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Senate Looks to Iran Next
With the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, Iran has lost one of its most valuable pieces on the chessboard of Middle East influence. Under al-Assad, Syria was a thoroughfare for Iranian weapons and munitions to support terror attacks such as the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. But last week, Sunni militia took over Damascus and al-Assad fled to Russia, leaving a power vacuum Western allies such as the United States hope to exploit.
“There’s no question that the Iranian regime right now is about as weak as it’s ever been,” Gen. James Jones, former U.S. national security adviser, told WORLD. He was a guest speaker at a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday. The topic for attendees and senators: how to oust Tehran’s dictatorship and install a democracy. Experts at the briefing said Syria’s coup provides the perfect opportunity.
Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, addressed the group in the U.S. Senate office building via video conference. She said her movement is taking courage from Assad’s fall in Syria.
“The people, who are deeply discontented and angry, along with the resistance units … are preparing an organized uprising,” Rajavi said. “I have consistently emphasized that our goal is not to seize power but to restore it to its rightful owners, the people of Iran and their vote.”
Khamenei’s Desperate Attempts to Salvage His Regional Strategy After Assad’s Ouster from Syria
Four days after the fall of former Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad, the leader of the Iranian regime, Ali Khamenei, alarmed by the consequences of losing his regime’s strategic depth, took the stage to encourage his forces and boost their morale while attempting to neutralize the stagnation and inactivity engulfing the regime through unrealistic statements and unattainable promises. Khamenei referred to the perilous situation of the regime, stating, “In our region, which is one of the world’s most sensitive areas, events are unfolding,” and added, “Lessons and warnings should be drawn from these incidents. The public is also engaged with these issues; they have questions and comments, and ambiguities must be addressed.”
Admitting the passivity affecting his forces resulting from the significant defeat, Khamenei said, “In failures, passivity is poison; sometimes its danger exceeds the event itself.”
The Fall of Assad: A Warning to Tyrants and a Victory for the People
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria is a historic event that reverberates across the region, shaking the foundations of the Velayat al-Faqih system in Iran. As Khamenei’s strategic ally and a key pillar of his regional influence, Assad’s collapse demonstrates a powerful truth: oppressive regimes, despite their reliance on military might, international backers, and repressive apparatuses, ultimately cannot withstand the will of the people and their yearning for freedom.
The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad signifies the disintegration of what Iran’s leadership has long touted as its “strategic depth” in the region. Khamenei famously referred to Assad’s dictatorship as a “pillar of resistance” and relied heavily on the Syrian regime to project influence into Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq. Iran’s unwavering financial, military, and security support for Assad has been a cornerstone of its expansionist policies—not just to bolster regional hegemony, but also as a strategy for the regime’s survival.
Iran: UN Experts Demand Repeal of Hijab and Chastity Law
A group of United Nations human rights experts has called on the Iranian government to immediately repeal a new law enforcing stricter penalties on women and girls who do not wear the hijab. The legislation, officially titled the Law on Protecting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab, has raised alarm among international human rights advocates for its severe implications on women’s rights and freedoms.
The UN experts described the new law as an intensification of state control over women’s bodies and a grave violation of fundamental human rights. “The new hijab law marks an intensification of state control over women’s bodies in Iran and is a further assault on women’s rights and freedoms,” they stated.
Tourism in Iran: The Impact of Neglect, Insecurity, and Policy Failures
While Iranian officials in the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization celebrate the annual influx of five to six million foreign travelers as evidence of a thriving tourism industry, insiders paint a starkly different picture. Tourism professionals report that the market is experiencing near-total stagnation. Mohammad Ali Ashraf Vaghefi, former vice-chairman of Iran’s Tour Operators Association, revealed that inbound tourism to Iran has essentially come to a halt. He noted that European and American tourists have all but vanished, leaving the market largely dependent on a few Russian and Chinese visitors.
“Inbound tourism to Iran is almost closed,” Vaghefi told Khabar Online. Even the upcoming spring season, traditionally the peak of Iran’s tourism calendar, has been written off. According to official data, five to six million foreign travelers enter Iran annually. However, most of these visitors come from neighboring countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan, primarily for business, pilgrimage, or healthcare purposes. Despite this, Iranian officials categorize all these individuals as “tourists,” claiming a robust tourism sector. Vaghefi dismisses this narrative, emphasizing that such trips differ fundamentally from group cultural tours that defined Iran’s previous tourism success.
Varisha Moradi Faces Health Crisis Without Access to Treatment
Varisha Moradi, a political prisoner on death row held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, is facing severe health issues, including intestinal bleeding. Despite her urgent need for specialized medical care, prison authorities have refused to transfer her to a healthcare facility. Varisha Moradi has been repeatedly denied adequate medical treatment. She has been suffering from intestinal bleeding and severe abdominal pain for a long time. She was taken to a medical center only once, but without receiving proper treatment, she was returned to prison. Her condition is alarming, yet the authorities refuse to provide any explanation for denying her medical care.
Security forces near Sanandaj arrested Varisha Moradi on August 1, 2023, and after interrogation, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison on December 26, 2023.
Kowsar Dehban Zadeh: Over Two Months of Uncertainty in Shiraz Detention Center
Kowsar Dehban Zadeh, sister of political prisoner Maysam Dehban Zadeh, has been held in prolonged detention for more than 75 days at a Shiraz intelligence detention facility known as Plaque 100.
Her ordeal began on September 27, 2024, when she was arrested by security forces in Shiraz and initially placed in solitary confinement. After over a month, she was transferred to a shared cell within the same facility, yet her future remains unclear.
Kowsar Dehban Zadeh has been accused of links to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Despite being held for over two months, whether a formal investigation or prosecution has been initiated remains uncertain. During her detention, she has been allowed to meet her family only twice, reportedly under circumstances meant to pressure her into expressing regret. Weekly phone calls are permitted, but these interactions are limited and heavily monitored.
Manchester Exhibition Stands with Iranian Political Prisoners, Protests Human Rights Violations – December 12, 2024
Manchester, UK—December 12, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and academics in England, supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), organized an exhibition to denounce human rights violations in Iran.
Copenhagen, December 12, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally Against Death Sentences for PMOI Political Prisoners
Copenhagen, Denmark—December 12, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally and exhibition to protest the sentencing of six political prisoners associated with the PMOI to death. The event also condemned the Iranian regime’s ongoing crimes against the Iranian people and expressed their solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.
