THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:30 PM CET
Iran Uprising at a Glance
Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran
Saturday, May 6, 2023 – 8 PM GMT + 1
- Days: 233
- Protests: 282 cities
- Fatalities: 750+ estimated deaths, 675 identified by MEK
- Detentions: 30,000
Iran’s nationwide uprising witnessed its 233rd day on Saturday. According to reports by the Iranian opposition, Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), Iranians from different walks of life continued their protests on Saturday.
May 6 – Khomeyn, central #Iran
Residents of Jalmajerd village hold rally in front of Khomeyn governorate, protesting lack of access to irrigation water.#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/v9SyFRHHLo— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 6, 2023
A group of residents from Jalmajerd village in Markazi province, central Iran, held a protest rally in front of the governorate building of Khomeyn County.
In Isfahan province, central Iran, a group of orchard owners held a protest rally to raise their unmet demands.
May 6 – Isfahan, Central #Iran
Protest rally by orchard owners in Ziyar.#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/XMlAYJ7rLp— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 6, 2023
In Tehran, a group of students and education activists held a protest rally at Khajeh Nasir Toosi University as authorities refrain from answering their demands.
Other reports indicate that the regime continues to target schoolchildren in its serial chemical gas attacks. On Saturday, in Marivan, Kurdistan province, regime agents targeted two all-girls schools, Mab’ath and Om ol-Mo’menin. Several students were taken to the hospital after being exposed to poisonous gases.
May 6 – Marivan, north-west #Iran
Regime agents stage chemical gas attacks against two all-girls school, Mab'ath and Om ol-Mo'menin#IranProtests2023 #IranChemicalAttacks pic.twitter.com/SNNdiw6G0p— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 6, 2023
In Isfahan province, central Iran, workers of the Ardestan Gas Compressor Station stopped working and joined the nationwide strikes. In Zanjan, northwest Iran, railway workers held a protest rally to raise their demands, including the payment of delayed wages.
May 6 – Zanjan, northwest #Iran
Railroad workers hold rally, protesting delayed wages and officials' lack of response to their demands#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/P7XA6AhbjL— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 6, 2023
New videos coming from inside Iran show that people held nightly protest rallies on Friday despite the regime’s extensive security measures and efforts to intimidate the public. In Mashhad, protesters were chanting, “This is the year Seyyed Ali [Khamenei] is overthrown!” and “Down with Khamenei!”
May 5 – Mashhad, Northeast #Iran
Locals held a nightly protest rally and chanted anti-regime slogans.
"This is the year Seyyed Ali [Khamenei] will be overthrown!"
"Down with Khamenei!"#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/jU7ly2VjgK— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 6, 2023
People throughout Iran continue to specifically hold the mullahs’ Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, responsible for their miseries. They also condemn the oppressive Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and paramilitary Basij units, alongside other security units that are on the ground suppressing the peaceful demonstrators.
Iranian Regime Lost Three Thousand Men in Syria, State-affiliated Expert Says
During a TV interview on May 4, Kiyomarth Yazdanpanah, a state-affiliated expert admitted that nearly three thousand members of the regime’s IRGC Quds Force have been killed in Syria while they were dispatched to crack down on the popular uprising in that country.
“After all, nearly 3,000 of our best people lost their lives in the fight against the terrorists and those who were sent to protect the territory of Syria and its governing structure,” Yazdanpanah said. “Our competitors, like Turkey and Russia, especially Russia, which was our ally in dealing with terrorists, now it is claiming that they have surpassed the Islamic Republic of Iran by far.”
UPDATE: 12:30 PM CET
In Venezuela, Cars That Erupt in Flames Have Drivers on Edge
(AFP) – Venezuelan taxi driver Jose Faria’s burnt face and arms are wrapped in bandages. His vehicle was one of dozens to spontaneously burst into flames in Maracaibo, Venezuela, in an alarming phenomenon blamed on poor fuel quality.
“It all happened so quickly,” the 42-year-old told AFP from his bed of the day, last week, he thought he might die.
“People were scared. Even though they tried to help us there was no extinguisher, no sand, no water and, yes, the fire grew to a point where nobody could do anything.”
The state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) denies the events are linked to poor gasoline quality.
But Hugo Hernandez Raffalli, a former PDVSA director, told AFP: “There have been refinery failures” at the Paraguana complex.
The government maintains all is well at the complex that serves as Zulia’s main crude oil-to-fuel processing, refinery, and distribution center.
The domestic supply failures necessitated the importation of “poor quality fuels” from Iran, said Raffalli.
UPDATE: 11:30 AM CET
US Planning More ‘Robots at Sea’ in Middle East to Combat Iran
The US is trying to convince Middle East allies to add dozens more robot vessels around the Arabian Peninsula to better detect threats from countries like Iran, a move to protect waterways vital to global commerce and oil trade.
The US, which leads two international maritime coalitions out of Bahrain, wants to have more than 100 unmanned surface vehicles — sometimes called robots at sea — in operation by the end of the summer, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, who commands the coalitions and the Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, said in an interview. An initial target of 50 was met in February and the technology delivers a cost-effective and efficient way of deepening US partnerships, he said.
Rep. Fallon Leads Introduction of Sanctions Enforcement and Financial Institutions Transparency Act (SEFITA)
Rep. Pat Fallon (TX-04) and Rep. Kevin Hern (OK-01) are proud to introduce today the Sanctions Enforcement and Financial Institutions Transparency Act, also known as “SEFITA.”
This bill seeks to prevent the Iranian regime from securing funding from international financial institutions, as well as ensure that sanctions are enforced. As previously reported by the Washington Free Beacon, this bill is part of a larger package from the Republican Study Committee aimed at preventing the Biden Administration from securing a second Iran Deal.
“The Ayatollah’s continued oppression of the Iranian people and support for terrorism abroad makes it clear that Congress must ensure the enforcement of sanctions,” stated Rep. Pat Fallon. “The Sanctions Enforcement and Financial Institutions Transparency Act would require a twice-yearly review of foreign financial institutions suspected of dealing with State Sponsors of Terrorism. Sanctions are only effective if they are implemented. SEFITA will ensure that this happens.”
Proud to introduce my bill today along with @repkevinhern that ensures we enforce sanctions against Iran.
We cannot afford to allow State Sponsors of Terrorism like the Ayatollah to continue to receive financial backing.@RepublicanStudyhttps://t.co/gKR699lRci
— Rep. Pat Fallon (@RepPatFallon) May 5, 2023
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Massive Demonstrations of Brave People of Zahedan Despite Executions and Arrests
The people of Zahedan took to the streets and demonstrated on Friday, May 5, following Friday prayers. The protestors chanted slogans such as “Khamenei is a murderer, our table is empty,” “Khamenei shame on you, let go of the country,” “Monarchy and Velayat; a hundred years of crime,” “Death to the and “Death to the regime of execution,” “My martyred brother, I’ll avenge your martyrdom,” “we shall fight, we shall die, but we don’t accept humiliation,” “We swear on the blood of those fallen that we will continue this path to the end!” “I will kill whoever killed my brother,” Basiji, you are our ISIS,” and “Freedom, freedom, freedom.” Banners and placards carried messages such as “International organizations, hear the cry of the oppression of Baluchistan,” and “Solving the country’s problems by killing Baluch people, arrests, shootings, and executions!”
Different Protests Continue in Various Cities of Iran
Workers in various industries and different cities in Iran were seen protesting for their rights on Thursday. Many such protests are being held across the country as people are demanding their delayed paychecks, protesting low pensions, and seeking answers from regime officials as the country’s economy continues its dangerous nosedive. While marking the 232nd day of the country’s nationwide uprising, people throughout Iran continue to specifically hold 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.
Alarming Rate of Suicides in Iran in 2023: A Consequence of the Religious Dictatorship
The rising trend of suicides in Iran, and especially the high number of female suicides, is one of the effects and consequences of the ominous rule of the mullahs’ regime. Like all other issues, the only way to restore enthusiasm and hope for life is to get rid of this predatory and anti-people regime, which does not care about anything other than the interests and preservation of its sovereignty, and people’s lives and health are of no value to them. The rising trend of suicides in Iran, and especially the high number of female suicides, is one of the effects and consequences of the ominous rule of the mullahs’ regime. Like all other issues, the only way to restore enthusiasm and hope for life is to get rid of this predatory and anti-people regime, which does not care about anything other than the interests and preservation of its sovereignty, and people’s lives and health are of no value to them.
Conference at the Brussels Press Club in Support of the Democratic Revolution of the Iranian People
On Wednesday, April 26, 2023, a conference titled “Seven months after the uprising, is the regime of mullahs in Iran in power?” was held at the Press Club in Brussels at the initiative of the European Strategic and Security Information Center.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – May 5, 2023
