• Earthquake In Iran
LONDON (Reuters) – An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck 200 km southwest of the Iranian city of Zahedan at a depth of 26 km, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Friday.
• Protesters chant anti-Iran slogans in front of consulate in Iraq
After protesters in Basra stormed and set fire to a provincial government building and several Iran-backed political parties’ headquarters, many moved to the Iranian consulate on Thursday night where they chanted slogans against “Iranian interference” in their country.
Several social media users and news sites shared a video of one of the protesters condemning the “dependence of some officials on neighboring countries who claim that they are an Islamic state” where he was referring to Iran.
The protester went on to say that Iran cut of the water supply from Iraq for their own benefit, adding that people’s living conditions are “tragic because our government is a subordinate and does not include any noble person.”
“We want an independent country not run by parties, no, no to political parties,” he said.
According to local security sources, one protester was killed, and 14 injured during the violent protests in Basra on Thursday.
• Pompeo: US agrees to work with India on Iran oil imports ahead of sanctions
The US has committed to working with India on reducing its Iranian oil imports ahead of sanctions that are scheduled to return in November, but Washington continues to aim for zeroing out Tehran’s exports, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday.
Pompeo said after meeting with India’s foreign and defense ministers in New Delhi: “We will consider waivers where appropriate, but … it is our expectation that the purchases of Iranian crude oil will go to zero from every country, or sanctions will be imposed,”.
Pompeo said US oil exports could be a solution for some countries as they cut ties with Iran.
• France Regrets Arrest Of Husband Of Iranian Rights Lawyer
France’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it regretted the arrest of the husband of a detained Iranian human rights lawyer, a rare criticism that is likely to irk Tehran at a time of strained relations.
Reza Khandan is married to Nasrin Sotoudeh, an activist lawyer who served about half of a six-year jail sentence imposed in 2010 for spreading propaganda, then was arrested again in June.
“France regrets the arrest in Tehran of Reza Khandan, husband of Nasrin Sotoudeh,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll said in a statement. “We remain very concerned about Mrs Sotoudeh, who started a hunger strike on Aug. 25, and we hope she and Mr. Khandan are released quickly.”
France rarely comments publicly on human rights issues in Iran.
