THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 5:00 PM CET
US Treasury Intensifies Pressure on Iranian Shadow Fleet
WASHINGTON — Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on 35 entities and vessels that play a critical role in transporting illicit Iranian petroleum to foreign markets. This action imposes additional costs on Iran’s petroleum sector following Iran’s attack against Israel on October 1, 2024, as well as Iran’s announced nuclear escalations, building upon the sanctions issued on October 11. Petroleum revenues provide the Iranian regime with the resources to fund its nuclear program, develop advanced drones and missiles, and provide ongoing financial and material support for the terrorist activities of its regional proxies.
“Iran continues to funnel revenues from its petroleum trade toward the development of its nuclear program, proliferation of its ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and sponsorship of its regional terrorist proxies, risking further destabilizing the region,” said Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “The United States remains committed to disrupting the shadow fleet of vessels and operators that facilitate these illicit activities, using the full range of our tools and authorities.”
Government of Canada Lists Ansarallah as A Terrorist Entity
Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced that the Government of Canada has listed Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code.
Ansarallah is a militant group that has waged an insurgency in Yemen since the early 2000s seeking to unseat the internationally recognized government of Yemen. The group now controls vast swathes of North-Western Yemen, including the capital Sana’a. Since November 2023, Ansarallah has contributed to unrest in the Middle East through numerous attacks targeting civilian and naval vessels on the Red Sea and other waterways, as well as those against Israel. Ansarallah is also closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force and Hezbollah, two listed terrorist entities in Canada. In January 2024, the U.S. Department of State announced the designation of Ansarallah as a specially designated global terrorist through its Executive Order 13224. It is important to note that there is a differentiation between the armed political movement which is often referred to as “the Houthis” (but is officially called Ansarallah), and the ethnic group in Yemen by the same name, which is not the target of this listing.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET
The “Chastity and Hijab” Law is Criminal and Inhumane, and Strongly Condemned
After months of being passed back and forth between the regime’s Parliament and the Guardian Council, and a year-and-a-half after the regime’s judiciary drafted it, the so-called “Chastity and Hijab” law was finally published on November 30, 2024, in 74 articles across five chapters. The third chapter of this criminal law –that flagrantly violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international conventions such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and conventions related to women’s rights– obliges many ministries, organizations, and municipalities to go beyond the duties of guidance patrols in cracking down on improper hijab and its removal.
In addition to targeting women under the guise of enforcing hijab rules, this law imposes severe penalties on government employees, business owners, and others who refuse to cooperate with the regime’s enforcement measures.
Iran’s Regime Fear of The Implications of The Fall of Aleppo
The fall of Aleppo on November 29 has sent shockwaves throughout the ranks of Iran’s regime, which has been a staunch supporter of the regime of Bashar Al-Assad and has wasted billions of dollars of the Iranian people’s wealth to prop up the Syrian dictator. The regime’s media initially denied the news but were eventually forced to acknowledge it, reporting that during the attack, Brigadier General Kiumars Pourhashemi, known as Haj Hashem and one of the highest commanders of the IRGC, was killed.
Analysts report that with the Tehran-backed Hezbollah caught up in other conflicts, Assad’s regime, which has relied heavily on the Iranian regime’s terrorist proxies, has found itself cornered. This allowed the rebels to exploit the regime’s weaknesses and take the city by storm.
Iran: New Headscarf Law Causes Nationwide Outrage
Tehran— In Iran, the new headscarf law is causing nationwide outrage, anger, and disbelief. According to the text of the law published by multiple media outlets, women who fail to comply with the mandatory veiling rules face severe penalties, including heavy fines, denial of access to public services, travel bans, and, in extreme cases, imprisonment. Businesses such as shops and restaurants whose female customers do not comply with the headscarf requirement are to be closed, and taxi drivers risk losing their licenses.
The parliament in Tehran is expected to officially pass the law soon. On social media, the new law has been described as a “declaration of war” against women in the country and has been sharply criticized. Users have accused the parliament of turning the country into a vast prison and compared the Islamic clerical system to the Islamist Taliban government in Afghanistan.
How Iran’s Automotive Industry Became a Tool Of Corruption And Oppression
Under the mullahs’ regime, Iran’s automotive industry has been constantly falling to new lows. To date, it has only focused on importing used cars, assembling, producing counterfeit parts, and monopolizing lucrative revenues. The poor quality of vehicles produced by ruling mafias results in the annual death of over 20,000 Iranians on the roads, with many more injured. Additionally, it exacerbates air pollution and imposes heavy financial burdens on the public. In May, a university professor stated, “Most of our road fatalities are victims of low-quality cars. The two major automakers, at best, employ 100,000 people; that means we pay 100,000 people to kill 20,000 annually!” (Source: Fararu news website, May 31, 2024).
The deputy of the Traffic Police also announced, “Out of approximately 27.5 million registered vehicles in the country, over 9 million lack a technical inspection certificate” (Source: the official IRNA news agency, November 20).
Heads of Iran Judiciary and Majlis Stress Enforcement of the New Hijab and Chastity Law
On Monday, December 2, 2024, the Iranian judiciary and parliament convened a joint session. The Judiciary Chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and the Parliamentary Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stressed the implementation of the “Hijab and Chastity Law.” (IRNA) Ejei remarked in the session, “All branches and organizations are responsible for addressing the current situation visible on our streets. We must act.” He further noted, “The state of chastity and hijab in our streets today is neither logical nor acceptable. A law has been established, and it must be enforced. If amendments or clarifications are needed, it is the responsibility of parliament to act accordingly.”
Ghalibaf reinforced this stance, asserting, “Hijab is undoubtedly a religious and legal obligation. Various branches and organizations must prioritize this issue.” He had previously announced on November 27, 2024, that the law would be formally implemented on December 13.
Iranian Regime-backed Militias Enter Syria to Support Besieged Syrian Army
The militias backed by the Iranian regime entered Syria from Iraq to assist the besieged Syrian army.
Reuters, quoting two Syrian army sources, reported that Iran-backed militias entered Syria from Iraq overnight and moved towards northern Syria to reinforce Syrian army forces besieged in battles against rebels. A senior Syrian army source told Reuters, “Dozens of fighters from Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi), linked to the Iranian regime, entered Syria through a military route near the Al-Bukamal crossing.”
The officer stated, “These are new reinforcements being sent to assist our comrades on the front lines in the north.” He added that the militias include Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Afghan Fatemiyoun Brigade.
Iran’s Regime is Increasing Its Cyberattacks
The Israeli Internal Security and Intelligence Agency (Shin Bet) announced that it has identified more than 200 phishing cyberattacks by the Iranian regime aimed at obtaining the personal information of senior Israeli officials.
According to Shin Bet, senior security, political, academic, and media figures in Israel were among the victims of these cyberattacks.
Phishing is a type of cyberattack often used to steal user information. The Times of Israel reported that hackers attempted to access personal information by persuading Israelis to install software and, in some cases, used this information for future attacks against these individuals.
Shin Bet stated that hackers fabricated a separate story for each victim to avoid suspicion. For example, in one case, a hacker posed as a cabinet minister and told the victim they were coordinating a meeting between them and the Israeli Prime Minister.
Widespread Protests by Retired Telecom Workers Across Iran
Economic protests by retired telecommunications workers took place on Monday, December 2, in several provinces of Iran, with demonstrators chanting slogans against the Iranian regime’s policies.
According to reports on social media on Monday, protesting retirees participated in gatherings in at least six provinces: Tehran, West Azerbaijan, Gilan, Zanjan, Kermanshah, and Kurdistan. They emphasized that the Parliament and the government do not care about the Iranian people and demanded the dismissal of the minister. In Tehran, protesting retirees chanted: “Retiree, shout out, demand your rights!”
In Urmia, protesters objected to ongoing misconduct by officials and their disregard for the retirees’ demands.
Six Political Prisoners in Iran Sentenced to Death
The Iranian judiciary has sentenced six political prisoners to death on charges related to their alleged association with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and other national security offenses. The individuals, identified as Abolhassan Montazer, Pouya Ghobadi, Vahid Bani-Amerian, Babak Alipour, Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar, and Mohammad Taghavi, were convicted to death following prolonged interrogations reportedly involving torture. The verdicts were issued by Judge Iman Afshari, head of Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
The charges include “membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK),” “collusion and conspiracy against national security,” “armed rebellion against the government,” “forming a group to disrupt national security,” and “destruction of public property using a launcher.” Two other individuals, Mojtaba and Ali Taghavi, the brothers of Mohammad Taghavi, were sentenced to imprisonment and exile.
Continued Use of the Death Penalty in Iran
The Iranian judiciary has carried out multiple executions in recent days, including cases involving juvenile offenders and individuals convicted of drug-related charges. Below is a summary of recent executions reported from various prisons across the country. On the morning of Thursday, November 28, 2024, Esmail Barakzai, an 18-year-old Afghan national residing in Yazd, was executed. Barakzai was arrested at the age of 17 in Meybod, Yazd Province, on charges of murder. His execution took place alongside two other prisoners, identified as Davoud Takht-Shah (also known as Dahmardeh) and Osman Dahmardeh.
Siros Jafari, a 45-year-old resident of Kermanshah, was executed on Thursday, November 20, 2024. Jafari had been convicted of drug-related offenses and sentenced to death.
MEK Supporters Hold Exhibition in Hamburg to Condemn Human Rights Violations in Iran
Hamburg, Germany—November 30, 2024: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a book exhibition and protested against the rising wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. They called for the immediate release of all political prisoners held in the regime’s prisons in Iran.
