{"id":327170,"date":"2024-12-31T07:23:30","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T06:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=327170"},"modified":"2024-12-31T22:18:02","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T21:18:02","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-december-31-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-december-31-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 December 31, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ITC retirees in Hamedan, Western Iran, protested on December 30, 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 10:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Treasury Sanctions Entities in Iran and Russia That Attempted to Interfere in the U.S. 2024 Election<\/h3>\n

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WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, the Department of the Treasury\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating a subordinate organization of Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and a Moscow-based affiliate organization of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and its director pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.)\u00a013848, the U.S. election interference authority. As affiliates of the IRGC and GRU, these actors aimed to stoke socio-political tensions and influence the U.S. electorate during the 2024 U.S. election. Today\u2019s actions build on sanctions previously imposed on the IRGC, the GRU, and their numerous subordinate and proxy organizations, pursuant to several authorities targeting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and malicious cyber-enabled activities.<\/p>\n

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

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U.S. Strikes Houthi Targets in Yemen After American Warships Attacked, CENTCOM Says<\/h3>\n

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The United States military said Tuesday its forces had “conducted multiple precision strikes” that hit\u00a0Houthi targets<\/a>\u00a0in Yemen’s capital.<\/p>\n

The targets had been used by the Iran-backed rebels used to attack\u00a0American warships<\/a>\u00a0and commercial vessels, U.S. Central Command\u00a0said in a news release<\/a>. The attacks began on Monday and continued on Tuesday. A video shared by the command shows\u00a0planes taking off<\/a>\u00a0and rockets being launched from a ship.<\/p>\n

The targets included a Houthi command and control facility and advanced conventional weapon production and storage facilities. The facilities held missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles used in Houthi operations, CENTCOM said. U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force aircraft also destroyed a Houthi coastal radar site and seven cruise missiles and\u00a0unmanned aerial drones<\/a>, CENTCOM said.<\/p>\n

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

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Silence No Longer an Option on Iran’s Alarming Executions Spike<\/h3>\n

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In an age where information travels faster than ever, silence on certain issues remains deafening. A particularly grim instance is the current situation in Iran, where the execution tally has surged dramatically.\u00a0Since August of this year, when Masoud Pezeshkian became president, the regime has executed 672 individuals, including\u00a011 on Dec. 15<\/a>\u00a0alone, one of whom was a woman, bringing to 22 the number of women who have been sent to the gallows.<\/p>\n

The number since January 2024 stands at 988<\/a>, including 33 women and eight political prisoners. This staggering number isn’t just a statistic; it’s a chilling indicator of a regime that continues to punish its citizens with the utmost severity, under questionable legal standards.<\/p>\n

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

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

How an Iran Oil Tycoon Got Inside the Western Financial System<\/h3>\n

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On a winding road hugging Dominica\u2019s palm-dotted shores stand a string of partially finished luxury hotels. A few miles north, sits the future home of the Portsmouth Marina \u2014 a development seeking to draw superyachts to the island. They are a testament to a bet Dominica made three decades ago on citizenship by investment or CBI. In essence, the tiny Caribbean nation has dished out passports to foreigners in exchange for significant lump sums. It\u2019s brought billions into the economy while offering an easy additional nationality to anyone whose origins might raise red flags in the financial community.<\/p>\n

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

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US Urges Action Against Iranian Regime for Violating Arms Embargo<\/h3>\n

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In a Security Council session addressing threats to international peace, U.S. Deputy Representative to the UN, Ambassador Dorothy Shea, highlighted<\/a> the Iranian regime’s provision of advanced weapons to the Houthis as a violation of UN-imposed arms embargoes. \u201cIran\u2019s provision of hypersonic missiles and other lethal weapons to the Houthis violates the arms embargo imposed on the group by this Council,\u201d Shea declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Houthis are fully enabled by Iran to launch long-range and deadly attacks on Israel, including civilian infrastructure,\u201d she said, emphasizing the need for international accountability.<\/p>\n

The U.S. called for \u201cadditional actions\u201d by the Security Council to address the growing threat posed by the Houthis and Tehran’s role in arming the group. Shea urged members, particularly those with direct ties to Iran, to \u201cpress Iran\u2019s leaders to stop the Houthis from launching attacks that put civilians in harm\u2019s way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shea also stressed the importance of strengthening the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) to prevent illicit arms smuggling by Iran. The U.S. will continue defending its regional partners, as demonstrated by recent military actions targeting Houthi command facilities and intercepting drone and missile attacks over the Red Sea.<\/p>\n

The ambassador concluded with a broader appeal: \u201cThis is an especially dangerous moment in the region. It is imperative that we all work to reduce tensions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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U.S. Stresses Need to Prevent Iran from Resurging in Syria<\/h3>\n

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The U.S. Embassy in Syria announced on Tuesday that it has reaffirmed its commitment to combating \u201cterrorism\u201d and preventing Iranian influence in Syria while advocating for minority representation.<\/p>\n

The embassy said that U.S. officials met with members of the caretaker government in Damascus to underscore key priorities.<\/p>\n

During the meeting, the officials called for the protection of American citizens and demanded clarity on the fate of forcibly disappeared individuals, including Austin Tice and Majd Khamis.<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 7:00 AM CET<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Failure of Tehran\u2019s Expansionist Policies in Middle East<\/h3>\n

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The fall of the Assad dictatorship in Syria, as one of the most critical regional pillars of the Iranian regime, has triggered a political earthquake in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

This is a fact even acknowledged by Ahmad Khatami, a member of the regime\u2019s Guardian Council and temporary Friday prayer leader of Tehran. He called on the leaders of the regime\u2019s proxy forces in Iraq to \u201cremain vigilant and cautious\u201d and \u201cnot be deceived by America\u2019s false promises.\u201d Khatami demanded that \u201cthe feet of Takfiri terrorists be broken right there in Syria.\u201d<\/p>\n

Khatami said, \u201cUninformed writers, careless writers, don\u2019t dishearten the people by saying resistance is gone. Where has resistance gone? Resistance remains and will continue until America is driven out of the region\u201d (Source: Fararu news website, December 17).<\/p>\n

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

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Cities Across Iran See Protests by Different Sectors<\/h3>\n

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Monday saw another day of protests across Iran, featuring a diverse range of demonstrators from retirees and workers to traders, each expressing their distinct demands and dissatisfaction with government policies.<\/p>\n

In Kermanshah, telecommunications retirees organized a protest against the injustice and discrimination they believe results from the interference of the Execution of Imam Khomeini\u2019s Order (EIKO) and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in managing their pension fund. The retirees argue that these entities, which have a long history of influencing economic and financial policies in Iran and are among the most corrupt governmental bodies in the country, have taken control of the fund and exploited retirees\u2019 money for their own interests under the direct oversight of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n

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

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Warning of Famine Amid Escalating Economic Crises in Iran<\/h3>\n

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A member of the Iranian Parliament\u2019s Industries Commission has issued a stark warning about the potential for \u201cfamine\u201d in the country. Salman Zaker, speaking to the state-run Rokna news agency, stated, \u201cThe continuation of dissatisfactions at this level creates the possibility of a famine.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cIf the situation continues like this, we will have to wait for a famine.\u201d However, Zaker did not elaborate on any solutions proposed by the parliament or the regime to address this looming crisis, which is further exacerbating Iran\u2019s struggling economy.<\/p>\n

Amid escalating turmoil in financial markets and the relentless rise of the U.S. dollar against the Iranian rial, discontent has boiled over into widespread protests.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, December 29, hundreds of Tehran\u2019s Grand Bazaar merchants pulled down their shutters and marched through the area, chanting slogans such as \u201cClose, Close\u201d and \u201cbrave marketer, support, support.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Pharmaceutical Crisis: Rising Prices, Shortages, and Growing Challenges<\/h3>\n

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Iran\u2019s Minister of Health and Medical Education, Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi, recently admitted that the future of the preferred currency for medicine in 2025 remains uncertain. This announcement has heightened concerns over soaring drug prices and potential shortages.<\/p>\n

Zafarghandi attributed the country\u2019s drug shortages primarily to liquidity problems stemming from unpaid hospital claims by insurance companies. \u201cThis lack of liquidity is the main reason hospitals cannot settle their accounts with pharmacies,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

A key point in Zafarghandi\u2019s remarks was his implicit reference to the possible removal of the preferred currency for medicine. \u201cNo decision has been made regarding the preferred currency for medicine for next year,\u201d he noted, leaving room for speculation.<\/p>\n

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

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At Least 883 Executions in Iran in 2024<\/h3>\n

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The human rights website HRANA reported in its latest annual report that at least 883 people were executed in prisons across Iran in 2024, reflecting an 18.3% increase compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n

The report, published on December 26, states that during this period, 207 individuals were sentenced to death by the Iranian regime\u2019s judiciary, and the death sentences of 54 individuals were upheld by the Supreme Court.
\nAccording to the report, the issuance of death sentences increased by 33.5%, and among those whose genders were specified, 772 were men and 26 were women.<\/p>\n

Additionally, five individuals who were under 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, legally referred to as juvenile offenders, were among those executed this year.
\nOf\u00a0the executions during this period<\/a>, four were carried out publicly.<\/p>\n

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

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MP Warns of Famine in Iran<\/h3>\n

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Salman Zaker, a member of the Industries Commission of the Iranian regime\u2019s Majlis, warned about the possibility of famine in Iran and said that if the current \u201cimbalances\u201d persist, there is a likelihood of famine.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the state-run Rokna news agency, Salman Zaker stated, \u201cThe continuation of imbalances at this level creates the possibility of famine,\u201d adding, \u201cIf the situation continues in this way, we should also expect famine.\u201d<\/p>\n

He did not provide details about the Majlis and the government\u2019s plans to address the \u201cpotential famine\u201d and the massive crises engulfing Iran\u2019s economy<\/a>.\u00a0Amid heightened turmoil in financial markets and the continuous rise in the value of the dollar, a group of Tehran Bazaar traders went on strike, urging other shopkeepers to join them through slogans.<\/p>\n

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

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Khamenei in 2024: A Year of Major Strategic Defeats<\/h3>\n

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As 2024 draws to a close, any impartial observer asked which government in the region suffered the greatest strategic setbacks this year would undoubtedly point to Iran\u2019s regime and its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n

As we approach 2025, this article reviews the major political developments in Iran over the past year, analyzes Khamenei\u2019s strategic failures, and provides a comprehensive final assessment:<\/p>\n

The lackluster turnout for the February 11, 2024, rallies marked the beginning of subsequent defeats for the regime. This event highlighted the waning ability of Khamenei\u2019s government to rally its base.<\/p>\n

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

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Join the 29th #FreeIranTelethon: Supporting Simay-e-Azadi, January 17\u201319, 2025<\/h3>\n

December 30, 2024<\/strong>\u2014Iranian communities and supporters of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK<\/a>) worldwide are rallying support for the upcoming\u00a029th<\/a>\u00a0Free Iran Telethon. Set to take place from Friday, January 17, to Sunday, January 19, 2025, this event is dedicated to supporting\u00a0Simay-e-Azadi<\/a>\u00a0(INTV<\/a>), the first independent 24-hour Persian-speaking satellite channel advocating for freedom and democracy.<\/p>\n

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Join the 29th #FreeIranTelethon<\/a>: Supporting Simay-e-Azadi, January 17\u201319, 2025 #Iran<\/a> #FreeIran10PointPlan<\/a> @en_simayazadi<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/gdc3gLz94u<\/a><\/p>\n

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) December 30, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n