THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM
Monday Protests in Iran
Today, retirees from the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) gathered for a protest rally in Tehran, defying the heavy presence of security forces. The retirees voiced their demands for higher pensions and other essential needs that the regime has failed to address.
January 1—Tabriz, northwest #Iran
Retirees of Telecommunication Company of Iran resume weekly protest rallies, demanding higher pensions and other basic rights.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/YxyQMKxyQ5— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 1, 2024
In Ahvaz, southwest Iran, TCI retirees assembled to protest the government’s neglect of its own laws mandating an increase in pensions corresponding to the cost of living.
Isfahan, in central Iran, witnessed a renewed wave of protests as TCI retirees resumed rallies, persistently demanding improved pensions and essential rights.
January 1—Sanandaj, western #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the Telecommunications Company of Iran rally to protest low pensions and poor living conditions.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/31LPnsNFzG— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 1, 2024
Similarly, in Tabriz, northwest Iran, retirees of the Telecommunication Company of Iran resumed their weekly protest rallies, demanding better pensions and asserting their basic rights.
In Shush, southwest Iran, steelworkers from the Haft Tappeh Industrial Town staged a rally, expressing grievances over unfair contracts, unpaid wages, and inadequate salaries.
Shiraz, in the south, saw retired employees of TCI holding a protest, emphasizing the need for higher pensions and improved living conditions.
January 1—Arak, central #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the Telecommunications Company of Iran rally in front of the provincial offices of the TCI to protest low pensions and poor living conditions.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/9sVjZ6SJfx— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 1, 2024
Retirees and pensioners from TCI also rallied in Arak, central Iran, outside the provincial offices of the company. Their protest focused on low pensions and challenging living conditions.
In Sanandaj, western Iran, retirees and pensioners from TCI gathered to voice their dissatisfaction with meager pensions and substandard living conditions.
These coordinated protests across multiple cities reflect the unified discontent among retirees and workers, demanding improvements in their financial well-being and overall living standards. The demonstrations highlight the ongoing challenges faced by various segments of the Iranian workforce, as economic pressures persist and grievances mount against the regime’s policies.
UPDATE: 3:00 PM
Government Official Acknowledges Neglect in Addressing Air Pollution Crisis
In a recent statement reported by state-affiliated news outlet “Eghtesad News,” Mehdi Pirhadi, a member of the Tehran City Council, highlighted the severity of the air pollution crisis in Iran.
Speaking during a session on Sunday, December 31, Pirhadi acknowledged the tragic loss of 27,000 lives in the country due to air pollution, with an alarming 6,398 fatalities recorded in Tehran alone. He directly attributed the dire situation to the inadequate performance of both past and present governments within the clerical regime.
Pirhadi said, “Is it feasible to defer the implementation of fuel standards until 2029? I’ve been informed that the government has not consented to such a delay until 2029, and there are intentions for fuel standards to trail behind. How prolonged is the expected delay in fuel standards, and are we supposed to expect 6,398 deaths annually in Tehran? Ten years later, when it exceeds the casualties from the eight-year (Iran-Iraq) war, are we going to be content with this way of air pollution is management?”
U.S. Helicopters Sink 3 Houthi Boats in Red Sea, Pentagon Says
A clash between Iranian-backed Houthi fighters who were attacking a commercial freighter and U.S. Navy helicopters responding to the ship’s distress call ended on Sunday morning with the killing of all the crew members on three Houthi boats, the Pentagon said, a sharp escalation of violence at a moment when the White House is considering direct strikes on Iran’s proxies in the Middle East.
Senior Pentagon commanders have been pressing for more aggressive action against the range of Iranian proxies that are attacking American forces, including in Syria and Iraq. Last week the United States struck a base in Iraq used by Kataib Hezbollah after an attack that injured three U.S. troops, leaving one in critical condition.
UK and US To Take Revenge on Iran-Backed Rebels With ‘Final Warning’ Over Red Sea Attack
Britain and America are poised to launch air strikes on rebels wreaking havoc in the Red Sea.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin will deliver a “final warning” to the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Washington today.
Military chiefs want to take a more “offensive” approach to help protect one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Houthis have been using sites in Yemen to bombard vessels operating in the Red Sea.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM
Iran’s Regime Fails to Counter the Growing Wave of Protests Across the Country
Despite efforts by Ali Khamenei, the Iranian regime’s supreme leader, to use his warmongering tactics in the region to silence the voice of social protests, the cries of the hungry against the oppressors resonate in the streets of Iran.
On December 27, the strike of the workers of the National Steel Industrial Group in Ahvaz continued for the fifth consecutive day. This week, the workers marched from the company’s premises to Baghaei Square, disregarding the regime’s threats. They chanted, “Threats and prison no longer have any effect,” and “Death to the oppressors, hail to the workers.”
Unjust Verdicts: Four Bahai Women Sentenced to 15 Years in Jail
On New Year’s Eve, four Bahai women have been sentenced to a total of 15 years in jail. Nassim Sabet, Azita Foroughi, Roya Ghanee Azabadi, and Soheila Ahmadi.
The 35th Branch of the Revision Court of Khorasan handed its verdict today, Sunday, December 31, 2023, sentencing each of the four Bahai women to three years and eight months in jail. The four Bahai women are charged with membership in an association seeking to disrupt national security. The Revision Court convened without informing the Bahai women or their lawyers.
Chronic Inequality: The Role of Political Institutions in Iran’s Society
Zahra Kaviani, a researcher at Iran’s Center for Parliamentary Research, revealed at an economic meeting in Tehran on Wednesday, December 27, that the poverty rate in the country surpassed 30 percent in 2022, with nearly 26 million people classified as poor.
Kaviani attributed the impoverishment of almost one-third of Iran’s population to the country’s macroeconomic failures. During the meeting, titled “Evidence-Based Policymaking” and hosted by the Center for Data Analysis at the Sharif Institute for Economic and Industrial Studies, Kaviani argued that simply increasing employment statistics or support assistance would not be sufficient to lift people out of poverty. She emphasized the need to optimize supportive policies instead.
US Forces Sink Houthi Ships In Response to Attack on Vessels in the Red Sea
In a statement, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) declared that A US Navy warship named USS Gravely shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles that were launched from areas under Houthi control in Yemen on Saturday night.
CENTCOM stated that early on Saturday that Maersk Hangzhou, a cargo ship with Singaporean and Danish flags, was hit by a missile while passing through the southern Red Sea, prompting a response from the warships Gravely and Laboon.
According to CENTCOM, in response to a distress call from the commercial vessel Maersk Hangzhou, US forces targeted and sank three out of four boats belonging to the Houthis that intended to seize the ship. The boats and their crew were submerged.
2023 Annual Report, Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM)
Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) has made an effort in its annual report to provide an overview of the human rights situation in Iran. Given that the judiciary in Iran extensively employed executions as the most ruthless and inhumane form of punishment in 2023, a significant portion of the 2023 annual report focuses on executions. Another section of the report addresses the investigation into the suppression of protesters during the nationwide protests of 2022-2023.
The Iranian regime, in an attempt to suppress the nationwide protests, targeted the protesters and sought to silence any dissenting voices. They issued death sentences, along with severe and unjust verdicts, and employed brutal forms of torture to stifle the voice of every protester.
Oslo, Norway—December 30, 2023: Iranian Community Invites Compatriots to Participate in the 28th #FreeIranTelethon in Support of Simay-e-Azadi (INTV)
Oslo, Norway—December 30, 2023: The Iranian community and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) invite all freedom-loving Iranians to participate in the 28th #FreeIranTelethon in support of Simay-e-Azadi (INTV).
It is worth mentioning that the public relations of Simay-e-Azadi (INTV) announced the holding of the 28th National Assistance Program (Telethon) on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, January 12th, 13th, and 14th, 2024.
Support for Simay-e-Azadi-INTV is organized under circumstances where the religious fascism ruling Iran, through warmongering, a wave of executions, suppression, intimidation, and the dissemination of lies and demonization, seeks to block the uprising and democratic revolution of the Iranian people and stifle any voice advocating freedom.
Paris—December 30, 2023: MEK Supporters Organize an Exhibition for the Fifth Day to Express Solidarity With the Iran Revolution
Paris, France—December 30, 2023: On Saturday, the exhibition and book table in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution, organized by supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and freedom-loving Iranians, continued for the fifth consecutive day.
Hamburg, Germany—December 30, 2023: Iranian Community Invites Compatriots to Participate in the 28th #FreeIranTelethon in Support of Simay-e-Azadi (INTV)
Hamburg, Germany—December 30, 2023: The Iranian community and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) invite all freedom-loving Iranians to participate in the 28th #FreeIranTelethon in support of Simay-e-Azadi (INTV).
Also, read Iran News in Brief – December 31, 2023