THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 7:00 PM CET
US Says It Disrupts Illicit Oil Shipment by Iran’s IRGC, Seizes Contraband Crude
HOUSTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) – The U.S. on Friday divulged it disrupted in April a multimillion-dollar shipment of crude oil by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, seizing more than 980,000 barrels of contraband crude oil that violated U.S. sanctions.
In April, Reuters reported that the U.S. confiscated cargo onboard the tanker Suez Rajan, which was carrying Iranian oil at sea. The U.S. statement on Friday confirmed and fleshed out details of the story which cited sources.
The “illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil” violated sanctions targeting Iran, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement that for the first time acknowledged its role. A plea agreement between the parties was made public this week.
The vessel was unloaded last month after waiting 2-1/2 months off the coast of Texas to discharge.
UPDATE: 3:00 PM CET
Iranian Official Warns of Growing Threats as New Academic Year Nears
On September 7, Fereydoun Abbasi, a member of the regime’s parliament, expressed concern about potential uprisings, stating, “As we approach the end of September 23, the enemy’s conspiracies become more organized and severe. They aim to exploit the country’s student population, who seek education, and dominate the general public. That is the nature of our enemies. Wherever there is a gathering, whether it’s in schools, universities, or even mosques, they may become targets to pressure the people.”
Justifying the recent purge of university students and professors, the former Iranian regime’s nuclear chief said, “Scholars and university professors must adhere to their limits. When they come to work in universities and the military with specific beliefs and ideologies, they should accept the existing regulations and frameworks.”
Locals in Southeast Iran Clash with Security Forces
On Thursday morning, September 7, the Iranian regime’s security and special forces units stormed the port of Kolahi, in the southern Hormozgan province.
Following the raid on the port of Kolahi and gunfire directed at fuel depots, dozens of fishing boats, and a residential house went up in flames, causing significant damage to the belongings and lives of Baluch citizens. According to local accounts, the people of Kolahi have announced they will resist and are not willing to leave their homes and livelihoods.
September 7—Bandar Kolahi (Minab), southeast #Iran
Security forces raided this village, destroying homes, boats, and fuel tanks.pic.twitter.com/gv8jqffA4o— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 8, 2023
Ukrainian Media Spotlights Iranian Transport Plane’s Unusual Visit to Crimea
Ukrainian media reported on Thursday, September 7, about the presence of an Iranian regime transport plane on the Crimean Peninsula.
The Ukrainian website Pravda, citing data from the Swedish website “Flight Radar 24,” which monitors air traffic, reported that an Il-76 aircraft belonging to Pouya Airlines took off from Simferopol Airport two hours after landing there, at 17:09 local time.
Pravda noted that Simferopol Airport had been closed to civilian flights for the past 18 months since the full-scale Russian military invasion of Ukraine. This flight was evaluated in connection with the Iranian regime’s transport of drones. The Ukrainian army had repeatedly stated that Russian forces in the Crimean Peninsula were using the Chauda training base to launch drone attacks on Ukrainian soil. These drones, designated as Shahed-131 and Shahed-136, are of Iranian manufacture, adding to concerns about Tehran’s involvement in drone-related activities.
It’s worth mentioning that the European Union and the United States have imposed several sets of sanctions against the Iranian regime for its support of Russia in the conflict in Ukraine.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian website Frontier Lines reported on the night of September 7 that “16 out of 20 Russian-Iranian Shahed drones were shut down over Ukraine.
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET
Iran: Political Prisoners in Critical Conditions
Several political prisoners are on hunger strike in response to inhuman pressure by regime authorities ahead of the anniversary of the 2022 nationwide uprisings. On September 3, the regime transferred several political prisoners from the Evin Prison in Tehran to Ghezel Hesar in Karaj. These prisoners were beaten, handcuffed, and forcibly transferred to Ghezel Hesar. Prison authorities did not allow the prisoners to take their belongings, and the prisoners’ belongings were smashed or looted in Ward 8 of Evin prison. After the transfer to Ghezel Hesar, the prisoners were confined in two cells that were designated as quarantine cells for death row prisoners who were awaiting execution. The cells are extremely small, with limited space for sleeping. Prisoners are forced to rest in the corridor and near the restrooms. The prisoners have been on hunger strike since being transferred to Ghezel Hesar.
Iran’s Regime at a Crossroads in Pursuit of Appeasement
As the Iranian regime finds itself ensnared in a web of domestic and international challenges, it has turned to a calculated policy of appeasement as a potential lifeline. The impending arrival of September and October bears witness to a regime desperately seeking to navigate through turbulent waters, both at home and on the global stage. At the heart of its efforts lies the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), a pivotal agreement that holds the key to the regime’s survival. The regime’s predicament is multifaceted. Domestically, widespread protests in Iran in September 2022 have injected fresh uncertainty into the regime’s stability. Internationally, its entanglement in Russia’s war against Ukraine has added to the complexity. Faced with these challenges, Ali Khamenei, the Iran regime’s Supreme Leader, appears to be more concerned than ever about the prospects of sealing a new deal with the West, particularly the United States.
A BlackHole Named Qezel Hessar; Saeed Masouri’s Heart-Wrenching Account of Qezel Hessar Prison
On Tuesday, September 5, 2023, political prisoner Saeed Masouri, in a message from prison, addressed the horrifying and inhumane conditions of Qezel Hessar prison. He holds Hashem Hayat Al-Ghaib, the Director-General of Prisons in Tehran Province, and Ejei, the Chief of the Judiciary, responsible for this situation. Saeed Masouri was arrested at the age of 35 and has been serving his prison sentence for 23 years without a single day of furlough. Saeed Masouri and several others, including Loqman Aminpour, Afshin Baymani, Sepehr Emam Jomeh, Zartosht Ahmadiragheb, Mohammad Shafi’i, Saman Seyyedi (Yasin), Hamzeh Savari, Kamyar Fakour, Ahmadreza Haeri, Reza Salmanzadeh, Jafar Ebrahimi, and Masoud Reza Ebrahimi Nejad, went on a hunger strike in protest against their violent transfer from Evin Prison to Qezel Hessar Prison.
Massoumeh Yavari Detained In Limbo, Deprived of Her Basic Rights
Former political prisoner Massoumeh Yavari is detained in limbo after 72 hours. Massoumeh Yavari’s family went to the Prosecutor’s Office of Golpayegan to follow up on her case, but they were insulted and mistreated by the judiciary officials. The family is concerned about the conditions of Massoumeh Yavari as she is deprived of having access to her medicines. She used to have two injections every day as part of her treatment before being arrested. Ms. Yavari was arrested by agents of the Intelligence Ministry at her home on Monday, September 4, 2023. Some 20 agents attacked her husband as he was entering the house. The Intelligence Ministry agents had warrant instructing them to even break into the house and make the arrests. Ms. Yavari’s husband was accused of supporting the opposition PMOI/MEK and destroying public properties.
Iran Regime, the World Record Holder in Executions of Women
The Iranian regime is the world’s top record holder of executions of women. The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran has compiled the names of these women in a list called, “List of Women Executed in Iran since 2007.”
The names compiled in this list have been counted since May 2007. The NCRI Women’s Committee collects data on the executions of women in Iran from material published by the Iranian state-run press. It also compiles information from human rights activists and from private sources in touch with the Iranian Resistance. The actual figures are higher, as the Iranian regime carries out most executions secretly without anyone knowing except those who carry them out.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – September 7, 2023
