THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:30 AM
Italy Neutralises Houthi Drone Attack In The Red Sea
ROME, April 29 (Reuters) – An Italian navy ship shot down a drone fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and targeting a European cargo, the Italian defence ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The drone was intercepted “in the late morning” near the Bab-el-Mandeb strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, the ministry said.
It was flying toward the cargo ship and taken down while it was 5 kilometres (3.11 miles) away. It was similar to other drones used in previous Houthi attacks, it said.
Tehran Remains One of the Largest Exporters of Terrorism – US Spox
On April 29, at a daily briefing at the United States Department of States in Washington, D.C., Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stressed that the clerical regime in Iran continues to be the leading state sponsor of terrorism and has hurt the Palestinian people.
Responding to a reporter’s question whether the US sees any role for the Iranian regime in the cease-fire negotiations, Patel said, “I don’t know how many years that the Iranian regime has taken that – one, that has been actually beneficial to the Palestinian people. What I would just say broadly, any country is welcome to play a positive role, but actions speak louder than words. And when it comes to the actions of the Iranian regime, the track record is pretty clear: they continue to be one of the largest exporters of terrorism; they continue to be a backer and funder of groups that have been focused on destabilizing and bringing violence to the region. So their actions are pretty clear here.”
UPDATE: 7:00 AM
Teacher Sentenced to Forced Retirement for Taking Part in Protests
The Iranian regime sentenced a teacher to forced retirement for her part in rallies demanding teachers’ employment rights.
The board of appeals for the administrative violations of employees of Gilan’s Department of Education in northern Iran, sentenced Zahra Sayyad Delshadpour, a high school teacher in Bandar Anzali, to compulsory retirement, among other things, for “participating in rallies and sit-ins.”
According to the ruling that was issued in February 2024 and was newly confirmed, Mrs. Delshadpour was charged for “participating in rallies and sit-ins, encouraging students to strike, and using chants that broke the norms” based on “field investigation by security and administrative authorities.”
Iran’s Economic Growth: A Reality Check
Iran’s average economic growth rate over the past two years has been 3.4%. However, unlike independent analysts, policymakers are projecting much higher figures, as high as 8%, for this year and beyond. This optimism is misplaced.
Achieving such high growth requires significant groundwork. Unfortunately, Iran lacks the necessary infrastructure and economic stability. This unrealistic approach leads to bad policy decisions. Instead of focusing on long-term sustainable growth, officials resort to price controls, distribution schemes, and harmful tax increases. These measures will ultimately undermine the current modest growth.
The recent growth can be attributed to two temporary factors: the US waiver on oil sales and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. These factors are no longer in play.
A Nation in Despair: Why Hope Dwindles in Iranian Society
A recent article in the Iranian state-run newspaper Etemad painted a concerning picture of the nation’s mood. Entitled “Why is there little hope in Iranian society?,” the piece drew on research by regime scholar Maqsood Farastkhah, revealing a deep disconnect between the government and its people, alongside a socio-economic structure incapable of fostering optimism. Farastkhah’s analysis suggests that hope has morphed into a “controversial and problematic issue” in Iran. Traditionally, social structures act as breeding grounds for hope, but the current system appears ill-equipped to fulfill this role. He argues that the dominant structures actively contribute to a sense of despair. Statistics back up this claim: Iran’s happiness index plummeted from 54th to 70th globally within the first decade of the 21st century.
International Monetary Fund: Iran Needs “$121 Oil” to Avoid Budget Deficit
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) states in its latest quarterly report that the Iranian government needs the price of each barrel of oil in the global markets to be more than $121 to avoid a budget deficit in 2024.
This comes at a time when the price of Brent crude oil, which is even more expensive than Iranian oil, is trading at less than $90, and this international institution has predicted that the average price of Brent oil this year will be below $79.
The report also does not consider Iran’s discounts to Chinese refineries, but Reuters had previously reported that Iran offers about $13 discount per barrel of oil to Chinese customers.
Melbourne, Australia—April 27, 2024: MEK Supporters Held an Exhibition Against the Regime’s Executions in Iran
Melbourne, Australia—April 27, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition against the increasing wave of executions by the regime in Iran. They also expressed their solidarity with the Iranian Revolution and advocated for blacklisting the IRGC. Iranians supported the call of the Iranian Resistance to save the lives of Reza Rasaei and Habib Deris, two political prisoners sentenced to death and on the brink of execution. They also called for the absurd death sentence for imprisoned artist Toomaj Salehi to be unequivocally annulled, free of clerical regime machinations.
MEK supporters in Melbourne 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.
London, England—April 27, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally Against the Regime’s Executions in Iran, Demanding Blacklist the IRGC
London, England—April 27, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally outside the Prime Minister’s office against the increasing wave of executions by the regime in Iran. They also expressed their solidarity with the Iranian Revolution and advocated for blacklisting the IRGC.
April 27, 2024: MEK Supporters Held Rallies and Exhibitions in Austria, France, and Denmark Against the Regime’s Executions in Iran
April 27, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in the cities of Vienna, Aarhus, and Paris organized protests, gatherings, and exhibitions against the increasing wave of executions by the regime in Iran.
