Aug. 25 – Iran is among six countries which have been invited to join the BRICS nations, a grouping of world economies focused on developing investment opportunities.
The group will also admit Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in a bid to give the group greater global influence.
More than 40 states have expressed interest in group membership, and 22 countries have already made formal requests to join, according to South African officials.
Human rights activists and family members of those killed in Iran’s anti-government protests have been harassed by officials, according to reports by several civil rights groups.
At least one lawyer representing a demonstrator who was killed, and several relatives have been arrested, while 11 women’s rights activists and one man are believed to have been detained over the last week.
A further 12 people were arrested for “preparing unrest and insecurity” in one province, according to state-affiliated news outlets.
And prominent filmmaker Ebrahim Golestan has passed away at 100, leaving behind an influential body of work which has been credited with inspiring generations of Iranian artists.
His films are considered by critics to have helped pioneer the Iranian New Wave movement, a form of film production which has a strong social and political context.
Golestan lived in the village of Bolney, in West Sussex until his death.
