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UPDATE: 8:30 AM
Whistleblowers Revive Claims Against StanChart Over Iran Transactions
The Financial Times reported on June 3 that whistleblowers have alleged the discovery of billions of dollars in previously undetected transactions by Standard Chartered with Iran-linked entities, including sanctioned companies and terrorist organizations. These transactions were uncovered after the whistleblowers re-examined spreadsheets and documents initially provided to US authorities in 2012 and 2013, revealing hidden data. The whistleblowers are seeking to revive a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court in 2012 and overturn the dismissal of their claim.
The newly found data has prompted the whistleblowers, including a former StanChart executive, to accuse the US government of committing a “colossal fraud on the court” by asserting they failed to provide substantial evidence for enforcement actions against the bank. In response, StanChart dismissed the filing as another attempt to use fabricated claims and expressed confidence that the courts would reject these claims as they have in the past.
With the help of a forensic investigator, the whistleblowers discovered hidden data covering over half a million financial transactions, including $9.6 billion in transactions with sanctioned entities related to Iran and $100 billion in forex transactions tied to the clerical regime. The transactions allegedly occurred between 2008 and 2013, despite StanChart’s 2007 announcement to cease new business with Iranian customers.
US Targets Iran Drone Procurement Network, Accuses It of Aiding Russia
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a network it said was helping procure sensitive parts for Iran’s drone program, and accused Tehran of supplying Russia with drones to support Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The network has facilitated shipments and financial transactions in support of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) procurement of a critical component used in Iran’s Shahed-136 drones, the Treasury Department said in a statement.
The move is the latest in a series of recent sanctions on Iran. Wednesday’s action targets entities and individuals in Iran, China, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the department said.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM
Iran’s Regime’s Poor Propaganda Efforts to Glorify An Executioner
The collective memory and socio-political recollections of the Iranian people regarding the rule of the mullahs have become a curse to their existence and credibility.
The officials of Iran’s regime have so thoroughly destroyed humanity, words, and human rights that no amount of their propaganda will amend the reputation of the living or dead officials of this regime.
The current frenzied propaganda to restore the reputation of a deceased executioner has this exact nature.The media of the mullahs’ regime are fully engaged in propagandizing to sanitize Iranian regime president Ebrahim Raisi to portray him as free of any crime or atrocity and to create a mythological figure out of him.
Mandatory Hijab: A Religious Pretext to Suppress Freedom
The fourth article of the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s plan for women’s freedoms and rights emphasizes the fundamental right to freely choose clothing. This article stands as a democratic response to the oppressive imposition of mandatory hijab, which has been enforced under the guise of religion.
Before the establishment of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in 1979, Khomeini (the regime’s founder) declared hijab mandatory with the stark ultimatum: “either the veil or a hit on the head.” Female members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI, the core organization of the NCRI), who themselves wore hijab, courageously shielded other women against sticks and clubs. Their mission? To defend freedom of choice at any cost.
Iran’s Energy Industry: Challenges Amidst Political and Economic Turmoil
Iran’s energy industry is grappling with numerous challenges. Despite these difficulties, the state-run media is frequently ordered to emphasize the regime’s purported increase in oil exports over recent years, even as international sanctions continue to burden various economic sectors.
Iran’s Minister of Petroleum, Javad Oji, has highlighted several key issues, including ongoing energy imbalances, the need for optimized energy consumption, and the development of oil and gas fields, especially joint fields. According to Oji, the regime’s demised president Ebrahim Raisi has repeatedly emphasized the importance of increasing production, exports, and job creation to boost national income.
Despite these assertions, a report from the International Energy Agency indicates that Iran spent $100 billion on energy subsidies last year. This expenditure undermines government efforts to reduce the budget deficit, with the financial burden ultimately falling on the people, who already face inflation and diminished purchasing power due to government borrowing.
Decrease in Demand for Fish Meat Due to Reduced Purchasing Power of People in Iran
Mehdi Yousefkhani, the head of the Tehran Union of Poultry and Fish Sellers, reported a decrease in demand for fish due to the reduced purchasing power of the people.
Yousefkhani told the regime’s ILNA news agency on Sunday, June 2, “The current trend in the market for various aquatic animals, including fish, is that the prices of both farmed and wild-caught fish are higher than what people can afford.”
He added that currently, throughout all seasons of the year, there is a decline in demand for both wild-caught and farmed fish. According to this trade official, the price of fish plays a significant role in people’s choices, and given that the prices of farmed fish are significantly lower than those of wild-caught fish, the demand for farmed fish is higher.
Canada, Toronto—June 1, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution.
Toronto, Canada—June 1, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. They also protested against the increasing wave of executions by the Iranian regime.
Germany—June 1, 2024: MEK Supporters Rallies and Exhibitions in Bremen, Hanover, Kassel, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Berlin, and Aachen in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Germany—June 1, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held rallies and exhibitions in Bremen, Hanover, Kassel, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Berlin, and Aachen to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. They also protested against the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – June 3, 2024