Iran news in brief, May 7, 2019

Iran news in brief, May 7, 2019

U.S. Acting Defense Chief Accuses Iran, Says Aircraft Carrier Deploying to Middle East

The acting U.S. defense chief has vowed to hold Iran "accountable for any attack on U.S. forces or our interests," as Washington stepped up its rhetoric and said it was deploying an aircraft carrier battle group to waters near Iran.

In a post to Twitter on May 6, Patrick Shanahan, the acting secretary of defense, also accused Tehran of provocations.

He wrote:"We call on the Iranian regime to cease all provocation. We will hold the Iranian regime accountable for any attack on U.S. forces or our interests,".

New Iran Air Director Is on U.S. Sanctions List

The newly appointed managing director of the Iranian Regime Airline is on the U.S. sanctions list.

Touraj Dehghani Zanganeh replaced state-owned Iran Air’s first female director Farzaneh Sharafbafi on Sunday May 5.

Previously, Mr. Zanganeh was the CEO of Meraj Airline which was established in 2010. The airline and its manager were sanctioned by the United States in 2018.

Pompeo: US Sees Activity Indicating Possible 'Escalation' From Iran

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday the United States has seen activity from Iran that indicated a possible “escalation,” one day after the United States said it would send a carrier strike group to the Middle East to counter a “credible threat by Iranian regime forces.”

he said: “We call on the Iranian regime to cease all provocation. We will hold the Iranian regime accountable for any attack on US forces or our interests,”.

Iran: Clients of Regime Credit Firms Protest, Demand Plundered Money Returned

Clients of the Caspian credit firm rallied on Monday demanding their stolen savings returned by this regime-linked entity. Holding their gathering outside the regime’s general prosecutor’s office in Tehran, the protesters have time and again demanded this firm – linked to the regime’s Revolutionary Guards – to return their stolen life savings.

Authorities quickly dispatched the repressive state security forces to the scene to prevent the rally from expanding, and bystanders from joining their ranks.

In the city of Karaj, west of Tehran, clients of another regime-linked credit firm, the “Nahal Neshan Development” rallied outside the regime’s Bank Keshavarzi demanding their looted savings returned.

One in Four Iranians Suffer From Mental Disorders

According to new figures released by Iran’s Ministry of Health, 21 million Iranians suffer from mental disorders which means that one in four Iranians are affected.

Young people suffer the most from mental illnesses in Iran and new generations are most likely to be affected.

the report said: “In general, the atmosphere of the community, including the economic crises, cultural issues, livelihood conditions, and the social and political challenges in Iran are all factors that affect people’s mental health,”.