THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:30 PM CET
Several Schools in Tehran and Isfahan Evacuated Due to Land Subsidence
The Head of the Iranian regime’s Organization for School Renovation, Development, and Equipping has revealed that approximately six percent of the country’s schools, due to their structural instability, need to be demolished and rebuilt, leading to their evacuation.
Hamidreza Khan Mohammadi informed the state-run ISNA news agency today that the reasons behind the evacuation of schools identified as unsafe vary across different cities in the country. In Tehran and Isfahan, for instance, the cause is “land subsidence.”
He further stated that out of the total of 104,000 classrooms, about 30 percent are in need of either demolition, reconstruction, renovation, or strengthening.
Alireza Zakani, the mayor of Tehran, identified earthquake, storm, flood, and land subsidence as the primary challenges in the capital city of Iran last November, adding, “Announcing the list of unsafe buildings in Tehran would leave no one in the city.”
Kamran Abdouli, Deputy Director of Fire Protection and Prevention at Tehran Municipality’s Fire Department and Safety Services, shared with the same news agency in April of the previous year that 79 percent of incidents in Tehran’s schools resulted from wear and tear. He specified that 50 percent of fires in educational centers in Tehran were caused by the insecurity of electrical and gas installations.
UPDATE: 6:30 PM CET
Is There An Alternative to Appeasing Iran’s Mullahs?
When it comes to Iran policy, an all-too-familiar mantra has endured for decades among Western policymakers: Appeasement. Yet, the march of history offers a stern lesson: Appeasement exacts a weighty toll on the Iranian people while endangering the delicate fabric of global peace and security. It is high time for the West to extricate itself from the snare of these perilous missteps and embark on a new path by scrutinizing the ever-evolving realities concerning Iran. The aftermath of the influential 2022 uprising has unquestionably exposed chinks in the Iranian theocracy’s armor. One is reminded of the Shah’s despotic rule, which was even fortified by ample financial support from the United States and Europe. Yet, when Iranian citizens discerned the fundamental obsolescence of the Shah’s dominion, he was ultimately overthrown in 1979.
UPDATE: 2:30 PM CET
Monday Protests in Iran
Today, August 21, a group of retired telecommunications employees gathered in cities including Tehran, Mashhad, Kermanshah, Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, Rasht, Ardabil, and Arak to protest the lack of the authorities’ refusal to address their demands. Their demands include the full implementation of the 2009 personnel and employment regulations and addressing issues related to medical insurance.
August 21—Tehran, #Iran
Protest rally by retirees of the telecom industry. The protesters are demanding that the regime implement its own laws, which requires raising their pensions.
"Resign you incompetent minister," the protesters chant#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/ySIcnzqcEZ— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 21, 2023
August 21—Kermanshah, western #Iran
Protest rally by retirees of the telecom industry, demanding higher pensions and other basic needs.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/bk7OPs39YL— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 21, 2023
August 21—Mashhad, northeast #Iran
Retirees of the telecom industry hold rally, protesting unpaid wages and low pensions.
Placard reads: "The government, Majlis, and judiciary are completely silent in respect to the demands of retirees"#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/IxFpR6S0rM— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 21, 2023
Conflict Erupts in Central-Northern Iran Amid Concerns Over Endangering Local Life Due to Mining Activities
According to videos circulating on social media platforms, on Monday, August 21, the people of the village of “Kahriz Salah al-Din” in Hamedan engaged in a confrontation with the repressive law enforcement forces to prevent the unauthorized construction of a silica mine. During this clash, more than 30 individuals were injured, and 15 individuals were arrested.
The establishment of this mine and factory in proximity to residential areas has raised concerns among the people regarding their health. Inhaling silica can lead to lung cancer, tuberculosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
MOIS Chief Warns IRGC Commanders Against the Enemy
In a session organized for the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Esmail Khatib, the Minister of Intelligence, expressed his deep concern about what he called the enemy’s subversion tactics and stated, “In these new circumstances, the enemy is attempting to steer dissatisfaction, labor movements, and political currents that whisper about sedition and change, onto a path that shapes social influence and crises in a manner that spreads throughout the fabric of society.”
In this address, he also asserted to boost the morale of regime forces, claiming that the regime’s intelligence agencies possess spies from France, Sweden, England, and other countries.
Iran: Authorities Using ‘Sinister’ Tactics to Silence Victims’ Families Ahead of Uprising’s One-Year Anniversary
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the ‘Woman Life Freedom’ uprising, Iranian authorities are ramping up harassment and intimidation against victims’ families to enforce silence and impunity, Amnesty International said in new research published today (21 Aug).
The 42-page research – Iran: Harassment of families victims unlawfully killed during protests must end – documents the cases of 36 victims’ families from 10 provinces in Iran who have been subjected to human rights violations in recent months. They include families of 33 individuals who were unlawfully killed by the security forces during the protests; families of two individuals who were arbitrarily executed in connection with the protests; and family of one torture survivor who committed suicide upon release from detention.
Iran’s Dangerous Jousting in International Waters
On July 19, 2019, commandos from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps boarded the Stena Impero — a Swedish-owned, United Kingdom-flagged tanker traveling in the strait’s Omani waters — and seized the ship and crew. Two months later, Iran released both the crew and the ship, but shipping companies and insurers were spooked.
Today, anxieties about security in the Strait of Hormuz are mounting once more, with the United States Navy recently dispatching a force of 3,000 sailors and Marines in an effort to keep shipping there safe. The decision follows a recent string of Iranian attacks on merchant vessels, including two in the last month alone. But how much they’ll be able to do without triggering an armed confrontation with Iran is unclear.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CET
Iranian Retirees: “The Bankrupt Government Is the Enemy of Retirees!”
Retirees and pensioners of the Iranian regime’s Social Security Organization and steel industry held their weekly protest rallies in several cities across the country on Sunday, as they continue to face livelihood challenges caused by the destructive policies of the ruling mullahs. Rallies were reported in Shush, Kermanshah, Shushtar, and Isfahan. In the past few years, retirees across Iran have been protesting their deteriorating living conditions, especially as the government refuses to adjust their pensions based on the inflation rate and fluctuations in the price of the rial, Iran’s national currency. The price of most basic goods has spiked severalfold while pensioners continue to receive the same stipends as before. In Kermanshah, protesters were chanting, “The bankrupt government is the enemy of the people!” referring to the regime’s policies to squander the country’s wealth on terrorism, suppression, and projects that do not benefit the people.
Tehran Municipality Orders The Closure Of Children’s Education Center
Based on an announcement from the Iranian government’s media, the Tehran municipality ordered the evacuation of Nasser Khosrow Children’s House by the end of July. This facility was established twenty years ago in Tehran’s 12th district and served as an education center for underprivileged children, including those engaged in forced labor. Over the past two decades, Nasser Khosrow Children’s House had provided various services, such as education and medical care, to many working children. Recent reports in the media indicate that Tehran Municipality has issued a decree demanding the evacuation of this center. The given reason is that the property will be handed over to another individual to settle a debt. This information was shared by Tahereh Pajuhesh, a social activist and CEO of the Children’s Protection Association.
Women’s Resistance and the Revival of Repression in Iran
As we approach the anniversary of Iran’s nationwide uprising in 2022, triggered by the tragic death of a young Kurdish woman named Mahsa (Zina) Amini at the hands of Tehran’s Morality Patrol, the lingering potential for rekindling the embers of that uprising has kept the Iranian regime on high alert. Fearing the revival of the spark that ignited the previous unrest, the regime has taken precautionary measures to suppress the possibility of another nationwide uprising. On July 16, the regime’s police spokesperson announced the deployment of guidance patrols and women-policing vehicles on the streets. The sudden appearance of Morality Patrol officers conducting street raids, coupled with women’s steadfast resistance against them, has taken many by surprise and has even sparked discord and opposition among factions within the government. Ahmed Reza Radan, the head of the regime’s police force, was appointed by the supreme leader Ali Khamenei himself, and his history is marked by a record of oppressive actions. He has been involved with the IRGC since its inception, making his alignment with Khamenei’s authoritative rule a potential advantage for Radan.
MEK Supporters Rallies in Vienna and Aarhus, Supporting the MEK Leadership and Against the Mullahs’ Regime—August 17, 2023
August 17, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held rallies in Vienna (Austria) and Aarhus (Denmark), and demanded the trial of Ali Khamenei (Supreme leader of the mullahs’ regime) and the mass murderer Ebrahim Raisi for crimes against humanity, in an international court. They expressed strong support for the MEK leadership.
MEK Supporters Rallies in Sydney and London, Supporting the MEK Leadership and Against the Mullahs’ Regime—August 18, 2023
August 18, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held rallies in Sydney (Australia), and London, and demanded the trial of Ali Khamenei (Supreme leader of the mullahs’ regime) and the mass murderer Ebrahim Raisi for crimes against humanity, in an international court. They expressed strong support for the MEK leadership.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – August 20, 2023
