THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CEST
Iranian Militias Depend on Secret Tunnels to Transport Weapons from Iraq to Syria
Deir Ezzor province: SOHR activists reported that the Iranian militias established a new crossing extending through an underground tunnel in Al-Bokamal Desert connecting between Iraq and Syria. This tunnel aims to avoid attacks by the drones that monitor transporting trucks. According to reliable SOHR sources, the tunnel extends for long distances underground all the way to Syria and it allows the safe and fast transportation of weapons, as it contains weapon depots and centers for storing drugs, giving Iranian militias flexibility in transporting large amounts of weapons including missiles and heavy shells.
Moreover, the crossing is used to smuggle drugs under the supervision of the commander of the Iraqi “Hezbollah” militia “Abo Jawad Al-Iraqi”.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
Behrouz Ehsani, PMOI Supporter on Death Row, Sends Message from Inside Prison
Message from Behrouz Ehsani, political prisoner sentenced to death by Iran’s regime for supporting the PMOI:
Honorable and heroic people of Iran, I, Behrouz Ehsani, currently imprisoned in Ward 4 of Evin Prison, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence in December 2022 and transferred to solitary confinement in Ward 240 (under the supervision of Ward 209). After three and a half months, I was moved to Ward 4 of Evin Prison. Finally, after 22 months of uncertainty, a death sentence has been issued against me without any evidence. This executioner regime could not do otherwise. As I said during my interrogation, like the martyr Khosrow Golsorkhi, I do not negotiate over my life, especially at the age of 70, and I am not concerned about the remaining 10% of my life. I am ready for my life to be sacrificed for the freedom of the Iranian people.
Our sentence was announced to us on the second anniversary of the 2022 uprising. I send my respects to the pure souls of more than 700 martyrs of that great uprising and bow my head in reverence.
Iran’s Regime Upholds Death Sentence of PMOI Supporter for Third Time
Mohammad Javad Vafa’i Thani, political prisoner and supporter of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), of his death sentence for the third time, which had been issued by the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad.
Mohammad Javad, a 29-year-old boxing champion and coach at clubs in Mashhad, was arrested in March 2020 in Mashhad and subjected to severe physical and psychological torture. In January 2022, he was sentenced to death by Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad on charges of “corruption on earth, arson, and destruction of special places, including the building of the Government Punishment Organization.”
This verdict was referred to Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad by one of the branches of the regime’s Supreme Court in December 2022. On July 19, 2023, this branch sentenced Mohammad Javad to death for the second time.
Tehran’s Alarming Subsidence Crisis: Over 3 Million People at Risk
An official from Iran’s has raised serious concerns about the rapidly worsening land subsidence in Tehran, where subsidence rates have reached 20 centimeters. This alarming issue now affects over three million residents living within the city’s subsidence zone. Ali Baitollahi, head of the Risk Tolerance Department at the Road, Housing, and Urban Development Research Center, spoke to the ILNA news agency on Wednesday, September 18. He revealed that the subsidence zone in Tehran now stretches over 50 kilometers in length and 30 kilometers in width. He added, “Based on studies conducted, more than three million people, including those in the surrounding cities, are living in this dangerous zone.”
Baitollahi explained that subsidence was previously limited to the outskirts of Tehran’s Districts 17, 18, and 19. However, the issue has now expanded dramatically, engulfing a large portion of the city.
Iranian Drones Amplify Threat in Ukraine as Russian Strikes Intensify
Ukraine continues to face a persistent aerial threat as Russia intensifies its missile and drone strikes, targeting major population centers, including Kyiv. Iranian-made Shahed loitering munitions, or kamikaze drones, have become a key component of these attacks, reflecting deepened cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. The alarming rise in drone usage points to increased production at a joint Russian-Iranian drone plant located in Tatarstan, Russia.
The latest report from the Hudson Institute, published on September 18, underscores the growing menace posed by Iranian drones. This follows previous warnings regarding the collaboration between Russia and Iran in drone manufacturing, highlighting the exploitation of child labor in producing these munitions. Unless the international community intervenes, experts warn that this cooperation could escalate in the coming months.
Iran’s Wetlands Facing Crisis: Environmental Mismanagement and Extreme Heat to Blame
The Fars News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported on Wednesday, September 18, the complete drying up of nine wetlands across Iran due to extreme heat. Citing “record-breaking air temperatures” in many parts of the country, particularly in the eastern, southeastern, and central regions, the agency claimed that these wetland losses occurred during the summer season.
According to the report, wetlands such as Anzali, Bamdej, Hamun, Jaz Murian, Tashk, Bakhtegan, Gavkhouni, Maharloo, Hoz-e Sultan, Shimbar, and Namak Lake have dried up in recent months. Forecasts suggest this trend is expected to continue into the fall.
However, the IRGC-linked media placed the blame solely on unprecedented heat and a lack of rainfall, avoiding any mention of poor water management. Despite this narrative, environmental experts argue that the drying of Iran’s wetlands is largely due to ineffective governance and a lack of comprehensive watershed management strategies.
Final Adoption of Hijab and Chastity Bill Increases Fines
The clerical regime’s Guardian Council finally confirmed the Hijab and Chastity bill on September 18, 2024. The controversial Hijab and Chastity bill is now ready to be implemented, marking a decisive step in the government’s efforts to tighten women’s dress code controls. The chair of the Judicial and Legal Committee of the mullahs’ parliament, Mousa Ghazanfarabadi, emphasized the bill’s importance and urged all government bodies to cooperate in its enforcement.
One of the key changes that stands out is the substantial increase in fines for those violating the law. Fines will now be significantly higher, following government approval of raised penalties. The scope of the Hijab and Chastity bill also extends to private individuals and vehicles, which has raised concerns about personal privacy and autonomy.
The Central Bank of Iran: Economic Growth Has Halved This Spring
In its latest report, the Central Bank of Iran states that the country’s economic growth in the spring was 3.2%, nearly half of the 2023 spring growth rate. According to the Central Bank, the country’s economic growth in the spring of last year was 5.7%. This sharp decline in economic growth is mainly attributed to the halving of the value-added from the oil sector, which was 16.5% in the spring of last year and about 9.5% this year.
Previously, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) along with the World Bank had predicted that Iran’s economic growth rate would slow significantly this year and continue to decline next year.
Rome, Italy—September 14, 2024: Iranian Resistance Supporters Rally to Mark Anniversary of 2022 Uprising
Rome, Italy—September 14, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), held a rally to mark the second anniversary of the 2022 nationwide uprising and to show solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
Organizers displayed photos of the martyrs of the 2022 uprising, honoring their sacrifice. They also called for a firm policy against the religious dictatorship ruling Iran and demanded an end to appeasement toward the regime, which continues to oppress the Iranian people, especially women and the youth.
The Iranian community in Rome emphasized the Iranian people’s desire for a democratic republic and rejection of any kind of dictatorship, whether it be the mullahs’ regime or a return to the Shah’s regime.
New York—September 17-18, 2024: Protest Rally by MEK Supporters Against the Presence of the Mullahs’ President Pezeshkian at the UNGA
New York—September 17-18, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a protest rally in front of the UN against the mullahs’ regime’s crimes, demanding the UN hold Iran’s regime leaders, including its president, Masoud Pezeshkian, accountable for the 1988 Massacre and a wave of brutal executions in Iran.
MEK Supporters Rally in Gothenburg to Support ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign Against Iran’s Regime
Gothenburg, Sweden—September 17, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally in solidarity with the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign for the third consecutive week, in response to the executions taking place in Iran’s regime prisons.
MEK Supporters Rally in Copenhagen to Support ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign Against Iran’s Regime
Copenhagen, Denmark—September 17, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally in solidarity with the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign for the second consecutive week, in response to the executions taking place in Iran’s regime prisons.
MEK Supporters Rally in Brussels to Support ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign Against Iran’s Regime
Brussels, Belgium—September 17, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally in front of the EU headquarters in solidarity with the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign in response to the executions taking place in Iran’s regime prisons.