissatisfaction among the negotiating team over Malley’s willingness to listen to opposing points of view." LINK
Rights group calls for halting imminent execution of Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali
Amnesty International called for the immediate release of the political prisoner, citing the “arbitrary” detention of Ahmadreza Djalali in Ward 209 of Iran's notorious Evin prison, which is controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence. LINK
Sweden says tourist travelling with group detained in Iran
Swedish tourist detained in Iran as regime seeks to pressure Stockholm on the case of a former official on trial in the Nordic country on war crimes.
Tehran is continuing its hostage-taking as a foreign policy initiative. LINK
Flour Price Soar In Iran, Impacting Bread, Pasta, As Subsidy Stops
The IRGC Basij warned regime President Ebrahim Raisi Thursday that the abrupt end to the flour subsidy could cause unrest. Jalil Rahimi, a lawmaker, tweeted Tuesday. "Let's not test people's patience. The threshold of people's patience is at the lowest possible level in years.” LINK
Rights groups say Iran will seek to manipulate UN visit
A group of 11 human rights groups warned in a statement Friday that Iran's government will try to "instrumentalize" the visit "in a cynical attempt to deflect attention from its well-documented record of human rights violations".
The visit "comes after 17 years of denial of access to any of the 14 UN human rights monitors that have requested to visit the country," said the statement.
"By inviting the only expert whose mandate is to look at external actors' liability for rights violations in the country, Iranian authorities exploit this visit in an inconspicuous attempt to blunt scrutiny of its record of non-cooperation with the UN human rights system," said the statement.
The rights groups say Iran has a history of blatant rights violations, and "legitimate concern over the impact of sanctions cannot and must not overshadow the Iranian authorities' responsibility for failing to ensure -- and sometimes actively restricting -- access to health, work, education, internet and adequate living standards for all in Iran."
They added: "The international community must not be fooled, and Iran should not be rewarded for its attempt to avoid accountability." LINK
With Iran officials’ impunity in jeopardy, regime resorts to blackmail
European and international awareness and firm action are needed to thwart the mullahs’ blackmailing. The regime in Tehran should face accountability for its terrorism and human rights violations. LINK
Exclusive: Audio Recording Reveals Details Of Iran Speaker, IRGC
Hardline cleric close to Iran's dictator
—parliament speaker visited Turkey to assist former IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani
—confirms recent scandal over Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's family lavish Turkey visit as millions of Iranians live in poverty LINK
Canada, Sweden Committed To Hold Iran Accountable For Downing Ukrainian Plane
Canada and Sweden vowed to “hold Iran accountable for the actions and omissions of its civil and military officials that led to the illegal downing of Flight PS752."
Some victims relatives describe the firing of two missiles by Iran’s Islamic Republic Guards Corps (IRGC) as a “premeditated act.” LINK
Iran: A Bloodthirsty Regime With World Record in Executions
Execution and crackdown measures are used by Tehran's regime as means to maintain their sovereignty and as a tool to deal with the people’s desire for freedom in a democratic country. LINK
Iran: Kurd civil activist Zamaneh Zewyeh condemned to ten months jail
The first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Saqqez sentenced a Kurd civil activist to 10 months in prison. The court has accused Kurd civil activist Zamaneh Zewyeh of being a member of one of the Kurdish dissident groups. The court informed her of the sentence on April 28, 2022, but Kurdish media announced it on May 3. During her detention Zewyeh was deprived of family visits and access to her lawyer. LINK