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UPDATE: 10:00 AM CEST
Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Iran Sanctions
Ray Hunt, also known as Abdolrahman Hantoosh, Rahman Hantoosh, and Rahman Natooshas, 70, of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to export U.S.-origin goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran in violation of trade sanctions.
According to court documents, in May 2014, Hunt registered Vega Tools LLC with the Alabama Secretary of State, listing the nature of the business as “the purchase/resale of equipment for the energy sector.” He operated Vega Tools, including purchasing, receiving, and shipping U.S.-origin goods, from locations in Madison County, Alabama. Beginning at least as early as 2015, Hunt conspired with two Iranian companies located in Tehran, Iran, to illegally export U.S.-manufactured industrial equipment for use in Iran’s oil, gas, and petrochemical industries.
UPDATE: 10:00 AM CEST
Explosions Shake Iraqi Paramilitary Forces’ Ammo Depot
A series of explosions have occurred at an ammunition depot of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. A statement by the paramilitary forces on Thursday said that the first explosion occurred at 7:00 p.m. local time at logistical support depots of the 42nd Hashd Shaabi Brigade in the Yusufiyah area, south of Baghdad, Xinhua news agency reported.
The statement said that the incident did not cause human casualties, stressing that a committee was formed to investigate the reasons behind the incident.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CEST
Power Outage and Numerous Calamities Clutching Iran’s People
Iran is not in a good state. For several decades, the country has been plagued by the disaster and misery brought about by religious fascism that hijacked the 1979 revolution. The mullahs’ regime adheres to no principles or rules. During the pandemic, the mullahs even refused to allow the import of vaccines, resulting in the deaths of thousands. Tragically, the country’s resources were spent on exporting fundamentalism and terrorism, while hospitals, overwhelmed by COVID-19 and power outages, became death traps for many citizens. Three years ago, around this time, power cuts in hospital ICUs led to a disaster that cost thousands of lives.
On July 5, 2021, Hamshahri news website wrote: “Power outages in hospitals are catastrophic. An ICU specialist stated: During the interval between the power cut and the connection of the ventilator to emergency power, the lives of COVID-19 patients are in danger, and they may even die.
Pakhshan Azizi: Denied Contacts and Visits, after Nearly a Year of Uncertainty
For two weeks now, by order of the authorities at Evin Prison, journalist, and political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi has been deprived of phone calls and in-person visits with her family.
The efforts of this political prisoner’s family to establish contact and arrange visits at the prison have been unsuccessful, and they are concerned about Pakhshan Azizi’s health.
Kurdish journalist Pakhshan Azizi, a former political prisoner, and Social Work graduate endured over four months of detainment in the Intelligence Ministry’s Ward 209 at Evin Prison.
Varisha Moradi: A Year of Uncertainty to Break This Political Prisoner
It has been nearly a year since the political prisoner Varisha Moradi was arrested and placed in a state of uncertainty. Her first court session was held on June 16, 2024, in Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati. The charges against her include armed insurgency (Bagh-ye) and membership in opposition groups against the regime.
By order of Judge Salavati, since mid-May 2024, Varisha Moradi has been deprived of in-person meetings and phone calls with her family and lawyer. This illegal action has put additional psychological pressure on her, indicating the authorities’ efforts to break her spirit.
MuddyWater Threat Group Deploys New BugSleep Backdoor, Targets Multiple Countries
According to a recent report by Check Point Research (CPR), the Iranian threat group MuddyWater has significantly increased its activities against Israel and is deploying a new, previously undocumented backdoor campaign.
MuddyWater, affiliated with the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), has increased its activities in Israel since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, with parallel activities against targets in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, India, and Portugal.
The threat actors use phishing campaigns sent from compromised organizational email accounts, leading to the deployment of legitimate Remote Management Tools such as Atera Agent and Screen Connect.
Iranian Regime’s Threat Against Trump Sparks US Security Response
The second day of the Republican National Convention, held on Tuesday, saw notable figures such as Nikki Haley and other primary candidates, alongside members of the Senate and Congress, expressing their support for Donald Trump. Meanwhile, CNN reported that the US Secret Service had heightened security measures after receiving intelligence about an Iranian regime plot to assassinate Trump.
In recent weeks, US officials have obtained information from a human source indicating an Iranian regime plot to target Trump, prompting the Secret Service to bolster security around the former president. CNN added that the Iranian regime has repeatedly vowed revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, leading to former senior Trump administration officials who worked on national security being under strict protection since leaving office.
Sri Lanka to Repay Iran Debt with Tea Exports
Sri Lanka has announced that it will continue to repay part of its debt to Iran for crude oil imports through the export of tea. Neeraj De Mel, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, disclosed that the reimbursement amount to Iran stands at $55 million. This payment is part of Sri Lanka’s total $251 million debt for oil imports from Iran. In March of the previous year, $20 million of this debt was settled through tea exports. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Agriculture highlighted that this exchange is in line with a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Sri Lanka and Iran. According to the ministry, this agreement has enabled Sri Lanka to settle its debt to Iran in a ‘creative’ manner.
US Privately Warns Iran Over Suspicious Nuclear Activities
According to a report by Axios, the Biden administration sent a private warning to Iran’s regime last month expressing serious concerns about Iranian research and development activities that could be used for the production of a nuclear weapon.
Three US and Israeli officials revealed that the US and Israel have detected suspicious nuclear activities by Iranian scientists in recent months, sparking fears that they could be part of a covert Iranian effort to make progress toward nuclear weaponization during the US presidential election period.
The US and Israeli intelligence communities, as well as senior policy officials from both countries, worked together to understand the Iranian activities and whether they constituted a change in policy by Iran regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Paris, July 17, 2024: MEK Supporters in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Paris, France—July 17, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organize a photo and book exhibition. This exhibition is held in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution and as a protest against the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. Alongside the photo exhibition, a book display featured publications that documented the history of the Iranian resistance movement and the efforts of the PMOI/MEK in advocating for a democratic and secular Iran. Attendees could engage with these resources, gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the Iranian people and the sacrifices made in pursuit of their fundamental rights.
MEK Supporters Rally in Copenhagen: Denouncing Sham Trial of MEK Members, Supporting the PMOI
Copenhagen, Denmark—July 16, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally against the regime’s sham trial of MEK members. They expressed their full support for the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran against the regime’s criminal actions.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – July 18, 2024
