Free Iran Summit 2024 Endorses Democratic Republic in Iran

Jubin Katiraie
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Free Iran Summit 2024 Endorses Democratic Republic in Iran
The Free Iran 2024 World Summit, held on June 29, 2024, in Paris, France, gathered over 500 lawmakers, former presidents, prime ministers, and senior officials from the US, Europe, and the Middle East. Key speakers included NCRI’s president-elect Maryam Rajavi, former US Vice President Mike Pence, former UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss, former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and former US National Security Advisor John Bolton. Concurrently, tens of thousands of Iranians gathered in Berlin to support a democratic Republic of Iran and Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan.
NCRI president-elect Maryam Rajavi, delivered a speech in Free Iran World Summit 2024
NCRI president-elect Maryam Rajavi, delivered a speech in Free Iran World Summit 2024
Maryam Rajavi emphasized the Iranian Resistance’s resilience, the regime’s vulnerability, and the Iranian people’s unwavering spirit. She warned that appeasing the regime would lead to more bloodshed and ultimately be futile in protecting Khamenei from his downfall. She highlighted that the sham elections indicated the regime’s failures and the Iranian people’s desire for revolution, stating that the regime’s reformists were only used to increase voter turnout, with policies still controlled by Khamenei. Rajavi noted Khamenei’s desperate attempt to maintain control, which led to the conflict in Gaza and his proclamation of the “Resistance Front.” She stressed targeting the regime’s core to achieve regional peace and praised the new generation driving rebellion and revolution, as seen in uprisings from 2017 to 2022, supported by Resistance Units’ sacrifices. The summit detailed the regime’s threats to its people and global stability, with speakers arguing against its repressive tactics and nuclear ambitions. Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper noted the regime’s weakness compared to the Shah’s regime, highlighting its brutality, corruption, and dysfunction. Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt emphasized the regime’s oppression of women, execution of dissidents, and support of terrorism. Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo both affirmed NCRI and MEK as viable alternatives to the regime, with Pence debunking the myth of no alternative to the status quo.   David Jones, Former Minister and Member of the UK House of Commons, asserted that Iran’s future must be determined by its people, advocating for democratic change through organized resistance led by Maryam Rajavi and NCRI. The summit concluded with a strong message of support for the Iranian people’s struggle for a democratic Republic and the necessity of global backing for their resistance. The second day of the Free Iran 2024 World Summit, held on June 30, 2024, highlighted the Iranian Resistance’s plans for a democratic republic, organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). World leaders, lawmakers, and human rights activists from across four continents attended, supporting a free Iran. The summit focused on the recent election boycott in Iran, seen as a rejection of the regime. German MEP Niels Geuking called for stronger EU policies and recognition of NCRI. Lord Dholakia criticized the sham elections, highlighting the regime’s lack of legitimacy. Maryam Rajavi, NCRI President-Elect, celebrated the boycott as proof of the Iranian people’s resolve to overthrow the regime and highlighted internal regime divisions. She warned against international appeasement of Iran, comparing it to the appeasement of Nazi Germany. Mitchell Reiss, former US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, analyzed MEK and NCRI’s resistance efforts inside and outside Iran and stressed combating misinformation about them. PMOI supporters Nasser Sharif and Firouz Daneshgari emphasized PMOI’s role as the democratic alternative and rejected appeasement policies. International support was evident, with speeches calling for increased sanctions and cessation of relations with Iran. Ryszard Kalisz of Poland and Marius Matijošaitis of Lithuania expressed solidarity with Iran’s quest for freedom. Izabela Konopacka praised Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, and Emanuelle Pozzolo highlighted the regime’s use of terrorism to maintain power. Speakers consistently called for a united front against the Iranian regime, designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization, and supporting the Iranian people’s right to resist dictatorship. The summit ended with a sense of determination and hope, presenting a vision for Iran’s democratic future, and uniting global voices for the cause. With one day left, the summit continued to advance freedom and democracy in Iran.

Shortage of 176,000 Teachers in Iran by September

Esmaeil Mohades
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Shortage of 176,000 Teachers in Iran by September
Babak Negahdari, head of the Parliamentary Research Center, announced a shortage of 176,000 teachers in the country for the new academic year and said that in addition, it is predicted that about 72,000 teachers will retire by September 2024. He emphasized that this would make staffing more difficult for the Ministry of Education. Negahdari, in the open session of the parliament on Sunday and during the review of the Minister of Education’s report on the 2023-2024 academic year, cited the neglect of developing the capacities of Teachers University and the near weakening and dissolution of teacher training centers and the set of employment laws for teachers from 2009 to 2021 as the reasons for the human resources crisis in the Ministry of Education. He also mentioned the employment of retirees for classroom teaching, stating that although the law allows the Ministry of Education to do so, the several-month delay in payment and the low level of their wages are serious obstacles to the cooperation of retired teachers with schools. Negahdari’s remarks come at a time when dozens of teachers have been suspended or permanently dismissed by the ruling of the Administrative Violations Committee of the Ministry of Education since autumn 2022 due to their union activities and support for the revolutionary uprising. Mohammad Habibi, spokesperson for the Teachers’ Union Association, announced on June 21 on his X account that many newly employed teachers have been dismissed due to posting protest messages on social media following the killing of Mahsa Amini. This teacher, who was dismissed by the ruling of the Administrative Violations Committee of the Ministry of Education and its approval by the Administrative Court of Justice, wrote about the dismissal of teachers: “I have reliable information that in just one section of the Gilan Province’s education department, dozens of new teachers have been dismissed for just one Instagram post, and this issue has not been publicized because they are worried about its security implications.” Habibi added: “There are many such cases in the country, and one of the reasons for the shortage of personnel in the Ministry of Education in these two years has been these dismissals.” Now, the head of the Parliamentary Research Center stated that teaching jobs for men have faced a significant decline in demand due to various economic reasons, such as the high cost of housing in metropolises like Tehran. He said that in the 2023 employment test in Tehran metropolis, the capacity for accepting men was 1,578, but due to the lack of interest, 1,354 positions, equivalent to 86% of this capacity, remained unfilled even in the completion stage. According to Negahdari, in the entire country in 2023, out of more than 57,000 permits for hiring teachers, over 10,000 permits remained unfilled. He identified another problem in education as the lack of solid educational spaces and said: “About 104,000 classrooms in the country, equivalent to 19.2% of all classrooms in the education system, need to be demolished, rebuilt, or reinforced.” Negahdari said, 79,000 classrooms need standardization of heating and cooling systems. Mohammad Habibi, in a statistical report in May 2024, reminded that between May and August 2022, thousands of teachers in Iran were briefly detained during union gatherings, and during this period, the government detained and sent over 150 union activists to security wards. The International Trade Union Confederation also criticized the detention and issuance of long prison sentences for teachers and union activists in its 2024 report, stating that 44 leaders and members of the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations (CCITTA) are currently in “arbitrary detention” due to their union activities.

Iranian Regime to Remain on FATF “Blacklist”

Hoshang Amiri
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Iranian Regime to Remain on FATF “Blacklist”
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced on Friday, June 28, that Iran, North Korea, and Myanmar remain on its blacklist. This Paris-based organization highlighted the Iranian government’s refusal to ratify the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Convention) and the Convention against the Financing of Terrorism according to its standards. It fully revoked the suspension of countermeasures and urged countries worldwide to take effective countermeasures against the Iranian regime. According to the FATF statement, the Iranian regime will remain on the blacklist of this organization, which oversees actions by countries and jurisdictions to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, until it completes its action plan. The FATF added in its statement that if the Iranian regime ratifies the two mentioned conventions, the organization will decide on the next steps, including the suspension of countermeasures. The FATF’s list of high-risk countries, or blacklist, currently consists of three regimes: Iran, North Korea, and Myanmar, which have significant strategic deficiencies in combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Iran’s Regime Installs New Centrifuge Cascades at Fordow

Jubin Katiraie
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Iran’s Regime Installs New Centrifuge Cascades at Fordow
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in a report that Iran has installed half of the advanced uranium enrichment devices at the underground Fordow site, which had been previously reported, but they have not yet been activated. In this report, which Reuters news agency claims to have seen a copy of, the IAEA stated that Iran has installed four of the eight new IR-6 centrifuge cascades at Fordow, but it is unclear when uranium will be injected into them. Two weeks ago, Iran informed the IAEA that it intended to rapidly increase its enrichment capacity at the underground Fordow site by adding eight new IR-6 centrifuge cascades. The IAEA confirmed within two days that by June 11, Iran had completed two new IR-6 centrifuge cascades in Unit 1. In the report, the IAEA confirmed that Iran had informed them on June 9 and 10 that it would install eight cascades containing 174 IR-6 centrifuges in Unit 1 of the Fordow enrichment facility over the next three to four weeks. The IR-6 is one of the most advanced models of centrifuges in Iran’s nuclear facilities. The IAEA now says Tehran has not yet announced when it will begin injecting uranium hexafluoride gas into any of the cascades in Unit 1, nor has it specified its desired enrichment level. Diplomats say the installation of the new IR-6 centrifuges is in response to a resolution issued by the IAEA Board of Governors on June 5 against Iran. This resolution called for increased cooperation from Tehran with the IAEA and the lifting of recent restrictions on inspectors. In its resolution, the IAEA Board of Governors called on the Iranian regime to “immediately” answer inspectors’ questions about the origin of uranium particles discovered at undeclared sites. Iran has previously responded to IAEA Board resolutions, and following the adoption of a previous resolution in 2022, it increased uranium enrichment levels to 60%, which is close to the level required for producing nuclear weapons. The resolution against Iran by the IAEA Board of Governors on June 5 was adopted with 20 votes in favor. China and Russia opposed the resolution, and 12 countries abstained. The resolution deemed the presence of experienced IAEA inspectors in inspections of Iran’s nuclear activities as “vital” and called on Tehran to lift the ban on their activities. Officials from the Iranian regime’s Foreign Ministry called the adoption of this resolution “unconstructive,” and a spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran stated that Iran would not yield to “pressure.”

Very Low Voter Turnout in Iran’s Presidential Election

Mehdi Hosseini
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Very Low Voter Turnout in Iran’s Presidential Election
Iran’s presidential election concluded with a significant boycott by the population. In his final appeal to the people, Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei emphasized the importance of participating in the presidential election for the regime’s survival, continuity, and reputation. Despite extensive efforts to prevent a repeat of the low turnout seen in the parliamentary elections in March, a large portion of the Iranian populace chose not to participate in the election to select the successor to the late president Ebrahim Raisi. The widespread boycott led to a notably low voter turnout. On Friday morning, Khamenei described voting as an “easy task” with substantial implications for the integrity and reputation of the Islamic Republic, urging participation despite widespread hesitation. Reports from various sources indicated that Tehran and other cities did not exhibit the typical activity associated with an election. Many polling stations were reportedly empty or sparsely attended, with numerous eyewitness accounts corroborating this observation. In Isfahan, efforts were made to transport families of Basijis and IRGC members to polling stations. In Shahr-e Kord, mobile TV units were used to create the appearance of voting queues, and in Kerman, most stations saw minimal activity until noon. The regime reportedly resorted to coercive measures, such as threatening prisoners with transfer to overcrowded and unsanitary conditions if they did not vote and offering soldiers leave as an incentive to participate. In some areas, security forces were deployed to prevent filming of the empty polling stations, though activists managed to capture and share footage. Journalists invited to observe specific polling stations also noted the lackluster voter turnout. The situation attracted international attention, with the Washington Post reporting on June 28 that Iran faces multiple crises, including economic challenges, and quoting a Tehran resident who expressed distrust in the political system and skepticism about the value of voting.

Iran-Backed Houthis Attack Ship in Red Sea

Jubin Katiraie
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Iran-Backed Houthis Attack Ship in Red Sea
A ship navigating the Red Sea reported on Thursday, June 27, that it had been attacked. The location and nature of this attack suggest it is another incident involving the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis targeting vessels on international shipping routes. The private maritime security company “Ambrey,” which first reported the incident, stated that the vessel had called to report the attack from waters near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, and a warship in the Red Sea had responded to the attack. No detailed information has been released yet regarding possible casualties or damage to the ship. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also confirmed the attack, stating that responsible authorities in the region are investigating the incident. In the approximately eight months since the Houthis began attacking international shipping routes, more than 60 ships have been targeted by missiles and drones, resulting in the deaths of four sailors. The group has seized one ship and sunk two others. A coalition of Western countries led by the United States has been attacking Houthi positions in Yemen since January. The Houthis claim that at least 16 people were killed and 42 were injured in the latest wave of coalition attacks in late May. The group states that their attacks, conducted in support of the Palestinians, will continue until a ceasefire is established in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis claim they only target vessels linked to Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom in their attacks. However, many of the attacked ships had no connection to Israel or its military operations in Gaza, and some were destined for Iran. On June 25, Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthis, claimed responsibility for the attack on the bulk carrier “MSC SARAH V,” owned by a Greek company and sailing under the Liberian flag. On Wednesday, the Houthis also claimed that they had used a new hypersonic ballistic missile in this attack, capable of targeting ships much farther from their controlled areas in Yemen. Most Houthi attacks have occurred in the Gulf of Aden, but in a few instances, ships farther afield in the Red Sea and the mouth of the Indian Ocean have also been targeted. At the same time, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that in their latest attacks on Yemen, they had destroyed a Houthi radar installation. Another attack occurred in the Gulf of Aden on June 26, suspected to be carried out by the Houthis, but the group has not yet claimed responsibility.

US Imposes New Sanctions on Iran’s Regime Over Nuclear Tensions

Esmaeil Mohades
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US Imposes New Sanctions on Iran’s Regime Over Nuclear Tensions
The U.S. Secretary of State announced that on Thursday, June 27, the United States imposed new sanctions on the Iranian regime in response to the ongoing escalation of nuclear tensions. Antony Blinken said in a statement: “Over the past month, Iran has announced steps to further expand its nuclear program in ways that have no credible peaceful purpose.” “We remain committed to never letting Iran obtain a nuclear weapon, and we are prepared to use all elements of national power to ensure that outcome.” He added. As per the United States’ decision, three companies based in the United Arab Emirates and 11 associated ships accused of being involved in transporting Iranian regime’s oil or petrochemical products have been sanctioned. According to the U.S. Department of State, as a result of today’s action, all assets and interests of the sanctioned companies and ships in the United States will be frozen and seized. Earlier this month, the Group of Seven industrialized nations warned Iran about advancing its nuclear enrichment program and stated that they are prepared to take new measures if Tehran sends ballistic missiles to Russia. Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the Iranian regime’s Foreign Ministry, reacted to this statement by urging the Group of Seven to distance themselves from what he called “destructive past policies.” Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors passed a resolution calling on the Iranian regime to increase its cooperation with the agency and lift the recent ban on inspectors. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Tehran is enriching uranium to 60%, close to the 90% required for weapons-grade, and if further enriched, the material at this level would be enough for three nuclear weapons. Western powers say there is no credible civilian justification for Iran’s increased uranium enrichment. Tehran claims that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, but Iranian regime officials have recently stated that if Iran is attacked or its existence threatened by Israel, it may reconsider its “nuclear doctrine.”

Iran’s People Boycott Regime’s Sham Presidential Election

Hoshang Amiri
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Iran’s People Boycott Regime’s Sham Presidential Election
Iran’s regime held its premature presidential election on June 28 to choose the successor to Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19. The regime has been campaigning profusely to convince people to vote in the election. But reports indicate that the people have not paid heed to the regime’s propaganda efforts and are refusing to show up at the polling stations. In Iran’s early presidential elections, local sources and media reports reveal the regime’s desperate attempts to drum up participation amidst widespread public disillusionment and anger. The elections face a crisis following years of brutally cracking down on legitimate calls for change and a strong public sentiment to boycott the polls. On Tuesday, June 25, amid election issues and crises following the death of Ebrahim Raisi, Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei explicitly told presidential candidates and officials involved in the elections, “Anyone who has even a slight disagreement with the system is useless!” Khamenei could not have more clearly expressed his desperation and difficulty in filling the void left by Raisi, who “did not have even a slight disagreement with the system.” In his speech, Khamenei showed how disheartened he is by the counterproductive results of such debates and arguments, which were both contentious and unremarkable. According to state media and government polls, these have led to a decline in interest in the regime’s sham elections. All these requests for participation are the flip side of his utmost fear of a mass boycott of the election on June 28. This was a blow that Khamenei suffered in the parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections on March 1, which inflicted a great defeat on him and his regime at a critical juncture. In a situation where Iran is facing deep economic and social crises, the election show only shows the deep distance between the government and the people. The fact is that the Iranian regime is suffering from a crisis of legitimacy Reports from inside Iran so far indicate that the people have widely boycotted the elections on June 28.  

Concerns about Tehran potentially acquiring a nuclear weapon

Esmaeil Mohades
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Concerns about Tehran potentially acquiring a nuclear weapon
According to Axios, quoting three senior Israeli officials, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, reactivated task forces focused on Iran’s nuclear program two weeks ago. According to the report, this task force comprises members of Israel’s defense establishment, foreign ministry, and intelligence community. They are working under the National Security Council’s direction and a team led by Mossad to scrutinize Iran’s nuclear program, especially its potential weaponization activities. Axios, quoting an Israeli official, reported that another team led by Israel’s domestic intelligence and security service, Shin Bet, is responsible for preventing Iranian regime infiltration operations in Israeli society, which have increased over the past year. Two former Israeli officials involved in this process said Netanyahu had not seriously addressed Iran’s nuclear issue since returning to power in December 2022, initially focusing on judicial reforms and later becoming entangled in the Gaza conflict. Axios wrote, quoting these officials, that some senior former Israeli defense officials close to Netanyahu, having obtained new information about Iran’s nuclear activities in recent months, have expressed their concerns to the Prime Minister and his team, warning against neglecting this issue. Two other Israeli officials and two American officials told Axios that Israel and the United States are concerned that Iran might intensify its nuclear weaponization efforts in the weeks leading up to the U.S. presidential election. These officials also believe that Iranian leaders might attempt to use the transitional period after the U.S. elections to achieve a nuclear weapon. An American official, citing U.S. intelligence community reports, stated that Iran is not yet pursuing a nuclear weapon, but its provocative nuclear activities in recent months have created many challenges. It is said that Iran’s nuclear program was discussed in recent meetings between Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Washington with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has repeatedly assured that Iran will “never acquire a nuclear weapon.” In this context, two teams from the United States and Israel are set to hold a joint meeting in July to discuss Iran and its regime.

“Red Alert” for Oil Investments in Iran

Mehdi Hosseini
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“Red Alert” for Oil Investments in Iran
Arash Najafi, head of the Energy Commission of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, reported a “red alert” for oil investments in the country due to the lack of foreign investment. On Tuesday, June 25, Najafi told ILNA News Agency that no direct investment with its own capital is being made, adding: “All investors, considering their financial capabilities, enter projects through banks. Foreign banks, regardless of the sanctions issue, refrain from investing because Iran is on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist.” Iran’s status concerning the FATF has been raised several times in the debates of presidential candidates of the Iranian regime, with some candidates criticizing Iran’s presence on the blacklist and the prevention of passing laws to join it. The Iranian Chamber of Commerce official further stated that investors do not enter projects when they cannot obtain the necessary guarantees. Najafi did not disclose the amount of oil investments, but Ebrahim Raisi’s government has allocated only $3 billion for oil investment this year. In the first session of the Economic Council chaired by Mohammad Mokhber, the acting president of the Iranian regime, in late May, an “emergency plan” to increase Iran’s daily crude oil production to “4 million barrels” with a $3 billion foreign investment was approved. According to a report by the Parliament Research Center, annual oil investment in Iran during the 2000s was over $18 billion, but in the early 2010s, this figure dropped to $7 billion and has fallen to $3 billion since 2018. The last major foreign investment in Iran’s oil sector was related to the South Azadegan field, which the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed in 2009. Despite Iran pre-selling the oil produced from the Azadegan field to this Chinese company, the project was abandoned halfway. The contract was valued at $1.76 billion, and Iran settled the principal and interest owed to the Chinese company by delivering oil produced from this field. According to reports from the Iranian Ministry of Oil and the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 80% of Iran’s active oil fields are in the second half of their lifecycle, and their production decreases by 8 to 12 percent annually. Iran needs annual investments of over $20 billion to maintain its oil production levels. The Iranian regime has temporarily managed to prevent a sharp decline in oil production by drilling more wells, but it faces extensive delays in developing new fields. The approved $3 billion investment for 2024 comes as the International Energy Agency estimates that $570 billion will be invested in global oil and gas fields this year, which is 9 percent more than last year. Iran has the second-largest gas reserves and the fourth-largest oil reserves in the world, but its share of global oil investments is only half a percent.
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