Tag: Hassan Rouhani

Iranian pastor released from prison but others arrested same day remain

February 27, 2015 Iran Armenians, Assyrians, Ayatollah Khamenei, Chaldeans, Evin Prison, Farshid Fathi, Hassan Rouhani, Iran, Islamic extremism, Religious freedom, Sunni, Tehran, Victor Bet-Tamraz

After spending more than one year in prison, for ‘collusion against the [Iranian] government’ and ‘evangelism,’ Iranian pastor Rasoul Abdollahi has been released from prison. Abdollahi, a leader in Iran’s house church movement, was arrested Dec. 26 2010 and released last week, Feb. 16. His arrest was the same day . . . Read More

Iran appears to fight Islamic State, but are their ultimate goals too similar for comfort?

October 16, 2014 Iran Behnam Irani, Hamas, Hassan Rouhani, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, Islamic State, UK, UN, USA

ISISKarl-Ludwig Poggemann / Flickr / Creative Commons It says something about the depths of worldwide revulsion to the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” that Western powers such as the US and the UK have been sitting at the same table with Iran to discuss how to defeat the deadly Islamist movement . . . Read More

Happy New Year, Iran?

April 3, 2014 Iran Hassan Rouhani, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

14th-Century Armenian Church of St. Stephanos;near Jolfa, Iran.Adam Jones / Flickr / Creative Commons It’s officially the first week of a New Year for the Persian-speaking world who have just finished celebrating Nowruz. With the Iranian new year some ‘new’ things have already happened for the Islamic Republic. Most . . . Read More

Iran’s nuclear programme ‘distracting’ world from rights abuses

November 8, 2013 Iran Barack Obama, Hassan Rouhani, Human rights, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mostafa Bordbar, Saeed Abedini, UN

Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on a tour of an Iranian nuclear facility.Pere Ubu / Flickr / Creative Commons An Iranian Nobel Prize-winner has warned EU and US officials that Iran’s nuclear programme is distracting them from addressing the country’s human rights abuses. Shirin Ebadi, now living in the UK, . . . Read More

Iranian Christian jailed for 10 years freed

November 5, 2013 Iran Evin Prison, Hassan Rouhani, Maryam Jalili, Mitra Rahmati, Mostafa Bordbar, Saeed Abedini, Tehran

An Iranian Christian sentenced to 10 years in prison has been released after three months. Mostafa Bordbar, 27, was released Nov. 3 from Tehran’s Evin Prison after charges of participating in an “anti-security organisation” and “gathering with intent to commit crimes against Iranian national security” were overturned. Bordbar was arrested . . . Read More

Iranians jailed for ‘house church’ attendance

October 30, 2013 Iran Hassan Rouhani, Shiraz

Four Iranian Christians jailed for attending a ‘house church’ have lost their judicial appeals. Mojtaba Seyyed Alaedin Hossein, Mohammad-Reza Partoei, Vahid Hakkani and Homayoun Shokouhi were each sentenced in June to three years and eight months in prison. Shokouhi’s wife Fariba and son Nima both received suspended sentences of two . . . Read More

Iran ‘abuses’ Christians’ national and international rights

October 14, 2013 Iran Hassan Rouhani, Robert Asseriyan

Iran’s continued mistreatment of its Christian minority was raised at a recent meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Attieh Fard, a lawyer specialising in human rights, urged President Hassan Rouhani to make good on his promises to the United Nations in New York by releasing the 42 Christians . . . Read More

Iran releases 2 Christians, but many more still imprisoned

September 20, 2013 Iran Hassan Rouhani, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Maryam Jalili, Mitra Rahmati, Mostafa Bordbar, Saeed Abedini, Shiraz

Two Christian women were among a number of prisoners of conscience released in Iran, ahead of new President Hassan Rouhani’s first address to the UN General Assembly in New York next week. Since his election in June, Rouhani has projected a tone that is less strident than that of his . . . Read More

Don’t speak, act, Rouhani told

September 19, 2013 Iran Hassan Rouhani, Iran, Minorities, Protestants, Saeed Abedini

Religious minorities continue to face repression in Iran, despite new President Hassan Rouhani’s moderate persona, reports Al-Monitor. Al-Monitor says the new President should speak with actions, not words, as he prepares to address the UN General Assembly in New York next week. “Since Rouhani’s election in June, there has been . . . Read More

Rouhani victory ‘not free nor fair’

June 19, 2013 Iran Ayatollah Khamenei, Elections, Hassan Rouhani, Iran, Tehran

Iran’s elections were neither free nor fair, according to Mansour Osanloo, former President of the Tehran Bus Driver’s Union, writing for the New York Times. Hassan Rouhani won the June 15 election, but the real power, Osanloo said, still lies with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Catching Our Eye