THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 6:00 PM
EU Countries Agree to Slap New Sanctions on Iran to Curtail Drone and Missile Production
The European Union has reached a political agreement to tighten sanctions on Iran in retaliation for the recent barrage launched against Israel.
The sanctions are designed to curtail the exports of EU-made components used in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, and ballistic missiles.
The bloc had previously set up a dedicated regime to target Iranian-made drones, which the country has used to prop up Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The so-called “kamikaze” Shahed drones have been launched against critical infrastructure and residential buildings, killing dozens, and possibly hundreds, of Ukranians.
The scheme has also blacklisted people and entities involved in Iran’s UAV programme through travel bans and asset-freezing measures.
UPDATE: 2:30 PM
Release: Rep. Hill Provisions Included In Package Fighting Against Foreign Adversaries And Strengthening National Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. French Hill (AR-02) issued the following statement after three of his bills passed the House as part of significant, strategic, and critical legislation to support U.S. allies Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
“As our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan face threats against their freedom, providing U.S. aid was dire. Russia’s Vladimir Putin will not stop until he takes Ukraine, China’s Xi Jinping seeks to follow Putin’s aggressive and illegal footsteps in his pursuit of Taiwan, and Iran and Iran-backed terror groups are relentless in their attacks against our strongest Middle East ally, Israel.
“It should be brutally obvious that Putin is responsible for the destruction his army has caused in Ukraine and bears the sole burden of paying for Ukraine’s reconstruction. The REPO Act that House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (TX-10) and I authored was a crucial part of our assistance to Ukraine as it allows Russian sovereign assets held in the United States to be converted for Ukraine’s reconstruction – all while saving U.S. taxpayer money.
UPDATE: 11:00 AM
Iranian Regime’s Military Spending Surges Amid Rising Tensions, SIPRI Reports
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that the Iranian regime’s military budget has increased by six-tenths of a percent, reaching $10.3 billion, positioning it as the fourth-largest military spender in the Middle East.
SIPRI wrote on April 22, “Iran was the fourth largest military spender in the Middle East in 2023 with $10.3 billion. According to available data, the share of military spending allocated to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps grew from 27 percent to 37 percent between 2019 and 2023.”
While some military expenses of the IRGC or the regime’s Armed Forces are publicly disclosed in the government’s general budget, they primarily cover infrastructure costs. Other sources and expenditures related to armaments and nuclear activities remain obscured from public view, with a dedicated account managed separately and reports submitted directly to the office of the Supreme Leader after review by the National Security Council.
Iranian Authorities Summon 15 Baha’i Women to Revolutionary Court in Isfahan
Iranian authorities have summoned 15 Baha’i women living in Baharestan, Isfahan to appear before the First Branch of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court.
The women have been charged with “propaganda against the Islamic Republic system” and “participation in deviant educational and promotional activities contrary to Islamic law.”
This latest development is part of the Iranian regime’s longstanding campaign of systematic persecution against the Baha’i religious minority. According to human rights groups, Baha’is in Iran are deprived of basic rights and freedoms related to their faith, facing arbitrary arrests, imprisonment, and other forms of discrimination.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran has reported a marked increase in interrogations, unlawful arrest, torture, ill-treatment, destruction of properties, cemetery desecration, denial of education rights, and other forms of economic pressures against the Baha’i community in recent months.
The UN General Assembly has repeatedly called on Iran to end its persecution of Baha’is and other religious minorities.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM
Iran’s Rebellious Youth Defy Regime’s Crackdown on Women’s Rights
Iran’s regime has engaged in a series of new repressive measures against women and girls to quell protests and hide its own setbacks and failures. In recent days, there have been many reports and videos of security forces harassing women and girls who do not comply with the regime’s misogynistic hijab rules.
But in defiance of the regime’s repressive actions, Iran’s rebellious youth are targeting regime symbols and centers that are especially affiliated with the regime’s suppressive apparatus.
On April 16, rebellious youth in Tehran attacked the Quds Complex, affiliated with the regime’s apparatus for suppressing women and girls. The sounds of explosions were heard in the surrounding area as the rebellious youth made it clear that they would not allow the regime to carry out its repressive policies without consequences.
Protests Expand Across Iran As Economy Continues To Nosedive
As Iran’s regime continues to funnel the country’s resources to fund terrorism and warmongering in the region, the economy continues to decline, exacerbating dissatisfaction and protests in different segments of society. On Sunday, workers, retirees, and citizens took to the streets in different cities to voice their discontent with the country’s deteriorating economic conditions.
In Shush, southwest Iran, more than 400 workers from the Pars Paper and Pars Tabiat factories stopped working and rallied in front of the factory to protest the dismissal of their colleagues. The workers demanded that their basic rights be respected and that the dismissals be reversed.
In Sirik, southern Iran, locals held a rally to protest the construction of a water desalination plant that would transfer seawater to Isfahan. The protesters expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the project and the potential disruption to their livelihoods.
Ruthless Crackdown on Women to Enforce the Mandatory Hijab
The clerical regime has launched a new round of ruthless crackdown on women since April 13, under the pretext of combatting improper veiling. The new plan, called “Noor”, which means “light” has been implemented by the State Security Force to enforce the law, which has not yet been approved by the Guardian Council. Over the past week, since the start of this plan, hundreds of women who openly oppose the regime’s mandatory dress code have been violently arrested on the streets and taken into detention.
In this episode, we’re going to delve into this issue and its various aspects. Let us first hear from a young woman who was brutalized on the first day of this campaign. She posted this recording accompanied with a photo of her badly bruised arm. That would give you a sense of the ruthless treatment of Iranian women and girls on the streets.
Israel Targeted Iranian Regime Leadership in Syria
Bloomberg TV reported that an Israeli airstrike struck the Iranian regime consulate in Damascus, killing the entire command structure of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responsible for Syrian and Lebanese operations. The report highlights that these officers were crucial for Hezbollah’s activities in the region. According to sources, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, his deputy Mohammad Hadi Rahimi, and other deceased officers believed the consulate, located next to the embassy, was the safest location in Damascus, unlikely to be targeted by Israel.
Prior to the attack, plans were underway to move the ambassador and consul’s residence to a new apartment complex on the same street, where Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s brothers also reside. However, senior IRGC officials in Syria held a meeting on the consulate’s second floor shortly before the attack and decided to remain there.
Iranian Regime’s Shadow: Hezbollah’s Global Network of Drugs, Money Laundering, and Weapons
A recent investigative report by French weekly Le Point, titled “Iran, Colombia, Lebanon, France… Hezbollah’s Billions,” exposes the expansion of the Iranian-backed militia’s financial resources. The report details Hezbollah’s involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering across several countries. Le Point alleges that Hezbollah’s drug trafficking operation, originally focused on Latin America, has expanded to include money laundering in France. The report claims Hezbollah uses luxury car purchases and laundered funds to acquire ammonium nitrate, a key component in explosives, within France.
The investigation highlights Hezbollah’s growing financial and military power, including increased influence over Lebanon’s struggling government. Le Point identifies Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil as key regions where Hezbollah has been active for over three decades.
Iran’s Regime Publishes Misleading Information About Unemployment Rate
The state-run Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper has criticized the “statistic manipulation” employed by Iran’s regime in its economic reports, stating that the inaccurate data presented by the government regarding the reduction in unemployment will not change anything.
The newspaper emphasizes that the claimed reduction in the unemployment rate has had no impact on the country’s economic growth and is not tangible in people’s lives.
This report refers to the latest report from the Employment Assistant of the Minister of Labor, which announced a 41.3 percent labor force participation rate in autumn 2023 and an 8.1 percent overall unemployment rate in 2023.
A Prisoner’s Narrative: Inside Iran’s Infamous Prison (2)
How did we overcome the moments of solitude within the cell? I had managed to endure the initial crushing tortures in prison with the experience of two years of imprisonment. Until now, everything about my case was confined to me, and no one else had entered my case. The case of a political prisoner who wants nothing for his homeland but freedom.
But if luck did not help and my fugitive friend was arrested outside the prison, then everything would turn upside down. In the endless chain of my thoughts, whenever I reached this point, I cautiously reached into the slit at the bottom of my trousers.
After the skin removal and surgery on the soles of my feet at the “Ayatollah Sadoughi” hospital (affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards Corps of Isfahan) IRGC-Isfahan, the surgeon prescribed a ten-day course of antibiotics to prevent deep infection and subsequent severe complications.
The Unmasking of Iran’s Role: A Turning Point in the Regional Conflict
After Oct.7, Khamenei was implicated in a regional war. Initially, he attempted to distance himself from the conflict, attributing it to proxies such as Hamas. With the aid of international appeasement policies, he managed to deflect some blame, as no one wished to portray the Iranian regime as the primary instigator of the Gaza and regional crises. He positioned himself as the protector of the oppressed Palestinian people, shedding insincere tears for them while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a rigged election within Iran to outline a survival strategy for his regime.
However, following the unsuccessful drone and missile attack on Israel, experts suggest that the implications of this failure should be strategically analyzed. After six months, Khamenei was compelled to emerge from his hideout and reveal his true intentions. Internationally, the focus of government positions against the Iranian regime has highlighted its direct role in sparking the war. The emphasis on Khamenei’s emergence from behind the veil of secrecy over the past six months is a notable aspect of these common positions.
Paris—April 20, 2024: MEK Supporters Organized an Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Paris, France—April 20, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition and book display in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
Stockholm, Sweden—April 20, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally in Solidarity With the Iran Revolution
Stockholm, Sweden—April 20, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally to express support for the Iranian Revolution.
MEK supporters in Stockholm 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.