Saturday's Iran Mini Report - September 22, 2018

• Pompeo: Will respond immediately to Iranian actions against our interests

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday, that Iran is the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world, stressing that Washington will respond immediately to any Iranian actions against its interests.

“We have told the Iranians that we will immediately respond to any attack from them or their agents on our interests,” Pompeo said.

It is noteworthy that Pompeo confirmed in late August that the Strait of Hormuz is subject to international navigation, and that Iran does not control it as it claims.

• Kuwait says will not appoint ambassador to Tehran until Iran changes policies

While Kuwait has agreed to the new appointment of the Iranian ambassador who will replace Ali Reza Enayati, it reaffirmed on Thursday that it would not appoint an ambassador to Tehran in return until Iran changes its approaches and policies in the region.

Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Ali Al-Saeed announced that Kuwait approved the new Iranian ambassador’s nomination, clarifying in response to a question regarding the return of the Kuwaiti ambassador, Magdi al- Dhafiri, to Iran that “the situation will remain as is until Iran changes its policies.”

• Yemen FM: Iran continues with its agenda in the region

Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs, Khaled al-Yamani, said that Iran is continuing its expansion in the region and supporting the Houthi militias in Yemen.

the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, accused the Houthi militias of obstructing the United Nations’ efforts aiming at a political settlement.

• Female journalists and staff of ANA news agency fired all together

The female journalists of the Iranian ANA news agency were fired on Tuesday, September 18, 2018, only because they are women. An informed source in ANA said.

Most of the female journalists sacked by ANA had more than three years of work experience in the news agency, but were fired based on the decision and order by Hassan Karbalaii who has become ANA’s executive director since June 9, 2018.

• Women’s entrance ban in sports stadiums reiterated

Ban on women’s entrance to sports stadiums was once again reiterated by officials on Monday, September 17, 2018, ahead of the Asian League game between Tehran’s Persepolis and Qatar’s Ad-Dahil.

Farhad Nikoo-khesal, the supervisor of the Azadi Stadium in Tehran said, "We have been taking the necessary measures since a month ago, so that all spectators would be closely examined before entering the Azadi Stadium."

• Nasrin Sotoudeh’s daughter threatened with denial of prison visits

Nasrin Sotoudeh’s daughter was threatened to be deprived of visiting her mother if she did not observe the veil.

The threat was made on Sunday, September 16, 2018, when Nasrin Sotoudeh’s daughter, Mehraveh Khandan, and her brother had gone to Evin to visit their mother.

Instead of being called to visit her mother, Mehraveh Khandan was threatened by the director of the visiting hall to observe her hijab or she will not be allowed into the visiting hall. This was while her covering was the same as in the previous visitations.

Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband, Reza Khandan, has also been detained since September 4, 2018, after being arrested by agents of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry.