THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:30 PM
Presidential Election Farce in Iran
Still reeling in shock from the sudden death, in an obsolete helicopter, of the Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi – the Butcher of Tehran, the mullahs are desperately trying to organize hasty presidential elections to find a replacement. Already the situation has developed into a farce, with state-run newspapers describing the election race as a “stand-up comedy” and “a show”! Out of the 80 people who originally registered as potential candidates, only six have been allowed to stand, all deemed to be suitably loyal to the diktats of the aging and increasingly irrational Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The resulting power struggle, as the six candidates vying for public attention, has become an embarrassing circus, as one after another they repeat identical pledges to “continue the program of the Martyr Raisi” and to “implement the policies of the Supreme Leader.”
UPDATE: 10:30 AM
Houthis Prove A Tough Fight as The U.S. Military Tries to Secure Critical Waterway
It hardly seems a fair fight: a ragtag rebel movement in one of the world’s poorest countries, already locked in a draining civil war, taking on the world’s strongest military power and its allies that are determined to protect a waterway critical to global commerce.
Months into the clash, however, Yemen’s Houthis show no signs of going away. The Iran-backed movement has launched almost 200 attacks against military and commercial ships passing through the Red Sea since November. The U.S. and Britain have responded with multiple retaliatory airstrikes deep into Yemen and have spent more than six months downing swarms of Houthi drones and rockets heading toward merchant vessels.
Despite the massive U.S. and international naval coalition arrayed against them, the Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, are continuing their barrage and creating a vast disruption in international shipping patterns. The U.S. and its allies have launched some 450 strikes against Houthi positions along the Yemeni coastline, including some of the most intensive sorties in the past few weeks. Some compare the campaign to the arcade game Whac-A-Mole.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM
Violent Explosion Takes Place In Al-Bokamal At Syrian-Iraqi Borders
It is still unknown whether it was an attack targeting figures in the site or targeting a truck carrying equipment, where drones were flying over the region hours before the attack, while there is a fuel station of Iranian militias in the area.
On March 19, three explosions were heard in the outskirts of Al-Mayadeen City “the capital of Iranian militias in Syria” in the Deir Ezzor countryside, coinciding with the flight of anonymous drones over the region. However, no casualties were reported.
Broad Election Boycott in Iran In Sight
Berlin – No country plays a more crucial role in the future of the Middle East, and perhaps even in world peace, than Iran. By inciting and escalating regional conflicts, Tehran has diverted attention from its brutal crackdown on popular uprisings and growing dissent that challenge the regime.
As the West tries to manage these crises, it repeats the mistake of accommodating Tehran instead of holding it accountable. This is evident in the EU’s inability to designate the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, despite clear evidence and demands from the European Parliament.
The regime has used this leniency to intensify executions and the oppression of women, launch sham trials against the opposition People’s Mojahedin (MEK), and attack Iranian dissidents on European soil.
Australia Urged to List Iran’s Enforcers as Terror Group
The Albanese government is facing fresh calls to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group after Canada blacklisted the Islamic regime’s ideological enforcers.
The Canadian government said there were reasonable grounds to believe the IRGC had been involved in terrorism, conducted both unilaterally and in association with other Middle Eastern terrorist groups it backs including Hezbollah and Hamas. The designation means any assets the IRGC holds in Canada are frozen and can block supporters from providing aid and funds to the group.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM
The Catastrophic Situation of Child Labor in Iran
The alarming state of child labor in Iran is deeply affecting the physical and mental well-being of the country’s children.
After the seizure of the Iranian people’s right to govern, Ruhollah Khomeini and his plundering and exploitative successors intensified oppression and injustice against impoverished and destitute families. The overwhelming poverty and misery were such that fathers had to work double shifts to meet the minimum essential needs of their families, yet they still could not cover the exorbitant costs and crippling inflation. Mothers headed to workshops and service centers or prepared food for sale in public places, but they too failed to earn enough for the necessities of life. It was at this point that young children, boys, and girls, said goodbye to their studies and schools to help support the family’s livelihood, heading to underground workshops, brick kilns, street vending, car washing, and garbage collecting. They are forced to undertake tasks to earn a morsel of bread or buy medicine for their parents, effectively becoming small-bodied slaves.
Women Leading Iran’s Fight for Freedom: Resistance Units Support Maryam Rajavi’s 10-Point Plan
This time of year coincides with many significant events in Iranian history, most notably the beginning of the Iranian Resistance against the Khomeini regime on June 20, 1981.
In this episode, we will examine women’s crucial role in the 43-year struggle for freedom in Iran, from their involvement in the Iranian opposition to their current efforts within the Resistance Units inside Iran. We’ll especially focus on their acts of support for the NCRI from across the country.
The Resistance Units in Iran have carried out around 20,000 acts in support of Maryam Rajavi’s 10-Point Plan, in anticipation of the Iranian Resistance’s annual gathering on June 29th.
Evin Prison Inmates Face Unjust Sentences in Controversial Trial
In a shocking development on June 18, 2024, the Iranian regime’s judiciary convicted 40 inmates of Evin Prison in what many are calling a show trial. The prisoners were accused of participating in a fire at Evin Prison’s Wards 7 and 8 on October 15, 2022, during a nationwide uprising. The convictions have been met with widespread criticism and allegations of a cover-up.
The court, operating under Branch 1148 of the Criminal Court, handed down severe punishments to the accused:
- Collective sentences totaling 251 years and 8 months of additional imprisonment
- 5,032 lashes
- Mandatory payment of blood money to victims’ families
G7 Takes Firm Stance on Iran: Nuclear Program, Regional Activities, and Human Rights in Focus
In a recent meeting, the leaders of the G7 nations articulated a united and robust position on Iran, addressing multiple areas of concern. The joint communiqué released at the conclusion of the summit highlighted several key issues, demonstrating the group’s commitment to curbing the Iran regime’s destabilizing activities and promoting regional security. At the forefront of the G7’s concerns is the Iran regime’s nuclear program. The leaders called on this regime to “cease and reverse nuclear escalations and stop the continuing uranium enrichment activities that have no credible civilian justifications.” They urged Tehran to engage in serious dialogue with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and provide convincing assurances that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.
Iran-Backed Houthis Sink Second Commercial Ship in the Red Sea
On Wednesday, June 19, the world’s top shipping companies released a joint statement after the sinking of a second ship in the Red Sea, calling for immediate actions to stop Yemeni Houthis’ attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Greek-owned cargo ship Tutor was attacked by Iran-backed Houthis last week, and observers confirmed its sinking on Wednesday. This is the second commercial ship to sink due to Houthi attacks in the region. The Houthis have also seized another ship and its crew.
The Houthis began their drone and missile attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in November, claiming solidarity with the people of Gaza. Three sailors have been killed in these Houthi attacks.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – June 21, 2024