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Iran News in Brief – June 9, 2023

iranian resistance activism 07062023

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS

UPDATE: 10:30 PM CET

United States Issues Advisory to Industry on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Activity Connected to Iran

the U.S. Department of Justice sentenced Behrooz Behroozian, a 64-year-old resident of Ohio to 20 months in prison for violating U.S sanctions by sending industrial and oil technology to Iran’s regime

The Departments of Justice, Commerce, State and Treasury today issued an advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public to the threat posed by Iran’s procurement, development and proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The advisory informs private industry of key components Iran seeks to develop its UAV program and entities involved in the procurement, production, and proliferation of Iranian UAVs. The advisory also provides recommendations to exporters, manufacturers, distributors, and financial institutions on implementing effective due diligence and internal controls – specifically, relevant to Iran’s UAV-related activities – to ensure compliance with legal requirements across the entire supply chain and to avoid unintentionally contributing to Iran’s UAV programs.

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Reps. Tenney, Gottheimer Lead Letter Urging European Allies to Initiate Snapback Sanctions on Iran

claudia tenney logo

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), alongside Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), today sent a bipartisan letter to the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3), encouraging the countries to initiate snapback sanctions on Iran under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2231. This action by the United States E3 partners would reimpose sanctions on the Iranian regime that were removed under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The letter is among the first and most high-profile bipartisan efforts calling for snapback sanctions on Iran.

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Rosen Joins Colleagues in Introducing Bipartisan Bill To Bolster Sanctions Against Iran

senator jacky rosen website logo (1)

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce the bipartisan Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act, which would sanction foreign ports and refineries that process Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. This bill aims to stop Iran from using oil sales to fund its malign actions against the United States and partners in the Middle East. According to reports, as of February 2023, Chinese oil refineries were processing and refining approximately 1.2 million barrels of Iranian oil per day, with resulting profits being used by Iran to fund illicit activities.

“Iran has been unrelenting in its pursuit of nuclear weapons and its support for terrorist groups,” said Senator Rosen. “To achieve these goals, Iran relies on funds from illicit oil sales that violate U.S. sanctions. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen sanctions on ports and refineries that receive and process Iranian oil and will help reign in Iran’s ability to engage in destabilizing activities.”

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Tehran Ships Drones to Russia Over Caspian Sea for Deployment on Ukraine Front, U.S. Says

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WASHINGTON—The U.S. said Friday that Iran ships drones to Russia over the Caspian Sea en route to the battlefield in Ukraine, declassifying intelligence to show the two countries’ deepening security relationship.

The Biden administration for the first time said that Iranian drones and associated equipment have been shipped across the Caspian from the Port of Amirabad in Iran to Makhachkala, Russia, then transported overland to airports near the front for deployment against Ukrainian troops. The U.S. also released a satellite image it said showed a location in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone where Russia and Iran are building a drone-manufacturing plant. The plant is expected to be operational early next year, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

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UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET

Iran Protests at a Glance

Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran

Friday, June 9, 2023 – 8 PM GMT + 1

Brave Baluchis in the restive city of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan & Baluchestan in southeast Iran, took to the streets on Friday in new anti-regime protests and rejection of any kind of dictatorship in their country.

Some of the slogans chanted during Friday’s demonstration are as follows:

“We swear on the blood of our compatriots that we will stand to the end!”

“My martyred brother, I will avenge your blood!”

“Political prisoners must be released!”

“Iranians, unity, revolution, freedom!”

“So many years of crimes! Down with [the mullahs’ regime]!”

Brave youths in Shahreza, Isfahan Province, attacked a base of the IRGC premilitary Basij units in response to the mullahs’ recent wave of executions.

More than 1,220 City Council members from 270 cities across the United Kingdom have issued a joint statement voicing their support for the Iranian people’s anti-regime uprising and the ten-point plan of Iranian opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi for a free and democratic republic in Iran.

Incoming reports from inside Iran indicate that two inmates were executed on Thursday in the prisons of Qazvin (northwest Iran) and Zahedan (southeast Iran).


UPDATE: 4:00 PM CET

US Lawmakers Urge E3 to Trigger Snapback of UN Sanctions on Iranian Regime

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Representatives from the United States Congress have sent a joint letter to the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, urging them to activate the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) and snapback procedure outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. The letter, signed by members of both the Republican and Democratic parties, emphasizes the Iranian regime’s significant noncompliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and its rapid progress toward nuclear weaponization.

Citing verified evidence, including reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the letter highlights Tehran’s violations of the JCPOA, such as enriching uranium above the allowed limit and accumulating an excessive stockpile. The signatories express concern over the regime’s nonproliferation commitments and the potential threat it poses to regional and international peace and security.

The letter further emphasizes the impending expiration of the UN’s prohibitions on Iranian transfers of long-range drones and ballistic missile systems, urging the leaders to trigger snapback sanctions before October 2023. The reimplementation of UN sanctions would also restore the expired conventional arms embargo on Iran and prevent the complete expiration of nuclear sanctions in October 2025, they state.

The letter represents a bipartisan effort to address the regime’s nuclear ambitions and seeks to reaffirm the alliance between the United States and its European partners. It calls for swift action in response to Tehran’s noncompliance and urges the leaders to act decisively to uphold the JCPOA and international security.

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State Officials Report Seven Deaths in Recent Floods and Storms in Iran

The head of the regime’s emergency organization revealed today that the death toll resulting from the floods and storms over the past 24 hours amounts to six individuals, including a tragic loss of an eight-year-old child.

On June 9, at 12 PM local time, the state-run Entekhab website provided a report stating that the unfortunate incident had resulted in seven fatalities and left 59 individuals injured.

The affected regions encompass a number of provinces, namely Isfahan, East Azarbaijan, Tehran, Zanjan, Semnan, Qazvin, and Mazandaran, as well as the inundation caused by the overflowing Gotvand Dam in Masjid Suleiman, located in Khuzestan province. State-provided statistics confirm the loss of at least six lives to date, while the number of injured surpasses 53. In addition, the devastating weather events have resulted in the destruction of numerous houses in the affected area.

سیل د رکرج محلهٔ حاجی‌آباد

Tragic circumstances unfolded as one person lost their life and two others sustained injuries during the recent flood in Ahar, East Azerbaijan province, Northwestern Iran. The torrential downpour resulted in the blockade of the Firuzkoh to the Semnan axis. Furthermore, eight villages located on the outskirts of the Gotvand Dam in Khuzestan province fell victim to flooding.

According to official reports from state media, the floodwaters inundated eight villages situated along the edge of the Gotvand Dam in Khuzestan province. The rising water levels have reached the rooftops of some houses, and residencies located in higher areas are also being affected by the floodwaters, which are penetrating into their interiors.

سیل در چاشم و منطقه آبمند در استان سمنان

The deputy governor of Firuzkuh, announced the closure of the Firozkuh axis to Semnan as a result of widespread flooding, stating, “The flood is advancing towards the city.” The deluge has also caused damage to fields and gardens in Pushtkuh village.

According to the Mehr state news agency, heavy rainfall has triggered flooding in several villages within Firouzkuh County in Tehran province, including Kamand, Seranza, Gur Sefid, and Terroud.

سیل در دهیار نُهوج اردستان


UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET

US Treasury Lists 15 Iran-Linked Oil Tankers under Panama Flag

US treasury department

The US Treasury Department issued a statement on June 8, informing the public about updates to the anti-terrorism list and the listings associated with the Iranian regime. Additionally, the nuclear non-proliferation list has also been updated.

The US Treasury Department provided the following information: The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added the following individuals to its Special Designated Persons List:

  • AL-MAINUKI, Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali
  • AL-RUFAY’I, Abdallah Makki Muslih

The following changes have been made to OFAC’s SDN List:

  • Ark tanker
  • Belma tanker
  • Caspian tanker
  • Daniel tanker
  • Horse tanker
  • Nasha oil tanker
  • Sana oil tanker
  • Seacliff oil tanker
  • Sea Star III tanker
  • Serena oil tanker
  • Sylvia oil tanker
  • Sol tanker
  • Sonia tanker
  • Stark tanker
  • Starla tanker

These changes have been incorporated into the List of Specially Designated Persons maintained by the OFAC. The US Department of Treasury conducted the listing process, and these tankers, which are associated with the National Oil Company of the Iranian regime and bear the flag of Panama, have been included in the list.


UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET

Protests in Iran Continue as Elected UK Officials Issue Historic Support

iran retirees protests 08062023

Protests by people from all walks of life continue their protests in Iran despite the mullahs’ regime taking grave measures in an effort to confront the restive society, including an extending wave of executions. The country’s nosediving economy is pushing more Iranians into poverty while tens of millions across the country can barely make ends meet. As this confrontation inside Iran continues, elected officials in the United Kingdom have issued a joint statement announcing their support for the Iranian people’s revolution and the ten-point plan of Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). This is in line with similar support and solidarity by the majority of parliaments across Europe, including SloveniaIceland, and Scotland.

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How Tehran’s Seventh Development Plan Causes Modern Slavery

iran seventh development plan mohammad mokhber

From eradicating poverty to controlling inflation, making public services free, or introducing consecutive development plans, Iran’s regime has been relentlessly making bogus claims to improve the economy while refraining from any action to address the Iranian people’s problems. While Iranians from all walks of life suffer from the country’s financial calamity, the plight of workers is far more deplorable and the true form of modern slavery. In recent days, regime president Ebrahim Raisi introduces his so-called “seventh development plan” with much fanfare about its “benefits for workers.” However, a closer look at this program and the recent admissions by the state-run media debunk Raisi’s lies.

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How Iran’s Regime Squanders Its Budget on Propaganda and Security Spending

How Irans Regime Squanders Its Budget On Propaganda And Security Spending

In recent years, the Iranian regime has encountered numerous challenges, including economic downturn, societal unrest, and geopolitical tensions. These factors have significantly influenced the regime’s priorities, resulting in the allocation of substantial resources to its security entities. The aim of strengthening these entities is to uphold internal stability, counter perceived threats, and assert regional influence. Over the past five years, a review of budgets reveals significant increases in various institutions. The budget of the Ministry of Information escalated from 5,825 billion tomans in 2018 to 7,291 billion tomans in 2019.

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Are Civil Disobedience Strategies Effective in Overthrowing Religious Fascism?

Are civil disobedience strategies effective in overthrowing religious fascism

Strategies of Civil Disobedience: The people of Iran are currently engaged in a struggle against one of the most terrifying, savage, and corrupt religious dictatorships in world history. This struggle began with the overthrow of the monarchical regime of the Shah and has experienced many ups and downs. We have now reached a point where, according to all undeniable evidence, the tyrannical regime of the Mullahs’ regime has tested its ability to commit any form of crime, including anti-national wars, massacres, mass killings of political opponents, the assassination of writers and intellectuals, and the persecution of political activists inside and outside the country.

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Freedom-Loving Iranians and MEK Supporters in Vienna to the U.S. and EU: Enough of Appeasement, Activate the Trigger Mechanism!

MEK Supporters in Vienna to the U.S. and EU: Enough of Appeasement, Activate the Trigger Mechanism!

Vienna, Austria—June 7, 2023: For the second day freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally at the same time as the Board of Governors meeting against appeasement policy with the Mullahs’ regime.

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June 7, 2023: MEK Supporters Held Rallies and Exhibitions in Support of the Iran Revolution, in Berlin, Stockholm, Zurich, and Düsseldorf

June 7, 2023: MEK Supporters Held Rallies and Exhibitions in Berlin, Stockholm, Zurich, & Düsseldorf

June 7, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held rallies and photo exhibitions in Berlin, Stockholm, Zurich, and Düsseldorf. They expressed their solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.

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Also, read Iran News in Brief – June 8, 2023