THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:00 PM
Protestors Denounce EU ‘Appeasement’ Of Iran Outside Summit
On the second day of the EU Summit, protestors led by the National Council of Resistance Iran (NCRI) are calling for the institutions to impose sanctions on Iran. The NCRI is demanding that the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) be labelled a terrorist organisation and highlights the regime’s role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as in various regional conflicts. The protest also calls for a ban on Iranian airlines in Western airspace and the implementation of a policy that prioritises regime change in Iran.
The recent nationwide boycott of Iranian elections this month constitutes “clear validation of their widespread support for regime change,” according to the NRCI. The organisation denounces the EU’s continued “appeasement” approach toward the regime.
UPDATE: 2:30 PM
Houthi USV and ASBM Destroyed by Coalition Forces, CENTCOM Says
In a recent development reported by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), a coalition aircraft successfully engaged and destroyed an unmanned surface vessel (USV) launched by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. Additionally, coalition forces destroyed two anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) launched by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists towards the Red Sea. These actions, which took place between 8:50 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. (Sanaa time) on March 21, were in response to an imminent threat posed by these weapons to coalition and merchant vessels in the region.
March 21 Daily Red Sea Update
On March 21, between 8:50 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. (Sanaa time), a coalition aircraft successfully engaged and destroyed one unmanned surface vessel (USV) launched by Iranian backed Houthi terrorists from a Houthi controlled area of Yemen.
Additionally,… pic.twitter.com/8FjDkn9emX
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 21, 2024
Republican House Proposal: Tougher Sanctions on Iran, Boost in Military Budget
Members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives have unveiled a budget proposal calling for increased military spending and stricter sanctions against Iran.
The plan, crafted by the Republican Study Committee (RSC), allocates $895.2 billion for defense and advocates for a firm stance against the clerical regime. The proposal suggests a comprehensive package of sanctions, including:
- Prohibiting the Biden administration from using any federal budget for diplomacy with the Iranian regime regarding the renegotiated nuclear agreement.
- Legalizing the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization during the Trump era.
- Disrupting the government’s efforts to reduce sanctions against the Tehran regime.
- Preventing the United States from lifting sanctions until Iran ceases its support for Hamas.
- Prohibiting the use of any taxpayer funds to finance the nuclear agreement with Iran until the country ceases its financial relations with China and terrorist organizations.
While likely to garner support among House Republicans, it faces challenges in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
UPDATE: 12:00 PM
OFAC Designates Iran Weapons Procurement Networks
OFAC has designated (notice) individuals and entities belonging to 3 procurement networks based in Iran, Türkiye, Oman, and Germany, that have supported Iran’s ballistic missile, nuclear, and defence programmes:
- Germany-based dual Iranian-German national Maziar Karimi who owns Germany-based companies Mazixon GmbH and Co KG and Mazixon Verwaltungs GmbH and uses Oman-based Mazaya Alardh Aldhabia LLC and Türkiye-based Tit Uluslararasi Nakliyat Deri Tekstil Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketito procure epoxy resin for the IRGC and other items for other Iranian end users;
UPDATE: 8:00 AM
Iran Puts Behind A Year Of Protests And Rebellion Against Tyranny
In the Iranian calendar year 1402 (March 20, 2023 – March 20, 2024), the landscape of protests across various cities in Iran was marked by significant fluctuations, embodying a year of intense dissent against the ruling clerics. This period witnessed a pronounced refusal from the populace during the sham elections in early March and the traditional Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations, signaling a broad discontent with the regime’s policies and actions.
Despite the widespread suppression, particularly targeting women, diverse social groups took to the streets to voice their grievances over the usurpation of their most fundamental rights. This movement was not confined to a single demographic but encompassed a wide range of professions and social classes, indicating a deep-rooted and widespread dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in Iran.
Aggregation of Protests in Iranian Cities in 2023
2023 was a year full of ups and downs for protests in Iran. It was a year when the people said a big “No” in the elections and during Chaharshanbe Suri. Despite extensive suppression imposed on society, especially on women, various segments of society protested against the usurpation of their vital and fundamental rights by gathering, marching, and striking in various cities.
Some statistics on the protests: Remaining protests from the nationwide uprising: 21 cases Retirees: 1457 cases Workers: 746 cases Merchants: 172 cases Nurses: 105 cases Educators: 77 cases Farmers: 41 cases Students: 37 cases Lawyers: 17 cases Doctors: 12 cases Taxi drivers: 8 cases Truck drivers: 8 cases Livestock breeders: 5 cases Bakers: 5 cases Engineers: 3 cases Poultry farmers: 2 cases School students: 2 cases Other segments: 645 cases Total number of protests: 3342 cases Total number of protests + uprising: 3363
Iran’s Deadly Car Mafia
Usually, in the third week of March, the issue of fatal accidents and mortality rates occupies a portion of the pages of Iran’s state-run media outlets. However, this year, on the eve of the Persian New Year, a regime media outlet ran an article titled, “17,000 Deaths in the Past 10 Months Due to Traffic Accidents,” in which it not only confessed to a 13% increase in fatalities and 60,000 disabilities resulting from accidents” but also issued a warning: “To reduce the number of disabilities caused by accidents, long-term planning is required, including not assigning vehicle registration numbers to those known as vehicles of death.” Vehicles of Death is the nickname given to many of the vehicles manufactured by state-run carmakers.
One of the significant reasons for the tragic road accidents is the widespread corruption and large-scale embezzlements that have engulfed the automotive industry and its lucrative transactions. The mafia associated with the automotive industry has infiltrated high-ranking regime institutions, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the extensive regime.
Iran in Turmoil: A Nation Redefines its Future
In 2022, Iran witnessed nationwide protests that dealt significant blows to the regime, a fact acknowledged daily by its media. One of the primary catalysts for this change is the populace’s resolute rejection of any form of dictatorship, effectively thwarting the regime’s attempts to stifle further uprisings.
The media is cautioning officials about the looming specter of a fresh social upheaval and explosion, fueled in large part by the emergence of a new generation spanning from the 1980s to the 2000s, which poses a formidable challenge.
This younger demographic harbors no inclination to comply with the regime any longer. State-run daily, Arman-e Melli, articulates this sentiment, stating, “The new generation is dismantling the status quo.”
Unprecedented hardship in Iran
Iran faces a confluence of economic woes: widespread poverty, skyrocketing prices (particularly for food), business recessions, high unemployment, and dwindling purchasing power. These factors have bred a new kind of social harm – the theft of food.
Previously, street muggings targeted valuables like phones and wallets. Now, reports paint a concerning picture: impoverished citizens stealing food from others. Thieves snatch shopping bags or groceries directly from people’s hands, often containing essential food items.
Rokna news agency confirmed this alarming trend in a report titled “Goods Mugging: A New Face of Theft.” They documented the rise of food theft, including meat and nuts, in Tehran, attributing it to escalating inflation. The report emphasizes the correlation: “As prices rise, petty crimes increase.”
U.S. Targets Networks Supplying Iran’s Weapons Programs
Undersecretary Brian E. Nelson emphasized Iran’s use of “complex covert procurement networks” to fuel conflict and endanger lives. The Treasury Department aims to dismantle these networks and hold accountable any countries assisting Iran’s proliferation of drones and missiles.
The Immigration of Nurses Has Turned into A Crisis in Iran
Immigration of nurses is “no longer a problem but teetering on the brink of a crisis,” said Abol Qassem Talebi, a Supreme Council of Medical Organization member.
In an interview with Radio Salamat, Talebi said while the world average is three nurses per hospital bed, this average in Iran is less than one-third of the world standard. (March 11, 2024)
Currently, there are 240,000 nurses in Iran. Talebli said that even if they recruit the same number of nurses, Iran will still lag behind the world standard. He said nearly 3,000 nurses emigrate from Iran every year.
Iranian Regime’s Covert Efforts to Acquire Uranium in Africa
Recent reports indicate an increased covert effort by the Iranian regime to access uranium and gold resources in African countries such as Niger. The Wall Street Journal recently reported, citing officials from Niger and the United States, that Niger has decided to end its counterterrorism alliance with Washington.
In August 2023, the presidential guard of Niger launched a military coup against President Mohamed Bazoum. From the outset, it was evident that military dominance in this former French colony could complicate Western efforts to assist countries in West Africa in combating extremist insurgencies that have spread from Mali over the past decade.