• EU extends rights sanctions on Iranian regime
BRUSSELS. The European Union extended sanctions on Iran over human rights violations on Thursday, as the bloc prepared for a clash over whether to impose a new set of penalties in the hope of safeguarding a nuclear deal with the Islamic republic.
• Iran Regime Hangs Man in His Thirties
A prisoner identified as Omid Damani, 33, was hanged on April 10, in Kerman Prison, central Iran. No information is available about the charges he faced.
• Anti-regime Protest in Ziar, Central Iran, on Wednesday
New anti-regime protests took place on Wednesday in Ziar, central Iran, after a local resident identified only as Ismail was arrested by the regime during a farmers’ protest in nearby Isfahan. Protests have been ongoing for weeks over the drying up of Zayanderud River due to the regime’s ecological policies. The protesters in Ziar lit tires in the middle of the streets and chanted slogans including “Farmers’ rights have been betrayed for 18 years.”
• U.S. Treasury Signals ‘Very Strong’ New Sanctions on Iran Regime Coming
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin signaled on Wednesday Washington may impose “very strong” sanctions on the Iranian regime as President Donald Trump seeks to renegotiate a multinational accord that curbs Tehran’s nuclear program. Mnuchin, testifying before a House appropriations subcommittee, said there will be “primary and secondary sanctions” against Iran’s regime, referring to penalties for Tehran and entities that do business with it. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Mnuchin said he was referring both to a possible fresh round of sanctions, as well as the return of previous sanctions that have been periodically waived as part of the nuclear deal, Bloomberg reported.
• Saudi Air Defenses Intercept 3 Iran-backed Houthi Ballistic Missiles
Saudi air defenses intercepted on Wednesday three ballistic missiles fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen.
The missiles were directed towards the capital Riyadh and cities of Jizan and Najran.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
Last month, one man was killed in Riyadh by debris after the military shot down a flurry of missiles, the first casualty of the Yemen war in the Saudi capital.
