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UPDATE: 10:30 AM CET
Houthis Get ‘Unprecedented’ Foreign Military Support: UN Report
Yemen’s Houthi rebels are transforming themselves into a “powerful military organization” due to “unprecedented” foreign military support, particularly Iran and Hezbollah, according to a U.N. report published Friday. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza last year, the Houthis, who have controlled large areas of war-torn Yemen for a decade, have “exploited the regional situation and enhanced cooperation with the ‘axis of resistance,'” which includes Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, the U.N. experts said.
The panel noted “the transformation of the Houthis from a localized armed group with limited capabilities to a powerful military organization, extending their operational capabilities well beyond the territories under their control.”
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Notice to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran
On November 14, 1979, by Executive Order 12170, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Iran pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and took related steps to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the situation in Iran.
Our relations with Iran have not yet normalized, and the process of implementing the agreements with Iran, dated January 19, 1981, is ongoing. For this reason, the national emergency declared on November 14, 1979, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond November 14, 2024. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to Iran declared in Executive Order 12170.
The emergency declared by Executive Order 12170 is distinct from the emergency declared in Executive Order 12957 on March 15, 1995. This renewal, therefore, is distinct from the emergency renewal of March 12, 2024.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
UN Expert Highlights Alarming Violations Against Women and Fundamental Freedoms
In a pivotal address to the UN General Assembly, Dr. Mai Sato, the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, delivered a grave assessment of the country’s escalating rights abuses, particularly against women and minorities.
In her inaugural report, Dr. Mai Sato underscored the dire implications of Iran’s intensifying use of the death penalty and the severe restrictions imposed under the controversial Chastity and Hijab Bill. She emphasized that these issues, coupled with Iran’s persistent refusal to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, demonstrate an urgent need for reform.
Iran’s Regime Prioritizes Military Power over Economic Stability in 2025 Budget
While presenting the 2025 budget bill to the Majlis (parliament), Iranian regime president Massoud Pezeshkian stated, “The budget figures have been structured to prioritize strengthening the country’s defensive capabilities.”
The term “priority” was further explained by Ata’ollah Mohajerani, Pezeshkian’s government spokesperson, who said, “All efforts have been directed toward fulfilling the country’s defense requirements; hence, we have observed an over 200% increase in the military budget” (Regime TV, October 30).
The 200% increase in the military-security budget gains greater significance when contrasted with the 20% salary increase for workers and government employees, particularly when the official inflation rate is about 40%.
The Iranian Regime’s Futile Efforts at BRICS
The latest statistics and estimates on the economic crisis in Iran reveal the helplessness of the ruling regime. What was called a “super-crisis” yesterday is now referred to as “imbalance.” This includes everything from budget deficits and crises in water, electricity, and gas to the skewed ratio of exports to imports, shortages of schools, teachers, and students, as well as the exodus of doctors and nurses from hospitals. These imbalances also include banking issues, income-expenditure gaps, declines in the active workforce, brain drain, inflation, and unemployment. It seems nothing remains but to witness the collapse and decline of the remnants of an ancient and proud civilization.
Iran Faces Persistent Gas Shortages Amid Government Mismanagement and Rising Consumption
Each year, as winter approaches, Iranians brace for yet another season of energy shortages. Despite being one of the world’s top three countries in natural gas reserves, Iran continues to face severe gas and electricity imbalances, a result that critics attribute to governmental mismanagement and lack of investment in energy infrastructure. Authorities, rather than addressing the systemic inefficiencies, have recently begun to prepare the public for a difficult winter, justifying the shortages by pointing to both increased demand and seasonal challenges.
Last week, Farhad Shahraki, a member of Iran’s Parliament Energy Commission, warned that this winter’s gas supply would mirror last year’s electricity crisis, exacerbating the ongoing energy struggles.
Stroke in Iran: Alarming Statistics Reveal Early Onset and Growing Risks
Stroke has become a pressing health issue in Iran, where the average age of onset is nearly a decade lower than the global average, according to recent findings presented by Ehsan Sharifipour, Secretary of the Iranian Stroke Association. Citing two national studies from 2010 to 2020, conducted across regions including Khorasan, Qom, and central Iran, Sharifipour reported that stroke is the country’s second leading cause of death, with approximately 150 cases per 100,000 people annually—1.5 times the world average.
Speaking with ISNA news agency, Sharifipour highlighted a striking disparity: while the average age of stroke globally is between 75 and 80 years, in Iran, it occurs between ages 65 and 70. This early onset, he explained, demands an urgent national response, with coordinated efforts across healthcare, public awareness, and policy initiatives to mitigate risk factors and reduce stroke incidence.
Sulmaz Hassanzadeh Sentenced to One Year in Prison
Sulmaz Hassanzadeh, the justice-seeking sister of Mohammad Hassanzadeh, has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court of Bukan on charges of “propaganda against the state.”
On July 30, 2024, during a ceremony commemorating Mohammad Hassanzadeh, a victim of the 2022 nationwide Iran uprising, on his birthday, security forces launched an attack on his family home in Bukan. They violently arrested his father and sister, Ahmad and Sulmaz Hassanzadeh.
The situation escalated as they physically assaulted his mother and two neighbor women. The incident occurred while the Hassanzadeh family prepared to commemorate their late son’s birthday.
The Price of Food in Iran Continues to Rise
Naser Nabi Pour, the regime’s chairman of the Poultry Union, has warned that the prices of chicken and eggs will see a significant increase next year.
In a report on rising prices of certain food items, including eggs and chicken, the Didbaniran website quoted market activists stating that due to rising costs of feed and veterinary medications essential for poultry farming, an increase in the market price of these products is imminent.
In this context, Naser Nabi Pour told the website that the recent significant rise in foreign currency exchange rates will begin affecting the prices of chicken and eggs in approximately six months.
Executions and Amputations in Iranian Prisons Highlight Alarming Rise in Severe Punishments
On October 31, 2024, Vahid Benami was executed in Naqadeh Prison, Iran, while additional executions took place in Isfahan. Reports also reveal that the Teimouri brothers endured amputation sentences in Urmia Central Prison, marking an alarming escalation in punitive measures. In the early hours of Thursday, October 31, 2024, an inmate named Vahid Benami was executed at Naqadeh Prison. Benami, a 49-year-old from Piranshahr, had been arrested eight years prior on drug-related charges and sentenced to death. The night before his execution, his family arrived at the prison for a final visit but were informed that his execution would not proceed. However, the next morning, they were notified to come to the prison to collect his body.
Hamburg: MEK Supporters Applaud Closure of Iranian Regime’s Consulates, Urge Embassy Shutdown and IRGC Terrorist Designation
Hamburg, Germany—October 31, 2024: Members of the Iranian community in Berlin, supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), gathered in front of the Iranian regime’s consulate to celebrate Germany’s decision to close all regime consulates. They welcomed this significant move and echoed a call for the immediate blacklisting of the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
Berlin: MEK Supporters Applaud Closure of Iranian Regime’s Consulates, Urge Embassy Shutdown and IRGC Terrorist Designation
Berlin, Germany—October 31, 2024: Members of the Iranian community in Berlin, supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), gathered in front of the Iranian regime’s embassy to celebrate Germany’s decision to close all regime consulates. They welcomed this significant move and echoed a call for the immediate blacklisting of the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
