THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:30 PM CET
Cautionary Statements Emerge from Clubhouse Meeting by Former Regime Officials
In a Clubhouse session held on August 5, some former officials of the regime engaged in a discussion about the current state of society, cautioning the regime’s leadership about the fate of the state. While it is unprecedented for state officials to criticize the regime’s Supreme Leader, these individuals went on the offensive to point fingers at institutions that are run or certain directives that were given by Ali Khamenei himself.
Warning about the source of inequality, Mostafa Kavakebian, a former member of the regime’s parliament, stated, “There are certain subordinate institutions under the leadership, such as the Astan Quds Razavi, the Mostazafin Foundation, the Propagation Organization, and the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, which collectively hold a significant portion of power.”
Morteza Alviri, former mayor of Tehran, said, “The coming [parliamentary] elections as well as the presidential elections, and the fiasco that happened in 2021 have turned things into a complete selection process. When we include the Velayat-e Faqih Law [rule of the Supreme Leader] in our Constitution and maintain it through constitutional revisions, get interpretations from the Guardian Council, and the practical implementation is done based on the leadership’s orders, and when even the leader’s gestures hold more executive power than the executive branch itself, then what is our law supposed to mean?”
“The most critical media platform in the country is monopolized by the government and under the control of the leadership. Where else in the world does this occur?” Alviri added.
Masoud Roghani Zanjani, a former Vice President of the regime, pointed out, “You won’t find anywhere in the world where the sphere of governance has dual treasuries – one being the government, which now equates to the executive branch, and the other being the leadership institution, which has separate and extensive budgets, yet remains completely outside the country’s budgeting cycle.”
“I consider this as a livelihood apartheid,” Zanjani added. “The clergy has secured minimum privileges for itself within the constitution, segregated its interests from the people, and others must respond to them and they are not accountable to anyone.”
“Recently, the leadership has communicated the policies of the seventh development plan, which is strongly endorsing the privatization process. It asserts that privatization is necessary, but there is no mention of the financial, corporate, and investment sectors of the entities controlled by the leadership,” Zanjani stated.
Impeachment Looms for Another Minister in Raisi’s Cabinet Amid Regime’s Internal Struggles
Amidst a surge of infighting within the clerical regime where rival factions are engaged in a blame game to dodge responsibility for Iran’s socio-economic crisis, another minister from Ebrahim Raisi’s cabinet is facing the prospect of impeachment.
According to the state-affiliated website Ruyad 24 on August 8, Ali Haddadi, a member of the parliament’s Internal Affairs Committee, revealed that Ahmad Vahidi’s attempts to dissuade certain representatives to refrain from his own impeachment have been unsuccessful. He explained, “A session of the Internal Affairs Committee was convened, attended by several representatives who advocated for the minister’s impeachment. Given that the number of impeachment supporters unconvinced by Vahidi’s explanations exceeds the specified limit according to regulations, the process of considering the impeachment of the country’s minister is currently in progress.”
On the other hand, Yaqub Rezazadeh, a member of the Parliament’s Security Committee, announced on August 9 that the impeachment of Vahidi has not yet been scheduled for discussion on the parliamentary agenda.
UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET
Raisi’s VP Admits to the Economic Stalemate of the Regime
The state-affiliated newspaper ‘Ham-Mihan’ reported on August 8, “The wheel of Iran’s economy is stumbling, and based on warnings from economists and economic experts, it can be said that it is accompanied by a very serious crisis and is on the path to collapse. Amidst this economic situation, the Vice President, after admitting to the poor economic conditions, makes a concerning statement: ‘Today, the government has done everything in its power.’ These remarks from the second highest-ranking official of the government indicate the government’s desperateness to overcome various economic challenges.”
Acknowledging the impact of US sanctions on the regime’s inability to access financial resources, the source states, “In some countries, agreements were made for currency to enter the country, and 24 hours after the agreement, the US representative nullified the agreements. In three countries where the agreements were well-made, they were canceled 24 hours later.”
Four-days Wildfire in Western Iran Burned Down 450 Hectares of Forest
As a result of the recent wildfires in the bordering villages of Marivan, Kurdistan Province, the forests of Nezhmar village also fell victim to the blaze. In the recent fires, a total of 450 hectares of forest have been engulfed in flames.
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET
Iranian Retirees Resume Protests as the Regime Refrains From Implementing Its Own Laws
Government retirees returned to the streets in several cities across Iran on Tuesday as the regime continues to ignore their most basic needs. Protests were reported in Hamedan, Yazd, Tabriz, Rasht, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Karaj, Sanandaj, and Ilam. In Hamedan, retired teachers and education workers held placards that read, “What happened to justice!” and called out regime officials for making hollow promises about raising their pensions. 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.
Iranian Regime’s Paradox in Imposing the Compulsory Hijab
Today, we’ll be delving into two critical developments that are making waves: the resurgence of the Guidance Patrols and the contentious Hijab and Chastity Bill.
What is the impact as well as the methods and tactics employed by these patrols to enforce the compulsory Hijab?
This move signifies the regime’s determination to tighten its grip on social norms and personal freedoms, particularly after facing widespread uprisings.
The patrols employ advanced facial recognition technology, placing surveillance cameras in various public spaces. They’re tasked with identifying and penalizing women who defy the Hijab code, imposing heavy fines, imprisonment, and even resorting to public humiliation, such as assigning women to wash corpses in morgues. It’s a chilling example of how the regime seeks to control and intimidate women into submission.
The Truth Behind Iran’s Export Figures
Recently, the Iranian regime, led by Ebrahim Raisi, has been claiming that the people are benefitting from an export boom despite facing sanctions. They boast of increased oil exports even without the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in effect, asserting Iran’s re-entry into the global oil market. According to Raisi, the regime’s exports have surged by 30-40 percent in 2022, reaching a staggering $53 billion. However, let’s critically analyze this purported 40 percent increase. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has tightened its grip on various industries and the export of its products by forming industrial and commercial holdings. The regime’s statistics indicate that most exports are related to petrochemical and oil-based products.
Dire Conditions of the Longest-Held Political Prisoners After Being Transferred From Gohardasht to Evin
The longest-held political prisoners by the names of Saeed Massouri, Afshin Baymani, Hamzeh Savari Lofteh, and Motalleb Ahmadian were recently transferred from Gohardasht (aka Rajaii Shahr) Prison to Evin Prison, without adhering to the principle of separating crimes in this prison. These prisoners were moved to the ward with strict security measures on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, with only one set of clothes. Due to overcrowding, some of them are sleeping on the floor and enduring difficult conditions. According to a reliable source, Saeed Massouri, Afshin Baymani, and Mottaleb Ahmadian are detained in Hall 10, Ward 8 of Evin Prison, while Hamzeh Savari is in Hall 9, Ward 8 of Evin Prison. Ward 8 of Evin Prison consists of four halls, each with a maximum capacity of 72 prisoners. However, currently, each hall accommodates more than 120 prisoners, leading to overcrowding and many prisoners having to sleep on the floor.
Impact of FATF Blacklisting on Iran in 2023: Trade, Diplomacy, and Blocked Funds Challenges
Approximately two weeks ago, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a globally recognized body responsible for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, made a consequential decision. It extended its blacklist to encompass nations such as Iran, Myanmar, and North Korea. This move has sent ripples of impact across diplomatic and economic landscapes, prompting experts to deliberate the weight of these actions. Among them, a prevailing viewpoint argues that the economic and trade impediments Iran now faces might exceed even the effects of severe nuclear sanctions. Around the month of February 2020, the FATF marked a significant milestone by placing Iran on its blacklist. This decision came after granting the Islamic Republic a four-year window to address the concerns surrounding money laundering.
Iranian FM Rejects Sending Drones to Ukraine Despite Undeniable Evidence
In a press conference in Japan on August 7, Iranian regime Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian reiterated the previous statements of regime officials about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He claimed that NATO and NATO provocations were the main cause of the Ukraine war. Amir Abdollahian claimed that the Iranian regime has taken “active measures at the highest level to stop the war and engage in negotiations” and emphasized that it will continue these efforts to “stop the war and focus on a political solution to end this crisis.”
In response to a question about sending drones to Russia, Amir Abdollahian once again refuted the claim saying, “We have never provided Moscow with the capabilities to use Iranian drones or weapons in the Ukraine war.”
MEK Supporters Rallied in Gothenburg, Sweden, Supporting the MEK Leadership and Against the Mullahs’ Regime Ruling Iran
August 5, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held rallied in Gothenburg, Sweden, and demanded the trial of Ali Khamenei (Supreme leader of the mullahs’ regime) for crimes against humanity, in an international court. They expressed strong support for the MEK leadership. They also supported the Iran Revolution against the religious dictatorship ruling Iran.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – August 8, 2023