THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CEST
Secretive Trader ‘Hector’ Seen as Global Kingpin for Iranian Oil
When Milavous Group Ltd. rented an upper floor in a swanky Dubai corporate tower two years ago, few had heard of the firm. Yet within months, it won outsized influence in global energy markets — said to be steered by a businessman whom traders describe as one of the most powerful kingpins distributing Iranian oil worldwide. From its perch in Dubai, Milavous has raked in billions of dollars in sales from commodities originating out of Iran, Russia, and elsewhere, according to more than a dozen people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity discussing confidential business dealings. At its highest levels sits Hossein Shamkhani, the soft-spoken son of a former Iranian security chief who remains a prominent adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
UPDATE: 5:30 PM CEST
Iran Opposition Leader Launches ‘No to The Death Penalty’ Campaign
In an international conference in Paris on Saturday, prominent former international judges, United Nations Special Rapporteurs, and jurists warned about the spate of executions in Iran and called for holding the regime’s leaders to account for their crimes against humanity and ending the culture of impunity.
Many of the wide-ranging array of judges and jurists were directly involved in high-stakes UN trials on cases regarding crimes against humanity and genocide. The panelists criticized the international community’s attitude vis-a-vis the Iranian regime’s culture of impunity in its state policy of unabated flagrant violations of human rights throughout the past four decades. They stressed that the lack of proper action by the international community has emboldened the ruling theocracy to continue perpetrating crimes against humanity in Iran.
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CEST
US Military Destroys Missile and Drone of Yemeni Houthis
In the past 24 hours, US military forces have destroyed a missile and a drone belonging to the Houthi rebels in the Yemen region, according to the Central Command of the US Armed Forces (CENTCOM).
The military determined that these systems presented a clear and imminent threat to US and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region
“This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels,” the statement reads.
August 29 U.S. Central Command Update
In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi missile system and one uncrewed aerial vehicle in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.
It was determined these systems presented a… pic.twitter.com/4FjhpGc0kZ— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 29, 2024
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
Iran: Imbalances, Dissatisfaction, and Preparation for The Next Uprising
Recently, an Iranian regime economist had admitted that he couldn’t understand the nature of the economic system in Iran. On August 8, the state-run Donya-ye Eghtesad newspaper quoted him as saying, “As an economist, I have tried for years to understand the nature of Iran’s economic system. It is a tangled mess of capitalism, a state-controlled and centralized economy, the welfare state, and a resistance economy. A name for such a system has not yet been coined in the field of economics.”
Of course, he is not alone; other experts have reached the same conclusion, though each views this monster, crafted by the mullahs’ regime, from different angles and perspectives.
The Fundamentals of The Iranian Regime’s Irremediable Deadlocks
In dictatorships, wounds accumulate, and the terms used to describe them in political discourse are constantly repeated.
The fundamental and long-tested explanation for the misery of the mullahs’ regime ruling lies in its structural rigidity and ideological dogma. The wound, referenced as a repetitive term or phrase in analyzing this regime throughout its lifespan, is the principle of Velayat-e Faqih (the absolute rule of the jurist) and the rigidity it brings. This wound, as a dead end for any movement, modernization, vote, change, and reform, will never heal unless a decisive blow from outside comes in the form of uprising and revolution.
The reality is that the regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, more than anyone else, knows and feels the miseries that his regime is trapped in; if he attempts to change any aspect, it will only lead to internal collapse and an external fatal blow.
Exploitation of Child Labor in Tehran’s Municipal Services
A member of the Tehran City Council has raised alarming concerns about the exploitation of children in municipal service works. According to Nasser Amani, municipal contractors are employing children, often the offspring of foreign nationals, who lack proper identification and bank cards. As a result, these children are denied fair wages and insurance coverage.
In a report by Khabar Online, Amani expressed his dismay during his neighborhood visits, where he witnessed firsthand the illegal employment of young children, some as young as 13 or 14 years old, by municipal contractors. He emphasized that such employment practices are not only unethical but also illegal. The council member further noted that these children face delayed payments, sometimes receiving their wages only after several months.
Iran’s Escalating Internet Censorship: From Filtering to a National Internet
In recent developments within the Iranian regime, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reiterated his call for greater restrictions on cyberspace, referring to the current state of the internet in Iran as “uncontrolled.” Following his directives, the newly appointed president of the regime, Masoud Pezeshkian, has demanded the swift implementation of Khamenei’s orders to “properly manage cyberspace.” This article delves into the history and evolution of internet filtering in Iran, the structures that enforce it, and the potential future of the internet in the country.
On Wednesday, August 28, President Masoud Pezeshkian instructed his ministers to prioritize the Supreme Leader’s concerns regarding the “uncontrolled” nature of cyberspace in Iran. In a cabinet meeting held the previous day, Khamenei had emphasized the importance of enforcing the rule of law in cyberspace, stating, “Virtual space is no longer virtual today; it is a reality in people’s lives and is progressing day by day.”
The International Day of the Victims of Forced Disappearances: A Call for Justice in Iran
Every year on August 30, the world marks the International Day of the Victims of Forced Disappearances, a somber occasion to reflect on the ongoing plight of those who have vanished under repressive regimes.
In Iran, forced disappearances have long been used as a tool of political repression, beginning with the mass executions in the early 1980s, the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, and continuing into the present day.
This dark chapter in Iran’s history is emblematic of the broader issue of enforced disappearances, which remain a persistent human rights violation in the country.
Annual Subsidence Over 10 cm in 10 Provinces of Iran
While global statistics indicate that an annual subsidence of more than four millimeters signifies entering a critical condition, reports show that the average annual land subsidence in Iran has reached “18 centimeters, with subsidence in 14 provinces exceeding 10 centimeters.”
At the same time, a government official in Iran stated that the excavation of numerous wells and excessive water extraction in the vicinity of the Marvdasht plain have caused “land subsidence in the Persepolis area.”
According to a land subsidence index table published by the state-run Tejarat News website, the annual land subsidence exceeds 20 centimeters in the provinces of Kerman, Alborz, Markazi, Qom, Khorasan, and Hamedan.
Sales of Iran’s Cheap Oil to China in 2024
Last year, Chinese diplomats helped broker a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, boosting China’s influence in the Middle East. China hoped this agreement would lead to more peace in the region. However, the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7th changed China’s plans. China wants to increase its influence, especially in Iran. Reports say China is now the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, taking over 90% of it. Because of sanctions, Iran secretly ships its oil to China, where it is refined.
Iran sells its oil to China at the lowest price compared to other countries. The main reason China buys Iranian oil is its low cost. Due to sanctions, Iran has to sell its oil cheaply to attract buyers.
Berlin Exhibition Supports ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ for Prisoners on Hunger Strike—August 27, 2024
On August 27, 2024, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition in Berlin, Germany. The event was held in solidarity with political prisoners in Iran who are currently on hunger strike.
The exhibition focused on raising awareness about the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign. This initiative aims to draw attention to the human rights situation in Iran, particularly the treatment of political prisoners.