THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 7:00 PM CET
Canada, Allies Taking Iran to International Court of Justice over Downing of Flight PS752
Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom say they’ll continue their efforts to hold Iran legally accountable for shooting down Flight PS752 and killing 176 people by referring the matter to the International Court of Justice.
The four countries, which make up the International Coordination and Response Group formed to seek accountability and reparations for the victims’ families, announced the move Thursday after the deadline passed for Iran to submit to arbitration under the Montréal Convention.
The convention requires parties to prohibit, prevent and punish certain offences involving aircraft, including the unlawful and intentional destruction of an aircraft in service. Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, the U.K. and Iran are all parties to the convention, which was signed in Montreal in 1971.
UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET
EU Intel Findings: Iranian Regime Sought Illicit Nuclear Tech Last Year
Intelligence agencies across Europe have concluded that the Iranian regime attempted to acquire nuclear weapons technology in 2022. The agencies released their findings in the first half of 2023.
One report from the Netherlands General and Intelligence Security Service (AVID) revealed that the AIVD and MIVD, the Dutch military intelligence, successfully prevented the regime from obtaining Dutch knowledge or technology for their nuclear weapons programs. However, the report did not disclose the specifics of the knowledge and technology sought by Tehran.
In its 2022-2023 situational assessment, the Swedish Security Service stated that the regime ruling Iran engages in industrial espionage, primarily targeting the Swedish high-tech industry and Swedish products that can be used in their nuclear weapons program. The Swedish intelligence report reveals that the regime is interested in Swedish technology as products with dual uses and critical cutting-edge products for both civilian and military purposes. Tehran acquires both technology and knowledge through illegal methods and develops its own capabilities through Swedish universities and research institutions.
On June 20, Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) released its national intelligence report, revealing that in 2022, they discovered a consistently high number of indications of procurement attempts by the regime for its nuclear program.
According to the report, “proliferation” refers to the activities of foreign powers that involve obtaining products and knowledge for the production of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, other armaments, or elements of new weapon systems.
UPDATE: 12:30 PM CET
Canada Updates Iran and Haiti Sanctions Lists
Canada has added 7 individuals to its Iran sanctions list for human rights violations in different branches of Iran’s Revolutionary Courts (notice):
Morteza Barati; Hadi Mansouri; Musa Asif Al Hosseini; Seyed Mahmoud Sadati; Mehrdad Tahamtan; Mohammad Moghiseh; and Heidar Asiyabi.
Canada has listed 6 Haitian individuals for significant acts of corruption and human rights violations (notice, notice):
Gracia Delva and Prophane Victor were listed for being members of the “political elite” complicit in acts of significant corruption; and
Joseph Wilson (also known as Lanmo Sanjou); Vitel’homme Innocent; Johnson André (also known as Izo); and André Apaid were listed for gross and systematic human rights violations.
US Congress Calls for Additional Steps to Address Iran’s Nuclear Program
The US Congress is stepping up its efforts to clamp down on Iran to deter it from acquiring nuclear weapons. A group of 249 bipartisan lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden, demanding he take additional steps to address Iran’s nuclear program and prepare to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran.
The letter, put forward by Republican Dan Crenshaw and Democrat Abigail Spanberger, said the US “must increase its efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and to communicate to Iran, without any ambiguity, that any further progress in its nuclear program will result in severe consequences.”
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
Iran’s Freedom Movement Marks a New Chapter Across the Globe
The Iranian Resistance continues to garner support for the nationwide uprising of the Iranian people and their desire to live in a free country that rejects any kind of dictatorship. Presently, the majority of 25 parliaments have joined the growing international movement to support the Iranian people and their Resistance movement. One of these statements is signed by the majority of the French National Assembly. The statement reads in part, “Through their slogans, the Iranian people have made it clear that they reject all forms of dictatorship, be it the deposed Shah or the current theocratic regime and thus reject any association with either.”
Khamenei and the “20-Year Nuclear Challenge”
Iranian state media on Monday, June 12th, 2023, reported on a visit by Khamenei to an exhibition of nuclear achievements and a subsequent meeting with the country’s nuclear scientists, experts, and officials. Khamenei, during his meeting with nuclear officials, referred to the issue as the “20-Year Nuclear Challenge” and said: “The 20-year nuclear challenge by the enemies of the Islamic Republic has revealed many facts, including the extraordinary ability and talent of Iranian youth amidst threats and ongoing sanctions.” Khamenei also mentioned that nuclear parties and the IAEA have made many promises over the years that have not been fulfilled. He emphasized the importance of understanding who and where to trust, as Iran has suffered from not paying attention to this issue.
Exclusive: Europeans Plan to Keep Ballistic Missile Sanctions on Iran
PARIS/WASHINGTON/DUBAI, June 28 (Reuters) – European diplomats have told Iran they plan to retain European Union ballistic missile sanctions set to expire in October under the defunct 2015 Iran nuclear deal, four sources said, a step that could provoke Iranian retaliation.
The sources cited three reasons for keeping the sanctions: Russia’s use of Iranian drones against Ukraine; the possibility Iran might transfer ballistic missiles to Russia; and depriving Iran of the nuclear deal’s benefits given Tehran has violated the accord, albeit only after the United States did so first.
Keeping the EU sanctions would reflect Western efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them despite the collapse of the 2015 deal, which then-U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018.
Katie Britt Backs Bipartisan Legislation to Solidify American Sanctions on Iran
U.S. Senator Katie Britt recently joined Presidential candidate U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and Senators Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) in cosponsoring the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act (SISA) to make permanent the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.
“This legislation sends an important bipartisan message to Iran that the United States will not tolerate continued threats to American national security,” said Sen. Britt. “Peace is achieved through strength. We must stand firm against bad actors and ensure that, first and foremost, our homeland is protected against aggression. I will always fight for America’s safety, and this act is a strong step to safeguard our nation’s future.”
Iran Regime Intensifies Arrests and Detentions to Quell Potential Uprisings
Fearing the vast social discontent, the clerical regime in Iran has stepped up its spree of arrests and detentions to prevent another uprising. Morteza Mahmoudvand, MP from Khorramabad, revealed on June 27, 2023, that hundreds of individuals are being arrested in the capital of Lorestan Province (western Iran). The individuals are under surveillance and interrogation. Mahmoudvand said, “Those who created these episodes (i.e., the chemical attacks on girls’ schools) come from a spectrum of opponents and opportunists. They must be punished with maximum punishment.”