{"id":326643,"date":"2024-12-14T08:25:16","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T07:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=326643"},"modified":"2024-12-14T08:31:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-14T07:31:20","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-december-14-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-december-14-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 December 14, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Senate Looks to Iran Next<\/h3>\r\n

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With the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, Iran has lost one of its most valuable pieces on the chessboard of Middle East influence. Under al-Assad, Syria was a thoroughfare for Iranian weapons and munitions to support terror attacks such as the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. But last week, Sunni militia took over Damascus and al-Assad fled to Russia, leaving a power vacuum Western allies such as the United States hope to exploit.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no question that the Iranian regime right now is about as weak as it\u2019s ever been,\u201d Gen. James Jones, former U.S. national security adviser, told WORLD. He was a guest speaker at a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday. The topic for attendees and senators: how to oust Tehran\u2019s dictatorship and install a democracy. Experts at the briefing said Syria\u2019s coup provides the perfect opportunity.<\/p>\r\n

Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, addressed the group in the U.S. Senate office building via video conference. She said her movement is taking courage from Assad\u2019s fall in Syria.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe people, who are deeply discontented and angry, along with the resistance units \u2026 are preparing an organized uprising,\u201d Rajavi said. \u201cI have consistently emphasized that our goal is not to seize power but to restore it to its rightful owners, the people of Iran and their vote.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

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

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Khamenei\u2019s Desperate Attempts to Salvage His Regional Strategy After Assad\u2019s Ouster from Syria<\/h3>\r\n

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Four days after the fall of former Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad, the leader of the Iranian regime, Ali Khamenei, alarmed by the consequences of losing his regime\u2019s strategic depth, took the stage to encourage his forces and boost their morale while attempting to neutralize the stagnation and inactivity engulfing the regime through unrealistic statements and unattainable promises. Khamenei referred to the perilous situation of the regime, stating, \u201cIn our region, which is one of the world\u2019s most sensitive areas, events are unfolding,\u201d and added, \u201cLessons and warnings should be drawn from these incidents. The public is also engaged with these issues; they have questions and comments, and ambiguities must be addressed.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Admitting the passivity affecting his forces resulting from the significant defeat, Khamenei said, \u201cIn failures, passivity is poison; sometimes its danger exceeds the event itself.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

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

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The Fall of Assad: A Warning to Tyrants and a Victory for the People<\/h3>\r\n

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The fall of Bashar al-Assad\u2019s regime in Syria is a historic event that reverberates across the region, shaking the foundations of the Velayat al-Faqih system in Iran. As Khamenei\u2019s strategic ally and a key pillar of his regional influence, Assad\u2019s collapse demonstrates a powerful truth: oppressive regimes, despite their reliance on military might, international backers, and repressive apparatuses, ultimately cannot withstand the will of the people and their yearning for freedom.<\/p>\r\n

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad signifies the disintegration of what Iran\u2019s leadership has long touted as its \u201cstrategic depth\u201d in the region. Khamenei famously referred to Assad\u2019s dictatorship as a \u201cpillar of resistance\u201d and relied heavily on the Syrian regime to project influence into Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq. Iran\u2019s unwavering financial, military, and security support for Assad has been a cornerstone of its expansionist policies\u2014not just to bolster regional hegemony, but also as a strategy for the regime\u2019s survival.<\/p>\r\n

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

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Iran: UN Experts Demand Repeal of Hijab and Chastity Law<\/h3>\r\n

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A group of\u00a0United Nations human rights experts<\/a>\u00a0has called on the Iranian government to immediately repeal a new law enforcing stricter penalties on women and girls who do not wear the hijab. The legislation, officially titled the\u00a0Law on Protecting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab<\/em>, has raised alarm among international human rights advocates for its severe implications on women\u2019s rights and freedoms.<\/p>\r\n

The UN experts described the new law as an intensification of state control over women\u2019s bodies and a grave violation of fundamental human rights. \u201cThe new hijab law marks an intensification of state control over women\u2019s bodies in Iran and is a further assault on women\u2019s rights and freedoms,\u201d they stated.<\/p>\r\n

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

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Tourism in Iran: The Impact of Neglect, Insecurity, and Policy Failures<\/h3>\r\n

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While Iranian officials in the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization celebrate the annual influx of five to six million foreign travelers as evidence of a thriving tourism industry, insiders paint a starkly different picture. Tourism professionals report that the market is experiencing near-total stagnation.\u00a0Mohammad Ali Ashraf Vaghefi, former vice-chairman of Iran\u2019s Tour Operators Association, revealed that inbound tourism to Iran has essentially come to a halt. He noted that European and American tourists have all but vanished, leaving the market largely dependent on a few Russian and Chinese visitors.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cInbound tourism to Iran is almost closed,\u201d Vaghefi told\u00a0Khabar Online<\/em>. Even the upcoming spring season, traditionally the peak of Iran\u2019s tourism calendar, has been written off. According to official data, five to six million foreign travelers enter Iran annually. However, most of these visitors come from neighboring countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan, primarily for business, pilgrimage, or healthcare purposes. Despite this, Iranian officials categorize all these individuals as \u201ctourists,\u201d claiming a robust tourism sector. Vaghefi dismisses this narrative, emphasizing that such trips differ fundamentally from group cultural tours that defined Iran\u2019s previous tourism success.<\/p>\r\n

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

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Varisha Moradi Faces Health Crisis Without Access to Treatment<\/h3>\r\n

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Varisha Moradi, a\u00a0political prisoner on death row<\/a>\u00a0held in the women\u2019s ward of\u00a0Evin Prison<\/a>, is facing severe health issues, including intestinal bleeding. Despite her urgent need for specialized medical care, prison authorities have refused to transfer her to a healthcare facility.\u00a0Varisha Moradi has been repeatedly denied adequate medical treatment. She has been suffering from intestinal bleeding and severe abdominal pain for a long time. She was taken to a medical center only once, but without receiving proper treatment, she was returned to prison. Her condition is alarming, yet the authorities refuse to provide any explanation for denying her medical care.<\/p>\r\n

Security forces near\u00a0Sanandaj<\/a>\u00a0arrested Varisha Moradi<\/a>\u00a0on August 1, 2023, and after interrogation, she was transferred to the women\u2019s ward of Evin Prison on December 26, 2023.<\/p>\r\n

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

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Kowsar Dehban Zadeh: Over Two Months of Uncertainty in Shiraz Detention Center<\/h3>\r\n

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Kowsar Dehban Zadeh, sister of political prisoner Maysam Dehban Zadeh, has been held in prolonged detention for more than 75 days at a\u00a0Shiraz<\/a>\u00a0intelligence detention facility known as Plaque 100.<\/p>\r\n

Her ordeal began on September 27, 2024, when\u00a0she was arrested<\/a>\u00a0by security forces in Shiraz and initially placed in\u00a0solitary confinement<\/a>. After over a month, she was transferred to a shared cell within the same facility, yet her future remains unclear.<\/p>\r\n

Kowsar Dehban Zadeh has been accused of links to\u00a0the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran<\/a>\u00a0(PMOI\/MEK). Despite being held for over two months, whether a formal investigation or prosecution has been initiated remains uncertain. During her detention, she has been allowed to meet her family only twice, reportedly under circumstances meant to pressure her into expressing regret. Weekly phone calls are permitted, but these interactions are limited and heavily monitored.<\/p>\r\n

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

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Manchester Exhibition Stands with Iranian Political Prisoners, Protests Human Rights Violations \u2013 December 12, 2024<\/h3>\r\n
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Manchester Exhibition Stands with Iran's Political Prisoners, Protests Human Rights Violations-Dec12<\/div><\/div>
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