True of Iran

Iran news in brief, March 29, 2019 1-U.S. Official to Press Iran Sanctions with Leaders in Malaysia, Singapore, India A top U.S. sanctions official is in Asia to push efforts to increase pressure on Iran, saying Washington was intent on making Tehran "radioactive to the international community." Sigal Mandelker, the U.S. Treasury under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in Singapore on March 29 that she would stress in further meetings this week with officials in Malaysia, Singapore, and India the risks involved in dealing with Tehran. Mandelker said: "This trip follows on the heels of additional intense pressure we have placed on Iran." 2-Syria, Opposition Says Israeli Airstrikes Hit Iran Targets Near Aleppo, 7 Killed A Syrian war monitoring group says an Israeli airstrike the night before killed seven Iranian and Iranian-backed fighters in northern Syria. The explosions caused an electricity blackout in Aleppo, as opposit...

Iran news in brief, March 28 2019 1- Microsoft seizes 99 domains operated by Iranian state hackers Microsoft said it seized 99 websites used by Iranian hackers to steal sensitive information and launch other cyber-attacks. The company said the group, which it has been tracking since 2013, has tried to snoop on activists, journalists, political dissidents, defense industry workers and others in the Middle East, including some who were “protesting oppressive regimes” there. Microsoft calls the hacking group Phosphorus, while others call it APT35 or Charming Kitten. Microsoft sued the hacking group in the US District Court in Washington this month. 2- Maryam Rajavi calls for national solidarity in face of devastating floods and lack of government relief efforts In wake of disastrous flash floods that have taken vast regions of Iran by storm, NCRI president Mrs. Maryam Rajavi has sent a message to the Iranian people, in which she called to national solidarity in f...

Iran news in brief, March 27, 2019 1-U.S. Sanctions Firms Accused of Helping Fund Iran's Revolutionary Guards The U.S. on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on a network of 25 individuals and entities in Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates it accused of laundering more than a billion dollars and euros that were used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and defense ministry to fund terrorism in the Middle East. The targeted institutions include banks and other financial institutions such as Ansar Bank, Atlas Exchange, Iranian Atlas Company, the U.S. Treasury said in a statement. Brian Hook, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, told reporters: "We are exposing an extensive sanctions evasion network that was established by the Iranian regime to evade American sanctions, "With this action today we are increasing our pressure even further on the Iranian regime." 2-Former UN Ambassador Haley, Sen. Cruz Urge President Trump to End Iran Oil Waivers Form...

Iran news in brief, March 25, 2019 Maryam Rajavi Calls for Supporting Flood-Stricken People of Iran's Northern Provinces The flood disaster in the provinces of Golestan, North Khorasan, Mazandaran and Mazandaran provinces of north and northeast Iran, has led to immense damages. Dozens of villages are engulfed in water, roads are blocked and the death of nine locals has left many Iranians, especially in Golestan Province, in grief during the Nowurz (Iranian calendar new year) period. Maryam Rajavi the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) sent a message expressing her sincere condolences and sympathy with the flood stricken areas of Golestan Province and family and friends of the flood victims. “The harrowing deaths of a large number of people including innocent children in the flood in Golestan Province has deeply hurt the feelings of the people of Iran,” she said. “My heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the survivors and the honorab...

Iran news in brief, March 15, 2019 At Least Five Killed in Iran Gas Explosion At least five people were killed and five others injured on Thursday in a gas pipeline explosion in southwest Iran, Fars news agency reported. Initially, ISNA had reported fewer casualties. "Gas leakage from a pipeline that linked the gas network from Mahshahr city to Ahvaz city, caused the blast," ISNA quoted local official Kiamars Hajizadeh as saying. The two cities are located in Iran's oil-rich Khuzestan province. Poor safety measures and Iran's aging infrastructures have been blamed by some authorities for blasts in the past. The number of those killed and wounded might change as emergency services receive more accurate reports. European Parliament Urges Iran to Release Sotoudeh, Other Jailed Rights Defenders The European Parliament has urged Iran to stop criminalizing the work of women's rights activists and reiterated its call on the country's authorities...

Iran news in brief, March 14, 2019 US Says Sanctions Have Cost Iran $10 Billion in Oil Revenue Iran has lost $10 billion in revenue since U.S. sanctions in November have removed about 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude from global markets, a U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday. Brian Hook, the State Department's special representative on Iran, said in remarks at the CERAWeek energy conference that due to a global oil surplus - in part due to record U.S. production - the United States is accelerating its plan of bringing Iranian crude exports to zero. Hook said: Trump "has made it very clear that we need to have a campaign of maximum economic pressure" on Iran. Top Official Says U.S. Has Cautioned Europe on 'Risks' With Iran Trade A senior U.S. Treasury Department official has told a Congressional subcommittee that U.S. has “engaged extensively with European countries on the significant risks” of providing Iran with ...

Iran news in brief, March 13, 2019 Mike Pompeo Says: U.S. 'COMMITTED to BRINGING IRANIAN CRUDE OIL EXPORTS to ZERO U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the United States is seeking to "bring Iranian crude oil exports down to zero as quickly as market conditions will permit." In a speech to oil-industry executives in Houston, Texas, on March12, Pompeo urged the industry to work with the administration of President Donald Trump to promote U.S. foreign-policy interests and restrict "bad actors" in global affairs. The United States has reimposed sanctions against Iran after withdrawing from a landmark 2015 agreement under which Tehran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran Hangs Four Prisoners in Urmia, Zahedan Four prisoners were hanged in the cities of Urmia, northern Iran, and in Zahedan, west of the country. Three of the prisoners, identified as Naji Omarzadeh, Khalil Salehi and Hossein ...

Iran news in brief, March 12, 2019 UN Expert Slams Iran's Rights Record in 1st Report to Geneva Council Iran’s human rights record came under sharp criticism at the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday, with a U.N. expert singling out Iran’s crackdown on dissent and practice of sentencing children to death. Presenting his first report to the Geneva-based council since taking office in July, the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, cited what he called Tehran’s “worrying patterns of intimidation, arrest, prosecution, and ill-treatment” of human rights defenders, lawyers, and labor rights activists who have taken part in recent protests and strikes across the country. He called on Iran to release all those detained for exercising rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Hook Says Rouhani Trip to Iraq 'Is Not in the Interest of Iraqi People' U.S. Special Representative Brian Hook questioned President Hassan Rouhani’s “mot...

Iran news in brief, March 11, 2019 Iran Regime's Economic Crisis The head of Iran’s Central Bank A. Hemmati has said that subsidized dollars for imports of essential goods, including medication and food has failed to stem the tide of rising prices in the country. Hemmati stated: allocating the official rate to dollar has increased the prices and renting in the country and those who are benefitting are dealers and Intermediaries and not the people. The dollar is currently trading at more than 130,000 rials on the open market in Iran. Majority of Iran Regime Lawmakers Thank Khamenei for Appointment of the Criminal Judge Two hundred members of Iran Regime’s parliament have sent a letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei welcoming the appointment of Ebrahim Raeisi as head of the country’s Judiciary. These lawmakers represent the so called reformist Omid (Hope) faction, as well as conservatives and independents. Such a united move was initially unexpected as Raeisi’s ...

Iran news in brief, March 9, 2019 Washington Protesters Demand 'Regime Change Now' in Iran On Friday, Iranians from more than 40 states across the U.S. gathered in Freedom Plaza, Washington D.C., to join the Iran Freedom March, a rally in support of popular protests in Iran. The demonstrators also voiced support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the main Iranian opposition coalition which has been calling for the toppling of the tyrannical regime of mullahs ruling Iran and the establishment of a secular and democratic state.   In a televised message to the rally, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), underlined the desperate state of the mullahs' regime and the need for the international community to recognize the Iranian people's struggle for regime change. Iran: Political Prisoners Tortured at Ahvaz Prison Authorities in Ahvaz Sheiban Prison, a concentration-camp-like facility, ...

Women's Rights, Freedoms and Equality for Women in Future Iran 1. Fundamental freedoms and rights • Irrespective of their ethnicity, religion, social class or demographics, women everywhere, in whatever village or city, must have the same rights as men in all economic, social and political spheres. Discrimination against women must be abolished in all its forms(2). • Women are free to choose their place of residence, occupation, and education. They must have the opportunity to travel freely, have the right to freely choose their clothing and spouse, and have the right to leave the country, to obtain foreign citizenship, to devolve citizenship to their children, to divorce, and to obtain custody and guardianship over children(3). 2. Equality before the law         • Women must enjoy protection of the law equal to men(4). 3. Freedom of choosing one’s own clothing • The law of forced veiling shall be repealed(5). 4. Equal par...

Iran news in brief, March 7, 2019 EU Envoys Agree to Prolong Sanctions Against Iranian Human Rights Abusers   European Union ambassadors have decided to leave sanctions imposed on dozens of Iranians accused of severe human rights abuses in place for another year. The asset freezes and visa bans apply to 82 Iranian citizens -- including several judges and prosecutors, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, senior police officers, and prison wardens -- and one entity, the Iranian Cyberpolice. They were first adopted in 2011 and have been rolled over every year since then. The measures also include a ban on exports of equipment to Iran that could be used for internal repression and equipment for monitoring telecommunications. Human Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Faces 34 Years in Prison Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh faces up to 34 years in prison and 148 lashes after being convicted in two trials which Amnesty International has called “gr...

Iran news in brief, March 6, 2019 Prominent European Dignitary Publishes New Report on Iranian Opposition MEK “Ashraf III – Rising from The Ashes” is the title of a new report published by Struan Stevenson, a prominent former member of the European Parliament and a known expert on Middle East affairs, especially Iraq. The report, presented on Tuesday at a London press conference, provides a detailed explanation on why the mullahs’ regime ruling Iran is escalating its propaganda campaign and terror measures against the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the main member of the Paris-based Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran. Third Consecutive Day of Protests by Teachers in Several Iranian Cities On Tuesday, teachers in at least 25 Iranian cities held the third day of their sit-in protests from early hours in the morning. The teachers, who began their sit-in on Sunday, are fighting for their most basic demands, including low wage...

Iran news in brief, March 5, 2019 Dutch Recall Envoy From Iran in Murder Plot Row The Netherlands said Monday it had recalled its ambassador from Tehran after Iran expelled two Dutch diplomats in a dispute over an alleged plot to assassinate regime opponents. Dutch authorities accused Iran in January of involvement in the murder of two dissidents on Dutch soil in 2015 and 2017, and the EU slapped sanctions on Tehran over the killings. Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in a letter to parliament that the government "has decided to recall the Netherlands' ambassador to Tehran for consultations" over the row. Blok said:   Iran's decision to expel the Dutch officials -- which was not previously announced in public -- was "not acceptable and is negative for the development of the bilateral relationship,". Second Day of Protests by Teachers in Several Iranian Cities On Monday, teachers in at least 30 Iranian cities held the second day of their s...

Iran news in brief, March 4, 2019 Iranian Teachers in Several Cities Hold Simultaneous Protests On Sunday, teachers in at least 20 cities across Iran joined a countrywide rally to protest against the Iranian regime’s lack of response to their many demands. Iranian teachers have been regularly protesting for their rights, especially in the past year as different segments of the Iranian society have been protesting against economic woes, government corruption and lack of political freedom. Spokesman Confirms News of Hardline Raisi's Appointment as Judiciary Chief The spokesperson for Iran Regime's Judiciary has confirmed that hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, 57, will be Iran's next Judiciary Chief, replacing Sadeq Amoli Larijani. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, told Iranian media on Sunday that he will continue to work with the Judiciary under Raisi. Raisi was one of the main judges that sentenced thousands of political prisoners to death in Iran in 1988. ...

Iran news in brief, March 1, 2019 UN Publishes Amnesty's Call for Probe Into Iran's 1988 Massacre of Political Prisoners An investigation into a dossier of crimes committed by the Iranian dictators has been called for, as a result of a statement issued by Amnesty International and published by the United Nations General Assembly. According to the statement, “Between late July and September 1988, the Iranian authorities forcibly disappeared and extrajudicially executed thousands of prisoners for their political opinions and dumped their bodies in unmarked individual and mass graves… Since then, the authorities have tormented the relatives by refusing to tell them when, how and why their loved ones were killed and by keeping their remains hidden. To reinforce secrecy, they have also destroyed mass grave sites and forbidden commemorations.” The United Nations Human Rights Council should see into the impunity enjoyed by mullahs’ officials following this crime against ...