THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM
Investors Protest Outside Qazvin Courthouse Following Riots at Reihantak Company
In response to the looting of their investments at Reihantak Qazvin Company, protestors gathered outside the city’s courthouse and took to the streets on February 15. These investors were complaining that the company in question has initiated a scam and stolen their money.
The demonstrators chanted slogans, expressing their disillusionment with the lack of justice, stating, “We no longer vote, we have not seen justice.”
February 15—Qazvin, northern #Iran
Creditors of the state-backed Reyhan Tak Holding Company hold protest rally in front of the office of the justice ministry as authorities continue to ignore their demands.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/SwQUmmbSl2— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 15, 2024
Security forces were dispatched and attempted to disperse the protesters who were rallying against the looting of the Reihantak Company in Qazvin. However, the investors stood firm, refusing to be intimidated. Their response to the government’s crackdown was resolute: “Guns, tanks, weapons, won’t silence us.”
Their chants echoed through the streets: “Guns, tanks, weapons, won’t silence us. We fight, we die, we get our rights.”
Hackers Use ChatGPT to Target Feminists, Researchers Reveal
Hackers in Iran have used the popular AI tool ChatGPT to launch cyber attacks against feminists, researchers have revealed.
It is one of several incidents of state-backed actors using the technology in hacking campaigns, with the app’s creator OpenAI also naming groups linked to China, North Korea, and Russia.
A report published on Wednesday said hackers were honing their skills and tricking their targets by using generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, which draw on massive amounts of text to generate human-sounding responses.
UPDATE: 6:00 PM
US Ambassador Condemns Iran’s Role in Prolonging Yemen Conflict at UN Security Council Briefing
In his address to the UN Security Council Briefing on Yemen, US Ambassador Robert Wood, the Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, underscored the detrimental impact of the Iranian regime on the Yemeni conflict.
Amb. Wood said, “Iran cannot deny its role in enabling and supporting the attacks carried out by the Houthis, given Iran’s long-term material support for and encouragement of the Houthis’ destabilizing actions in the region. Since 2014, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has provided the Houthis with a growing arsenal of advanced weapons that they have used to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
“The provision of this materiel violates UN Security Council Resolutions 2140 and 2216. Between 2015 and 2023, the United States and its partners have interdicted at least 18 vessels illicitly smuggling weapons to the Houthis, seizing ballistic, cruise and anti-ship missile components, UAVs, and other weapons. And just weeks ago on January 11, while conducting a flag verification boarding, U.S. Navy forces interdicted a vessel illegally transporting advanced lethal aid, including advanced Iranian-manufactured ballistic and cruise missile components, from Iran to resupply Houthi militants in Yemen.”
U.S. Centcom Says Its Forces Seized Iranian Arms Shipment Bound for Houthis on Jan. 28
DUBAI, Feb 15 (Reuters) – U.S. forces seized advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid from Iran that were bound for Houthi-held areas of Yemen on a vessel in the Arabian Sea on Jan. 28, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement on Thursday.
Over 200 packages containing medium-range ballistic missile components, explosives, unmanned underwater/surface vehicle (UUV/USV) components, military-grade communication and network equipment, anti-tank guided missile launcher assemblies, and other military components were discovered on board, it said.
“Iran’s continued supply of advanced conventional weapons to the Houthis continues to undermine the safety of international shipping and the free flow of commerce,” U.S. Centcom commander Michael Erik Kurilla said.
Chairman McCaul Delivers Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Houthi Terrorist Threat
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul delivered remarks at a Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia hearing entitled, “Iran’s Proxy in Yemen: The Houthi Threat to Middle East Stability, Global Shipping, and U.S. Servicemembers.” In his opening remarks, Chairman McCaul highlighted how the attacks committed by Iranian proxies across the Middle East, including Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, fuels instability in the region, putting lives and the global economy at risk. Chairman McCaul also underscored the urgent need for the Biden administration to restore deterrence.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM
The Continuing Struggle for Democratic Freedom in Iran
The revolution of 1979 is unquestionably hailed as the pivotal event that brought an end to the longstanding monarchy dictatorship in Iran.
This shift marked a seismic change in the country’s political landscape, dismantling the entrenched structures of authoritarian rule that had defined Iran for decades. The term “monarchy” evokes images of absolute authority and despotism, where a single individual wields unchecked power without being held accountable for their actions.
In Iran, this manifested in the form of the Shah, whose rule was characterized by a tight grip on power, political oppression, and a disregard for the rights and aspirations of the Iranian people.
Inflation’s Grip: The Struggle of Iranian Households
In recent years, inflation has tightened its grip on the social welfare of Iranian households, severely compromising their purchasing power, especially among low-income groups. Over the past four years, the country’s inflation rate has surged past 40%, making even basic necessities like housing, cars, and groceries increasingly out of reach for many. As of December 2023, the calculated rate for the Iranian workers’ livelihood basket stands at ‘23,500,000 tomans’, a figure expected to rise further based on January’s data. To adequately cover family expenses, workers’ incomes should ideally reach at least 20 million tomans.
According to Article 41 of Iran’s Labor Law, the Supreme Labor Council, overseen by the Ministry of Labor, determines the minimum wage for the upcoming years based on inflation rates and the household livelihood basket. However, recent reports indicate a concerning trend.
Iran’s Atomic Arsenal: Unveiling Intentions Amidst Regional Realities
Iran regime’s nuclear program has raised concerns about transparency, as highlighted by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Grossi referenced recent remarks by Ali Akbar Salehi, a former leader of Tehran’s nuclear program, suggesting that Iran’s regime possesses all the necessary components for a nuclear weapon.
Grossi emphasized the complexities in the Middle East, including Israel’s conflict with Hamas, adding to the region’s tensions.
Following the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran’s regime has increased its nuclear enrichment activities, nearing levels conducive to weapons-grade material.
Raheleh Rahemipour, Elderly Political Prisoner, Denied Much Needed Medical Treatment
Political prisoner Raheleh Rahemipour, detained in the women’s ward of Evin prison, is deprived of proper medical care. She suffers from many illnesses and is detained despite the forensic doctor confirming that she cannot tolerate imprisonment. The 72-year-old political prisoner is in prison for demanding answers on the forced disappearance of her brother and niece who were detained during the 1980s.
Her brother Hossein Rahemipour, a dentist, was arrested along with his pregnant wife in 1983. His daughter Golrou was born in Evin Prison. When she was 15 days old, Golrou was separated from her mother for supposed medical care and was not returned to her. In April 1984, the authorities informed the Rahemipour family that Golrou had passed away, without showing them her death certificate or grave.
Amsterdam—February 10, 2024: Iranian Resistance Supporters Rally Commemorating Anniversary of Iran Revolution of 1979
Amsterdam, The Netherlands—February 10, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally to commemorate the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution. Supporters of the Iranian resistance pledged to fight to the end to overthrow the mullahs’ regime.
Oslo, Norway—February 10, 2024: Iranian Resistance Supporters Rally Commemorating Anniversary of Iran Revolution of 1979
Oslo, Norway—February 10, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally to commemorate the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution. Supporters of the Iranian resistance pledged to fight to the end to overthrow the mullahs’ regime.
Paris, France—February 10, 2024: Iranian Resistance Supporters Rally Commemorating Anniversary of Iran Revolution of 1979
Paris, France—February 10, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally to commemorate the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution. Supporters of the Iranian resistance pledged to fight to the end to overthrow the mullahs’ regime.
Vienna—February 10, 2024: MEK Supporters, Commemorating the Anniversary of Iran Revolution of 1979
Rome—Feb 10, 2024: Freedom-Loving Iranians Commemorated the Anniversary of Iran Revolution of 1979
Brussels—February 10, 2024: MEK Supporters, Commemorating the Anniversary of Iran Revolution of 1979
Stockholm—February 10, 2024: MEK Supporters, Commemorated the Anniversary of Iran Revolution of 1979
