Street protests hit Iran for third straight day

The Iranian authorities have promised that whoever is behind the poisoning of Iranian schoolgirls will be mercilessly punished — but the government has lost all credibility with the people.

The two traditional rivals agreed to normalize relations in a March 10 deal brokered by China. Iran's international outreach to its regional rival comes amid major domestic unrest.

The sanctions come against the backdrop of alleged human rights violations amid protests. EU defense and foreign ministers also agreed on a €2 billion ammunition plan for Ukraine.

The two sides in Yemen's conflict have agreed to free nearly 900 people in a prisoner exchange. That deal comes less than two weeks after Saudi Arabia and Iran re-established diplomatic ties after years of hostility. The two regional powers have backed opposing sides in Yemen's war, and their rapprochement has galvanised efforts to end the conflict. We take a closer look.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated that the hijab is the law for women's dress, after a video of two unveiled women being attacked with a tub of yoghurt went viral.

A Beijing-brokered deal between rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia marks major diplomatic progress which could reshape relations across the region which has witnessed decades of conflict and violence.

The Iranian authorities are reported to have prevented sports climber Elnaz Rekabi from traveling to Spain for training. Rekabi had recently broken a long silence on social media.

Two rights groups said the number of those executed in 2022 was 75% higher than the toll from 2021. Last year saw the start of nationwide protests following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini.

Those who encourage women to remove their headscarves in public will be "dealt with in the criminal court, whose decisions are final and unappealable," Iranian officials say.

In Yemen, more than 900 prisoners were released this past week as momentum builds to end the nine-year conflict there. This is linked to the fact that the leadership in Saudi Arabia and Iran are talking to each other again. The two powers broke off relations seven years ago, impacting politics and conflict across the region.

For seven months, large groups of people in Iran have been demonstrating for their freedom. The role of sports in this struggle is a sensitive subject.

Tehran holds Jamshid Sharmahd responsible for a terrorist attack. Activists and German politicians describe the allegations as unfounded.