THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 2:30 PM CEST
Iran Promotes UK Extremism – It Must Be Stopped
Iranian interference in the UK should be at the top of the Home Secretary’s 100-day review of counter-extremism. Both the director general of MI5, and the head of Counter Terrorism Policing, have detailed how Iran has sought to commit terrorist attacks in this country. There is also thuggery – on May 24 at a memorial event in Wembley for the late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, a group left the event to challenge anti-regime counter-protesters, injuring four in the fighting that followed.
Iran is supplemented in its mission by a minority of political Shias from other countries. In London this includes representatives of Iraqi Shia movements such as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). One part of the PMF, Kata’ib Hezbollah, is designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the USA and is accused of killing a British soldier in Iraq in 2020. But it is not proscribed here. The Charity Commission received a dossier on two charities linked to the Bahraini opposition some months ago; as a statement noted, “We have opened regulatory cases into both to determine if there is a role for the Commission.”
UPDATE: 12:30 PM CEST
Iran Emerges as a Top Disinformation Threat in U.S. Presidential Race
A website called Savannah Time describes itself as “your trusted source for conservative news and perspectives in the vibrant city of Savannah.” Another site, NioThinker, wants to be “your go-to destination for insightful, progressive news.” The online outlet Westland Sun appears to cater to Muslims in suburban Detroit.
None are what they appear to be. Instead, they are part of what American officials and tech company analysts say is an intensifying campaign by Iran to sway this year’s American presidential election.
Iran has long carried out clandestine information operations against its adversaries, especially Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, but until now most of its activities were conducted under the shadow of similar campaigns by Russia and China. Its latest propaganda and disinformation efforts have grown more brazen, more varied, and more ambitious, according to the U.S. government, company officials, and Iran experts.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
Resistance Units Celebrate PMOI Founding Anniversary
As the founding anniversary of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) approaches, Resistance Units across the country are marking the event and celebrating 59 years of resistance and struggle against the shah and mullahs’ dictatorship. Resistance Units are an organized network of activists across Iran who support the PMOI and carry out anti-regime activities in defiance of the threats posed by the regime’s security forces and intelligence apparatus.
In Karaj, the Resistance Units installed the emblem of the PMOI at the entrance of a tunnel to mark the upcoming anniversary of the PMOI’s founding. In Kermanshah, the Resistance Units installed the emblem of the PMOI and a photo of PMOI founder Mohammad Hanifnejad from a pedestrian bridge.
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran: A Legacy of Resistance, A Vision for the Future
As the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) commemorates its 59th anniversary, one cannot help but reflect on its extraordinary journey. For nearly six decades, this organization has stood as a beacon of resistance against the oppressive forces that have sought to crush the spirit of the Iranian people. From challenging the autocratic rule of the Shah to standing up against the theocratic regime of the mullahs, the PMOI’s unwavering commitment to freedom, democracy, and human rights is a narrative that continues to inspire not just Iranians, but advocates of liberty around the world.
The PMOI emerged in 1965, a time when Iran was grappling with profound political turmoil. The Shah’s regime, backed by Western powers, was tightening its grip on the nation, leaving little room for dissent. It was in this climate of repression that the PMOI’s founders recognized the urgent need for a dedicated, organized resistance. They were not merely reacting to the tyranny of the day; they were envisioning a future where Iranians could live in a society defined by justice, independence, and equality.
UN Rapporteur Raises Alarm Over Surge in Executions in Iran
Mai Sato, the newly appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, has expressed deep concern over the alarming rise in executions in the country. According to Sato, at least 93 individuals were executed in Iran last month alone. Disturbingly, she noted that several of these executions involved individuals who may have been innocent, raising serious questions about the fairness of trials conducted by the Iranian regime.
The number of reported executions in Iran in 2023 has now surpassed 400, including the execution of 15 women. Nearly half (41) of the executions carried out in August were related to drug offenses. This is despite Iran being a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which restricts the application of the death penalty to the “most serious crimes,” typically understood as intentional killing.
Iran’s National Development Fund: A Lifeline or a Liability?
In a recent announcement, Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran’s 14th government, disclosed that the administration has received authorization to withdraw from the National Development Fund (NDF) to settle overdue payments to farmers, nurses, and teachers. This decision, approved by the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, highlights the severe financial strain the government faces as it grapples with a substantial budget deficit.
During his first televised interview, Pezeshkian revealed that the government had sought and obtained permission to tap into the NDF, a fund initially established as a currency reserve to safeguard Iran’s foreign exchange earnings. The move starkly contradicts claims made by officials of the previous administration, who had asserted that they left the treasury with adequate financial resources. Pezeshkian’s statement lays bare the reality: the 14th government inherited an empty treasury, with no funds transferred from its predecessor.
Flu-Like Illness Spreads among Female Prisoners in Evin Prison amid Lack of Medical Care
An unidentified flu-like illness has rapidly spread among female prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, affecting a significant number of inmates. The symptoms of the illness include severe coughing with phlegm, headaches, body aches, fatigue, drowsiness, and weakness. The situation has become so dire that many prisoners have had to receive intravenous fluids.
Despite the seriousness of the outbreak, female prisoners are reportedly being denied adequate medical care and access to proper quarantine facilities to isolate those who are sick. This is especially concerning given that some of the affected prisoners are elderly, including political prisoners Parvin Mirasan and Raheleh Rahemipour, both of whom are over 70 years old.
Political Prisoner Amirhossein Moradi Refuses Pardon, Calls for Accountability from the Iranian Government
Amirhossein Moradi, a prominent political prisoner and former Sharif University student, has publicly rejected any possibility of seeking a pardon or furlough from the Iranian government. In a statement released from within the notorious Evin Prison, Moradi emphasized that it is the Iranian government, not the prisoners, that should be seeking forgiveness from the people of Iran for its actions.
Amirhossein Moradi, a physics student, and Ali Younesi, a computer engineering student, both from the prestigious Sharif University of Technology, were arrested on April 10, 2020, by Iranian intelligence forces on charges of supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The arrest, which was carried out without a legal warrant, involved significant violence. Both students have since been held in solitary confinement and regular detention within Evin Prison for over four years.
Iran’s Political Uncertainty: Pezhkian’s Role in a Weakened Regime
Pezhkian found himself as president under the rule of the Supreme Leader at a time when experts on Iranian affairs assessed Khamenei as being at the weakest point of his power. This evaluation is easily validated by observing the numerous crises engulfing the regime and the widespread public discontent. Khamenei, along with Raisi and the Stability Front, failed to contain the uprising. The 2022 uprising sent a very clear message to him: a change in strategy was needed. Yet, Khamenei persisted with his existing approach, continuing the repression as far as possible.
Toronto, August 31, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally in Support of the Iranian Revolution, Condemn Wave of Executions in Iran
Toronto, Canada—August 21, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally to protest the rising wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. MEK supporters in Toronto demanded that the leaders of the mullahs’ regime be tried for crimes against humanity in an international court.
Bucharest, Romania: MEK Supporters Exhibition in Support of the Iranian Revolution
Bucharest, Romania—August 31, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to protest the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. They also called for the immediate release of all political prisoners held in the prisons of the mullahs’ regime in Iran and expressed their solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.