THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:00 PM
Canada’s Refugee Board Orders Deportation of Senior Iranian Official
The Immigration and Refugee Board has ordered the deportation of an Iranian government official who has been living in Canada for the past eight months. In a decision Friday, the board ruled that Majid Iranmanesh was inadmissible to Canada because he was a senior member of Iran’s repressive regime.
The 54-year-old was director general of Iran’s Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology. He entered Canada using a visa issued in Turkey. He said he intended to spend a year as a visiting professor at the University of Victoria, but after arriving he was flagged as a senior regime member.
US Imposes Fresh Sanctions Over Iranian Arms, Cyber Activity
WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The United States on Friday imposed sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile and drone procurement programs as well as officials it said were involved in hacking U.S. infrastructure, as Washington looks to increase pressure on Tehran.
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on Friday it had imposed sanctions on four Iran- and Hong Kong-based companies involved in providing materials and technology to Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs as well as a Hong Kong-based firm for selling Iranian commodities to Chinese entities.
The Treasury also said it placed sanctions on six officials of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp’s Cyber Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC) for malicious cyber activities against critical infrastructure in the United States and elsewhere.
UPDATE: 2:00 PM
Exclusive: US Believes Drone That Killed Soldiers Was Iranian-Made, Sources Say
WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) – The United States has assessed that Iran manufactured the drone that slammed into a U.S. base in Jordan over the weekend, killing three American soldiers and wounding more than 40, four U.S. officials told Reuters.
Washington has blamed the attack – the first to kill U.S. troops in the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October – on Iran-backed militants, and President Joe Biden’s administration has promised a multi-tiered response that will include strikes.
But it has stopped short of publicly saying where the actual weapon that killed the Americans came from, even as it acknowledged Iran’s ultimate responsibility for funding and even in some cases training the militants responsible.
Risch, Rubio, Hassan, Colleagues to Biden: Strengthen Enforcement of Iran Sanctions
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and a bipartisan group of colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden calling on him to enforce current law and act against Iran’s illicit oil trade through sanctions. The senators also encouraged support for proposed legislation pending in the U.S. Senate. This letter is in response to the more than 140 attacks against U.S. troops since the start of Hamas’s brutal assault against Israel on October 7, 2024.
“Our bipartisan Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, or SHIP Act, the End Iranian Terrorism Act, and other legislative proposals would deny Iran the financial resources it employs to attack U.S. forces and U.S. allies throughout the Middle East,” the senators wrote. “We urge you to use all available authorities to proactively implement these sanctions while Congress considers enacting legislation.”
UPDATE: 7:00 AM
Conference at the UK Parliament
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s speech: “Dear friends in the British Committee for Iran Freedom. Honorable MPs and Peers. I extend my warm greetings to you and appreciate your effort amid the current destructive war, to highlight the root cause of warmongering in the Middle East which is the Iranian regime.
The ongoing Middle East conflict has caused many casualties; and unfortunately, it continues without any sign of stopping. The devastating bloodshed and destruction took a heavy toll, however, a clear truth came to light: The clerical regime is the main source of war and terrorism in the region.
For forty years, the Iranian Resistance has worked hard to highlight the destructive role of this regime. Through thousands of announcements, rallies, conferences, books, and more, we have shown that the driving force for war and terrorism in the region is this regime.”
How Iran’s People Are Responding to the Regime’s Sham Elections
Iran’s regime continues its disgraceful spectacle of its sham parliamentary elections. This charade is so embarrassing that the regime’s president, who is supposed to be the country’s chief executive and traditionally should have been a candidate from the capital, has become a candidate from South Khorasan province (not even from Khorasan Razavi). At the same time, the regime has eliminated all his competitors so that he can enter the Assembly of Experts without any opposition.
There are more disgraceful aspects to this political masquerade. On January 29, the state-run Ham-Mihan newspaper reported some scandals and “statistical wonders” from the sham elections, shedding light on some of the regime’s tricks.
Iran’s Strategic Adjustments in Syria: A Reflection of Vulnerabilities
The Iranian regime, specifically its Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), is undergoing strategic adjustments in Syria, evident in the reduction of top commanders’ deployment following Israeli attacks. This shift signals a reliance on proxy militias to sustain influence, according to Reuters, drawing attention to the regime’s vulnerability. Despite internal pressures for retaliation, the regime’s decision to withdraw senior IRGC officers stems partly from a reluctance to engage in a full-scale regional conflict. While the intention is not to leave Syria entirely, this reevaluation underscores the repercussions of the conflict sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Challenges and Prospects for Iran’s Oil-Dependent Economy
Recently, Iran’s National Development Fund delivered a surprising projection: within the next decade, the country’s oil production and consumption may converge. The alarming implication is that, with increasing consumption and declining production, Iran might face challenges in exporting its oil, a significant concern for an economy heavily reliant on oil revenues. This news is particularly startling given that Iran possesses 9% of the world’s oil reserves and 17% of global gas reserves. Currently, Iran stands at a critical juncture concerning its energy future. Adding to the complexity, Iran has grappled with a gas crisis before, raising concerns that history may repeat itself.
Price Surge in Iran’s Automotive Market
Simultaneously with the continued turmoil in the currency exchange rate in Iran, the prices of both domestic and foreign cars in the country have risen, with reports indicating an increase in the prices of imported cars to 12 billion rials.
On Thursday, February 1, the regime’s Donya-e-Eghtesad newspaper reported that the upward trend in prices began about a month ago, but in the past 14 days, there has been a significant surge in the automotive market. The newspaper’s report emphasized that car prices have experienced an average increase of 3.3% in the last two weeks.
Iran’s Elections Quandaries in 2024: Democracy Under Siege
Elections, pivotal to a government’s establishment and security, embody the foundational principle of freedom. This principle encompasses fundamental political liberties such as movement, expression, assembly, and choice. International and regional agreements underscore the significance of election participation in upholding democratic values and individual rights.
However, Iran’s upcoming election presents a disturbing scenario, marked by a deepening descent into dictatorship. Factors such as diminishing power scope, expanding regional influence, escalating confrontation with the West, and indifference to calls for freedom and democracy portray it as one of the most bizarre and undemocratic elections in Iran’s history.
Meeting in Support of the Iranian Resistance: Italy, City of Costigliole delle Saluzzo in the Piedmont Region
Italy, January 2024: A meeting in support of the Iranian people’s resistance to freedom and a democratic republic was held in the City Hall of Costigliole delle Saluzzo in the Piedmont region, in collaboration with the Municipality of Busca from the Cuneo governorate.
Gothenburg—January 31, 2023: MEK Supporters Rally in Solidarity with the Iranian Revolution, Supporting the PMOI’s Struggle for Freedom
Gothenburg, Sweden—January 31, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally to express support for the Iranian Revolution, supporting the PMOI’s struggle for freedom. The rally also served as a platform to condemn the recent wave of brutal executions in Iran.
Paris, January 31, 2024: Exhibition by MEK Supporters in Solidarity with the Iranian Revolution
On January 31, 2024, in Paris, France, advocates for freedom in Iran and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition, demonstrating their solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.