THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
Former IRGC Leader Exposes Regime’s Hostage Strategy in Recent TV Interview
During an interview on Iran’s state television Channel 3 on November 6, former Revolutionary Guards commander, Mohsen Rafiqdoust, made a startling statement that revealed the regime’s concerning intentions. He issued a warning that if there were an attack on the regime, they would execute the hostages in their custody.
Mohsen Rafiqdoust remarked, “In our region, we have hostages from potential aggressors. We have the ability to eliminate these hostages within as little as half an hour to an hour. With the grace of God, the right time and opportunity may present itself, allowing us to make it a reality.”
UPDATE: 4:30 PM CET
State-affiliated Expert Warns That Purging Is Leading to Regime Decline
On November 5, a state-affiliated sociologist Mohammad Fazeli warned that a major reason for the regime’s decline was due to frequent purges, internal cleansing, and restructuring. As quoted by the state-run Asre Iran website, Fazeli said, “Our selection system and its persistent political ideology consistently label one faction as undesirable, leading to their elimination. While the circle of insiders tightens, those who remain often face further divisions, deepening the existing divides. This division model has initially targeted educated bureaucrats and is now affecting those in lower positions.”
Fazeli added, “The recruitment process has shifted towards considering an individual’s loyalty and self-interest rather than their expertise in the relevant field. Consequently, the state’s human resources have diminished.”
Tuesday Protests in Iran
Today, protests erupted in various Iranian cities, including Ahvaz, Aghajeri, Bandar Mahshahr, Sanandaj, and Kermanshah, with retired government employees, education workers, and oil sector retirees demanding higher pensions to cope with rising living costs. In Rafsanjan, minibus drivers protested fuel ration reductions affecting their services. The demonstrations reflect widespread discontent and economic hardships across Iran.
November 7—Ahvaz, southwest #Iran
Retired workers and employees of the oil sector hold protest rally as regime authorities refrain from adjusting their pensions according to the costs of living.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/ohsKlUAGSk— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 7, 2023
November 7—Kermanshah, western #Iran
Retired government employees and education workers hold protest rally, demanding higher pensions and other basic needs as the costs of living continue to rise.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/8H3msvpjDX— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 7, 2023
November 7—Rafsanjan, central #Iran
Minibus drivers protest the reduction of their fuel rations as they try to provide services to schoolchildren and factory workers. #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/O01ILQOLZ5— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 7, 2023
November 7—Sanandaj, western #Iran
Retired government employees, education workers hold protest rally, demanding higher pensions & basic needs as the costs of living continue to rise.
"We're fed up with this injustice!" protesters chant#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/8EvrIZdGDo— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 7, 2023
UPDATE: 12:00 PM CET
New Legislation in Iran Grants Government Authority to Monitor Public Lifestyle and Communication
Today, the Iranian regime’s parliament has passed a law allowing various institutions to spy on and monitor the personal lives of people in Iran. With the approval of paragraph B of Article 75 of the Seventh Development Plan in the Majlis, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is now responsible for launching a system to continuously observe and assess various aspects, including “general culture, people’s lifestyles, media influence, and the country’s communication status.”
As reported by Iranian state news agencies, during the ongoing review of the Seventh Development Plan bill, parliament members approved this provision to gather “precise and real-time statistical data.” The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, in collaboration with the state Radio and Television Organization (IRIB), the Statistical Center, and the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, will implement the new system.
Trying to sell the controversial action, the Speaker of the regime’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, vowed that any involvement in individuals’ private matters would require a judge’s order, emphasizing that such actions do not occur without proper legal authorization.
Previously, the state-run website Tajarat News reported that the Seventh Development Plan bill introduces a requirement for all data-holding platforms to transmit Iranian user data to the Lifestyle Monitoring System. In essence, this bill paves the way for scrutinizing and controlling all information related to Iranian users within a specific system.
In this context, the parliament has instructed the Ministry of Communications to collaborate closely with the Revolutionary Guards’ Intelligence Organization and the Ministry of Intelligence in conducting an “annual cybersecurity assessment and ranking” for executive bodies, under the supervision and coordination of these entities.
40% Increase in Bread Prices in 15 Provinces Across Iran
Ahmadreza Keshtgar, the leader of the Bakers Union in Mashhad, has reported that bread prices have surged by more than 40% in over 15 provinces across the country. This is happening despite the official statement from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Raisi government, which stated that no permission has been granted for raising bread prices.
The state-run Mardom Salary newspaper wrote today, “At the beginning of the year, there was a clear commitment that bread prices would remain stable. However, recent weeks have brought news of price increases for various types of bread in several provinces, as reported separately in the media. Although these reports suggest that bread prices have surged by more than 40% in over 15 provinces, the Office of Inspection and Oversight of Essential Commodities in the Ministry of Agriculture continues to assert that no official approval has been granted for a bread price hike, and those responsible will be held accountable.”
The source added, “When bread prices suddenly shot up by 40% overnight in Mashhad, Ehsan Khandouzi, the Minister of Economy, addressed the issue by highlighting that bread prices vary regionally and provincially, and there is no uniform pricing across the country. He also stated that the government will implement special measures to monitor bread prices.”
The state-run newspaper, Hamdelli, also mentioned that new price adjustments for various goods have been introduced discreetly. It appears that a similar approach is being taken with bread prices. Even though no government entity has officially announced a bread price increase, the cost of bread is rising quietly.
Rubio, Colleagues Applaud House Passage of Ship Act
As Iranian oil sales to China’s genocidal regime continue to fund the Ayatollah’s ability to repress Iranian protestors and finance its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan and bicameral companion legislation to Rubio’s Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) applauded the House’s passage of his companion legislation, which would sanction illicit purchases of Iranian oil and hold the regime’s enablers accountable.
- “Our nation’s foreign adversaries must know they will face consequences for empowering other regimes that are anti-democratic and anti-American. We must enact and then rigorously enforce this bill so that those who are enriching themselves through the sale of sanctioned oil, or linked with its illicit trade, are held accountable.” – Senator Rubio
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton Says Iranian Regime Is At the Center of Middle East Conflict
In an interview with CNN on Monday, November 6, John Bolton, former National Security Advisor of the United States, referred to the clerical regime as the source of the crisis in the region.
He emphasized the need to confront the regime’s warmongering and terrorism, stating, “There is no doubt that Iran has called the shots from the beginning. We don’t know what their full strategy is. But the center of this conflict is with the mullahs in Tehran. The [Biden] administration has said that they won’t tolerate attacks on American personnel by Iranian surrogates, terrorist groups in Iraq and elsewhere. And yet the attacks have continued. Biden has drawn a redline and it’s disappearing right in front of us. I think that does endanger American lives across the region.”
“If Iranian surrogate groups kill Americans, the Iranian regime needs to pay a price for it. They do not take our restraint as a goodwill gesture. They take it as weakness,” Mr. Bolton concluded.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
More than 200 Experts Urge United Nations to Protest Iran’s Chairing of UNHRC Social Forum
In a concerning turn of events, Iran’s human rights record, marred by allegations of gross violations and systematic abuses, has prompted an open letter from over 200 international human rights and legal experts, Nobel laureates, and individuals of conscience. These prominent voices have come together to call upon the United Nations (UN) to address the appointment of the Iranian regime as the Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Social Forum. This decision has triggered alarm and condemnation due to Iran’s dubious human rights record and its role in regional instability and conflict. The open letter emphasized the need for a collective response to this unsettling development.
The signatories stated: “Appointing the representative of such a regime as the Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Social Forum will be seen by the clerical regime as a green light for more torture and killing and assures its suppressive forces that they will not be held accountable for their crimes.”
Langeroud, Place Where Tragedy Strikes on Nov the 3rd
The morning of November 3rd brought panic to the residents of a drug addiction facility in Langeroud as they discovered the tragic loss of 32 lives.
On the morning of November 3rd, a devastating tragedy struck the heart of Langeroud, as the residents of a drug addiction facility faced a horrific fire that claimed the lives of 32 individuals, with unofficial reports suggesting a total of 36 fatalities.
The incident unfolded at 5:45 AM on 17 Shahrivar Street, capturing the attention of local residents and the nation at large.
Initially, the death toll was reported as 26, but as time passed, this number sadly increased, highlighting the sheer scale of the disaster. Shocking photos and videos began to emerge, illustrating the extent of the devastation and the harrowing experiences of those inside the facility.
Reyhaneh Ansarinejad Jailed in Evin To Serve 4 Years
Labor activist Reyhaneh Ansarinejad has been sent to jail to serve her time in prison.
Reyhaneh Ansarinejad was imprisoned in Evin Prison on Monday, November 6, 2023. Security forces arrested and detained her after summoning her to a branch of the Implementation of Verdicts Office.
The trial of Reyhaneh Ansarinejad was held on July 17, 2023, at branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Ms. Reyhaneh Ansarinejad to 4 years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against the security of the state.”
Iran: Retirees Protest Low Pensions, Poor Living Conditions
Retirees of the Social Security Organization and the steel industry held protest rallies on November 5 in several cities across Iran. At the same time, nurses and employees of the “Imam” hospital in Urmia continued their protests for the second consecutive day.
According to labor and retirees’ organizations, the retirees of the Social Security Organization held rallies in Kermanshah, Ahvaz, and Shush.
Some of their slogans included “We don’t tolerate oppression in our lives,”
“Death to this slavery,”
and “We haven’t seen justice, we won’t vote anymore.”
Iran’s Education System Suffering From Dilapidated Schools and Teacher Shortages
Twenty percent of schools in Iran are dilapidated, and there is a distinction between “hazardous” and “dilapidated” schools, according to Majid Abdollahi, the Technical and Supervisory Deputy of the Organization for the Renovation of Schools.
Abdollahi emphasized that students are not allowed to study in “hazardous” schools, stating, “In Isfahan, we had 14 schools affected by subsidence, and this year we did not allow students to study in these schools.”
Abdollahi stated that approximately 20,000 schools out of around 105,000 schools and 104,000 classrooms out of 540,000 classrooms are dilapidated.
Cologne, Germany—November 4, 2023: MEK Supporters Held a Rally in Solidarity With the Iran Revolution
Cologne, Germany—November 4, 2023: Members of the Iranian community who support the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally as a show of solidarity. They vehemently denounced the atrocities perpetrated by the ruling mullahs’ regime and demonstrated steadfast backing for the Iranian Revolution.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – November 6, 2023