Iran Focus

London, 1 Jan – Fear and confusion within the regime more than ever before as the uprising of the Iranian people is escalating

On the fourth day of the nationwide uprising, Khamenei the supreme leader remains silent. Rouhani, the regime’s president, also canceled his speech yesterday. Iran daily, associated with Rouhani, announced, “in light of recent events and several days of conflict in different cities of the country, the president will speak on these incidents in a couple of hours”. However, two hours later, one of Rouhani’s spokesmen said, “There is no speech in Rouhani’s program today.”

Iran Focus

London, 28 Dec – Today, anti-government protests broke out across Iran, including in Mashhad, the second largest city, and one of the holiest places in Shia Islam. The protesters clashed with state security forces over the soaring cost of living.

In Mashhad, around 10.000 people joined together in major protests. People crowded the streets, and chanted “death to the dictator” in reference to President Hassan Rouhani.

Iran Focus

London, 28 Dec – Since this morning, Thursday, December28, thousands of people in Mashhad (capital of the Northeastern Khorasan Razavi province) gathered at the Shohada square in front of the municipality’s building in Mashhad to protest the daily increasing and unrestrained price of basic goods and necessities. The number of demonstrators increased every minute during the march. Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran announced in a statement on December 28, 2017.

Iran Focus

London, 27 Dec – A new study is soon to be published by Collin Anderson and Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It is called “Iran’s Cyber Threat” and it describes a country that, although not high on the cyber threat matrix, can still do considerable damage.

America and its allies exist in a dangerous electronic ecosystem. The media highlights Russia’s alleged hacking of the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign on a daily basis, but less attention is focused on the weapons available to dozens of smaller countries. With its relatively open systems, the US can be an easy target.

Iran Focus

London, 27 Dec – Announcing the revival of IRGC street patrols “to fight thugs and theft” was a surprising move by Iranian Brigadier-General Mohammad Reza Yazdi , deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The patrols that had been routine during Iranian Revolution of 1977-79, and in wartime would be back.

A debate about public safety and the IRGC’s role in Iran ensued. People reportedly asked, “Is the country so unsafe that it needs armed IRGC soldiers to roam the streets?” They wondered why, if the country is so unsafe, the police weren’t addressing the problem. Allegedly, some worried that the IRGC street patrol might be an example of its rivalry with other government entities.

Iran Focus

London, 27 Dec – On December 24th, at his weekly press conference, judiciary spokesman, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei accused former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of being mentally ill.

Ahmadinejad’s aide retaliated by describing Mohseni Ejei as a mentally ill person. As well, his former deputy in executive affairs, Hamid Baghaei, compared the judiciary’s spokesman to Heinrich Himmler, of the Third Reich. Baghei noted, “His motto was also ‘send the others to forced labor camps or sanatoriums’.” He said further, “It is true that the SS has been buried and Himmler is waiting to be severely punished for his actions in the world beyond ours, but, his thoughts and mottos are still alive and kicking among some people who follow his footsteps.”

Iran Focus

London, 26 Dec – A state-owned media revealed that Kermanshah province (western Iran) has the highest rate of kidney sales due to poverty and unemployment in this region.

The Jamaran government website under the title of “Kermanshah has the highest rate of kidney sales!” wrote: “In the past days, the name of Kermanshah was tied up in the news with the earthquake, but it seems that the cities of this province suffer from many other problems, which is not related to sudden incidents. Last year Kermanshah had the first unemployment rate in the country.”