THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 5:00 PM CEST
Treasury Targets Iranian Missile and UAV Procurement Facilitators
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting five individuals and seven entities based in Iran, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and Hong Kong that have facilitated procurements on behalf of subordinates of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). Those designated today procure various components, including accelerometers and gyroscopes, which serve as key inputs to Iran’s ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program. Iran’s acquisition of critical missile and UAV components continues to enable its proliferation of weapons systems to its proxies in the Middle East and to Russia.
UPDATE: 11:30 AM CEST
Iran Seeks to Undermine Trump Ahead of Election, Officials Signal
Iran is working to stoke societal discord in the United States and undermine Donald Trump’s bid to regain the White House — as it tried to do four years ago, U.S. intelligence officials signaled Monday in a new assessment of the disinformation landscape ahead of November’s election.
In a briefing for reporters organized by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security, officials alluded to but stopped short of directly stating Tehran’s opposition to Trump. Rather, Iran is reprising the stance it took in 2020, said a senior ODNI official, adding that its leaders appear motivated by a desire to “avoid an outcome they perceive would increase tensions with the United States.”
Like others who participated in the briefing, this person spoke on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the intelligence agencies.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CEST
Khamenei Confirms Pezeshkian’s Presidency On Condition Of Continuing Raisi’s Dark Legacy
The cold and silent ceremony of appointing and inaugurating Masoud Pezeshkian as the new president of Iran’s regime was held on July 28. The Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei endorsed and appointed Pezeshkian with the condition of “fit for duty.”
In his decree, the Supreme Leader, while implicitly criticizing the “unexpected president,” wrote: “I confirm and appoint the wise, honest, popular, and learned Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian as the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” However, in the next sentence, he reminded him: “I remind you that the people’s vote and my confirmation will continue as long as your path remains in line with the true course of Islam and the revolution.”
In response to this confirmation, Pezeshkian emphasized his adherence to the regime’s frameworks and mentioned Ruhollah Khomeini the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and other key figures of the regime.
Surge in Executions: Iran Carries Out 30 Death Sentences in Eight Days Amid UN Calls for Accountability
In a concerning development, at least 30 prisoners have been executed across various Iranian prisons within a span of just eight days, according to reports from multiple media sources. The executions, which took place between July 20 and July 28, 2024, were carried out on individuals convicted of ‘intentional murder’ and ‘drug-related crimes’.
This surge in executions, averaging about four per day, comes in the wake of Iran’s recent presidential election and amidst renewed international scrutiny of Iran’s human rights record. The timing has raised eyebrows, particularly as some regime supporters have been promoting the newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian as a moderate and reformist figure.
Just days before this wave of executions, on July 22, 2024, Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, called for an international mechanism to investigate and prosecute those responsible for “atrocity crimes” in Iran. In his final report before the end of his mandate, Rehman highlighted the extra-judicial killings of thousands of arbitrarily arrested prisoners during the 1980s crackdown on political dissent.
Iran’s Treasury Faces Severe Cash Crunch Amid Economic Crisis
Recent reports from Iranian media have shed light on the dire financial situation facing the country’s treasury. According to an official letter from the Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance to the ‘Presidential Supervisor’ on July 27, the cash balance of Iran’s treasury stands at a mere 10.5 trillion tomans, equivalent to approximately $170 million. The news website Asr-e Iran reported on this development, emphasizing that this figure is “literally nothing” for a country of Iran’s size and economic potential. The current balance is barely sufficient to cover government employees’ salaries for two to three days, highlighting the severity of the financial crisis.
While the government may secure additional funds in the future to meet its obligations, the current state of the treasury raises serious concerns about Iran’s economic stability. The financial crisis can be attributed to several factors, including international sanctions, ambitious and controversial nuclear activities, and alleged governmental mismanagement.
Power Outages Threaten Iranian Healthcare Amidst Heatwave
As Iran grapples with an energy supply challenge due to soaring temperatures, reports of power outages in medical centers have raised alarms about the safety and continuity of healthcare services across the country.
On July 24, Tejarat News reported a power outage at Khomeini Mahalat Hospital in Central Province, affecting 18 patients undergoing hemodialysis. A patient’s companion described the severity of the situation: “A power cut to the dialysis machine means a severe shock to patients. The blood removed from the patient’s body for purification is returned with the help of this device. When power is cut, this cycle stops.” The outage lasted over 15 minutes, during which some attendants manually operated the dialysis machines to minimize risk to patients.
This incident is not isolated. On July 27, the president of Gilan University of Medical Sciences announced the dismissal of Pirouz Lahijan Hospital’s president following a similar power outage.
Against the Death Penalty: Sit-in of Female Political Prisoners in Evin
From 7 PM on Saturday, July 27, 2024, a group of female political prisoners in Evin Prison staged a sit-in to protest the death penalty and the execution sentences, particularly the death sentence issued for political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi. This sit-in continued until the early hours of Sunday, with the prisoners remaining in the prison yard. The female political prisoners participating in this sit-in chanted slogans such as: “Death to the Execution Regime,” “Death to the Dictator,” “No to Execution,” “Freedom for Political Prisoners,” “You are a dictator, I am Arash, Fire Responds to Fire,” and “Evin Women’s Ward United, Standing Together Until the Death Penalty is Revoked.”
Tehran Police Inspecting Citizens’ Telephones
On July 29, Hammihan newspaper reported the establishment of “registry patrols” at metro stations and quoted the capital’s police as saying, “We are looking for stolen phones, and we are implementing this plan at all stations.”
Hammihan wrote that police officers have been asking metro passengers whether their mobile phones are registered or not.
According to this newspaper, the police have tried to implement this plan quietly in recent weeks and have not made much public announcement about it.
Hammihan also addressed reports of the seizure of iPhones at metro stations and quoted the Tehran Metro Operating Company as saying: “This rumor was probably due to a misunderstanding of one of the actions of the police stationed in the metro to identify stolen property and deal with thieves.”
The Execution of a Woman in Khorramabad Prison
On the morning of Saturday, July 27, 2024, the death sentence of a woman in Khorramabad Central Prison was carried out. This woman had been sentenced to death on charges related to drugs. The identity of this woman is under investigation and as of the moment of publishing this news, her identity has not been verified.
The execution of this female prisoner has not been announced by official sources and media close to the Iranian judiciary up to the moment of publishing this news, and this execution has been carried out quietly without media coverage.
Fears of Inevitable War in Lebanon Highlighting Iran’s Pivotal Role
Growing Concerns Over an Inevitable War in Lebanon and the Increasing Influence of Iran in the Region. On Saturday, a rocket struck a soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams, located about 12 kilometers (7 miles) south of Lebanon and near the Syrian border, where dozens of children and teens were playing. According to the Israeli military, twelve people were killed and 20 others injured. Residents informed Israeli media that an 11-year-old child was missing.
The Israeli military spokesperson confirmed the attack on Saturday night, stating that field investigations showed a Falagh-1 missile, manufactured by the Iranian regime and equipped with a warhead containing 53 kilograms of explosives, was fired at the location.
Berlin, July 27, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally Against the Mullahs’ Regime, Condemn Wave of Executions in Iran
Berlin, Germany—July 27, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally and photo exhibition to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. MEK supporters in Berlin protested against the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime, especially strongly condemning the execution of Kurdish Sunni political prisoner Kamran Sheikheh after 15 years in prison.
Hamburg, July 27, 2024: MEK Supporters Rallied Against the Mullahs’ Regime, Honoring the 1988 Massacre Martyrs
Hamburg, Germany—July 27, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally an photo exhibition to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. Organizers at this event protested against the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. They also responded to the mullahs’ judiciary regarding the sham trial of MEK members and their supporters.
Canada, July 27, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally in Toronto and Vancouver Against the Mullahs’ Regime, Supporting the PMOI
Canada—July 27, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held rallies in Toronto and Vancouver to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. Iranian communities in Toronto and Vancouver protested against the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. Iranians responded to the mullahs’ judiciary regarding the sham trial of MEK members, and once again, they declared their decisive support for the PMOI.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – July 29, 2024