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UPDATE: 6:30 PM CEST
Harris Praises US Rep Sheila Jackson Lee as Champion of Justice
Aug 1 (Reuters) – Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday lauded U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee as a “fierce champion of justice” at the funeral of the prominent voice on African American and women’s rights within the Democratic Party.
Jackson Lee announced in June she had pancreatic cancer and was undergoing treatment. The Texas lawmaker died on July 19, aged 74.
Harris was the highest-ranking U.S. official at Jackson Lee’s Houston service, acting as consoler in chief for the 15-term representative who promoted legislation addressing social justice, economic inequality, and public health.
UPDATE: 8:30 AM CEST
Conference with Mayor Rudy Giuliani on the Anniversary of the Attack on Ashraf by Khamenei’s Puppet Government in Iraq
Mayor Giuliani, Dear Dr. Ryan, Mr. Lars Rise, Dear friends! I am pleased to welcome you today to the home of the Iranian Resistance. The name of the MEK resonates with the struggle for freedom and Iran’s liberation from the Shah and the mullahs, in contemporary history. For this reason, they have always been the target of massacres and repression. The issue is that the Velayat-e Faqih regime (religious dictatorship) must go, and freedom, democracy, and equality must be established in Iran.
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the attack by Khamenei’s puppet government in Iraq and the massacre of Ashraf residents. That attack took place right amid the 2009 uprisings. Khamenei wanted to extinguish the light that inspired Iran’s rebellious youth.
We will never forget those dear martyrs: Amir Khairi, Hanif Emami, Mehrdad Niksiyar, Siavash Nezamolmolki, Alireza Ahmadkhah, Hamid Zamani, Mehrdad Rezazadeh, Mohammadreza Bakhtiari, Hossein Mahmoudi, Shaban Suri, Hamdollah Rahmani, Asghar Yaghoubpour, and Mohammad Tataie.
PMOI Resistance Units Commemorate The Martyrs of The July 2009 Attack against Camp Ashraf
On July 28 and 29, 2009, Iraqi security forces attacked Camp Ashraf at the behest of the Iranian regime. The attackers used armored vehicles, batons, and firearms to injure hundreds of Ashraf residents and kill 13 PMOI members. Security forces took another 36 residents hostage. Unarmed and defenseless, PMOI members in Ashraf set an example of resistance and resilience under pressure. To honor the martyrs of this event, PMOI Resistance Units across Iran conducted various activities, distributing leaflets and displaying images and quotes about the martyrs to commemorate their sacrifice. These activities spanned numerous cities across Iran, from the capital Tehran to Sabzevar in the east, from Karaj to Isfahan, from Qazvin to Shahrud, from Shiraz in the south to Mashhad, and further north to Ramsar and Damavand.
How PMOI Resistance Units Are Shaping Iran’s Democratic Future
Iran stands at a pivotal moment in its history, poised on the brink of profound transformation. The long-cherished dream of fundamental change has never seemed more attainable. Between December 2017 and January 2022, six nationwide uprisings swept across the country, illuminating the Iranian people’s burning desire to overthrow the clerical regime and establish a democratic republic in its place.
These protests were remarkable not only for their scale and frequency but also for the boldness of their message. In cities and towns across Iran, thousands of demonstrators voiced their discontent through powerful slogans that cut to the heart of the nation’s political future. Chants of “No to Shah, No to mullahs” reverberated through the streets, rejecting both the monarchy of the past and the current theocratic rule. The cry “Down with the mullahs’ rule” directly challenged the foundational concept of the Iranian regime. Most daringly, protesters called for “Death to Khamenei,” targeting the regime’s Supreme Leader himself.
Iran’s Deepening Crisis: A Nation Grappling with Heat, Shortages, and Economic Turmoil
On Sunday, July 28, Iran faced an unprecedented nationwide shutdown due to extreme heat. The government had already taken drastic measures, announcing reduced working hours for banks and government offices until 10 am starting from Saturday, July 27, in an effort to conserve electricity. The crisis has reached such proportions that factories are now denied power two days a week. The environmental toll is equally alarming. Land subsidence is occurring in cities and plains, six million palm trees have withered, wetlands have dried up, and gas consumption has surpassed production levels. The situation is so dire that in winter, factories face temporary gas cutoffs. For several months, production facilities have been unable to register new orders.
July 2024 Report: Women’s Economic Participation in Iran
Women’s economic participation in Iran is the lowest in the Middle East, after Afghanistan and Iraq. According to official regime statistics, in 2023, the economic participation rate of women in Iran was 14.4%, while in Saudi Arabia and Oman, it was more than double that of Iran. State-run sources in Iran report that the overall unemployment rate and the unemployment rate for men decreased in the spring of 2024 compared to the previous year, while the unemployment rate for women increased during the same period. (State-run ecoiran.com – July 21, 2024)
In the spring of 2024, the working-age population in Iran was estimated to be over 65 million people, equally divided between men and women. Of the active workforce, which was calculated to be about 27 million, more than 22 million were men, 3 million were women, and 2 million were unemployed. Among the 2 million unemployed, nearly 70% were men and 30% were women.
The Black Market for Medicine in Iran
The Iranian pharmaceutical market is in crisis and experiencing shortages. These shortages sometimes extend to simple cold tablets and saline solutions, but certain medications are always in crisis, such as specialty drugs, insulin, or chemotherapy drugs.
This is while the head of Iran’s Food and Drug Administration claims that 99 percent of the country’s medicine is domestically produced, but the state of drug shortages shows that the volume of production has not been able to meet the country’s pharmaceutical and healthcare needs.
New US Sanctions Against Iran-Linked Facilitators of Weapons Procurement for Houthis
The United States has sanctioned two individuals and four companies for facilitating the procurement of weapons for the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In a statement, the US Department of the Treasury announced that the Wednesday sanctions targeted logistics personnel, transport facilitators, and suppliers based in Yemen and China who were procuring dual-use equipment for use in the Houthis’ advanced weapon systems.
Those sanctioned include Al-Shahari United Corporation Ltd, a company based in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, which is said to rely on a branch office in Guangzhou, China, to facilitate shipments to Yemen.
Manchester—July 31, 2024: Freedom-Loving Iranians Organize a Book Fair to Support the Iranian Revolution
Manchester—July 31, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and academics living in England, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), organized a book fair and petition collection to support the Iranian Revolution. They condemned the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. They also urged the UK government to designate Iran’s regime IRGC as a terrorist organization.
Iranian academics in the UK said: “On July 31, 2024, the book stands at Manchester was warmly received by both citizens and Iranians alike. Almost all Iranians expressed solidarity and their readiness to participate in gatherings and marches in support of the people of Iran.”
Paris, July 31, 2024: MEK Supporters Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Paris, France—July 31, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organize a photo and book exhibition. This exhibition is held in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution and as a protest against the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – August 1, 2024