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Iran’s Rebellious Youth Mark Anniversary of 2009 Uprising by Targeting Regime Centers
On December 25, the anniversary of the 2009 Ashura Uprising in Iran, rebellious youth targeted several regime centers of repression and crime in Tehran. These fiery assaults conveyed to the regime that the flame of rebellion ignited on December 27, 2009 (coinciding with Ashura), which shook Tehran under the feet of the mullahs’ regime, still burns bright. This occurs amid a state of dread engulfing the regime, which is caught in crises following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the collapse of the Iranian regime’s strategic depth in the region.
Three days after the Ashura Uprising in 2009, during a government-backed rally on December 30, regime cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda stated: “The leadership of the Ashura day movement was in the hands of the [PMOI] because the slogans that the [PMOI] had posted on their website since December 7 were echoed by the Ashura protesters. Therefore, these people were the assistants of the [PMOI]. The leadership of the Ashura day’s movement was the [PMOI].
The Crisis of Preschool Education in Iran: A Growing Challenge in Deprived Areas
Recent data from over 10 provinces in Iran reveals alarming disparities in the state of preschool education, particularly in rural and underprivileged regions. The findings, drawn from interviews with preschool teachers and officials, highlight significant challenges in both the availability and quality of early education. These deficiencies not only hinder children’s foundational learning but also exacerbate educational inequalities in later stages.
The data, collected by Sharq newspaper from provinces such as West Azarbaijan, Khorasan, Sistan and Baluchistan, Fars, Kerman, Kermanshah, Lorestan, Hormozgan, Golestan, North Khorasan, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, underscores a troubling trend: more than half of the children in deprived areas lack access to preschool education. This is despite widespread acknowledgment among educators that early education can address learning disorders and enhance academic performance.
Escalating Challenges for Iran’s Oil Sector Amid Sanctions and Corruption
According to Bloomberg, the volume of Iranian oil stored in tankers and floating at sea has reached its highest level since late July. The report attributes this buildup to extensive U.S. sanctions, which have disrupted Iran’s oil exports to its primary market, China. On Thursday, the United States imposed additional sanctions on oil tankers and companies allegedly involved in Iran’s oil trade. These measures, according to Bloomberg, have already slowed the flow of Iranian oil to China, increasing demand for crude oil from other Middle Eastern producers.
The situation is expected to worsen for the Iranian regime with the impending change in the U.S. administration, as Donald Trump prepares to take office next month. During his previous term, Trump implemented a “maximum pressure” campaign that severely restricted Iran’s oil exports. The return of a similar approach could further curtail Tehran’s oil revenues.
Political Prisoner Fatemeh Ziaii Denied Medical Care Despite MS and Severe Lung Infection
Fatemeh Ziaii, a political prisoner suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) and a lung infection resembling tuberculosis, remains deprived of access to essential medical treatment. Despite her deteriorating condition, she has been denied both release and medical furlough. Fatemeh Ziaii’s MS treatment has been postponed due to her advanced lung infection, exacerbating her fragile health. She is largely unable to walk and faces severe respiratory difficulties caused by the infection. Physicians at Evin Prison have recommended that she receive treatment outside the prison, but judicial authorities refuse to grant her release.
Christian Woman on Hunger Strike in Evin Prison; Prison Sentences for Leila Hossein Zadeh and Zeinab Zaman
Ghazal Marzban, a 41-year-old Christian convert currently residing in Tehran, has been on a hunger strike in Evin Prison since Sunday, December 22, 2024. She began her protest in response to her continued detention and the uncertainty surrounding her legal status. Originally, from Lasht-e-Nesha, a small town near Rasht, Ghazal Marzban was recently tried by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “appearing in public without observing mandatory hijab.” Although she was informed that a suspended sentence had been issued against her, she has yet to receive formal documentation of the ruling.
Marzban was arrested on November 5, 2024, by security forces and held for two days at the Vozara Detention Center before being transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison. During her arrest, she sustained severe injuries to her ribs.
Structural Crises in Iran: Unmanageable Challenges and a Rift Between the People and the Regime
The fundamental challenge between the Iranian people and the ruling regime revolves around a core clash between the needs and demands of the populace versus the regime’s structure, policies, and nature. This deep division is not merely the result of administrative decisions or policy implementations but stems from the nature and philosophy of governance—a nature that defines itself through an authoritarian ideology. This ideology, with its political, social, economic, and regional outcomes, has reached an impasse and failure.
The government-run “Etemad” newspaper, in its December 25, 2024 edition, clearly described the regime’s encounter with a substantial deadlock. The newspaper stated, “Iran today faces a set of complex, intertwined, and structural crises. These crises necessitate radical policy changes, structural reforms in the economic, social, and cultural systems, and a redefinition of authoritarian relationships and governance.”
MEK Supporters in Berlin Church Show Solidarity with Iran’s Political Prisoners and Iranian Revolution on Christmas Day
Berlin, Germany—December 25, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) gathered in a Berlin church on Christmas Day to show solidarity with political prisoners in Iran and express support for the Iranian Revolution.
Paris Exhibition on December 26 Backs Iranian Revolution and Denounces Regime’s Human Rights Violations
Paris, France—December 26, 2024: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition featuring photographs and books to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution while condemning the regime’s escalating use of executions.