THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:00 PM CET
Iran Uprising at a Glance
Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 – 8 PM GMT + 1
- Days: 236
- Protests: 282 cities
- Fatalities: 750+ estimated deaths, 675 identified by MEK
- Detentions: 30,000
May 9 – Shush, southwest #Iran
Teachers are holding gathering and protesting their poor economic circumstances and low paychecks. #IranProtests2023 #اعتراضات_سراسریpic.twitter.com/bydfZeuDha— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
Iran marked the 236th day of the ongoing uprising on Tuesday, with rallies in many cities across the country. In several cities, teachers held gatherings, protesting hardships and demanding the release of their unjustly jailed colleagues.
May 9 – Ahvaz, southwest #Iran
Teachers are holding gathering and protesting their poor economic circumstances and low paychecks. #IranProtests2023 #اعتراضات_سراسریpic.twitter.com/wQ7RXzhl3C— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
Teachers in the town of Harsin in Kermanshah Province, western Iran, held a gathering on Tuesday and protested their poor economic circumstances and low paychecks. Teachers in many other cities across the country also held such protest rallies, including Sanandaj, Ahvaz, Arak, Shush, Eslamabad-e Gharb, Kermanshah, Torbat-e Heydariyeh, Qazvin, Takestan, Jolfa, Isfahan, Rasht, Abdanan, Bojnurd, Babol, and Hamadan, among others.
May 9 – Arak, central #Iran
Teachers are holding gathering and protesting their poor economic circumstances and low paychecks. #IranProtests2023pic.twitter.com/cB3GQAn19W— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
Regime security forces in Sanandaj, the provincial capital of Kurdistan, attacked a peaceful gathering of local teachers. Two of the teachers in the gathering were abducted and the city has been militarized, according to local activists.
May 9 – Sanandaj, western #Iran
Regime security forces attacked a peaceful gathering of local teachers. Two of the teachers in the gathering were abducted and the city has been militarized, according to local activists.#IranProtests2023 #اعتراضات_سراسریhttps://t.co/o2quiQsigl— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
Iranian opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi praised the brave Iranian people for standing up for their rights and reflecting the brewing anger among the entire nation against the mullahs’ regime.
In other protest reports from Iran, local tile workers in Isfahan are protesting and demanding that officials address their ongoing dilemmas, including delayed paychecks. Workers and employees of Tehran’s renowned Behesth-e Zahra Cemetery are also holding a peaceful gathering demanding their delayed paychecks.
May 9 – Tehran, #Iran
Workers and employees of the capital's famous Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery are demanding their delayed paychecks.#اعتراضات_سراسری pic.twitter.com/Ju11Wqy4sk— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
Around 400 local railway workers near the city of Kerman, south-central Iran, continued their strike on Tuesday, protesting officials’ refusal to address their demands. Many of them have had many paychecks delayed for a long time now.
May 9 – Kerman Province, south-central #Iran
Around 400 local railway workers are continuing their strike and protesting officials' refusal to address their demands. Many of them have had many paychecks delayed for a long time now.#IranProtests #اعتصابات_سراسری pic.twitter.com/jxISF59VOw— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
In Tehran, defrauded investors of the Ramak Khodro auto company held a protest rally on Tuesday, demanding the return of their stolen investments.
May 9 – Tehran, #Iran
Defrauded investors of the Ramak Khodro auto company protesting and demanding their stolen investments returned.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/qXqw6r5VVm— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
Employees of the provincial office in Kermanshah, western Iran, held a gathering on Tuesday to protest low paychecks.
May 9 – Kermanshah, western #Iran
Employees of the provincial office laid a symbolic empty tablecloth on the ground to indicate their low paychecks and how they're not able to make ends meet.#IranProtests #اعتراضات_سراسری pic.twitter.com/WpTgZuH5XE— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
Tehran University students held a sit-in on Tuesday to protest the summoning of over ten of their classmates by campus authorities as officials continue their pressures on students’ attire.
May 9 – Tehran, #Iran
Tehran University students held a sit-in to protest the summoning of over ten of their classmates by campus authorities as officials continue their pressures on the students' attire.#IranProtests #اعتراضات_سراسری pic.twitter.com/np9JF8EuGg— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
In Bandar Khomeini, municipality workers are protesting and demanding city officials to address their issues, including low and delayed paychecks.
May 9 – Bandar Khomeini, southwest #Iran
Local municipality workers are protesting and demanding officials address their ongoing dilemmas, including low paychecks.#IranProtests2023 #اعتراضات_سراسریpic.twitter.com/WY7hCjJ9Mz— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 9, 2023
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CET
Was Olivier Vandecasteele a Victim of the So-Called “Iran Deal”?
Documents released by the Iranian opposition purportedly show that former Belgian NGO worker Olivier Vandecasteele is being held hostage by Iran to free “diplomat” Assadollah Assadi, who is being convicted in Belgium of plotting to attack Iranians abroad. Apparently, the first agreements in principle on the exchange of prisoners between Belgium and Iran were made before Vandecasteele was arrested. And there is also a cross-reference to the case of VUB guest professor Ahmadreza Djalali.
If the documents of the Iranian opposition movement NCRI, which they received from a hacker collective, are correct, the story would have a completely different chronology, as the Flemish daily De Morgen writes.
According to this, the very first version of the prisoner exchange, i.e. the controversial “Iran Deal”, is said to have been signed on April 26, 2021, in the Iranian capital Tehran and the first signing in principle by representatives of the foreign ministries of both countries is said to have taken place on May 31, 2021.
Iran: “Frightening” Number of Executions as Türk Calls for End to Death Penalty
GENEVA (9 May 2023) – UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today expressed dismay at the frighteningly high number of executions this year in Iran, and called on authorities to follow the lead of most other States and to abolish the death penalty or halt all executions.
“On average so far this year, over 10 people are put to death each week in Iran, making it one of the world’s highest executors,” said Türk. Since 1 January, sources say at least 209 people have been executed — mostly for drug-related offences and a disproportionately high number representing minorities. The exact number of executions is unknown due to lack of Government transparency, and the figure is likely to be higher.
On average, +10 people are put to death each week in #Iran, making it one of the world’s highest executors. UN Human Rights Chief @volker_turk calls on authorities to abolish the death penalty: https://t.co/GhUOKzj9Sb pic.twitter.com/HRoMpHvOZG
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) May 9, 2023
UPDATE: 11:30 AM CET
Dozens of Top US Diplomats Urge Biden To Cease All Diplomacy With Iran
Dozens of former top U.S. diplomats formally called on President Biden to cease all diplomacy with Iran on Monday. The diplomats’ call comes on the fifth anniversary of former President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran nuclear deal signed under former President Barack Obama. The letter argues that Biden’s current strategy of offering sanctions relief in return for good behavior is dangerous because it “depends not on leverage from the United States but rather on the preferences of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“Today, we write to urge you and your team to stop all diplomatic overtures toward the Islamic Republic of Iran and instead reimpose the ‘maximum pressure’ campaign – the only effective policy to protect the American people, the Iranian people, and others in the region and around the world from the Islamic Republic’s threats,” the group wrote.
To Make Drugs, Syrian Members of Iranian-Backed Militias Bring Large Amounts of Medicine
Deir Ezzor province: SOHR activists have reported that large amounts of raw materials and “Al-Shabwa” material were brought to the Captagon laboratory of the Syrian members of Iranian-backed militias and supervised by the Lebanese Hezbollah in Al-Mayadin city “the capital of Iranian militias in eastern of Syria” to make drugs, distribute them and move them to SDF-held areas on the other bank of Euphrates river.
Syrian members of Iranian-backed militias and Lebanese Hezbollah work on manufacturing and dealing different types of drugs as smuggling operations take place from areas of Iranian forces in Deir Ezzor to SDF-held areas through river smuggling crossings between the western and eastern banks of Euphrates River, where militias sell drugs to local merchants in SDF-held areas in addition to moving drugs to areas of Turkish forces.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
More Reshuffle Among Security Forces Amid Rising Social Tensions
Iranian regime’s Police Chief Ahmadreza Radan replaced eight managers and commanders in the State Security Forces.
According to the state-run Rajanews, by Radan’s decree, Mehdi Hajian, former FARAJA spokesperson, became the Police commander of Kermanshah Province. Also, Soleiman Malekzadeh was appointed to the deputy legal, parliamentary, and government affairs of FARAJA, Abbas Shariati became the adviser to the general command and head of the FARAJA special office, and Ali Mohammadi was appointed as police commander of East Azerbaijan province. Kiyomarth Azizi, who was previously the police commander of East Tehran, was appointed to police commander of West Tehran, Ali Bezra was appointed to the position of special assistant to the Police Commander-in-Chief for the FARAJA veterans affairs, Mohammad Reza Zabet became HR deputy of FARAJA, and Jamal Salmani became the police chief of Ilam province.
Several state media outlets published the announcement, in an almost entirely identical fashion, without further elaborating on the reason for these rapid changes.
Iranian-Backed Militias Remove Their Flags and Iranian Flag From Their Positions in Syria and Sohr Confirms That No Member Has Withdrawn
SOHR sources reported that Iranian-backed militias started to remove the Iranian flag and some militias’ flags, such as Fatmiyoun and Zaynabiyoun, from many positions of them in Syrian territory, after a direct request by the Syrian regime, where flags were removed from positions in Deir Ezzor, Al-Mayadeen and Al-Bokamal cities in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, in addition to Palmyra city and its vicinity in the eastern countryside of Homs, and replaced the flags with the internationally recognized Syrian flag.
This comes in light of the Syrian regime’s fulfilling of its promises to the Arab states regarding the departure of the Iranian-backed militias from Syria in exchange for its return to the Arab League, but the promises are only informative, as SOHR confirms that all of the militias are still in Syria and no member has withdrawn.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET
More Attacks Target Regime Interests as People Across Iran Continue Protests
Iran’s nationwide uprising is witnessing its 235th day on Monday following a day of massive disruptions in the regime’s Foreign Ministry websites and people from different sectors of the society taking to the streets in a continuation of protests for their rights. More than 200 websites affiliated with the mullahs’ Foreign Ministry were disrupted and defaced by Iranian dissident activists, sending a message of encouragement for the Iranian people to continue their struggles for freedom and democracy. 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.
The Emergence of Nonviolent Struggle in Iran in 2023!?
First, let us examine the nonviolent struggle-seeking movements in India and several other successful movements, and describe their essential characteristics in terms of social conditions, mass base, features of power holders and ruling force, and global political conditions that led to their success. Only in this context can we prescribe the version of those movements for the current cancerous disease ruling Iran, which is the religious dictatorship of the clerics. Because it is quite possible that a drug that can cure one patient’s disease exacerbates another’s disease. On this basis, without any prejudice, we want to reach a logical conclusion regarding the choice of responsible social action in the current sensitive situation by accurately comparing the conditions, far from hasty evaluations and sloganeering, and not getting caught up in the multi-faceted political games of the think tank governing the religious dictatorship ruling Iran.
Jordan Strikes Iran-Linked Drugs Factory in Southern Syria – Sources
AMMAN, May 8 (Reuters) – Jordan carried out rare air strikes on southern Syria on Monday, hitting an Iran-linked drugs factory and killing a smuggler allegedly behind big hauls across the two countries’ border, local and intelligence sources said.
The sources said one strike hit an abandoned drug facility in Syria’s southern Deraa province linked to the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is allied to Syria’s government.
Another strike on the village of Shaab, in the adjacent province of Sweida near the Jordanian border, killed Syrian drug kingpin Marie al-Ramthan and his family while they were at home.
Microsoft: Iranian Hacking Groups Join Papercut Attack Spree
Microsoft says Iranian state-backed hackers have joined the ongoing assault targeting vulnerable PaperCut MF/NG print management servers. These groups are tracked as Mango Sandstorm (aka Mercury or Muddywater and linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security) and Mint Sandstorm (also known as Phosphorus or APT35 and tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps). “The PaperCut exploitation activity by Mint Sandstorm appears opportunistic, affecting organizations across sectors and geographies,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team said.
Raheleh Narouii Arrested After Following Up on Her Husband’s Fate
Agents of the Criminal Investigation Department of Gonbad-e Kavus arrested a 32-year-old man Baluch woman named Raheleh Narouii on April 29. Raheleh Narouii is the widow of Majid Diargar, who died after being poisoned in the Prison of Gonbad-e Kavus. She has three children, two sons, and a daughter. On Saturday, April 29, 2023, Raheleh Narouii and her brother went to the Criminal Investigation Department to inquire about the fate of Raheleh’s husband, who died. However, they were both arrested. Raheleh’s brother was released after 24 hours, but Raheleh Narouii is still in prison, and no information is available on her fate.
Stockholm—May 6, 2023: MEK Supporters Rallied to Support the Iran Revolution
Stockholm, Sweden—May 6, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in front of the Swedish parliament in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
Toronto, Canada—May 6, 2023: MEK Supporters Rally in Support of the Iran Revolution
Toronto, Canada, May 6, 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 Iranian uprising against the mullahs’ regime.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – May 8, 2023
