THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:30 PM CET
Satellite Photos Show Israeli Strike Likely Hit Important Iran Revolutionary Guard Missile Base
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel’s attack on Iran likely damaged a base run by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that builds ballistic missiles and launches rockets as part of its own space program, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday showed.
The damage at the base in Shahroud raises new questions about Israel’s attack early Saturday, particularly as it took place in an area previously unacknowledged by Tehran and involved the Guard, a powerful force within Iran’s theocracy that so far has remained silent about any possible damage it suffered from the assault. Iran only has identified Israeli attacks as taking place in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran provinces — not in rural Semnan province where the base is located.
UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET
Israel Destroys All Iranian S-300 Systems in Strike on Military Targets
During air strikes on military targets in Iran on Oct. 26, Israeli aircraft destroyed three Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, which were a key element of Iran’s air defense system, reports The Wall Street Journal.
During the attack, which involved about a hundred Israeli warplanes, the S-300 was able to intercept only a few hundred missiles fired at targets in Iran. Of the four systems that Iran received from Russia, three were destroyed during this operation, and the fourth was destroyed earlier.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), one of the S-300 systems was deployed near Tehran airport, while the other two were protecting energy facilities, including an oil port, an oil refinery, and a gas field.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CET
Rethinking The West’s Iran Policy: Time to Stand with The People
For decades, the West’s approach to Iran has centered on appeasement, sanctions relief, and periodic engagement in the hopes of curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and fostering regional stability. However, the results have been disappointing at best and destructive at worst. The effects are being seen more than ever in the prolonged war that has engulfed the Middle East in the past year.
The Iranian regime’s role in destabilizing the Middle East cannot be overstated. Iran has not only instigated but also fueled conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon by supporting proxy groups and militias that advance its agenda through violence and fear. Its terrorist interventions in the region have earned Iran’s regime the title “the head of the snake.”
Protests Grow Against Iranian Government’s Selection Criteria for Education Candidates
In recent months, public discontent has surged in Iran over the government’s use of ideological criteria to select candidates for student-teacher positions within the Ministry of Education and Culture. Many believe that the regime’s insistence on loyalty and adherence to strict fabricated norms has replaced merit-based evaluations, further polarizing public opinion.
Reports indicate that aspiring teachers are being judged on highly personal criteria unrelated to their academic or professional abilities. Applicants report that factors such as reading certain philosophical books, dressing in ways perceived as nonconforming, wearing nail polish, missing Friday prayers, following social media pages critical of the government, and interactions with opposite-gender classmates have all been used as grounds for disqualification.
Iran’s Deepening Economic Crisis and Its Impact on the Population
Iran is grappling with a severe economic crisis marked by soaring inflation, a declining currency, and relentless poverty. As international sanctions intensify and government resources are diverted to support regional conflicts, including the ongoing Gaza crisis, the Iranian populace faces increasing hardship. With an unpredictable currency market and daily fluctuations in the value of the rial against the dollar, Iranians find themselves recalculating their expenses in anticipation of continued devaluation.
As economic instability grows, the Parliament Research Center reports that over a third of Iranians, approximately 30 million people, now live in extreme poverty, struggling to meet basic needs. Daily life has transformed dramatically for the average Iranian; luxuries such as travel, dining out, and entertainment have been abandoned as nonessential. For many, the sole priority is securing a roof over their heads, while food and other necessities take a distant second. Meat, chicken, and even fruits have become rare purchases, with rent dominating household budgets.
Iran Regime’s Growing Fear Amid Regional and Internal Turmoil
On October 24, the Iranian regime’s state television aired a speech delivered by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to regime supporters three weeks earlier, revealing deep concerns about the precarious state of the regime both regionally and domestically. Khamenei, comparing current challenges to the Iran-Iraq War, stated, “Nearly 10,000 people from this province were martyred. They are two or three times more veterans; they did their work then. Now, these young people are needed no less than on the day of war; we need them today.” His words, though intended to rally support, underscore a growing anxiety within the regime.
This invocation of wartime sacrifice and the need for renewed commitment signals the severity of the regime’s internal fears. If Khamenei truly didn’t have to care about the vanishing morale of his followers, he would admit that today’s situation is even more fragile than during the Iran-Iraq War. Iran now faces mounting regional crises, increased international isolation, rising discontent among its populace, and fractures within its ruling elite.
Iran: Cyrus Day and the Closed Gates of Pasargadae
Since 2016, following the gathering of thousands of people at Pasargadae to participate in the Cyrus Day commemorations, the Iranian regime’s State Security Forces have blocked the roads leading to his tomb each year.
Iranian state media report that for several consecutive years, the gates of Pasargadae and Persepolis have been closed to enthusiasts and domestic tourists on “Cyrus Day.”
Since October 25, police and security forces have been stationed at Cyrus’s tomb, setting up barriers along the roads leading to it. Excavation work has also begun on the road leading to Persepolis, and tomorrow, although neither Persepolis nor Pasargadae are officially closed, the roads to these two major historical and tourist sites will be blocked.
Iranian Teachers Disqualified From Work For “Having a Mustache”
In ongoing protests over the selection process for student-teachers and candidates in Iran’s Ministry of Education, some applicants report being rejected based on non-professional reasons, such as reading philosophy books, their style of dress, having a mustache, wearing nail polish, missing prayers, or having minimal attendance at Friday prayers or rallies. Having interactions with classmates of the opposite sex, liking Instagram pages, not wearing the chador, and having visible hair are other reasons cited that have led to these individuals being denied education or teaching positions.
The Shargh news website, run by the regime, reported on Sunday, October 27, in a piece titled “Unprofessional Selection,” that several applicants and student-teachers have protested the Ministry of Education’s selection process, though their grievances have gone unanswered.
Currency and Oil Markets Disrupted After Israel’s Attack Against Iran’s Regime
After concerns about Israel attacking Iran’s energy facilities subsided, Iran’s stock index showed consecutive growth, while global oil prices fell by 6%. However, the dollar’s exchange rate against the rial has remained at a high level.
Following Iran’s large-scale missile attack on Israel on October 1, the U.S. dollar exchange rate in Iran’s open market quickly surged from 600,000 rials to 690,000 rials.
Prior to Israel’s attack, there were concerns about Iran’s energy and nuclear infrastructure being targeted. However, after Israel’s limited military strikes, the dollar’s rate briefly dropped to 657,500 rials but quickly reversed and began rising again over the past two days.
Prisoners in Kahnuj Prison Join the “No to Executions Tuesdays” Campaign
Prisoners in Kahnuj Prison have declared their support for the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, the initiative calling for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran. According to reports obtained by Iran HRM, detainees in Kahnuj will join the campaign on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, by engaging in hunger strikes, demanding an end to capital punishment in Iranian prisons. With this addition, a total of 24 prisons across the country are now participating in the weekly protests.
Last week, prisoners in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, also joined the campaign by participating in a hunger strike as part of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” initiative. These weekly protests, which have gained support among inmates nationwide, continue to raise awareness about the frequency and conditions of executions within Iran’s penal system.
Heidelberg, Germany—October 26, 2024: MEK Supporters Host Exhibition Condemning Crimes of Iran’s Mullah Regime
Heidelberg, Germany—October 26, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to express solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. The exhibition also protests the rising wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners held in the regime’s prisons in Iran.
MEK Supporters Rally in Stockholm, Urge Terrorist Designation for IRGC, Condemn Iran Regime Crimes
Stockholm, Sweden—October 26, 2024: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) rallied outside the Swedish Parliament, urging the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization and condemning the crimes of the mullahs’ regime in Iran.
Malmö, Sweden – October 26, 2024: MEK Supporters’ Rally Condemns Crimes of the Mullahs’ Regime in Iran
Malmö, Sweden—October 26, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally protesting the Iranian regime’s surge in executions, urging that the IRGC be designated as a terrorist organization and condemning the crimes of the mullahs’ regime in Iran.
Bucharest, Romania—October 26, 2024: MEK Supporters Hold Exhibition Condemning the Mullahs’ Regime Crimes in Iran
Bucharest, Romania—October 26, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to show solidarity with the Iranian Revolution. The exhibition also protested the surge in executions carried out by the Iranian regime and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners held in the regime’s prisons in Iran.