Sweden summons Iranian ambassador over dual national sentence The Iranian-Swedish national was arrested during Iran’s June war with Israel for allegedly spying on Israel’s behalf. Iran
Analysis Militant merger in Iran’s Baluchistan signals new threat to Tehran The group’s outreach to broader ethnic communities reflects a strategic bid for wider legitimacy and a role in the wider struggle against the Islamic Republic. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Culture World Cup: Iran fumes over LGBTQ+ themes as Jordan qualifies for first time Morocco is hoping to build on its historic run in 2022, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others in the region similarly vying to build on recent successes. Iran
Feature A year since Assad’s fall, Aleppo trial tests Syria’s transitional justice Syria recently launched its first open trial on the deadly sectarian violence in March, but questions about judicial independence and political influence make the upcoming hearings a major test of accountability in post-Assad Syria as the first anniversary of Assad’s fall approaches. By Alessandra Bajec
Iran executes man it says spied for US and Israel Mahmoud Mousavi Majd was found guilty of reporting the whereabouts of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian military commander killed in a US drone strike. Iran
Intel: Trump joins chorus of Iranians urging halt to imminent political executions President Donald Trump today joined the online chorus of Iranians warning the government against the imminent execution of three young men sentenced to death after participating in last year’s mass protests against rising gasoline prices. Iran
Iran executes three political prisoners, upholds more death verdicts Iran’s judiciary said death penalties against three political prisoners have been upheld while confirming that three other prisoners had been sent to the gallows. Iran
Bahrain upholds death sentences despite torture claims Pro-democracy activists Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa face imminent execution. Bahrain
UN report blames civilian deaths in northwest Syria on government and rebel groups The report by the United Nations' Syria commission details numerous possible war crimes in recent months by both pro-government forces and the rebel group HTS. Syria
Complaints of torture on rise in Turkey's Kurdish southeast The Turkish government no longer sees the need to conceal torture, especially of Kurdish women in the southeast of the country. Turkey
Cairo marks anniversary of revolution by jailing journalists Egypt has been passing the days leading up to the anniversary of the military coup that toppled President Mohammed Morsi with a clampdown reminiscent of 2013. Egypt
British PM Johnson writes op-ed in opposition to West Bank annexation Boris Johnson wrote the article in Israel's Ynet news outlet as a "friend" of Israel, saying annexation of the Palestinian territory is not in Israel's best interests. Israel
Intel: Working Group on Egypt urges Pompeo to get tough on Sisi As Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi widens his crackdown on government critics, a bipartisan group of foreign policy experts urged US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to call out America's longtime ally for human rights abuses. Egypt
Horrific patterns of torture catalogued in Yemen’s unofficial prisons More than 1,000 people have been arbitrarily detained and hundreds tortured by Yemen's warring parties, finds a new report. Yemen
Turkey cries 'LGBT propaganda' after official faces backlash for pedophilia tweet Activists saw the tweet from the head of Turkish Red Crescent as targeting the LGBTI community and say such rhetoric puts it at greater risk. Turkey
Netherlands isn’t required to repatriate Islamic State families in Syria, court rules The Netherlands isn't required to bring home from northern Syria a group of 23 Dutch women suspected of joining the Islamic State or their 56 children. Syria
