Iran News in Brief – February 27, 2021

27th February 2021

Baluch protesters outside the Saravan Governor’s Office. Local sources said that the injured Baluch protesters were violently dragged out of a hospital in southeastern Iran last night by security forces. Locals have been protesting for six days since the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) opened fire on Baluch fuel carriers on February 22 in Saravan.

Baluch protesters outside the Saravan Governor's Office — Baluch protesters outside the Saravan Governor’s Office. Local sources said that the injured Baluch protesters were violently dragged out of a hospital in southeastern Iran last night by security forces. Locals have been protesting for six days since the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) opened fire on Baluch fuel carriers on February 22 in Saravan.

THE CONTENT OF THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS

UPDATE: 3:00 PM CET

Charlie Weimers MEP: I Strongly call for cancellation of Europe-Iran Business Forum next week

Strongly call for cancellation of @EUIranBizForum next week. Now is not the time! #Iran continues to oppress & execute its own citizens and sponsor terrorism in Mid East & Europe. @JosepBorrellF will you engage or stand up for human rights & Europe’s security? #BoycottMullahs pic.twitter.com/HjwCFgeyWs

— Charlie Weimers MEP 🇸🇪 (@weimers) February 26, 2021

MEK, the Main Concern of Iran’s Government – Why?

With the escalation of a crisis at the head of Iran’s government and biting economic sanctions, state media and government officials are increasingly paying attention to the People Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). It is as if each time they look up, they see their longtime opposition in every domestic and international challenge.

The state-run daily Mostaghel: “Elections that now have a lot of evokes. Of course, not only of the type of healthy and inclusive advertising, but in many cases of destruction, or maybe saying that, it is like digging your own grave in the subject of the election. As if they do not see that the enemy in the most subtle form is designing many kinds of conspiracies against the system in this gap.”

RSF – Iran: The regime has totally cut off the internet for 2 days

#Iran: The regime has totally cut off the internet for 2 days #InternetShutdown to deprive the population of independent information on the uprising that took place after several civilians were killed by the border police of #Baluchistan and to better repress without witnesses. pic.twitter.com/NCYAp001na

— RSF (@RSF_inter) February 26, 2021

Grafitti on the wall of a police station says: “Down with Khamenei”

Early Feb. 27 – Kerman, SE #Iran
Grafitti on the wall of a police station says: "Down with Khamenei".
Voice says: "Down with Khamenei, long live Baluchis. Baluchis are not alone. Long live political prisoners & those who have fallen for freedom". #سراوان_تنها_نیست pic.twitter.com/8IwRUUDPoJ

— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) February 27, 2021

UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET

Iran: Coronavirus Fatalities in 497 Cities Exceed 222,000

The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) announced on Friday, February 26, 2021, that the Coronavirus fatalities in 497 cities had exceeded 222,000. The number of victims in Tehran is 52,726, Isfahan 14,305, Khuzestan 11,520, Mazandaran 9,392, Lorestan 9,193, East Azerbaijan 8,373, West Azerbaijan 8,293, Gilan 7,946, Fars 6,637, Sistan and Baluchestan 5,266, Kerman 4,919, Central Province 4,473, Yazd 4,077, North Khorasan 3,408, Zanjan 2,420, Hormozgan 2,410, and Bushehr 2,244.

#Iran Coronavirus Update

More than 222,000 people have died of the novel #coronavirus in 486 cities checkered across all of Iran's 31 provinces, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.

Full Reporthttps://t.co/0VkjFwoP3p pic.twitter.com/b1O6nsWQ5b

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 26, 2021

Internet shut down in southeast Iran amid protests over killing of Baluch fuel traders

16-year-old protester Hassan Mohammad Zehi (right) before being shot and killed by IRGC forces during the protests in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Reports say that the internet has been disrupted in various cities in Sistan and Baluchestan Province following days of protests across the province over the killing of Baluch fuel traders.

The internet was disrupted or completely shutdown since Wednesday afternoon in the cities of Chabahar, Iranshahr, Saravan, Zahedan and Zabol. Protests erupted on February 22, in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan Province, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) opened fire on cross border fuel traders, killing and wounding dozens of them.

Security forces violently drag injured Baluch protesters from hospital in volatile SE province

Injured Baluch protesters were violently dragged out of a hospital in southeastern Iran last night by security forces. Locals have been protesting for five days since the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) opened fire on Baluch fuel carriers on February 22 in Saravan.

The Baluch Activists Campaign said the injured Baluch protesters were dragged out from a hospital in Shuru near Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchestan province.

Townhall: Terrorism Ruling Presents Opportunity to Hold Tehran Accountable

By Ted Poe – While working on terrorism-related issues during my congressional career, I soon understood not only that Iran had earned its reputation as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, but also that the country’s leadership considered terrorism a viable replacement for standard political and diplomatic statecraft. A recent criminal court ruling in Belgium reinforces this fact.

Corruption at the Central Bank of Iran

Iranian state-run news agencies affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have announced the existence of massive corruption in the distribution of $35 billion in interventional currency at the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). What are the range of this corruption and its effects?

On February 21, IRGC-linked news agencies, including Tasnim and Mehr, announced the existence of widespread corruption in the distribution of $35 billion interventional currency in the CBI and the arrest of some senior executives of the government’s banking system.