Iranian Parliament has approved the plan to move the political capital out of Tehran. Khaneh Mellat reports that the despite the speaker’s recognition that the project comes with “a heavy financial burden”, the bill was passed with 110 in favour and 67 opposed with 10 abstaining. The bill authorizes the establishment of an “Organizing […]
Category: Sufi news
Rohani aide says detained leaders hold key to own release
An aide to President Rohani says the potential release of Iranian opposition leaders from house arrest depends upon their willingness to “come to terms and accept responsibility.” Hessameddin Ashna was quoted as saying that the house arrest of MirHosein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard and Mehdi Karroubi is multifaceted, and even if all of those facets […]
Iranian poets arrested by Revolutionary Guards
An opposition website reports that two poets, Mehdi Mousavi and Fatemeh Ekhtesari, have been arrested by Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The Kaleme website reports that the two have been under arrest since early December. The report indicates the two had been banned from traveling abroad and arrested by the intelligence branch of the Revolutionary Guards. […]
Pollution forces school closures, class cancellations
The Tehran Air Pollution Committee announced on Monday night that all elementary schools, kindergartens and daycares in Tehran and Shar-e Rey will be closed due to the extreme decline in air quality. Also, schools have cancelled gym and morning exercise classes until further notice. Sand factories are also shut down while the air quality […]
Iran’s Rouhani eyes rebuilding relations with U.S., Europe
Iran wants to improve bilateral relations with the United States and other Western powers, President Hassan Rouhani said in an editorial published in a German newspaper on Monday, broaching an issue he has so far avoided since he took office. Rouhani won a landslide election victory in June promising a policy of engagement with […]
Iranian administration promises to appoint minorities to key posts
The Iranian president’s religious and ethnic minority representative said on Sunday December 22 that the administration is working toward appointing ethnic and religious minorities to key posts. Ali Younesi was visiting Sistan-Baluchistan Province when he told IRNA that the government’s actions are based on requests from Baluchi and Sunni elders and trusted figures. Younesi […]
Iran’s judiciary allowed controversial meeting with European delegation
Although Iran’s Parliament has expressed its disapproval of a meeting between a European Parliament delegation and Iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi, the latest reports indicate that the visit was organized with the approval of the judiciary and its international advisor. Mohammad Javad Larijani, speaking for the judiciary, has reportedly said that he agreed […]
Arba’een of Imam Hussain (a.s.)
What is Al-Arba’in? Al-Arba’in (Arabic “forty”) is a commemoration that occurs forty days after Ashura, the martyrdom of Imam al’ Hussain (a.s.), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Imam al’ Hussain (a.s.) and 72 of his faithful supporters were brutally martyred in the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (680 […]
Worker anger hits two Iranian companies
Workers at Haft Tapeh Sugarcane and Isfahan Polyacryl have resumed demonstrations in Iran. ILNA reports that workers from the Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Company gathered at the company premises on Saturday December 21 to protest that wages have gone unpaid for two months. Meanwhile, 500 workers at the Isfahan Polyacryl Company also staged demonstrations this […]
Leopards pushed closer to extinction in Iran
Iran’s Department of the Environment reports that 46 leopards were killed in the past six years in Iran. IRNA reports that the deputy head of Wildlife Protection said: “The leopard and its habitat are at risk of extinction.” He added that the majority of the deaths were caused by road accidents and other incidents […]