THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
Biden’s New Deal With Iran Draws Fierce Blowback
A Biden administration agreement with Iran to unfreeze $6 billion of funds to Tehran in exchange for the release of five American prisoners has roiled lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Republicans in Congress and even a few Democrats fear that such a deal encourages hostile nations to take more Americans traveling abroad as hostages in the future. While the administration has touted the agreement — which comes after more than a year of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran — as a diplomatic breakthrough, critics say Washington has catered to a foreign adversary it shouldn’t have negotiated with in the first place.
E3 Trio Calls for Tehran’s Adherence to JCPOA Nuclear Agreements
Germany, France, and the United Kingdom (E3) have jointly presented a statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors concerning Iran’s nuclear commitments under the JCPOA framework. This statement, released on the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website on September 22, reads as follows: “Regrettably, Iran’s actions remain in clear violation of its JCPOA commitments and stated intentions. Iran has continued escalating its nuclear programme to an alarming level clearly beyond credible civilian justification, and has displayed no will to implement the transparency commitments laid out in the Joint Statement agreed with the IAEA last March.
- The IAEA reports show Iran has continued to accumulate enriched uranium far beyond JCPoA limits, at 5%, 20%, and, most alarming, at 60%. This means that the weight of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is now over 18 times the amount permitted under the JCPoA. Furthermore, at this point, Iran possesses almost three IAEA significant quantities of high-enriched uranium, this is almost three times the amount of high-enriched uranium from which the IAEA cannot exclude the possibility of a nuclear device being manufactured.”
UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET
Iran: One Year After Uprising International Community Must Combat Impunity for Brutal Crackdown
The international community must pursue pathways for justice at the international level to address systemic impunity for Iranian officials responsible for hundreds of unlawful killings of protesters and widespread torture, Amnesty International said today, as Iran marks the one-year anniversary of the “Woman Life Freedom” uprising.
Over the past year, Iranian authorities have committed a litany of crimes under international law to eradicate any challenge to their iron grip on power. These include hundreds of unlawful killings; the arbitrary execution of seven protesters; tens of thousands of arbitrary arrests; widespread torture, including rape of detainees; widespread harassment of victims’ families who call for truth and justice; and reprisals against women and girls who defy discriminatory compulsory veiling laws.
Republicans Move to Ban Iranian President from Entering US
Republican lawmakers are spearheading an effort to ban Iran’s president from entering the United States to attend the United Nations annual gathering next week.
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R., N.Y.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) introduced legislation on Tuesday that will make it illegal for Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, according to a copy of the legislation obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
The U.N.’s annual conference brings leaders from across the globe together for a week of meetings and is often used by dictators and anti-U.S. figures as a platform to disseminate propaganda. Last year, Raisi delivered a speech that assailed the United States for withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear accord and claimed his country is a beacon of justice, comments that came as Tehran’s hardline police forces murdered pro-democracy protesters in the streets.
Australia Sanctions Iranian Morality Police, Broadcaster
Australia has slapped a fresh wave of sanctions on Iranian officials, including the Middle Eastern country’s so-called morality police, cyber officers, and broadcasters for the efforts to quell dissent against the hardline Islamic regime.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong unveiled the sanctions on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the arrest of Iranian woman Mahsa Jina Amini, 22, by Iran’s morality police for failing to wear a hijab in Tehran.
Ms. Amini’s death in custody three days later – her family and local journalists claim she was bashed by police, rubbishing authorities’ claim she had a sudden heart attack – transformed her into a symbol of the repression of females by the theocracy and sparked widespread protests in one of the biggest challenges to clerical rule since the 1979 revolution.
Iran Executes 500 Anti-Ayatollah Rebels and Still West Looks Away, Says Giulio Terzi
It has been almost a year since Iran’s anti-government uprising. Scenes of young Iranians, women, and men, crying for freedom in the streets, challenging the clerical regime and its armed repressive forces for months, shocked the world. The regime is plainly still struggling to restore the status quo. Autocracies are on the rise the world over. Yet, even among them, the ayatollahs stand out.
Given Tehran’s destructive role on the international scene for the past four decades, the ongoing deep-rooted tumult in Iran provided a unique opportunity for Western powers to fundamentally change the situation in the volatile Middle East. However, this has two prerequisites: a correct understanding of the dynamics in Iran and the courage to change prevailing policies accordingly.
Ukraine Shoots Down 32 Out of 44 Iranian-made Shahed Drones Launched at Odesa Overnight
Russia attacked Ukraine’s Odesa region with 44 kamikaze Iranian-made Shahed drones, of which 32 were destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses, Kyiv’s Air Force said on Wednesday.
“A total of 44 Shahed drones were reported. The main target [of the attack] was the southern areas of the Odesa region – the port infrastructure of the region,” the Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram. It added: “Fighter aircraft, units of anti-aircraft missile troops, mobile fire groups of the Air Force and the Defense Forces of Ukraine were involved in repelling the attack.”
Treasury Designates Hizballah Operatives and Financial Facilitators in South America and Lebanon
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration, designated key Hizballah operatives and financial facilitators in South America and Lebanon. This action includes Amer Mohamed Akil Rada, who in addition to his role as a senior Hizballah operative, was one of the operational members of Hizballah who carried out the terrorist attack against the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Argentina in 1994 that killed 85 people. Amer and his associates manage a commercial enterprise for Hizballah, including charcoal exports to Lebanon. This action targets seven key individuals and entities in this network that generate revenue for Hizballah’s terrorist activities and enable the terrorist group’s presence and nefarious activities in Latin America. Since its inception, Hizballah has established an extensive global infrastructure that includes commercial activities that allow Hizballah operatives to travel freely, strategically case targets, and transfer materials and funds.
IAEA Criticizes Western Powers for Lack of Support to Iran’s Mission
The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, made a rare criticism of Western countries for not “adequately” supporting the work of the UN agency in Iran. In a press conference at the Agency’s headquarters in Vienna, Grossi said that despite Iran’s continued lack of cooperation with international inspectors, the member states’ behavior in dealing with the issue is “concerning” because the outstanding issues with Iran are still unresolved. Grossi called on Western countries within the Board of Governors to continue supporting the Agency, adding that its work is based on the support it receives and that it would continue to report the developments, but there is a decline in interest in matters that still require priority. Grossi informed the Board of Governors, consisting of 35 countries, including the US and the three European countries negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, that there had been no progress in Tehran’s cooperation since the last June report.
EU Statement at IAEA Board of Governors on Verification and Monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in Light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), as Delivered on 12 September 2023
On Tuesday, September 12, the European Union expressed concerns regarding the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report on Iran’s regime continuing its expanding activities and interfering with the installation of surveillance cameras.
The EU statement read in part, “As a key security priority, the EU will continue to invest diplomatically and politically to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. To this end, the EU remains committed to the JCPOA. We regret that Iran has not made the necessary decisions and has not taken the necessary steps to return to its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA. The risk of a nuclear proliferation crisis in the region has further increased as a result of Iran’s escalating nuclear trajectory. Concrete and sustained moves of nuclear de-escalation are needed to help restore trust. The EU calls on all countries to support the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015).”
UPDATE: 8:30 AM CET
Maryam Rajavi’s Message to the Conference at the UK Parliament
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s speech addressing British lawmakers at the UK Parliament: “Honorable Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to address your conference today. I would like to first thank you for the declaration by 525 members of both Houses of the UK Parliament extending support to the people of Iran and the National Council of Resistance for the establishment of a democratic republic. I would also like to commend you for your efforts, particularly by the Honorable MP, Bob Blackman, to have the IRGC designated as a terrorist entity. One year ago, a nationwide uprising began in Iran, which persisted for several months, despite a brutal crackdown. Seven hundred and fifty young men and women, including teenagers, were shot to death or killed under torture by the IRGC. Others lost their eyes after being shot by pellet guns.”
1,000 Prominent Women of the World Support the Resistance of Iranian Women for Freedom and Democracy
British lawmakers and distinguished personalities participated in a conference this morning, September 12, 2023, at the House of Commons in London, declaring support for the resistance of Iranian women for freedom and democracy.
The conference entitled, “Iran: One Year into Iran’s Popular Uprising, Onward to the Democratic Republic,” featured prominent women from the UK Houses of Parliament. Azadeh Zabeti, Co-President of the Anglo-Iranian lawyers, moderated the event.
The NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi sent a message to the conference and Ms. Anna Firth, MP, announced and read out the statement signed by 1,000 prominent women in support of the resistance of Iranian women for freedom and democracy.
Iran Regime Investing Big In Suppression of Opponents
In the 12 months since its opposition took to the streets and was led primarily by women and young men, Iran’s ruling theocracy has invested roughly $700 million in the suppression of another uprising like that of Sept. 22, 2022. That is according to documents obtained by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the leading exile group of opponents to the 43-year-old dictatorship in Tehran.
At a news conference in Washington on Tuesday morning, spokesmen for the NCRI revealed that “an increased budget of repressive agencies” has been sought by the regime of Ayatollah Khamenei to counter the insurgents who staged massive marches nearly a year ago.
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Silenced Voices: The Tragic Tale of Iran’s Political Prisoners
In the rich tapestry of human history, the struggle for freedom and justice often intertwines with the darkest threads of oppression. Such is the case in Iran, where the relentless pursuit of political ideals has too often led to imprisonment, torture, and even death. Over the past eight months, from the start of 2023, Iran has witnessed the tragic demise of at least six political prisoners. These individuals, hailing from various ethnic backgrounds, had dreams, aspirations, and voices that were silenced prematurely within the confines of Iranian prisons.
Among those who met a tragic end was Sadegh Fuladiwanda, a 29-year-old youth, children’s rights activist, and shoemaker from Gachsaran. On February 3, 2023, he was arrested by security agents, and accused of organizing a protest rally. Tragically, on February 21st, his lifeless body was discovered in a water channel in Gachsaran, bearing unmistakable torture marks. Because of the severity of his injuries, Sadegh’s family struggled to recognize his battered form, ultimately identifying him through the tattoos on his body. Shockingly, the coroner declared the time of Sadegh Fuladiwanda’s death a day before his lifeless body was even found.
Türk Concerned Over Renewed Deployment of the Morality Police in Iran
Accountability for Ms. Amini’s death, and for violations in the context of subsequent protests, has been inadequate. The use of the death penalty has risen sharply, notably against the Baloch and others from minority communities. The Human Rights Council opened its fifty-fourth regular session on September 11, 2023, holding a minute of silence for the victims of the earthquake in Morocco, and hearing a global update by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Following is the text of remarks by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.
Mr. Turk: “In my work with the United Nations over the years, it has become clear to me that development issues underlie almost every challenge we face.
People everywhere want – and have a right to – a decent standard of living. Food on the table, and access to affordable medical care when they need it. Education and equal opportunities for themselves and their children. Good economic prospects, with a fair share of resources. A clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The freedom to make their own choices. Objective information, not propaganda. Justice and police systems that uphold their rights.”
Thousands of Iranian Children Will Miss the New School Year
While Iranian regime officials have presented official statistics indicating an increase in the number of dropouts from education to over 970,000 and the existence of at least 9 million illiterate individuals in the country, reports suggest that the increased fees imposed by schools under various pretexts have resulted in thousands of students being unable to enroll. Afghan children residing in Iran are also facing significant barriers to education.
The state-run Shargh newspaper reported on Sunday, September 10, about the “increase in school dropouts.” Shargh stated that “the number of school dropouts increases every year,” and this situation is a result of the “wrong economic and educational policies of governments” in Iran, which have disregarded “the principle of Article 30 of the Constitution and the fundamental rights of children.”
London—September 9, 2023: Protest Rally by MEK Supporters Urging UK and UN to Save the Lives of the Iranian Political Prisoners
London—September 9, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a protest rally opposite the Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street, urging the UK and the UN to save the lives of Iranian political prisoners, especially those who are on a hunger strike in Ghezel Hesar prison. These prisoners have endured years of captivity, subjected to both physical and psychological torture.
Germany—September 9, 2023: MEK Supporters Celebrated the Anniversary of the Foundation of the PMOI in Bonn, Göttingen, Karlsruhe, Münster, and Aachen
Germany—September 9, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held gatherings and celebrated the anniversary of the foundation of the PMOI/MEK in Bonn, Göttingen, Karlsruhe, Münster, and Aachen.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – September 12, 2023
