THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:00 PM CET
More Reports of Protests on Sunday
Today, employees recently hired by the Aghajari Oil and Gas Exploitation Company, working in the continental shelf oil operations on Siri Island and the oil-rich southern regions, gathered again to express their dissatisfaction with the inadequate response to their demands.
More footage of today's protest rally by oil workers in Ahvaz.#Iran #IranProtestspic.twitter.com/ImCEB29ZnP
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 19, 2023
UPDATE: 12:30 PM CET
Sunday Protests in Iran
Retirees from the Social Security organization in Shush, along with others, staged another protest on Sunday, November 19, expressing dissatisfaction with their living conditions and the authorities’ refusal to heed and address their demands.
On Saturday and Sunday, people in various cities across Iran protested the regime’s refusal to implement Article 27 of the Disabled Persons Act in front of the Welfare Organization.
November 19—Isfahan, central #Iran
Retirees of the steel industry hold protest rally, demanding higher pensions as the costs of living continue to soar. #IranProtestspic.twitter.com/IejlhtP7eI— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 19, 2023
November 19—Rasht, northern #Iran
Nurses hold rally, protesting poor wages, unpaid salaries, and forced extra-hour work.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/1zz2mQ9WYS— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 19, 2023
November 19—Kermanshah, western #Iran
Disabled people hold protest rally, demanding the implementation of the law that requires the government to provide the basic needs of disabled people who can't work. #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/oHmNdDYbxc— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 19, 2023
Surge in Respiratory Cases as Ahvaz Battles Alarming Air Pollution
As per reports from Iranian state media, approximately 500 individuals in Ahvaz sought hospitalization in the last 24 hours due to respiratory issues linked to air pollution.
On Monday, the Deputy of Treatment at Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz urged those with underlying health conditions to refrain from leaving their homes.
Moreover, the air quality index (AQI) reported by the air quality monitoring system indicated an unhealthy air quality status for all age groups, with a reading of 164 in Ahvaz and 152 in Dasht-e Azadegan.
UPDATE: 11:00 AM CET
Belgium Withdrew the Request for the Arrest of a Minister in Order for Qatar To Support the Release of Olivier Vandecasteele
Qatar’s Minister of Labour, Ali bin Samikh al-Marri, suspected of corruption in “Qatargate”, has not been reported internationally since Qatar said it was ready to intercede for the release of Europeans detained in Iran, including Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele.
The corruption scandal dubbed “Qatargate” broke in December 2022. On 9 December, raids carried out in Brussels targeted MEPs and former MEPs who may have been paid by Qatar and Morocco in exchange for positions favorable to these states.
At the time, the Belgian judiciary asked the police cooperation organization Interpol to issue a red notice against the Qatari Minister of Labour. This is an international wanted notice aimed at locating the suspect and temporarily arresting him so that he can be made available to investigators.
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET
Message to the Federal Parliament of Australia
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s speech: “Distinguished representatives. Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen. It’s an honor to address this conference at this critical moment in history.
As I am speaking to you, at least 60 individuals have been hanged in my country, Iran, in just the first 15 days of November.
“In my country, every day, a new group is sent to the gallows; women are the prime victims. Suppression, discrimination, and corruption are systematic and have permeated all aspects of life.
“Four years ago, on these days, our people had a major uprising. The regime could overcome the crisis only by killing 1,500 people in just a few days. Last year, for several months in a row, in a nationwide uprising in over 280 cities, the Iranian people chanted ‘Down with Khamenei’ across the country.”
Pmoi Resistance Units Mark 4th Anniversary of November 2019 Uprising
November 15 marked the fourth anniversary of the November 2019 nationwide uprising in Iran. At the time, a sudden hike in the prices of fuel triggered protests that quickly spread to more than 190 cities and resurfaced public hatred towards the mullahs’ regime for decades of repression and corruption.
Bad Waste Mismanagement in Iran is Causing a Growing Environmental Crisis
Iran’s regime, long criticized for its inefficiency in resolving both minor and major issues, faces what some observers regard as a severe crisis. Waste management, a critical concern, has spiraled into a nationwide issue, stretching beyond specific locations such as Saravan, Amol, Angilsi Babol, and Azadshahr. These sites, along with their leachates, are causing profound harm to Hyrcanian forests and the water and soil resources in Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan.
However, this environmental degradation isn’t confined solely to the northern provinces. Instances like Aradkuh near the capital, Safira east of Ahvaz, and Barmashor in Shiraz indicate systemic mismanagement across various regions.
Iranian Elite Emigration in 21st Century: Understanding Challenges and Charting Solutions
Ruhollah Dehghani Firouzabadi, in an exclusive interview with Iran’s Dunyai Ekhtaz newspaper, articulated a pressing concern that has garnered insufficient attention: the Emigration of the nation’s most skilled individuals. Firouzabadi highlighted the dire consequences of this Emigration, expressing deep apprehension over the diminishing pool of qualified professionals. Particularly worrisome is the departure of individuals with advanced education, which poses substantial long-term risks to Iran’s intellectual capital and societal advancement.
Firouzabadi’s observations are substantiated by a myriad of contributors to elite Emigration, notably the stark absence of allocated funds from the country’s general budget for innovation and prosperity initiatives. Analysts have echoed these concerns, emphasizing the interplay of limited political and social liberties, pervasive corruption, economic challenges, and the allure of better prospects abroad as key drivers of this brain drain. This migration trend strikes deepest in crucial sectors like healthcare, with an estimated annual outflux of thousands of medical professionals seeking greener pastures beyond Iran’s borders.
Young Iranian Girls, Small Buds Under Hail
The Iranian regime stands out as one of the world’s most conservative and misogynist governments, deeply entrenched in its misogynistic ideology, which it has codified into laws and policies. On the other hand, it is widely regarded as one of the most corrupt and exploitative administrations, perpetuating poverty among the general population and exacerbating class disparities. This dark reality seems to grow more pronounced with each passing day.
Furthermore, it is disheartening to acknowledge that even young Iranian girls find themselves not only subjected to the government’s severe misogyny but also utterly defenseless from early childhood, constrained by the regime’s restrictive laws and policies, preventing them from standing tall and playing an equal role in society.
Minimum Wage Increase Removed From Agenda of Iran’s Supreme Labor Council
According to a report by the regime’s semi-official ILNA news agency, the meeting of the Supreme Labor Council is scheduled to be held on November 20, but “the official agenda of the session does not mention the issue of wage adjustment.”
According to the report, the main topic of the session, as stated in the invitation received by the “labor members” of the council, is “addressing workers’ housing.”
Previously, the meeting of the Supreme Labor Council was held on October 30, responsible for determining the minimum wage for workers covered by the labor law, without making a decision regarding the widespread protests against the low wages compared to the cost of living.
Paris, France—November 17, 2023: MEK Supporters Held a Photo Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iran Revolution
Paris, France—November 17, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a photo exhibition in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution and commemorated the martyrs of the nationwide uprising of the Iranian people.
MEK supporters in Paris demanded the trial of the mullahs’ regime leaders, especially Ali Khamenei (Supreme leader of the mullahs’ regime) and the mass murderer Ebrahim Raisi for crimes against humanity, in an international court.
French citizens visited the photo exhibition and expressed their solidarity by signing a petition in support of the Iranian Revolution.
Germany—November 17, 2023: MEK Supporters Rally in Hamburg, Demanding the Shutdown of Iran’s Regime Embassy
Hamburg, Germany—November 17, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally, demanding the shutdown of Iran’s regime embassy as a center of terror and espionage. They also expressed their solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – November 18, 2023
