THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:30 PM CET
Rewards for Justice – Reward Offer for Information on Hizballah Leader Ibrahim Aqil
Ibrahim Aqil, also known as Tahsin, serves on Hizballah’s highest military body, the Jihad Council. During the 1980s, Aqil was a principal member of Hizballah’s terrorist cell the Islamic Jihad Organization, which claimed responsibility for the bombings of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in April 1983, which killed 63 people, and the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in October 1983, which killed 241 U.S. personnel.
An Iranian Hacking Group Went on the Offensive Against U.S. Targets, Microsoft Says
The change in approach began in 2021 and coincided with a period when Iran suffered cyberattacks for which it blamed Israel and the United States, Microsoft noted. Microsoft says the hackers are a subgroup of an outfit they’re calling Mint Sandstorm, stemming from a new naming system for hacking groups that the company is debuting today. It previously called the group Phosphorus, and other cybersecurity firms call it Charming Kitten, APT 35, APT 42 and TA453.
UPDATE: 8:30 PM CET
Iran Uprising at a Glance
Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 – 8 PM GMT + 1
- Days: 215
- Protests: 282 cities
- Fatalities: 750+ estimated deaths, 675 identified by MEK
- Detentions: 30,000
Iran’s nationwide uprising witnessed its 215th day on Tuesday as the regime’s organized and deliberate chemical gas attacks continue against schools across the country, leaving mostly schoolgirls poisoned and needing urgent medical care.
Reports tallied by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) indicate there have been popular protests in response to these atrocious attacks and the country’s nosediving economy, resulting in growing concerns among regime officials in this regard.
April 18 – Ahvaz, southwest #Iran
Regime operatives launched a chemical gas attack targeting the all-girls Setayesh High School. A number of the students were poisoned and in dire condition.#IranChemicalAttacks pic.twitter.com/KMLmUpWOMC— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 18, 2023
In Ahvaz, southwest Iran, regime operatives launched a chemical gas attack targeting the all-girls Setayesh High School. A number of the students were poisoned and are in dire condition. Similar gas attacks and poisoning were reported in several cities, including:
- The Ghias Educational Complex in the capital’s District 6
- The all-girls Shafe’i Balu School and Hadaf School in Urmia, northwest Iran
- The Pardis Sharif School in Tehran’s Nazi Abad district
- The all-girls Tahzeeb School and Rezvan School in Karaj, a large city located west of Tehran
- The Nabovvat, Esmat, and Effat schools in the Dowlat Abad district of Kermanshah, western Iran. The Nasr and Dana schools, and the all-girls Farsahfar Elementary School were also targeted in this city.
- The Saipa School and the all-girls Niayesh School in Eslamshahr, a small city located southwest of Tehran
- The all-girls Baharan School in Ardabil, northwest Iran
- The all-girls Iman School, the all-girls Kothar High School, the all-boys Torkaman Two Elementary School, and the Osveh School in Saqqez, western Iran
April 18 – Eslamshahr, southwest of Tehran, #Iran
Regime operatives launched a chemical gas attack targeting the Saipa School. A number of the students were poisoned and in dire condition.#IranChemicalAttacks pic.twitter.com/6PvBYxSIwE— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 18, 2023
A number of teachers and educators rallied outside the regime’s main Education Ministry building in Tehran on Tuesday, protesting and demanding officials address their issues immediately.
April 18 – Tehran, #Iran
Teachers and educators rallying outside the regime's main Education Ministry building protesting and demanding officials address their issues immediately.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/UJnvL5JJuH— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 18, 2023
Railway workers from across Zanjan Province in northwest Iran rallied outside the local governor’s office on Tuesday to protest their delayed paychecks and other issues.
Protesters in the city of Kerman, south-central Iran, torched a large poster of the regime’s former IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani in the early hours after midnight local time.
April 18 – Kerman, south-central #Iran
Protesters torched a large poster of the regime's former IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani in the early hours after midnight local time.#IranRevoIution pic.twitter.com/ncTFy7JR6h— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 18, 2023
Locals in Dehloran in Ilam Province held a protest demanding the release of recently detained citizens who are on hunger strike. These detainees are being held in the main detention center of the Ilam Province Intelligence Department.
Locals in the Mehrshahr district of Karaj, a large city located west of Tehran, and the Ekbatan district of Tehran, were chanting anti-regime slogans on Monday night, including:
“Down with Khamenei!”
April 17 – Karaj, west of Tehran, #Iran
Locals in the city's Mehrshahr district began chanting anti-regime slogans, including:
"Khamenei is a murderer! His rule is illegitimate!"
"We will stand to the end!"#IranRevoIution pic.twitter.com/yZ6KrrJhaC— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 17, 2023
UPDATE: 5:00 PM CET
MP Warns Increasing Gasoline Prices Will Lead to Unrest
During the Iranian regime’s parliamentary session today, MP Mousavi Largani said: “Last winter, the bills of heating gas subscribers, especially the rural ones, increased from 200-300 thousand tomans to two-six million tomans. In a country that ranks second in terms of gas resources, people shouldn’t dedicate their salaries to gas.”
“I’m wondering, what parliamentary resolution gave way to this price change to make people gather at the gas organization offices with bills over two million tomans at the height of the riots,” Largani added. “Hadn’t the president intervened to offer the 70% discount, how would we be able to get our things together and deal with the consequences? Now, in the hyper-inflationary situation where the government has lost control over the economy, it is not a good time to increase the price of heating gas. We hear about the increase in the price of gasoline, and there is really a need for planning instead of carelessness.”
Iranian Hackers Using Simplehelp Remote Support Software for Persistent Access
The Iranian threat actor known as MuddyWater is continuing its time-tested tradition of relying on legitimate remote administration tools to commandeer targeted systems.
While the nation-state group has previously employed ScreenConnect, RemoteUtilities, and Syncro, a new analysis from Group-IB has revealed the adversary’s use of the SimpleHelp remote support software in June 2022.
MuddyWater, active since at least 2017, is assessed to be a subordinate element within Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). Some of the top targets include Turkey, Pakistan, the U.A.E., Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the U.S., Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan.
UK Sanctions Suspected Hezbollah Financier
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain has sanctioned an individual suspected of financing Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, as part of an effort to “disrupt an international terrorist-financing operation”, the British government said on Tuesday.
The government said it had used domestic counter-terrorism powers for the first time to freeze all assets and economic resources belonging to Nazem Ahmad in the UK and barred anyone in the country from doing business with him or any of the companies he owns or controls.
Hezbollah declined a Reuters request for comment on the sanction on Tuesday. Reuters has been unable to contact Ahmad directly.
Joint Statement From the International Coordination and Response Group for the Victims of Flight PS752 on the Criminal Trials in Iran
The International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752, representing Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, today issued the following joint statement:
“On January 8, 2020, the Islamic Republic of Iran callously shot down Flight PS752 over Tehran. This week, Iran announced the verdicts in the criminal trials against the alleged perpetrators.
“The sham trials that took place in Tehran must not distract the world from Iran’s failure to meet its international obligations and take responsibility for its actions.
“Neither the trials nor the verdicts announced this week brings truth or justice to the families of the victims, as the entire process—starting with Iran’s biased investigation into the downing—lacked the necessary impartiality and transparency.
G7 Japan 2023 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué Addresses Iran’s Nuclear Threat, Destabilizing Activities, and Human Rights Abuses
We express our grave concern regarding Iran’s continued destabilizing activities, including the transfer of missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies to state and non-state actors and proxy groups in breach of UNSCRs including 2231 and 2216. Iran must stop supporting the Russian military in its war of aggression. In particular, we call upon Iran to cease transferring armed UAVs, which have been used in Ukraine. Indiscriminate attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure constitute war crimes. We reiterate our conviction that the transfer of ballistic missiles would represent a major escalation.
We reiterate our profound concern over Iran’s systemic human rights violations and abuses, especially with Iran’s efforts to oppress peaceful dissent through threats and intimidation. We condemn the targeting of individuals, including women, girls, minority groups, as well as journalists, in and outside of Iran. We call on Iran to take concrete action to address these issues. We strongly reject Iran’s targeting of dual and foreign citizens, and call on Iran’s leadership to end all unjust and arbitrary detentions.
Iran’s Mullahs Use Ramadan To Crush Dissent
With international condemnation of their brutal crackdown on protesters during the nationwide uprising that has now continued for seven months, it might have been imagined that Iran’s mullahs would have learned some lessons in moderation. The killing last September, of the young Kurdish girl, Mahsa Amini, by the morality police, for not wearing her hijab properly, was an outrage that has led to a denunciation by Amnesty International and other human rights organizations. The shoot-to-kill strategy that has killed more than 750 protesters, and the arrest of over 30,000, has triggered an unprecedented outcry from the civilized world. But, deaf to all demonstrations, the theocratic regime has continued on its repressive path.
UPDATE: 10:00 AM CET
Rallies Expand in Iran as Anger Escalates Over Chemical Attacks, Poor Economy
Iran’s nationwide uprising is witnessing its 215th day on Tuesday as the regime’s organized and deliberate chemical gas attacks continue against schools across the country, leaving mostly schoolgirls poisoned and in need of urgent medical care. Popular protests in response to these atrocious attacks, parallel to the country’s nosediving economy, are escalating in numbers, resulting in growing concerns among regime officials in this regard.
The Hengaw Human Rights Organization has reported at least 20 chemical gas attacks by regime operatives targeting schools throughout Iran. This includes five attacks in Bukan alone, and the cities of Gilan-e Gharb, Karaj, Tabriz, Khoramabad, Dezful, Isfahan, Saqqez, Urmia, Sanandaj, Ravansar, and Kermanshah.
Poisoning of Female Students in Iran, the Horror Continues
On Monday, April 17, 2023, the poisoning of female students continued in the cities of Karaj, Sanandaj, Gilan-e Gharb, Shiraz, Kermanshah, Divandarreh, Saqqez, Bukan, Dezful, Urmia, and Tabriz. Many students were sent to medical centers, and some of them were in bad condition.
On Sunday, April 16, Khamenei’s agents poisoned female students in Setayesh and Tolo high schools in Tehran, Soleimani School in Karaj, Yas-e Nabi School in Qazvin, Etrat School in Islamshahr, Meraj School in Ardabil, Taravat School in Urmia, Amanat School in Babolsar, Naseri school in Harsin, and schools in Baharestan, Tehran. Many female students were transferred to medical centers. Only in Urmia, more than 40 students were taken to the hospital.
The Iranian Regime’s Tactics of Forced Hijab and Poisoning Will Not Stand the People’s Will
For decades, Iranian women have fought against the oppressive regime and its medieval laws and misogyny. Despite facing tremendous challenges, Iranian women have continued their struggle for gender equality and human rights in Iran.
Since the establishment of the Islamic Revolution of 1979, women in Iran have been subject to discriminatory laws and practices. The regime implemented a series of laws and policies that severely restricted women’s rights and freedoms, including mandatory hijab (headscarf), gender segregation, and limitations on women‘s participation in the workforce and politics.
Ibrahim Raisi’s Cabinet, Shakeup or Cabinet Surgery?
The crises have besieged Ibrahim Raisi’s cabinet from all sides. Each day, the unremitting crises have made the ring of siege narrower. The economic problems on one side, the real conditions of society for uprising and overthrow on the other side, as well as regional and international crises have caused Ibrahim Raisi’s cabinet to falter and become bewildered. Now, what will Ibrahim Raisi do? It depends on which catalog of pawns he chooses to move. Perhaps he will have a fate, although it is clear in advance that there is no way out for the cabinet stuck in the mud.
The government media Arman Emrouz has examined the situation of Ibrahim Raisi’s cabinet and writes in this regard: “Gradually, the shakeup in the government cabinet, which has many criticisms due to economic, political, international problems, etc., has accelerated. Nevertheless, some analysts believe that ‘Ibrahim Raisi’ should act as a surgeon and perform major surgery on his own cabinet.”
Oslo, Norway—April 15, 2023: Freedom-Loving Iranians and MEK Supporters Rally to Support the Iran Revolution
Oslo, Norway—April 15, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) held a rally in solidarity with the Iranian people’s uprising. Members of the Iranian community in Oslo expressed their utter support for their risen compatriots and vowed to continue echoing their voices, calling for freedom and democracy in Iran.
London, England—April 15, 2023: Freedom-Loving Iranians and MEK Supporters Rally to Support the Iran Revolution
London, England—April 15, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in Trafalgar square in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. The Iranian community in London supported their rising compatriots and pledged to continue to call for freedom and democracy in Iran.
Stockholm, Sweden—April 15, 2023: Freedom-Loving Iranians and MEK Supporters Rally to Support the Iran Revolution
Stockholm, Sweden—April 15, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in front of the Swedish parliament in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. The Iranian community in Stockholm supported their rising compatriots and pledged to continue to call for freedom and democracy in Iran.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – April 17, 2023