THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:30 PM CET
Iran Using Research Partnerships with UK ‘to Develop Weapons’
The government is under pressure to crack down on academic collaborations between Britain and Iran as evidence emerges of the regime using western science to develop weapons.
An Islamic Republic decree, seen by The Times, shows that its military has been given “maximum” access to Iranian universities and their international partnerships, in order to acquire sensitive research from overseas.
Advanced weaponry, drones, aerospace propulsion systems, artificial intelligence and sophisticated warfare software are listed among the top defence priorities for the country.
UPDATE: 9:30 PM CET
Iran’s Economy Faces Crisis Amid Alarming Poverty Statistics, State-affiliated Economist Warns
In a recent statement, Farshad Momeni, a state-affiliated economist, revealed alarming statistics about poverty in Iran. According to Momeni, a staggering 89% of Iran’s impoverished population is actually employed. This raises serious concerns about the state of the nation’s economy and the well-being of its citizens, he argued.
Furthermore, Momeni pointed out that the implementation of the seventh development plan, a so-called economic initiative put forward by the Raisi government, is only exacerbating the existing crises in Iran. He highlighted that a substantial 61% of the installed capacity for industrial production remains unused, reflecting inefficiencies in the country’s economic policies and strategies.
Speaking among fellow government researchers, Momeni emphasized the prevailing sense of distress, worry, and anxiety felt by people at all social levels in Iran. This indicates a deep-rooted concern about the nation’s overall economic and social stability.
UPDATE: 6:00 PM CET
Child Labor Rises to 15% of Total Child Population, Parliamentary Report Reveals
The Research Center of the Majlis, the Iranian regime’s parliament, released a report stating that the number of child laborers in Iran has increased to 15 percent of the total child population. The center attributed the rise in child labor to “poverty in families” and “ineffective enforcement of laws,” and further added that the “weak supervision of workshops and occupations” has not only led to an increase in child labor but has also resulted in extensive cases of “sexual exploitation” and “abuse” of child laborers.
The report, titled “Challenges of Effective Monitoring to Prevent Child Labor,” emphasizes that child laborers constitute approximately 8 percent of the country’s child population and makeup about 15 percent when considering children who are engaged in household work.
In another section of the report, it is highlighted that “around 10 percent of child laborers do not attend school.” Instead of receiving an education, these children, due to reasons such as “family poverty,” are involved in various forms of “child labor,” such as working in workshops.
Clashes Erupt Following Protests in Village in Northwest Iran
In response to demonstrations by the residents of Agh Darreh village in Takab, West Azerbaijan province, clashes erupted on Sunday, July 30. State security forces, tasked with quelling the protests, encountered resistance from the local community who were outraged over their exclusion from employment opportunities at the local gold mine.
During the clashes, three young individuals were reported to have been injured by gunfire. Subsequently, the special forces intensified their operation, conducting a house-to-house search in the early hours of Monday morning, July 31. As a result, several individuals were apprehended, and access to the internet in the area was disrupted by the regime.
The protests in Agh Darreh have been ongoing due to grievances regarding the lack of employment for local residents in the gold mine. The situation escalated as tensions between the demonstrators and security forces reached a critical point. In the aftermath of the clashes, at least three Kurdish citizens sustained injuries and were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals in Urmia and Zanjan for medical treatment.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET
Iran: Retirees of the Social Security Organization Resume Their Protests
Retired workers and pensioners of the Iranian regime’s Social Security Organization held protest rallies in several cities across Iran on Sunday as has become the norm in recent months. As their living conditions continue to deteriorate under the corrupt rule of the mullahs, the retirees have found no other solution to obtain their rights than to take to the streets and hold protest rallies. Protests were reported in Rasht, Ahvaz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Shush. 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 have spiked severalfold while pensioners continue to receive the same stipends as before. Retirees are also facing lack or inadequate access to basic services such as healthcare and health insurance.
Iranian Women And Youth Lead the Charge in Ongoing Revolution Against Oppression
The Iranian people have faced complex and enduring challenges throughout their history. Despite the ruling elite’s wealth and power, a significant portion of the population continues to suffer in poverty and neglect, with their dreams of freedom, justice, liberty, and equality unfulfilled. In the midst of these difficulties, a remarkable revolution has emerged, with courageous women at its forefront, envisioning a better future. Beyond the confines of Iran’s borders, the oppressive regime employs transnational repression to suppress dissent globally. However, recent events have sparked political upheaval, with women taking the lead and gaining unprecedented international support.
The Role of Iranian Universities in Challenging Regime Dictatorship in 2023: The Controversial Admission of Hashd al-Shaabi Militias
In the contemporary history of Iran, universities have played a crucial role in opposing dictatorial governments and upholding values of freedom and secularism. From the establishment of the University of Tehran in 1934 to the 1979 anti-monarchy revolution, these educational institutions have been at the forefront of intellectual and political movements. Iranian universities have been considered centers where the pulses of freedom and secularism have always been active and alive, breathing life into the aspirations of the nation. During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iranian universities became spaces where students and intellectuals gathered to discuss social, political, and cultural issues openly.
Cologne—July 29, 2023: MEK Supporters Held a Rally in Support of the Iran Revolution
Cologne, Germany—July 29, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in solidarity with the Iran Revolution. MEK supporters in Cologne condemned the wave of brutal executions in Iran by the religious dictatorship.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – July 30, 2023
