THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 2:00 PM CEST
Turner to Biden: Protect U.S. Citizens and the Electoral Process from Emerging Iran Threat
Today, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding that his administration take action against Iran for targeting former President Donald Trump and members of his administration and attempting to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
Read the full letter here or below.
Dear President Biden,
I am writing to convey my grave concern over the alarming reports that Iran is actively attempting to influence the upcoming U.S. elections and threaten the safety of U.S. citizens on American soil.
The FBI and U.S. Intelligence Community have unequivocally demonstrated that Iran is engaged in a systematic campaign to compromise the integrity of our democratic process. Your National Security Communications Advisor, John Kirby, has already acknowledged the seriousness of this threat, stating, “Iranian cyber actors have been seeking to influence elections around the world, including those happening in the United States.” Moreover, within the past few months, multiple individuals linked to the Iranian government have been implicated in plots to carry out political assassinations on former President Trump and members of his administration on American soil.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
Iran’s Regime Hangs Man in Public, Sets Decades-Long Record for Executions
Iran’s regime hanged a prisoner in public in Shahrud on August 26, according to Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, the Chief Justice of Semnan Province. On the same day, regime authorities hanged a 25-year-old prisoner in Zahedan Prison. On August 24, the regime executed two other prisoners in Qazvin and Isfahan. And on August 22, two prisoners were hanged in Tabriz and Nahavand, following two other executions in Yazd and Miandoab on the previous day. On Monday, August 19, four prisoners were hanged in Zanjan and Ghezel Hesar prisons.
This brings the number of documented executions during the Iranian month of Mordad (July 22 to August 21) to at least 126. Ironically, this alarming wave of executions coincides with the endorsement, inauguration, and cabinet appointment of new regime president Massoud Pezeshkian, whom the regime is trying to frame as a moderate and reformist.
Iran’s Struggle with an Overburdened Pension System
The pension fund crisis in Iran has become a persistent issue, transcending the tenure of successive governments. As Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration takes office, it faces a multitude of economic challenges, with the pension fund crisis standing out as one of the most pressing concerns. Despite significant budget allocations, the pension fund situation remains dire. Governments have historically attempted to manage the crisis by including it in the annual budget bill, aiming to prevent a financial catastrophe. Consequently, a substantial portion of public resources is now dedicated to these funds.
Experts have long warned about the imbalance in pension funds, but the need for difficult and fundamental decisions has deterred governments from taking decisive action. Instead, they have resorted to temporary fixes by increasing annual budgets. However, this approach is no longer sufficient due to the rapidly growing number of retirees.
Iran’s Environmental Crisis: A Challenge Beyond Government Control
Environmental activists and experts in Iran are questioning the extent of authority held by the Environmental Protection Organization and the Masoud Pezeshkian government to address the country’s mounting ecological challenges. The nation faces a multitude of environmental issues, from air pollution and deforestation to water scarcity and wildlife depletion, all of which require systemic changes that seem to be beyond the current government’s reach.
The scale of Iran’s environmental problems is staggering. Air pollution, poor fuel quality, widespread landslides, shrinking forests, waste management issues, drying rivers and wetlands, encroachment on forest lands, destructive infrastructure projects, and rampant poaching are just some of the challenges. Addressing these issues requires not only policy changes and increased budgets but also a reduction in the influence of military and governmental agencies in environmental matters.
The Crisis of Graduate Employment in Iran: A Systemic Failure
A recent article in the Iranian state-run newspaper Hamdeli has shed light on a growing crisis in Iran’s education system and the job market. Titled “40% of senior students enter university due to unemployment, normalizing unusual problems,” the piece investigates the dire situation facing graduates in the country.
The employment status of graduates has long been a concern for labor activists and economists in Iran. A shocking survey reveals that 90% of university graduates are working in jobs unrelated to their field of study. This statistic comes amid reports of a significant decrease in male participation in university entrance exams, raising critical questions about the value and relevance of higher education in Iran.
Morteza Ofogeh, an economist and faculty member at Chamran Ahvaz University, describes the situation as “not at all normal.” He laments, “It is unfortunate to read reports of many young people wasting at least four years of their precious lives. This waste is detrimental not only to themselves but to the entire country.”
Global Support Grows for the No to Executions Campaign on Tuesdays in its 31st Week
The No to Executions Campaign on Tuesdays, now in its 31st week, continues to gain momentum as prisoners from the Greater Tehran Prison join the movement, alongside two Italian Members of Parliament. The campaign, which protests the increasing use of the death penalty in Iran, has sparked both national and international support. On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, prisoners from 19 different facilities across Iran, including the Greater Tehran Prison, declared a hunger strike in solidarity with the “No to Executions Campaign on Tuesdays.” The movement, which calls for the abolition of the death penalty and torture, has seen participation from prisoners including from the women’s wards in Evin Prison in Tehran and Lakan Prison in Rasht.
Iran’s Aging and Outdated Air Fleet
Saeed Chalanderi, the CEO of “Khomeini Airport City,” stated, “For 10 years, 20 scrapped airplanes have been parked in the airport premises. These aircraft should be turned into scrap.” Approximately 60% of Iran’s air fleet is grounded, and its average age is about 20 years older than that of neighboring countries like Iraq.
In an interview with the state-run ILNA news agency, Chalanderi mentioned that airplanes parked near the radar point of Khomeini Airport are causing issues. “We have informed the airlines that if they do not take action to resolve the status of these scrapped airplanes, we will increase the parking fees.”
The 7% Decrease in Demand for Food in Iran
The Iranian regime’s Majlis (Parliament) Research Center has reported a worsening crisis in effective demand within the economy. The center’s report indicates that the food and beverage industry’s sales index showed a 7.3% decrease in June compared to the same month last year, and a 7.6% decrease compared to the previous month. This reflects the significant impact of rising prices on people’s livelihoods, leading to a lighter and more restricted food basket.
According to the center’s report, which was published by the state-run newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad under the title “Industry in Red Status,” the production index of all sub-sectors, except the oil industry, has decreased. Furthermore, compared to the same month last year, the production and sales indices of all food and beverage industry sub-sectors have also declined.
In The Thirty-First Week, Prisoners In 19 Iranian Prisons Have Declared A Hunger Strike
Two members of the Italian Parliament and a group of prisoners from Tehran’s Greater Prison joined the ‘Tuesdays Against Execution’ campaign.
The ‘No to Executions on Tuesdays’ campaign has entered its 31st week with a significant escalation as prisoners in 19 Iranian facilities have declared a hunger strike. On August 27, 2024, prisoners in Tehran’s Greater Prison joined the growing movement, which protests the Iranian government’s widespread use of the death penalty.
Initially established as a weekly protest against the Iranian government’s extensive use of the death penalty, the campaign has seen a surge in participation following the execution of at least 100 individuals in August 2024 alone.
Fuel Smuggling in Iran: A $4 Billion Shadow Economy
Ali Shams Ardakani from the Iranian Chamber of Commerce revealed that 12 million liters of fuel are smuggled daily from Iran to neighboring countries. But is this massive smuggling really done by border fuel carriers, or is there more to the story? Fuel in Iran is much cheaper than in neighboring countries, even without considering labor rights. However, due to low wages, it is still expensive for many Iranians.
Many border residents, especially from the Baloch ethnic minority in southeastern Iran, turn to fuel smuggling due to poverty and unemployment. Some of these fuel carriers don’t even have vehicles and carry fuel canisters on their backs.
Gothenburg, August 24, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally and Exhibition to Commemorate the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran
Gothenburg, Sweden—August 24, 2024: On the eve of the 36th anniversary of the 1988 massacre, freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally and photo exhibition, to honor the memory of 30,000 political prisoners who were executed in prisons across Iran by the mullahs’ regime.
Malmö, August 24, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally in Support of the Iranian Revolution, Condemn Wave of Executions in Iran
Malmö, Sweden—August 24, 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. 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.