THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:30 PM
UN Must Extend Mandates of Special Rapporteur on Iran
Over the course of about three months in 1988, authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran systematically executed 30,000 people, mainly targeting members and supporters of the leading pro-democracy opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The current president, Ebrahim Raisi, was a leading participant in the massacre.
With the sole exception of a former prison official who was prosecuted after being arrested in Sweden in 2019, no one has ever been held accountable for that crime against humanity. Few people outside of Iran and the Iranian diaspora are even aware of the 1988 massacre, and Tehran has made concerted efforts to make sure that this ignorance persists, as by destroying the sites of mass graves in which many victims were interred.
UPDATE: 1:30 PM
US Destroys 4 Drones Launched By Houthis To Target Ships In Red Sea, No Injuries Reported
The US destroyed unmanned aerial systems launched by Yemen’s Houthi group, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Thursday.
“Between 6:00 and 10:56 p.m. (Sanaa time) on March 28, and for the second day in a row, United States Central Command successfully engaged and destroyed four unmanned aerial systems (UAS) launched by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
“These UAS were aimed at a Coalition vessel and a U.S. warship and were engaged in self-defense over the Red Sea,” CENTCOM said on X, adding that no injuries or damage had been reported to the US or coalition ships.
Former Officials and Experts Warn About Regime’s Detrimental Situation
Speculation and analysis surrounding the aftermath of Iran’s recent sham elections persist, with various authorities voicing grave concerns about the trajectory of the regime.
Gholamali Rajaee, advisor to former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, went as far as to label the parliamentary elections as the most detrimental event of the year, surpassing even the impact of a natural disaster like an earthquake. In a statement reported by the state-run news agency, Khabar Online, on March 27, Rajaee remarked, “If an earthquake were to occur elsewhere, it would be far preferable. Earthquake damage can be rectified and rebuilt, and it may result in natural casualties. However, the loss of political and social credibility in the eyes of the populace carries far graver consequences, particularly on the international stage.”
Majid Ansari, a member of the regime’s Expediency Council, commented on the increasing public resentment towards the regime, stating, “The recent elections, as well as those preceding them in the years 2021 and 2019, have demonstrated that we are on the brink of social despair and alienation. With each passing phase, our societal participation diminishes, which poses a significant threat to the country’s security. While robust and military security is essential for any nation, it is by no means sufficient.”
Farshad Mo’meni, a state-affiliated economic expert also warned, “Iran is a country facing numerous crises, and these crises in the economic realm have exceeded conventional bounds. If other crises in its cultural, social, political, and international spheres are not greater than its economic crisis, they are certainly no less.”
“Now the discussion revolves around the fact that in the current circumstances, we are facing a diverse spectrum of external shocks, each of which, theoretically speaking, is a force of general anomie,” He added. “Anomie is a disorder and disarray that if not addressed in time, leads to the next stage, which is collapse. This collapse could be economic, social, cultural, political, and so on.”
UPDATE: 10:30 AM
Khamenei Highlights Gaza to Hide His Regime’s Crises
In his speech during the Persian New Year, Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran’s regime, declared the Palestinian issue and the Gaza situation as “a top-tier concern.” Khamenei emphasized that “resistance in Western Asia today is a critical issue.” This stance is particularly notable amidst the regime’s internal challenges, including ongoing uprisings and the existence of a viable alternative to the current regime. Khamenei’s statement arrives at a juncture where the regime’s crisis of existence, teetering between persistence and downfall, is observable to both domestic and international onlookers.
There is no arguing that the regime’s main concern is the risk of being overthrown by the people of Iran and their resistance movement. In an effort to avert or minimize this threat, Khamenei is stirring conflict in the region, sacrificing the lives of innocent individuals in Gaza and Palestine.
Nasim Gholami Simiyari Detained 11 Months Without Trial
Eleven months after her arrest and imprisonment, Nasim Gholami Simiyari remains detained under uncertain conditions in the women’s ward of Evin Prison in Tehran.
Security forces arrested political prisoner Nasim Gholami Simiyari on May 18, 2023, in Tehran and took her to one of the detention centers of the Ministry of Intelligence. She was subjected to psychological and physical torture to extract confessions.
The interrogator of Branch 3 of the Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran’s 33rd District has charged Ms. Gholami with the following offenses: disseminating propaganda against the state, engaging in assembly and collusion to disrupt national security, and membership in groups and gangs intended to disrupt national security.
Iran’s Pension Crisis: A Looming Threat
Iran’s pension system faces a critical situation. While media reports highlight the country’s rapidly aging population, the reality is the system is on the verge of collapse.
The government has addressed the issue through political maneuvers, not sustainable solutions. Policies like exemptions and privileges for specific groups have burdened contributing workers without providing adequate benefits.
The current structure struggles to achieve its goals. Poverty among the elderly is prevalent, with average incomes falling below the poverty line. In 2023, nearly 70% of payments for three-member families were insufficient.
Desperation Drives Iranian Youth to Sell Organs in Black Market
Financial hardship and poverty are forcing some Iranian youths to sell their organs, creating a market that now includes Generation Z. Not only those born in the 1980s, but also those born in the 2000s, are resorting to selling kidneys for 300 to 600 million tomans.
A report by the state-run daily Tejarat News revealed that young people born in the 2000s have entered the organ trade. This generation has little hope for the job market and sees no future in higher education. They are now searching advertisements for buyers, willing to sell a part of their bodies.
Financial need connects many organ sellers and buyers. This market deals in kidneys, bone marrow, and other organs, and involves people from all over Iran, including Shiraz, Mashhad, Urmia, and others.
Statistics Show New Year Accidents’ Deaths in Iran Reached 585
Ahmad Shirani, the head of the Information and Traffic Control Center of the Iranian regime’s police, announced that the number of fatalities in accidents during the new Persian year, which began on March 21, has reached 585. At the same time, the head of the Traffic Police announced an increase in fines. On March 28, Shirani told the regime’s semi-official ISNA news agency that this number of deaths is related to 484 accidents.
This number of fatalities in accidents comes as, according to this police official, the volume of traffic on Iran’s roads from March 14 to 28 decreased by three percent compared to the same period last year. Shirani further stated that the number of injury accidents was 12,472 and the number of injured was 15,574.
The First Execution in The Iranian New Year Took Place at Tabriz Central Prison
In the early hours of Monday morning, March 25, the death sentence of Abbas Aghayi, a 36-year-old citizen from Tabriz, was carried out in Tabriz Central Prison. This prisoner had been sentenced to death on charges related to drugs.
According to reports received by the Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM), Abbas Aghayi was arrested 28 months ago on drug-related charges. However, the drugs that were found did not belong to him. Despite being under pressure from security forces to confess to the charges, he refused to accept the accusation until the very end.
Abbas Aghayi was the head of his family and took care of his younger siblings, who were under the age of 15. He had gotten engaged four months prior to his arrest. Despite all the evidence and the prisoner’s denial of the charges, the Iranian judiciary, disregarding these factors, executed Abbas Aghayi on the second working day in Iran after the Norouz holiday. Abbas Aghayi is the first recorded execution in the year 1403 (Persian calendar).
444 Kulbars, Killed by The Security Forces of The Iranian Regime in 2023
In the first week of the new year in Iran (starting March 20, 2024), two kulbars lost their lives due to shooting and cold. Moreover, since mid-October 2023, there has been a disturbing increase in the killing of kulbars.
Kulbars are individuals who work as carriers of heavy loads of goods in border areas. These individuals usually transport goods from one country to another through unofficial and dangerous border routes. Unfortunately, the lives of these individuals are accompanied by very high risks, and they often face bitter ends.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of killed kulbars reported. This alarming increase is not only a humanitarian crisis but also an indication of the violation of human rights and the lack of security in Iran’s border areas.
Paris—March 27, 2024: MEK Supporters Held an Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Paris, France—March 27, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition and book table in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.