THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:30 PM CET
IRGC Aerospace Commander Still Tries to Cover-up Downing of PS752
Recent statements by Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Unit, who blatantly tried to cover up the downing of the Ukrainian passenger jet in 2020, have angered the families of victims.
“We wanted to announce the incident, but was that easy? So it took 48 hours,” Hajizadeh claimed while adding: “The question remains how such a large plane could not return to the airport and land while it was hit by a missile with only a few kilograms of explosives.”
On Jan. 8, 2020, the Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 near Tehran with two surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 people aboard. The incident was initially denied by state officials for three days but eventually, Tehran acknowledged that IRGC was responsible for the downing.
Iranians Rallied and Protested on Wednesday
The protesting farmers, who have spent the last 8 nights in the cold, near the Khajoo Bridge, continued their protest rally today. They demand their rights to water and want to force the state to save the Zayandehrood River from drying.
The workers of Tabriz Tractor Manufacturing went on strike today, protesting their low salaries.
Scammed clients of Reagan Khodro Company and Shahr Khodro staged a protest rally in front of the regime’s parliament and marched toward the Public Relations Office of the Judiciary. They are protesting the state’s refusal to address such a large case of corruption and systemic theft.
The workers of Barez Kurdistan Rubber Company went on strike today, protesting the low salaries and systemic fraud by the factory’s authorities. The job security of the company’s 750 employees, as well as other 500 people who are indirectly employed by the firm, is currently in limbo due to the mishandling of its management.
Scammed clients of the Caspian Financial Institution held a protest rally in front of the liquidation committee in Tehran today, protesting the officials’ failure to proceed with the court hearing and address their complaints.
Security guards of the Golshahr-Hashtgerd subway held a rally today, to protest the officials’ failure to pay their salaries and insurance premiums.
UPDATE: 10:00 PM CET
Security Forces Killed and Wounded in Clashes with Armed Locals
According to the Balochistan Observatory Telegram Channel and later confirmed by state media, the commander of the Abuzar Operation Base was killed in clashes with local gunmen in the western part of the Samsur plains today. Independent reports suggest that at least four soldiers have been killed and seven others wounded so far. One gunman was also reported as killed.
Those identified as dead were Colonel Mehdi Tosang, the commander of the Abuzar Operation Base in Kerman as well as Ehsan Shirkhani, and Rezvani. These identified as wounded were Mohsen Alaei, Mohammad Sadegh Moinnejad, Ali Zul Ala, and Ali Tanvardi.
The state-run ILNA news agency wrote: “Since yesterday evening, the rangers of the Abuzar Operational Base clashed with a convoy of armed men while patrolling the protected area in the Samsur plains on the border between Kerman and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces.”
ILNA quoted the head of the Kerman police force as saying that the conflict is still ongoing.
UPDATE: 7:30 PM CET
US Bureau of Counterterrorism Highlights The Role of the Iranian Regime in Regional Terrorism
The United States Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism has submitted a draft of the 2022 Counter-Terrorism Statement to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Part of this statement that refers to the Iranian regime’s terrorism reads: “Iran and its affiliated groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, continue to carry out dangerous and destabilizing activities in the Middle East and beyond… Iran provides its proxy forces with advanced technology, financial support, and weapons, as it facilitates terrorist attacks throughout the region.”
UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET
MP Admits To State’s Bankruptcy and Total Disperse Among the Ruling Class
In his address to the Iranian regime’s parliament today, Morteza Mahmoudvand, a member of the parliament said: “Some guy just went on national TV and officially but rudely said that Mr. Qalibaf, the parliament speaker is corrupt. Why is such a person allowed to destroy the head of the legislative branch? Isn’t this an attack against the state? Isn’t this a security issue? Well, who’s going to get burned here? Today, everyone is slamming the parliament, its speaker, the MPs, the commissions, just everything. Do you know why? Because… they are here to overthrow the system.”
Referring to the elite class, the offspring of the officials who are living overseas, he added: “A large number of these nobles are living in America. Where did they get this legendary wealth from?… That woman who participated in the (US) embassy takeover, is now living with the highest living standards in America. Where did she take the money from?”
The Iranian MP said: “Let’s assume the new government has inherited the economy in a bad shape, where there is nothing left in the treasury and as the former government’s spokesman has said, we’re dealing with fraud, mafia gangs, and dirty lobbies. But the Iranian nation’s wealth today is in Canada, in America, in Austria, and it is in Switzerland. I am giving you the exact addresses.”
Oil Pipe Explosion in Khuzestan, South Iran
According to state news agencies, in the Ramshir district of Khuzestan Province, an oil pipeline exploded this morning. Locals told the intensity of the explosion was so great that it shook the entire around Ramis village. Details about human losses or damages in this accident are unknown.
UPDATE: 11:00 AM CET
Iran’s State Media Mock Raisi’s Bogus Claims for Reform
“In less than a year, the realities of governing have forced Raisi’s administration to back down from promising people the earth,” the state-run Hamdeli daily wrote on November 16.
“By comparing the circumstances of the last 100 days with the status-quo, one could easily understand the failure of Raisi in fulfilling his promises,” wrote the state-run Mostaghel daily on November 16.
State-run Daily: Social Restlessness Would Completely Paralyze Raisi’s Government
In an article on November 16, the state-run Etemad daily acknowledged the amplifying public hatred toward Ebrahim Raisi’s government.
“The current public opinion of Iranians, affected by propaganda, is against Raisi’s government. Hence, even possessing other necessary elements, [Raisi] cannot be successful,” Etemad wrote. “The efforts to seal the lips of critics and stamping out their media, even if practical, would worsen the situation.”
“Social restlessness would completely paralyze the government,” Etemad warned.
Kuwait Resorts to Firm Action Against Tehran-backed Hezbollah
The Kuwaiti security service has designated about 100 foreign nationals living in the country on charges of having links to the Lebanese Hezbollah group. The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas reported on Tuesday, November 16, that Kuwait has asked the people in question to leave the country along with their families.
Most of these people are Lebanese, but nationals from other countries, including Iran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bengal, and Egypt are among the list of persona non grata, security sources said.
Kuwait has called on Lebanese citizens, who have links to Hezbollah, to leave the country. It has also accused citizens of other countries in cases such as money laundering and other sensitive issues.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran: Coronavirus Death Toll Exceeds 476,800
#Iran Coronavirus Update
More than 476,800 people have died of the novel #coronavirus in 547 cities checkered across all of Iran's 31 provinces, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.
Full reporthttps://t.co/MiATEXdZDU pic.twitter.com/E651fEtPTJ
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 16, 2021
The Flames of the November 2019 Blood-soaked Uprising Will Never Be Extinguished
As we mark the second anniversary of the November 2019 uprising against the clerical regime, let us salute its martyrs, the 30,000 political prisoners massacred in 1988, and all the heroes who have laid down their lives over the past four decades.
“Khomeini Will Not Leave Us Alone”—Iranian Political Prisoner Describes Mass Executions in Gohardasht Prison
Tuesday marked the thirty-ninth session of the Hamid Noury trial, held at the same time in Stockholm, Sweden, and Durres, Albania. Noury, a former official in various prisons of Iran, is charged with torturing inmates in the Gohardasht prison (Karaj) and taking part in the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners. Noury was apprehended by Swedish authorities during a trip to the country in 2019. He is now standing trial in a court where many of his victims are giving harrowing testimonies of how he and other regime officials brutally tortured and executed prisoners.
Iran: Defiant Youths Continue Anti-Establishment Protests
Two years ago, on this day, hundreds of thousands of people flooded onto the streets in more than 200 cities across Iran, protesting gas price hikes. Authorities first tried to quell protests with deceitful claims and laid blame on each other, which prompted public hatred and anger against the entire religious tyranny.
In this respect, defiant youths attacked oppressive, intelligence, and plundering centers across the country. Later, the Chair of the Parliament (Majlis) National Security Commission, Mojtaba Zonnour, exposed the actual dimension of protests.
Iran Arrests Families of Fallen Protesters in Restive SW City on Second November Protests Anniversary
The Iranian regime has increased its pressure on the families of slain protesters on the second anniversary of the nationwide November protests that shook the country.
According to human rights groups, security forces have arrested several people in the past days in southwestern Iran to prevent families and other Iranians from gathering at the graves of slain protesters to honor their memory.
Iran Sentences Two Azari Activists to Prison, Lashes, and Fines in Northwestern City
The Tabriz Criminal Court sentenced two Turk activists, Amir Satari and Yousef Salahshour two prison, lashes, and fines yesterday in northwestern Iran. According to the Human Rights News Agency, Amir was sentenced to 91 days of prison and a fine of 40 million rials ($141), and Yousef was sentenced to 37 lashes and a fine of 202 million rials ($714). Amir’s prison sentence was delayed for two years.
Amir was charged with “incitement and invitation of people to commit acts of violence through communication apps on the internet”, and Yousef was charged with “inciting people to commit violent acts” and “disturbing the public order”.
Narcotic Forces Kill Baluch Man, Injure Another, SE Iran
Narcotic forces shot and killed a Baluch man yesterday, and injured another in Ghalehganj, southeastern Iran. According to the Baloch campaign website, the man injured was identified with the last name of Narouyi, but the man who was killed was not identified in the report. Narcotic forces opened fire on their car on suspicion that they were carrying drugs. After the shooting started, their car swerved and hit a light pole, and caught fire. This is the seventh case in November that security forces or police shoot and kill civilians in Iran.
Read more: Iran News in Brief – November 16, 2021
