THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
Duo Charged With Illegally Procuring US Technology for Iranian Military
Two men were charged with illegally procuring American technology for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ drone program, according to court documents unsealed by the Justice Department.
Iranian national Hossein Hatefi Ardakani and co-defendant Gary Lam, who was based in China and Hong Kong, were charged in D.C. federal court with procuring microelectronics for the IRGC’s program from 2014 to 2015, according to court documents.
Ardakani and his co-conspirators used a “web of foreign companies to accomplish their obfuscation and evasion efforts,” the Justice Department alleged. It is unclear how many co-conspirators were alleged to have been involved.
IRGC-affiliated News Agency Acknowledges Elimination of 11 Security Officers in Rask
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Tasnim News Agency confirmed the demise of 11 law enforcement officers in Rask.
The source, linked to the IRGC Quds Force, conveyed on December 19 that a total of 70 members of the regime’s State Security Forces have been killed since the beginning of the year.
Tasnim’s report reads, “From the start of the year until now, the entire national law enforcement has dedicated 70 martyrs in the path of preserving and guarding the land of Iran.”
Sens. Cruz, Scott, Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Crack Down on CCP Espionage
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to require more stringent reporting requirements from diplomats of American adversaries. This bill also applies to foreign missions in the U.S. conducted by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. This legislation requires a monthly report of the notification logs from the State Department to the President, Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee to ensure transparency around the business of foreign governments in the United States.
The Countering Corrupt Political Influence Act (CCP Influence Act), builds upon the Trump administration policy that required the State Department to mandate that Chinese foreign missions, including its embassy and various consulates around the United States, notify the Department of State in advance of all official meetings with state officials, official meetings with local and municipal officials, official visits to educational institutions, and official visits to research institutions.
UPDATE: 12:30 PM CET
Iranian National Charged with Unlawfully Procuring Microelectronics Used in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles on Behalf of the Iranian Government
Today, the Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging Iranian national Hossein Hatefi Ardakani and co-defendant Gary Lam, who worked for a Chinese company, with crimes related to the procurement of U.S.-manufactured dual-use microelectronics for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization’s (ASF SSJO) one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program.
Concurrent with this unsealing, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Ardakani, as well as multiple other individuals and entities involved in the procurement network used by Ardakani in support of Iran’s production of UAVs. Ardakani’s codefendant, Lam, whom OFAC identified as Lin Jinghe, was designated by OFAC in October.
Attacks on Ships in Red Sea Must Stop, White House Says
WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (Reuters) – Attacks by Iran-backed Yemeni militants in the Red Sea must stop and the U.S. and its partners will continue to protect ships from being targeted, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.
The Houthi militant group, which controls vast amounts of territory in Yemen after years of war, has since last month fired drones and missiles at international vessels sailing through the Red Sea, attacks it says respond to Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip.
“Attacks on ships in the Red Sea have to stop,” Kirby told a press briefing.
Kirby was asked if Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have told the U.S. they would participate in a U.S.-led multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea contingent on Washington backing a ceasefire in Gaza.
France Joins 10-Nation Coalition Against Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Shipping Lanes
France has joined a US-led international force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Referring to the Red Sea shipping situation in a statement released from Bahrein early Tuesday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced: “This is an international challenge that demands collective action …Therefore today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.”
The seriousness of the attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea – several of which have damaged vessels – has led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation can be addressed.
UK Warns of Deteriorating Security in Red Sea, Royal Navy Ship Joins Taskforce
LONDON, Dec 19 (Reuters) – Britain warned that the security situation in the Red Sea was deteriorating and ballistic missile and drone attacks were an increased threat, as it agreed for a Royal Navy Destroyer to join a U.S.-led operation to safeguard commerce in the region.
The United States said earlier on Tuesday it was setting up a task force of ships to protect shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, key trading routes, to protect shipping from the rising number of attacks launched by Houthis in Yemen.
The Houthis have stepped up attacks in response to Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip, forcing oil major BP (BP.L) and freight firms including Maersk to avoid the area.
Iranian Passport Trails in Global Credibility, State-backed Institution Says
On Tuesday, December 19, the “Iran Open Data” platform revealed that the passport of citizens inside Iran is ranked 96th globally, comparing it to passports of other nations. Despite Iran’s passport maintaining a relatively stable position in the past 15 years, the report highlights significant progress in many regional countries.
According to the report from the state-affiliated “Iran Open Data” platform, based on the latest rankings by the Henley & Partners Institute, only 13 passports out of 199 countries have lower credibility than the Iranian passport. Notably, some neighboring countries of Iran are making strides, competing with developed nations and securing top positions in the rankings.
The report emphasizes that the most credible passport among regional countries is held by the United Arab Emirates, allowing unrestricted travel to 180 countries and tourist destinations. This achievement positions the UAE at the 13th spot in the global ranking. In the global ranking table, the last three positions are occupied by Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, respectively.
Biden Draws up Plans for Missile Strikes on Houthis
Joe Biden is considering military strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen amid a crisis in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. US officials are understood to be drawing up plans to intervene directly against the group after it launched a series of attacks against Israel-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea, disrupting a route that carries a tenth of world trade.
On Tuesday, the Iran-backed Houthis said they would continue to launch missile and drone attacks in sympathy with the Palestinian people, despite the announcement that a US-led coalition of 10 countries would send several warships to the region.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Swedish Appeals Court Confirms Life Imprisonment of Hamid Noury for His Role in Iran’s 1988 Massacre
The Swedish Appeals Court in Stockholm has upheld the life sentence of Hamid Noury, a former prison guard in Gohardasht prison, Karaj, on trial for his involvement in the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran.
In the summer of 1988, under a fatwa from regime supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran’s prisons were purged of all political prisoners. More than 30,000 prisoners were hanged in the span of a few months, most of whom were PMOI members and supporters.
Iran’s Education Budget Drifts Towards Seminaries
Against the backdrop of Iran’s education crisis, the Ministry of Education, under the government of Ebrahim Raisi, grapples with unprecedented challenges.
This crisis extends beyond the shortage of teachers and classrooms to a fundamental shift in priorities, where ideological influence takes precedence over addressing critical issues within the education system.
In this context, the advisor to the Minister of Education, Hamid Nikzad, recently unveiled a strategic move—the establishment of seminary-affiliated schools—as part of a broader initiative to infuse religious teachings into the educational landscape.
Mojgan Kavousi Jailed To Serve 3 Years and 3 Months in Tonekabon Prison
Mojgan Kavousi, a Kurdish writer and researcher, was arrested after reporting to the Office of the Implementation of Verdicts in Kelardasht on Monday, December 18, 2023. She was transferred to the Prison of Tonekabon to serve 3 years and 3 months in prison.
Security forces arrested Mojgan Kavousi at her home in Nowshahr on September 22, 2022. On January 3, 2023, she was temporarily released on bail from the Prison of Qaemshahr.
In December 2022, the First Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Sari sentenced her to eight months in prison for “propaganda against the state,” 18 months in jail for “insulting the (mullahs’ supreme) leader,” and 39 months in jail for “assembly and collusion against national security.” That makes five and a half years of prison time.
Food Shortage Risk in Iran as Production, Import of Essential Goods Drop Considerably
Reports indicate that Iran’s imports of essential goods have decreased by an average of 50% in the past eight months. Red meat production has also decreased by 30% in November compared to the previous year, a trend that analysts believe signals a major crisis in food supply and a shortage of food items in the market.
According to a report by the Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), based on customs statistics, the imports of dry tea, rice, raw sugar, poultry, and wheat have decreased by 57.69%, 53.89%, 51.98%, 48.11%, and 46.20%, respectively, in terms of value in the eight-month period of this year compared to the same period last year.
Paris—December 19, 2023: MEK Supporters Held an Exhibition, in Solidarity With the Iran Revolution
Paris, France—December 19, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
Berlin—December 18, 2023: MEK Supporters Held an Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iran Revolution
Berlin, Germany—December 18, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. This exhibition additionally functioned as a platform for denouncing the recent surge of harsh executions in Iran.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – December 19, 2023