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UPDATE: 10:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\r\n Suffering a series of devastating blows, the Islamic Republic of Iran is now like a wounded beast, dangerous and unpredictable. Having seen their \u2018axis of resistance\u2019 crumble, with the effective decapitation of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the mullahs\u2019 regime has now suffered its greatest catastrophe, with the fall of their closest ally, Bashar al-Assad, in Syria.<\/p>\r\n Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran\u2019s ailing and increasingly confused Supreme Leader, regarded Syria as Iran\u2019s 35th Province. For decades he funneled more than $50 billion and tens of thousands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel and other Islamist militias into propping up Assad\u2019s brutal regime.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\r\n The recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad marks a significant turning point in Middle Eastern politics. Assad, along with his father, has been a brutal fixture in Syria, committing heinous crimes against humanity over the past 54 years. His regime’s fall is not just a victory for the Syrian people but a major strategic blow to one of his staunchest allies: the Iranian regime.<\/p>\r\n For 45 years, the Iranian regime has relied on exporting its brand of religious extremism as a pillar of its foreign policy, with Assad\u2019s Syria as a cornerstone of this strategy. The alliance allowed Iran to wield influence far beyond its borders, using Syria as a conduit to support various proxy groups and extend its reach throughout the region.<\/p>\r\n The fall of Assad signifies a crippling blow to Iran’s strategic ambitions.\u00a0Maryam Rajavi<\/a>, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI<\/a>), aptly noted that this event marks the collapse of Iran\u2019s \u201cstrategic depth.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n UPDATE: 6:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\r\n Transactions involving Iran linked to the scandal-ridden Volksbank D\u00fcsseldorf Neuss are reportedly connected to GIC International and its affiliates. This information comes from financial circles, as reported by WirtschaftsWoche<\/em>. Both GIC and its network have come under scrutiny for alleged ties to the Iranian regime.\u00a0Earlier this year, WirtschaftsWoche<\/em> revealed that GIC was established in 2012 by the Ghadir General Company (Ghadir Allgemeine Aktiengesellschaft) in Tehran. This holding company, linked to Iran\u2019s military, is listed under U.S. sanctions.<\/p>\r\n GIC International is now owned by an Iranian national residing in the Rhineland. This individual previously worked for the German subsidiary of Ascotec, a steel company owned by another state-controlled Iranian holding.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET<\/span><\/p>\r\n The world has been shocked by how quickly and easily the\u00a0Assad family<\/strong> dictatorship in Syria has been toppled by a smorgasbord of opposition forces supported by outside powers such as the United States, Turkey, and some Gulf monarchies. It should be noted that unlike in the revolt that followed the “Arab Spring”, this time the movement against the government has been basically autochthonous, with the influence of other countries being much less. The first signals emitted by the coalition that has ended half a century of tyranny allow for a certain optimism. For the moment, its members act mostly in a cohesive way without confrontations between them, despite some looting the situation has not gotten out of control or massacres and the new power has shown signs of tolerance, moderation, and good intentions. Although it is too early to say that an acceptable democracy will be established in Syria and not an Islamic fundamentalist system, the initial impression is favorable.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n UPDATE: 7:00 AM CET<\/span><\/p>\r\n In the southeastern city of Zahedan, PMOI Resistance Units have intensified their activities against the Iranian regime, condemning the widespread wave of executions and ongoing repression. These actions come as part of a broader campaign aimed at regime change, despite the severe repressive measures imposed by security forces.\u00a0The Resistance Units have demonstrated remarkable determination through various revolutionary activities designed to inspire resistance and expose the regime\u2019s failures. These activities include distributing leaflets, writing slogans on walls, and displaying banners with revolutionary messages such as:\u00a0\u201cThe overthrow of the Syrian dictator paves the way for the fall of the religious fascism in Iran,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u201cKhamenei feels more threatened than ever by the prospect of his regime\u2019s downfall,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cTo free our country and our people, we rely only on ourselves.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n Following\u00a0intense backlash<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0against the new mandatory hijab law, the clerical regime, fearing widespread uprisings after the downfall of the Syrian dictator\u2014an event that has shaken the regime to its core\u2014was compelled to halt the implementation and enforcement of\u00a0the law<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0On the evening of December 14, 2024, it was announced that the Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council had formally requested the mullahs\u2019 Parliament to suspend the enactment and enforcement of the new mandatory hijab law.<\/p>\r\n Alireza Salimi, a member of the Parliament\u2019s presidium, confirmed the news, stating: \u201cThe Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council has sent a letter to the Parliament today, requesting that the government submit a new bill to address ambiguities in the hijab and chastity law.\u201d (IRNA News Agency, December 14, 2024)<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n On Sunday, December 15, Iran\u2019s central prisons in Yazd and Zahedan became sites of harrowing human rights violations as 11 individuals, including 9 Baluch prisoners, 1 Kurdish prisoner, and 1 woman, were executed. Despite repeated warnings from human rights activists, these individuals\u2014convicted on charges ranging from drug-related offenses to murder\u2014met their deaths in a single day.<\/p>\r\n Among those executed were 36-year-old Mohammad Ali Kharkouhi and 43-year-old Reza Kharkouhi, along with three members of the Totazehi family: Abdol Baset, Abdol Nasser, and Nematollah Totazehi. These individuals, many of whom had large families relying on them, were arrested and sentenced to death years ago for alleged drug-related crimes. Local reports indicate that Reza Kharkouhi became physically disabled due to medical neglect in prison and had been using a wheelchair in his final years.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n Yalda Night, a cherished remnant of ancient Iran, is a celebration rooted in solidarity, kindness, and the joy of togetherness. This ancient ritual, believed by some to date back to the era of Darius the Great, has been a symbol of hope and unity for centuries. However, in contemporary Iran, the shadow of economic hardship and cultural suppression has turned the celebration of this historic night into a challenge, especially for the economically disadvantaged and elderly members of society.\u00a0Market investigations reveal the staggering costs of preparing a modest Yalda table for a family of four. At a minimum, this requires 1.7 million tomans, with higher-quality items pushing the expense to around 4 million tomans\u2014approximately half the monthly salary of a minimum-wage worker. Such financial strain puts the celebration out of reach for many families.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n Sanandaj, Western Iran\u2014Leila Salimi, a prominent teacher and union activist from\u00a0Sanandaj<\/a>, the capital of Iran\u2019s Kurdistan Province, has had her dismissal from the Ministry of Education reduced to a two-month suspension. The appeals board issued the revised ruling for administrative violations.\u00a0Leila Salimi, a teacher with 32 years of experience and a provincial award-winning researcher, holds a doctorate in management. She was initially dismissed earlier this year by the preliminary board of the Ministry of Education in Kurdistan Province. The charges against her were linked to her\u00a0union activities<\/a>\u00a0and membership in the Kurdistan Teachers\u2019 Association in Sanandaj, a group advocating for teachers\u2019 rights.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n In the early hours of Sunday, December 15, a woman, along with six other prisoners, was hanged at Yazd Central Prison.\u00a0The identity of the woman, who was sentenced to death on charges of murder, has not been confirmed at the time of this report. She is the fifth woman to be executed in Iran this December.\u00a0In addition to the seven executed in\u00a0Yazd<\/a>\u00a0Central Prison, four others were executed at the Central Prison in Zahedan on Sunday, December 16.<\/p>\r\n During the first week of December alone,\u00a0four more women<\/a>\u00a0were executed in Iran. The execution rate for women has significantly increased under the clerical regime\u2019s new president, Massoud Pezeshkian.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n With a drop in temperatures across various regions of Iran, officials in 15 provinces announced the closure of schools to \u201cmanage energy consumption.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Schools in the provinces of West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Tehran, North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, South Khorasan, Zanjan, Semnan, Qazvin, Qom, Kermanshah, Golestan, and Mazandaran were declared closed and shifted to remote learning for Sunday, December 15.<\/p>\r\n In Khuzestan Province, schools were also closed due to\u00a0air pollution<\/a>\u00a0and a red alert for dust storms.<\/p>\r\n Government offices and institutions in most of these provinces were also declared closed, with only Semnan and Golestan provinces starting operations with a two-hour delay.<\/p>\r\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\r\n Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh, a political prisoner sentenced to death, was recently transferred from Evin Prison to a solitary confinement cell in Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj for the\u00a0execution<\/a>\u00a0of his sentence.<\/p>\r\n The Iranian Human Rights Organization, on December 13, announced the transfer of Mahdavi Shayesteh to solitary confinement. They reported that he was tried by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, and sentenced to death on charges of \u201cinsulting Islamic sanctities\u201d and \u201ccollaborating with the enemy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n This human rights organization emphasized that the case against this political prisoner is so lacking in evidence that a \u201csingle empty pistol magazine\u201d and \u201ca pepper spray\u201d were used as proof of \u201ccollaborating with the enemy\u201d to substantiate the charges.<\/p>\r\nWhy I Fear Iran’s Dictators May Use Chemical Weapons In Terror Attack On Europe<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nThe Fall of the Syrian Dictator: Time for Recalibration of Western Policy on Iran<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nThe Alleged Iran Connection of D\u00fcsseldorfer Volksbank<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nThe Fall of Assad, A Prelude to The Collapse of The Iranian Theocracy?<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nPMOI Resistance Units in Zahedan Condemn Executions, Reaffirm Commitment to Regime Change in Iran<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nNew Mandatory Hijab Law Suspended Following Intervention by Supreme National Security Council<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nA Grim Day in Iran: Executions Highlight Human Rights Concerns<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nThe Struggles of Celebrating Yalda Night in Iran Amid Economic Hardship and Cultural Suppression<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nKurdish Teacher and Union Activist in Sanandaj Suspended for Two Months Following Disciplinary Ruling<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nYazd Central Prison: One Woman Among 7 Prisoners Executed<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nSchools in Many Provinces of Iran Closed Due to Cold Weather, Gas Shortages<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\nPolitical Prisoner Transferred for Execution Amid Rising Executions in Iran<\/h3>\r\n
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