THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:00 PM CET
Iran Uprising at a Glance
Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran
Sunday, April 16, 2023 – 8 PM GMT + 1
- Days: 213
- Protests: 282 cities
- Fatalities: 750+ estimated deaths, 675 identified by MEK
- Detentions: 30,000
Iran’s nationwide uprising entered its 213th day on Sunday as public anger escalated at the ruling mullahs in response to regime operatives launching more chemical gas attacks against innocent schoolgirls.
According to reports tallied by the Iranian opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), regime operatives launched a chemical gas attack against the all-girls Setayesh High School in Tehran’s Persian Gulf district on Sunday morning. Several students are in dire conditions. Reports indicate that school officials kept the kids inside. Similar gas attacks and poisonings were reported from other cities, including:
April 16 – Karaj, west of Tehran, #Iran
Regime operatives launched a chemical gas attack targeting the Qassem Soleimani School in the city's Shahin Villa district. A number of students are in dire condition.#IranChemicalAttacks pic.twitter.com/PfcHxD51Ja— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 16, 2023
- The Qassem Soleimani School in the Shahin Villa district of Karaj, west of Tehran
- The Taravat School and “23 Tir” school in Urmia, northwest Iran, left at least 40 students ill and hospitalized.
- The Me’raj High School in Ardabil, northwest Iran
- The Tolu Eslam High School in Tehran
- The Yas Nabi High School in Qazvin, northwest Iran
- The all-girls Naseri School in Harsin, western Iran
Retirees and pensioners, along with workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company, protested poor living conditions caused by the regime’s destructive policies. They held gatherings in Shush, southwest Iran, on Sunday. Similar rallies were held in the cities of Ahvaz, Shushtar, Isfahan, and Kermanshah.
April 16 – Kermanshah, western #Iran
Pensioners and retirees of the regime's Social Security Organization are protesting high prices, poverty, corruption, inflation, poor living conditions and officials' refusal to address their demands.#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/HeukQkfHsg— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 16, 2023
Retired steelworkers held a gathering protesting their poor living conditions and regime officials’ refusal to address their demands. This rally was held in the western districts of Alborz Province, located west of the country’s capital Tehran.
Nurses and medical staff from across the city of Qom in central Iran rallied outside the Qom University of Medical Sciences on Sunday protesting economic woes and demanding answers from regime officials.
April 16 – Qom, central #Iran
Nurses and medical staff from across the city rallied outside the Qom University of Medical Sciences protesting their economic woes and demanding answers.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/72fh7eg7nd— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 16, 2023
Students of Social Sciences at the University of Tehran began protesting the regime’s increasingly oppressive hijab regulations on Sunday. Similar protest rallies were reported in other cities, including Rasht.
April 16 – Rasht, northern #Iran
Authorities prevented women from entering Taleshan University under the pretext of not abiding by the regime's strict regulations against women.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/H7fH2qgWLO— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 16, 2023
Residents of Daniyal village in Motel-Qoo, Abbas Abad (Mazandaran province), resisted the regime’s Endowment Organization’s attempt to take over their land. In response, the repressive forces opened fire, killing two and injuring five.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, hailed the brave people of Mazandaran who resisted the regime’s oppressive forces.
I salute the brave residents of Danial in #Mazandaran Province who stood up to the aggression and looting of Khamenei’s agents and resisted against repressive forces. My sympathies and condolences go out to the families of those who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery…
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) April 16, 2023
“I salute the brave residents of Danial in Mazandaran Province who stood up to the aggression and looting of Khamenei’s agents and resisted repressive forces. My sympathies and condolences go out to the families of those who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured. I urge the defiant youth to rise up against this oppression and plunder and compel the regime’s mercenaries to retreat. The clerical regime and its agents and mercenaries only understand the language of force,” she said.
UPDATE: 2:30 PM CET
State Media Report On Regime’s Crackdown Tactics
Iranian state media declared the implementation of the regime’s agenda to further strictly impose the mandatory hijab as of Saturday morning, April 15.
According to the Mehr news agency, the police will issue warnings by text, and the property owners whose attendants refuse to wear hijab will be warned and sealed.
While warning against the social backlash, the state-run Setareh Sobh wrote today: “Is it possible that this plan may worsen the current situation of hijab and the lack thereof, and possibly lead to the same incident that happened to Mehsa Amini?”
“Suspending bank accounts, confiscating the cars of people without veils, more fines, etc., require the passing of a law, which currently does not exist,” the paper noted.
UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET
Diplomacy Over Nukes ‘Not an Option’ With Iran
The Biden Administration is exploring “other options” to ensure Iran never receives a nuclear weapon as a diplomatic solution appears to be off the table. White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby told Scripps News that while the president would prefer to use diplomacy in achieving that goal, “diplomacy right now is not possible.”
“Iran was negotiating in good faith, and now, based on everything else they’re doing — supporting Russia and Ukraine by sending them drones, killing and brutalizing their own people who are protesting, in addition to all the other destabilizing activities that Iran is doing in the region, it’s clear that a return to the Iran deal diplomatically is not on the agenda,” he explained.
Up to $15 Million for Info on IRGC Financial Network
Help us disrupt the IRGC financial pipeline.
Help us stop the terrorists.
Send us a tip. pic.twitter.com/HKZIgJnMNO
— Rewards for Justice (@RFJ_USA) April 15, 2023
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
Regime Crackdown, Economic Woes Fuel More Unrest in Iran
The Iranian people boycotted the regime’s so-called “Quds Day” ceremonies on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan despite the mullahs’ state media hype in this regard. The country’s economy continues to witness troubling times and footage from the cities of Tehran, Ahvaz, and Marivan showed people in long lines waiting to purchase poultry at discount prices. Even the most basic goods are becoming scarce and/or considered a luxury with rising inflation and skyrocketing prices thanks to the regime’s destructive policies, or lack thereof. This goes parallel to growing anger among the general public following the regime’s recent wave of chemical gas attacks targeting innocent schoolgirls.
Families Demand Justice for Poisoned Students
On Saturday, April 15, 2023, students’ families in Shahin-Shahr took to the streets to protest the poisoning of their children. The protest, held in front of the city’s Education Department, was met with repression, as security forces attacked the demonstrators and fired tear gas. The families chanted slogans such as “Death to the child-killing regime,” “Death to the dictator,” and “Death to the perpetrators of poisoning,” while also declaring that they would not accept humiliation.
Sadly, the situation is not isolated to Shahin-Shahr. At least eight regional schools and conservatories have been attacked by chemical agents and toxic gas, including Manouchehr Ansari Girls’ School, Al-e Yassin Girls’ Conservatory, and Fahmideh Elementary School. Moreover, students from several schools in Izeh, Sanandaj, Urmia, and Mahabad were poisoned, with dozens taken to medical centers on April 15.
Iran’s Youth Reject the Regime’s Impositions and Pressures
Iran has a rich history and a culture that dates back thousands of years, but its present is marred by an authoritarian regime.
For decades, the country has been under the rule of a theocratic government with a record of human rights violations and suppression of free speech. Despite this, the younger generation in Iran is rejecting the regime and pushing for change. The youth in Iran make up a significant portion of the population. Around 60% of the country’s citizens are under the age of 30.
Iranian People’s Democratic Revolution Photo Exhibition in US Senate
On April 12, 2023, equivalent to the 200th day of the Iranian people’s uprising, the US Senate displayed an emotionally moving photograph exhibition depicting the martyrs of the Iranian people’s democratic revolution. The exhibition featured images of young men and women who lost their lives during the uprising, and it was attended by advisors to senators and staff from various professional committees.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – April 15, 2023