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Search resuls for: "West Asia News Agency"


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☆ Iran's clerical leaders to grapple with deepening dissent in 2023
  + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +4 min
Amini's family said she was beaten after being arrested by the morality police on Sept. 13 for violating the Islamic Republic's imposed dress code. Facing their worst legitimacy crisis since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran's religious leaders have tried to portray the unrest as breakaway uprisings by ethnic minorities threatening national unity rather than its clerical rule. Protesters from all walks of life have taken to the streets, calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic. However, the persistent unrest does not mean the four-decade-old Islamic Republic will disappear any time soon given the power wielded by its security apparatus. The Islamic Republic will be engulfed by what analysts call a "revolutionary process" that will likely fuel more protests into 2023, with neither side backing down.
☆ The US doesn't have to worry about China repeating its mistakes in the Middle East
  + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Natalie Armbruster | Defense Priorities | ) www.businessinsider.com   time to read: +6 min
It was seen as a message to the US, but it's a mistake to think China has the same ambitions in the Middle East as the US. China has long assessed US involvement in the Middle East to be damaging to American power and strength. The first thing to know is China's involvement in the Middle East rests primarily on its energy dependence. Taking sides among adversaries in the Middle East would only limit China's trading partners and opportunities for mutual economic interest. The reality is that no matter China's view of the Middle East, the potential benefits that China could garner from its investments in the Middle East are not significant nor threatening enough to US interests to warrant the current level of worry.
☆ Sister of Iran's leader condemns his rule, urges Guards to disarm - letter
  + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
[1/3] Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with a group of students in Tehran, Iran November 2, 2022. Badri Hosseini Khamenei, who lives in Iran and is the sister of Ayatollah Khamenei, criticised the clerical establishment starting from the time of the Islamic Republic's late founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to her brother's rule, the letter, dated "December 2022", said. "Ali Khamenei's Revolutionary Guards and mercenaries should lay down their weapons as soon as possible and join the people before it is too late," the letter said. The Revolutionary Guards are Iran's elite force which has helped the country's establish proxies across the Middle East, and runs a vast business empire. President Ebrahim Raisi meanwhile gave a speech at the University of Tehran to mark Student Day.
☆ Iran state body reports 200 dead in protests, Raisi hails 'freedoms'
  + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
A top state security body meanwhile said that 200 people, including members of the security forces, had lost their lives in the unrest, a figure significantly lower than that given by the world body and rights groups. Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander was quoted as saying on Monday that 300 people, including security force members, had been killed in the recent unrest. Javaid Rehman, a U.N.-appointed independent expert on Iran, said on Tuesday that more than 300 people had been killed in the protests, including more than 40 children. Rights group HRANA said that as of Friday 469 protesters had been killed, including 64 minors. "The people's protest has shown that the policies of the last 43 years have reached a dead end," he said in late November.
☆ U.S. designates Iran, China as countries of concern over religious freedom
  + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis Jonathan Landay | Daphne Psaledakis | Jonathan Landay | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - The United States on Friday designated China, Iran and Russia, among others, as countries of particular concern under the Religious Freedom Act over severe violations, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Blinken in a statement said those designated as countries of particular concern - which also include North Korea and Myanmar - engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. The United States has expressed grave concerns about human rights in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, which is home to 10 million Uyghurs. The other countries designated as countries of particular concern were Cuba, Eritrea, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Religious Freedom Act of 1998 requires the president – who assigns the function to the secretary of State – to designate as countries of particular concern states that are deemed to violate religious freedom on a systematic and ongoing basis.
☆ Iran's Khamenei praises Basij forces for confronting 'rioters' -TV
  + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
[1/6] Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting with a group of Basij militia forces in Tehran, Iran November 26, 2022. Challenging the Islamic Republic’s legitimacy, protesters from all walks of life have burned pictures of Khamenei and called for the downfall of the Islamic Republic. The Basij forces, affiliated with the country's elite Revolutionary Guards, have been at the forefront of the state crackdown on the unrest in the past weeks. "They have sacrificed their lives to protect people from rioters ... the presence of Basij shows that the Islamic Revolution is alive," Khamenei said in a televised speech. Iran's hardline judiciary has sentenced at least six protesters to death and thousands have been indicted for their role in the unrest, according to officials.
☆ U.N. rights council votes to probe Iran's ongoing crackdown
  + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +5 min
WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSGENEVA/DUBAI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The U.N. Rights Council voted on Thursday to appoint an independent investigation into Iran's deadly repression of protests, passing the motion to cheers of activists amid an intensifying crackdown in Kurdish areas over recent days. Tehran's representative at the Geneva meeting Khadijeh Karimi earlier accused Western states of using the council to target Iran, a move she called "appalling and disgraceful". CRACKDOWNThe crackdown has been particularly intense in Kurdish areas, located in western Iran, with the U.N. rights monitor this week noting reports of 40 deaths there over the past week. Iranian authorities have arrested a number of soccer players for expressing their support for protests. Asked on Thursday about the unrest at home Iran national team striker Mehdi Taremi said they were in Qatar to play soccer.
☆ U.S. targets supply of Iranian drones to Russia in new sanctions
  + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
The United States is seeking to increase pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, which has reduced cities to rubble and killed or wounded thousands. Russia has procured drones from Iran that have been used to attack cities and power infrastructure in Ukraine. Iranian military entities and industries are already under heavy U.S. sanctions over Tehran's nuclear development program. Iran has acknowledged that it had supplied Moscow with drones but said they were sent before the war in Ukraine. Treasury also targeted Abbas Djuma and Tigran Khristoforovich Srabionov, accusing the two of being involved in the Wagner group's acquisition of Iranian drones to support combat operations in Ukraine.
☆ Iran's drones are unlikely to help Russia win in Ukraine — and could backfire for Tehran
  + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com   time to read: +7 min
Ukraine has blamed Iran for providing Russia with drones, which have been used to attack Kyiv in recent days. They transferred dozens just this summer & have military personnel in occupied Ukraine helping Russia use them against Ukrainian civilians." Amirabdollahian said that "if it is proven to us that Russia has used Iranian drones in the Ukraine war, we won't be indifferent to it." They've also come in handy for Moscow as Russia's military runs low on more advanced weaponry like guided missiles. "Such systems could become a big headache for the Russians and could make Iran's drones and missiles look ineffective while teaching Western militaries how better to counter them," he said.
☆ Iran's judiciary says it will deal firmly with protesters
  + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +4 min
More than 1,000 people have been indicted in Tehran Province alone in connection with what the government calls "riots". "Now, the public, even protesters who are not supportive of riots, demand from the judiciary and security institutions to deal with the few people who have caused disturbances in a firm, deterrent and legal manner," judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi said. The activist HRANA news agency said 321 protesters had been killed in the unrest as of Monday, including 50 minors. Hardline Iranian lawmakers have urged the judiciary to "deal decisively" with the perpetrators. Iran’s national beach soccer team players did not cheer or celebrate after defeating Brazil to win the championship cup, said 1500TASVIR, a widely followed activist Twitter account.
☆ Iran acknowledges drone shipments to Russia before Ukraine war
  + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said a "small number" of drones had been supplied to Russia a few months before Moscow's forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. In Iran's most detailed response to date on the drones, Amirabdollahian denied Tehran was continuing to supply drones to Moscow. "The drone part is true and we provided Russia a small number of drones months before the Ukraine war," he said. Russia denies its forces have used Iranian drones to attack Ukraine. The Iranian foreign minister repeated that Tehran would "not remain indifferent" if it were proven that Russia had used Iranian drones in the war against Ukraine.
☆ Cleric killed in restive Iranian city, protests rage on
  + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +6 min
Amnesty International said security forces killed at least 66 people in a crackdown on protesters in Zahedan on Sept. 30. The Sistan-Baluchistan region around Zahedan is one of the country's poorest and has been a hotbed of tension where Iranian security forces have been attacked by Baluch militants. Forty prominent Iranian human rights lawyers publicly criticised Iran's Shi'ite theocracy, saying crackdowns that have crushed dissent for decades will no longer work and protesters seeking a new political order will prevail. Human Rights Watch said Iranian authorities had escalated their assault against widespread dissent and protests by filing dubious national security charges against detained activists and staging grossly unfair trials. Iran has denied allegations by human rights groups that it abuses prisoners.
☆ Iran letter urges states to skip U.S. meeting on protests at U.N
  + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
The United States and Albania will hold an informal Security Council meeting on Wednesday, that can be attended by all U.N. members. "The U.S. has no true and genuine concern about the human rights situation in Iran or elsewhere," Iran's U.N. He described the protests as an internal issue and wrote that it would be "counterproductive to the promotion of human rights" if the U.N. Security Council discussed the issue. "The United States lacks the political, moral, and legal qualifications to hold such a meeting, distorting the very basic principles of human rights," Iravani wrote. Iran has been gripped by protests since the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody last month.
☆ Attack on Iran shrine will not go unanswered - foreign minister
  + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
[1/2] A general view of the Shah Cheragh Shrine after an attack in Shiraz, Iran October 26, 2022. Iranian officials said they had arrested a gunman who carried out the attack at the Shah Cheragh shrine in the city of Shiraz. State media blamed "takfiri terrorists" - a label Tehran uses for hardline Sunni Muslim militants such as Islamic State. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi blamed the protests sweeping Iran for paving the ground for the Shiraz attack, and President Ebrahim Raisi said Iran would respond, according to state media. State media said he was not Iranian, but did not give his nationality.
☆ Iran's Khamenei vows revenge after deadly attack on Shi'ite pilgrims
  + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +5 min
[1/2] A general view of the Shah Cheragh Shrine after an attack in Shiraz, Iran October 26, 2022. Officials said they had arrested a gunman who carried out the attack at the Shah Cheragh shrine in the city of Shiraz. State media blamed "takfiri terrorists" - a label that predominantly Shi'ite Iran uses for hardline Sunni Muslim militants such as Islamic State. Since the peak of its power, when it ruled millions of people in the Middle East and struck fear across the world with deadly bombings and shootings, Islamic State has slipped back into the shadows. Iranian leaders may have hoped that the shrine attack would draw attention away from the unrest but there is no sign that is happening.
☆ Riot police deploy in Iranian cities as people gather for Amini's memorial
  + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +3 min
Witnesses in the capital Tehran and the cities of Tabriz and Rasht to the north also reported a heavy presence of security forces in the streets. A witness in Saqez said the cemetery where Amini is buried was filled with members of the volunteer Basij militia and police. Authorities closed all schools and universities in the Kurdistan province on Wednesday "because of a wave of influenza", Iranian state media reported. Videos circulating on social media showed people at Saqez cemetery chanting "Death to Khamenei". Others showed security forces blocking roads leading to the town.
☆ U.S. slaps sanctions on Iranian officials over protest crackdown
  + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday imposed new sanctions on Iran, targeting Iranian officials and entities over internet censorship and a crackdown on protesters following the death of a young woman in the custody of the morality police. The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials, provincial and Iranian prison officials, as well as two entities accused of "efforts to disrupt digital freedom" in Iran. Seyyed Heshmatollah Hayat Al-Ghaib, the director-general of Tehran Province Prisons - which the Treasury said gave him oversight of Evin - was also named. The commander of the IRGC intelligence organization, Mohammad Kazemi, and Abbas Nilforushan, the deputy commander for IRGC operations, as well as other officials were also named. Those that engage in certain transactions with them also risk being hit with sanctions.
☆ EXCLUSIVE Deadly Iran jail fire erupted as police clashed with inmates, sources say
  + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +8 min
A view of the aftermath of the fire in Evin prison in Tehran, Iran October 17, 2022. The patrols at the Tehran jail began without any apparent provocation by inmates, the sources said. The prisoner and other sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to concern for their safety. Ward 7 holds prisoners convicted of general crimes and political prisoners, and is in the same building housing ward 8. "Prisoners from ward 7 tried to break the door of ward 8 to let them out too.
☆ Exclusive: Iran agrees to ship missiles, more drones to Russia, defying the West
  + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +7 min
Iran has denied supplying the drones to Russia, while the Kremlin on Tuesday denied its forces had used Iranian drones to attack Ukraine. Asked if Russia had used Iranian drones in its campaign in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin did not have any information about their use. White House spokesperson Karinne Jean-Pierre also accused Tehran of lying when it said Iranian drones are not being used by Russia in Ukraine. "They (Russians) wanted to buy hundreds of our missiles, even mid-range ones, but we told them that we can ship soon a few hundred of their demanded Zolfaghar and Fateh 110 short-range, surface to surface missiles," said one of the security officials. Several senior Iranian officials are outraged about "unjust" planned sanctions on Iran over its arms shipments to Russia, said the second diplomat.
☆ U.S. seeking to make it harder for Iran to sell drones to Russia
  + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERSUkraine has accused Russia of using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in attacks in recent weeks. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Iran has promised Russia it would supply them with surface to surface missiles, in addition to more drones. read moreThe U.S. State Department assessed that Iranian drones were used on Monday in a morning rush hour attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, a U.S. official said. White House spokesperson Karinne Jean-Pierre also accused Tehran of lying when it said Iranian drones were not being used by Russia in Ukraine. The United States in September imposed sanctions on an Iranian company it accused of coordinating military flights to transport Iranian drones to Russia and three other companies it said were involved in the production of Iranian drones.
☆ Iran prison fire death toll rises as protests rage
  + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +4 min
Iran's judiciary said all the victims of the prison blaze had been held in a section of the prison designated for prisoners of robbery-related crimes. Evin also holds political prisoners and many detainees facing security charges, including Iranians with dual nationality. State media reported on Sunday that the first four deaths had been caused by smoke inhalation and that more than 60 had been injured, four of them critically. Iran, which has blamed the violence on enemies at home and abroad, denies security forces have killed protesters. State media said on Saturday at least 26 members of the security forces had been killed by "rioters".
☆ Biden surprised by courage of Iranian protesters
  + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: 1 min
People light a fire during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran, Iran September 21, 2022. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday he was surprised by the courage of the people taking to the streets in protest in Iran. Biden, speaking in Portland after campaigning for a fellow Democrat in Oregon's race for governor, was commenting on the weeks of unrest in Iran since a young woman was killed in police custody. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
☆ Iran intensifies crackdown on Kurdish areas as protests rage
  + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +7 min
Two sources in Sanandaj, capital of Kurdistan province, told Reuters that Basij members, along with riot police, were attacking demonstrators. A witness told Reuters hundreds of riot police and Basij forces have been transferred from other provinces to Kurdistan to confront protesters. "A few days ago some Basij members from Sanandaj and Baneh refused to follow orders and shoot the people," said the witness. In the city of Kermanshah, direct fire from security forces killed two people, Hengaw said. It said a fourth member of the security forces was killed in Mahabad, and firing by security forces killed another person in Sanandaj.
☆ Iranians keep up protests over Mahsa Amini death despite growing death toll
  + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +4 min
A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran, Iran September 19, 2022. Protests ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran's morality police on Sept. 16 have turned into one of the boldest challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution. Another video showed dozens of riot police deployed in a Tehran street where a fire was burning. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights organisation said the death toll had increased to at least 201 civilians during the unrest, including 23 minors. Khamenei, a focus of protesters' anger, said the protests were designed by Iran's enemies, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
☆ Protests grip Iran as rights group says 19 children killed
  + stars: | 2022-10-09 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +4 min
"At least 185 people, including at least 19 children, have been killed in the nationwide protests across Iran. The highest number of killings occurred in Sistan and Baluchistan province with half the recorded number," the Norway-based Iran Human Rights said on Saturday. They have accused armed dissidents amongst others of violence that has reportedly left at least 20 members of the security forces dead. A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran, Iran September 19, 2022. A video shared by Twitter account Mamlekate, which has more than 150,000 followers, showed security forces chasing dozens of school girls in the city of Bandar Abbas.
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