THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:30 PM CET
Iran Expands Stock of Near-Weapons Grade Uranium, IAEA Reports No Progress
VIENNA, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to weapons grade, continues to grow and there has been no progress in talks with Tehran on sensitive issues such as explaining uranium traces at undeclared sites, two reports by the U.N. nuclear watchdog seen by Reuters said on Monday. According to one of the confidential quarterly reports to member states, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% weapons-grade, continued to increase albeit at a slower pace, despite some of it having been diluted.
“The (IAEA) Director General (Rafael Grossi) regrets that there has been no progress in resolving the outstanding safeguards issues in this reporting period,” one report said, referring to Iran’s failure to credibly explain the origin of uranium particles found at two undeclared sites. The reports, sent to IAEA member states ahead of a quarterly meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors next week, also said that after limited progress on re-installing IAEA surveillance cameras in the previous quarter, there had since been none, further raising tensions with Western powers.
MP Criticizes Raisi’s Foreign Minister as the Weakest in Iranian Regime’s History
In a direct confrontation with Ali Khamenei, the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader, who recently praised the government of Ebrahim Raisi for “their accomplishments”, a member of the parliament described Raisi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian as the weakest Foreign Minister in the history of the regime.
Jalal Mahmoudzadeh stated today, “We have witnessed very weak diplomacy from Raisi’s government, especially from Amir-Abdollahian, who is truly the lowest-ranking Foreign Minister in the history of the Islamic Republic in terms of diplomatic competence.”
In response to Raisi’s claims about recent international achievements, Mahmoudzadeh said, “Iran’s unfrozen money does not come to us in cash; it is for purchasing food and medicine. This means we have to buy these items at high prices from other countries so that the money is deposited from Qatari bank accounts into the accounts of other countries. Where is the dignity in this process?”
UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET
Tragic Explosion in Iranian Coal Mine Claims Lives of At Least Six Poor Miners
An explosion in the Tazarah coal mine in the northern part of Shahroud County, northern Semnan province, has caused a minimum of six deaths. Currently, there is no precise information available about the full extent of the casualties or the number of injured individuals.
The governor of Semnan province has confirmed that the bodies of six trapped miners in the Tazarah coal mine have been recovered. This explosion, caused by a gas accumulation, happened at 7:00 PM local time the previous day, trapping six miners at a depth of 700 meters underground.
As of now, there is still no comprehensive information about the scale of the incident, the number of casualties, or the extent of injuries. The official news agency IRNA reported that the explosion and collapse took place in the Alborz-e Gharbi coal mine in Razmjah Tazarah Damghan (part of the Alborz-e Sharqi mines) at approximately 7:00 PM local time on Sunday, September 3.
Over 90% of University Professors Are Critical of the Regime, State-affiliated Expert Admits
Ahmad Bokharaei, a state-affiliated expert, revealed to the Dideban-e-Iran website on September 2 that more than 90% of university professors hold critical views about the regime. He emphasized that the expulsion of these professors is a retaliatory response to their support for protests, a strategy that not only incites turmoil within the academic community but also entails long-lasting and irreversible consequences.
Bokharaei urged other members of the academic community not to stay silent in the face of this trend and encouraged them to find ways to effect change. He also highlighted a misguided belief within the Iranian political system that suppression and avoidance can control the situation, which he believes to be flawed.
He added, “I can confidently say that over 90% of professors share the same views as the expelled ones. Do you think expelling a few of these professors will lead to a result? The question is, why don’t you see the concept and look at the example? Why isn’t the thought and discourse prevalent in universities taken into account? Unfortunately, here, like in other cases, a wrong approach has been taken. When a climate of mistrust prevails and participation is threatened, just like the approach to professors, the university will also become agitated, with irreparable consequences. Parliamentary elections are just a few months away.”
Monday Protests in Iran
Today, September 4, retired telecommunications employees in the cities of Ahvaz, Kermanshah, and Yasuj gathered once again in protest against the officials’ refusal to address their rightful demands, including the full implementation of the personnel and hiring regulations from 2010 and the resolution of healthcare insurance issues.
IRGC Commander Killed While Defending Syria’s Regime
One of the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria has been killed. According to the IRGC-run Fars news agency on Monday, September 4, the guard commander slain was known by the name of Yahya Rostami.
An IRGC commander told Fars News Agency today, “Last Friday, Yahya Rostami, one of the Revolutionary Guards’ Green Berets, who was a resident of the city of Nasimshahr in Baharestan County, was killed in Syria while defending the holy shrine, and his body will be mourned and buried upon arrival in Baharestan County.”
For over a decade, the IRGC has played a significant role in supporting the Syrian regime’s crackdown on the popular uprising that began in 2011. They provided military expertise, and financial aid, and even deployed their own forces to aid Bashar al-Assad’s brutal dictatorship. This involvement helped the Syrian government maintain its grip on power despite widespread protests and international condemnation.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET
Maryam Rajavi Meets Canadian Senator Michael MacDonald
Maryam Rajavi met in Paris with Canadian Senator Michael MacDonald on Thursday, August 31, 2023. During their meeting, they discussed the dire situation within the clerical regime and the advancements made by the Iranian Resistance.
About the history of the Iranian Resistance for freedom, Senator MacDonald expressed his admiration for the strength of the Iranian Resistance. He said that despite the regime’s relentless efforts to eliminate it, the resistance movement is a beacon of hope for countless freedom-loving individuals.
Senator MacDonald commended the Iranian people’s uprising last year, emphasizing their remarkable courage and deep-rooted cultural heritage. He stated that all indicators point towards an imminent change, asserting that the Iranian people deserve a democratic government. Such a change would benefit the Iranian people and positively impact the broader Middle East region and the world as a whole.
Iran’s Climate Crisis Is Amplified By The Regime’s Policies
The global climate crisis transcends borders, impacting nations indiscriminately. However, the climate crisis in Iran takes on a distinct complexion, as it is exacerbated by the oppressive policies of the ruling dictatorship. While international conferences have repeatedly convened to address this dire situation, Iran’s government has not only failed to act but has intensified anti-environmental practices, contributing to the crisis at an alarming rate. World leaders have discussed the climate crisis at length, including at the Glasgow conference two years ago. Commitments were made to curb greenhouse gas emissions and implement measures to mitigate the crisis. Unfortunately, Iran not only failed to follow suit but amplified its harmful policies, earning its place among the top ten greenhouse gas producers globally.
State Official Provides Excuses While Price of Egg Soars Vividly
As reported on state media, in Tehran, the price of a single egg increased from 3,500 tomans to 4,500 tomans on Sunday, September 3. In certain shops, individual eggs are being sold for as much as 5,000 tomans each. Meanwhile, a pack of 30 eggs in the fruit and vegetable markets ranges between 103,000 and 105,000 tomans. In the central city supermarkets, a pack of 30 eggs is priced at 120,000 tomans.
Trying to explain the recent price hikes, Mohammad Moradi, CEO of the Central Union of Poultry Farmers, stated to the state-run Hamshahri Online, “We have not had a price increase because egg consumption decreases in the first half of the year. With this decreased demand, poultry farming units produce their products at a significant loss. In other words, in the spring and summer, our producers offer their products below the government’s set price, which was announced earlier. Currently, eggs have not reached the government’s designated price, but compared to previous months, the losses for producers have decreased.”
Journalist Nazila Maroofian Sentenced to One Year in Jail and Fine
Sunday, September 3, 2023, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced journalist Nazila Maroofian to one year in prison and payment of 15 million Tomans for disseminating “propaganda against the state.”
Journalist Nazila Maroofian, 23, is from Saqqez but resides in Tehran. This is the fourth time this young journalist has been arrested over a period of one year. Most recently, she was violently arrested after security forces broke into her home on August 30, 2023. An informed source told Nazila’s family that she had started a dry hunger strike five days ago.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – September 3, 2023