Iran-backed militias in Iraq are raising flags identifying their Shi’ite loyalties in the battle to oust the Islamic State from Mosul, raising concerns among local leaders in the Sunni-majority region, Reuters reported Sunday. The militias, also known as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), mostly includes “groups trained by Iran and loyal to its Supreme...

Representatives of the Baha’i religion accused the government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday of “ongoing efforts to destroy the Baha’i community,” the Associated Press reported. In a 122-page document, the Baha’i International Community outlined the Rouhani administration’s efforts to intensify its “campaign to incite hatred against Baha’is,” including by spreading over...

The European Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a report on Iran that condemned the Islamic Republic’s Holocaust denial, violent rhetoric towards Israel, and support for terrorism. One amendment to the report, which stated that the legislative body “strongly condemns the Iranian regime’s repeated calls for the destruction of Israel and...

The U.S. Chess Federation took a stand in support of U.S. women’s champion Nazi Paikidze-Barnes, saying Thursday that it would support her boycott of next year’s world women’s championship in Iran due to the Islamic Republic’s mandatory dress code for women. Paikidze-Barnes, 22, said she would rather boycott the contest than...

Iran is forcing women to cover their hair at the next world chess championship—and the reigning American female chess champion is circulating a petition in protest. Nazí Paikidze-Barnes, 22, exceeded her initial goal of collecting 15,000 signatures on Tuesday, one week after her appeal was first posted online. The petition...

FIFA, the governing body of soccer, is being sued for violating the rights of migrant workers in Qatar, where the 2022 World Cup is being hosted, The Guardian reported Monday. The suit is being brought by the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation on behalf of Bangladeshi migrant worker Nadim Sharaful Alam. While...