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UPDATE: 9:00 AM
Jordan’s King Wants Neighbours to Confront Groups Smuggling Drugs, Arms
DUBAI, May 16 (Reuters) – Jordan’s King Abdullah on Thursday called on Arab states to confront what the U.S. ally has called an alarming rise in incursions of drugs and weapons smugglers linked to Iranian militias operating in southern Syria.
Jordanian officials, like their Western allies, say the operations are controlled by Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah group and other pro-Iranian militias who control much of southern Syria after supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a civil war that has lasted almost 13 years.
“We should confront armed militant groups who commit crimes above the law, especially smuggling drugs and arms which is what Jordan has been thwarting for years now,” he said, addressing Arab leaders at a summit held in Manama attended by Assad.
Increase in UN Nuclear Inspections in Iran Can’t Solve Deepening Mistrust
The United Nations atomic watchdog reported that despite the growing presence of inspectors in Iran last year, its understanding of the Persian Gulf nation’s nuclear ambitions deteriorated amid spiking regional tensions.
The International Atomic Energy Agency circulated its annual nuclear-monitoring assessment among diplomats preparing to convene a key meeting in Vienna next month. Iran is facing mounting pressure to boost cooperation with UN inspectors or face diplomatic censure followed by a potential referral to the UN Security Council.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM
Conference at The National Assembly of France
On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, a conference was convened at the French National Assembly upon an invitation by the Parliamentary Committee for a Democratic Iran (CPID) to express support for the Iranian people’s Resistance. Maryam Rajavi, some members of the French National Assembly and Senate, and prominent French dignitaries attended and addressed the event.
Philippe Gosselin, Vice President of the Law Committee of the French National Assembly, presided over the conference. He presented a declaration titled, “Supporting Freedom and Resistance in Iran for Global Peace and Security,” signed by more than 150 French deputies.
In their declaration, the French deputies expressed their support for Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan and affirmed the rights of Resistance Units in Iran to confront the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Additionally, they called for the prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Iran and the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist entity.
Italian Lawmakers, Politicians Support Iranian People And Resistance Movement
On May 9, a conference was held at the Stampa Hall in the Italian Parliament, where the statement “Support for Freedom and Resistance in Iran for Global Peace and Security” was presented. The statement received support from most of the representatives from various political parties in the Italian Parliament.
This statement, which was signed by the Vice President of Parliament, three Parliament Secretaries, 12 Heads of Commission, six Parliamentary Group Leaders, five Deputy Ministers, three former Deputy Prime Ministers, and one former Minister, calls on all governments to recognize the right of the Iranian people to resist against the regime and confront the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
A Poor Woman, Razieh, 33, Hanged in The Central Prison of Mashhad
At dawn on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, a woman was hanged in the Central Prison of Mashhad, northeastern Iran. The woman named Razieh was a victim of rampant poverty in Iran.
Razieh, 33, had murdered her two young children, 8 and 4 years old, eight years ago, in 2016, because she could not feed them. Then, she cut her own wrist to take her own life, but she was saved by her sister.
At least two-thirds of the Iranian population lives under the poverty line, with many living under what is called the “death line.”
Razieh is the seventh woman executed in 2024.
Surge in Executions: Eight Lives Lost in Two Days in Iran
In a grim escalation of state violence, eight prisoners have been executed in Iran over the past two days. Among them was Khosrow Besharat, a Sunni political prisoner who had endured 15 years of incarceration in Qezelhessar Prison. His execution took place this morning, preceded by two weeks in solitary confinement. Khosrow Besharat’s journey through Iran’s judicial system began with his arrest in December 2009, alongside six other Sunni individuals. The group was subjected to severe torture within the Urmia Intelligence Department, aimed at extracting forced confessions. In March 2016, they were sentenced to death by Judge Mohammad Moghisei (Nasirian), a sentence reaffirmed by Judge Salavati in June 2018. The Supreme Court upheld these sentences in 2019.
Jordan Thwarts Alleged Sabotage Plot Linked to Iran’s Regime
In a recent development, Jordanian security forces have reportedly foiled a significant sabotage plot allegedly orchestrated by the leadership of the Iranian regime. The thwarted conspiracy aimed to smuggle weapons into Jordan to support opposition groups in carrying out destructive activities within the kingdom. According to two well-informed Jordanian sources, who preferred to remain anonymous due to security concerns, the weapons were smuggled through proxy forces backed by the Iranian regime in Syria. These arms were intended for a faction of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, which maintains connections with the military wing of Hamas. The plot was uncovered in early April when a subversive group of Jordanians of Palestinian descent was apprehended, leading to the seizure of a weapons cache.
IAEA Chief Grossi Expresses Grave Concerns Over Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions and Urges International Vigilance
The head of the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has expressed profound concerns regarding recent statements from Iranian officials hinting at the potential development of nuclear weapons and the country’s persistent lack of cooperation with United Nations inspectors. Grossi’s comments followed a meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, highlighting the escalating tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear activities.
Speaking to the UK’s Guardian newspaper, Grossi emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “Loose talk about nuclear weapons is extremely serious for me. And I think it should stop. We are moving closer to a situation where there is a big, huge question mark about what they are doing and why they are doing it.” His remarks underscore the growing unease within the international community about Iran’s nuclear intentions and the implications for global security.
Air Pollution Kills 26,000 People in Iran Every Year: Head of Environment Organization
Ali Salajegheh, the head of the Environmental Protection Organization admitted in a conference in Kerman on Monday, May 13 that air pollution in Iran is six times higher than the global standard, resulting in the deaths of 26,000 people each year. According to the state-run news agency IRNA, Salajegheh estimated the damages caused by air pollution in Iran at $11.3 billion per year and added, “The average concentration of particulate matter in the Iranian atmosphere has reached around 30 micrograms per cubic meter, which is about two and a half times higher than our own country’s standards.”
These statements are made while regime Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has stated that the air quality in most Iranian cities in April and May has been favorable due to weather conditions and appropriate rainfall.
Berlin, Germany—May 15, 2024: MEK Supporters Rally and Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Berlin, Germany—May 15, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally and exhibition to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution, while also protesting against the increasing wave of executions by the Iranian regime.
Paris—May 14-15, 2024: MEK Supporters Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iranian Revolution
Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition and book display in Paris on May 14, and 15, 2024. This event was held in solidarity with the Iranian Revolution and to protest against the increasing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – May 16, 2024