The spokesperson for Iran’s electricity industry says that due to the intensifying heat in Iran, the electricity consumption demand is expected to increase by “7.5 percent.” On Saturday, July 20, Mostafa Rajabi, noting that two “very hot” weeks lie ahead for Iranian citizens, told ILNA News Agency: “We predict that electricity consumption demand will break records set this year starting today.”Rajabi stated that this level of consumption is “5,500 megawatts” higher than last year, which is “equivalent to the electricity consumption of the provinces of Khorasan and Sistan and Baluchestan.”On Friday, Tehran’s electricity distribution company issued a notice asking the residents of Iran’s capital to “reduce electricity consumption by at least 10 percent, especially from 11 AM to 5 PM” in the coming week to prevent disruptions in the power network.The company also threatened to take action against “customers” and “offices” that “do not adhere to the necessity of reducing electricity consumption.”At the same time, an official from the Ministry of Energy announced: “Electricity consumption in Iran alone is more than half of the consumption of the 27 member countries of the European Union.”Mojtaba Gilvanejad, pointing to the rising temperatures in the coming days, stated: “Since most of our country’s electricity is generated by burning gas, the increase in temperature not only reduces production efficiency but also leads to higher energy consumption.”He continued: “With each degree increase in temperature, the load on the power grid increases by about 1,800 megawatts, and the capacity of power generation and network facilities decreases by more than 400 megawatts.”In recent weeks, there have been numerous reports of widespread power outages in Iran.In this regard, the head of Tehran’s Chamber of Commerce announced last week that the pharmaceutical industry, like other industries in the country, has been affected by power imbalances and experiences power cuts during the hot days of the year.On July 13, Mahmoud Najafi-Arab said that production units in Iran’s pharmaceutical industry also experience power outages for two days a week.Some areas of Tehran also faced an unprecedented five-hour power outage on Thursday, July 11, and the rise in temperatures and record-breaking electricity consumption caused several provinces in the country to shut down.According to reports from Iranian domestic media, “to prevent a nationwide blackout and planned power outages in 15 provinces, Thursday was declared a holiday” to reduce office electricity consumption and “manage the network and avoid blackouts.”Due to repeated delays in the development of power plants and widespread electricity losses in the outdated network, Iran faces a 14,000-megawatt electricity deficit during the hot seasons each year, and the country’s electricity deficit increases annually.Last year, the Iranian government aimed to launch more than 6,000 megawatts of new power plants, but only 2,000 megawatts have been achieved.
Following a deadly drone attack by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist group, against Tel Aviv, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, after meeting with senior military officials including Herzi Halevi, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said that the Israeli army is immediately strengthening all its defense systems and will take revenge on anyone seeking to harm Israel or carry out terrorist operations against it.In this regard, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, held a meeting on Friday to assess the security situation.However, Israeli officials have stated that the Houthis’ attack using an Iranian drone will be responded to. According to them, the option of a direct Israeli attack on Yemen is on the table.According to these officials, the target of the Houthi drone attack was the US Embassy in Tel Aviv.Jacob Lew, the US Ambassador to Israel, expressed his shock at the brazen drone attack by the Houthis in a post on the social media platform X.Expressing sympathy for the family of the Israeli citizen killed in the attack, he added that all the staff of the US Embassy in Tel Aviv are safe and sound.
Shocked by the brazen Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv this morning. We offer our condolences to the family members of the individual who passed away. We are thankful our U.S. Embassy Branch Office personnel are all safe.
Meanwhile, Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli army, announced that one Israeli civilian was killed, and eight others were injured as a result of the suicide drone attack on Tel Aviv early Friday morning.According to the Israeli army’s assessment, the suicide drone used by the Houthis in the deadly attack on Tel Aviv was a “Samad-3” model made by the Iranian regime, modified for greater range and launched from Yemen.In recent months, the Houthis have carried out numerous drone and missile attacks against commercial ships in the region’s waters, and in response, the US and its allies have formed an international coalition to target the positions of this group supported by the Iranian government.
A Polish state-owned company has sold parts to Iran that have been used in combat drones manufactured by this country and deployed in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Polish prosecutor’s office has been investigating this matter for the past two years. According to Reuters, “Radio Zet,” a private radio broadcaster in Poland, reported on Thursday, July 18, that a Polish state-owned company sold parts to an Iranian company that were used in the manufacture of “Shahed” drones. The broadcaster did not name its information source but mentioned that the Polish prosecutor’s office has been investigating this matter since 2022. Polish prosecutors confirmed in an email that they are investigating the potential export of dual-use goods from the country but did not mention Iran by name. Since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Iranian regime has provided Moscow with thousands of Shahed-136 suicide drones. Russia has used these drones to deplete Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and destroy its infrastructure. Poland, a NATO member, has been one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters. According to “Radio Zet,” a Polish company owned by the country’s Fuel Industry Development Organization sold parts that ended up in Iranian drones. Radio Zet reported that the Poznan Communication Equipment Factory in Poland sold pumps to the Iranian Motor Manufacturers Company, which produces agricultural tractors. The purchased parts were handed over to Iranian military equipment factories and used in drones sold to Russia. According to the report, this matter has been investigated by the Polish Internal Security Agency and reported to the prosecutor’s office. In its statement, the prosecutor’s office announced that it is investigating the export of dual-use goods from the mentioned Polish company, which did not require legal authorization from the Ministry of Development and Technology. Following ongoing investigations, the CEO of the Poznan company has been accused of selling strategic products without the necessary permits and faces a potential 10-year prison sentence.
Abdolrahman Hantoosh, known as “Ray Hunt,” a 70-year-old Iranian American resident of Alabama, confessed to illegally exporting industrial equipment to Iran two years after his arrest. The U.S. Department of Justice announced in a statement that Hunt, who was charged and arrested in the fall of 2022 for defrauding the United States, violating sanctions, smuggling goods from the U.S., and providing false or misleading export information, now faces a long prison sentence and a $1 million fine for violating U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. According to court documents, Hunt registered his company, Vega Tools, in Alabama in May 2014 and began working with two Iranian companies in 2015 to send equipment for use in Iran’s oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. The court stated that during this period, Hunt used deceptive methods to conceal his activities, such as using intermediary companies in Turkey and the UAE and providing false information to U.S. authorities. Hunt could face up to five years in prison for conspiracy charges. The federal judge will determine the final sentence after reviewing sentencing guidelines and other legal factors. The Department of Justice, the Department of Commerce, and the FBI are still investigating his case. The longstanding U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime prohibit American companies from trading with the Iranian regime or investing in Iran’s energy sector, and violators face severe penalties.
According to research by the National United Front of Afghanistan, the Iranian regime has committed to covering the costs of housing and training Al-Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan, as well as financing the group’s operations in the Middle East, as part of a secret agreement with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The document states that Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, a senior Taliban representative, and Saif al-Adl, the current leader of Al-Qaeda, met secretly in Tehran in October 2021 and agreed that all Al-Qaeda branches and IRGC-affiliated groups in the Middle East and Africa would collaborate. According to the research, it was agreed in this secret meeting that the Taliban would provide the necessary space and tools for training Al-Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan, while the IRGC would cover the group’s expenses in Afghanistan and finance Al-Qaeda’s operations in the region. According to the National United Front of Afghanistan, this was the first recorded face-to-face meeting of these three senior officials from the IRGC, Taliban, and Al-Qaeda. There had previously been numerous reports of close relations between the Iranian regime and Al-Qaeda. In March 2024, the U.S. Department of State said that the Iranian regime had allowed Al-Qaeda to facilitate its terrorist activities through a key communication channel via Iran since at least 2009, transferring funds and fighters to South Asia, Syria, and other areas. According to the U.S. Department of State, the Iranian regime continues to provide a safe haven for senior Al-Qaeda leaders on Iranian soil. The National United Front of Afghanistan stated in its research that following the meeting between the IRGC Quds Force commander and representatives of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, a peace agreement was established between the Houthis in Yemen and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which remains stable. Another outcome of this meeting that has now been implemented is Al-Qaeda’s cooperation with groups allied with the Iranian regime in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, including Hezbollah. The Telegraph reported on May 4 about the expanding cooperation between the Houthis and Al-Qaeda in Yemen. According to this report, the Houthis, who were previously considered enemies of Al-Qaeda, are now providing them with weapons and drones, and the two sides have exchanged prisoners. The National United Front of Afghanistan also reported in its research that following the developments in Tehran in October 2021, Al-Qaeda’s recruitment and the number of training centers in Afghanistan have increased significantly. According to this research, the strengthening of Al-Qaeda’s financial capabilities has enabled the group to build more houses and camps for its members coming to Afghanistan from the Middle East and Africa. In a report released in February 2023, the United Nations stated that Saif al-Adl, the leader of Al-Qaeda, is believed to have continued his activities in Iran under the protection of the Iranian regime for years. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the former Foreign Minister of the Iranian regime, had denied that Saif al-Adl resided in Iran and called the dissemination of such news “Iranophobia.” According to the National United Front, Qaani expressed satisfaction with the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan after meeting with a Taliban representative in Tehran in October 2021 and said, “We have done a great job, and now we must expel the Americans from the Middle East.”
A hacker group linked to the Iranian regime has targeted organizations active in various Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, in a new cyber campaign.According to research by the cybersecurity company Check Point, the hacker group known as MuddyWater has attacked Azerbaijan, Portugal, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and India, in addition to Israel, using a new proprietary malware.This malware allows hackers to remotely execute commands on systems and transfer files between infected devices and servers.According to cybersecurity researchers, despite its low technical quality, the MuddyWater malware is continually being developed and improved by hackers.Hackers have sent this malware to their victims through phishing emails.Check Point experts have identified government organizations, municipalities, media outlets, and travel agencies as the targets of these attacks.Since the recent campaign was identified in February 2024, more than 50 phishing emails have been sent to hundreds of recipients.Simultaneously, the cybersecurity company Sequoia reported a similar increase in attacks by the MuddyWater group on various institutions.Their investigations show that Iranian regime hackers have targeted Azerbaijan, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia with cyberattacks in recent months.Another finding of this investigation is a change in the method of sending malicious links to attack victims.In their recent campaign, hackers placed the malicious links in PDF files attached to the emails instead of directly in the body of the phishing emails.International organizations, including the United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, have attributed the MuddyWater group to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.This group is also known by other names, including APT34 and OilRig.In recent years, MuddyWater has focused on cyber espionage against private and government institutions in the Middle East and Western countries.In November 2023, just a few weeks after the start of the Hamas-Israel war, two Israeli entities were targeted by this group.In that attack, Iranian government hackers also used phishing emails and social engineering techniques to deceive their victims.
In her speech at the National Republican Convention, Nikki Haley stated that the Iranian regime could be held responsible for any problem in the Middle East. The former United States Ambassador to the United Nations said that the dictators who chant “Death to America” in Iran are the financial backers and weapons suppliers of Hamas and Hezbollah.In another part of her speech, Haley said that during Trump’s time, the Iranian regime was much weaker and incapable of starting any war because they knew Trump was serious and feared him.Haley also pointed out that lifting sanctions and begging the regime to return to the nuclear deal has resulted in a greater threat from Tehran and its proxy forces in the region.At the beginning of her speech at the National Republican Convention, Haley declared her support for Trump, saying that Trump invited her to speak at this gathering for unity. She stated, “I strongly support his candidacy.”In the past few months, Iran’s regime has engaged in a series of provocative actions through its proxies, sending arms and weapons to terrorist groups and trying to take advantage of the ongoing war in Gaza to bolster its hold on power.
“We are seeking to, God willing, kill Trump and Pompeo.” This statement was made by Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, on a TV program on February 24, 2023. Now, after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the Iranian regime has backtracked, claiming it never intended to assassinate him.Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday, July 17: “Iran is pursuing legal action against Donald Trump but strongly denies any involvement in the recent armed attack on Trump or claims of intent to do so, considering such claims to have malicious political motives.”After the killing of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC Quds Force, in a U.S. operation in Baghdad on January 3, 2020, Iranian regime officials promised “severe revenge.” This phrase has become a key term in subsequent years.On January 8, 2020, the IRGC targeted a U.S. base in the Ain al-Asad region of Iraq in an operation that resulted in no casualties, later revealed to have been coordinated with the Americans to strike an empty base.Since then, Iranian regime officials have consistently promised to avenge Soleimani’s death on various occasions.In December 2020, near the end of Trump’s presidency, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei promised in a speech that “revenge on the orderer and killer of Qassem Soleimani” was certain.Following these remarks, Khamenei’s Twitter account posted a graphic depicting Trump on a golf course under the shadow of a drone, a veiled reference to his assassination.This post has now been removed from Khamenei’s Twitter account (now known as X).Khamenei’s Twitter account posted a graphic depicting TrumpKhamenei’s official website also produced and released an animation showing forces dressed in IRGC uniforms using a robot to assassinate Trump, referencing Khamenei’s promise.Ismail Qaani, Soleimani’s successor in the IRGC Quds Force, delivered a speech in January 2021 on the anniversary of his death in the Iranian Parliament.In this speech, he again threatened Trump with assassination, saying: “The American agents involved in the assassination of Martyr Soleimani should learn the secretive lifestyle of Salman Rushdie because the Iranian regime will avenge the unjustly shed blood of Martyr Soleimani.”Salman Rushdie is a British author whose assassination fatwa was issued by Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Iranian regime, with a bounty placed on his head.Rushdie was attacked in 2022, losing the sight in one eye and the use of one hand.
Member of Parliament and the Three Million Dollar Bounty
Ahmad Hamzeh, a member of the 12th Parliament, announced a three million dollar bounty for Trump’s assassination from the parliamentary podium on January 21, 2020. This statement was met with a reaction from Robert Wood, the U.S. disarmament envoy.
Qaani’s Second Threat: Trump is Under the Watchful Eye of the World’s Free People
On the anniversary of Soleimani’s killing in January 2022, the Quds Force commander again threatened Trump, this time saying: “The enemy thought with the crime they committed and the basest act they performed, it was over, but Trump and others who were with him are all clear to us. From [Mike] Pompeo, whom no one has humiliated as much as Martyr Soleimani, to the President of the United States and all those involved in this crime are under the watchful eye of (not just Muslims, but) the free people of the world.”
Hajizadeh: If We Can, We Want to Kill Trump
In February 2023, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, claimed on a TV program: “Killing these people (American soldiers) was not our goal. God willing, we want to kill Trump, Pompeo, [Frank] McKenzie, and the military commanders who issued the order (to kill Qassem Soleimani). But ultimately, they had performed a military action, and we also had to respond militarily.”
The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders called for the immediate release of six women’s human rights activists in Gilan who were recently imprisoned.
More disturbing news from Iran: 6 WHRDs imprisoned with lengthy sentences, reportedly violently arrested, tortured, and threatened with rape and death during interrogations. I call on Iran to release them immediately and end the suppression of WHRDs. @PMIRAN_GENEVA
— Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs (@MaryLawlorhrds) July 15, 2024
Mary Lawlor expressed her concern over the long prison sentences and reports of violent arrests, torture, and threats by Iranian security agents to rape and kill these prisoners during interrogation in a post on Twitter, calling for an end to the repression of women’s human rights activists.Six civil and women’s rights activists in Gilan province reported to Branch 5 of the Rasht Execution of Sentences office on Saturday, July 13, to begin serving their prison sentences.Forough Samiinia, Jelve Javaheri, Shiva Shahsiah, Negin Rezaei, Matin Yazdani, and Azadeh Chavoshian were transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht.In her latest Instagram post, Forough Samiinia, referring to the start of her and her friends’ prison sentences, stated, “We have not forgotten our dreams and we fight to achieve them.”The prison sentences for Zohreh and Zahra Dadras, two other prisoners convicted in the case of 11 Gilan activists, were executed on July 10.In this case, 11 civil and women’s rights activists from Gilan have been sentenced to over 60 years in prison collectively.These activists have reported being tortured and beaten during their detention.Zohreh Dadras was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison on charges of “forming a group with the intent to disrupt national security” and “assembly and collusion,” of which six years and one day are enforceable.Forough Samiinia, Sara Jahani, Yasamin Hashdari, Shiva Shahsiah, Negin Rezaei, Matin Yazdani, Azadeh Chavoshian, and Zahra Dadras were each sentenced to six years, three months, and 17 days in prison on charges of “membership in a group” and “assembly and collusion.”Two other defendants in this case, Jelve Javaheri and Hooman Taheri, were each sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”The issuance of over 60 years of prison sentences for 11 women’s rights defenders and civil activists in Gilan province has faced widespread criticism from hundreds of activists and civil and human rights organizations, including the Iranian Writers Association, the Center for Human Rights Defenders, and the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association.U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also condemned these sentences as “unjust” and “an attempt to intimidate and silence activists.”
The majority of the U.S. Congress has issued a resolution condemning the Iranian regime, calling for support for Iranian Resistance, and recognizing the right of the Iranian people to choose their own government. This bipartisan resolution, supported by 223 members from both the Democratic and Republican parties, is titled “Condemnation of Iran’s Regime Terrorism, Regional Proxy Wars, and Domestic Suppression.” The resolution, numbered 1148, includes signatures from 11 committee heads and 53 subcommittee leaders in Congress, including the heads of the Intelligence, Budget, and Security Committees.The resolution asserts that since October 2023, the Iranian regime has increasingly acted as the epicenter of terrorism and regional conflict. It highlights that ignoring Tehran’s direct involvement in various conflicts only encourages Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards to escalate these tensions. The survival of the Iranian regime heavily relies on internal suppression and terrorist activities abroad through its proxies.The U.S. Congress has expressed its support for Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan for Iran’s future. The significant protests in 2022, 2019, and 2017 reflect the Iranian people’s rejection of clerical rule and their demand for a republic based on popular vote. The Iranian people have been deprived of their fundamental freedoms and as seen in their slogans, reject both monarchical and religious dictatorships.The resolution also addresses the repression of religious and ethnic minorities in Iran, emphasizing that the Iranian people’s protests often involve taking control of symbols and power centers of the Revolutionary Guards and the Supreme Leader. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that human rights must be protected by the rule of law to prevent people from resorting to rebellion against oppression and tyranny. Similarly, the U.S. Declaration of Independence stresses the right and duty of people to overthrow a tyrannical government and establish new safeguards for their future security.The Iranian regime is increasingly concerned about the activities of rebellious groups against the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij forces, particularly during the widespread protests in 2022. The regime has also intensified its use of hostage diplomacy as a primary foreign policy tool, using it against Western countries to secure the release of its criminals and terrorists.In another section of the resolution, the U.S. Congress condemns the release of Asadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat implicated in terrorism. It notes that in 2023, the Iranian regime began a sham trial of 104 resistance members, mostly residing in Europe, to fabricate a legal pretext for its terrorist plots against them. The resolution also mentions the 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners, ordered by Khomeini, targeting those loyal to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) organization, with Ebrahim Raisi being one of the key figures involved.Among those affected by the 1988 massacre are over 900 residents of the PMOI headquarters in Ashraf 3, Albania. These are former political prisoners who witnessed the Iranian regime’s atrocities firsthand. Many of these individuals are crucial witnesses to Raisi’s crimes and should be fully protected for any potential testimony before international courts investigating these killings. In November 2021, Sweden’s judiciary relocated the Stockholm court to Albania for two weeks to facilitate the testimonies of seven former Iranian political prisoners now residing in Ashraf 3, vital witnesses in trials related to the 1988 massacre.
