{"id":314460,"date":"2023-12-22T08:28:09","date_gmt":"2023-12-22T07:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=314460"},"modified":"2023-12-22T20:56:46","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T19:56:46","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-december-22-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-december-22-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 December 22, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Tragic Incident at Chavar Petrochemical Complex: Two Workers Commit Suicide in Protest<\/h3>\n

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Chavar Petrochemical Complex witnessed a distressing incident on Thursday, December 21, as two workers, Javad Norouzi and Mostafa Abbasi, took their own lives in protest against their dismissal from employment. The tragic event adds to a concerning trend, with six workers from the same company having committed suicide last year in objection to job terminations. According to local sources, Javad Norouzi and Mostafa Abbasi were transferred to the hospital after their suicide attempts, and their overall conditions are reported to be critical.<\/p>\n

This incident sheds light on the ongoing challenges faced by workers in the petrochemical industry, where job insecurity and terminations have led to extreme measures in response.<\/p>\n

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Iranian Hackers Peach Sandstorm Are Delivering New Backdoor<\/h3>\n

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Microsoft said Iranian state hackers are using a newly developed backdoor to target organizations in the American defense industrial base.<\/p>\n

The Iranian state threat actor that Microsoft tracks as Peach Sandstorm employed a custom backdoor named FalseFont, which features several capabilities that empower backdoor operators to remotely connect to a compromised system, initiate the execution of supplementary files, and transmit data to attacker-controlled servers.<\/p>\n

Researchers first spotted the custom backdoor in early November 2023, Microsoft\u00a0said<\/a> Wednesday. The defense industrial base encompasses a broad range of industries that contribute to national military capabilities, including aerospace, technology, and manufacturing.<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 7:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Sens. Cruz, Coons, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Urging Steps To Restore Deterrence Against Iran Proxies Attacking u.s. Troops<\/h3>\n

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WASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), joined by 12 additional cosponsors, this week introduced a resolution urging the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to restore deterrence against Iran and Iranian proxies targeting Americans and American interests in the Middle East.\u00a0American troops in the region have been targeted by Iran and Iranian proxies more than 115 times since mid-October. Iran provides financing, training, and other support to terrorist groups throughout the region, including the Houthis.<\/p>\n

Sen. Cruz said,\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThe Iranian regime is attacking Americans, our allies, and our interests across the Middle East. They are not only launching attacks and massacres against our Israeli and Arab allies, but their Houthi proxies are now trying to shut down freedom of navigation that is vital to the American and global economies. It is clear that they are not deterred, and it is long past time for the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to deter and counter these activities. Enough is enough.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Youth Cause Substantial Damages to Public Transportation in Shahrekord<\/h3>\n

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The state-run Fars News Agency<\/a> has acknowledged a recent incident in Shahrekord where young individuals attacked 24 bus stations and shattered the windows of a bus.<\/p>\n

The news agency, linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) described the assailants as “troublemakers and thugs.”<\/p>\n

Fars quoted Mehrdad Mirzaian, head of the City Transportation and Freight Organization in Shahrekord as saying, “In recent days, a group of troublemakers and thugs vandalized the windows of 24 bus stations and one bus in Shahrekord, causing damages amounting to 85 million and 500 thousand Iranian rials.”<\/p>\n

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He added, “We urge citizens that in the presence of such incidents, please report them to the police or the municipal authorities. This will help prevent harm to facilities and amenities intended for the use of all citizens.”<\/p>\n

Socio-political discontent and economic inequality have fueled a surge of outrage among Iranian youth, manifesting in protests that take the form of aggression towards symbols representing the state, reflecting a deep-seated frustration with the current regime.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Wage Disparities Drive Iranian Workers Towards Migration to Neighbor Nations<\/h3>\n

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On December 21, the state-run Eqtesad 24 website compared<\/a> the economic status of Iranian workers to those in neighboring countries. Despite the monthly cost of living being estimated at 30 million rials, most workers, factoring in huge benefits for their employers, receive wages below 10 million rials. Consequently, many are turning to migration, particularly given the more favorable wages in neighboring nations. The report outlined the stark wage differences for simple laborers across various countries:<\/p>\n