THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:30 PM
We Must Hold Iran Accountable For Backing Terrorism
In his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden made the case why the United States must continue to take steps to contain Iranian aggression. His words come at a pivotal time for our national security: In late January, Iranian-backed militants killed three American service members and injured dozens more in an attack in Jordan.
As Iran and its partners continue to test American strength and resolve, we must stand up to their aggression in a way that protects our interests, combats terrorism, and prevents further escalation in the Middle East. To face this rising danger, it is absolutely essential that we strengthen our sanctions on Iran and continue to be willing to use military force.
Iran’s dangerous reach extends throughout the Middle East. Its proxy, Hezbollah, looms large on Israel’s northern border, while Iranian-supported militias in Syria and Iraq have launched more than 170 attacks on U.S. military forces and our allies during the past few months.
Treasury Targets Vessel Shipping Iranian Commodities for Houthis and Qods Force
US Treasury Department- WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking action against Marshall Islands-registered shipping company Vishnu Inc., whose vessel, the LADY SOFIA, is involved in illicit shipments to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in support of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Houthi financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal, who is sanctioned under U.S. counterterrorism authorities.
“We remain committed to disrupting the IRGC-QF and the Houthis’ attempts to evade U.S. sanctions and fund additional terrorist attacks,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “The United States will continue to target the key funding streams that threaten civilians and peaceful international trade.”
G7 Issues Warning to Iran Not to Send Ballistic Missiles to Russia
The G7 issued a strong joint statement warning that the international community’s response will include “new and significant measures against Iran” if the country moves ahead with sending ballistic missiles to Russia to use in its war effort against Ukraine.
“We are extremely concerned about reports that Iran is considering transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia after having supplied the Russian regime with UAVs, which are used in relentless attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine,” the G7 statement says. “Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran.”
The US and its allies are “speaking with one voice on this matter” making it clear that for Iran the “costs will outweigh the benefits,” said a senior Biden administration official.
UPDATE: 1:30 PM
US Military Says Anti-Ship Missiles, Drones Hit in Yemen Strikes
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the Houthi rebels’ two missiles fired towards the Red Sea and their two missiles fired towards the Gulf of Aden did not result in any harm or casualties
Following ship fire in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by Houthi rebels, the US military reported on Thursday that it had destroyed nine anti-ship ballistic missiles and two drones in Yemen.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the Houthi rebels’ two missiles fired towards the Red Sea and their two missiles fired towards the Gulf of Aden did not result in any harm or casualties.
March 14 Red Sea Update
Between 6:50 a.m. on March 14 and 12:40 a.m. on March 15 (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden and two additional ASBMs towards the Red… pic.twitter.com/Mck2CEEZSC
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2024
US and UK Urge UN Action Against Iran’s Missile Shipments to Houthis
In a Security Council session held on Thursday, March 14, representatives from the United States and the United Kingdom urged the United Nations to prevent the sending of missiles by the Iranian regime to Houthi militants.
Robert Wood, the US representative at the UN, called for strengthening the UN’s verification and inspection mechanism to counter the Iranian regime’s arms shipments to Houthi-controlled ports.
Simultaneously, Ambassador James Kariuki, the UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, supported the US request, deeming inspections of ships to halt the entry of illegal arms into Houthi-controlled areas as a fundamental necessity. He emphasized, “The inspection of vessels is fundamental to interrupting illicit arms entering Houthi-controlled areas while preserving the flow of goods into Yemen. Nearly 90% of all food in Yemen comes through commercial imports, so maintaining the integrity of these ports is vital.
“Reports of Iranian ships circumventing these inspections are therefore extremely concerning … All ships entering Hodeidah must comply and report to UNVIM for inspection. We recommit our support to UNVIM, so it has the necessary capacity and funding to ensure Yemenis have access to essential goods while abating the smuggling of illicit arms.”
Meanwhile, Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, highlighted the escalating complexity of mediating in the Yemeni conflict due to Iran’s support for Houthi militants. He stated, “The longer the escalatory environment continues, the more challenging Yemen’s mediation space will become.”
It is worth noting that in 2016, the United Nations established the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) at the request of Saudi Arabia to prevent arms smuggling within humanitarian shipments destined for Yemen.
US Aerospace Defense Commander Warns of Iranian Security Threats
In a statement delivered during a session of the US Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, March 14, General Gregory M. Guillot, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), warned against security threats posed by the Iranian regime.
Pointing to the potential dangers the regime poses to the United States, General Guillot stated, “While the Iranian regime lacks the capability to strike North America with long-range missiles, it has invested heavily to acquire such capability.”
General Gregory Guillot further elaborated on Iran’s maneuvers through its proxy forces, remarking, “Iran also supports violent militant groups in the Middle East and maintains a worldwide network of operational circuits.”
The warning underscores growing concerns within US military circles regarding Tehran’s activities and its potential to disrupt regional stability.
US State Department Spokesperson Supports UN Resolution on Human Rights Violations in Iran
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department, voiced full support on Thursday, March 14, for a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution to extend the mandate of the UN’s Fact-Finding Mission on human rights violations in Iran.
Speaking in favor of the resolution, Miller stated, ” The UN factfinding mission did document extremely concerning human rights abuses, which it concluded may amount to crimes against humanity. We strongly support the resolution under consideration at the UN Human Rights Council that renews mandate – renews mandates for the factfinding mission and the special rapporteur on human rights in Iran for another year.”
It’s worth noting that the Fact-Finding Mission, designated by the UN Human Rights Council, identified the Iranian regime as responsible for the death of Mahsa Amini and deemed the regime’s actions against women in Iran as constituting “crimes against humanity.”
The committee explicitly emphasized in its report that many serious human rights violations outlined in the current report, especially murders, detentions, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence, harassment, persecution, enforced disappearances, and other inhumane acts, constitute crimes against humanity.
Iran’s Soil Loss Reaches Global Record – State Media
In a recent report published by the state-run newspaper Ebtekar, it has been revealed that Iran is facing a severe soil erosion crisis, reaching unprecedented levels globally. According to the report, the average annual soil erosion in Iran amounts to 16.5 tons per hectare, resulting in a staggering total annual loss of approximately two and seven-tenths billion tons.
The article highlights the detrimental effects of soil erosion on Iran’s environment and agriculture. It emphasizes that soil erosion contributes to the increase in floods, dust storms, and the deterioration of agricultural produce quality. Additionally, it points out that agricultural productivity has been significantly reduced as a consequence.
Moreover, the report sheds light on the economic implications of soil erosion, estimating the annual damages to exceed $50 billion. This figure surpasses Iran’s oil revenues, indicating the magnitude of the issue and its significant impact on the country’s economy.
UPDATE: 9:00 AM
Iranian Regime Officials Admit That Elections Fraud Was Futile
Two weeks since the sham parliamentary elections in Iran, we are witnessing an escalation of conflicts within the regime, both among the losers and the winners of this charade, as well as among the candidates for the Majlis (parliament). They accuse each other of fraud, stuffing ballot boxes with fake votes, buying and selling votes, and bribery. These disputes have become so intense that when Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei spoke for the first time after the election, he warned against the repercussions of “arguments and hostilities.”
Ironically for the regime, the outcome of “purifying” the candidates has resulted in bitterness and left an unpleasant taste in the mouth of the regime’s leader. This is while fraud has always been instrumental and the modus operandi of the regime in its policies.
Pompeo Speaks in Support of Iran’s Overthrow
WASHINGTON, DC — Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and two generals who at one time led NATO have expressed their support for Iranians dedicated to the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, even though they disapprove of the involvement of American troops.
Pompeo was allegedly targeted for assassination by associates linked to the Islamic regime in retaliation for his role in the 2020 drone strike ordered by former President Donald Trump. The strike killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Pompeo was joined by Gens. Wesley Clark and James Jones, who spoke before a gathering of supporters of the Iranian resistance organization National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, formerly the Trump International Hotel, in Washington, D.C., on March 9.
The Iranian Regime’s Grip Tightens on Livelihoods
Iranians face a bleak outlook under the current regime. The horizon offers no hope of improvement, and the people’s well-being seems like a distant memory. Poverty widens its grip each day, fueled by rampant inflation and skyrocketing prices.
A basic basket of goods needed for basic living now costs a staggering 30 million tomans. How can people possibly make ends meet? With this regime in power, there’s no cure for the pain inflicted upon their livelihoods. This suffering only breeds further anxiety and despair because the regime remains oblivious to the harsh realities facing its own people.
A state-run newspaper, Jahan-e Sanat, paints a grim picture: “Officials boast of abundant goods in the market, denying any shortages. But people aren’t fooled by such wordplay. Poverty casts a long shadow, and these claims are simply unfounded.”
The report continues, “Ordinary workers spend most of their meager salaries on basic necessities. Housing, clothing, and medicine become unaffordable luxuries. Year-end finances expose the harsh truth – most, especially nurses, struggle to make ends meet.”
Soada Khadirzadeh Charged In New Case Upon Order Of Intelligence Ministry
Upon orders from the Ministry of Intelligence, the Miandoab Revolutionary Court charged a Kurdish political prisoner, Soada Khadirzadeh, with assisting in the purchase of weapons in a new case. She is detained in Urmia Prison in northwestern Iran.
Before this, she was sentenced to a total of 16 years and six months in prison for two sentences passed by the Mahabad and Piranshahr Revolutionary Courts for “accessory to murder” and membership in a dissident Kurdish group. The charge of “accessory to murder” was dismissed by the Supreme Court.
According to informed sources, after Soada Khadirzadeh’s charge was dismissed, the family of the plaintiff, who are members of the Ministry of Intelligence, immediately filed a complaint and opened a new case against her to try to keep the imprisoned mother and her daughter in prison.
Iran’s Oil Production Declines, OPEC Reports
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has reported a decrease in Iran’s oil production for the second consecutive month. According to the latest monthly report published on OPEC’s website, Iran’s daily oil production in February has decreased by 15,000 barrels compared to January and 24,000 barrels compared to December of the previous year.
OPEC statistics indicate that Iran produced an average of 3.148 million barrels of crude oil per day in the past month. This decline in production aligns with recent reports from the U.S. Congress and some oil tanker tracking companies, all pointing to a reduction in Iran’s oil exports. Iran’s oil exports have been on a downward trend since the fall of this year, leading to a decrease in oil production over the past two months.
Medicine Scarce in Iranian Pharmacies, Abundant in Free Market
The distribution of medicine in Iran faces numerous challenges. Various governments promised to solve these issues at the beginning of their tenure, but the situation in this regard has not significantly changed. The main problem is the shortage and absence of certain drugs in pharmacies, leading to their sale in the free market.
A citizen commenting on the existing problems in the Iranian medicine distribution system says, “When there is no transparency, such a situation arises: out of 85 million population, we have 100 million insurance booklets! Some have multiple booklets and sell the medicine in the free market.”
On Wednesday, March 13, the regime’s Hame-Mihan newspaper reported on the country’s pharmaceutical market facing “intensified distribution restrictions and shortages,” highlighting the issue of drug leakage in the free market.
10% of Iran’s Gas Lost in Production and Transmission
The International Energy Agency, states in its annual report that Iran ranks third globally in methane emissions. According to the report published on March 13 on the agency’s website, Iran experienced six million tons (approximately 8.5 billion cubic meters) of methane leaks in the past year.
This figure is roughly equivalent to the daily production of gas from one phase of South Pars. (The South Pars/North Dome field is a natural gas condensate field located in the Persian Gulf. It is by far the world’s largest natural gas field, with ownership of the field shared between Iran and Qatar). For comparison, this mentioned amount is approximately equal to Turkey’s total gas consumption over the past calendar year.
Paris, France—March 14, 2024: MEK Supporters Exhibition in Support of the Iranian Revolution
Paris, France—March 14, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
Solidarity of MEK Supporters in the Netherlands with Iranian Youth and People during the Charshanbe Suri Uprising
The Netherlands—March 22, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran(PMOI/MEK) gathered to express their solidarity with the brave young men and women of Iran in the Charshanbe Suri uprising across the cities of Iran.
Zurich—March 11, 2024: MEK Supporters Exhibition in Solidarity with the Iran Revolution
Zurich, Switzerland—March 11, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran(PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to express support for the Iranian Revolution.
