THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:30 AM CET
Amex Closed 30 Accounts Potentially Tied to Iran’s Government
Feb 7 (Reuters) – U.S. credit card giant American Express (AXP.N), opens new tab identified and closed 30 consumer accounts in 2024 that it said could have had ties to the Government of Iran.
The accounts were only used for personal expenses, AmEx said in a regulatory filing on Friday. It also ended its relationship with a third-party ATM network provider, which was connected to an Iranian bank sanctioned by the U.S. government.
The company said it had voluntarily reported the activity to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Gross revenue and net profit attributable to these transactions were negligible, it added.
UPDATE: 8:30 AM CET
Resistance Units Across Iran Commemorate PMOI Martyrs
The Resistance Units, an underground network of supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), have organized various activities across Iran to commemorate the legacy of Ashraf Rajavi, Mousa Khiabani, and other prominent members of the PMOI were killed by the Iranian regime on February 8, 1982, in an attempt by the regime to crush the resistance.
Marking the anniversary, Resistance Units placed posters and banners with images of the martyrs in major cities, paying tribute to their sacrifice. Messages accompanying these images described Ashraf Rajavi and Mousa Khiabani as “eternal symbols of freedom in Iran,” emphasizing the continuation of their struggle against the ruling theocracy.
Iran’s Regime Is Approaching Negotiations with The U.S. with Contradiction and Confusion
Negotiations with the U.S. have become a hot topic in Iran’s regime-affiliated media. At the same time, confusion, infighting, and power struggles among the ruling factions have intensified. Some, like journalist Mohammad Ali Vakili, have already determined that negotiations will take place. On February 2, he wrote in Shargh newspaper, “The heads of the three branches have a unified stance on this issue. Overall, the ruling establishment has reached a consensus on negotiations. As long as national interests and security are at stake, the state’s unified position will be to proceed with negotiations.”
When confronted with the question of why, despite this “consensus,” there are deafening slogans in the regime’s Majlis (parliament) and protests by extremist street demonstrators in shrouds, he dismisses them as “scattered voices” and says: “These scattered voices opposing negotiations or confronting figures like former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Masoud Pezeshkian are merely remnants of entrenched radicalism in the country. As such, these occasional objections will no longer have much impact. They are not even worth addressing or analyzing.”
US Dollar and Gold Coins Hit Record Price Against Iran’s Rial
As the value of the rial continues to plummet, the exchange rate of the US dollar in Iran’s free market has reached a new record of 860,000 rials. Meanwhile, economic protests are ongoing, and reports indicate rising prices of essential goods.
According to reports on Thursday, February 6, the exchange rate of one US dollar in Iran’s free market has now surpassed 860,000 rials, while the euro is trading in the 890,000-rial range.
Reports also indicate that the price of a single gold coin has exceeded 690 million rials and is on the verge of entering the 70-million-toman range.
Flawed Economic Policies and Foreign Exchange Corruption in Iran; An Obstacle to Growth and Livelihoods
Hussein Selahvarzi, the former head of Iran’s regime Chamber of Commerce, revealed corruption in foreign exchange and the government’s flawed economic policies in an interview with the state-run media outlet Shafaqna on February 3. He believes that price controls and misguided Central Bank policies have not only created rent-seeking opportunities and corruption but have also had widespread negative effects on exports and the country’s trade balance.
Selahvarzi, referring to the recent foreign exchange crisis, stated: “In recent years, due to the establishment of unrealistic exchange rates, many have sought to gain the largest share of foreign currency resources. This unhealthy competition, especially under political pressure on the Central Bank, has led to increased corruption in foreign exchange and inefficiency in the economy.”
Paris Free Iran Rally, February 8, 2025: A Symbol of the Ongoing Fight for Freedom
On Feb 8 in Paris, Iranians will gather to honor the anti-monarchic revolution and advocate for a #FreeIran2025. Join the stand against dictatorship. Simay Azadi will cover the event! #ParisFreeIranRally pic.twitter.com/5x4JTpPIgs
— SIMAY AZADI TV (@en_simayazadi) January 29, 2025
On February 8, 2025, Iranians and supporters of the Iranian Resistance will gather at the Paris Free Iran Rally to mark the anniversary of the 1979 anti-monarchic revolution and advocate for a democratic alternative amid growing pressures on the regime.
Dorchester Exhibition Condemns Iran’s Human Rights Violations, Calls for Regime Change and Justice
Dorchester, UK – February 6, 2025: The Academics in Exile Association, in support of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), hosted a book and photo exhibition to protest the death sentences handed down to political prisoners linked to the PMOI. The organizers strongly denounced the Iranian regime’s continued human rights violations and expressed their solidarity with the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom.