Four Iranians Charged with Coup Attempt
January 14 -- International rights groups say they have learned from "reliable sources" that Kamiar and Arash Alaei -- jailed Iranian brothers who are well-known internationally for their HIV/AIDS prevention work -- are among four Iranian citizens accused of plotting to overthrow the government [read more in English; listen to an interview in Persian with Hadi Ghaemi of Human Rights Watch].
Protesters Calling for Peace in Gaza Beaten
January 12 -- Security agents in plainclothes attacked a group of activists called "Mothers for Peace" who gathered in front of Tehran's Palestinian Embassy to call for an end to the conflict in Gaza. A journalist told Radio Farda that "security forces who were chanting 'Death to Peace Seekers' beat me up, broke my colleague's camera and used pepper spray on another protester" [listen in Persian].
Fate of Missing American Still Unknown
January 14 -- U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) said, during the confirmation hearing for Hillary Clinton as U.S. Secretary of State, that he believes former FBI agent Robert Levinson--who went missing in Iran two years ago--is being held in a secret prison [read more in English; listen in Persian].
Basij Militia Buries Soldiers on Campus
January 9 -- Security forces have a new pretext for entering Tehran University--they can claim to be visiting the graves of five unknown soldiers killed in the Iran-Iraq War who were buried on the school's grounds [listen to an interview in Persian with former Tehran University Chancellor Mohammad Maleki].
Obama's Iran Plan
January 8 -- A Middle East expert tells Radio Farda that "President-elect Obama should use the first few months of the administration to put together a serious, coherent, long-term Iran strategy and send very clear signals to Iran that the U.S. is prepared for a more constructive relationship" [listen in Persian].