{"id":329329,"date":"2025-03-09T09:28:36","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T08:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=329329"},"modified":"2025-03-12T20:31:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T19:31:11","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-march-9-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-march-9-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 March 9, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Supporters of the Iranian Resistance in the United States held a rally in Washington D.C., on March 8, 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS<\/h3>\n

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

Thousands Gather in D.C. to Protest Iranian Regime and Stand with The Resistance Movement<\/h3>\n

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Thousands gathered in Washington, D.C. on Saturday to protest the Iranian regime and stand with the resistance movement.\u00a0Protesters marched in the “Free Iran” demonstration from the U.S. Capitol building to the White House. “Neither chance, nor coincidence, nor imaginary forces-none of these will cause change in Iran. This regime will neither collapse nor will it implode from within. There is only one way. That one and only way is organized resistance and uprising,” said Maryam Rajavi at the protest.<\/p>\n

“Everything depends on the will and struggle of the youth of Iran. Everything depends on whether we are willing to pay the full price for freedom. This is why we have come to the forefront. And we declare: Now is the time to rise,” she added.<\/p>\n

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Iranian Resistance Rally in D.C. Calls for Tough U.S. Policy on Islamic Regime<\/h3>\n

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Iranian opposition leaders and supporters gathered in Washington, DC, calling for a firm U.S. stance against Iran\u2019s theocratic regime and backing for its overthrow.\u00a0The rally, held on International Women\u2019s Day, called on the U.S. and global leaders to recognize the Iranian people\u2019s right to overthrow the ruling regime in Tehran.<\/p>\n

The demonstration centered around the Ten-Point Plan of NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi, which envisions a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear Iran. Participants urged international recognition of Iranian Resistance Units\u2019 right to challenge the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the regime\u2019s brutal enforcers.<\/p>\n

Rajavi addressed the crowd via video from France, declaring, \u201cNow is the time to rise.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

White House Reaffirms Trump\u2019s Offer of Negotiations or Military Action Following Khamenei\u2019s Remarks<\/h3>\n

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White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes reiterated the choice between negotiations and military action that U.S. President Donald Trump had offered to Iran, following remarks from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who stated that Iran will not be bullied into negotiations.<\/p>\n

In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said, \u201cThere are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal\u201d to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n

At a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei said Washington\u2019s aim was to \u201cimpose their own expectations,\u201d Iranian state media reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues. \u2026 Talks for them are a pathway to have new demands; it is not only about Iran\u2019s nuclear issue. \u2026 Iran will definitely not accept their expectations,\u201d Khamenei was quoted as saying, without directly mentioning Trump.<\/p>\n

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

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Iranian Women, The Force for Change, Pioneers Of A Universal Struggle<\/h3>\n

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On the occasion of International Women’s Day, an international collective signs an op-ed in support of Iranian women’s struggle for freedom. Dominique Attias, president of the board of directors of the European Lawyers’ Foundation; Elisabeth Badinter, philosopher; Ingrid Betancourt, author and former senator of Colombia; and Laurence Tubiana, president of the European Climate Foundation are among the signatories of this text, which La D\u00e9p\u00eache du Midi<\/em>\u00a0publishes below.<\/p>\n

The surprising courage of Iranian women during the 2022-2023 uprising has remained forever etched in our memories. In its report to the UN Human Rights Council, the independent international mission denounced “the numerous serious human rights violations and crimes under international law committed against women and girls in the Islamic Republic of Iran”.<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 10:30 AM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Thousands to Rally in DC On International Women’s Day, Demanding A ‘Free Iran’<\/h3>\n

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WASHINGTON (7News) \u2014\u00a0Thousands of Iranian Americans, human rights advocates, and supporters gathered on Saturday in Washington, D.C., for a “Free Iran Rally.”<\/p>\n

The demonstration, organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), started at 1 p.m. at the Capitol Reflecting Pool before marching to the White House at 2:30 p.m. The rally comes as calls for regime change in Iran intensify.<\/p>\n

OIAC said they are demanding the U.S. government “to fully enforce maximum pressure policies and recognize Iranians\u2019 right to overthrow the regime\u2014a cause backed by H. Res. 166 and 150+ bipartisan lawmakers.”<\/p>\n

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

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Trump Administration Ends Iraq’s Waiver to Buy Iranian Electricity<\/h3>\n

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) – The Trump administration rescinded a waiver on Saturday that had allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity, as part of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran, a State Department spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

The decision to let Iraq’s waiver lapse upon its expiration “ensures we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief,” the spokesperson said, adding that Trump’s campaign on Iran aims “to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop it from supporting terrorist groups.”<\/p>\n

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

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

Message to the Rally and Demonstration of Iranians and Supporters of the Iranian Resistance in Washington, D.C.<\/h3>\n

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Maryam Rajavi’s speech: “Khamenei\u2019s repeated defeats, the crumbling of his regime, the paralysis of his government, its failure to solve the nation\u2019s problems, and above all, the unshakable resolve of a nation fed up to the brink to bring down the regime all convey one undeniable message: The time to rise is now.<\/p>\n

“Today, Khamenei is drawing battle lines against the Iranian people through relentless executions. At the same time, he is accelerating his nuclear bomb-making program<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to threaten and extort the international community.<\/p>\n

“In contrast, the Iranian Resistance was the first to expose the regime\u2019s most secret nuclear sites and the details of its unpatriotic nuclear program. We have consistently insisted\u2014most notably during the 2015 negotiations with the P5+1\u2014that all of the regime\u2019s nuclear sites and uranium enrichment facilities must be completely dismantled. Unfortunately, negotiations and appeasement only brought the regime closer to acquiring a nuclear bomb.”<\/p>\n

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Iran\u2019s Regime Faces Uncertainty and Conflict over Repressive Hijab Bill<\/h3>\n

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Within hours of the impeachment and announcement of the dismissal of Iranian regime minister of economy Abdolnasser Hemmati on Sunday, March 2, declared in the Majlis (parliament) by speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, news broke about Mohammad Javad Zarif being summoned by Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the chief of judiciary, and his dismissal was announced. These two simultaneous dismissals showed that a shift in the internal balance of the regime was taking place.<\/p>\n

On March 4, 209 members of parliament, by signing a letter addressed to Ghalibaf, demanded the promulgation of the repressive bill known as \u201cChastity and Hijab.\u201d In a section of the parliament members\u2019 letter for the promulgation of the bill, with an implicit reference to the conditions that led to the disbanding of Guidance Patrol cars and the fearful halt of the \u201cHijab\u201d bill, it is stated: \u201cAlthough the special conditions in the past months could be considered a reason for postponing the law, but after the Supreme Leader\u2019s statements on January 8 of this year\u2026 provide the basis for the promulgation of the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Fuel Smuggling in Iran: A Deep-Rooted Crisis Benefiting the Regime\u2019s Power Structure<\/h3>\n

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Fuel smuggling has become one of Iran\u2019s most severe economic crises, with an estimated 20 to 30 million liters of fuel disappearing daily. However, this fuel is not simply lost\u2014it is systematically smuggled. This massive operation is not the work of petty criminals but a well-organized network that ultimately channels its profits into the hands of powerful institutions and figures within the regime.<\/p>\n

During an impeachment session in Iran\u2019s parliament, the regime\u2019s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance acknowledged that fuel smuggling exceeds $30 billion annually. He admitted that combating this corruption is beyond the power of economic ministers, revealing that 20 million liters of diesel are smuggled daily\u2014an amount equivalent to 320 trillion tomans per year. This figure is staggering as it represents the annual subsidy allocation for Iran\u2019s entire population. If redirected, this revenue could provide every citizen with four million tomans annually.<\/p>\n

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

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March 8 in Evin Prison \u2013 Forough Taghipour\u2019s Account of Struggle and Resilience<\/h3>\n

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On International Women\u2019s Day, political prisoner Forough Taghipour, currently held in the women\u2019s ward of Evin Prison, has penned her account of years of resistance, imprisonment, and steadfast defiance against religious tyranny. Having been familiar with the concepts of prison and repression since childhood, she recounts her personal experiences and the arduous path Iranian women have walked in their pursuit of freedom and equality. Inspired by Maryam Rajavi, Forough Taghipour envisions a future free from oppression and injustice, reaffirming her unwavering belief in change and ultimate victory.<\/p>\n

Forough Taghipour was released in February 2023 after serving three years in prison, only to be\u00a0rearrested<\/a>\u00a0on August 21, 2023. On February 14, 2024, Branch 26 of Tehran\u2019s Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 15 years in prison.<\/p>\n

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Debate Over Minimum Wage for Workers in Iran<\/h3>\n

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Several labor unions and women\u2019s rights activists have issued a joint statement regarding next year\u2019s wages, declaring that the minimum wage set for workers and wage earners \u201cshould not be less than 600 million rials (approximately 666 USD).\u201d<\/p>\n

They criticized the fact that wages lower than the real cost of living constitute a \u201ccrime\u201d and warned that \u201cthis year, the situation is more critical than ever.\u201d They wrote: \u201cThe ruthless monster of inflation has turned our lives into a nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n

In one part of the statement, they emphasized: \u201cGiven the soaring costs in dollars and the tsunami of price hikes, the continuous devaluation of wages, the prevention of wage increases in line with inflation throughout the year, and postponing it to a single adjustment at year-end, any percentage increase is rendered ineffective and meaningless.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Sharp Price Increases Ahead of Nowruz; Iran\u2019s Economic Crisis Worsens<\/h3>\n

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With the approach of the final days of the Iranian year (March 21), a new wave of price hikes has emerged in the food and essential goods market, while the Iranian regime has prioritized \u201cpunitive actions against businesses\u201d instead of addressing the root causes of inflation.<\/p>\n

Some experts believe that the regime\u2019s security-driven and punitive approach to market regulation stems from its inability to control inflation.<\/p>\n

In this regard, the website\u00a0Eghtesaad24<\/i>\u00a0wrote that it is unclear whether the government\u2019s plans for market regulation ahead of Nowruz only involve \u201cstronger enforcement of price control measures and fines for shopkeepers\u201d or if they also include broader plans such as increasing the supply of quality goods in all sectors to bring down prices.<\/p>\n

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

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Paris Exhibition Exposes Iran\u2019s Human Rights Violations<\/h3>\n

Paris, March 7, 2025<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Supporters of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK<\/a>) hosted an exhibition in Paris to spotlight the Iranian regime\u2019s escalating human rights violations and show solidarity with the ongoing\u00a0Iranian Revolution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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#Paris<\/a> Exhibition Exposes #Iran<\/a>\u2019s #HumanRightsViolations<\/a> #StopExecutionsInIran<\/a> #FreePoliticalPrisoners<\/a> #FreeIran2025<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/MjXRcSKXL6<\/a><\/p>\n

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) March 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n