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Iran News in Brief – March 29, 2023

Sedighe Shahrokhi

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THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS

UPDATE: 10:00 PM CET

Iran Uprising at a Glance – Day 195

Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 – 8 PM GMT + 1

Iran’s nationwide uprising marked its 195th day on Wednesday following many rallies by teachers across the country on Tuesday. Many cities in Iran saw teachers gather outside their local Education Departments protesting poor economic conditions, low paychecks, and inadequate working conditions. The protesting teachers were demanding the release of their unjustly jailed colleagues.

MEK Resistance Units launched marches in recent days and began chanting anti-regime slogans in Tehran and other cities, including Mashhad, Shiraz, Shahrekord, and Kashan. The slogans included:
“Down with Khamenei! Hail to Rajavi!”
“The world should know that Massoud (Rajavi) is our leader. The National Liberation Army of Iran is our final response.”
“Down with oppressors, be it the Shah or [Khamenei]!”
“Freedom will be established with the motto of ‘We can, and we must’!”
“Democracy and equality with Maryam Rajavi!”
“No to monarchy! No to [mullahs’ regime]! Democracy and equality!”
“Poverty-Corruption-High prices! We’re going to overthrow the regime!”

MEK Resistance Units also marched in the city of Kashan, south-central Iran, while chanting: “We are the MEK and we’re fighting against the mullahs! Down with oppressors, be it the Shah or [Khamenei]!”

Workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company in the city of Shush of Khuzestan Province in southwest Iran held a rally on Wednesday protesting their extremely low paychecks determined by the regime’s Supreme Labor Council. These oppressed workers have long been holding rallies, including one on March 25 and another on March 11, protesting the company officials’ refusal to address their demands. These workers have vowed to continue their protests, scheduling their next rally for Thursday, 8:30 am local time.

The protesting workers were chanting:
“Iranian workers, unite, unite!”
“Workers would rather die than live in infamy!”
“Down with oppressors! Hail to workers!”

Pensioners and retirees of the regime’s Social Security Organization in the city of Shushtar in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran, are rallying on Wednesday and protesting high prices, poverty, corruption, inflation, poor living conditions and officials’ refusal to address their demands.

The protesting workers were chanting anti-regime slogans, including:
“Retirees would rather die than live in infamy!”
“We will not rest until our rights are acknowledged!”

Today also in Hamadan, western Iran, passenger van drivers went on strike protesting poor economic conditions.

Referring to the unprecedented fall in the value of Iran’s official currency, the Economist weekly wrote: In February, the Rial currency unit fell to the lowest level in its history, i.e. about 580,000 dollars. But at the same time, the leaders of the Islamic Republic think that they have built a resistant economy that can withstand the sanctions.

UPDATE: 5:30 PM CET

Security Forces in Western Kermanshah Province Killed 25-Year Young Man

According to local sources, security forces in Kermanshah shot and killed a young Kurd named Azad Rezaee on March 27.

Azad Rezaei, a 25-year-old resident of Deredrij neighborhood in Mahdi town of Kermanshah, was killed at 11 PM on Monday, March 27, near the Niyayesh Square by direct fire from the criminal police officers of the 21st police station.

According to a relative of the Rezaee family, the criminal agents of the police force shot Azad from behind, while he was sitting in his Peugeot 405. The victim was killed instantly.

Heavy Rains and Flooding in Southeastern Iran Left Three Dead

Heavy rains in Jiroft, Kerman province, which started on the evening of Tuesday, March 28, caused major waterlogging and flooding in different parts of the city. Due to the dam break and resulting river flood, a car was involved in an accident, and three passengers died.

The head of the state’s Crisis Headquarters in Jiroft City announced that about 730 families in the Esmaili District of this city are at risk. According to the source, Abgarm Village with 120 families, Begman with 70 families, Akbarabad with 160 families, Jozsaleh Olya with 200 families, Jozsaleh Sofla with 120, and Varamin Village with about 50 families are affected by floods.

UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET

Iran’s Protests Continue Despite Crackdown Measures Across the Country

People in different cities of Iran are continuing to voice their grievances about the mullahs’ regime and remain in the streets with anti-regime protests. Worsening economic conditions are making conditions all the more impossible for millions of people to make ends meet as a growing percentage of the population continues to plunge into poverty.

As the country enters its 194th day of the nationwide uprising, people throughout the country are specifically holding the mullahs’ Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responsible for their miseries, while also condemning the oppressive Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and paramilitary Basij units, alongside other security units that are on the ground suppressing the peaceful demonstrators.

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Kurdish Translator Shilan Kurdestani Condemned to 40 Months in Prison

Shilan Kurdestani, a translator from Sanandaj, was sentenced to 3 years and four months in jail. Shilan Kurdestani was sentenced to 7 months in prison by the first branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court on the charge of “propaganda against the state” and to 2 years and nine months in prison on the charge of being a member of the Zhivano Women’s Association.

If this sentence is approved at the appeal stage, by applying Article 134 of the regime’s Penal Code, two years and nine months of imprisonment will apply to Shilan Kurdestani. Shilan Kurdestani was arrested by the security forces on October 23, 2022, during the nationwide uprising. After the interrogation, she was temporarily released from custody by posting bail.

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The Corpse of the Raisi Government Is Weighing Heavily on the Hands of Khamenei in 2023

With the end of the Persian Year and the beginning of the New Year, the protests and objections of the reformists and principlists against the Raisi government have intensified. It was clear that when Khamenei consolidates power, all political, economic, social, and other problems and contradictions overflow into his camp, leading to disputes within his camp. In this context, the reformist camp, including the defeated faction of the government, also become bolder and more aggressive towards Khamenei’s camp.

Although the nature of this conflict is similar to previous years, with the reformists seeking a share in power and in the principlist camp, there is also a tangible manifestation of this in the principlist front, where the debate over power-sharing is more prevalent.

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The Italian Senate Resolution in Support of the Iranian Uprising and the Condemnation of the Mullahs’ Regime Crimes Against the Iranian People

In its session on March 22, 2023, the Italian Senate unanimously approved a resolution regarding the Iranian uprising, the violation of human and women’s rights by the dictatorship of the mullahs, and its support for the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy.

This resolution presented by the “Brothers of Italy” group states: “For decades, women and men in Iran have fought with firm determination for freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights. Despite the repression, torture, and execution of thousands of political prisoners, the regime has been unable to silence the resistance of citizens who demand freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights and have risked their lives.” The resolution approved by the Italian Senate also states: “The security forces, IRGC, Basij, police, anti-riot police, and uniformed personnel used bullets, tear gas, and batons to suppress the protests.”

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Iran Uprising: If International Criminal Court Can Issue Arrest Warrant for Vladimir Putin, It Can Do So for Blood-soaked Regime in Tehran – Struan Stevenson

The mullahs’ theocratic fascist regime offers only repression, cruelty, injustice, torture, corruption, and the export of terror. That they do so in the name of Islam is an outrage and disgrace. This year Iranians will be praying that Nowruz will bring the blossoming of a new and better future for Iran and an end to decades of suffering under the tyrannical dictatorship of the mullahs and before that, the savage despotism of the Shah.

As the nationwide uprising continues into its seventh month since the killing in custody last September of the young Kurdish girl Mahsa Amini by the ‘morality police’, more than 750 protesters have been killed and over 30,000 have been arrested. Courageous resistance units of the People’s Mojahedin of Iraq, Mojahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/MEK), the main democratic opposition movement, have burgeoned in towns and cities across the nation, coordinating the insurrection, which is steadily moving towards a full-blown revolution.

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Gothenburg, Sweden—March 25, 2023: MEK Supporters Rally to Support the Iran Revolution

Gothenburg, Sweden—March 25, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally and expressed solidarity with the nationwide Iran protests.

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Vancouver, Canada—March 25, 2023: MEK Supporters Rally to Support the Iran Revolution

Vancouver, Canada—March 25, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally and expressed solidarity with the nationwide Iran protests.

Read more

Also, read Iran News in Brief – March 28, 2023

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