Iran news in brief, February 5, 2018

Iran news in brief, February 5, 2018

1- EU to Iran Regime: Stop Missile Tests, Assassination Attempts on European Soil

The European Union on Monday urged Iran Regime to put an "immediate end" to "unacceptable behavior," including refraining from any further ballistic missiles tests or attempts to assassinate Iranian dissidents on European soil.

The warning, which prompted a terse response from Tehran, has come amid pressure from the United States to counter growing Iranian influence in Europe and the Middle East.

The European Union said it was gravely concerned by Iran's ballistic missile launches and tests and called on Tehran to stop activity that deepened mistrust and destabilized the region.

The bloc also expressed concern at Iran Regime's role in growing Middle East tensions, including support for groups in Lebanon and Syria and Iran's own forces in Syria.

The bloc was also critical of Iran's human rights record, highlighting its use of the death penalty and urging it to respect equal rights for women and girls and minorities.

2- Iranian Environmental Activist Alleges Jail Torture for Forced Confessions

Niloufar Bayani, a detained environmental activist in Iran, has said in a court sessions headed by judge Salavati that she has repeatedly been attacked and threatened by authorities and was forced to make confession.

Ms. Biyani who has been held by IRGC intelligence for over a year now said the ‘confessions’ had been made under physical and mental torture and intense psychological pressure and that she had retracted all of them after the first round of investigations.

Bayani and seven other Iranian environmental activists accused of spying appeared in a Tehran court on January 30 for a closed-door trial, local media report.

During the court session they learned that the first half of their indictment is based on retracted forced “confessions.”

3- Iran:  More Than Eight Protests Were Organized

 More than eight protests were organized across the country. The workers of inter-city rail in Ahvaz, the customers of the Iranian automaker companies SAIPA, Iran Khodro and Sanat Khodro Azarbaijan Group in Tehran, the investors of Caspian financial institution in the cities of Mashhad, Rasht and Tehran, Zagros Railway workers and employees in Andimeshk, taxi drivers in Dorud, and the customers of Sekeh Samen website in Tehran have held separate protests to request their demands.

4- Lawmaker Says Minimum Wage in Iran Should Increase Fourfold

A member of Iran Regime’s parliament says minimum monthly wage should be increased to 40 million rials, or about $400. Currently the minimum wage is about $100.

Zahra Sae’I told the parliament’s news service on February 3 that the poverty line in Tehran is about $300 monthly income and workers should earn at least $400.

According to estimates inflation in Iran was at least 35 percent in 2018 compared with the previous year, which directly impacted the purchasing power of people on fixed incomes.

5- Iranian Dissident Suspects Regime Agents Attacked Him in Berlin

The Berlin police report stated alleged agents of the government in Tehran assaulted the 47-year-old Iranian dissident in the Steglitz district in the capital city.

Three masked people believed to be agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran physically beat an opponent of the Iranian regime on Thursday, according to a German police report.

The Iranian dissident said that Iranian regime agents launched the attack against him, according to the report.

Germany has long been considered a stronghold of Iranian espionage activity.