Mike Pompeo is forming a dedicated group to coordinate and run U.S. policy toward #Iran as the Trump administration moves ahead with efforts to force changes in the Islamic Republic's behavior after withdrawing from the #nuclear deal foxnews.com/us/2018/08/16/…

Thousands of Iranians have protested in recent weeks against sharp price rises of some food items, a lack of #Jobs and state corruption. The #protests over the cost of living have often turned into anti-government rallies reuters.com/article/us-ira…

They are expressing unhappiness in widespread demonstrations since last December well before #Trump pulled out of the Iran deal. Strikes are increasing, with #vendors in the #Tehran Bazaar holding a work stoppage on June 25 foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/15/ira…

@ForeignPolicy continues: #truckers held strike throughout the country in July; more recently, riot #police were called out in response to strikes in the cities of Mashhad, #Isfahan, Rasht, and #Karaj. These are conservative cities typically supportive of the regime

The Islamic Republic sentenced an #Iranian couple and every member of their #church to 1year in #jail for practicing Christianity – within days of condemning Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to 10-plus years of imprisonment for “promoting Christianity onenewsnow.com/persecution/20…

dozen #Christians were condemned to prison for 1year, a pastor in #Iran was sentenced for the amount of time that the whole church received – combined – as Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani received 10 years in prison and two years of “internal exile” for “promoting Christianity”