THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 5:30 PM CET
Axios: Israel Destroyed Active Nuclear Weapons Research Facility in Iran, Officials Say
The Israeli attack on Iran in late October destroyed an active top-secret nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, according to three U.S. officials, one current Israeli official, and one former Israeli official.
Why it matters: The strike — which targeted a site previously reported to be inactive — significantly damaged Iran’s effort over the past year to resume nuclear weapons research, Israeli and U.S. officials said.
- One former Israeli official briefed on the strike said it destroyed sophisticated equipment used to design the plastic explosives that surround uranium in a nuclear device and are needed to detonate it.
- Iran has denied it is pursuing nuclear weapons. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement last week that “Iran is not after nuclear weapons, period.”
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CET
Monitor Says Militants Among 20 Killed in Israel Strikes on Syria
A war monitor said Israeli strikes in and around Damascus on Thursday killed 20 people including Palestinian militants and Iran-backed fighters, as attacks intensify during the Lebanon war.
The attacks coincided with an official visit to Damascus by Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Israel has ramped up strikes on Syria recently, including in areas near the Lebanese border mainly targeting bastions of Lebanese movement Hezbollah. Israel has been at war with the Iran-backed group since September.
“The death toll from the Israeli strikes on the Mazzeh neighbourhood and Qudsaya rose to 20 people, in addition to 21 other wounded,” the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
CIA Employee Accused of Leaking Classified Info on Israeli Attack Plans to Face Charges in Virginia
WASHINGTON (AP) — A CIA employee accused of leaking classified information assessing Israel’s earlier plans to attack Iran was ordered by a federal judge Thursday to face felony charges in Virginia.
The FBI arrested Asif William Rahman this week in Cambodia, and he made his first court appearance Thursday in Guam. A judge there ordered that he be transferred to northern Virginia, where he was indicted last week on two counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information.
Court documents do not identify the federal agency that employed him, but a person familiar with the case who was not authorized to discuss it publicly confirmed to The Associated Press that it was the CIA.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET
Never Abandon Your Dreams, Never!
November 15 marks the anniversary of the passing of Françoise Héritier, the distinguished French anthropologist and a friend of the Iranian Resistance. In honoring her legacy, Maryam Rajavi wrote:
“Françoise Héritier may no longer be with us, yet the flames of her profound ideas will continue to shine. We will not forget her words: humanity will never know true freedom without absolute equality between the sexes. She also reminded us that the hardships along the path must never lead to passivity. Instead, each of us—men and women alike—must unite our efforts to one day eliminate this model of male domination, which, from its very foundation, has been built on inequality worldwide.”
Women in Evin Prison Commemorate Anniversary of November 2019 Uprising
In the women’s section of the notorious Evin Prison, political prisoners commemorated the widespread November 2019 protests with a series of anti-regime slogans and chants. A leaked audio file from inside the prison captured the voices of several political prisoners as they defied the Iranian regime’s oppressive policies.
On the night of November 13, 2024, echoes of chants resonated through the corridors of the women’s section, where the incarcerated activists delivered powerful messages against the government. Among the chants was a notable phrase: “The noose no longer affects Damavand.” This statement, made in response to the regime’s mass executions, conveyed a strong message that the Iranian people are no longer afraid of executions.
The Legacy of The November 2019 Uprising In Iran
Iran’s November 2019 uprising, which is marking its fifth anniversary, has characteristics that set it apart from other nationwide uprisings. Beginning on November 15 and lasting for a week, this uprising sent shockwaves throughout the regime. The uprising began with the sudden state-imposed price hike on fuel and gasoline. The people of Iran, living under extreme poverty and fed up with decades of corruption and tyranny, poured into the streets to protest the regime’s destructive policies. The movement soon turned into a nationwide uprising.
Death Sentences Issued for Six Youths in Iran’s “Ekbatan Case”: A Symbol of Resistance
Recent reports indicate that an Iranian court has sentenced six young men to death in connection with the Ekbatan case, a judicial proceeding dating back to the protests of 2022. The defendants—Milad Armun, Alireza Kafaei, Amir Mohammad Khosh Eghbal, Navid Najaran, Hossein Nemati, and Alireza Barmarzpournak—have endured harsh treatment, including reported torture and extreme pressure throughout their detention.
Attorney Babak Paknia, who represents several of the defendants, announced the court’s decision on the X social network on Wednesday, November 13. He noted that, while the sentencing branch had ruled for capital punishment, the head of the branch opposed the verdict and issued a minority vote, suggesting the ruling could be appealed.
The Ekbatan case arose amid nationwide protests in November 2022, when Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence detained at least 39, and possibly up to 50, residents of Ekbatan, a neighborhood in western Tehran. These arrests followed a series of raids on the homes of individuals accused of organizing protest gatherings in the area. At the time, the Ministry of Intelligence released a statement asserting that those detained were in contact with foreign media and engaged in vandalism in western Tehran. The statement further alleged that the group had access to frequency and eavesdropping equipment, including walkie-talkies.
Iranian Hackers Impersonate LinkedIn Recruiters in Sophisticated Aerospace Espionage Campaign
In a recent cybersecurity report, researchers uncovered a new espionage campaign in which Iranian hackers impersonated recruiters on LinkedIn to target the aerospace industry. These tactics, often associated with North Korean cyber operations, were attributed instead to a group tied to Iran’s cyberwarfare unit, raising questions about cross-border tactics and shared methods among adversarial states.
The campaign has been attributed to TA455, a subgroup of the Iranian government-affiliated cyberwarfare organization, Charming Kitten, according to Israeli cybersecurity firm ClearSky. Traditionally, “fake worker” schemes involving fabricated recruiter profiles have been associated with North Korean threat actors. However, ClearSky has linked this latest operation to the Iranian cyber unit, suggesting that either TA455 intentionally mimicked North Korean-backed hackers to obscure its activities, or that North Korea shared attack methods and tools with Iran.
New Hijab Compliance Clinic to Offer Treatment as Substitute Penalty for Women Who Defy the Compulsory Veil
After over forty years of the Iranian regime’s relentless efforts to enforce mandatory hijab on the country’s informed and freedom-loving women, which in recent years have led to the tragic deaths of several young women, the paralysis of another, and even the suicides of several high school girls, a new development has emerged: the inauguration of a clinic in Tehran to “quit Hijab removal.”
Two days ago, Iranian state media reported on a statement by Mehri Talebi Darestani, head of the Women and Family Office in Tehran’s Headquarters for Promoting Virtue. She announced the upcoming launch of the first Clinic in Tehran for quitting Hijab removal, which aims to provide a “scientific and psychological treatment for removing Hijab.”
Iran: Nearly 31,000 Dead From Air Pollution in 2023
Government-affiliated media in Iran are highlighting air pollution death statistics in an effort to create a “political achievement” for regime president Masoud Pezeshkian in his initiative to ban mazut burning. However, data show that power plant reserves of mazut and diesel have drastically declined, and mazut burning is not the main cause of air pollution-related deaths.
Abbas Shahsouni, head of the Air Health and Climate Change group in the Ministry of Health, reported 30,690 deaths due to air pollution in 2023. This number was over 26,000 in 2022.
Shahsouni explained that since 2017, the Ministry of Health’s Air Health and Climate Change group has been responsible for compiling statistics on deaths and damages from air pollution. According to information previously provided by this center in press briefings, the estimated number of premature deaths due to air pollution in 2019 was around 41,700.
Inhumane Use of Hand Amputation as Judicial Punishment in Iran
Iran has been repeatedly criticized for employing severe corporal punishments, particularly hand amputation, as part of its judicial system. Despite international condemnation, Iranian courts continue to issue and execute amputation sentences, especially for theft-related offenses. These punishments not only violate fundamental human rights but also inflict long-lasting psychological and physical trauma on the individuals subjected to them. This report delves into recent cases of hand amputation in Iran, highlights the historical and legal context behind such punishments, and underscores the urgent need for international pressure to end these inhumane practices.
Iran’s Oil and Gas Crisis: Analyzing the Causes and Consequences of Fuel Shortages
Despite Iran’s status as the world’s second-largest holder of gas reserves and fourth-largest in oil, the nation faces an unprecedented energy crisis. A member of the Steel Industry Association recently revealed severe gas restrictions in the steel sector since last month. On November 12, Vahid Yaghoubi reported that, unlike previous years when these restrictions began in December, this year, they started as early as early October. According to Yaghoubi, restrictions began at 20% and have reached up to 50% in some units.
Previously, Iran’s oil and gas shortages were mainly a winter issue. However, starting last year, the shortages began in the autumn, and this year they have persisted year-round. During the first half of the year, the consumption of mazut and diesel in power plants increased by 100% and 80%, respectively, significantly depleting fuel reserves. As a result, three major power plants in Karaj, Isfahan, and Arak had to shut down, leading to nationwide blackouts. This summer, electricity shortages further reduced power supply to industries, particularly steel.
Malmö, Sweden—November 9, 2024: MEK Supporters’ Rally and Exhibition to Condemn the Crimes of the Mullahs’ Regime in Iran
Malmö, Sweden—November 9, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) gathered in Malmö to hold a rally and exhibition in support of the Iranian Revolution and to protest the Iranian regime’s alarming increase in executions.
Paris Exhibition Sheds Light on Human Rights Violations in Iran: MEK Supporters Gather on November 12, 2024
Paris, France—November 12, 2024: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held an exhibition featuring photographs and books. The event aimed to show solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution and to protest the alarming rise in executions carried out by the Iranian regime.
