{"id":249084,"date":"2021-10-16T02:10:04","date_gmt":"2021-10-16T07:10:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=249084"},"modified":"2023-01-31T22:47:22","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T21:47:22","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-october-16-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-october-16-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 October 16, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

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THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS<\/h2>\n

UPDATE: 8:30 PM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

21 NGOs Call On the UN To Investigate 1988 Massacre in Iran<\/h3>\n

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On October 13, a joint written statement was submitted by 21 NGOs to the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, that called for the UN to investigate the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. Mr. Guterres has received the written statement which is circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996\/31.<\/p>\n

The statement recalls that on 3 September 2020, seven United Nations Special Rapporteurs wrote to the Iranian authorities, stating that the 1988 extrajudicial executions and forced disappearances of thousands of political prisoners may amount to \u201ccrimes against humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

It also mentions the letter by 152 former UN officials and renowned international human rights and legal experts who wrote to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, calling for a Commission of Inquiry into the 1988 massacre.<\/p>\n

The statement also mentions Amnesty International’s statement on 19 June 2021 that reiterated that Raisi had a key role in the 1988 massacre and should be \u201cinvestigated for his involvement in past and ongoing crimes under international law, including by states that exercise universal jurisdiction.\u201d<\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 5:30 PM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

5.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southeast Iran<\/h3>\n

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A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook Yazdanshahr in Kerman province, southeastern Iran. According to reports, at around 4:15 PM local time on Saturday, an earthquake at a depth of 10 km shook the area around Yazdanshahr in Kerman province. Another quake measuring 4 on the Richter scale struck at 4:29 pm local time in the same area. No damage has been reported so far.<\/p>\n

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Blame Game and Feudal Fighting Trough the Judiciary<\/h3>\n
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FILE PHOTO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To damp social upheaval and mislead the public’s outrage against the corrupt ruling elites, the regime’s judiciary has charged several officials from the previous administration with fraud and bribery. According to state media, today, the judiciary sentenced Valiollah Seif, former head of the Central Bank under Hassan Rouhani, to 10 years in prison, and Ahmad Araqchi, a then-deputy to Seif, to 8 years of imprisonment.<\/p>\n

According to the judiciary spokesman, Meysam Khodaei, a former presidential staff member, and Rasoul Sajjad, the then International Director of the Central Bank, were sentenced to 12 years in prison, and Salar Agakhani, who is accused of paying bribes to the former officials was sentenced to 13 years in prison.<\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 4:30 PM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

25-Year China Deal Is Silently Being Executed, FM Spokesman Revealed<\/h3>\n

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Thursday evening, October 14, the clerical regime’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, implicitly announced that the 25-year agreement between Tehran and Bejing was already being pulled off.<\/p>\n

State-run website Eghtesad News quoted Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying: “Importing Covid-19 vaccines from China is one of the fruits of a 25-year agreement between Iran and that country. This would not have happened without the strategic partnership and a comprehensive document of cooperation.”<\/p>\n

“Concerning trade and investment, there is a comprehensive agreement underway, and the relevant ministries in the two countries have long been in talks on energy and port development,” he said.<\/p>\n

The FM spokesman did not explain which of the 25-year agreement’s steps have gone through the concerning state institutions, such as the regime’s parliament. When made public, the agreement met widespread public criticism, which forced the regime to repeatedly delay its drafting in the parliament. The announcement that it has been in implementation for a while is posed to cause more feudal infighting as well as social consequences.<\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 12:00 PM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

MP Warns That Raisi’s Provincial Trips Can Backfire and Lead to Unrest<\/h3>\n

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Sarcastically slamming the provincial trips of Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian regime’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, MP, said: “Plans that are raised and vowed during Raisi’s tours are impractical. There is no money whatsoever to execute these plans.”<\/p>\n

State-run website ‘Entekhab’ quoted Pezeshkian as saying: “Basically, policymakers or directors make policy and it is upon the local managers who have to execute them and fulfill the promises. If the head of state fails to appoint capable, skilled, and knowledgeable executives, these trips will only raise the expectations and increase dissatisfaction when promises are failed.”<\/p>\n

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Counter-Terrorism Command Leading Investigation Into Sir David Amess Murder<\/h3>\n

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The fatal stabbing in Leigh-on-Sea has tonight been declared as a terrorist incident, with the investigation being led by Counter Terrorism Policing.\u00a0The investigation is being led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command who are working closely with colleagues from the Eastern Region Specialist Operations Unit (ERSOU) and Essex Police.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 11:30 AM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

100 Prisoners’ Families Protest in Urmia, Northwestern Iran<\/h3>\n

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This morning, more than 100 families of prisoners in Urmia Central Prison gathered in front of the prison to protest their loved ones being starved by the authorities.\u00a0As of 10 AM local time, mothers, wives, and other family members protested the unacceptable food situation as well as the poor healthcare conditions of the prison while the pandemic is waging among the inmates.<\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 8:30 AM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iran: Coronavirus Death Toll as a Result of Regime\u2019s Inhuman Policies Exceeds 457,100<\/h3>\n

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The\u00a0People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran<\/a>\u00a0(PMOI\/MEK<\/a>) announced on Friday, October 15, 2021, that the Coronavirus death toll in 547 cities across Iran had passed 457,100. In Tehran death toll has reached 107,046, Khorasan Razavi 37,540, Isfahan 30,970, Khuzestan 28,030, Mazandaran 16,905, West Azerbaijan 16,778, Fars 16,545, East Azerbaijan 15,993, Gilan 15,980, Alborz 13,508, Sistan and Baluchestan 12,900, Kurdistan 7,312, Qazvin 5,169, and Zanjan 4,370.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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#Iran<\/a> Coronavirus Update<\/p>\n

More than 457,100 people have died of the novel #coronavirus<\/a> in 547 cities checkered across all of Iran's 31 provinces, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI\/MEK.<\/p>\n

Full Reporthttps:\/\/t.co\/RFYfrJXJB4<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qxiVq8Zhze<\/a><\/p>\n

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n