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UPDATE: 6:30 PM CET
Khamenei’s Iran Executes over 1,000 Prisoners in 2024 Amid Widespread Human Rights Violations
The Islamic Republic of Iran, under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, executed over 1,000 prisoners in 2024 — a shocking record in recent decades amid escalating regime desperation, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Iran’s theocratic regime’s death toll marks an unprecedented surge in executions, according to a new report from the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
The executions occurred across 86 prisons and included 34 women, seven juvenile offenders, and 119 Baluch minorities, with four public hangings adding to the chilling trend.
Alarmingly, nearly half of these executions were concentrated in the final quarter of 2024, coinciding with mounting economic, social, and political crises. Analysts suggest this surge reflects the regime’s efforts to suppress growing dissent and stave off its downfall.
UPDATE: 11:00 AM CET
Iran Is Weaker Than It’s Been for Decades as It Prepares for Trump to Take Office Again
Last May, Iran’s then-president took a victory lap during the first visit by an Iranian leader to Syria since 2010.
Ebrahim Raisi praised key ally Bashar Assad for his “victory,” having beaten back rebel forces with Iranian and Russian help, and for defying sanctions to hold on to power.
Less than a year later, the picture looks much grimmer for Iran’s foreign influence, not just in Syria but across the wider region.
Assad was deposed after a lightning campaign by rebels in December, and Western officials on Tuesday told The Wall Street Journal that Syria had withdrawn most of its troops from the country that was once at the heart of its strategy to project power across the Middle East.
The US Must Restore Maximum Pressure Against Iran
Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, is making rapid progress on its nuclear program. President-elect Donald Trump must thwart Tehran’s ambitions.
The incoming Trump administration will inherit an Iran policy whose failures are only too apparent.
The Islamic Republic has spent the last four years running roughshod over America and its allies. Iran has steadily expanded its influence in Yemen and Iraq and, until recently, Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza. Tehran’s terrorist proxies, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Houthis, have launched attacks against Israel, Gulf nations, and shipping lanes that are essential for global trade. Iranian-backed groups have launched dozens of attacks on U.S. troops, wounding and killing Americans.
How Iran Moves Sanctioned Oil Around the World
REUTERS Special Report – Despite some of the West’s toughest sanctions, Iran has built a roaring global trade for its oil. It relies on a shadow fleet of tankers that conceal their activities to skirt sanctions, and willing buyers in Asia to keep its economy afloat and to finance anti-Western militias in the Middle East.
Tehran’s oil exports brought in $53 billion in 2023 and $54 billion a year earlier, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates, and output during 2024 was running at its highest since 2018, based on OPEC data.
It was former U.S. President Donald Trump who ditched the West’s nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil in 2018. Set to return to the White House in January, Trump is expected to once again target Iran’s oil industry with “maximum pressure”, say Iranian, Arab, and Western officials.
France Says Conditions of Citizens Held in Iran Akin to Torture
PARIS, Jan 7 (Reuters) – The situation of three French citizens held in Iran is worsening with some being detained in conditions similar to torture, France’s foreign minister said on Tuesday, adding that future ties and any lifting of sanctions would depend on their fate.
French officials have toughened their language towards Iran in recent weeks, notably over the advancement of its nuclear programme and regional activities, but also the detention of European citizens in the country.
President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Iran was “the main strategic and security challenge” for France and Europe, with Iran nearing the point of no-return on its nuclear programme.
Iran: Rise in Executions Deeply Troubling – UN Human Rights Chief
GENEVA – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday said he was deeply troubled by the marked increase in executions in Iran last year. At least 901 people were reportedly executed in 2024, including some 40 in one week alone in December. At least 853 people were executed in 2023.
“It is deeply disturbing that yet again we see an increase in the number of people subjected to the death penalty in Iran year-on-year,” said Türk. “It is high time Iran stemmed this ever-swelling tide of executions.”
Most of the executions last year were for drug-related offences, but dissidents and people connected to the 2022 protests were also executed. There was also a rise in the number of women executed.
Iran Pulls Most of Its Forces Out of Syria as Rebels Rebuild after Fall of Assad Regime: Report
Iran has pulled out nearly all of its forces from Syria following the rebels’ victory against the Assad regime, dealing a major blow to Tehran’s influence in the region, officials said. Iranian forces, which had long been present in Syria under an alliance with President Bashar al-Assad, are all but gone as its members have all either fled or been ordered to withdraw since the rebels took over the nation last month, Western and Arab officials told the Wall Street Journal.
Images of abandoned military vehicles, weapons and equipment near the border with Lebanon suggest many Iranian soldiers were forced to quickly flee as the rebels took Syria in just 11 days.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
Exclusive: China’s Shandong Port, Entry Point for Most Sanctioned Oil, Bans US-Designated Vessels
SINGAPORE/BEIJING, Jan 7 (Reuters) – Shandong Port Group has banned U.S.-sanctioned tankers from calling into its ports in the eastern Chinese province, home to many independent refiners that are the biggest importers of oil from countries under U.S. embargo, three traders said.
The province imported about 1.74 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Iran, Russia and Venezuela last year, accounting for about 17% of China’s imports, ship tracking data from Kpler showed.
If enforced, the ban would drive up shipping costs for independent refiners in Shandong, the main buyers of discounted sanctioned crude from the three countries, the traders added.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CET
2024 Report: PMOI Resistance Units Lead Courageous Activities for Iran’s Freedom
Throughout 2024, the PMOI Resistance Units emerged as the unwavering torchbearers of Iran’s uprising, instilling hope and courage among the oppressed. In daring defiance of the regime’s brutal security apparatus, these activists conducted widespread operations, from commemorating martyrs to marking pivotal events like the anniversary of Massoud Rajavi’s release from the prisons of the Shah regime. Across cities such as Tehran, Zahedan, Shiraz, and Kermanshah, they showcased their resilience through banners, graffiti, and public demonstrations, echoing slogans like “Death to the oppressor” and “Woman, Resistance, Freedom.”
The Resistance Units also rejected the regime’s sham elections and dictatorship, actively boycotting and dismantling regime propaganda. Their defiance carried immense risk, with affiliation to the PMOI punishable by death or severe repression. Yet, their actions persist, projecting images of freedom and democracy, and uniting Iran’s people in their aspiration for change. Against all odds, the PMOI Resistance Units remain a beacon of hope for a liberated Iran.
How The Death of Qasem Soleimani Weakened The Foundations of Iran’s Regime
The death of Qassem Soleimani on January 3, 2020, was one of the most significant political and military events with far-reaching impacts on Iran, the region, and the world. As the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Soleimani played a central role in exporting terrorism and regional warmongering. Due to his extensive actions in the region and systematic crimes, he was one of the most detested figures of the regime after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
On the fifth anniversary of this event and following the domino-like collapse of the strategic depth of the Iranian regime, it is clearer how the death of this criminal significantly weakened the foundation of religious fascism.
The Root Causes of Iran’s Energy Imbalance: Subsidies, Inefficiencies, and Rent-Seeking Structures
On Saturday, January 4, the Iranian regime’s President Masoud Pezeshkian announced the establishment of the “Energy Optimization and Strategic Management Organization” during a working group meeting to address the country’s energy imbalance. The meeting, attended by the heads of the three branches of government, emphasized the urgent need to reform Iran’s energy consumption policies. Among the proposals discussed were plans to fine high-consumption households and offer economic incentives to low-consumption ones.
However, the government’s focus on household energy consumption overlooks a critical fact: official statistics reveal that the majority of energy waste occurs in large industries, not in the household sector. Key industries like petrochemicals and steel dominate gas and electricity consumption, and their inefficient practices are a primary driver of the country’s energy crisis. Yet, government policies remain concentrated on influencing citizens’ consumption habits while largely neglecting industrial reform.
Fuel Smuggling in Iran: A Crisis Tied to Corruption and Mismanagement
Iran is grappling with an ongoing fuel smuggling crisis that drains billions of dollars from its economy each year. While Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian regime’s president, recently claimed that 20 to 30 million liters of fuel are smuggled daily, many speculate that elements within the regime itself are deeply involved in this illicit trade to cover financial deficits. Pezeshkian’s revelation sparked applause from some members of the so-called reformist faction, who hailed his “bravery” in exposing the smuggling mafia. However, mounting evidence suggests that the real orchestrator behind the fuel smuggling operation is the regime’s own Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a powerful and shadowy force with extensive economic and political influence.
Surge in Femicide Victims in Iran
Welcome to the NCRI Women’s Committee podcast. As always, we are here to amplify the voices of women in Iran and shed light on the struggles they face under the clerical regime. Today, we delve into one of the most horrifying and systemic issues plaguing Iranian women: femicide and honor killings. To begin, let us remember Ghazaaleh Hodoodi, a 27-year-old mother from Sanandaj, whose life was tragically cut short just last week. This young woman’s story is heartbreaking, and her case is emblematic of the institutionalized violence women endure daily in Iran.
Could you tell us more about Ghazaaleh’s story and what makes her case particularly significant?
Global Support for the 29th Free Iran Telethon: United for Freedom
January 7, 2025: Iranian communities and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) around the world are coming together to support the 29th Free Iran Telethon, scheduled from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19, 2025. Through powerful video messages and images, they are inviting fellow Iranians to participate in this pivotal event, which aims to support Simay-e-Azadi (INTV).
As the first 24/7 Persian-speaking opposition TV network, Simay-e-Azadi serves as a vital platform for the voiceless, amplifying the hopes and aspirations of the Iranian people for a free and democratic Iran. Completely independent, the channel relies on the contributions of freedom-loving Iranians and global supporters of democracy.
MEK Supporters Rally in Toronto on January 4, 2025, to Condemn Crimes of Iran’s Regime
Toronto, Canada—January 4, 2025: Iranians dedicated to freedom and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) gathered in Toronto to protest the rising wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. The rally also called for the immediate release of all political prisoners held in the prisons of the mullahs’ regime and expressed unwavering solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.