Shayan Ghajar

The European Union implemented new sanctions July 26 against Iran in response to its nuclear program. The sanctions include measures freezing the assets of forty Iranian companies in Europe, as well as halting investments in Iran’s energy sector and banning the sale of certain kinds of scientific equipment relating to nuclear or petrochemical energy to Iran. more»

Arash Aramesh

Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, Iran’s first vice president, said July 23 that his country was considering replacing the Euro and the US dollar with the Chinese Yuan for future oil transactions. Rahimi did not specify when such a transition would take place, nor did he say whether the Iranian parliament has approved the measure. more»

Shayan Ghajar

Hossein Shariatmadari, the chief editor of Kayhan News and a close personal confidant of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, lashed out at merchants in Tehran’s bazaar who supported strikes in the wake of proposed tax hikes. In a lengthy editorial July 19, Shariatmadari, who often acts as the unofficial mouthpiece of Ayatollah Khamenei, unleashed a myriad of moral and economic accusations against the bazaari merchants as well as an unlikely threat to replace the traditional bazaar with government-run stores. more»

Arash Aramesh

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of Committee of National Security and Foreign Affairs in the Iranian parliament, said July 18 that the US Congress has requested to talk to Iran via the Swiss ambassador in Tehran. more»

Arash Aramesh

Twin suicide attacks rocked the southeastern city of Zahedan and killed almost 30 individuals. Members of the terrorist organization called Jundollah, soldiers of God, claimed responsibility for the bombings at the Zahedan Grand Mosque. At the time of the attack, crowds were celebrating the birthday of Imam Hossein, the third Shiite Imam, and Pasdar Day, honoring members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. more»