Iran news in brief, March 27, 2019

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

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is urging President Trump to toughen up sanctions on Iran.

On Monday, Haley said the U.S. should abandon oil waivers for Iran’s trading partners.

She stressed the Ayatollah regime must face greater economic pressure amid its ongoing destabilizing activities in the Middle East.

3-Pompeo Urges Iran to Give Public 'Unrestricted Access' to Social Media

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the welcoming of the Iranian new year (Nowruz) on the official United States State Department's website to advocate that the Iranian public should have free access to social media sites. Currently, the Iranian government restricts social media use.

In 2014, Iranians launched a campaign on Twitter asking the social network to allow Iran-based users full account verification services, at the same time as the Twitter CEO called on the Islamic Republic to end its ban on the popular social network. Twitter, like Facebook, is officially banned in Iran.

4-Facebook Removes Hundreds of Fake Accounts Linked to Iran

Facebook Inc. said it removed hundreds of pages, groups and accounts connected to Iran for impersonating political groups and media organizations in an attempt to influence political thought in countries around the world.

The social media company’s move is part of a follow-on investigation into Iran-linked coordinated inauthentic behavior on its platform after announcing similar measures earlier this year.

On Tuesday, Facebook said it had removed 513 pages, groups and accounts on Facebook and Instagram appearing to target users in Egypt, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Kashmir, Kazakhstan and more broadly across the Middle East and North Africa. Facebook says it has shared information about the investigation with U.S. law enforcement.

The actors spent around $15,000 on Facebook ads and posted news stories on current events and amplified content from Iranian state media about topics including sanctions against Iran, tensions between India and Pakistan and conflicts in Syria and Yemen

5-Ameneh Zaheri Sari Held In Limbo After 4 Months Of Detention

After four months of detention, Ameneh Zaheri Sari is held in limbo in the women’s ward of Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.

Ameneh Zaheri Sari, 20 and a student of accounting, was arrested at home on November 6, 2018, by forces of the Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence.

The IRGC Intelligence launched a new crackdown on the populace in and around Ahvaz, on September 22, 2018, when the parade of its military forces was attacked by armed men. Some 800 people were arrested in Khuzestan province and taken under interrogation. Arab human rights activists said at the time that many of the detainees were civil activists.