{"id":315264,"date":"2024-01-18T07:48:38","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T06:48:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=315264"},"modified":"2024-01-19T12:26:17","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T11:26:17","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-january-18-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-january-18-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 January 18, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

UPDATE: 9:30 PM<\/span><\/p>\n

Colombian Authorities Apprehend Suspect in Shooting of Vox Party Co-Founder<\/h3>\n
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The Colombian police have announced the apprehension of a Venezuelan individual suspected of playing a role in the reported attempted assassination in Madrid last year targeting a co-founder of Spain’s Vox party.<\/p>\n

The person in custody, Greg Oliver Higuera Marcano, had been sought in connection with the shooting incident involving Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a former leader of Catalonia’s primary rightwing political party, who later co-founded Vox and served as a former vice-president of the European Parliament. Vidal-Quadras, aged 78, miraculously survived a gunshot to the head in November of the previous year.<\/p>\n

As per statements from Colombian law enforcement, the Venezuelan suspect is alleged to have been involved in the logistics of the attack on Vidal-Quadras, according to findings from Spanish investigations.<\/p>\n

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Iraqi Foreign Minister: Iran Is Exporting Domestic Crises Abroad<\/h3>\n

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In a statement made on Thursday, January 18, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein acknowledged engaging in discussions with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, regarding the Iranian regime’s attacks on Iraq and Pakistan.<\/p>\n

In an interview with Al-Arabiya<\/a>, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hussein stated that the regime is grappling with internal problems and is attempting to export its crises beyond its borders through such attacks. Hussein emphasized that Tehran has not provided a list of individuals under security pursuit to Iraq or requested assistance in this regard.<\/p>\n

Earlier, in an interview with the regional newspaper “Al-Sharq Al-Awsat,” the Iraqi Foreign Minister had condemned Iran’s attack on the city of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. He characterized these heightened tensions as part of “Iran’s efforts to export its internal problems.”<\/p>\n

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\u201cIran Cannot Strike Israel,\u201d Iraqi FM Says at Davos<\/h3>\n

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Hours before Iraq filed a complaint against Iran to the Security Council, the Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein condemned, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Iran\u2019s attack on Irbil, considering the escalation \u201can attempt by Iran to export its internal problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hussein, who was speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, said that \u201chis country has taken political and diplomatic measures to respond to the Iranian bombardment that killed 4 civilians in Irbil on Monday evening,\u201d denying Tehran\u2019s claims about the presence of the Israeli Mossad in Iraq.<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 6:00 PM<\/span><\/p>\n

Suspected Jordan Strikes on Southern Syria Kill 10 – Monitors, Local Media<\/h3>\n

BEIRUT, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Suspected Jordanian air strikes on southern Syria killed 10 people including children early on Thursday, according to local Syrian media and monitors tracking the conflict.<\/p>\n

There was no immediate comment from Jordanian authorities.<\/p>\n

Jordan’s army has stepped up a campaign against drug dealers in recent weeks after clashes last month with dozens of people suspected of links to pro-Iranian militias carrying large hauls of narcotics over its border with Syria, along with weapons and explosives.<\/p>\n

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

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Arab League Condemns Iran\u2019s Missile Strikes on Iraq<\/h3>\n

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CAIRO: The Arab League and Arab Parliament have condemned Iran\u2019s missile strikes on the city of Irbil in northern Iraq, which led to the deaths of several civilians.\u00a0Ahmed Aboul Gheit, head of the Arab League, said the attacks were a flagrant violation of Iraq\u2019s sovereignty. He offered his condolences to the families of the victims and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured.<\/p>\n

His spokesman, Jamal Rushdi, described the attack by Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as reprehensible and a \u201ccondemnable violation of the principles of sovereignty and good neighborliness.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 7:30 AM<\/span><\/p>\n

Alarming Uptick in Executions, Violent Punishments, and Suppression in Iran<\/h3>\n

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Parallel to its warmongering in the region, Iran\u2019s regime continues to ratchet up human rights abuses in its prisons, especially against political prisoners.<\/p>\n

The regime finished 2023 with\u00a0at least 864 executions<\/a>, up 34% in comparison to the previous year. The victims included 26 women and eight juvenile offenders who were under 18 at the time of committing the crime. Seven executions were carried out in a shocking public manner. The brutal killing spree reached a climax with 30 executions carried out in the final five days of the year. Executions have seen an alarming uptick since the outbreak of war in Gaza, which the regime has used as a smoke screen for its human rights abuses.<\/p>\n

And the beginning of the new year has shown no respite in this trend of barbaric behavior. In the first week of 2024, Iranian authorities executed\u00a0at least 16 prisoners<\/a>, and they carried out six executions on January 14 alone.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Regime Faces A Crisis of Legitimacy Amid Economic, Social, and Environmental Challenges<\/h3>\n

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Iran\u2019s regime grapples with an insurmountable crisis, spanning economic, social, environmental, and foreign relations domains. Economically, corruption and the regime\u2019s expenses on malign activities have stunted growth, exacerbating unemployment and inflation.<\/p>\n

Socially, discontent simmers among a youthful population yearning for regime change. Environmental challenges, including water scarcity and pollution, compound the nation\u2019s woes, impacting public health and exacerbating social unrest.<\/p>\n

The regime\u2019s foreign relations are strained, marked by regional conflicts and international isolation, with nuclear tensions adding a layer of complexity. The\u00a0regime\u2019s response<\/a>\u00a0to internal dissent has been met with criticism, further alienating it from the international community. As Iran faces multifaceted challenges, the path to recovery requires a holistic approach that addresses economic instability, social grievances, environmental concerns, and diplomatic estrangement.<\/p>\n

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

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Pakistan to Bar Entry to Iran\u2019s Ambassador Following Missile Attack<\/h3>\n

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The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday, January 17, that it has summoned Iran\u2019s representative in Islamabad following a missile attack by Iran on Pakistani territory, which resulted in the death of two children. The ministry stated that the Iranian ambassador has been summoned for the \u201cunjustified violation\u201d of Pakistan\u2019s airspace. The ministry stated that the violation of Pakistan\u2019s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and may have serious consequences.<\/p>\n

According to the latest reports, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its first statement, announced on the same day that Pakistan has summoned its ambassador from Iran and is preventing the return of the Tehran ambassador to Islamabad.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Pharmacies Nearing Bankruptcy Due to New Government Regulation<\/h3>\n
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According to Shahram Kalantari, the head of the Iranian Pharmacists Association, the uncontrolled increase in the establishment of new pharmacies has pushed older pharmacies to the brink of bankruptcy. Experts attribute this phenomenon to the commercialization and the dominance of economic aspects over the therapeutic function in this profession.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kalantari emphasized that the uncontrolled increase in the number of pharmacies by 30% in one year has put pressure on the economy of older pharmacies. This has led to some older pharmacies reaching the verge of bankruptcy, while others have attracted investors or changed their profession.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran: Spike in Death Caused by Suicide with \u201cRice Pills\u201d<\/h3>\n

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Salim Khani, the director general of forensic medicine in Kermanshah province, announced an increase in the number of deaths caused by the consumption of \u201crice pills\u201d based on statistics from the past nine months.<\/p>\n

According to Salim Khani, at least 49 individuals lost their lives by using these pills in the past nine months, indicating an increasing trend compared to the same period last year when the number was 46. He told the regime\u2019s Mehr news agency that this year, 14 women and 35 men have lost their lives \u201cso far\u201d due to the consumption of these pills.<\/p>\n

According to the director general of forensic medicine in Kermanshah province, \u201caluminum phosphide\u201d is a group of pest control agents used to eliminate pests in warehouses and homes due to its high effectiveness and low cost. However, an increase in its usage has led to an increase in incidents resulting in long, painful, and avoidable poisoning and death.<\/p>\n

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

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A Prisoner Sentenced to Amputation of His Fingers Took His Own Life in Urmia Prison<\/h3>\n

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In the early morning of Wednesday, January 17, 2024, Amir Shahbazi, 37 years old, committed suicide in a solitary cell in Urmia Central Prison by consuming pills. Unfortunately, due to delays in taking him to hospital, he lost his life.<\/p>\n

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Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) was told by a knowledgeable source that Amir Shahbazi had been transferred to solitary confinement in Urmia Central Prison on the orders of prison officials after discovering that he had a mobile phone. The prisoner had warned yesterday that he would commit suicide if transferred to solitary confinement.<\/p>\n

At 2 a.m. on Wednesday, January 17, the guards became aware of his suicide attempt, but they failed to immediately transfer him to the hospital. Unfortunately, he lost his life shortly afterward.<\/p>\n

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

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Zurich\u2014January 15, 2024: MEK Supporters Organized an Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iran Revolution<\/h3>\n
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Zurich\u2014January 15, 2024: MEK Supporters Held an Exhibition in Solidarity With the Iran Revolution-2<\/div><\/div>
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