THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 7:30 PM CET
Treasury Continues to Sanction Procurement Networks for Iran’s UAV and Weapons Programs
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), designated four entities and three individuals in Iran and Turkey for their involvement in the procurement of equipment, including European-origin engines of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in support of Iran’s UAV and weapons programs. This procurement network operates on behalf of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which oversees several firms involved in UAV and ballistic missile development.
“Iran’s well-documented proliferation of UAVs and conventional weapons to its proxies continues to undermine both regional security and global stability,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “The United States will continue to expose foreign procurement networks in any jurisdiction that supports Iran’s military industrial complex.”
Iran-related Designations; Non-Proliferation Designations
MAHMOUDI, Asghar (Arabic: اصغر محمودی) (a.k.a. MAHMOODI, Asghar), Iran; DOB 05 Jul 1964; POB Kaleybar, Iran; nationality Iran; Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; National ID No. 5198918954 (Iran) (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: PAIDAR, Amanallah).
PAIDAR, Amanallah (Arabic: امان اله پایدار) (a.k.a. AMANOLLAH, Paydar Mohammad; a.k.a. PAYDAR, Aman Ilah; a.k.a. PAYDAR, Amanollah; a.k.a. “AMIRI, Ahmad”; a.k.a. “AZARIAN, Amin”; a.k.a. “MURAT, Rajib”), Iran; DOB 08 Nov 1958; POB Rudsar, Iran; nationality Iran; Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; National ID No. 2690705257 (Iran) (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER).
UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET
Amid Nowruz Celebratory Messages, White House Spox Iterates Support for Iranian People
At a joint press briefing by US White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby, Ms. Jean-Pierre said: “The Nowruz holiday brings loved ones together around the Haft-Sin table to reflect on the year that has passed and renew hope for the year ahead. This year comes at a difficult time for many families when people is — when people — when the hope is needed more than ever — including for the women of Iran, who are fighting for their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United States will continue to stand with the women of Iran and all the citizens of Iran who are inspiring the world with their conviction and their courage. And together with our partners, we will continue to hold Iranian officials accountable for their attacks against their own people.”
EU Extends Iran Sanctions to Judges, Clerical Council
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — European ministers agreed Monday to add eight Iranians and one of the Tehran government’s most powerful bodies to EU sanctions lists, alleging human rights violations.
The individuals — including clerics, judges, and a broadcaster — are accused of playing leading roles in Iran’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.
The sanctions decision was made at a meeting of foreign and defense ministers in Brussels, as thousands of Iranian exiles protested outside in support of the uprising against the Tehran government.
The protesters, many of them supporters of the exiled opposition group the National Council of Resistance, demanded the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) be blacklisted as a terrorist group.
Some EU capitals are also pushing for this measure, which would target the paramilitary armed wing of Tehran’s Islamic revolution, which is deeply embedded in the Iranian economy.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
Welcoming Nowruz as Uprising and Revolution Persist
Congratulations on the Nowruz that follows the Iran uprising and revolution. Happy Nowruz to the rebellious cities of Iran, to all compatriots, to the PMOI freedom fighters, and to the army of spring!
Although our cities, from Zahedan and Kurdish cities to Tehran, are drenched with the blood of 750 Iranian young men and women, like all the festivities our Resistance celebrates, we are determined to celebrate it with a bleeding heart and a smiling face. These flames ignited by the crimson blood in the night of the homeland are the spring of Iran.
Iran Sees More Protests by Retirees, Pensioners Over Economic Woes
Protests are continuing in Iran as the country’s economy continues to experience further crises as a result of the mullahs’ destructive policies. More people are taking to the streets as they are finding it extremely difficult to make ends meet, especially as the national currency, the rial, has plunged in value against the U.S. dollar.
People throughout the country are specifically holding the mullahs’ Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responsible for their miseries, while also condemning the oppressive the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and paramilitary Basij units, alongside other security units that are on the ground suppressing the peaceful demonstrators.
How the IRGC Launders Money for the Iranian Regime’s Dangerous Projects
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) not only controls a significant portion of the country’s banking and financial markets but is also deeply involved in money laundering for the Iranian regime. The IRGC’s lack of transparency and accountability makes it difficult to track its illegal revenue and expenditures. Their opaque practices extend to the point where they do not even report to the regime’s government or parliament, a clear indication of money laundering. Undoubtedly, a significant portion of Iran’s monetary and non-monetary economy is under the control of the IRGC. The revenues generated from these sources are more than 1.5 times the current budget allocated for the regime’s classic army. Despite this, one may question the lack of transparency regarding the IRGC’s revenues.
Raoufeh Mirbagheri Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison and Banned From Leaving the Country
Women’s rights activist Raoufeh MirBagheri was sentenced to 8 months in prison and other additional punishments. Raoufeh MirBagheri from Ramsar was detained during the 2022 uprising. The Revolutionary Court of Sari sentenced her to eight months of imprisonment, a two-year ban on leaving the country, joining political and social groups, and forming a group. The court also ordered some of her belonging to be confiscated. Sari is the capital of Mazandaran Province in northern Iran.
“The Protests of 1401: A Turning Point for Iran’s Political Landscape.”
The last days of this year were bitter for the Islamic Republic of Iran because of the people’s protests, while it could also be considered a year of hope for the Iranian people. Perhaps no one could have predicted at the beginning of 1401 what events this year would bring to Iran’s political and social scene.
The government of President Raeisi, who had come to power in the summer of 1400, showed that like its predecessors, it had nothing to offer and, to compensate for this inadequacy, it adopted a policy of repression from the beginning of 1401, particularly towards women’s dress in Iran.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – March 20, 2023
