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UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET
Thursday Protests in Iran
On Thursday, November 9, more than 400 pharmacists from pharmacies across Khorasan Razavi Province gathered in front of the governorate building in Mashhad to protest against the officials’ refusal to address major underlying problems that have led to severe shortages of essential items nationwide.
The key reasons for the protest include:
- The most significant shortage of medicines in the country in the past 40 years.
- Widespread scarcity of infant formula.
- Debts owed by insurance organizations to pharmacies led to the bankruptcy of over 70% of them.
- The imposition of illegal fees on the number of bank POS transactions and withdrawals which is seen as a new method of government theft.
- Introduction of software platforms controlled by the Revolutionary Guards for online drug sales (such as Snapp Daroo).
- Call for the amendment of Law 1334 and prevention of the establishment of state and illegal pharmacies, contributing to unemployment for over one million people in the country.
November 9—Mashhad, northeast #Iran
A group of pharmacists hold rally to protest the current crisis caused by the regime's policies for the production and import of medication.
They are also protesting the launch of online platforms run by the IRGC for the sale and supply of… pic.twitter.com/vW5DlOhWQU— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 9, 2023
IRGC Forces Kill Courier and Injuring Six at Border Crossings
On Tuesday night, November 7, agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, notorious for their criminal activities, shot and killed diligent kulbars, deprived people who carry heavy loads for a living, at the borders of Baneh and Nowsud. They murdered one kulbar and inflicted injuries on at least six others. The targeted gunfire from the Guards struck these kulbars in the abdomen, waist, and arms.
During the month of October, at least 25 citizens, including fuel porters, and kulbars were killed by law enforcement officers, border guards, security, and intelligence agents.
Russia, Iran, China Likely To Engage in New Election Interference Efforts, Microsoft Analysis Finds
Russia, Iran, and China are likely to engage in newly sophisticated influence and interference efforts ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election and in other pivotal elections worldwide, a new analysis by Microsoft has found. All three countries are expected to seek to shape geopolitical outcomes in their favor amid major ongoing or potential regional conflicts, though Russia remains “the most committed and capable threat” to the upcoming American federal election, it said.
“For Russia, Iran and China, the next U.S. president will define the direction of conflict — whether wars might occur, or peace might prevail,” the new report, issued by Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center (MTAC), says, predicting all three governments are “unlikely to sit out next year’s contest — the stakes are simply too high.”
US Launches 2nd Round of Airstrikes on Iran-Backed Groups It Says Attacked American Troops
The U.S. military on Wednesday said American warplanes struck a weapons storage facility in eastern Syria that officials said was being used by Iran-backed militants responsible for dozens of drone and rocket attacks against American troops in the region over the last three weeks. It was the second such counterstrike in the past two weeks.
“Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted a self-defense strike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. Two F-15 fighters launched precision munitions at a weapons-storage warehouse in Deir el-Zour province, according to U.S. officials.
IAEA Chief Warned Against Regime’s Refusal to Cooperate with UN Nuclear Watchdog
During the United Nations General Assembly meeting, Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, highlighted the impact of the Iranian regime’s decision in February 2021 to halt its nuclear commitments, including the Additional Protocol. According to Grossi, this decision further complicated matters in June 2022 when Tehran removed all Agency equipment dedicated to monitoring and verifying the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
According to the IAEA Chief, the Iranian regime must still address some of the agency’s questions regarding human-made uranium traces at three undisclosed locations within the country, as stipulated in its NPT Safeguards Agreement. Until Iran provides clarity on these matters, the agency cannot ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, Grossi asserted.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran: Rebellious Youth Target IRGC and Other Suppressive Centers in Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad
As Iran’s regime tries to exude power by stoking the fires of war in the region, Iran’s rebellious youth continue to target the regime where it hurts the most.
On November 7, explosions rocked a judiciary building in Mashhad tasked with carrying out the verdicts of the so-called “revolution courts.” The attack was a response to the regime’s growing wave of executions.
On the same day, in Shahreza, Isfahan province, rebellious youth targeted the Sarallah garrison of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The youth also targeted a complex belonging to the IRGC aerospace department, which is tasked with the regime’s destructive missile program.
Iran’s Migration Trend Continues to Rise
In recent years, Iran has witnessed a significant shift in the migration patterns of its citizens. According to data released by Bahram Salvati, director of the Iran Migration Observatory, the number of Iranians seeking new lives abroad has surged.
Salvati has released a statement on Jamaran’s website, unveiling fresh statistics on the migration of Iranians. He also indicated that these statistics are derived from the 47th edition of the migration yearbook of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), recently published in connection with Iran.
According to these statistics, in 2020, the number of new Iranian immigrants entering countries in the region was 48,000. However, the latest figures from this yearbook show a remarkable 141% increase, with 115,000 new arrivals in 2021. This makes Iran the country with the highest growth rate in immigration to the region.
The Case of Armita Geravand; Hijab Patrols Commit Another Murder
Born on April 2, 2006, Armita Geravand was a vibrant young woman, excelling both in athletics, as a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo, and as a talented painter. Her life was full of promise and potential.
Armita’s life took a tragic turn in October, and her story sheds light on the oppressive mandates imposed by the Iranian regime, particularly the compulsory veil enforced on women and girls.
The case of Armita Geravand is both tragic and powerful, and it’s essential to bring her story to the forefront.
As you just mentioned, Armita was a youthful, energetic, and talented young woman who was going to school with her friends on Sunday, October 1. Their rendez vous was at 7 a.m. at the metro station. Armita and her friends were walking without covering their hair.
Houses in Iran Shrink as Poverty Grows
The increase in housing prices in Iran has led to an increase in housing poverty, and reports indicate that people’s tastes and inclination have forcibly changed towards houses that are 40 square meters or less.
On November 7, the state-run Donyaye Eghtesad newspaper reported that statistics indicate a record number of residence registrations in houses up to 40 square meters in the capital city during the current year.
According to the report, the share of small houses with an area of up to 40 square meters in Tehran’s real estate transactions has increased from 3.3 percent in 2018 to over 5.2 percent in 2023.
Sweden: MEK Supporters Held a Rally in Front of Stockholm Court of Appeal, Seeking Justice for the 1988 Massacre Martyrs – November 7, 2023
Stockholm, Sweden—November 7, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally for the second day in front of the court of appeal, calling for justice regarding the executioner, Hamid Noury, and seeking justice for the more than 30,000 martyrs of the 1988 massacre.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – November 8, 2023
