THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:30 PM CET
Iranian ‘Bags of Dollars’ in Southern Syria Raise Assad, Russia’s Concerns
Iranian parties sent bags full of cash dollars to several regions in the southern Syrian towns, such as the Houran and Golan regions, to recruit new members, according to a recent Israeli intelligence report. Several parties are buying homes and lands to be occupied by Iranian or other Shiite population groups from various countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen.
State Media Slam Raisi’s Economic Record After The First 100 Days
The state-run Mardomsalary newspaper wrote today: “The situation in domestic politics is not pleasing either… Except for the officials showing up at gas stations, pharmacies, and fruit markets, the government has not come up with a solution, and no improvement is observed in the country. It seems like the parliament is slowly but surely separating its way from the government… If the Raisi government is not able to focus on the critical issues in the coming months and doesn’t solve them, it will have to cope with severe storms.”
The state-run Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper wrote on November 15: “The government’s relentless hopes in the stock market as the savior of the economy is a clear reason for disappointment in the success of Ebrahim Raisi’s administration in the economic field. During these 100 days, perhaps the greatest effort and attention of Raisi and his economic team has been to find solutions to get the stock market back on track, and there have been few days without them promising that the market is going to bounce back.”
Meanwhile, regarding the elimination of the official exchange rate, which is considered Ebrahim Raisi’s main solution for the economic crisis, a member of the regime’s Chamber of Commerce told the state-run Setareh Sobh newspaper: “Today, with the elimination of the government-set exchange rate, all prices will increase at least five times and we must deal with hyperinflation. In such circumstances, people react and I do not know what this reaction will be!”
UPDATE: 5:30 PM CET
State Media Uncover Hoax About $3.5B Released Funds
The state-run Etemad newspaper wrote on November 14: “No day has passed without news being published somewhere about the release of Iran’s blocked assets. The news also emphasized the ‘drop of the price of the US dollar’, because some believe that these assets are released in the form of banknotes and once they reach Iran, they will go to the markets and reduce the price of USD… In the past, such news has been published every now and then, which was also denied after a while.”
Etemad eventually concludes: What’s the point of publishing such news occasionally, which no longer has an impact on the market?”
The state-run Setareh Sobh newspaper also wrote: “A member of the presidential media team reported that more than $3.5 billion in frozen Iranian funds has been released in South Korea, but the head of the Iran-South Korea Joint Chamber of Commerce and some economists denied it. According to them, the market no longer trusts such news, because policymakers and officials have lost their credibility.”
On November 12, Ali Naderi, Managing Director of the official news agency (IRNA) and other media outlets celebrated that ‘less than 100 days after the inauguration of President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration, the Islamic Republic has got access to over 3.5 billion dollars of its assets, which were frozen in another country’.
UPDATE: 5:00 PM CET
Magnitude 5 Earthquake Strikes Southern Iran
A 5 magnitude earthquake shook the city of Finn in Hormozgan province on Monday, November 15. Following this earthquake, three more aftershocks occurred in the same area. This is the strongest aftershock after yesterday’s earthquakes in the province. The quake struck at 6:17 a.m. local time at a depth of 13 kilometers.
Yesterday, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Hormozgan province at 15:37:44 local time. More than 80 aftershocks have been felt in the region ever since.
Negotiations Will Put More Pressure on Iran, Former Official Forewarns
Abolfazl Zohrehvand, the Iranian regime’s former ambassador to Afghanistan expressed pessimism about the upcoming nuclear talks with the world powers and said: “The negotiations have failed to bear fruit, except that it has increased the number of countries that have sanctioned us. Therefore, if negotiations only mean an increase of sanctions and pressures against Iran, they are wrong.”
Talking to the state-run Resalat newspaper on November 14, he added: “The JCPOA is the result of two years of negotiations and it is now over… In addition to the JCPOA, the Americans want to manage and eventually stop other capabilities of the Islamic Republic, including missiles, defense, and our regional capabilities.”
UPDATE: 3:00 PM CET
Colombian Defense Minister Confirmed the Arrest of Two Lebanese Hezbollah Members in his Country
Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano announced that two Lebanese Hezbollah-linked individuals were arrested in the country about two months ago. In an interview with El Tiempo, which published the text of the interview on Sunday, November 14, Mr. Molano expressed concerns about “Hezbollah’s presence in Venezuela and its links to terrorist groups and their financing.”
The Colombian defense minister told El Tiempo that the two Hezbollah members had been arrested and deported from Colombia before committing a “criminal act”, citing several meetings with the country’s intelligence and security forces.
27.6 Million Iranians Live in Absolute Poverty — State-run Newspaper
The state-run Farhikhtegan newspaper which is run by Ali Akbar Velayati, special advisor to Ali Khamenei, the Iranian regime’s supreme leader, wrote in a shocking confession that 27.6 million Iranians are living below the absolute poverty line. Farhikhtegan also acknowledged the rising poverty line over the past 10 years by visualizing a graph.
Cleric Receives Serious Backlash on Remarks and Walks Back
Following nationwide outrage about his remarks regarding killing protestors during the November 2019 uprising, Hassan Norouzi, the deputy chairman of the Judiciary Commission of the Iranian regime’s parliament, backed down on his statements and claimed that these have been fabricated by the MEK.
Yesterday, while talking to the state-run website Dideban, Norouzi had flagrantly admitted to the regime’s atrocities committed during the November 2019 uprising in Iran and said: “I was one of those who shot the people. We killed! Who is now going to try us? This guy came and burned down the bank and we killed him. Who do you want to try?”
His remarks were met with a wave of domestic and international condemnation. Mothers of the slain protestors posted a video on social media, calling Hassan Norouzi out for his crimes against their children.
Listen to the response of the outspoken mothers of fallen protesters to #Iran MP Noruzi, who said he personally shot protesters during the Nov. 2019 #IranProtests & no one can hold him accountable:
“You hide in your dens with 30 bodyguards, say you killed protesters & no one… https://t.co/wT6S1OWupY pic.twitter.com/YccDGnFTwN— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) November 15, 2021
This morning, Hassan Norouzi anxiously arranged an interview with the website affiliated with the regime’s parliament and said: “The interview published about my remarks regarding the riots of November 2019 is fake and produced by the terrorist Monafeqin! The Monafeqin spread the news that I was one of those who shot people.”
Monafeqin, Arabic for hypocrites, is a term widely used by the regime to defame the People’s Mojahedin Organization (PMOI/MEK) in Iran’s society.
Deputy chairman of the Judiciary Commission of the parliament also claimed that the journalist who questioned him was “fake” and added: “I felt that this journalist was from the Monafeqin, which he certainly was. I asked, ‘Do you want to try me?’ Then I hung up!”
After his remarks, the state-run website Dideban, which had arranged the interview with Hassan Norouzi, published the following statement: “Mr. Norouzi, the interview was not fake and as it is recorded in the audio file, the reporter introduces himself and officially requests the interview.”
Dideban then threatens to sue Hassan Norouzi by writing: “If you claim that this interview was produced by the Monafeqin, this can be legally prosecuted. Your Excellency shall be aware of the consequences of your comments about this publication and its reporter.”
UPDATE: 2:30 PM CET
Call for Justice in Stockholm
Today, marking the anniversary of the bloody crackdown on protestors in November 2019, the trial of Hamid Nouri in Durres, Albania started its fourth session. Akbar Samadi, a former political prisoner, and member of the People’s Mojahedin Organization (PMOI/MEK) is testifying as a plaintiff against Hamid Nouri and his role in the massacre of 1988 in Iran’s prisons.
Simultaneously with the fourth day of Hamid Nouri’s trial in Albania, Iranians and supporters of the PMOI/MEK in Stockholm demonstrated and chanted slogans in support of the justice movement.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
Commemorating Martyrs of November 2019 Uprisings in Iran in 10 Major Cities
On Sunday, November 14, demonstrations were held in 10 major cities of the world on the anniversary of the November 2019 uprising. Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization (PMOI/MEK) rallied in Washington, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Oslo, Toronto, Copenhagen, The Hague, Rome, Bucharest, and Gothenburg.
The Anniversary of the November 2019 Uprising
Maryam Rajavi: On the second anniversary of the November 2019 uprising against the clerical regime, let us salute its martyrs, the 30,000 political prisoners massacred in 1988, and all the heroes who have laid down their lives over the past four decades.
The November uprising was drenched in blood but more uprisings are on the way. One can hear their footsteps throughout Iran. The army of the countless is on its way to realize the big dream of the people of #Iran to obtain freedom.
The flames of that blood-soaked uprising will never be extinguished
On the second anniversary of the November 2019 uprising against the clerical regime, let us salute its martyrs, the 30,000 political prisoners massacred in 1988, and all the heroes who have laid down their lives over the past four decades. #IranProtests #1988Massacre pic.twitter.com/bPwSfxaskJ
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) November 14, 2021
I extend my appreciations to The Iran Atrocities #AbanTribunal, a popular and international mechanism, playing a noteworthy and effective role in detailed documentation of the crimes against humanity committed in November 2019 in #Iran.
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) November 14, 2021
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Historic Testimonies at the Gathering of 1,000 Former Political Prisoners at Ashraf 3
A gathering of 1,000 former political prisoners was held at Ashraf 3 in Albania on Sunday, November 14, 2021. They have witnessed the crimes of the clerical regime in the early 1980s and 1988. Some 20 reporters and photographers visited Ashraf 3 on Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., preparing reports from the museum of the victims of the 1988 massacre and the symbolic presentation of Khavaran cemetery. Some of the reporters attended the gathering of 1,000 former political prisoners and interviewed the participants.
Iran in October: At Least 400 Protests in 140 Cities
In October, at least 400 protests took place in 140 cities of 30 provinces of Iran. In other words, at least 13 to 14 protests took place daily in different cities of Iran, which covered almost all of Iran.
Almost all strata of society, including workers, educators, retirees, creditors, farmers, poultry farmers, doctors, and nurses, were present at the protests. The largest share went to workers with 135 protests, followed by educators and intellectuals with 61 cases and retirees with 39 cases. It can be said that in October almost all classes protested, even the employees of the judiciary.
Iran Sentences Man and Woman To Flogging for Extramarital Relationship in Tehran
The Tehran Criminal Court sentenced a man and woman to 99 lashes each for an extramarital relationship yesterday. According to state-run Rokna News Agency, the woman was identified as 37-year-old Mahtab and the man was identified as a driver named Sasan. The case was filed by Mahtab’s husband, who works as a janitor. According to the report, the woman said the man blackmailed her by taking photos of her, but the man denied it and said the relationship was consensual.
Read more: Iran News in Brief – November 14, 2021
