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UPDATE: 2:30 PM CET
Iran’s Fragile Empire Is Crumbling – Syrian Rebels’ Blitz on Putin & Assad Is Next Domino to Fall, Says Ex-Ambassador
The Ayatollah’s allies Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad could be booted out of the country by quickly advancing militants Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. It’s the latest blunder from the Iranians after pals Hamas and Hezbollah were both hammered by Israel following the October 7 terror attack. Ambassador Mark Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran, said Iran is now fighting for its survival. The former US representative to the UN said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei only has a “tenuous” hold on power. Iran has used its proxy forces as a way to establish its dominance in the region by sowing conflict in countries and having militants seize land.
Cristina Kirchner to Stand Trial over Memorandum with Iran
Argentina’s Supreme Court has ordered former President and Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to stand trial for the signing of a memorandum between Argentina and Iran regarding the 1994 AMIA bombing. The court also confirmed a ruling acquitting her and Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof in the so-called “dollar futures” case, in the second of two rulings released Thursday. The memorandum with Iran was a document signed between the governments of Argentina and Iran during Kirchner’s second presidential term. It would have enabled Argentine prosecutors to interrogate Iranian citizens accused of involvement in the bombing. The document was approved by both chambers of Congress.
In 2015, prosecutor Alberto Nisman filed a lawsuit against Kirchner, officials from her administration, and political leaders, alleging that the memorandum amounted to an impunity pact. He claimed that the negotiations over the memorandum involved revoking international arrest warrants against the Iranian citizens involved. In exchange, he said, Iran would import wheat from, and sell oil to, Argentina.
Scott, Banking Republicans Press Biden Administration on Sanctions Enforcement on Iran’s Oil Sector
WASHINGTON — As part of his ongoing efforts to hold the Biden-Harris administration accountable and stop the flow of funds to Iran and its terror proxies, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led Senate Banking Republicans in raising concerns with the delayed implementation and enforcement of sanctions on Iran’s oil sector. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, Senator Scott, and his colleagues urged the Treasury Department to deploy all available sanctions enforcement tools to monitor and sanction illicit oil transactions involving Iran and to provide detailed information regarding the administration’s efforts to do so.
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET
Iran Begins to Evacuate Military Officials and Personnel from Syria
Iran began to evacuate its military commanders and personnel from Syria on Friday, according to regional officials and three Iranian officials, in a sign of Iran’s inability to help keep President Bashar al-Assad in power as he faces a resurgent rebel offensive. Among those evacuated to neighboring Iraq and Lebanon were top commanders of Iran’s powerful Quds Forces, the external branch of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, the officials said.
The move signaled a remarkable turn for Mr. al-Assad, whose government Iran has backed throughout Syria’s 13-year civil war, and for Iran, which has used Syria as a key route to supply weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CET
Marking the International Human Rights Day
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s speech: “I express my gratitude for your focus on the grave violations of human rights suffered by the people of Iran. I also deeply commend the esteemed Senator Pellegrino for her initiative in convening this important session. On the eve of International Human Rights Day, we reaffirm the unwavering commitment of the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance to achieving the noble goal of human rights in Iran. In the face of a regime that stands as humanity’s fiercest enemy in the modern world, our message of resistance is the restoration of humanity in chains. The Iranian people have paid an extraordinary price for this noble ideal, with over 100,000 martyrs for freedom, including 30,000 political prisoners massacred in 1988.
“The esteemed martyr for human rights in Iran, Professor Kazem Rajavi—whose life was taken by the regime’s terrorist assassins near the Palais des Nations in Geneva—once proclaimed: ‘We are writing the history of human rights with our blood.’”
Political Prisoner Saeed Masouri Calls on Iranian Students to Join The “No To Executions” Campaign
In an open letter dated December 5, Iranian political prisoner Saeed Masouri called on Iranian students to take part in the campaign against the growing wave of executions in Iran.
“It may not be an exaggeration to say that today in our country, Iran, countless individuals are directly killed and deprived of life, while countless others are indirectly subjected to this killing and deprivation—not with atomic bombs, but with execution ropes and hangings,” Masouri writes.
In his letter, Masouri writes that the regime is using executions under the pretext of preventing crimes but is in fact carrying out massacres.
“When executions and hangings become legally sanctioned, they pave the way for arbitrary and mass killings. This is especially true under a regime with a medieval and criminal nature, far more dangerous than the atomic bomb,” he writes. “The campaign and movement aimed at neutralizing this ‘activated execution bomb’ is far more critical and serious than the opposition of that era to the atomic bomb.”
Iran-Backed Militias Evacuate Positions in Al-Bokamal in Deir Ezzor
Deir Ezzor province: Syrian members of Iran-backed militias evacuated several positions in Al-Bokamal City and its countryside after the entrance of SDF to Deir Ezzor City via military vehicles carrying hundreds of members to control the city, where the Iran-backed militias evacuated headquarters in Al-Bokamal in Al-Ma’ary Street in addition to other headquarters in Al-Jamiyat neighborhood and Aaisha Hospital and headquarters in Al-Suwai’iya Town.
The militias took measures by evacuating the security squares and keeping the remaining local members of the 47th Regiment in headquarters inside the city. Some of the foreign members were moved to the desert, and others left Syria, while the largest number were stationed in checkpoints on the western outskirts of the city, especially in Al-Harai, Al-Hamdan, and Al-Hezam Al-Akhdar southwestern of the city.
Amid Withdrawal of Iranian-Backed Militias, Regime Forces Withdraw from Their Military Positions in Deir Ezzor City
Deir Ezzor province: Regime forces have almost completely evacuated their positions in Deir Ezzor city, including withdrawals from Deir Ezzor Airport, Al-Tala’e camp, and the 137th Brigade.
Meanwhile, Iranian-backed militias have also withdrawn from their positions in the city, moving toward the Syrian-Iraqi border amid the fleeing of militia leaders. Furthermore, the 17th Division of regime forces withdrew from Al-Mayadeen city in eastern Deir Ezzor countryside.
Earlier today, Reliable SOHR sources reported that regime forces started to withdraw several military units from different areas in Deir Ezzor to Damascus. The withdrawals were concentrated in positions in the cities of Deir Ezzor, Al-Bokamal Al-Mayadeen, and Al-Quriyah and in areas stretching along the Euphrates River in Al-Bokamal countryside.
Infighting Grows as Iran’s Regime Faces Escalating Domestic and International Crises
The Iranian regime’s budgetary bankruptcy, empty treasury, acute economic and social crises, and repeated regional failures have intensified internal conflicts over various issues, including the enforcement of mandatory hijab laws and fuel price hikes. On Tuesday, December 3, the Majlis (parliament) witnessed fierce attacks against regime president Masoud Pezeshkian and his advisor Javad Zarif.
Parliament member Mehdi Kouchekzadeh, referring to Zarif, stated: “This man claims we are willing to negotiate with the U.S. beyond [the JCPOA]. Who do you think you are in this country?! I don’t care if this position [Pezeshkian’s Strategic Advisor] was acquired legally or not! We will not let you force this country into America’s hands.”
Earthquakes in Khuzestan: Injuries, Damage, and Neglect
On Thursday, December 5, Mohammadreza Mowalizadeh, the governor of Khuzestan, announced that at least 29 people were injured following a series of early morning earthquakes in the province. Of these, 28 sustained only minor injuries. The earthquakes caused significant damage to infrastructure and homes. Sanaz Hosseininejad, director of the health and treatment network in Masjed Soleyman, reported that the walls of the city’s 22 Bahman Hospital had cracked. Ali Abdollahi, the Director General of Khuzestan Crisis Management, confirmed that “a large number of homes and schools” were also damaged.
The main earthquake struck Haftgol at 7:32 AM Iran time, registering a magnitude of 5.6 at a depth of 10 kilometers. Its tremors were felt as far as Lorestan province. About 20 minutes later, at 7:53 AM, a second quake with a magnitude of 4.8 struck Masjed Soleyman, adding to the damage and casualties. In total, 11 aftershocks were recorded in various parts of Khuzestan.
Iran’s Per Capita National Income: A Declining Trend Amid Economic Challenges
The Iranian Statistics Center reports that the country’s per capita national income in 2023 was approximately 88.4 million tomans, marking a 20% decline compared to 2011. This stark decrease reflects the cumulative impact of international sanctions, population growth, and economic mismanagement over the last decade. The data clearly shows the correlation between international sanctions and fluctuations in Iran’s per capita income. With the intensification of sanctions in the early 2010s, national income per capita dropped significantly. A slight improvement followed the implementation of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in 2015, only to reverse when sanctions returned in 2018. Since then, Iran’s per capita income has stagnated, showing no meaningful growth through 2023.
A Grim Month: November’s Human Rights Violations in Iran
As the Iranian regime struggles to maintain its grip on power amidst regional tensions and domestic unrest, it has intensified its repressive measures. November 2024 marked a particularly dark chapter, characterized by a surge in executions, arbitrary arrests, and human rights violations. Alongside the draconian Chastity and Hijab law, the government’s actions reflect a deep fear of renewed protests. Below is a summary of the grave human rights abuses committed by the regime during this month.
In November 2024, at least 152 people were executed in various prisons across Iran. Among them were individuals from marginalized communities, including 20 Iranian Baluch, 18 Iranian Kurds, 12 Afghan nationals, and a Jewish Kurdish prisoner.
November 2024 Report: The New Hijab Law
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, our November bulletin explores the latest developments concerning the enforcement of mandatory hijab, a policy that serves as a pretext for the broadest form of state-sponsored violence against women in Iran. This edition is especially significant as, on November 30, the final text of the new mandatory hijab law was released by state-controlled media, triggering widespread public backlash, even among factions within the regime.
In this bulletin, we analyze the criminal and inhumane legislation titled “Protecting Families Through Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab” in several sections.
What Will Happen After the Overthrow of The Clerical Regime In Iran?
There is no longer any doubt that the clerical regime in Iran, as a reactionary and backward force, is on the brink of collapse. Ending its warmongering and terrorism is now possible, with the solution being the overthrow of the regime by the Iranian people and their Resistance. What will happen in Iran after the mullahs’ regime is overthrown, and how will the fate of the Iranian people unfold? These are issues that Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has been discussing and examining over the past 45 years.
On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, the Friends of a Free Iran committee of the European Parliament held a significant conference at the European Parliament to discuss the situation in Iran. The keynote speaker, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), presented the NCRI’s roadmap for dismantling Iran’s theocratic regime and enabling a peaceful transfer of power to a democratic government.
Canada: Rally in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal to Protest Death Sentences for Six Political Prisoners Associated with the PMOI
Canada—December 3, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized rallies and exhibitions in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal to protest the death sentences for six political prisoners associated with the PMOI. The event also condemned the Iranian regime’s ongoing crimes against the Iranian people and expressed solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.
MEK Supporters in Oslo Protest Death Sentences for Six Political Prisoners Associated with the PMOI
Oslo, Norway—December 3, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in front of the Norwegian Parliament to protest the death sentences for six political prisoners associated with the PMOI. The event also condemned the Iranian regime’s ongoing crimes against the Iranian people and expressed solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.
MEK Supporters in London Protest Death Sentences for Six Political Prisoners Associated with the PMOI
London, England—December 3, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally to protest the death sentences for six political prisoners associated with the PMOI. The event also condemned the Iranian regime’s ongoing crimes against the Iranian people and expressed solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.
MEK Supporters in Melbourne Protest Death Sentences for Six Political Prisoners Associated with the PMOI
Melbourne, Australia—December 3, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in front of the Parliament of Victoria to protest the death sentences for six political prisoners associated with the PMOI. The event also condemned the Iranian regime’s ongoing crimes against the Iranian people and expressed solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.