(2020-03-19). Iran oil: US slaps sanctions on 5 UAE-based companies. rt.com 
Washington on Thursday imposed sanctions on five United Arab Emirates-based companies, accusing them of having collectively purchased in 2019 hundreds of thousands of metric tons of petroleum products from Iran. | The US Treasury Department said the blacklisted companies — Petro Grand, Alphabet International DMCC, Swissol Trade, Alam Althrwa General Trading and Alwaneo — purchased the petroleum products in 2019 from the National Iranian Oil Company for delivery to the UAE. | The announcement followed the blacklisting of Chinese and South African companies earlier this week over Iran oil trade. | The…
(2020-03-19). One Iranian dies of coronavirus every 10 minutes, 50 get infected every hour — health ministry. rt.com 
Iranian authorities have provided shocking statistics showing the massive scale of the local Covid-19 outbreak. The country remains the worst-affected in the Middle East, with 1,284 coronavirus deaths already. | "Based on our information, every 10 minutes one person dies from the coronavirus and some 50 people become infected with the virus every hour in Iran," Kianush Jahanpur, the health ministry spokesman, The death toll from the disease in Iran has reached 1,284 people, with 149 deaths comi…
(2020-03-19). Headlines for March 19, 2020. democracynow.org Italy Records Record 475 Coronavirus Deaths as Infections Continue Climbing, British PM Boris Johnson Closes Schools After Reversing Lax Virus Containment Plan, Millions of Brazilians Protest from Windows and Balconies Demanding President's Ouster, World Health Organization Warns Critical Lack of Testing Is Costing Lives, Egypt Arrests Protesters Calling for Release of Prisoners at Risk of COVID-19, Yemen, Already Wracked by U.S.-Supported, Saudi-Led War, Braces for Coronavirus, Trump Admin Tightens Sanctions That Have Devastated Iran's Public Health System, Trump Signs Coronavirus Relief Bill Providing Paid Leav…
(2020-03-19). Brazil: Sao Paulo Police Capture Nearly Half of Escaped Inmates. telesurenglish.net Brazilian Police captured more than 500 of the 1400 inmates who escaped from Sao Paulo's penitentiary institutions. | RELATED: | The massive escape occurred on March 16 in three prisons located in Managua, Mirandopolis, and Taubate. The inmates started fires, riots, and took guards as hostages after authorities announced several departures and visiting restrictions as a measure to prevent Covid-19 spreading in Brazilian territo…
(2020-03-19). Economists Demand Trump Immediately Lift Iran, Cuba, Venezuela Sanctions. truthout.org A group of economists and policy experts on Wednesday
(2020-03-19). Washington imposes new sanctions as Iran's COVID-19 death toll tops 1,000. wsws.org The global pandemic is viewed by US imperialism as a weapon in its war for hegemony in the Middle East.
(2020-03-19). 17 Years Later: The Consequences of Invading Iraq. truthdig.com While the world is consumed with the terrifying coronavirus pandemic, on March 19 the Trump administration will be marking the 17th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq by ramping up the conflict there. After an Iran-aligned militia allegedly struck a U.S. base near Baghdad on March 11, the U.S. military carried out retaliatory strikes …
(2020-03-19). Covid-19 Updates: Iran: 18,407 People Infected, 1,284 Deaths. telesurenglish.net Update: 11: 00 | US: Florida's Hillsborough County Releases Minor Criminal Inmates | Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister Thursday announced that 164 minor, nonviolent criminal inmates will be released to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading in jails. | Chronister said that these prisoners do not pose a threat to society and that if they break the law they will be arrested again. | "These prisoners are at the lowest point of the public security risk scale and are simply in jail because they could not pay the bonds to be outside," he stressed. | So far, there have been no Covid-19 cases recorded in the c…
(2020-03-19). The DNC Declaration of Dependence: Death, Shackles, and Misery. counterpunch.org We are in trouble in this year of 2020, when global warming is causing ethnic strife and the break-up of states into warring chiefdoms; when there is an intensified nuclear arms race between the United States, China, and Russia; and when India, Pakistan, and North Korea may now also be stockpiling nukes. The expert on
(2020-03-19). Iran will not celebrate its annual national nuclear day amid coronavirus. yenisafak.com Iran will not celebrate its annual national nuclear day because of the coronavirus outbreak, the country's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi told state TV on Thursday.Iran holds an annual celebration of its nuclear programme, during which Tehran announces its nuclear achievements.
(2020-03-19). Death toll from coronavirus climbs to 1,284 in Iran. yenisafak.com The death toll in Iran from the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 1,284, local media reported on Thursday.Authorities said 149 people died over the last 24 hours, while 1,046 new cases have emerged, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18,407, Iran's state TV quoted Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour as saying.A total of 5,979 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the virus, Jahanpour added.The first case of coronavirus in the country was confirmed in Qom province on Feb. 19.Besides China, Italy and South Korea, Iran is among the worst-affected countries since the s…
(2020-03-19). Death toll from toxic alcohol rises to 180 in Iran. yenisafak.com The death toll from consumption of toxic alcohol in Iran rose by 65 on Thursday, bringing the total to 180 in nearly two weeks, local media reported.The development comes amid rising coronavirus cases and deaths in the Gulf country.So far more than 17,000 people have been infected by the virus that emerged in China last year, according to latest figures by John Hopkins University's Coronavirus Research Center.It has killed some 1,135 people in Iran alone. Of these, at least 147 died in the last 24 hours, as per Iranian state TV. There were rumors across the country that alcohol consumption would help combat COVID…
(2020-03-19). Over 84,000 patients recover from coronavirus worldwide. yenisafak.com More than 84,000 people have recovered from the novel coronavirus globally, officially known as COVID-19, according to the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.The total number of recovered patients 70,425 in mainland China, while the highest number of recovered people is in China's Hubei province with 57,678 people, the epicenter of the infection which came to limelight in last December.Outside of China, the total number of recovered people is 5,389 in Iran, 4,025 in Italy, 1,504 in South Korea, 1,081 in Spain, 144 in Japan, 114 in Singapore, 106 in the U.S, 105 in Germany, 95 in H…
(2020-03-19). Iranian Doctors Urge Neighbours to Liquidate Any US Biological Labs Amid Coronavirus Fears. sputniknews.com With over 17,300 cases and 1,135 deaths to date, Iran has been one of the countries hit hardest by COVID-19, with the virus affecting not only the population at large, but a big portion of the political elite as well. Last week, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said there was evidence that the pandemic may have been a "biological attack."
(2020-03-19). US Aims to 'Maximize Suffering' With Iran Sanctions as Outbreak Deepens — Scholar. iranian.com On Tuesday, the US added even more sanctions on Iran, which is in the midst of a severe COVID-19 outbreak. US sanctions were already killing the sick in Iran even before the pandemic, but one Iranian scholar told Sputnik the bigger problem is regional poverty, which is also largely Washington's doing. US Secretary of State …
(2020-03-19). China, France send anti-Coronavirus aid to Iran. iranian.com Beijing Municipality sent 30 tons of medical and healthcare items to Iran in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The donation has been sent to the capital city of Tehran by 11 trucks. Thanking China for the measure, Tehran Mayor Pirouz Hanachi called for mutual cooperation in various areas. France sends medical aid …
(2020-03-19). Vulnerable Vets: Coronavirus Threatens Iran's Chemical-Weapons Victims. iranian.com As the deadly coronavirus continues to bedevil Iran, there is growing concern about the danger it poses to tens of thousands of victims of chemical weapons who suffer from respiratory problems and lung diseases. An estimated 100,000 Iranians survived chemical-weapons attacks by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, and many are disabled …
(2020-03-18). Stop Tightening the Thumb Screws: A Humanitarian Message. dissidentvoice.org 
Protester's sign decries sanctions, "a silent war" (Photo Credit: Campaign for Peace and Democracy, 2013) U.S. sanctions against Iran, cruelly strengthened in March of 2018, continue a collective punishment of extremely vulnerable people. Presently, the U.S. "maximum pressure" policy severely undermines Iranian efforts to cope with the ravages of COVID-19, causing hardship and tragedy while …
(2020-03-18). Escapism or China-bashing? US now left without harsh coronavirus options, but with broken healthcare & federal disarray. rt.com 
Washington's attempts to tackle Covid-19 appear to be bleak — underestimation of the threat and China-bashing make harsh measures unlikely, as state authorities do what they can to battle the virus, RT has been told. | As of Wednesday, the US has a total of 6,496 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 112 deaths. While the numbers drag behind the worst-affected nations, such as Iran or Italy, the dynamics of the spread appears to be quite alarming — the state of New York alone reported 432 new cases in a single day. | As the disease spreads, the states are rushing to crack down on social contact, or…
(2020-03-18). Why sanctions against Iran and Venezuela during a pandemic are cruel. mronline.org 
The numbers of those infected rises, as do the numbers of those who have died. Hands are being washed, tests are being done, and social distance has become a new phrase. It is unclear how devastating this pandemic will be. |
(2020-03-18). Stop Tightening the Screws: a Humanitarian Message on Sanctions. counterpunch.org U.S. sanctions against Iran, cruelly strengthened in March of 2018, continue a collective punishment of extremely vulnerable people. Presently, the U.S. "maximum pressure" policy severely undermines Iranian efforts to cope with the ravages of COVID-19, causing hardship and tragedy while contributing to the global spread of the pandemic. On March 12, 2020, Iran's Foreign Minister
(2020-03-18). US Economic Sanctions Exacerbate Toll of Coronavirus in Iran. truthout.org U.S. sanctions against Iran, cruelly strengthened in March of 2018, continue a collective punishment of extremely vulnerable people. Presently, the U.S. "maximum pressure" policy severely undermines Iranian efforts to cope with the ravages of COVID-19, causing hardship and tragedy while contributing to the global spread of the pandemic. On March 12, 2020, Iran's Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif urged member states of the UN to end the United States' unconscionable and lethal economic warfare. | Addressing UN Sec…
(2020-03-18). Iran Temporarily Frees 85,000 Inmates As Pandemic Worsens. telesurenglish.net Iran has temporarily freed about 85,000 people from jail in response to the coronavirus epidemic, a judiciary spokesman said Tuesday. | RELATED: | "So far, some 85,000 prisoners have been released … Also in the prisons we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said. | Asked whether prisoners over so-called "political reasons" were among those free…
(2020-03-18). Prisoner Pardons in Iran Welcome, But Hundreds More Who Should Be Free Remain Jailed. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-03-18). Iran reports spike in deaths. iranian.com Iran reported 147 more deaths from the coronavirus, its single biggest jump. The 15 percent spike raised the death toll to 1,135 people nationwide. The rise in deaths comes as the number of infections continues to grow each day, with some 17,361 people infected, according to Iran's deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi.
(2020-03-18). US Imposes New Iran Sanctions, Complicating Coronavirus. iranian.com Last week, Iranian officials emphasized that US sanctions are making their reaction to the coronavirus outbreak much more difficult, leading to both Iran and China to urge the US to put those sanctions on hold for humanitarian reason. Not going after Iran for humanitarian reasons, needless to say, isn't a policy that the administration considers, …
(2020-03-18). 'Literally Weaponizing Coronavirus': Despite One of World's Worst Outbreaks of Deadly Virus, US Hits Iran With 'Brutal' New Sanctions. commondreams.org "How evil and heartless can this government get?" peace activist Medea Benjamin demanded to know on Wednesday after the State Department announced it would impose new sanctions on Iran as the country faces one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1204807196_1.jpg …
(2020-03-17). Khamenei finally grasps severity of Coronavirus: Issues fatwa banning 'unnecessary travel'. iranian.com The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has made a religious ruling that prohibits "unnecessary travel" in the country in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19. Iran's death toll from the outbreak is nearing 1,000. The fatwa urges citizens to respect the orders of the health authorities and to refrain from traveling …
(2020-03-17). Iran calls on Europe to defy US sanctions amid COVID-19 outbreak. iranian.com Iran's foreign minister has called on London and the European Union to defy Washington's anti-Iran sanctions amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. In a Monday phone conversation with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced the US' illegal and unilateral sanctions against Iran as an obstacle to the battle …
(2020-03-17). How can the US support Iran's response to the coronavirus and bolster diplomacy? iranian.com As Tehran is scrambling to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus in Iran, Mark Fitzpatrick explains why the United States should facilitate the humanitarian assistance Iran needs to address its current public health crisis. The United States' policy toward Iran is stuck in a rut. Government officials know well that the maximum pressure campaign …
(2020-03-16). Iran Tests 10 Million People for Coronavirus — Report. iranian.com With nearly 14,000 confirmed cases and more than 800 deaths, Iran has been one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19. The country's medical response to the crisis has been complicated by crippling US sanctions, which have led to shortages of basic medical equipment, including protective facemasks. Iran's health authorities have screened over 10 million …
(2020-03-16). Iranian Hails New UK Stance on Arrested Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe & Repayment Of Debt. iranian.com Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who possesses both British and Iranian passports, has been under arrest in Iran since April 2016 over allegations that she plotted against the government, claims that she has consistently denied. She was sentenced to five years in an Iranian jail. The Iranian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad, welcomed a new approach …
(2020-03-16). China Calls US Sanctions against Iran 'Immoral' amid Virus Epidemic. iranian.com China on Monday called on the US to remove its sanctions against Iran, saying that the embargoes will hamper the country's response to the coronavirus outbreak. The unilateral US sanctions will further hamper Iran's efforts in combating the virus while it's already struggling to cope with the crisis, Geng Shuang, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry …
(2020-03-15). Iran may impose partial lockdown to contain coronavirus and will provide cash handouts, loans. iranian.com Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has given his initial approval for imposing a partial lockdown on areas in nearly a dozen provinces in the country to help curb a coronavirus outbreak that has affected thousands of people. Rouhani described as "good" a proposal by Health Minister Saeed Namaki to implement a "movement control scheme" in 11 …
(2020-03-14). Qatar flight carrying medical aid arrives in Iran. iranian.com A Qatari airplane carrying government medical and health aid from Doha has arrived in Tehran. Iran Air will also provide its third flight to Qatar on Friday to bring home Iranian passengers stranded in Qatar due to coronavirus fears. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Iran Air flights to Qatar were suspended. Due to …
(2020-03-14). Coronavirus death toll reaches 611 in Iran. iranian.com The head of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education said on Saturday that 12,729 people have so far been infected with the deadly coronavirus in Iran, 611 of whom have died while 4,339 have recovered. Kianoush Jahanpour said that 1,365 other people have been diagnosed with coronavirus …
(2020-03-13). Latest U.S. Military Strikes Are as Reckless as they are Cruel. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 12, 2020 — In response to reports that the U.S. has carried out five airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "At a time of one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, it is shocking that the Trump …
(2020-03-13). US Moves Patriot Missiles To Iraq. Outraged Baghdad Warns of "Consequences" After Airstrikes. iranian.com With coronavirus pandemic dominating the world's attention, it's easy to forget that the US is essentially in a state of war with Iran, just Thursday night conducting a major aerial bombing campaign against multiple Iran-backed militia targets across southern Iraq. In response to prior rocket attacks on Camp Taji which killed two Americans on Wednesday the Pentagon …
(2020-03-12). Headlines for March 12, 2020. democracynow.org World Health Organization Declares Coronavirus Pandemic, Top Italian Health Official Among 827 Coronavirus Dead as Italy Faces "Darkest Hour", Iran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as "Medical Terrorism" as Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 429, President Trump Announces Europe Travel Ban in Error-Laden Oval Office Speech, U.S. Labs Face Shortage of Supplies Needed to Test for Coronavirus, Sen. Lamar Alexander Blocks Quick Passage of Paid Sick Leave Bill, School Closures from Coronavirus Affecting Over 1 Million K-12 Students Nationwide, Bernie Sanders Promises to Question Biden Over Progressive Policies at Next Debate, Joe Bid…
(2020-03-11). Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Both chambers and …
(2020-03-10). Prisons Worldwide Face Coronavirus Crisis: Overcrowding, Lack of Sanitation & Labor at Slave Wages. democracynow.org 
As Italy went on lockdown, nearly 30 prisons across the country broke into riots Sunday and Monday after visitation rights were suspended in response to the outbreak. In a prison in southern Italy, a riot left at least six incarcerated people dead and caused 50 people to escape. Prisoners have reportedly lit fires, charged guards and even escaped at multiple facilities. This comes as the United Nations confirmed that coronavirus had reached Iran's prisons, as the number of cases there continues to soar. Iran has temporarily freed some 70,000 prisoners in response to the coronavirus. And concerns are growing about…
(2020-03-10). Headlines for March 10, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 4,000 with Over 113,000 Confirmed Infections as Italy Goes into Nationwide Lockdown, Six States Head to Polls as Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden Battle for 352 Delegates , Women Strike in Mexico, Take to Streets in Chile and Argentina to Demand Equality and an End to Violence, U.S. Begins Afghan Troop Withdrawal Amid Political Leadership Crisis | , New Reports Find Boeing at Fault for Fatal Crashes of Boeing 737 MAX Jets, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Puerto Rican Revolutionary, Dies at 89 | , 2020 Izzy Awards Honor Journalist Matt Taibbi, News Inside and The Center for Investigative Journalism…
(2020-03-10). Why nuclear power must remain outlawed in Australia. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-13). Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.
(2020-02-05). Trump Says War With Iran Was "Closer Than You Thought" Last Month. theantimedia.com Trump told reporters that the U.S. came "closer than you thought" to war with Iran last month.
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …
(2020-01-10). Gregory Shupak on Iran Assassination, Brett Hartl on Biodiversity Loss. fair.org 
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(2020-01-08). In the ongoing crisis, Congress must rein in Trump's war powers. peaceaction.org As we feared, President Trump's reckless assassination of Iran's Gen. Soleimani resulted in escalation — direct Iranian missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq. It's painful to watch more violence in a country that has already suffered far too much from endless war. All parties in the US/Iran conflict must cease military action and …
(2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …