Iran News in Brief – March 10, 2021

Hamideh Taati

3 years ago

Activities of the young female supporters of the MEK inside Iran – Tehran, Shiraz, and Ardabil – March 8, 2021.

UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET

Political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared banished to Prison of Semnan

According to news on March 9, 2021, political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared has been abruptly relocated from the women’s ward of Evin Prison and banished to the Prison of Semnan in the 12th year of her imprisonment.

Reports from the women’s ward of Evin indicate that her cellmates protested her banishment and intervened to prevent her relocation. But prison guards violently broke into the ward and took her out of the ward by force.

Following the abrupt banishment of political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared to the Prison of Semnan, I urge the UN special rapporteur on violence against women to inquire about the conditions, safety and health of Maryam Akbari Monfared and Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee. #Iran

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 10, 2021

Workers of the Ahvaz Water and Sewer Org. gathered today outside the Governor’s Office

Mar. 10 – Ahvaz, SW #Iran
Workers of the Ahvaz Water and Sewer Org. gathered today outside the Governor's Office to demand 3 months of their unpaid wages. #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/8E0koi754l

— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) March 10, 2021

Slovenia took the floor yesterday in the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Iran

Slovenia 🇸🇮 took the floor earlier today in the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Iran. While calling on 🇮🇷 to improve situation for women and girls, SI also noted the recent letter by the 7 Special Rapporteurs. pic.twitter.com/4FHecChwOE

— Slovenia to UN Geneva (@SLOtoUNGeneva) March 9, 2021

THE CONTENT OF THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS

UPDATE: 11:00 AM CET

Opposition network inside Iran mark International Women’s Day

Iranian women and members of the Resistance Units, the internal network of the Iranian opposition organized widespread activities checkered across the country marking the International Women’s Day.

Iran: Coronavirus Death Toll in 501 Cities Surpasses 228,500

The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) announced on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, that the Coronavirus death toll in 501 cities had exceeded 228,500. The number of victims in Tehran is 53,721, Khorasan Razavi 15,030, Isfahan 14,790, Khuzestan 12,455, Mazandaran 9,697, Lorestan 9,573, West Azerbaijan 8,563, Golestan 5,945, Sistan and Baluchistan 5,366, Hamedan 5,318, Central Province 4,653, Yazd 4,157, Ardabil 2,827, Qazvin 2,589, and South Khorasan 2,221.

#Iran Coronavirus Update

More than 228,500 people have died of the novel #coronavirus in 501 cities checkered across all of Iran's 31 provinces, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.

Full Reporthttps://t.co/EZRqQyDlKq pic.twitter.com/iLcGgc2gG2

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 9, 2021

Republicans Join Democrats To Urge Biden Make ‘Comprehensive’ Deal With Iran

One hundred-forty U.S. lawmakers from both parties urged the Biden administration on Tuesday to aim for bipartisan consensus and seek a “comprehensive” deal with Iran that addresses not just its nuclear program, but a range of other national security issues, according to a letter shared first with ABC News.

“Despite everything you see, there is bipartisanship going on in DC, even over something as contentious as the Iran deal,” said Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., who helped spearhead the letter. “We’re thrilled to have been able to come together on a number of these points… encouraging the administration to encompass all of Iran’s malign behavior.”
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Designation of Iranian Officials Due to Involvement in Gross Violations of Human Rights

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday announced the blacklisting of two Iranian officials for their alleged role in rights violations.

In a statement, Blinken said he designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) interrogators Ali Hemmatian and Masoud Safdari “for their involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely the torture and/or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment (CIDTP) of political prisoners and persons detained during protests in 2019 and 2020 in Iran.”

Designation of Iranian Officials Due to Involvement in Gross Violations of Human Rights – United States Department of State https://t.co/AcZQAVupSx "We will also work with our allies to promote accountability for such violations and abuses." #HumanRightsViolations #Accountability

— Alireza Jafarzadeh (@A_Jafarzadeh) March 9, 2021

The truth behind Khamenei’s worries about Iran’s economic conditions

In a recent televised speech, Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei tried to downplay the country’s current crises. Regarding the coronavirus disaster, Khamenei had previously dismissed the crisis, claiming that it is not a big issue. In contrast, in his recent remarks, he warned that the situation is more dangerous than last year.

Khamenei also shed crocodile tears for the people’s harsh economic problems and their struggles with skyrocketing prices. “Unfortunately, the living conditions of the people are not good today! This is a great sorrow for us,” Khamenei said. Without mentioning the main cause of the problems which is the regime’s corrupt system, Khamenei blamed some “unknown dealers and intermediaries.”