THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
Countries Take Stand Against Iranian Regime at UN General Assembly
In the UN General Assembly’s First Committee, Norway’s representative expressed deep concern over the Iranian regime’s refusal to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, urging adherence to nuclear commitments.
Similarly, Latvia’s representative voiced strong apprehension about the Iranian regime’s actions and called for immediate cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
A representative from the Czech Republic also brought attention to critical concerns regarding the potential proliferation of nuclear weapons in Iran’s nuclear program.
Addressing women’s rights in the Third Committee, the United States representative commended the bravery and dedication of individuals challenging oppression and violence. She emphasized the struggle not only for equality but also for the broader fundamental freedoms that the Iranian regime has curtailed for women.
Wilson, Moskowitz Introduce Legislation to Sanction Hostage-Takers
This legislation deters the Government of Iran, other hostile governments, and individuals from hostage-taking or wrongfully detaining United States nationals by imposing sanction and other strict penalties. Among the actions listed in the bill is the requirement of the President to deny visas for anyone seeking admission to the United States as a representative to the United Nations who is sanctioned under terrorism or weapons of mass destruction proliferation Executive Orders. The legislation also requires the Administration to review all cases of hostage-taking regarding Iran and determine if foreign persons responsible for hostage-taking meet the criteria for sanctions under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.
Member of Iranian Influence Network Visited Biden White House Five Times
Ali Vaez, an Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, was outed last week as an alleged member of a vast Iranian-government-controlled propaganda network that helped push Tehran’s talking points in Washington, D.C., and influence policy, according to Semafor. Vaez reportedly communicated with senior Iranian government associates as part of the Iran Experts Initiative, an influence operation run by Iran’s foreign ministry.
The meetings are raising questions about whether the Biden administration was aware of Vaez’s alleged participation in the Iranian influence operation and may have given him insider information about the administration’s diplomacy with Tehran. Another alleged member of the Iran Experts Initiative, Ariane Tabatabai, serves as a senior Pentagon official and holds a security clearance, prompting Republican lawmakers to demand her top secret access be revoked.
UPDATE: 4:00 PM CET
International Coordination and Response Group for the Victims of Flight PS752 Calls Out Tehran’s Flee of Justice
Four countries, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, and the UK, known as the “International Coordination and Response Group for PS752 Victims,” stated in a joint statement released on Tuesday, October 3, condemning the Iranian regime’s inaction regarding the downing of the Ukrainian plane, highlighting that continuing negotiations with the regime on this matter would be futile.
In a section of the statement, the four countries mentioned stated, “For as long as Iran refuses to take full legal responsibility, the Coordination Group will continue to pursue action to resolve this dispute in accordance with international law, including at the International Court of Justice. The families of the victims of Flight PS752 rightfully deserve transparency, justice, and accountability for the tragic loss of their loved ones and for the suffering they continue to endure, and the Coordination Group remains committed to this pursuit.”
Bay Area Telecommunications Consultant Pleads Guilty To Violating Sanctions on Iran
OAKLAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office today announced charges against and guilty pleas by Farhad Nafeiy for violating sanctions by exporting software upgrades for commercial-grade telecommunications servers to the Islamic Republic of Iran (“Iran”), and for tax evasion. The plea was accepted by the Honorable Araceli Martínez-Olguín, United States District Judge. The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the Northern District of California Ismail J. Ramsey, Assistant Attorney General Mathew G. Olsen, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office Darren Lian.
UK Foreign Office: Holding the Iranian Regime Accountable for its Malicious Activities Worldwide
On Tuesday, October 3, in a public statement, the UK Foreign Office condemned the Iranian regime’s action of launching satellites using ballistic missiles. The statement declared, “Alongside partners, the UK remains committed to taking every diplomatic step to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and to hold the regime to account for its malign activity around the world.”
The UK Foreign Office’s statement also mentioned, “On 27 September Iran announced the successful launch of the Noor-III satellite using the Qased Space Launch Vehicle which uses technology essential for the development of a long-range ballistic missile system. Iran has taken this action despite repeated calls from the UN Security Council to halt its ballistic-missile programme. Iran’s actions further prove its disregard of international restrictions and highlight the grave threat posed by the regime to global security.”
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Regime Official Makes Unprecedented Confessions About the Iran-Iraq War
Forty-three years after the start of the Iran-Iraq war, and 35 years after its end, the deep wounds it inflicted on the lives and souls of Iran and the Iranian people still persist.
This festering wound and accumulated anger from the war occasionally resurfaces in the form of confessions in the regime’s media. Mohammad Javad Mozaffar, the director of foreign media during the war, recently made unprecedented confessions about it. He admitted to the responsibility of the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and other authorities in laying the groundwork for the war. He said, “On April 17, 1980, suddenly Khomeini] came and delivered a message, ‘O Iraqi tribes, rise up and overthrow this man! O Iraqi army, carry out a coup and overthrow the president of this country!’ When? April 17, 1980, five months before the start of the war.”
Iran’s Economic Corruption: A Stranglehold on the Iranian People
“The Fraser Institute has assigned Iran an economic freedom index score of 4.53 out of 10, indicating a slight decline from last year’s score of 4.58. The institute’s data reveals that Iran’s scores in the four sub-indices of ‘Government Size,’ ‘Legal System and Property Rights,’ ‘Regulations,’ and ‘Strong Money’ have all witnessed relative declines,” reported the state-run newspaper Donya-e Eghtesad.
Retirees Across Iranian Cities Protest in 2023 for Improved Livelihood Amidst Crisis
In cities across Iran, retirees and pensioners have taken to the streets, raising their voices in protest against deteriorating living conditions and the unmet promises made by authorities. In a display of frustration, they are demanding justice and a resolution to their ongoing struggles. This article delves into the recent protests by retirees and telecommunication workers in various Iranian cities, shedding light on the core issues driving these demonstrations and exploring the prospects of change.
In a remarkable show of solidarity, social security retirees in the cities of Shush, Karkhe, Kermanshah, and Karaj, along with steel industry retirees in Sari and Isfahan, gathered on Sunday, Oct. 1. Their collective goal was to highlight the dire conditions they are facing and the promises that have gone unfulfilled. These retirees and pensioners came together outside the representative office in Shush, chanting slogans that resonated with their shared frustration.
Has Armita Geravand, 16, suffered the fate of Zhina Mahsa Amini?
According to reports published on social media, a 16-year-old girl went unconscious and fell into a coma due to the injuries she suffered as a result of being shoved by the guidance patrol agents in a Tehran metro wagon. This high school student, named Armita Geravand, was allegedly attacked on Sunday, October 1, 2023, while she was boarding the subway train to go to school with her friends at Tehran’s Shohada metro station.
Armita Geravand was transferred by ambulance to the Fajr Hospital located on Pirouzi Ave. in Tehran. The hospital, affiliated with the Air Force, is surrounded by security forces until the moment of preparing this report. Even Armita’s parents are not allowed to visit her.
Iran: Professors Resign on the Anniversary of Police Raid on Sharif University
Iranian media reported a collective resignation of professors at Sharif University of Technology on the eve of the anniversary of the attack by security forces on the university. According to the state-run Shargh newspaper, members of the faculty council of Sharif University, including the council’s secretary, resigned collectively. Reports indicate that this collective action, which led to the “dissolution” of the council, took place on the eve of the anniversary of the attack on Sharif University on October 2, 2022. In this regard, Vahid Karimipour, a professor at the Faculty of Physics and the secretary of the faculty council, announced his decision in a letter, citing “summons by an external entity” as the reason for his resignation.
Sydney, Australia—September 30, 2023: MEK Supporters Rally in Commemoration of the Martyrs of Zahedan Bloody Friday
Sydney, Australia—September 30, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in commemoration of the martyrs of Zahedan Bloody Friday. They also expressed solidarity with the Iran Revolution.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – October 3, 2023