THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:30 PM CET
There Will Be More Protest, State-affiliated Economist Warns
On May 22, in an interview with an outlet close to former regime’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hossein Raqfar, a state-affiliated economist warned that the current economic crises will lead to more uprisings across Iran.
Highlighting that most Iranians are having a hard time paying their housing bills, Rafqar told Baharnews: “Now, a group inevitably moves to the outskirts of the city, and another group is inevitably driven to poor housing or renting to live on house roofs or some share their homes to lower costs… There are more than 24 million people in our country who were paying 4 million tomans per month for housing rent in 2021. Last year, the same group of people faced a 46% increase in prices, and this year, they will face the problem of high rent, and this issue puts special pressure on the family’s economic power and livelihood.”
“Today, any incident can lead to protests… The damage is serious and people are revolting against the unprecedented increase in prices. Officials are busy with their personal issues and sticking to their status and positions, forgetting what great danger is lurking. In my opinion, there is a possibility of protests and unpredicted unrest at any moment,” Raqfar warned.
UPDATE: 8:30 PM CET
Iran Protests at a Glance
Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran
Monday, May 22, 2023 – 8 PM GMT + 1
According to reports by the Iranian opposition, Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), anti-regime protests in Iran are continued by people from all walks of life, including a new round of rallies by retirees, coupled with the country’s truckers launching their nationwide strike.
May 22 – #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the regime's telecom industry are protesting low pensions and poor economic conditions.
Kermanshah – Ilam – Shahrekord – Bojnurd#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/Be7LcVvkZT— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 22, 2023
Retirees and pensioners of the regime’s telecom industry in Ahvaz, the provincial capital of Khuzestan in southwest Iran, rallied on Monday to protest their low pensions and poor economic conditions. Similar protest gatherings were reported in Arak, Kermanshah, Ilam, Shahrekord, Bojnurd, Isfahan, Zahedan, Hamadan, Mashhad, and Rasht.
May 22 – Mashhad, northeast #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the regime's telecom industry from across Razavi Khorasan Province are protesting low pensions and poor economic conditions.#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/8NIux2Q1kV— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 22, 2023
May 22 – Isfahan, central #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the regime's telecom industry from across this province are protesting low pensions and poor economic conditions.#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/j4vUsYxz5w pic.twitter.com/SYwNpHgkM1— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 22, 2023
State police in the village of Gojag in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran, opened fire on locals protesting a ruling by regime officials seeking to demolish two residential homes in this area. Several locals were injured, according to activists.
In other reports, petrochemical workers of the Jahan Pars Company in southwest Iran returned to work on Monday after company officials promised to increase their salaries by 50%. Seeing no such raises, however, they stopped working and returned to continue their strike.
May 22 – Rasht, northern #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the regime's telecom industry from across Gilan Province are protesting low pensions and poor economic conditions.#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/XIaZIWxsmi— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 22, 2023
Railroad technicians in the city of Qom, central Iran, were on strike on Monday, rallying outside the local governor’s office and demanding their delayed paychecks.
Locals in the Darreh Hendu village of Chaharmarhal & Bakhtiari Province in southwest Iran held a gathering on Monday, protesting the regime’s refusal to provide an asphalt road for their residential areas leading to a nearby town.
May 22 – Darreh Hendu village, Chaharmarhal & Bakhtiari Province, southwest #Iran
Locals are protesting the regime's refusal to provide an asphalt road for their residential areas leading to a nearby town. #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/6XB2PPAfu5— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 22, 2023
Locals in the village of Mehrabad in Tehran Province held a gathering on Monday and protested the regime’s decision to dispatch anti-riot units and destroy their local flower market the night before without prior notice.
Tehran University students held a gathering on Monday to protest the suspension of one of their classmates. Reports indicate authorities dispatched forces to disrupt this peaceful gathering.
Truck drivers launched their strike in the main terminal of Bandar Abbas, a major portal city in southern Iran.
Locals in the capital’s Shahrak-e Bagheri, Tehranpars, Amir Abad, Sa’adat Abad, and Sattarkhan districts, along with other areas, chanted anti-regime slogans on Sunday night, including:
“Down with the state of executions!”
“Down with Khamenei! Damned be Khomeini!”
May 22 – Rasht, northern #Iran
Locals are in the streets chanting anti-regime slogans, including:
"The state of executions is breathing its last breaths!"
"Executions, imprisonment, and torture are no longer effective!"#IranRevoIution #IranProtestspic.twitter.com/HU3ekCDwS5— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 22, 2023
UPDATE: 4:00 PM CET
Iran: Five Individuals and Two Entities Targeted by Eu’s Eighth Package of Sanctions for Human Rights Violations
The Council decided today to impose restrictive measures on an additional 5 individuals and two entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. The new listings include the current commander of the Tehran Police Relief Unit of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), and an individual linked to the “Maryam Arvin case” – a lawyer who was brutally arrested, gravely mistreated, and subsequently died for her activities in defence of protesters. Today’s sanctions also target the spokesman of the Iranian Police, and the secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace of Iran (SCC), the authority responsible for repression in the cyberspace.
Furthermore, the Council is listing the IRGC Cooperative Foundation, which is the body responsible for managing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ investments and funnelling money into the regime’s brutal repression and the Student Basij Organization (SBO). The latter acts as the IRGC’s violent enforcers on university campuses where students staged protests in the fall of 2022, and were subsequently the victims of repression and serious human rights violations such as abduction and torture.
UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET
Ali Shamkhani Dismissed from Regime’s Secretary of the Supreme Security Council
On Monday, May 22, Iranian state media announced the removal of Ali Shamkhani from his position as the Secretary of the Supreme Security Council of the Iranian regime. Replacing Shamkhani, Ali Akbar Ahmadian was appointed by the regime’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei.
A veteran member of the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmadian has been serving as the head of the IRGC Strategic Center since 2006. He is also a member of the regime’s Expediency Council. Previously, Ahmadian held key roles within the IRGC, including the commander of the IRGC Navy from 1997 to 2000 and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the IRGC.
Ali Shamkhani served as the Secretary of the Supreme Security Council of the regime for over a decade. During his tenure, he was implicated in the suppression of the November 1998 uprising in Iran. In recent months, Shamkhani played a key role in establishing diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia on behalf of Khamenei. However, rumors circulating within the regime suggest significant disagreements between Shamkhani and the current president, Ebrahim Raisi.
UPDATE: 11:30 AM CET
Security Forces Arrested Family Members of Executed Political Prisoner
The security forces of the Iranian regime arrested three family members of a political prisoner who was executed for participating in the uprising in Isfahan. The arrested individuals were identified as Hossein, Mehdi and Somayeh Kazemi.
Majid Kazemi, along with two of his friends, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaqubi, was hanged on Friday, May 19, on charges of Moharebeh [waging war on God], which actually means that he has stood up and defied the murderous regime ruling Iran.
One of Majid Kazemi’s relatives announced in a tweet on Sunday, May 21: “Last night, security agents attacked Majid Kazemi’s house and after beating his brothers and parents, they arrested Majid’s two brothers while they were severely injured and took them away.”
He further added that Majid Kazemi’s sister was also arrested hours later by the police.
Joint House Caucus Hearing Voiced Support for Iranian Peoples’ Uprising: ‘Putting Their Lives on the Line for Freedom’
Two pivotal bipartisan U.S. House Caucuses, the Iranian Women Congressional Caucus led by Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Nancy Mace (R-SC), alongside the Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus under the helm of Reps. Tom McClintock (R-CA) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) convened a Capitol Hill hearing on Thursday to deliberate on the ongoing eight-month-long uprising, the regime’s harsh suppression, future prospects, and the appropriate U.S. policy.
The event, the first assembly in support of Iran’s uprising and the human rights of the Iranian people, was attended by prominent members of the House.
Addressing the hearing, Iranian opposition MEK (Mujahadin-e Khalq) political leader and President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Maryam Rajavi said the current uprising has “changed Iran’s political scene.”
“This uprising did not happen overnight and the leading role of women did not happen by accident,” she stated.
Ukraine, Horn of Africa, Iran & QMV – Foreign Minister Baerbock at the EU Foreign Council In May
The EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday (22 May). It will be about further support for Ukraine, the 8th sanctions package against Iran, the situation in the Horn of Africa and the Western Balkans.
Against all attempts of repression by the Iranian regime, the people of Iran courageously continue to pursue their desire for freedom and self-determination. The EU remains firmly at their side. The 27 foreign ministers will adopt an eighth package of sanctions. With the new designation under the existing EU human rights sanctions regime, the EU is targeting parts of the judiciary and security sector as well as two organizations associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET
Rep. Mace Introduces Maryam Rajavi at First Assembly of Iranian Women Congressional Caucus
Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, the Iranian Women Caucus and the Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus held their first assembly in support of Iran’s uprising led by women and the human rights of the Iranian people. Rep. Mace, the co-chair of the Iranian Women Congressional Caucus, introduced witness Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Rep. Mace has issued the following statement:
“We are offering our unwavering commitment to advocating for the freedom and rights of women in Iran and worldwide,”said Rep. Mace.“We will not stand for the grave human rights violations inflicted upon the women of Iran by a regime who continues to stifle their voices, suppress their aspirations, and deny their basic rights.”
Iran Sees Night Rallies in Many Cities as Protests Over Recent Executions Expand
The mullahs’ regime in Iran has sent at least 122 inmates to the gallows since April 21, tallying one execution every six hours during this period. The Iranian people have been responding with an escalating wave of anti-regime protests, especially at night rallies in Tehran and other cities. Authorities have been busy dispatching numerous security units to the capital and other cities across the country to prevent another nationwide uprising. People throughout Iran continue to specifically hold the mullahs’ Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responsible for their miseries, while also condemning the oppressive Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and paramilitary Basij units, alongside other security units that are on the ground suppressing the peaceful demonstrators.
Khamenei’s Executions Fail To Crush Spirit of Resistance in Iran
On Friday at dawn, the Iranian regime executed three protesters after torturing them physically and mentally for several months. Riddled with domestic and international crises, regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei has increased oppression in his last-ditch effort to prolong his regime’s life. The brutal hanging of Saleh Mirhashmi, Majid Kazemi, and Saeed Yaghoubi was in line with a recent surging wave of executions across Iran. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the regime has carried out at least 122 executions in the past 30 days, including five on Saturday.
Activists, Lawyers, and Teachers Battle for Rights in Iran
In this episode of the NCRI Women’s Committee podcast, we have a pressing and alarming topic to delve into—the relentless pressures exerted on women activists from all walks of life to intimidate and terrorize Iranian society, with the aim of stifling any potential uprisings. Furthermore, we will briefly examine the alarming escalation of executions in Iran and the inhumane treatment endured by the families of execution victims. Lastly, we will address the heartbreaking struggles faced by the families of death row prisoners, highlighting the immense hardships they endure. Over the past two weeks, approximately 70 lawyers have been summoned by the clerical regime in Iran. This alarming development raises concerns about the freedom of expression and the ability of lawyers to defend their clients without fear of reprisal.
How Is Inflation Making Lives Harder for Iranians- Part 2
Iran, a country known for its abundant hydrocarbon resources, holds the distinction of being the world’s leading source of such energy. Despite this, the dire situation of the economy has left its people struggling to make ends meet.
In the period spanning from 2005 to 2022, the Iranian regime amassed an astonishing income exceeding $1.67 trillion, a sum that could have propelled the nation toward advanced economic development. To put the magnitude of this income into perspective, consider that the combined cost of essential commodities such as meat, rice, bread, oil, sugar, clothing, and housing over 16 years amounts to slightly more than $700 billion.
Is Nonviolent Struggle Possible in Iran in 2023? – Part Five
In the previous sections, we discussed the nonviolent struggle in the independence movement of the people of India led by Mahatma Gandhi and the anti-racial discrimination movement led by Martin Luther King. It is clear that other contemporary movements have taken place in the last fifty years in countries such as South Africa led by Nelson Mandela, or in Czechoslovakia and Romania under the title “Color Revolutions” after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In addition, similar movements have taken place in Ukraine, Serbia, and South Korea, where nonviolent struggle has been a common feature of all these uprisings. The significant difference between these movements was the duration of their formation until victory and the extent of casualties and suffering inflicted on freedom-loving people by the dictatorships.
May 20, 2023: MEK Supporters Rallied in European Countries and Condemned the Execution of Three Protesters in Iran—Part 1
May 20, 2023: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and freedom-loving Iranians held protest rallies in Oslo, Brussels, Rome, Amsterdam, and Vienna. They condemned the Execution of three protesters (Saleh Mirhashemi, Saeed Yaghoubi, and Majid Kazemi) in Isfahan by the mullahs’ regime. They also express their solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.
May 19-20, 2023: MEK Supporters Rallied in the U.S. and European Countries and Condemned the Execution of Three Protesters in Iran—Part 2
May 19-20, 2023: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and freedom-loving Iranians held protest rallies in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Berkley, Paris, Stockholm, Gothenburg, The Hague, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Bochum, Sydney, Luxembourg, and Liverpool. They condemned the Execution of three protesters (Saleh Mirhashemi, Saeed Yaghoubi, and Majid Kazemi) in Isfahan by the mullahs’ regime. They also express their solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – May 21, 2023
