THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:00 PM CET
MOIS and IRGC Claim Arresting 19 PMOI Members in Sistan and Baluchestan
The mullahs’ regime’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) in Sistan and Baluchestan have jointly issued a statement regarding their collaborative operations against the extensive network of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) within the province. In this statement, they report the arrest of 19 individuals from this organization and make the unsubstantiated claim that these individuals have targeted military and SSF (State Security Force) facilities while carrying out multiple operations. The statement also includes the baseless and ridiculous allegation that PMOI forces were not only involved in causing disruption and insecurity but also in “assassinating well-known ethnic and religious figures.”
UPDATE: 9:30 PM CET
Iran’s Annual Inflation Reached 45.5% in October: Official Report
As per Iran’s Statistical Center, the annual inflation rate for the country’s households reached 45.5% in the month of Mehr (September-October) this year. The month-to-month inflation rate also exceeded 39% during Mehr, with a monthly inflation rate of 2.3% reported.
In terms of main categories, the “Hotels and Restaurants” group saw the highest point-to-point inflation rate, surging over 55% in its price index during Mehr compared to the same month last year.
Additionally, the “Education” sector witnessed the highest monthly price index increase among the main contributors to inflation, with a 12% growth.
The report from Iran’s Statistical Center on Mehr’s inflation reveals that the annual inflation rate remains above 50% in 9 provinces across Iran.
It is worth noting that official Iranian statistics, particularly economic data, are persistently manipulated by the regime for its socio-political purposes, rendering them unreliable. These distortions hinder the accurate assessment of Iran’s economic situation, driving experts to seek alternative, independent sources for more trustworthy information.
U.S. Promises Swift Response to Attacks by Regime-Backed Militias
Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, warned the clerical regime in Iran that the United States will respond in case US troops are attacked by the regime’s militias.
In an interview with ABC News on October 29, Jake Sullivan said, “The United States will follow through on what we say we’re going to do. We said that if our troops were attacked, we would respond, and we responded. If they’re attacked again, we will respond again. And we are vigilant because we are seeing elevated threats against our forces throughout the region and an elevated risk of this conflict spreading to other parts of the region. We are doing everything in our power to deter and prevent that. But I’m not going to predict what the future brings, other than to say that if we are attacked, we will respond.”
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CET
Teenager Armita Garawand Dies after Defying Iran’s Headscarf Law
With bright lipstick, a minimal necklace, and a snake tattoo on her arm, the girl in the selfie looked like any fashion-conscious teenager in the West. In Iran, though, 16-year-old Armita Garawand’s decision to leave her headscarf at home one day last month — displaying a bob of raven-black hair reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn — was an act of protest.
Her defiance of the Islamic dress code led to an altercation with the hated morality police after which she spent a month in a coma. Iranian state television announced on Saturday that she had died in hospital.
Monday Protests in Iran
Today, October 30th, retirees from the Telecommunications company spanning various cities including Ahvaz, Rasht, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Zanjan, Tabriz, Arak, Shiraz, Andimeshk, Sari, Urmia, Sanandaj, Khorramabad, Tehran, Zahedan, Qazvin, Ilam, Ardabil, Kerman, Shush, and Hamedan, gathered to express their dissatisfaction with the government’s lack of response to their demands. These demands encompass the full implementation of personnel and employment regulations from 2010 and the resolution of healthcare insurance issues.
October 30—Kermanshah, western #Iran
Retirees of the Telecommunication Company of Iran resume their protests, demanding the implementation of a law passed in 2010 that requires the government to adjust their pensions according to the costs of living.pic.twitter.com/dNi4P6wM2i— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 30, 2023
More footage of today's protest rally in Ahvaz by the retirees of the Telecommunication Company of Iran.#Iran #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/FDIRGHEq3h
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 30, 2023
October 30—Isfahan, central #Iran
Retirees of the Telecommunication Company of Iran resume protests to demand higher pensions and other basic needs.
"One less [government] embezzlement case and our problems will be solved," protesters chantpic.twitter.com/qDTUwOnzqV— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 30, 2023
UPDATE: 10:00 AM CET
20 Million Iranians Live in Substandard Conditions, Official Admits
Ali Aghamohammadi, an advisor to the regime’s Supreme Leader, admitted to the widespread housing poverty and revealed the presence of 2,020 impoverished neighborhoods in the country. According to this member of the Expediency Discernment Council, around 20 million Iranians are living in unsuitable housing, which includes run-down homes and informal settlements located on the outskirts of cities.
Aghamohammadi had previously stated that 19.7 million individuals in society lack access to essential life necessities, such as housing, employment, education up to the age of 12, healthcare, food, and clothing.
Based on the announcement made by the head of the Economic Group in the regime’s presidential office, Tehran ranks on top in terms of housing poverty, with 260 dilapidated and informal settlements. Following that, Khuzestan has 107 neighborhoods, and Sistan and Baluchestan have 103 neighborhoods, or more accurately put; slums.
In reference to official reports, the Hameh-e-Mihan newspaper also stated on October 28, “Besides housing poverty, which now affects 55% of the country’s households, 20% of households are grappling with poor housing conditions.”
This report, relying on calculations from the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, illustrates that 12% of households in urban areas and 43% of households in rural areas are experiencing poor housing situations.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran Remains on FATF Blacklist: Urgent Action Required
In its latest report, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has maintained the full-scale blacklisting of the Iranian regime, urging all of its member countries to take necessary actions concerning this regime.
FATF, the international body dedicated to combating money laundering and terrorist financing, announced that due to the ongoing financial support for terrorism by the regime in Iran, the countermeasures, which had been suspended since 2016, remain fully reinstated against this regime. The FATF statement reads: “Given Iran’s failure to enact the Palermo and Terrorist Financing Conventions in line with the FATF Standards, the FATF fully lifts the suspension of counter-measures and calls on its members and urges all jurisdictions to apply effective counter-measures, in line with Recommendation 19.
“Iran will remain on the FATF statement on High-Risk Jurisdictions Subject to a Call for Action until the full Action Plan has been completed. If Iran ratifies the Palermo and Terrorist Financing Conventions, in line with the FATF standards, the FATF will decide on the next steps, including whether to suspend countermeasures. Until Iran implements the measures required to address the deficiencies identified with respect to countering terrorism-financing in the Action Plan, the FATF will remain concerned with the terrorist financing risk emanating from Iran and the threat this poses to the international financial system.”
Armita Geravand is the latest victim of the Iranian regime’s war on women
On the eve of the anniversary of the November 2019 uprising, the Iranian regime killed another innocent girl under the pretext of violating the compulsory hijab. The girl was 17-year-old Armita Geravand, who suffered a brain injury on October 1 when a “hijab-ban” officer attacked her in the Tehran subway. She died on October 28 after being in a state of coma under extreme security measures and censorship. Her innocent and pale face during her hospitalization and her death is a depiction of the history of Iranian teenagers and youth, especially girls, living in the hell created by the mullahs.
The mullahs’ regime killed the oppressed Armita while before him had deprived many women and girls of their lives on the same pretext. The hand that hit Armita as she entered the subway was the same hand that landed the horrific blow on Gina (Mahsa) Amini‘s temple.
Iran’s Regime Moves to Bolster its Cyber Capabilities
In an era defined by the growing prominence of the digital domain, Iran’s regime is rapidly expanding its cyber capabilities, emerging as a potent and multifaceted cyber threat on the global stage. Recent initiatives, including a statement by Mohammad Hosseini, Assistant of Parliament Affairs to regime president Ebrahim Raisi’s, to train half a million ‘cyber troops,’ underscore the regime’s increasing focus on cyberspace.
This escalating interest, combined with Iran’s track record of cyber activities, has raised concerns about the regime’s potential to exert influence, wage cyber warfare, and target not only political adversaries but also the personal data and digital lives of millions of Iranian citizens.
Simultaneously with the announcement regarding the Iran regime’s ambitious plan to ‘train 500,000 troops for the cyber domain,’ the regime’s parliament has greenlit another segment of the 7th Five-Year Plan. This segment mandates the ‘Ministry of Communications’ to engage in discussions on ‘perceived threats’ in collaboration with the ‘Ministry of Intelligence’ and the ‘Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization.’
Iran’s Mosques Outnumber Hospitals by 55 to 1
In an examination of Iran Open Data, a website that publishes statistics about Iran, the number of mosques surpasses the total of public, semi-public, and private hospitals by at least 55 times.
This analysis, based on official statistics from Iran, suggests that access to mosques is more readily available in three Iranian provinces than access to schools, and in two provinces, it even outpaces access to hospitals.
It is important to note that precise and definitive statistics regarding the number of mosques in Iran are unavailable. However, estimates and assessments by religious and propaganda organizations, including the ‘Hedayat Foundation,’ suggest that there are between 55,000 to 79,000 active mosques across the country.
The Looming Crisis of Teacher Shortages in Iran in 2023
As the new academic year commenced, Iran faced a dire predicament that sent shockwaves through its educational system. The Teacher Shortage, a recurrent issue in the country, reached unprecedented levels, leaving students, parents, and educational authorities grappling with a crisis of epic proportions. While addressing teacher shortages had been a priority in the past, this year presented an unparalleled challenge, with conventional solutions falling short.
The gravity of the teacher shortage crisis is evident as students across various grades are left without teachers for weeks in critical subjects. Hana, a 9th-grade student, recounted, “For the first two weeks, we did not have teachers for science, math, sports, art, social studies, Quran, and gym. Currently, we lack art and gym teachers.” In some cases, schools have resorted to appointing office staff to temporarily fill the void in the curriculum. This situation places the burden on students to adapt to an environment that is far from ideal for effective learning.
Armita Geravand Is Laid to Rest Amidst Stringent Security Measures
Armita Geravand was laid to rest Sunday morning, October 29, 2023, in the midst of stringent security measures in Tehran’s sprawling Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery with the presence of family members and a large crowd.
According to one of Armita’s relatives, her family had been “pressured by security forces” to agree to bury her in Tehran. Another relative said, “Although we reside in Tehran, we do not bury our deceased in Tehran.”
The number of plainclothes agents and State Security forces stationed in section 99 of Behesht-e Zahra exceeded the number of participants in the burial ceremony of Armita Geravand. Two relatives and several unidentified women were detained by the security forces.
UN Special Rapporteur Expresses Concern About Human Rights Conditions in Iran
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran Javaid Rehman has expressed concern about “broader human rights issues” and the “worsening situation” of individuals attempting to exercise their civil rights in Iran.
In his report to the United Nations General Assembly on October 25, Rehman highlighted the high number of arrests, executions, and arbitrary killings carried out by the Iranian regime, targeting lawyers, human rights defenders, and anyone using their right to freedom of expression.
He expressed concern about the situation of women’s rights in Iran, stating that individuals protesting against mandatory hijab have been arrested and sentenced to long imprisonments, regardless of their gender.
Berlin, Germany—October 28, 2023: MEK Supporters Rally in Support of the Iran Revolution, Seeking Justice for Armita Geravand
Berlin, Germany—October 28, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. The rally sought justice for Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old girl who was tragically murdered by Iran’s regime’s Hijab Guards at a Tehran subway station on October 1, 2023.
Cologne, Germany—October 28, 2023: MEK Supporters Held a Rally in Support of the Iran Revolution
Cologne, Germany—October 28, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
MEK supporters in Cologne demanded the trial of the mullahs’ regime leaders, especially Ali Khamenei (Supreme leader of the mullahs’ regime) and the mass murderer Ebrahim Raisi for crimes against humanity, in an international court.
Malmö, Sweden—October 28, 2023: Freedom-Loving Iranians and MEK Supporters Rally in Support of the Iran Revolution
Malmö, Sweden—October 28, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
MEK supporters in Malmö demanded the trial of the mullahs’ regime leaders, especially Ali Khamenei (Supreme leader of the mullahs’ regime) and the mass murderer Ebrahim Raisi for crimes against humanity, in an international court.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – October 29, 2023
