THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:30 PM CEST
Treasury Maintains Pressure on Houthi Illicit Shipping and Finance Schemes
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating and identifying as blocked property a dozen persons and vessels, respectively, that have played a critical role in financing the Houthis’ destabilizing regional activities as part of the network of Sa’id al-Jamal. Today’s action includes Indonesia-based Malaysian and Singaporean national Mohammad Roslan Bin Ahmad and People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based Chinese national Zhuang Liang, who have facilitated illicit shipments and engaged in money laundering for the network. Sa’id al-Jamal’s network continues to provide tens of millions of dollars in revenue to the Houthis in Yemen through its shipment of Iranian commodities, including oil, a funding stream underpinning the Houthis’ ongoing attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This action targets numerous aspects of this illicit network across the spectrum of its operations, from clients and facilitators to insurance providers, vessels, and ship management firms.
Reflections on The 30th Anniversary of the AIMA Bombing
Thursday marks the 30th anniversary of one of the deadliest terrorist attacks to be carried out in the Western hemisphere. The bombing of the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association building on July 18, 1994, claimed 85 lives and left a trail of scandal in its wake which is still having repercussions to this day. No one has ever been held legally accountable for the incident, though it has become increasingly apparent over the past three decades that the attack was planned by the Iranian regime and carried out by its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah.
There were several other attacks in the 1980s and ‘90s that fit the same description and although the tactics of the regime and its terrorist agents have changed with time, the threat of their attacks has never gone away. I should know. Just last November, I narrowly avoided an attempt on my own life which clearly fit the modus operandi of mercenaries in Tehran’s employ. My would-be assassin approached me outside my home in Madrid and fired a single shot at my head before fleeing on the back of a motorcycle driven by an accomplice. If I had not turned my head in response to the gunman’s voice, I would have been killed on the spot.
UPDATE: 6:30 PM CEST
Former Trump Defense Secretary Urges Biden to Do More to Stop Iran’s Threats on Officials
ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, one of the Trump administration officials under constant security because of Iranian threats, said Wednesday that it was time for the Biden administration “to do better than just playing defense.”
His remarks were some of the first from one of the targeted Trump administration officials since reports this week that the latest threat to former President Donald Trump’s life from Iran led to beefed-up security in the days ahead of an unrelated assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee at a campaign rally Saturday.
U.S. intelligence and security officials say Iran is intent on revenge for the 2020 killing of Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani, which Trump ordered as president.
UPDATE: 2:30 PM CEST
Milei at the Event for the 30th Anniversary of the AMIA Attack
Javier Milei will attend the event for the 30th anniversary of the AMIA attack this morning, along with a significant portion of his Cabinet. This follows yesterday’s threats from the Iranian regime against the Argentine government due to their hostile relationship. The President will be seated in the front row, in front of the building at 633 Pasteur Street in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Once.
Every year, the event will begin at 9:53 a.m., the time of the attack, marked by the sounding of sirens. The event will include the participation of victims’ relatives and international figures, including Presidents Luis Lacalle Pou of Uruguay and Santiago Peña of Paraguay.
Sen. Dan Sullivan to Newsmax: Stop Appeasing Iran
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, is disturbed about reports of an Iranian plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump, showing the problem with the Biden administration’s appeasement of Iran. “The Iranians supply and train and arm the Houthis,” Sullivan told Newsmax‘s “The Record With Greta Van Susteren.”
“The Houthis have been shooting missiles at all kinds of maritime, vessels and vessels, including the U.S. Navy. The Iranians had a spy ship next to our navy in the Red Sea, giving the Houthis targeting information on our ships. Why have we not sunk those spy ships? Why are those Iranian spy ships not at the bottom of the sea?”
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CEST
Ex-Trump Officials Say They Asked The Biden DOJ for Protection from Iranian Threats but Never Got an Answer
WASHINGTON — Three former Trump administration officials who say they were warned that Iran had targeted them wrote a letter to the Justice Department 18 months ago asking for help protecting them, but never received a response, according to the officials.
“It is clear there are specific, credible threats against us and our families by Iran and those inspired to act on Iran’s behalf,” the officials wrote in the letter, a copy of which they provided to NBC News. “This necessitates urgent steps to improve our physical and cyber security.”
The officials are former deputy national security adviser Matthew Pottinger and two top officials who focused on the Middle East at the National Security Council, Victoria Coates, and Robert Greenway.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
Sham Presidential Election Further Fractures Iran’s Regime
Before being appointed as the Iranian regime’s new president, Massoud Pezeshkisn repeatedly emphasized his loyalty to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the continuation of the deceased Ebrahim Raisi’s path. He visited Raisi’s home and described his disastrous presidency as a “valuable and unforgettable effort” and expressed his “appreciation” for it. Pezeshkian, in his congratulatory message to Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the terrorist Hezbollah group in Lebanon, expressed his full support for him, emphasizing that this support “is rooted in the fundamental policies of the system and the ideals of Khomeini and guidelines of Khamenei.”
These statements by Pezeshkian were praised by the regime’s Friday prayer leaders and state-run media.
Iran’s Subsidy Reforms Amidst Spiraling Poverty
In a bid to achieve “justice in payment,” the Iranian regime is set to implement sweeping changes to household tithing, aiming to make subsidies more targeted. This initiative, as reported by ISNA news agency, involves a comprehensive review of household data and per capita income, including individual and family salaries, vehicle ownership, bank accounts and transactions, ‘Satna’ and ‘Paya’ accounts, stock market activity, and more. Many experts believe that the regime’s plan is a double-edged sword: while it aims to increase subsidies for the most impoverished segments of society, it simultaneously seeks to exclude a significant number of recipients from the subsidy payment system. The state-run newspaper Donya-e Eghtesad highlighted that some individuals, due to their job conditions, exhibit high account turnover, placing them in the top decile in household economic analyses.
From Promising to Kill Trump to Denying It: The Iranian Regime’s Stance
“We are seeking to, God willing, kill Trump and Pompeo.” This statement was made by Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, on a TV program on February 24, 2023. Now, after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the Iranian regime has backtracked, claiming it never intended to assassinate him. Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday, July 17: “Iran is pursuing legal action against Donald Trump but strongly denies any involvement in the recent armed attack on Trump or claims of intent to do so, considering such claims to have malicious political motives.”
Nikki Haley: The Iranian Regime Can Be Responsible for Any Problem in the Middle East
In her speech at the National Republican Convention, Nikki Haley stated that the Iranian regime could be held responsible for any problem in the Middle East. The former United States Ambassador to the United Nations said that the dictators who chant “Death to America” in Iran are the financial backers and weapons suppliers of Hamas and Hezbollah. In another part of her speech, Haley said that during Trump’s time, the Iranian regime was much weaker and incapable of starting any war because they knew Trump was serious and feared him.
Haley also pointed out that lifting sanctions and begging the regime to return to the nuclear deal has resulted in a greater threat from Tehran and its proxy forces in the region.
Iran-Linked Hackers Target Middle East Targets
A hacker group linked to the Iranian regime has targeted organizations active in various Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, in a new cyber campaign. According to research by the cybersecurity company Check Point, the hacker group known as MuddyWater has attacked Azerbaijan, Portugal, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and India, in addition to Israel, using a new proprietary malware. This malware allows hackers to remotely execute commands on systems and transfer files between infected devices and servers. According to cybersecurity researchers, despite its low technical quality, the MuddyWater malware is continually being developed and improved by hackers.
Maryam Mehrabi’s Hunger Strike in Solitary Confinement at Isfahan Prison
Maryam Mehrabi, Sister of Political Prisoner Sentenced to Execution, Mahmoud Mehrabi, Goes on Hunger Strike in Protest against Unlawful Detention and Deprivation of Prisoner Rights, including the Right to Communication and Visitation. Based on the reports received by Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM), Maryam Mehrabi has been on a hunger strike for over two weeks. She is currently held in solitary confinement in the women’s prison of Dolatabad in Isfahan. Mrs. Mehrabi has been hospitalized multiple times during her detention. The inability to have visitation and communication has caused increased concerns for her family.
Based on the reports received by Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM), Maryam Mehrabi has been on a hunger strike for over two weeks. She is currently held in solitary confinement in the women’s prison of Dolatabad in Isfahan. Mrs. Mehrabi has been hospitalized multiple times during her detention. The inability to have visitation and communication has caused increased concerns for her family.
Iranians Commemorated Ashoura in Numerous Cities and Villages Across The Nation
On July 16, 2024, Iranians observed Ashoura in numerous cities and villages across the nation. Streets, businesses, residences, and mosques were adorned with symbols of Shiite devotion and penitence. Red banners symbolized Hussein’s sacrifice, black mourning tents, and attire signified sorrow, and processions of men beating their chests and engaging in self-flagellation demonstrated fervor. Some people sprayed water over the participants in the intense heat.
Ashoura is a significant day of remembrance in Islam. More than 1,340 years after Hussein’s death, it is observed annually on the tenth of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. This day commemorates the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, who played a pivotal role in shaping the Shiite faith. Many Iranians also traveled to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is interred in a gold-domed shrine, to mourn.
MEK Supporters Rally in Toronto: Denouncing Sham Trial of MEK Members, Supporting the PMOI
Toronto, Canada—July 13, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally against the regime’s sham trial of MEK members. They expressed their full support for the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran against the regime’s criminal actions.
Zurich, Switzerland—July 15, 2024: MEK Supporters Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Zurich, Switzerland—July 15, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran(PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to support the Iranian Revolution.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – July 17, 2024
