NEWS
FROM INSIDE IRAN
REPORT
11
PERIOD
28
NOVEMBER 2018 TO 30 NOVEMBER 2018
Stes de Necker
(PLEASE NOTE THAT INFORMATION SOURCES ARE NOT
PUBLISHED IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF OUR INFORMANTS. UNDER SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES CERTAIN INFORMATION CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE ON RECEIPT OF A DULY
MOTIVATED REQUEST)
(All REPORTS WERE OBTAINED FROM CREDIBLE AND
ACCREDITED NEWS AGANCIES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE IRAN)
In this
report:
1.
Gonabadi
Dervish Women Brutally Beaten Up In Qarchak Prison
2.
Iranian
Juvenile Offender May Be At Risk of Imminent Execution
3.
A
Historic Judgment on the 1988 Massacre of Political Prisoners in Iran
4.
Khamenei
Tells Commanders To Boost ‘Power And Readiness’
5.
MEK/PMOI
Supporters Called On EU To Blacklist Iranian MOIS
7.
Iran’s
Use of Chemical Weapons Brought to the Forefront
8.
The
Formation of ‘Workers’ Movements’ and Their Role in Fighting Iran Regime
10.
Protests
expose Iranian regime’s weakness
11.
Kermanshah
Earthquake, an Added Dilemma for Distressed People
12.
Iran
Regime’s Desperate Manoeuvres
13.
MEP
Delegation to Ashraf 3 Uncovers Iran Regime Lies
14.
The
U.S. Indicts and Sanctions Iran Regime Agents for Cyber Attacks
15.
Regime’s
Ban of Telegram Is a Failure
16.
Protests,
strikes in numerous cities
17.
Arrest
of labour activists and repressive measures to end the Haft Tappeh sugar mill
strike
18.
Chabahar,
Iran’s looted paradise
19.
Three
international NGOs: Calling for the G20 Summit in Argentina to hold accountable
the terrorism of the Iranian regime
20.
Muqtada
al-Sadr and rising tensions between Iran and Iraq
21.
US
provides new evidence on Iran violating UN arms export ban in Yemen
22.
The
EU's Problematic Iran Strategy
23.
THOUSANDS
of Iranians stage ‘DEATH TO ROUHANI’ protests in defiance of ‘ROTTEN’ regime
24.
World
War 3 WARNING: Iran leader Rouhani vows to DEFEAT Trump as tensions peak
25.
World
War 3: US warns Iran MILITARY ACTION is 'on the table' as Tehran poses GRAVE
threat
26.
Treasury
Designates Iran-Based Financial Facilitators of Malicious Cyber Activity and
for the First Time Identifies Associated Digital Currency Addresses
27.
Arrest
of labour activists, suppressive measures to end sugarcane mill strike
28
November 2018
Gonabadi
Dervish Women Brutally Beaten Up In Qarchak Prison
Three women from Iran’s Gonabadi Dervish religious
minority community, imprisoned in Qarchak Prison of Varamin, were reportedly
attacked and beaten by the prison warden after they asked for their personal
belongings confiscated back in June.
Shokufeh Yadollahi, Elham Ahmadi and Sepideh Moradi, held
at ward 7, suffered from infectious due to unsanitary conditions of the prison
and demanded to take back their personal belongings confiscated by prison
authorities.
Shahr-e Rey prison is a disused chicken farm that holds
hundreds of women convicted of violent offences in conditions falling far
below the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson
Mandela Rules). Common complaints include urine-stained floors, lack of
ventilation, insufficient and filthy bathroom facilities, prevalence of
contagious diseases, poor quality food containing small pieces of stone and
salty water.
Gonabade Dervish women were badly beaten up and
brutalized on June 13, 2018, by special prison guards after they protested the
prison conditions.
Eleven Yaresan women were transferred to Qarchak Prison
on February 20, 2018, after the bloody crackdown of the peaceful demonstration
and gathering of Gonabadi Dervishes in Tehran. Although the arrested women had
been badly injured and needed urgent medical care, the prison’s medical staff
refused to provide them care.
Sepideh Moradi, Sima Entesari, Shima Entessari, Avisha
Jalaleddin, Shokoufeh Yadollahi, Maryam Farsiani, Nazilla Noori, Maryam
Barakouhi, Elham Ahmadi and Sedigheh Safabakht have been detained since
February 20, 2018, in Qarchak Prison under inhuman conditions.
Sepideh Moradi suffered injuries in the hand, elbow and
fingers while being arrested during the Yaresan protest in Tehran. Her legs got
burnt due to security forces’ use of tear gas, the scars of which still remain
after three months. Moradi has been denied medical care.
Shokoufeh Yadollahi was badly brutalized during arrest
and subsequently under torture as a result of which she has lost her sense of
smell and needs to be treated urgently.
Shahnaz Kian Asl (Kiani) was transferred to the
dispensary of Qarchak Prison of Varamin on May 19, 2018, upon insistence of
inmates, but was returned to the ward without receiving medical care. She had
been offended and humiliated in the clinic by the doctor and nurse.
Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action on March
29, 2018, condemning the arbitrary arrest and ill-treatment of 11 women from
Gonabadi Dervish religious minority.
28
November 2018
Iranian
Juvenile Offender May Be At Risk of Imminent Execution
Juvenile offender Milad Azimi, may be at risk of
execution for a crime he allegedly committed when he was 16, according to the
state-run daily newspaper Hamdeli.
Milad Azimi was held in a police station in the western
province of Kermanshah for 15 days following his arrest in December 2011.
During this time he is believed to have been tortured and
otherwise ill-treated: this included being flogged to make him “confess” that
he had stabbed the victim. He was denied access to a lawyer and was only
allowed to see his family six days after his arrest, when he was taken to the
Office of the Prosecutor.
He retracted his “confessions” before the prosecutor and
during his trial, saying it had been extracted through torture. No
investigation into his allegations of torture are known to have been carried
out.
He was sentenced to death by Branch 3 of the Provincial
Criminal Court of Kermanshah Province in May 2015 under the Islamic principle
of “retribution-in-kind” (qesas) for his alleged involvement in a fatal
stabbing during a fight among several young men in December 2013.
Milad Azimi subsequently requested a retrial based on the
new juvenile sentencing guidelines in Iran’s 2013 Islamic Penal Code. In
October 2015, concerns were raised that the Supreme Court had rejected the
request.
He has denied to have inflicted the fatal stab wound. In
its verdict, the court acknowledged that he had been under 18 at the time of
the crime but said there was “no doubt about his mental growth and maturity and
that he understood the nature of his crime and the dangers of using a knife”.
His death sentence was upheld in August 2015 by Branch 17 of the Supreme Court.
Iran’s Islamic penal code allows the victim’s heir –
walli-ye-dam – to personally execute the condemned under qisas (retribution)
laws, in some cases even by pushing away the chair the convict is standing on.
The same law also allows families to pardon the convict, often in exchange for
a financial compensation known as diyah.
Azimi’s family were granted a chance until December 4, to
obtain the required diyeh, amounting to 550 million tomans. They sold their
house, gold and other precious items to help pay for the blood money but they
could provide only 150 million tomans.
Amnesty International in an October 2015 statement, urged
the Iranian authorities to halt any plans to execute Milad Azimi immediately,
and to ensure that his death sentence is quashed and he is granted a retrial that
complies with international fair trial standards, without recourse to the death
penalty.
28
November 2018
A
Historic Judgment on the 1988 Massacre of Political Prisoners in Iran
We can’t progress as a world society unless we do
something about the worst unpunished atrocity in modern society since the
Second World War.., what happens when you let criminals go? What happens when
you don’t prosecute? You have no deterrent effect, and the fact that the United
Nations turned a blind eye towards this dreadful crime encourage them to go
further.
Aforementioned words are a part of conclusion made by
Geoffrey Robertson, QC, former UN tribunal chief judge on Sierra Leone and
prominent human rights barrister in his remarkable speech in the conference
titled ‘Call for Justice’, examining the 1988 massacre of political prisoners
by Iran regime, on Saturday, November 26, in Paris, following is the full text
of his speech.
Good afternoon, I’m ashamed to say that in 2009, just
seven years ago, I knew absolutely nothing about the 1988 prison massacres, and
I had written a book Crimes Against Humanity. The textbook in English is into
its fourth edition. I had been a United Nations judge, president of a war
crimes court in Sierra Leone, I was a judge in England, and I didn’t know, like
almost all international lawyers outside Iran about this most wicked crime. And
I’m going to tell you exactly how wicked it is. I knew nothing until I was
approached by two remarkable women. The Boroumand sisters. They had a little
foundation, and they said “We’re looking for an impartial judge to investigate
and decide whether what happened in 1988 was a crime against humanity” and I
warned them, I said, “Look, I’m a Queen’s council, I’m independent, I could
find, look at the evidence, I could very well find that prisons in Iran in 1988
were perfect. I could find that they were run with great humanity and justice.”
“All right” they said, “we’ll take the risk.” And so, for the next nine months
I went throughout Europe, digging out survivors of that appalling time and that
appalling crime. And I interviewed them, interrogated them, I read all there
was to read for the United Nations records, the press at the time, Amnesty
International had a little to say about it. And I then wrote a report and I
read you because we don’t have a great deal of time, the summary of my report.
It was this, because I found out what happened:
“Late in July 1988, as the war with Iraq was ending in a
truculent truce, prisons in Iran crammed with government opponents suddenly
went into lockdown. All family visits were cancelled, televisions and radios
switched off and newspapers discontinued. Prisoners kept in their cells,
disallowed exercise or trips to the infirmary. The only permitted visitation
was from a delegation, turbaned and bearded, which came in government BMWs and
Mercedes to outline jails: a religious judge, a public prosecutor, and an
intelligence chief. Before them were paraded, briefly and individually, almost
every prisoner (and there were thousands of them) who had been jailed for
adherence to the MEK. The delegation had but one question for these young men
and women (most of them detained since 1981 merely for taking part in street
protests or possession of ‘political’ reading material), and although they did
not know it, on the answer their life would depend. Those who by their answer
evinced any continuing affiliation with the MEK were blindfolded and ordered to
join a conga-line that led straight to the gallows. They were hung from cranes,
four at a time, or in groups of six from ropes hanging from the stage in an
assembly hall; some were taken to army barracks at night, directed to make
their wills and then shot by firing squad. Their bodies were doused with
disinfectant, placed packed in refrigerated trucks and buried by night in mass
graves. Months later their families, desperate for information about their
children or their partners, would be handed a plastic bag with their few
possessions. They would be refused any information about the location of the
graves and ordered never to mourn them in public. By mid-August 1988, thousands
of prisoners had been killed in this manner by the state – without trial,
without appeal and utterly without mercy.”
That was my judicial conclusion about what happened based
on evidence and interviews. And of course it went on, the regime having killed
the MEK members, then went on and killed thousands whose religious views or
non-religious views were not satisfactory to the routine. The death committee
went to prisons again and they had thousands of victims. Ominous and atheists
and those who were attracted to minority religions or not at all. Families
still are not allowed to know where the bodies of their loved ones are. This is
a monstrosity. Some of you remember Sophocles’ Antigone, the play written 2500
years ago about the barbarity of not allowing a family to bury a body. It’s now
contrary to international law as I’ll explain, and still the Mullahs Without
Mercy, which was the title of a book that I wrote about this appalling event.
My conclusion as an international judge is that this
without any reasonable doubt, is a crime against humanity. It has been a crime
to kill prisoners for over 400 years, the rules of army, the rules during the
wars in Europe were always that a prisoner once surrendered could not be killed
without trial and could not be tortured. So, where does this massive crime of
1988 stand? Of course, there is nothing that can exceed the Nazis brutality of
the concentration camps, but the world insofar as we have come to any form of
international law has made through the Geneva Conventions, made it a crime, the
worst crime of all, to slaughter prisoners, people who are in the most
vulnerable situation. They must not be tortured, they must not be executed, and
they must not suffer without at least a fair trial. This crime in Iran in 1988
ranks with only two other crimes in the history, the modern history of this
world:
the first, were the Japanese death marches of prisoners
at the end of World War II. American and Australian and British prisoners were
put on the road, forced to march until they fell and died of starvation. And
thousands of those were killed. That was a monstrous crime. And it was punished
at the Tokyo War Crimes Trials in 1946, the Japanese officers who ordered the
death of those prisoners were convicted and executed.
Then there was Srebrenica. Srebrenica was 7,000 Muslims,
men and boys, were killed by Mladić under the orders of Karadžić. You saw
perhaps the grainy videos of the Serb soldiers being blessed by Orthodox
priests and then going off and shooting those men and boys. That was a pretty
bad crime, but Mladić is being convicted, Karadžić probably will. Other
generals have been sentenced to 45 years or life imprisonment for their involvement
in that crime.
But those two examples, as horrific as they are, do
slightly less criminal than the mass murder in the Iranian prisons of 1988
ordered by the Supreme Leader, supported by the president, who is now the
Supreme Leader, and carried out by a set of officials, one of course was *, but
others, hundreds of them who are still in the government of Iran. One of them,
the most vicious member of the death committee was a man called Pourmohammadi
who I gather is the current minister of justice.
How extraordinary? What are we as a world where we cannot
punish a crime of this magnitude, a crime of this evil. We punish the Japanese,
we punish the Serbs, now it’s time to punish the mullahs. We cannot, as
criminal international lawyers, we cannot as a civil world society, we cannot
as the United Nations, look ourselves in the face if we allow this worst of all
crime, to go unpunished; where those who carried it out are still profiting
from it by their positions of power in Iran. Now, why didn’t we? When I looked
at that - and I have a chapter in my book about it - at the time, there was a
special reporter for Iran. And at the time, Amnesty International, The New York
Times, The Guardian, they did have some awareness of how the bodies were buried
at night in the places of the damned in the various cemeteries. Word got out,
800 corpses here, 800 there. There were snippets of information coming out. And
the UN reporter who was a naïve and incompetent professor from a Latin American
country, Professor Paul did at least notify the general assembly that large
numbers of people seemed to be disappearing from Iranian prisons. But of
course, the government did not allow him for several years to enter Iran and
only Amnesty kept up the “we must investigate, what’s happening?”. And eventually,
Professor Paul was allowed in. There was one man in the Iranian higher
hierarchy, named Ayatollah Montazeri who’d asked for Professor Paul to see him
for reasons that we’ll talk about in a minute. He was under some form of house
arrest by that time. Professor Paul, believe it or not, went to Evin prison. He
was greeted by a band that reported to be prisoners, just as the Nazis misled
people who were coming to investigate the concentration camps. Then he was met
by some alleged prisoners who were actually actors, who told him the food here
is wonderful, it’s delicious. And the wool was pulled over his eyes. The
Iranian regime played him for the booby that he was. And he never even asked to
meet Ayatollah Montazeri, the man who had expressly asked to meet him. And he
went back and did nothing. And so, the 1988 massacres slipped from the world’s
mind and from human imagination. And they conned the United Nations, and that
is why the United Nations now that this terrific event is being revealed has a
duty to make good its failures in 1988. It has a duty to do something, and I’ll
tell you what it should be doing about the 1988 massacres. We know what
Ayatollah Montazeri would have told him, because a few months ago, his family
courageously revealed the tapes, because at the time, when it started,
Montazeri called in the death squads, he called in Pourmohammadi and the
others, and he said “what you are doing will cast eternal shame on Iran”. But
even he, he’d been a prisoner you see, he’d been in a prison over the shah, so
he knew what it was like to be in Evin, and he had some sympathy and humanity,
but the others Rafsandjani, Khamenei and so on did not. And they sidelined him,
he was to be the heir apparent. Khomeini was dying of cancer, but which was
perhaps why he was so cruel.
So here we are. That was why the UN failed in its duty in
1988 and 1989, and now, must deliver. We must have firstly, a proper
investigation. I’ve done mine and I’ve listed a number of people who I believe
should be jailed for life for this crime against humanity. But I think the
Human Rights Council of the United Nations would be best placed to set up a
prosecution. You can’t take this to the International Criminal Court because
the International Criminal Court can only deal with crimes after 2002, and this
was 1988. But you can set up a special prosecution. You can set up… and the UN
Security Council in my view has a duty to set up a special court, what they
call an ad-hoc court, like the court that we have for Rwanda, for the genocide there,
like the court we have that is putting Mladić and Karadžić on trial. A special
court like the court in Lebanon. This could go ahead without the defendants
here. In the case of crimes against humanity, you can try people in absentia.
And the Supreme Leader of Iran who is a mass murderer must be tried.
There is no question but the international law requires
their trial. Article 75 of the First Protocol to the Geneva Conventions makes
it a crime not to give prisoners basic standards, to torture prisoners, to kill
them without fair trials. So, there’s clearly a breach of Article 75 of the
1979 Geneva Conventions. Article 75 reflects the position of what is called
customary law and it had reached that position by 1988. The Geneva Conventions
of 1949 plus the protocols of 1977 make it an international crime to execute
prisoners without a fair trial. The basic prohibitions there against fair
trials, against arbitrary executions and against torture. They are what lawyers
call basic rules of international law which impose a duty on the world to
prosecute and punish when credible evidence becomes available.
The death penalty in particular is only possible after a
proper hearing with the defense, not with conga lines led through to the
gallows in the auditorium of Evin prison.
And then there’s Article 32 of the same protocol which sets up the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones. It imposes a duty on the state to identify the graves of those it has executed, and to permit families to mourn in peace, in burial sites. And of course, we know that relatives are still not permitted to mourn in the places where it is suspected that the mass graves are to be found. The state has to notify the families of the place of burial. And that has been insisted upon by the European Court of Human Rights. There are many cases going right back as I said to Antigone, of the requirement that you must be notified of the place of burial, and permitted to mourn in peace.
And then there’s Article 32 of the same protocol which sets up the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones. It imposes a duty on the state to identify the graves of those it has executed, and to permit families to mourn in peace, in burial sites. And of course, we know that relatives are still not permitted to mourn in the places where it is suspected that the mass graves are to be found. The state has to notify the families of the place of burial. And that has been insisted upon by the European Court of Human Rights. There are many cases going right back as I said to Antigone, of the requirement that you must be notified of the place of burial, and permitted to mourn in peace.
So, there you have the basis of the law clear as daylight,
international law, that requires a trial for this crime against humanity. Why
not demand it? You can also, actually… Once the officials who participated in
this, at death committee levels, lower levels, the prison governors who ordered
the stringing up, there were all sorts of officials at different levels, they
can be identified. But they should be identified by a Human Rights council
investigation, there should be a court set up by the Security Council, an
ad-hoc court to try them for crimes against humanity, for a prosecutor to
gather the evidence. And then of course, they can be prosecuted wherever they
are found, if they dare to venture abroad. A number of countries in Europe have
what is called universal jurisdiction legislation and can arput them on trial.
They should not be allowed diplomatic immunity if they venture abroad. They
should be found, they should be listed by Interpol with red notices, captured
and put on trial wherever in Europe they could be found.
Because firstly, we can’t progress as a world society
unless we do something about the worst unpunished atrocity in modern society
since the second world war. That’s the first reason, and secondly, what happens
when you let criminals go? What happens when you don’t prosecute? You have no deterrent
effect, and the fact that the United Nations turned a blind eye towards this
dreadful crime encourage them to go further, there were 160 assassinations in
Europe of Iranian oppositionists ordered by a death committee headed by the
current Supreme Leader, that met in the Turquoise Palace, one of the old
palaces of the Shah. There was also the wicked fatwa on Salman Rushdie, the
writer, but later of course there was the crushing of the Green Movement with
killings and so forth, in recent memory. And that’s what will happen if these
people are not prosecuted. They’ll go on. We’ve heard a number of names of
courageous young women. I want to end by mentioning the name of another young
woman who is not in any way political. She’s a joint British-Iranian woman who
was brought up in Tehran, her parents were there. She married a Brit, she has
dual nationality, she had a baby, and she wanted of course, as human nature, to
take her baby back to show her parents what her marriage had produced. And she
did go back to Tehran. And a few months ago, she was leaving with her baby. She
was arrested, the baby’s passport was confiscated, his British passport, and
she was taken to Evin prison. And she has not emerged, there are stories that
she’s being sentenced to five years in prison. She works for a charity in
England. It’s not conceivable that she is other than completely innocent. Of
course the Revolutionary Guards have sent a message that they want some money
for Britain that was owed. They like this, they got a lot of money from Obama,
didn’t they a few months ago, and they released five Americans they were
holding hostage. And this woman’s name is Nazanin Ratcliffe. Remember it,
because she is an example of the monstrous cruelty of this regime who will hold
an apolitical woman hostage; in effect take away her child, because of some
political advantage in the world. Well, we got to stop Iran getting political
advantages, unless and until those whose hand are bloodied with the crime
against humanity meet some form of justice. Unless they are prosecuted for a
crime against humanity, international criminal will have no force.
There is a moral and legal imperative to begin that
process.
28
November 2018
Khamenei
Tells Commanders To Boost ‘Power And Readiness’
Supreme Leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday asked
the commanders of Iran’s navy to increase “power and readiness” so that
“enemies will not dare to threaten the Iranian nation”.
November 27 marks “Navy Day” in Iran and Khamenei met
with commanders, according to his website. Iran’s has two navies; the navy
attached to the army and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Navy.
He told his audience that more readiness of the armed
forces “can deter the enemies and intimidate them”. But he also added, “The
Islamic Republic has no intention to start war with anyone”.
Speaking about the “formation of an expansive front made
up of enemies and rivals”, facing the Islamic Republic, Khamenei said it is
vital to double and re-double efforts in all fields, including the military, to
compensate for shortcomings.
As president Donald Trump has adopted a tough line on
Iran and reimposed sanctions, Khamenei in recent months has repeatedly urged
the military to increase power and readiness.
Iranian
officials have also threatened to close the Straits of Hormuz to
oil tankers, if Iran’s oil exports are fully banned as a result of U.S.
sanctions.
The U.S. navy chief, Admiral John Richardson speaking
about possible Iranian threats in the Persian Gulf,
told VOA in August, “If we need to become more forceful, well, we’re at a
position to respond and do that”.
29
November 2018
MEK/PMOI
Supporters Called On EU To Blacklist Iranian MOIS
Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, the MEK/PMOI supporters rallied in
front of the Municipality building in Copenhagen against executions in Iran and
demanded adequate measures against this state-sponsor of terrorism.
MEK/PMOI supporters called
for the European Union to blacklist the Iranian regime’s Ministry of
Intelligence & Security (MOIS), shutting down all the mullahs’ embassies in
Europe.
They also demanded the expulsion of all the regime’s
operatives from the EU soil. Iranians abroad consider these embassies as the
regime’s espionage centers used to gather information for their future terror
operations.
The regime’s diplomats are systematically engaged in
terrorism and espionage.
In reality, terrorism is a key instrument for advancing
the foreign policy of the Iranian regime.
In their rally in Copenhagen, the MEK/PMOI
supporters also announced their solidarity with the ongoing protests by
people from all walks of life inside Iran.
They also called on the international community to
support the Iranian people’s desire for democratic change.
Since three weeks ago, Shush, a city in Iran’s Khuzestan
province, is witnessing strikes and protests by the workers of Haft Tapeh sugarcane factory.
The workers began their strike three weeks ago, demanding their salaries,
unpaid for months, and the removal of the so-called private owners who have
looted factory’s properties and pushed Haft Tapeh, the largest sugar mill
in Iran, towards bankruptcy.
In addition to Haft Tapeh, the workers of Iran National
Steel Industrial Group in Ahvaz gathered for the 19th day of their
strike and protest, demanding their unpaid salaries.
Having no access to water, the farmers in Esfahan have
risen, protesting against the mismanagement of water sources by the government.
The protesting farmers of East Isfahan had white vests
on, symbolizing the grave shrouds, a sign that they will be standing for their
rights at any cost.
On Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, the farmers of Gharneh,
East Isfahan, gathered in front of the Yazd water pumping
station in protest to the government’s mismanagement of water sources. During
the past years, the Iranian regime’s corrupt policies have cut off adequate
access to irrigation water for these farmers, causing much damage to them.
The protesters threatened to destroy the station if the
government does not take concrete measures to fulfil their demands. The farmers
had brought along their loaders and other machineries.
At noon of the same day, still having received no
response, the farmers proceeded with destroying the pipeline that channels the
station’s water to IRGC companies in Yazd.
These days protest over economic grievances quickly turn
into anti-government protests that call for the overthrow of the regime in its
entirety.
After 4 decades of witnessing and experiencing the
corruption and the repression of the regime, the Iranian people have no doubt
that there is no solution from within the regime and only a regime change will
solve their problems.
29
November 2018
Iran Regime’s Proxy Forces Trained to
Use IEDs Against the US in Syria
The Iranian Regime’s proxy militias in Syria are being
trained and armed to terrorise US forces in eastern Syria, in much the same way
that they did to American troops in Iraq between 2004 and 2006, starting with
the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs.)
This campaign was planned by none other than General
Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s Middle East commander and chief of the Qods Force, a
specialised unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
According to anonymous sources, US commanders in Syria
were forewarned of the campaign, shortly after it was approved by the Iranian
Regime in retaliation of re-imposed US sanctions on Iran.
In recent weeks, the terror squads have detached from the
Iran-backed Iraqi and Afghan militias in the eastern Syrian Deir Ez-Zour
province and completed specialist training by Al Qods and Hezbollah bomb
experts, where they were taught how to blow up American military installations
and how to plant IEDs outside buildings and on roads frequented by US military
traffic. Not only that, Iran has been shipping large quantities of IEDs, vastly
more powerful than those used in the mid-2000s, via Iraq to the terror squads.
Supposedly, these ones have the capacity to disable the armoured vehicles used
by US forces in eastern Syria.
That’s why the US has rushed another 500 Marines to the
big Al Tanf garrison, which straddles the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq,
and beefed up the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF), which operates under US
command.
The US believes that Al Tanf will be Iran’s first attack
point because it is in the middle of desert terrain, where terrorist squads can
move at speed. If Iran succeeds, although all signs point to a massive failure
by the Regime, this operation will spread to other US military locations in
north-eastern Syria; some 12 ground bases and another four air bases in total.
It’s also likely why the US launched a large-scale air
and naval exercise based on the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier and its strike
group of five warships that are opposite the Syrian shore and US air bases in
the Persian Gulf. The US also pulled in British, Israeli and French air
contingents, as well as the French Dupuy de Lome spy ship.
These moves by the US send a strong signal that the US
and its allies are ready and willing to strike back at the foundations of the
Iranian presence in Syria, should Iran dare to attack US forces there.
29
November 2018
Iran’s
Use of Chemical Weapons Brought to the Forefront
The United States is in the
middle of a maximum pressure campaign on Iran. The Trump administration has
paid a lot of attention to Iran over the past year and it has put in place a
number of strategies to roll back Iran’s influence in the Middle East and to
curb its belligerent behaviour.
Trump’s strategy is very clear.
He is trying to cut the regime off form the income that it uses to fund terrorist
groups and activities across the region. He, and many members of his
administration, have been very outspoken and clear about their opinions on what
they describe at the biggest threat to peace and security in the region.
The U.S. ambassador to Netherlands
Kenneth Ward said at an Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) meeting on Thursday: “The United States has had longstanding concerns
that Iran maintains a chemical weapons program that it has failed to declare to
the OPCW.” He also said that the United States has concerns that Iran may also
be “pursuing central nervous system-acting chemicals for offensive purposes.”
Ward explained that Iran is
involved in a number of different schemes that go against the OPCW's policies.
This includes the illicit program that Iran has in place to purchase illegal
toxic weapons. It also includes a facility that the regime is keeping under
cover for storing aerial bombs.
With regards to Iran's failure to
declare its transfer of chemical-filled shells that were sent to Libya during
the eighties, Ward said: “They were clearly of Iranian origin as evidenced by
the Farsi writing on the boxes containing the artillery shells.”
As predictable as ever, the
Iranian regime has denied all allegations made against it. The Foreign Ministry
has even said that the United States is fabricating claims. A spokesperson of
the Iranian foreign ministry said: “The United States [...] has made, as is its
habit, baseless accusations against the Islamic republic which we strongly
reject. […] Such incorrect and false accusations are due solely to enmity
towards the Iranian nation and are intended to deflect international attention
from its own broken commitments and continued support for the Zionist regime's
chemical arsenal and for terrorist groups.” It promised that it would provide
the OPWC with a full response.
During the Iran-Iraq war, the
Iranian regime was involved in several chemical atrocities and it has tried to
pin the blame on the main opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
More than 3,000 civilians died in
a chemical attack in Halabja at the end of the war. The largest such attack
against civilians in modern history. The Iranian regime was trying to get rid
of Kurdish dissidents and it managed to convince many that Saddam Hussein
ordered it.
However, a French jurist and
lawyer to the former Iraqi head of state, Emmanuel Ludot, revealed: “The
Iranian ambassador told me [to] say Iranians did not gas the Kurds ... [that]
this was the work of the MEK.” In an interview, he realised that there could be
grave consequences for him in speaking about the situation, but nevertheless
said that an Iranian ambassador had asked him to make an agreement. Ludot said
the ambassador wanted him to “say that Saddam didn’t attack the Kurds with
[chemical] gas and you say that the Iranians didn’t attack the Kurds with gas”.
He was then asked to “present a case that the PMOI has used these gases against
the Kurds”.
29
November 2018
The
Formation of ‘Workers’ Movements’ and Their Role in Fighting Iran Regime
In Iran’s current circumstances, workers must fight along
others for their rights, as they are doing now; otherwise they’ll get destroyed
by regime’s oppression. but what these workers need now is more strength and
better organisation. They must keep in mind that they’re facing an enemy that
doesn’t hesitate to use all means, including some of the most advanced
techniques and equipment, to survive; an enemy that is increasingly adding to
its military forces and continues to oppress every opposing voice. All must
come together and unite against the regime.
Truth is, the systematic organisation of ‘workers’
movements’ is very easy to do. Especially given certain places like the
internal spaces of factories in which they work.
Getting to know Iran’s Haft Tappeh’s Sugar Mill
This Sugar Mill is named “Haft Tappeh” because it’s
located in the vicinity of Haft Tappeh (an archaeological site near Shush;
accessible via the Ahvaz-Shush road), which is made of big lands that are
commonly used for cultivation of sugar canes or other industrial means.
Haft Tappeh’s Sugar Mill was founded in 1961 and now
covers more than 5000 workers (most of whom are continuing generations). The
lives of these workers clearly depend on the preservation of the area’s sugar
canes, as well as the company itself.
When these workers don’t get paid, or at least not on time, the economy of Shush gets impacted too.
When these workers don’t get paid, or at least not on time, the economy of Shush gets impacted too.
The first time this company experienced issues was when
certain government officials (along with their relatives) took over a part of
it, under the label of “private sector” and plundered from the income that
belonged to the workers who had been there for more than 57 years. Their plunders
continued to the extent that these workers can no longer afford their food, as
can be seen from their children holding “we’re hungry, hungry!” signs on the
ways to their schools.
The strike of Haft Tappeh’s workers happened at around
the same time the Steel Workers of Ahvaz rose in November; both of which have
been recorded as part of Iran’s revolutionary history, also leading to very
significant achievements today.
These movements have forced the regime to not only
retreat, but also free arrested workers as well as pay off a minimum of
one-month income to many workers.
Achievements of Haft Tappeh’s workers
The rise of these workers has led to other achievements
too, which have been more significant than initially expected:
- National unity against the regime
- Expression of workers’ demands at the centre of this
unity
- Trigger of other movements alike across the country
- Rejecting the privatisation of industries and thereby,
halting the damage (from mullahs) to public services
- Highlighting the importance of current issues and the
urgent need for effective solutions
Triggering other movements
The rise of Haft Tappeh’s workers triggered many other
classes of society, including the higher-income ones, to join in for support.
In a democratic revolution, this kind of unity is like an imminent success,
especially when coupled with protestors from other sides of the globe.
The workers of Haft Tappeh brought to surface many hidden
issues, such as the mentioned privatisations, and the consequent oppression of
government on their lives.
Now, university students and even hospital employees are
also joining Haft Tappeh’s workers to stand against privatisation of public
institutes, and to call for “free health and education”; a movement that is
expected to get bigger and bigger in time, and to potentially take a political
turn like was the case with earlier protests last year and early this year.
29
November 2018
A Humanitarian Success Story in Albania
In safety at last: Iranian dissidents present their new
settlement near Tirana as a result of a successful resistance.
The Board and Advisory Council of the German Solidarity
Committee for a Free Iran (DSFI), led by Mrs. Rita Süssmuth, former President
of the German Bundestag, travelled to Tirana from 21 to 23 October 2018 to
visit the members of the Iranian People's Modjahedin (MEK) living in Albania.
Mrs. Rita Süssmuth spoke to the exiled Iranians and said:
"Their joy of life testifies to a culture and optimism that many people
have lost. ... I admire you deeply, because you repeatedly rebuild from
rubble."
The visit, conferences and meetings with senior Albanian
politicians were attended by: Martin Patzelt, Member of the Human Rights
Committee of the Bundestag of the CDU, Otto Bernhardt, former Parliamentary
State Secretary and Member of the Board of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation,
Hille Gosejacob-Rolf, Managing Director of the DSFI and Christian Zimmermann,
Member of the Board of the DSFI as well as Member of the Board of Human Rights
NGOs and Editor of the Human Rights Newsletter "Spotlight
Menschenrechte" (Spotlight on Human Rights).
The delegation was accompanied by Thomas Nord, member of
the Bundestag Committee for EU Affairs of the parliamentary group Die Linke.
It must not be forgotten that the approximately 3,500
Iranian dissidents who once resided in Iraq have had a long struggle for their
freedom behind them and have had to pay a high price for it: over 160 dead and
almost 1,000, some of them seriously injured, in the last eight years. This
movement began with the resistance against the Shah and continued its struggle
– which involved heavy losses - for a free and democratic republic against the
rule of the mullahs and the fundamentalist Islamic dictatorship in the last 40
years in Iran.
The DSFI has accompanied this stony path over the last 13
years and tried to alleviate it in a humanitarian way. Under the political
conditions after the withdrawal of the American armed forces from Iraq, the
security of the refugees from Iran deteriorated to such an extent that an
evacuation from the already extremely dangerous camp "Liberty" became
unavoidable. The assumption of the security responsibilities by the Iraqi
government of president Maliki and the head of UNAMI, Martin Kobler, developed
into a deadly trap. This life-threatening crisis could be solved with the help
of worldwide supporters, American politicians from the Senate and House of
Representatives, the UNHCR and the prudent representatives of the MEK on the
ground and in Paris. The last step was taken because the government and all
parties in Albania were very cooperative and helpful.
This willingness to accept the MEK has on the one hand a tradition in the historical helpfulness of the Albanian people. On the other hand, the appreciation of European values for security through solidarity as a NATO member and the desire for early EU membership also play an important role in this decision. This was made clear to the delegation time and again in the many discussions with Albanian leaders.
This willingness to accept the MEK has on the one hand a tradition in the historical helpfulness of the Albanian people. On the other hand, the appreciation of European values for security through solidarity as a NATO member and the desire for early EU membership also play an important role in this decision. This was made clear to the delegation time and again in the many discussions with Albanian leaders.
On 21 October, the delegation visited for five hours the new
housing estate of MEK. On their arrival they were warmly welcomed by a large
number of members of the Mojahedin of the people. They reported about the
successful resettlement from Iraq to Albania and the measures for the
construction of the new settlement. The Iranians emphasized that the costs of
the move, daily life and medical care will be borne by the MEK. They receive
great help from many supporters and donors from all over the world. The
Iranians are very thankful for this
The delegation visited the settlement, housing compex,
wood workshops, gyms, football, volleyball and basketball courts. and
spoke with the people, especially women and young members. They also visited
young people who were interested in music, visual arts, the production of video
clips and satirical programmes, as well as historical documentation. The
delegation then visited the medical centre. Surgeons, dentists and many MEK
employees as well as experts from other countries work there.
In the evening, the delegation took part in a
meeting of MEK members for personal discussions. Particular attention was given
to the prejudices and reproaches that are being made to the whole group by some
European governments and the press. They include allegations such as that there
was no freedom of movement, no opportunities for visits and even forced
scenarios. All these attempts at stigmatisation, including in the press, are
completely unfounded. Not all MEK members live in the settlement, everyone can
move and settle freely in Albania. Family visits are encouraged and happen
often. Some members of the MEK have ended the freedom fight for personal
reasons. Transitional arrangements of a financial nature are also made and no
pressure is exerted, but help is provided to begin a new life. Unfortunately,
no one from the group evacuated from Baghdad can leave Albania because they
have no exit documents and are subjected to residential obligation.
A representative of the residents described this open
exchange as a special sign of recognition. The MEK members want to pay tribute
to the efforts their German friends have made in order to lead the humanitarian
enterprise of the resettlement of the MEK from Iraq to European countries, including
Albania, to success. The new safe life in the new settlement ("Ashraf
3") was not only a personal benefit, but an encouragement to continue and
improve the non-violent resistance undiminished, especially in view of what is
happening in Iran. The many contacts in the homeland give both sides of the
resistance the strength to achieve the democratic change in Iran.
Otto Bernhardt said: "You have made a long journey,
but the remaining way to your destination will be short. The goal is to
liberate Iran; we must reach that goal together."
"The light shining in your eyes and your joy of life
give me courage. They show your faith in the purpose you are pursuing,"
said Rita Süssmuth. She repeated, "You are more alive today than you were
in Camp Ashraf and Liberty. Continue your struggle!”
MEP Martin Patzelt said: "I have always asked
myself: How can people fight for decades for freedom and democracy without
losing their courage? Today my question was answered - here in your new
settlement "Ashraf 3". You could all lead a good life in any place in
the world, opposing the regime, but you have chosen a different path: the
common struggle; that is important. I wish you and all of us victory on this
way."
Christian Zimmermann said: "I consider myself an
Ashrafi. At the moment there is talk in Germany and all over Europe about what
the alternative to the Mullahs is. To this, I say, "If anyone wants to
know the alternative, come to this settlement."
Ms. Hille Gosejacob-Rolf presented the MEK women with
several table decorations representing the flag of Iran and praised the
avant-garde role of the MEK women.
Afterwards Rita Süssmuth, together with other members of
the delegation, presented the MEK representative with a large picture of the
German Reichstag to emphasize the importance and common appreciation of
parliamentarism.
But the visit to Tirana was also marked by important
talks with Albanian politicians. The German delegation met, among others,
Deputy Prime Minister Senida Mesi, Minister Pandeli Majko, President of
Parliament Gramoz Ruci, former Prime Minister and historical statesman of
Albania Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition and leader of the Democratic
Party of Albania Lulzim Basha, as well as the leader of the socialist faction
Taulant Balla. The Albanian politicians underlined the success of the
resettlement and - in terms of the acceptance that the MEK now enjoys - the
complete agreement of all groups in parliament.
They expressed their concern at the activities of the
Iranian regime's secret services in Albania. They emphasized their
determination to counter the actions of the Ministry of Intelligence and the
regime's agents in Albania. This met with broad support from the German
delegation, which itself attested to a significant increase in the number of
secret service actions, even in Germany and Europe, including the planning of
an assassination attempt against the MEK and its supporters. Minister Majko and
opposition leader Basha underlined that the Tehran regime is busy spreading
negative propaganda against the MEK by using the press as an instrument.
On Monday evening the German delegation together with MEK
responsibles, representatives of the Albanian parliament and te civil society
organized a larger meeting under the title "Solidarity with the Iranian
resistance / enlightenment about Islamic fundamentalism and the way the Iranian
regime promotes terrorism in Europe and especially in the Balkan
countries". The meeting took place at the Hotel Tirana International. A
large number of personalities committed to political rights and human rights as
well as Albanian friends of the Iranian resistance were invited. The Albanian
press reported extensively on the conference, which left no doubt about the
support of the MEK.
Rita Süssmuth referred to the visit of the German
delegation to the settlement "Ashraf 3" and said: "The progress
of the MEK surprised us; it would not have been possible without the
constructive cooperation of the government and the citizens of Albania".
She went on: "They - the MEK - kept to their financial autonomy; they
themselves bore all the costs, namely the construction costs. They are
democrats, volunteers, alive and active, deeply opposed to the dictatorship and
committed to the cause of freedom". Martin Patzelt said: "The
situation in Iran is undergoing a profound change; we are seeing a change in
attitudes towards the regime. Europe has supported the nuclear agreement with
the regime, but the regime's internal and international crisis, its destructive
policies and its support of terrorism make it difficult for Europe to continue
to support it. The acts of terrorism committed by the regime in Europe are the
source of a serious crisis in its relations with our continent".
Otto Bernhardt called for the expulsion of the official
and informal agents of the regime's secret services. He said that the German
police had arrested a terrorist diplomat of Iran; he had recently been
extradited to Belgium to appear before a court there. The Iranian regime had
tried to prevent his expulsion. Another diplomat of the Iranian regime was
expelled from France, as were two of his diplomats from the Netherlands. France
has imposed a sanction on the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence. Europe has
decided to restrict the activities of the regime's secret services. If they are
allowed to operate freely in the heart of Europe, Europe’s security will be
jeopardised.
Bernhardt continued: "DSFI is convinced that it is
important for Albania to prevent Iranian secret agents from entering the
country. We are informed that the Iranian secret service ministry is working
very actively against the Iranian resistance here in Albania, and we understand
very well why the regime continues its propaganda. A regime overwhelmed by the
crisis and whose future is very much in question is trying to discredit and
attack this resistance - the most important alternative to it. Iranian opposition
leader Maryam Rajavi is a proven advocate of democracy. We must do all we can
to ensure that this resistance is recognised in Europe. Her ten-point plan for
Iran's future is fully in line with our values."
At these meetings, Bundestag member Patzelt spoke out in
favour of the MEK - as the group of Iranian freedom fighters working for
democracy and human rights. He called for an end to the religious dictatorship
in Iran.
29
November 2018
Protests
expose Iranian regime’s weakness
The latest uprising in the Islamic Republic of Iran
exposed an underlying sentiment that will not remain suppressed for long.
According to the opposition coalition National Council of
Resistance of Iran (NCRI), at least 8,000 people were detained within the first
two weeks; the regime admits to approximately half this number. Its judiciary
was quick to threaten death sentences for “those most responsible.”
There is little mystery about what sort of charges will
be used to justify such killings; a wide range of political offenses can result
in execution in the Islamic Republic, including membership in banned
organizations and the crime of mohabareh, or “enmity against God.” In fact, the
latter was codified in Iranian law largely for the purpose of establishing
death as the default punishment for members of the leading opposition group,
the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK).
Tehran has made every effort to suppress and destroy MEK
since the advent of the Islamic Republic. The organization played a role in the
1979 revolution against the Shah, but opposed the establishment of absolute
clerical rule. Since then, it has been a tireless advocate for regime change in
favour of a democratic system.
In 1988, at the end of the eight-year war between Iran
and Iraq, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa declaring all enemies of the
clerical regime “at war with God.” Those who refused to disavow their loyalty
to opposition groups were to be executed. As a result, political prisoners
throughout the country were hauled before “death commissions” for brief interrogations
to determine whether they would live or die.
In the summer of 1988 alone, approximately 30,000
dissidents were put to death, the overwhelming majority of them MEK members and
associates. Thousands more have been killed since, for offenses as insubstantial
as donating money to satellite news networks affiliated with the Iranian
opposition.
In the wake of the 2009 uprising, as dozens of people
were executed, assassinated or tortured to death, some were singled out for
harsh treatment on the basis of alleged connections to the MEK. The actual role
that the organization played in those protests is difficult to determine with
certainty, but given the widespread popularity of the MEK, it was no doubt
significant. That popularity has only grown since 2009, as has the
organization’s roster of allies in foreign governments and international policy
circles.
The latest protests are a prime example. Iran’s highest
authority, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, weighed in by placing much of the blame
upon the MEK. Referring to the group by the familiar pejorative term
“hypocrites,” Khamenei declared that they had been “ready for months” to
instigate the mass protests which spread to more than 100 towns and cities in a
matter of days.
He attributed one of the protesters’ slogans, “no to high
prices” exclusively to the PMOI. People in various localities were also heard
to chant “no Syria, no Iraq; I will give my life only for Iran,” signalling
that they were taking their cue from the MEK in condemning Tehran’s activities
in the broader Middle East.
Tens of thousands of Iranians had banded together in
calling for regime change, the central demand of the MEK and its parent
coalition, the NCRI, led by Maryam Rajavi. It was impossible for Khamenei or
other regime authorities to deny the MEK’s role. In turn, those same
authorities were forced to acknowledge their failure to stamp out Iran’s most
active and wide-ranging opposition movement.
This is not to imply that the regime’s efforts to destroy
the movement are over.
Quite the contrary.
By admitting the extent of the MEK’s influence, Khamenei
has potentially set the stage for a broader crackdown. There is no telling how
many Iranians could face capital punishment for merely protesting alongside the
MEK.
It is, therefore, crucial that Western governments, the
United Nations, and human rights organizations keep a close eye on Iran in the
aftermath of the protests, and make it clear that there will be serious
consequences for political violence and the suppression of the people’s will.
Now that even Khamenei has highlighted the strength of
the MEK and the popularity of its calls for regime change, Western leaders
should consider the implications for their Iran policy. Tehran has made every
effort to portray an image of stability, while denying that it faces serious
domestic threats. Now that the secret is out, the world should recognize the
opportunity that the MEK and the Iranian people have to bring democracy to
their country.
30
November 2018
Kermanshah
Earthquake, an Added Dilemma for Distressed People
Only one year after Kermanshah earthquake, and while the
people in different cities of the province are still living in tents or
trailers, another quake shook the area.
The 6.3 in magnitude earthquake shook vast parts of
western Iran at 8 pm local time, on November 25.
Initial estimates indicate that more than 700 were
injured and at least 7 people were killed.
Although precise data regarding the situation of those
affected by the earthquake is not at hand, a brief look at the circumstances
after last year’s earthquake speaks for itself.
The inhabitants of the earthquake stricken areas have
addressed their problems via the media times and again. The social activists
setting up tweeter campaigns have disclosed the regime’s inaction throughout
the last year.
While the regime abuses the official media as a mean to
cover up its inefficiencies, rubbing salt into the people’s wounds, the
deprived people even sell their kidneys to provide their lives and to rebuild
their homes.
In this regard, the head of the city council of Sarpol-e
Zahab, admitted: There are institutions that said they would support the
earthquake stricken people to the end, but they left the work unfinished and
handed the cases over to the Housing Foundation. Schools have been left
unfinished. Many people have cleaned the rubbles on their own expense. He also
revealed that some were willing to sell their kidneys for their construction
work. No promise has been put into practice. Unemployment has become viral
amongst the educated youths of Sarpol-e Zahab, one of the earthquake stricken
cities. (Simaye Azadi, Sep,14,2018)
But the question is; how many more earthquakes should
happen in order to secure the villages and cities in Iran against the quakes?
How many more innocent people, including children, should be killed so that the
national wealth would be used to rebuild and secure the earthquake-prone towns
instead of fuelling foreign conflicts? The main question is: When will this
disarray, which is directly caused by the corruption in the urbanization
system, end? Of course, this is only a small sample of the corruption that the
regime is plunged in.
This corrupt regime, not only hasn’t done much to help
the people in the earthquake stricken areas but also has stopped the nationwide
flow of aid to these areas.
Ironically, the regime did the honourable people who
rushed to aid our compatriots after the earthquake last year, including PMOI
supporters from Kermanshah who rushed to help, answering the call of Mrs.
Maryam Rajavi and the PMOI/MEK.
On November 25, after the recent earthquake, Mrs.
Maryam Rajavi sent a message of condolences to the
afflicted people and called on all the youths and fellow countrymen and
countrywomen to help the earthquake stricken people.
30
November 2018
Iran
Regime’s Desperate Manoeuvres
When Donald Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the nuclear deal
between Iran and six world powers, in May, many speculated that this would put
America on track for another war in the Middle East. This has not happened, not
even close, but many continue to bring it up as a possibility, so let’s assess
what that incredibly unlikely event would look like.
If the US wanted to engage in a full-scale military
campaign against Iran, their primary objective would be to destroy the Iranian
air force. This would not be a hard task as Iran flies outdated American-built
warplanes, so not only are their planes not up to code, the US knows exactly
what pressures to put on the Regime to make it break.
The best planes in Iran’s military arsenal are the
remaining Grumman F-14 Tomcats – 80 were ordered by the Imperial Iranian Air
Force prior to the 1979 revolution and 79 were delivered before US sanctions on
Iran came into play.
When it was developed in the late 1960s, the F-14A was
one of the most capable fighter jets in the world, with an AWG-9 long-range
pulse Doppler radar that had a range of over 115 nautical miles and allowed for
a multiple shot capability. It could even potentially target six enemy bombers
at the same time, although practical applications didn’t quite live up to that.
However, a technology that was top-of-the-line in the
1960s is barely usable today in most cases. Most people would be too nervous to
travel in a civilian aircraft from then and it’s not like they have to deal
with more advanced planes attacking them.
Iran has tried to upgrade the planes themselves over the
years, but various sanctions have left them using substandard equipment to fit
new avionics or weapons to the Tomcats. Even more pressing, only about 20 of
the planes are in flyable condition. While Iran also has about 20 Russian-made
Mikoyane MiG-29 Fulcrums, the dilapidated Tomcat would still be Iran’s first
line of defence against an American onslaught.
The US would lead the fight with their Lockheed Martin
F-22A Raptor, which is some of the most sophisticated military sensors on
earth. It combines stealth with supersonic speed, integrated avionics and
extreme agility. Its radar could spot an F-14 from many tens of nautical miles
away and attack before the Tomcat knew that an F-22 was in the vicinity.
The National Interest wrote: “The Raptor, having detected
a flight of Iranian F-14s and given the go-ahead to engage, would likely turn
toward the enemy and launch its Raytheon AIM-120D AMRAAM missile—which
reportedly has a range of 96 nautical miles when launched from a conventional
fighter—from high supersonic speeds exceeding Mach 1.5 and at altitudes well
above 50,000 ft. It would be all over for the Iranian F-14s before anyone in
the enemy formation would have any idea they were under attack.”
But what would happen if the Raptors had run out of
AMRAAMs and were forced to engage within visual range? Well, F-22s can close in
unobserved to less than 1000 ft, where they would be able to kill the F-14s
with Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinders or 20 mm Vulcan cannon fire. This is something
that F-22 pilots practice routinely during exercises and their target is mostly
caught unawares.
Simply, if there were a war between the US and Iran, the
US would win hands down. Iran is hardly capable of taking on Saudi Arabia
military, let alone the US.
30
November 2018
MEP
Delegation to Ashraf 3 Uncovers Iran Regime Lies
A high-level delegation of members of the European
Parliament, including two members of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee
and the deputy head of the Security and Defense Committee, have just returned
from a three-day-visit to Ashraf 3 – the new headquarters for Iranian Resistance
group People's Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in
Albania.
This momentous visit, which came at the same time that
150 MEPs from all political factions and groups sign a petition condemning
human rights abuse in Iran, showed the delegates the huge transformation of the
site in just the past year.
Since the MEK moved from the accommodation arranged by
the United Nations High Commission for Refugees into accommodation that they
purchased for themselves, they have constructed a small city that now features
shops, doctors’ offices, sports facilities, offices, restaurants, bakeries,
housing blocks, meeting halls, and studios.
Of course, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence is
determined to paint a different picture through their disinformation campaign
against the MEK, even going so far as to claim that Ashraf 3 is a prison that
no one can leave without permission and where many have been tortured to death.
They’ve even convinced naive journalists to hang around the perimeter fence or
fly drones across the centre, in order to intimidate the residents.
One of the Intelligence Ministry’s most bizarre claims is
that 38-year-old Somayeh Mohammadi is being held there against her will;
something seemingly backed up by the fact that her parents, both
Iranian/Canadian citizens, have previously been seen outside Camp Ashraf in
Iraq, hurling threats and abuse, with Regime agents standing nearby.
This is simply not true. In fact, the delegation of MEPs
met alone with Mohammadi, who told them that she had sadly disowned her father
years ago after he became an agent for the Regime. She explained that, although
she was certainly free to leave at any time, she wanted to stay at Ashraf 3 in
order to fight for the freedom of all Iranians.
The media seem willing to ignore the ongoing repression
in Iran, where anti-regime protests have been a fact of life for nearly a year,
preferring instead to get their “news” from the mouths of the oppressors who
need to discredit the opposition.
Struan Stevenson, coordinator of Campaign for Iran Change
and former member of the European Parliament representing Scotland, wrote: “It is for me a great sadness that
there are journalists today who ignore these issues and ignore the truth,
preferring instead to abuse and traduce men and women who have given up their
professional careers and family life to devote themselves to the cause of
ending oppression and tyranny in Iran.”
The Iranian Regime is lashing out because they know their
days are numbered, but when the mullahs fall, history should take note of those
who failed to do their duty and protected the Regime, rather than its victims.
30
November 2018
The
U.S. Indicts and Sanctions Iran Regime Agents for Cyber Attacks
The U.S. indicted two Iranians on Wednesday for launching
a major ransom ware cyber attack, known as "SamSam", and sanctioned
two others for exchanging the ransom payments from digital currency Bitcoin
into Iranian rials.
The 34-month long hacking scheme targeted over 200
victims, including schools, companies, hospitals, and government agencies,
including the cities of Atlanta, Georgia, and Newark, New Jersey. It caused
over $30 million damage, with some hospitals having to turn away patients and
the majority of Atlanta’s city government having to be shut down, and the
alleged hackers collected ransoms of roughly $6 million.
Charges
and sanctions
The six-count indictment, unsealed by the US District
Court for New Jersey, charges Iran-based Faramarz Shahi Savandi, 34, and
Mohammad Mehdi Shah Mansouri, 27 with one count of conspiracy to commit wire
fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud related to computers, and other
counts accusing them of intentionally damaging protected computers and
illegally transmitting demands related to protected computers.
Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski said:
"The allegations in the indictment unsealed today — the first of its kind
— outline an Iran-based international computer hacking and extortion scheme
that engaged in 21st-century digital blackmail."
The Treasury Department also announced sanctions against
Ali Khorashadizadeh and Mohammad Ghorbaniyan for exchanging the Bitcoin
payments into rials. Neither were named in the indictment, although it did
reference their activities.
What
will happen next?
It is unlikely that any of them will be held accountable
because the US does not have an extradition treaty with Iran, but Deputy
Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is confident that eventually, the US will be
able to catch them.
This is not likely to stop Iranian hackers, who often
work at the behest of the Regime, from committing further cyber attacks against
the US. Kimberly Goody, who manages financial crime analysis for cybersecurity
firm FireEye, explained that at most, the SamSam hackers would take a break to
modify their operations and make it more difficult to identify.
However, the bright spot is that the more the US learns
about Iran’s cyber attacks, the better they can prevent against the next ones.
Also, as the Iranian Regime is often ordering the hacks, further sanctions
against the Regime will cut off their funding and decrease the likelihood of
worse attacks.
Victims
While over 200 victims were identified, only 12 were
named in the Justice Department’s indictment, including:
1. Atlanta
2. Newark
3. Laboratory Corporation of American Holdings
4. Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc
5. The Colorado Department of Transportation
6. MedStar Health
7. San Diego Port
8. The University of Calgary
9. Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital
10. Mercer County Business
11. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Centre
12. Kansas Heart Hospital
30
November 2018
Regime’s
Ban of Telegram Is a Failure
Earlier this year, the Iranian regime made the decision
to ban Telegram – the most popular messaging service in Iran with more than 42
million regular users. The hardliners ordered internet service providers to
block access to the messaging service on 30th April.
Telegram has been an important tool for the people of
Iran and during the election process last year when President Hassan Rouhani
was re-elected for a second term its usage was widespread across the country.
The Iranian regime explained that the judiciary banned
the application because of the sheer number of lawsuits against Telegram.
An Iranian official said that they had contacted Telegram
to provide the regime with details about “offenders” but they did not get the
information they wanted. Amoli Larijani said the week after the ban was imposed
that Telegram is being used for nefarious purposes. He said: “That a messaging
[application] becomes a safe haven for criminal acts and individuals [to]
commit any criminal offense, from frauds to crimes against the reputation of
persons and terrorist acts, is not acceptable for any country. Is it reasonable
and logical to accept that a person, while offering some services in a physical
and realistic way, turns that place into a safe haven for criminals? Cyberspace
has exactly the same status."
Telegram has been banned several times in the past few
years, but the tech-savvy people of Iran have been able to get around the ban,
very easily, by using proxies. This time, the judiciary instructed internet
service providers to make sure that the people cannot bypass the ban by using
proxy tools. However, this was not effective because the people are still able
to find ways to use the application.
The regime urged the people to give up on the idea of using Telegram and presented an equivalent. However, the people were not interested in the regime’s applications. They know that they will be used to spy on the people so they refuse to open themselves up to further oppression and suppression.
The regime urged the people to give up on the idea of using Telegram and presented an equivalent. However, the people were not interested in the regime’s applications. They know that they will be used to spy on the people so they refuse to open themselves up to further oppression and suppression.
The ban is also being undermined by news agencies – both
hardliner and conservative ones, including Tasnim News Agency and Fars.
Oppression in Iran is continuing despite the widespread
discontent for this very reason. The people of Iran have been taking to the
streets in protest against many different problems for almost a year and the
situation threatens to explode at any second. To counter, or at least to try
and control the situation, the Iranian regime is carrying out mass arrests of
protesters. However, this is not dissuading the people from voicing their
dissent. In fact, it is making them more determined.
The people of Iran want regime change because they know
it is the only way in which they will ever experience freedom, democracy and
human rights in their country. They support the U.S. sanctions that are
crippling the economy because they know that the regime needs cut off from the
funds that it uses to spread chaos across the Middle East.
30
November 2018
Protests,
strikes in numerous cities
Sources
from across Iran are continuing to report numerous protests and strikes by
people from all walks of life on Thursday.
In
Kerman, clients of the Caspian credit firm, associated with the Revolutionary
Guards (IRGC), held a protest rally outside the company branch chanting:
“Where
is the people’s money?”
“With
all this embezzlement, where are the thieves heading?”
“Thieves
are all hand in hand, closing the path of justice”
In
Karaj, west of Tehran, personnel of the local Khomeini Hospital held a rally
once again on Thursday, demanding their delayed pay checks.
In
Sabzevar, northeast Iran, a group of Hakim Sabzevari University students held a
gathering protesting intensive security atmosphere and crackdown measures on
campus. The students are saying one of the university’s deputy deans is
constantly opening more cases against student activists.
In
Babol, northern Iran, clients of a regime-linked credit firm rallied on this
day, demanding their stolen money returned. This gathering was held outside the
city’s mayor office.
In
Khorramabad, western Iran, municipality workers of the city’s third district
held a protest rally demanding their paychecks that have been delayed for the
past few months.
On
Wednesday, sources from across Iran reported continuing protests involving
people from all walks of life.
170
employees of the Toulan Company, one of the contracting companies involved in
the Tehran-Northern Iran highway, rallied for the third consecutive day on
Wednesday. They are protesting not receiving their paychecks for the fourth
consecutive month or their New Year bonuses. The protesting workers were
rallying outside this company’s central workshop in the Zangule Bridge area of
Chalus Road leading from Tehran to northern Iran.
In
Abadan, southwest Iran, a number of municipality workers also rallied for the
third consecutive day outside the city’s main municipality building. Over 2,000
employees employed by the Abadan municipality and organizations linked to the
town hall have not been paid for three months now and are demanding their
delayed salaries.
As
regime officials refuse to pay a growing number of protesting workers across
Iran, the state-run Jahan-e San’at daily referred to the parallel
nature of escalating poverty and protests.
“People’s
living conditions, instead of a certain few, are bad and even very poor. High
prices are robbing people from anything to eat… The officials need only visit
the alleys, streets, markets, supermarkets and small stores to listen to
people’s protests and hopeless nature in regards to their living conditions,
and the concerning future that lies ahead. It has nothing to do with being a
dissident or not,” the report reads.
Students
of Tehran’s Art University also rallied on Wednesday, expressing their
solidarity with the protesting workers of Haft Tapeh in
Shush and steelworkers
in Ahvaz,
both in the southwest Iranian province of Khuzestan.
The
students were chanting:
“We’re
the workers’ children, we stand by their side”
“Haft
Tapeh, Khuzestan, the symbol of hard work”
“Like
it or not, all artists are political”
In
Tehran, people who had placed down payments to purchase Saipa cars and have not
received their vehicles rallied outside the company branch demanding answers
and the delivery of their promised cars.
In
Zanjan, northwest Iran, students of Zanjan University, also rallied to voice
solidarity with the protesting workers of Haft Tapeh sugar cane mill workers.
30
November 2018
Arrest
of labour activists and repressive measures to end the Haft Tappeh sugar mill
strike
The anti-human clerical regime, which has become furious
and aggravated by the strike and demonstrations of brave workers of the Haft
Tappeh sugar cane mill, on Thursday, November 29 arrested Mr. Ali Nejati,
former president of the Haft Tappeh sugar cane workers union, along with his
son, and transferred them to an unknown location. The repressive forces
arrested and beat him while he was suffering from heart disease and was badly
ill.
Despite these arrests and the presence of suppressive
forces in the city of Shush, the brave workers of Haft Tappeh sugar cane mill
continued their protest for the 25th day. They chanted in the gathering in
front of the regime's governorate: Imprisoned worker must be freed.
On the other hand, the governor, the regime’s MP and the
head of the Revolutionary Guards went to the area to force the workers to end
the strike by giving deceptive promises. But they were faced with a negative
response from the workers. Workers interrupted the speech of the member of the
regime's parliament by chanting slogans.
The Iranian Resistance calls on the UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights, the International Labor Organization, trade unions and labour
unions all over the world to take urgent action to free Ali Nejati and other
detained workers and to support striking workers.
30
November 2018
Chabahar,
Iran’s looted paradise
“Chabahar is important not only because it is one of
the most successful free areas of Iran, not only because it’s the only oceanic
port of the country, not only because it has one of the most beautiful places
in the world… Chabahar is important because it is a paradise of
unknowns that will astonish any tourist with its beauties.”
That is how a state-run Iranian website
describes Chabahar in an ad aimed at tourists. But in reality,
while Chabahar is a paradise for tourists, it is also a living hell
for its citizens.
Chabahar is the only oceanic port of Iran, located
in the southeast fringes of the country in the poor province of Sistan Baluchistan.
This strategic port is inhabited by hardworking and hospitable people who are
unfortunately struggling with extreme poverty imposed by the ruling mullahs and
the notorious Revolutionary Guards.
Chabahar is one of the free-trade regions of the
country, which effectively makes it a very lucrative venue for the IRGC’s
smuggling activities. The port has become one of the “light-off” ports of the
Revolutionary Guards, which means they use it to smuggle goods in and out of
the country without documenting them. The IRGC uses this port for a variety of
illicit activities, including the transfer of funds and weapons to their
terrorist proxies.
Looking at Chabahar’s beauties, any observer would
conclude that its people would have to live in happiness. But under the rule of
the mullahs, Chabahar has become one of the poorest and most underprivileged
areas of the country and its people are living in utter misery.
Chabahar has now effectively become the dominion of
India, and the employment situation for the locals of the city has become even
less favourable as workers from the contracting country pour into the port
city.
The government is considering many plans for Chabahar,
but the benefits of those plans effectively trickle into the pockets of anyone
but the inhabitants of Chabahar.
When you look at state-run news
outlets, Chabahar is a beautiful port with unrivaled tourist
attractions. And to be fair, the images shown from Chahabar are truly stunning.
On the other hand, Chabahar always plays a
special role in the commercial and industrial plans of the regime. Some of
these plans include the creation of petrochemical complexes, transit port,
joint gas pipeline projects with other states and more.
Even if it had none of these facilities, Chabahar’s
beautiful and vast sea would be enough to ensure the comfortable livelihood of
its citizens. Chahbahar’s water sources are rich with resources and can
feed large portions of the Iranian population, including the Sistan Baluchistan
province. However, presently, the poor fishermen of the city are suffering the
consequences of the regime’s fishing contracts with other countries, which is
making it harder and harder for them to make ends meet every
day. Chabahar fishers are now considered strangers in their own waters,
where companies from China, South Korea, and Thailand have become dominant and
are not leaving any space for the locals.
Chabahar previously possessed rich farmlands which
was unique across the country. But the non-standard construction projects by
the Iranian regime, which are aimed at benefitting regime-owned companies and
institutions, the inhabitants of Chabahar are faced with the drying
of water sources and subsidence. The same problems that farmers in Isfahan and
other areas of the county are facing are now challenging the livelihoods of the
people of Chabahar, even though they are living on the sides of a huge
ocean.
The lands of the farmers of Chabahar are sinking because
government institutions are over-exploiting underground water sources
Like other places in Iran, the people of Chabahar are
faced with poverty, drought and unemployment. In addition, the region’s
population is faced with increasing oppressive measures by the IRGC and the
suppressive forces of the ruling regime, and the people of Chabahar have to
weather all the hardships and also face assaults by the IRGC forces.
However, the regime is reaping what it has sowed for four
decades as uprisings and protests continue to expand across Iran. The people of
Chabahar too, like all other regions of Iran, will sooner or later turn on the
tyrants who have deprived them of their most basic rights.
30
November 2018
Three
international NGOs: Calling for the G20 Summit in Argentina to hold accountable
the terrorism of the Iranian regime
The Gulf European Centre for Human Rights (GECHR), the
Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (BHRWS), and the International Message for
Human Rights (IMHR) support in joint statement to condemn the Iranian regime's
policy of supporting terrorism and extremism in the Middle East and the world
and called on the international community to unite against Iran's nuclear
program, which threatens peace and stability in the region and the world.
As the G20 prepares to meet in Buenos Aires on November
30 to discuss the economy and international peace, three NGOs call on member
states to work cooperatively to pressure the Iranian regime to abandon its
nuclear and terrorist efforts, which are destabilising peace and security in
the region and the world.
The theme of the Argentine presidency of the G20 is
"Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development". But
achieving development requires security and stability, which Iran has
consistently undermined. Over the past years, Argentina was influenced by
Iranian-sponsored terrorism, for example the terrorist attack that targeted
Argentina in July 1994.
As US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, Iran provided
logistical support for two suicide attacks on Argentina, one in 1992 and then
again in 1994. These attacks killed a total of 114 people and wounded nearly
500, and the 1994 bombing was the most Terrorist in the history of Argentina.
Even now, in 2018, Iran's threat to international peace
continues unabated. In November, Argentina arrested two of its national
citizens on suspicion of planning an attack with Hezbollah on foreign targets
in Buenos Aires.
The G20 has the ability to focus on Iranian activity that
threatens peace and stability, having a negative impact on human rights and
violates the sovereignty of states by supporting extremism and terrorism. As
Argentina has an experience and knowledge of the Iranian regime’s activity in
targeting stability and peace, the G-20 Summit in Argentina can discuss Iran's
sponsorship of terrorism, extremism and human rights violations around the
world, specifically the Middle East.
The three international NGOs urge the G20 Summit to focus
on Iranian activity and also demand the Trump administration to continue its
important work in forming a global consensus against the Iranian regime's
policies in support of terrorism, extremism, violation of human rights and
affecting state sovereignty.
30
November 2018
Muqtada
al-Sadr and rising tensions between Iran and Iraq
Economic and political tensions are rising between Iran
and Iraq. One of the major contributors is the souring of Muqtada al-Sadr’s
personal relationship with Iran and, to a lesser extent, Iraq’s cooperation
with the sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States this month.
For much of his career as the leader of the Sadr Trend,
Muqtada al-Sadr has had a very close relationship with the Iranian leadership –
both political and religious. Al-Sadr rose to prominence opposing the Americans
in Iraq after the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein. He has been their main
operative in Iraq for much of the time since.
In the Iraqi national elections earlier this year,
al-Sadr positioned himself as the champion of Iraqi nationalism and the
candidate that would lead Iraq out from under everyone’s skirts and be truly
independent and self-sufficient.
In a historically low turnout election boycotted by the
overwhelming majority of Iraqis because of fears of corruption, al-Sadr was
swept to victory by his loyal followers who voted by almost all by themselves.
After his surprise victory, the people were hopeful that
his pre-election rhetoric would indicate what al-Sadr would actually do now
that he was in legitimate power.
Sadly, the first thing al-Sadr did was to combine with
the Iranian parties to form a coalition government. Together, these two
factions enjoy a coalition that makes-up almost one half of parliament – almost
enough to form a government apart from any other help.
Iran was delighted with the result and al-Sadr was their
man in Baghdad – or so they thought. Before long, al-Sadr showed a few streaks
of independence. He was (and almost certainly still is) willing to fully
cooperate with Iran but now on his own terms and timetables, not Tehran’s.
Iran has balked and has further signaled to al-Sadr that
he had better toe the line. To that end, Tehran has begun to independently fund
Ahl al-Haq, the heretofore Sadrist militant arm. Now these militants work
directly for Tehran and not al-Sadr.
After his surprise victory, the people were hopeful that
his pre-election rhetoric would indicate what al-Sadr would actually do now
that he was in legitimate power. (AFP)
Signals
to Tehran
In response, al-Sadr has started a process of subtle
signals to Tehran. Curiously, imports from Iran have been turned back at the
Iraqi border crossings across Iraq. Dozens of shipments food stuffs and other
comestibles have been rejected by the Iraqi inspectors as “substandard.”
This is unheard of and very new. Perhaps, Al-Sadr knows
that the Iranian economy depends on regular and consistent sales to one of its
largest trading partners, Iraq.
Further, Iranians have insisted on hard currency from
Iraq to pay its light bill. Iraq buys electricity from Iranian power stations
to supplement Iraq’s chronic electricity shortage. Unable to pay in dollars
because of the US sanctions, Iraq offered its own currency (the dinar) as
payment.
Iran refused and is insisting on Euros, at least. This
situation is as of yet unresolved largely because al-Sadr may be tweaking the
regime into both giving him the independence that he wants and the funding from
Tehran he needs at the same time.
Other subtle signs of cracking in the long relationship
are showing-up in other ways as well. The new Prime Minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi,
is trying very hard to finish the formulation of his government. The important
ministries of Defense and Interior along with six others are still unfilled.
There was to be a vote on Monday on the slate offered by
Abdul-Mahdi but it was postponed by leadership. The candidate for the Interior
is the former leader of the Public Mobilization Force (PMF). The PMF was the
military arm of the successful fight against ISIS in Iraq.
Moqtada al-Sadr (L) during a news conference with Iraqi
prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad on May 20, 2018. (Iraqi Prime
Minister Media Office/Handout via Reuters)
Since those victories, the PMF has been entirely
infiltrated by Iranian influence and is currently serving Iran’s needs on the
borders rather than Iraq’s. Recent tweets by this leader reflect that he wishes
be “totally independent from the government” (that is widely interpreted to
mean, ‘serving Tehran instead’).
The PMF figures prominently into the friction. It is the
PMF that facilitates this action by its control of the Syrian and Iranian
border crossings into and out of Iraq in the North – where Iranian movement of
oil, money and other necessities takes place to and from Damascus.
As observed by the State Department in imposing sanctions
against Iran earlier this month, “The United States sanctioned an international
network by which the Iranian regime and Russia are providing millions of
barrels of oil to the Assad regime in exchange for the movement of hundreds of
millions of dollars to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, and
for onward transfer to terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezballah.”
With his objections to the PMF leader taking over the
Ministry of the Interior, al-Sadr signalled to Iran that Iranian influence in
Iraq must be filtered through him and not independently through some other,
well-placed minister in Iraq.
As the Iranian economy continues to spiral downward, the
Iranian rial becomes worth less and less each day. Understanding this, al-Sadr
is turning the screws on his Iranian patrons to give him more leash. For now,
if Iran wants to continue to exert influence over Iraq through al-Sadr, they
may have to see it his way.
However, Tehran and al-Sadr have resisted any outward
detente, of any sort.
30
November 2018
US
provides new evidence on Iran violating UN arms export ban in Yemen
The US special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said on
Thursday that Iran provides Houthis with missiles to target Saudi Arabia.
Hook displayed rockets, missiles, small arms and debris
from an Iranian drone that he says were intended for Houthis in Yemen and the
Taliban in Afghanistan.
He also repeated US claims that Iran is boosting its
supply of weapons to Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement for use in support of
President Bashar Assad’s forces in Syria as well as Shiite militia in Iraq.
The material shows Iran is determined to send “even more
weapons into the hands of even more of its proxies,” he said.
“We need to get serious about going after this stuff,”
Hook told reporters.
Hook said an Iranian-designed surface-to-air missile with
markings in Farsi, the official language of Iran, had been intended for the
Houthis in Yemen but was seized by Saudi Arabia. He said it showed the brazenness
of Iran’s intentions.
“The conspicuous Farsi markings is Iran’s way of saying
they don’t mind being caught violating UN arms restrictions,” he said.
Hook did not specify when the weaponry had been seized,
but the UN Security Council in 2007 expanded an embargo on arms sales to Iran
to include arms exports from Iran.
Even under the sanctions relief provided by the nuclear
deal the export ban remains in place until 2021 for conventional weapons and
until 2024 for missiles.
30
November 2018
The
EU's Problematic Iran Strategy
Earlier this month at a meeting of foreign ministers in
Brussels, the Union announced support
for sanctioning measures that had been put in place by the
government of France, in
response to Iranian terror threats.
This is a step in the right direction for European policy
toward the Islamic Republic of Iran,
albeit a tentative one. This decision set the stage for expanding the French
measures so they are applied throughout the EU, but the multinational body has
yet to take actual, concrete steps toward exerting comprehensive pressure on
Iran's Islamist regime.
All progress is worthy of recognition, but this action is
long overdue and doesn't go far enough. The French sanctions on agents of Iran's
Ministry of Intelligence and Security stem from a foiled
plot at an international gathering of roughly 100,000 supporters
of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
just outside Paris. The June 30 Iran Freedom rally was also attended by
hundreds of political dignitaries (including from Italy) and Middle East policy
experts from throughout Europe, North America and the world.
Immediately after Belgian police arrested the two
would-be bombers en route to the gathering, German authorities arrested the
Iranian diplomat who had provided the explosives to those operatives while
serving in his position at the Iranian Embassy in Vienna.
It was not until October that French intelligence
announced the end of an exhaustive investigation, which left no doubt that the
plot had originated at the highest levels of the Iranian government.
Even after all of that information was confirmed by
French intelligence, the leadership of the EU continued to drag its heels. One
wonders if they would have supported the French sanctions measures at all, had
the Iranian terror threat not reared its head once in October. It was then
that Danish
officials arrested an Iranian-Norwegian dual national on
suspicion of plotting the assassination of multiple Iranian dissidents living
in Denmark.
The revelation of that plot led the Danish Foreign Ministry to exert pressure
on its fellow EU member states to take action that would truly demonstrate
European intolerance for Iranian scheming.
The decision also came in the wake of 150 members of
the European Parliament (MEPs) condemning European "silence" not only
on the topic of Iranian terror threats against the West but also regarding
Iran's destabilizing influence in the Middle East and its penchant for severe
and escalating human rights abuses on its own soil.
Such silence is a betrayal of the most closely held
European values, and it is troubling to think that the EU leadership would
require more than four months of reflection and the organized appeals of dozens
of MEPs and more than one member state before it even began to consider that
reversal.
The first signs of a surge of Iranian threats in Europe
emerged in March, when authorities in Albania had arrested Iranian operatives
who were planning to attack 2,500 members of the NCRI's main constituent group,
the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK),
an Iranian political-militant organization that is considered the Iranian
government's biggest political opposition group. It was immediately obvious to
Iranian resistance activists and their supporters in Western policy circles
that this plot was only one aspect of the regime's backlash against widespread
anti-government protests in Iran, which were organized in large part by the
MEK.
The Albanian terror plot closely coincided with Iran's
Nowruz holiday, whereupon Maryam Rajavi,
the president-elect of the NCRI, issued a statement urging Iranians to continue
protesting until they secured "final victory" over the theocratic
dictatorship. And that statement appeared to spur additional demonstrations
following the first round of protests in January 2018.
Given that the protests are ongoing throughout the
Islamic Republic, it should be clear that silence over the Iranian regime's behaviour
is detrimental not only to the security of Western nations but also to the
prospects for human rights and democracy in Iran and the broader Middle East.
So why would the EU or its member states hesitate to take action that would
convincingly condemn Tehran for its far-reaching, violent response to domestic
unrest.
Sadly, the answer boils down to greed, because these very
tentative steps were arguably undone by the decision to continue pushing for
the establishment of the "special purpose vehicle" (SPV) that would
supposedly ease transactions with Iran, in defiance of U.S. sanctions. For what
it's worth, little concrete progress has been made on the SPV, largely because
no EU member state has yet stepped forward to take the risk of hosting it.
The EU strategy of expanding relations with Iran while
overlooking terror threats and human rights violations is doomed to collapse.
It would be far preferable for the EU to abandon that approach and underscore
its commitment to the core values of Western society.
With this in mind, all European policymakers and citizens
who cherish those values should join 150 MEPs in putting pressure on European
leaders to reaffirm those values and let Iran know that from now on, its
relations with the Western world will be contingent upon substantial tangible
improvements in the behaviour of the Iranian government at home and abroad.
30 November
2018
THOUSANDS
of Iranians stage ‘DEATH TO ROUHANI’ protests in defiance of ‘ROTTEN’ regime
Massive demonstrations of steel and sugar cane workers
began two weeks ago. Teachers joined them in solidarity last week chanting
anti-regime slogans such as “death to Rouhani” in nationwide walkouts. The
workers demanded their unpaid salaries, better working conditions and the
release of their imprisoned colleagues.
Iranian dissident Hossein Abedini of the National Council
of Resistance of Iran - who was targeted in an assassination attempt in Turkey
- has spoken to Express.co.uk about the situation, which could see
the protestors publicly executed for what the regime sees as serious crimes.
He said: “The Iranian people believe the regime is rotten
in its entirety.
“During the protests, people have been shouting ‘down
with Khamenei’ and ‘death to Rouhani’.
Iran is now in a very explosive situation.
The strikes have been going on all over the country
“There have been mass protests and strikes going on all
over the country.
“What started in December last year has expanded to the
whole country.”
The protestors, who are risking their lives by simply
exercising freedom of speech, have been chanting: “Even if we die, we will get
our rights.”
The strike action of the Haft Tappeh sugarcane mill and
Ahvaz Steelworks prompted Sadegh Larijani, the head of the regime's judiciary,
to arrive on the scene.
Mr Larijani attempted to intimate the strikers, saying:
“We must deal with those who want to disrupt the order of the country, under
the pretext of pursuing the demands of workers.
“Workers should not allow their demands to be an excuse
for the use of enemies and to create disorder.”
The repressive forces of the regime tried to prevent the
demonstrations, but despite the intensive presence of state security forces,
anti-riot guards and plainclothes officers, the workers continued their strike
for the third week.
The disenchanted Iranians gathered in front of regime
buildings in the south-western city of Ahvaz, broke the blockade of repressive
forces and rallied in the streets.
The protestors have been chanting anti-regime slogans as
they hope the topple Rouhani
Video footage shows them shouting as they were
accompanied by a group of Ahvazi youth: “We stand, we die, we get our rights,
the worker dies, he does not accept humiliation.”
Despite the very real threat to their lives, the strikers
plan to continue their industrial action to demand regime change.
Mr Abedini was almost killed by the Iranian regime
because of his open opposition to its brutal ways.
Of the failed assassination attempt, he said: “I was in
Turkey when my car was ambushed and I was shot in my chest, close to my heart. “It
very narrowly missed my heart.”
He added: “Even when I was in hospital they tried to
finish me off - pretending to be Turkish police.
“So as a survivor, I am able to speak out against the
regime.”
30
November 2018
World
War 3 WARNING: Iran leader Rouhani vows to DEFEAT Trump as tensions peak
IRAN
President Hassan Rouhani has vowed to “defeat” Donald Trump after the US
unleashed fresh sanctions on Tehran.
The
White House re-imposed biting economic restrictions after hauling the US out of
a key 2015 global deal that limited Iran’s nuclear abilities. A fresh wave
of US sanctions launched at the start of November are targeting Iran’s oil
sector, drawing anger from Tehran. Mr Rouhani said: “The Americans will
definitely be defeated in this path.
“The
path they have chosen is wrong and incorrect.
"If
they are being honest and they are looking for regional security, this is not
the path.
“If
they are being honest and respect the Iranian people, this is not the
path."
The
new sanctions ban foreign companies from dealing in Iranian crude oil.
Donald
Trump signs off on new Iranian sanctions in May, 2018 (Image: Getty)
Under
Mr Trump's latest barrage of measures, companies trading with Iran would be
banned from doing business in the US.
Tehran’s
energy, shipping and financial sectors have also been targeted.
Mr
Trump vowed that companies trading with Iran would be hit by secondary
sanctions but the EU wants to support companies that trade with Iran.
The
US President hauled the US out of a 2015 deal that imposed strict controls on
Iran’s nuclear programme.
30
November 2018
World
War 3: US warns Iran MILITARY ACTION is 'on the table' as Tehran poses GRAVE
threat
THE US has sent a stark warning to Iran, claiming
military action could be used if sanctions against the country fail to curb
Tehran from delivering weapons to hostile groups in the region.
Addressing a press conference at Joint Base
Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, Brian Hook, the State Department special
representative on Iran, said there is evidence of Tehran’s violation of UN
resolutions against weapons proliferation. When asked about possible next steps
the White House could take against Iran in its “maximum pressure” campaign against
the country, Mr Hook said: “We have been very clear with the Iranian regime
that we will not hesitate to use military force when our interests are
threatened. “I think they understand that. I think they understand that very
clearly.
"I think right now, while we have the military
option on the table, our preference is to use all of the tools that are at our
disposal diplomatically."
Mr Hook spoke during the event which was held to display
an array of weapons and military paraphernalia allegedly deployed by Tehran to
militant groups in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan.
He added: “This is simply putting out in broad daylight
Iran’s missiles and small arms and rockets and UAVs and drones.
"It’s very important for nations to see with their
own eyes that this is a grave and escalating threat."
The Trump administration said military action may be the
only solution against Iran.
Mr Hook said there is evidence of Tehran’s violation of
UN resolutions against weapons proliferation
The White House claimed the Iranian corporate logos on
arms fragments is the proof the weapons came from Tehran.
Katie Wheelbarger, the principal deputy assistant
secretary of defence for international security affairs, noted the Trump
administration wants “there to be no doubt across the world that this is a
priority for the United States and that it is in the international interest to
address it”.
Mr Hook's remarks come only a week after President Hassan
Rouhani said all Muslim nations should unite to stand against Washington and Israel.
Speaking at the 32nd international conference on Islamic
unity in Tehran on Saturday, President Rouhani insisted that in order to
achieve victory over the US, Muslim countries should cooperate.
Rouhani insisted that in order to achieve victory over the
US, Muslim countries should cooperate.
He said: ”Today, the Muslim world is alone and Muslims
should join hands.
“Relying on outsiders is the biggest historical mistake.
“Today, there is no way for Muslims except unity and
solidarity and if we unite, we can undoubtedly score a victory against the
Zionists and the Americans.”
Relations between Tehran and Washington deteriorated
rapidly after President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in May and re-imposed
sanctions on Tehran.
President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in
May and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran (Image: GETTY)
The deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
(JCPOA), was intended to curb Iran’s nuclear energy programme, which the West
maintained was to create a nuclear bomb.
The JCPOA stipulated that Iran must limit its nuclear
programme in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions, but
Trump rejected the deal and said it was a “horrible one-sided” nuclear
agreement.
He said the agreement was flawed because it did not
include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its support for
proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.
Iran’s government has ruled out negotiations with
Washington over its military capabilities, particularly its missile programme
run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards.
The Middle Eastern nation, which insists its missile
programme is purely defensive, has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through
the Strait of Hormuz if the US tries to strangle Iranian oil exports.
30
November 2018
Treasury
Designates Iran-Based Financial Facilitators of Malicious Cyber Activity and
for the First Time Identifies Associated Digital Currency Addresses
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign
Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against two Iran-based
individuals, Ali Khorashadizadeh and Mohammad Ghorbaniyan, who
helped exchange digital currency (bitcoin) ransom payments into Iranian rial on
behalf of Iranian malicious cyber actors involved with the SamSam ransomware scheme
that targeted over 200 known victims. Also today, OFAC identified two
digital currency addresses associated with these two financial facilitators.
Over 7,000 transactions in bitcoin, worth millions of U.S. dollars, have
processed through these two addresses - some of which involved SamSam
ransomware derived bitcoin. In a related action, the U.S. Department of Justice
today indicted two Iranian criminal actors for infecting numerous data networks
with SamSam ransomware in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada since
2015.
“Treasury is targeting digital currency exchangers
who have enabled Iranian cyber actors to profit from extorting digital ransom
payments from their victims. As Iran becomes increasingly isolated and
desperate for access to U.S. dollars, it is vital that virtual
currency exchanges, peer-to-peer exchangers, and other providers
of digital currency services harden their networks against these
illicit schemes,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and
Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker. “We are publishing digital
currency addresses to identify illicit actors operating in the digital currency
space. Treasury will aggressively pursue Iran and other rogue
regimes attempting to exploit digital currencies and weaknesses in cyber
and AML/CFT safeguards to further their nefarious objectives.”
Today’s action focuses on a ransom ware scheme known as
“SamSam” that has victimized numerous corporations, hospitals, universities,
and government agencies and held over 200 known victims’ data hostage for
financial gain. To execute the SamSam ransomware attack, cyber actors
exploit computer network vulnerabilities to gain access and copy the SamSam
ransomware into the network. Once in the network, these cyber actors use
the SamSam ransomware to gain administrator rights that allow them to take
control of a victim’s servers and files, without the victim’s
authorization. The cyber actors then demand a ransom be paid in bitcoin
in order for a victim to regain access and control of its own network.
Central to the SamSam ransomware scheme’s success
were Khorashadizadeh and Ghorbaniyan, who helped the cyber
actors exchange digital currency derived from ransom payments into Iranian rial
and also deposited the rial into Iranian banks. To help convert the
digital currency ransom payments into
rial, Khorashadizadeh and Ghorbaniyan used the following
two digital currency addresses: 149w62rY42aZBox8fGcmqNsXUzSStKeq8C
and 1AjZPMsnmpdK2Rv9KQNfMurTXinscVro9V.
Since 2013, Khorashadizadeh and Ghorbaniyanhave
used these two digital currency addresses to process over 7,000 transactions,
to interact with over 40 exchangers—including some US-based exchangers—and to
send approximately 6,000 bitcoin worth millions of USD, some of which involved
bitcoin derived from SamSam ransomware.
While OFAC routinely provides identifiers for designated
persons, today’s action marks the first time OFAC is publicly attributing
digital currency addresses to designated individuals. Like traditional
identifiers, these digital currency addresses should assist those in the
compliance and digital currency communities in identifying transactions and
funds that must be blocked and investigating any connections to these
addresses. As a result of today’s action, persons that engage in
transactions with Khorashadizadeh and Ghorbaniyan could be
subject to secondary sanctions. Regardless of whether a transaction is
denominated in a digital currency or traditional fiat currency, OFAC compliance
obligations are the same. See OFAC’s
updated FAQ’s for additional information on
compliance requirements for digital currencies.
OFAC designated Iran-based Khorashadizadeh and Ghorbaniyan pursuant
to Executive Order 13694, as amended, for having materially assisted,
sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or
goods or services to or in support of, the SamSam ransomware attacks. The
SamSam ransomware attacks are cyber-enabled activities originating from, or
directed by, persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the
United States that are reasonably likely to result in, or have materially
contributed to, a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy,
or economic health or financial stability of the United States that have the
purpose or effect of harming, or otherwise significantly compromising the
provision of services by, a computer or network of computers that support one
or more entities in a critical infrastructure sector, causing a significant
disruption to the availability of a computer or network of computers, and
causing a significant misappropriation of funds or economic resources, trade
secrets, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or
competitive advantage or private financial gain.
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests
in property of the designated persons that are in the possession or control of
U.S. persons or within or transiting the United States are blocked, and U.S.
persons generally are prohibited from dealing with them.
Today’s action marks the fourth round of U.S. sanctions
targeting the Iranian regime this month. Under this Administration, in
less than two years, OFAC has sanctioned more than 900 individuals, entities,
aircraft, and vessels, including for a range of activities related to Iran’s
support for terrorism, ballistic missile program, weapons proliferation,
cyberattacks, transnational criminal activity, censorship, and human rights
abuses. This marks the highest-ever level of U.S. economic pressure
targeting the Iranian regime. This sanctions pressure campaign is designed to
blunt the broad spectrum of the Iranian regime’s malign activities and compel
the regime to change its behaviour.
OFAC closely coordinated its action with the
Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
which released details regarding its law enforcement action
against the two Iranian criminal cyber actors.
30
November 2018
Arrest
of labour activists, suppressive measures to end sugarcane mill strike
The Iranian regime, furious and aggravated by the strike
and demonstrations of courageous workers of the Haft Tappeh sugar cane mill, on
Thursday November 29 arrested Mr. Ali Nejati, former president of the Haft
Tappeh sugarcane workers’ union, along with his son, and transferred them to an
unknown location. The repressive forces arrested and beat him while he was
suffering from heart disease and was badly ill.
Despite these arrests and the presence of suppressive
forces in the city of Shush, the brave workers of Haft Tappeh sugar cane mill
continued their protest for the 25th day. They chanted in the gathering in
front of the regime's governorate: Imprisoned worker must be freed.
On the other hand, the governor, the regime’s MP and the
head of the Revolutionary Guards went to the area to force the workers to end
the strike by giving deceptive promises. But they were faced with a negative
response from the workers. Workers interrupted the speech of the member of the
regime's parliament by chanting slogans.
The Iranian Resistance calls on the UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights, the International Labour Organization, trade unions and labour
unions all over the world to take urgent action to free Ali Nejati and other
detained workers and to support striking workers.
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