Iran news in brief, May 3, 2019

Iran news in brief, May 3, 2019

Dozens of Teachers Arrested in Iran During Protests

The Teachers’ Coordinating Council of Iran says dozens of teachers have been arrested for participating in widespread protests on Thursday, May 2, across the country.

Following a nationwide teachers’ call to march on the occasion of Teachers’ Day on Thursday, teachers in dozens of cities in Iran took to the streets protesting poor living conditions and skyrocketing prices of daily necessities.

They formed gatherings in front of the local offices of education in their cities.

The nationwide protest took place one day after May Day rally during which at least 35 people were arrested outside the Iranian parliament.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance greeted the freedom-seeking teachers who have risen for their rights and called on the people, especially students, to support the teachers and their just demands. She also called on international human rights organization and teachers’ unions across the world to condemn the Iranian regime and take urgent action for the release of the arrested and detained teachers.

Doroodzan Girls, Victims of School Fire, Hold a Sit-In in Tehran

Six school girls who suffered burns in a fire incident at a school in Doroodzan, in the southern Fars Province, travelled to Tehran to hold a sit-in protest and receive assistance for their treatment and its high costs.

On Monday, the burn victims travelled from Doroodzan in Fars Province to Tehran to hold a sit-in outside the office of Minister of Education. The State Security forces, however, did not allow them to hold their protest and drove them out of the building.

Each of the six girls, now 20 years old, suffered more than 50% injuries in a fire incident 13 years ago at their school in Doroodzan. Thirteen years on, none of the promises for their treatment has been delivered. Now, they are determined not to return to their town unless their demands are met.

Trump Administration Considering More Aggressive Enforcement of Its Sanctions on Iran Regime

Citing U.S. officials familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration was planning to introduce new sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Iran Regime in an attempt to further limit the amount of US dollars flowing into the country.

The WSJ wrote: "The new sanctions on banks and businesses would be aimed at choking off trade ranging from Iran's petrochemical sales to Singapore to its consumer good sales to Afghanistan,".

Bahrain FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Iran Will Not Be Allowed to Close Hormuz

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, warned Iran Regime against “walking towards the abyss”, stressing that it “will not be allowed to close for one day the Strait of Hormuz,” as the country had warned after the tightening of US sanctions against it.

 In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat in Paris, Sheikh Khalid said: “Iran made major mistakes when it intervened in the affairs of the countries of the region and sent its money, weapons and militias. The current situation is caused by the nuclear agreement that Washington withdrew from. That agreement dealt with Iran’s nuclear program and left aside its ballistic programs… and the policy of Iranian hegemony.”

 he added: “As these issues have not been resolved, Iran continued with its practices, threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz. But the country knows that the closure means self-defeating,”.