The morality police -- known formally as the Gasht-e Ershad or "Guidance Patrol" -- were established under president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to "spread the culture of modesty and hijab", the mandatory female head covering. The units began patrols in 2006.

The Union of Islamic Iran People Party, formed by relatives of former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, on Saturday demanded the authorities "prepare the legal elements paving the way for the cancellation of the mandatory hijab law".

Taking offense at France's unanimous vote by lawmakers earlier this week, condemning infringement of liberties and women's rights, Iran's foreign ministry summoned the French ambassador. Iran has been gripped by protests since September over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini after her arrest.

More than 300 people have been killed in Iran since protests erupted over the death in morality police custody of Mahsa Amini on September 16, Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards' aerospace division, said in a video published by the Mehr news agency.

Iran has seen more than two months of demonstrations sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini. She had been arrested for an alleged breach of the country's strict dress code for women. "In an unprofessional act, the Instagram page of the US football federation removed...

Hardening its stance on the dress code, Iran has fired a bank manager who served an unveiled woman, according to local media even as demonstrations triggered by the mandatory head covering rule shake the country. Women in Iran are required to cover their heads, necks, and hair.

Tehran, Iran---An Iranian rapper who expressed support for anti-regime protests is charged with "corruption on earth" and could face the death penalty, judicial authorities confirmed on Sunday. A US-based rights group had tweeted on Saturday that Toomaj Salehi's trial had begun "without a lawyer of his choice", and his family...

TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that negotiating with the United States would not put an end to the "troubles" that have rocked the Islamic republic over the past two months. Iran has seen weeks of demonstrations sparked by the September 16 death in custody...

There had also been speculation that the Iranian players would not celebrate the goals. But the team erupted into wild celebrations as two late goals were struck against Wales in the final minutes. Former England player and prominent TV pundit Gary Lineker tweeted: "Given the duress Iran's players are probably...

The Islamic republic has launched a series of cross-border missile and drone strikes on Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups, based in Iraq, which it blames for stoking protests back home over the death of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. "Iran recently carried out operations against terrorist groups in northern Iraq as it had...

With 25 votes in favour, six opposed and 16 countries abstaining, the UN's highest rights body agreed to create an international fact-finding mission to probe all violations connected with Iran's response to the ongoing protests.

Carrying out a second attack in a week, Iran has launched a fresh wave of strikes against Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraqi Kurdistan on Sunday. Tehran accuses the groups of instigating unrest in Iran, which has been rocked by two months of protests set off by the death of...

Hundreds of mourners poured onto the streets of a flashpoint Iranian city, defying a lethal crackdown on protests over Mahsa Amini's death that shows signs of turning even bloodier. This week's protests coincide with the third anniversary of "Bloody Aban"- or Bloody November - when hundreds were killed in a...

"You guys are used to bending your knees in the games. Some people agree, some people don’t agree with that. And Iran is exactly the same," coach Coach Carlos Queiroz said, according to a video of the press conference. "It is out of question to think that the Iran national...

The UN Human Rights Council said it would hold an urgent session on Iran, with backers pushing for a global probe into the deadly crackdown on mass protests rocking the country. The UN's highest rights body said a special session on "the deteriorating human rights situation" in Iran would be...

Iranian security forces have killed at least 326 people in a crackdown on nationwide protests since Mahsa Amini's death in custody, Iran Human Rights said. Iran has been gripped by protests over the death of Amini on September 16, three days after her arrest for an alleged breach of the...

The protests were fanned by fury over the restrictive dress rules for women, over which Amini had been arrested. But they have now become a broad movement against the theocracy that has ruled Iran since the fall of the shah.

The lawmakers also urged the judiciary to "deal decisively with the perpetrators of these crimes and deal with all those who incited the rioters, including certain politicians", they added. Earlier Sunday, state media and the Revolutionary Guards said four Iranian police officers and one "terrorist" had been killed in separate...

The Islamic republic has been rocked by protests since the death in custody of Mahsa Amini on September 16, following her arrest in Tehran for allegedly breaching the country's dress rules for women. Dozens of people, mainly demonstrators but also members of the security forces, have been killed during the...

Signalling its tough approach toward protestors, Iran has put on trial five people charged with offenses that can carry capital punishment over protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death. The country has witnessed a wave of protests after the death of Amini. The street violence has led to dozens of deaths,...

Iran's foreign ministry announced in a statement sanctions against eight institutions and 12 individuals based in the EU for "supporting terrorist groups", "inciting violence" and "provoking riots, violence and terrorist acts" in the Islamic republic.

Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi said that indictments have been issued for 315 people on charges of "congregating and colluding with the intention of acting against the country's security", "propaganda against the system" and "disturbing public order".

A group called Black Reward on Friday issued an ultimatum on Twitter, threatening to release documents on Tehran's nuclear programme unless all "political prisoners, prisoners of conscience and people arrested in the recent protests" were released within 24 hours.

With dozens dead in demonstrations all across the country during the last several weeks, Iran now says that "riots" over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody have reached their final days. Amini was arrested for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code for women.

TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran on Saturday accused the United States of seeking to gain concessions in nuclear talks aimed at restoring the 2015 agreement, by supporting protests over Mahsa Amini's death. The Islamic republic has been rocked by demonstrations that flared over the death of the 22-year-old Amini on September...

The hardening EU stance towards Tehran appeared to bury deeper hopes of reviving a 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which has been eroded since then-president Donald Trump withdrew US support in 2018. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has been trying to bring the US and Iran back into full compliance...

The Islamic republic has imposed drastic restrictions on internet access as it grapples with demonstrations that flared over the death of the 22-year-old after her arrest for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code for women.

Iran vowed an "immediate" response to the European Union as it prepares new sanctions on the Islamic republic after over a month of protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death. EU foreign ministers met to adopt sanctions on Iran after Amini was detained for allegedly breaching Iran's strict dress code for...

Accusing the US President Joe Biden of "inciting chaos" after he expressed support for protests in Iran, President Ebrahim Raisi said that "the enemy's plot" should be countered by effective measure to resolve people's problems. The country has been rocked by protests since Mahsa Amini's death in custody.

Tehran, Iran - "Troubles" erupted between inmates and guards at Tehran's Evin prison and a fire broke out but the situation is "under control", Iranian state media reported Saturday. "Troubles and clashes took place on Saturday night" in the prison and "rioters" started a fire, local news agency said, citing a...

The singer, who rose to fame for his song "Baraye", denied any links to any "movement or organization outside the country" and said his song was only meant to "express solidarity with the people".

A wave of unrest has rocked Iran since the 22-year-old Kurdish woman died on September 16 after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women.

Taking exception to what it calls interference in its internal affairs, Iran has summoned British ambassador Simon Shercliff to hear a protest over 'meddlesome statements' on the unrest sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. Iran said that it rejects and strongly condemns "fake and provocative interpretations".

While Iran is struggling to contain rising wave of protests over the death of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody, its forces are now involved in gun battles in the Southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan. At least 19 people including a Revolutionary Guards colonel were killed on Friday.

The September 16 death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, 22, while in the custody of Iran's morality police has sparked a major wave of protests and a crackdown that has left dozens of demonstrators dead. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has accused the Iraq-based Kurdish groups of "attacking and infiltrating...

In a bilateral meeting last week during the UN General Assembly, Guterres "stressed to President Raisi the need to respect human rights, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "We are increasingly concerned about reports of rising fatalities, including women and children, related to the...

Hashemi, a former lawmaker and a women's rights activist, has had previous run-ins with the law in the Islamic republic. In July, she was charged with carrying out propaganda activity against the country and blasphemy in social media comments. Hashemi was reported to have said Iran's demand for the Revolutionary...

At least 41 people have been killed since the protests began on September 16, mostly protesters but including security forces, according to an official toll. The protests have spread to several cities, where demonstrators have shouted slogans against the authorities, according to local media.

Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations that have spread to scores of cities since unrest first broke out after Amini's death on September 16.

For the past week since the 22-year-old's death, protesters have taken to the streets each evening in various parts of the capital.

Amini, 22, died last week after her arrest by the Islamic republic's feared morality police for allegedly wearing a hijab headscarf in an "improper" way, and news of her death sparked widespread outrage. Protesters have been heard shouting "death to the dictator" and "woman, life, freedom" in video footage shared...

Amini, a Kurd, had been detained for allegedly wearing a hijab headscarf in an "improper" way, and died at a Tehran hospital after having spent three days in a coma. Public anger has flared over her death, and at least six protesters have been killed in nationwide demonstrations, according to...

Tensions spiked in northwest Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, sparking off protests in the region. She was on a visit with her family to Tehran when she was detained by the police unit entrusted with the job of enforcing the country's strict dress code for...