THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 7:30 PM CET
Treasury Sanctions Swedish Gang and Leader Serving Iranian Regime
WASHINGTON — Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Foxtrot Network, a transnational criminal organization (TCO) primarily based in Sweden that has trafficked illicit drugs and carried out attacks on Israelis and Jews in Europe, along with its fugitive leader, Rawa Majid. In January 2024, the Foxtrot Network orchestrated an attack on the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, on behalf of the Government of Iran.
“Iran’s brazen use of transnational criminal organizations and narcotics traffickers underscores the regime’s attempts to achieve its aims through any means, with no regard for the cost to communities across Europe,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Treasury, alongside our U.S. government and international partners, will continue to hold accountable those who seek to further Iran’s thuggish and destabilizing agenda.”
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
“Imbalance” and “Austerity”: The Empty Words of The Iranian Regime’s President Fuel Public Anger
For a long time now, Iranian regime president Masoud Pezeshkian has been engaged in a repetitive game using the words “imbalance” and “austerity” when talking about the root of the excruciating livelihood problems and their solution. This is a disgusting deception and pouring salt on the agonizing wounds of people who are fed up with the most basic issues of life.
On Thursday, March 6, Pezeshkian, addressing a group of “elites,” said: “Water, electricity, gas, fuel, energy, and money are all in imbalance.” Then, regarding the result of these imbalances, he added that if it continues in this manner, “one day, we will fall flat on our faces.”
A few days prior, in a meeting with Iranian regime officials in western Tehran, he had said: “We have an imbalance in electricity, we have an imbalance in gas, we have an imbalance in water, we have an imbalance in money, we have an imbalance in land. Everywhere we look, it’s the same. School, high school… in all of these…”
Iran’s Nuclear Expansion Sparks UN Security Council Meeting
The United Nations Security Council is set to convene behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss the Iranian regime’s growing stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, diplomats reported on Monday.
This meeting has been requested by six of the council’s 15 members: France, Greece, Panama, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The primary concern among these nations is Iran’s obligation to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by providing necessary information regarding undeclared nuclear material detected at multiple sites within the country.
Western states argue that there is no legitimate civilian need for Iran’s regime to enrich uranium to such a high level and point out that no other nation has done so without developing nuclear weapons. Iran’s regime, however, insists that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes.
Iran Faces Severe Water Shortage Crisis as Reservoir Levels Plummet
Iran is facing an escalating water crisis, with regime officials warning of severe shortages across the country. On Saturday, March 8, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Energy renewed his warning about the crisis, revealing that the water storage levels in several of the country’s most important dams have fallen to just 1 to 12 percent of their total capacity. Simultaneously, Iranian regime President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that the country is experiencing “severe water stress” and warning that “water cuts in Tehran and other cities in the near future are possible.”
The Deputy Minister of Energy for Water Resources described the alarming state of Iran’s reservoirs. He reported that the Karaj Dam, a crucial source of drinking water for Tehran, is at only 7% of its total capacity, an unprecedented low. Additionally, Lar Dam is at just 1% capacity, while Latyan and Mamloo dams stand at 12%. “The emptiness of the Karaj Dam is unparalleled in its operational history and poses a significant threat to the sustainable water supply of the capital,” he stated.
Economic Protests and Recession on the Eve of Nowruz; Reports Indicate The Market is a “Powder Keg”
As the value of the Iranian rial continues to plummet, economic protests in Iran persist with demonstrations by retired telecommunications employees, protests by nurses, strikes by oil industry workers, gatherings of merchants opposing the recession, and protests by job applicants for the Agricultural Jihad Ministry.
The rise in economic protests across the country comes as the Iranian rial has further depreciated following the belligerent remarks of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei regarding negotiations with the United States. Meanwhile, on Monday, March 10, the market price of one US dollar reached 953,000 rials, and the price of a single gold coin was approximately 790 million rials (approximately $831).
Wave of Executions in Iran
In recent days, Iranian authorities have carried out a series of executions across multiple prisons in the country. In addition to previous execution reports, at least eight prisoners convicted of murder or drug-related offenses were also executed between March 1 and March 8, 2025.
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, Mohammad Javad (Afshin) Hasanvand was executed in Khorramabad Prison. Hasanvand, originally from Alashtar, had been arrested six years ago on murder charges and sentenced to death. Prior to his arrest, he served as an officer in Iran’s Law Enforcement Force (NAJA).
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Saeid Karimkhani al-Qandis, a 25-year-old man from Sardroud, was executed in Tabriz Prison. He was arrested three years ago and convicted of murder.
Political Prisoner Ebrahim Khalil Sediqi Hamedani in Critical Health Condition
Political prisoner Ebrahim Khalil Sediqi Hamedani, 67, has been enduring inhumane conditions in Khoy Prison for seven years, deprived of basic medical care. According to informed sources, this political prisoner, who suffers from diabetes, has had one of his toes amputated due to a lack of proper medical attention and is currently in critical health.
Reports indicate that Ebrahim Khalil Sediqi Hamedani has not only been denied adequate medical treatment but has also lost the minimal facilities he previously had in prison. Despite promises of being transferred to Urmia Prison, he remains in Khoy Prison under severe pressure, including being forced to sleep on the floor and being housed with violent criminals. According to sources, these actions were carried out under orders from the prison warden and in coordination with security agencies.
Violent Transfer and Torture of Two Political Prisoners in Khorramabad Prison
On March 6, 2025, two political prisoners, Mohammad and Mehdi Khodakarami, were severely beaten and tortured in the quarantine section of Khorramabad Central Prison. Their sudden transfer from Parsilon Prison in Khorramabad took place without allowing them to take their personal belongings, and they were subjected to violent mistreatment by prison officials. According to an informed source, several officials and prison guards attacked the two prisoners collectively, severely beating them before transferring them to solitary confinement.
Mohammad and Mehdi Khodakarami were arrested during the nationwide protests in Tehran and transferred to Evin Prison, where they endured severe torture and inhumane treatment during interrogations.