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UPDATE: 11:00 AM CET
Wray Defends FISA, Says Law Used to ‘Detect and Thwart’ Chinese and Iranian Hacking of US Critical Infrastructure
The FBI was able to “detect and thwart” Chinese hackers attempting to access U.S. critical infrastructure, as well as malign threats from other adversaries, under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Friday in a letter to Congress defending the law. Fox News Digital obtained letters Wray sent to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Friday highlighting the positives of the surveillance tool amid significant reforms the bureau has made under his leadership.
Wray also pointed to Iran’s bolstered cyber capabilities — specifically referencing its cyberattack on the Boston Children’s Hospital in 2021.
“Iran, along with North Korea, is one of only two nation-states known to have conducted destructive cyberattacks within the United States,” he wrote. “Iran has sought to assassinate American citizens, including high-level government officials,” Wray said, referring to Iran’s effort to target former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Libero Interview With Maryam Rajavi: “Iran From Rich to Beggar With Islamic Regime”
During her visit to Italy, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran conducted an interview with the Italian newspaper Libero Quotidiano.
Libero: What do you think of your trip to Italy?
Mrs. Rajavi: First of all, I appreciate the hospitality of the Italian people and their politicians. The country’s elected representatives have understood very well over the years that the Middle East and the world will never know peace as long as the Iranian regime exists. On the other hand, Italian parliamentarians have experienced the Iranian Resistance firsthand, and have become convinced that the National Council of Resistance of Iran offers a serious alternative and that its program can lead Iran to democracy, and the region and the world to take a major step towards peace and tranquillity. Our Italian friends have learned that the People’s Mujahedin organization has fought for 58 years against two dictatorships to obtain democracy, and has paid the necessary price for freedom.
UN Special Rapporteur on Iran Calls for International Investigation Into 1988 Massacre
LONDON – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Iran on Tuesday decried the prevailing culture of impunity in Iran and appealed for an international inquiry into the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners. Prof. Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, made the announcement at a briefing with MPs at the UK Parliament on 18 July 2023. The Parliamentary briefing on the topic of countering impunity, organised by the Association of Anglo-Iranian Women in the UK, took place on the 35th anniversary of the 1988 massacre. In his keynote presentation about the absence of accountability and the prevalent culture of impunity, Prof. Rehman demanded the removal of the culture of impunity and asked for accountability and justice for the victims of serious violations of human rights, including victims of violations of the 1988 massacre.
The Relaunch of the Morality Police in Iran
The Guidance Patrols have a history of enforcing a strict dress code on women, namely the mandatory hijab, in Iran. Last year, in mid-September, the violent beating and subsequent death of a young woman sparked nationwide protests which beyond women’s demand for freedom of choice, called for the overthrow of the entire mullahs’ regime. In response to the public’s angry reaction to Mahsa Amini’s death in Police custody, the regime withdrew the guidance patrols, and their vans vanished from the streets.
The first question is why did the Iranian regime relaunch the patrols on the 16th of July?
Really, why did the Iranian regime relaunch the patrols they are facing criticism even from their own people, warning against its consequences, specifically the outbreak of another nationwide uprising, as the economy is in shambles and the Iranian people have really nothing to lose.
“The Looming Uprising of the Starving Army in 2023: A Warning to the Iranian Government”
“An urgent warning to the Iranian Government about the potential uprising of the starving army, highlighting the economic disparity and the growing unrest.”
The Jomhouri newspaper issues a stark warning to the Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist) government concerning the ‘starving army,’ cautioning them to ‘fear the spread of poverty among the people.’ The piece further reminds Khamenei, ‘The protocol of Islamic governance does not involve the powerful feasting on rich morsels while telling the people to be patient, eat less, and return to biting on raw onions.’ These warnings stem from fears of a revolt from the ‘starving army’ and impoverished people that could potentially overwhelm the regime.
Senate Passes Cruz, Manchin Effort To Stop Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil Sales to China, Russia, Iran & North Korea
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), along with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va), today secured Senate passage of their bipartisan amendment to the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting the sale of Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) crude oil to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Sen. Cruz previously introduced similar legislation as the No Emergency Crude Oil for Foreign Adversaries Act in 2022 and earlier this year.
With a strong bipartisan vote, the Senate approved Sen. Cruz’s amendment to the NDAA by a vote of 85-12.
“We know China has been amassing the largest stockpile of crude in the world. Nevertheless, last year the United States sold off part of our reserves to China,” Sen. Cruz said.
“I have been working with Senator Manchin to prohibit such inexplicably reckless moves in a bipartisan way. Our amendment prevents the federal government from selling oil from the strategic petroleum reserve to China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. We should not be selling our emergency oil reserves to our adversaries.” Sen. Manchin (right,) said.
US Secretary Antony J. Blinken At Aspen Security Forum
Secretary Blinken: “We have a lot of concerns about Iran. We have the concern that after having put its nuclear program in a box with the JCPOA, with that agreement no longer in force, Iran has speeded ahead with the production of fissile material for a nuclear weapon. Everything the agreement effectively did to stop that has now been lost and the efforts that we were making to make sure that the breakout time that they would have if they made a decision to produce a nuclear weapon in terms of having the fissile material for such a weapon – having pushed that past a year, it’s now down to a matter of weeks. So I have a real concern about that, as well as the provocative actions that they take with regard to the program.
I have a lot of concerns about the actions they’re taking throughout the region to support various groups that are engaged in profoundly destabilizing activities. And, of course, we were talking about Ukraine a while ago. This is now unfortunately a global enterprise. The drones that Iran has provided to Russia for use in Ukraine are having a real and terrible impact, and it’s a two-way street. We’re now seeing Russia provide Iran with equipment and technology that it can use for the actions that it’s taking in the region, so these are deep concerns. And then finally, at home, of course, we’ve seen the extraordinary protests led by women, led by girls, standing up for basic rights. And we’ve seen the means that the Iranian regime has taken to repress them.
We have done a lot of work to try to help people who wanted their voices heard, not only in the sanctions, not only in the spotlighting but also in the work that we’ve done to provide technology to people in Iran to make sure that they could, to the best of their ability and our ability, stay connected with each other and stay connected with the world. So this is something that’s an ongoing concern, but not only our concern, the concern of many other countries around the world.”
More Than 50 Christian Converts Arrested in Iranian Cities
More than 50 Christian converts have been arrested in five Iranian cities in July. And there are warnings that the number could increase as fresh reports emerge. The arrests occurred at the homes and house churches of at least 51 Christians in Tehran and four other cities, Karaj, Rasht, Orumiyeh, and Aligoudarz. Many remain in custody, while some have been released on bail. Article 18, a religious freedom organisation says: ‘Police are entering family homes and seizing parents in front of their children.’ Such arrests are bound to be traumatic for the entire family. They warn the number detained could be as high as 70.
Urgent Call by the MEK Supporters for Action To Prevent Execution of Mohammad Javad Vafa’I Thani
Also, read Iran News in Brief – July 21, 2023
