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Protests in New York Against Iranian President’s UN Visit

Sia Rajabi
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Protests in New York Against Iranian President’s UN Visit

On September 24, 2024, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) rallied in New York City to protest Iranian regime President Masoud Pezeshkian’s attendance at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The protestors, mostly from the Iranian diaspora, strongly condemned the Iranian regime for its human rights abuses, especially its increasing number of executions, and its support for terrorism.

Chanting slogans like “No to the regime of massacres, no to war and terrorism,” protestors expressed their opposition not only to Pezeshkian’s presence at the UN but also to the overall policies of the Iranian government. They accused Pezeshkian of being involved in crimes, including the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The demonstrators claimed that under his administration since August 2024, around 180 people had been executed, while the regime continued to support terrorist proxies abroad.

The Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), which organized the protests, said the event was part of a larger movement to highlight ongoing human rights violations in Iran. “Pezeshkian, hear us. Your regime’s time is ending. Khamenei, the leader in Tehran, will soon be overthrown by the Iranian people,” OIAC declared.

 Calls for International Support

The protesters urged the international community, especially Western countries, to stop appeasing the Iranian regime and to support the Iranian people’s right to overthrow the despotic regime. “End appeasement. Recognize the Iranian people’s right to overthrow the criminal regime of Khamenei and his puppets like Pezeshkian,” they chanted.

Several notable figures voiced their support for the protests. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz sent a message of solidarity, stating, “The time is long passed for the Iranian regime to end up discarded into the ash heap of history.” He criticized the regime for its consistent opposition to freedom and democracy, pointing out its use of terrorism, hostage-taking, and sham trials to maintain power. Cruz also condemned the fact that despite its poor human rights record, Iran’s leadership was still welcomed on the international stage, specifically at the United Nations.

Sam Brownback, the former Governor of Kansas and U.S. Ambassador for Religious Freedom, also voiced his support. He praised the resilience of the protesters and stressed the need for maximum economic pressure on the Iranian regime. Brownback argued that the regime used its financial resources to fund terrorism, and called for international support of the Iranian resistance. He echoed the protesters’ call for regime change, stating, “If we want peace in the Middle East, this regime must be removed.”

 International Reactions and Continued Criticism

Ambassador Mark Ginsberg was another notable speaker at the event. He condemned the Iranian regime, calling it an “unreformable” and “unsalvageable.” Ginsberg argued that the Iranian people had not chosen their leaders and called for international recognition of their demand for the prosecution of Iran’s rulers. He highlighted the regime’s widespread terrorist activities across the region and claimed that its fall would be a victory for not just Iran, but the broader Middle East.

Professor Alan Dershowitz also voiced strong criticism of the Iranian regime, calling it “the most dangerous regime in the world since the Nazis assumed power in the 1930s in Germany.” He supported the ten-point plan of Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi, which calls for a free and democratic Iran. Dershowitz insisted that the people of Iran want a life free of repression and the right to determine their future. He also argued that the fight against the Iranian regime was a global issue, urging the United Nations to stop giving a platform to leaders who do not represent their people.

 The Ongoing Fight for Freedom

The protests in New York represent a broader, ongoing movement among the Iranian diaspora and supporters of freedom around the world. The demonstrators are calling for an end to the Iranian regime’s brutal dictatorship and advocating for the establishment of a free, democratic, and non-nuclear Iran. 

As the New York protests show, the fight for a free Iran continues. With growing international attention, the movement’s supporters believe that the Iranian regime’s time is running out.

 

Iran Faces Daily Deficit of 10 Million Liters of Gasoline

Mehdi Hosseini
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Iran Faces Daily Deficit of 10 Million Liters of Gasoline

Ahmad Maroufkhani, head of the Union of Oil, Gas, and Petrochemical Exporters, stated that by the end of next year, Iran will face a daily deficit of 10 million liters of gasoline, and during winter, a diesel fuel deficit will add to this problem.

In an interview with the state-run ILNA news agency, Maroufkhani attributed the main reasons for these imbalances to a lack of proper planning for consumption management and insufficient investment in the refinery sector.

He stated that despite the country’s need to address the gasoline shortage, many petrochemical companies are exporting gasoline additives.

Maroufkhani emphasized that one of the solutions to increase gasoline production is using the petroleum product “Reformate.” He said, “For example, last week we witnessed the export of Reformate to the UAE market,” adding, “This product could instead be combined with naphtha domestically to produce high-quality gasoline.”

The head of the Oil Products Exporters Union, pointing out the lack of regulation in the production and export of petroleum products, explained that the Ministry of Oil must implement regulations to control the export of products related to gasoline production. He also emphasized the need for policies to prevent the export of essential materials needed for domestic gasoline production.

He explained that gasoline products and additives are sent to countries like the UAE, where they are turned back into gasoline and then re-imported into Iran. He said the fundamental solution is that “in the short term, we should stop exporting these products to help meet the country’s fuel needs.”

Maroufkhani, who was speaking as part of the government’s recent initiative to prepare the public and mitigate potential anger, proposed an increase in gasoline prices as “one of the solutions to control consumption.”

However, regarding the implementation of higher gasoline prices, he emphasized the need for “appropriate cultural and social measures” to minimize the “negative effects of this action.”

Previously, in response to widespread criticism of gasoline price increases, Mohammad Reza Aref, the First Vice President of Iran’s regime under Masoud Pezeshkian (President of Iran), stated that the government “will not make any hasty decisions” and “in every decision, we will consider all social, cultural, and justice-related aspects.”

The defense of the gasoline price increase by government officials, media, and its supporters continues, while independent labor and professional organizations, along with numerous social media users, have strongly criticized the decision.

They pointed to the Iranian regime’s large-scale financial support for its proxy groups in the Middle East, the exemption of institutions linked to the regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, from paying taxes, and widespread corruption in the government. They called on the government to abandon economic policies that harm workers and wage earners, rather than increasing gasoline prices, which would place further economic strain on them.

IRGC Prohibits Communication Devices Following Attacks on Hezbollah

Mehdi Hosseini
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IRGC Prohibits Communication Devices Following Attacks on Hezbollah

Senior Iranian security officials told Reuters on Monday, September 23, that after the explosion of thousands of pagers and wireless devices by Hezbollah allies during last week’s deadly attacks, the IRGC ordered all its members to cease using any communication devices.

Reuters said: “One of the security officials said a large-scale operation is underway by the IRGC to inspect all devices, not just communication equipment. He said most of these devices were either homemade or imported from China and Russia.”  

Reuters added: “One of the security officials said a large-scale inspection of all devices, not just communication equipment, is underway by the IRGC. He mentioned that most of these devices are either homemade or imported from China and Russia.”

The Iranian government is concerned about Israeli infiltration, including Iranians working for Israel, leading to extensive investigations of its forces, particularly mid-level and senior IRGC members.

“This includes scrutiny of their bank accounts both in Iran and abroad, as well as their travel history and that of their families,” the security official said.  

The security official did not provide details on how the IRGC, which consists of 190,000 personnel, would communicate.

He stated, “We are currently using fully encrypted messaging systems.”

According to the same official, there is widespread concern within Iran’s ruling elite. IRGC officials have contacted Hezbollah for technical assessments, and several examples of the exploded devices have been sent to Tehran for examination by Iranian experts.

Another Iranian official mentioned that the regime’s primary concern is the protection of its nuclear and missile facilities, especially those underground.

He said, “However, security measures at these sites have significantly increased since last year.” This official referred to measures that were heightened following Israel’s attempted sabotage of Iran’s missile program in 2023. Israel has never commented on this.

He added that the current security measures are stricter than ever before, indicating that after the pager explosions in Lebanon, security has increased significantly beyond previous levels.

According to these sources, the Iranian military uses a range of encrypted communication devices, including wireless radios, for secure communication. While specific models and brands may vary, Iran’s military communication equipment is mostly domestically produced or sourced from a combination of domestic and foreign suppliers. He mentioned that Iran’s armed forces have not used pagers for over two decades.

To avoid reliance on foreign imports, especially due to Western sanctions imposed on Iran’s nuclear program, the Iranian regime has developed its own military radios through its defense industries.

However, the Iranian regime has previously imported communication devices from countries such as China, Russia, and even Japan.

Explosion in A Coal Mine in Iran Claims Lives Of 51 Miners

Esmaeil Mohades
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Explosion in A Coal Mine in Iran Claims Lives Of 51 Miners

In the wake of an explosion at a coal mine in Tabas, the Iranian regime’s official news agency IRNA reported that 51 miners lost their lives in this incident.

Reports also provided figures for the injured miners, stating that 20 workers have been wounded so far.

The deadliest mining accident in Iran prior to this was the explosion at the Yurt mine in 2017, which claimed 44 lives. However, the Saturday night explosion in Tabas has now surpassed this record as the deadliest labor incident in the country.

Javad Ghanat, the governor of South Khorasan, initially announced on the morning of Sunday, September 22, that 30 people had died and 17 were injured. However, by noon, the death toll had risen to 51.

The explosion occurred around 9 p.m. on Saturday, and initially, Iranian media reported only one death and indicated that other workers trapped in the mine tunnel were unreachable.

According to the South Khorasan governor, the explosion occurred in two blocks, where “22 people were working in Block B and 47 in Block C.”

The 30 deaths reported earlier were all from Block C, and there was no information about the 22 workers in Block B.

No detailed report on the cause of the incident has been published yet. However, on Saturday night, the head of the Tabas Labor Department stated that the explosion was caused by a “methane gas leak in Block C of Madanjo Company.”

On Sunday, Javad Ghanat added: “Due to the methane gas leak in Tunnels C and B of the Tabas Madanjo mine, the workers suffocated from the gas. So far, 30 workers have died, and 17 have been taken to hospitals.”

The number of labor accidents in Iran is high, mainly due to substandard equipment and unsafe working conditions. According to the Forensic Medicine Organization, in 2023, there were 2,115 labor-related deaths and more than 27,000 injuries.

In September last year, a gas explosion in one of the tunnels of the Tarzeh mine in Damghan resulted in the deaths of six workers.

In the explosion at the Yurt coal mine on May 3, 2017, 44 miners were killed. A fact-finding committee later attributed responsibility for the accident to the employer.

Mohammad Mojtahedzadeh, the head of Iran’s Coal Association, reacted to the incident by stating that coal mining equipment in the country is very outdated.

1.6 Million Students Drop Out of School Due to Economic Problems

Jubin Katiraie
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1.6 Million Students Drop Out of School Due to Economic Problems

Media in Iran are reporting widespread school dropout rates, especially among boys, due to economic hardships. Many students leave school and enter the job market because of a lack of future prospects after completing their education.

On Sunday, September 22, Shargh newspaper, in a report coinciding with the reopening of schools in Iran, wrote: “Education has lost its economic value. Ten or twenty years ago, education was the best way to advance and move up the social ladder, but now, higher education no longer provides such upward mobility.”

The newspaper added, “Students consider dropping out and entering the job market a victory for themselves, while they view attending classes as a loss.”

Afshar Kabiri, Director-General of Social and Cultural Affairs of the West Azerbaijan Governorate, stated on September 15 that with a 10% dropout rate, West Azerbaijan is the second-highest province in the country in terms of school dropouts. He said, “We do not have a good situation in terms of dropout statistics, as the number of students who have dropped out has increased from 776,000 in 2016 to 1,662,000.”

A review of the published statistics in this area appears concerning, as data from the Statistical Center of Iran shows that nearly one million students dropped out of school last year, with economic issues being the main reason.

In this regard, the regime’s Majlis (parliament) Research Center reported in August 2024 that policies aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating dropout rates have not been effectively implemented.

On August 1, Khorasan newspaper published a report emphasizing that finding the reasons behind student dropouts is not difficult or complicated.

Khorasan pointed out, “The pain of poverty and livelihood issues are the most significant factors driving students to drop out.”

The Majlis Research Center confirmed this, stating, “Households in the lower income deciles, without insurance, in poverty, or lacking a stable income, are more prone to having children drop out of school.”

The trend of dropping out of school has intensified in recent years, primarily due to inflation, which has exceeded 40% in recent years. In 2022, the Majlis Research Center reported that “the number of students who dropped out of school during the 2021-2022 school year reached over 911,000.”

At the time, Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper wrote, “Comparing this figure with the number of dropouts in the past six years shows a 17% increase.”

According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, “Economic problems are one of the main factors, and it can be said that the expansion of poverty has played a significant role in depriving Iranians of education.”

790,000 Iranian Students Not Yet Enrolled in Schools

Mehdi Hosseini
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790,000 Iranian Students Not Yet Enrolled in Schools

State-run media in Iran, on the verge of the new school year, report that “790,000 students” have not yet registered to attend classes.

One day before the new school year, on Saturday, September 21, the state-run Tasnim news agency quoted an education official stating that 890,000 students have not yet ordered their textbooks, and of these, only 100,000 have enrolled in schools.

This figure was provided by Mohammad Alavi-Tabar, the Deputy Head of the Educational Research and Planning Organization.

The news agency described this situation as “unprecedented” and reported that some regular public schools have refused to enroll students due to “poor grades” or “lack of available capacity.”

Previously, Tasnim had reported that some parents faced “difficulties created by certain public school administrators” when enrolling their children in entry-level grades—first, seventh, and tenth grades.

Meanwhile, according to the Deputy Minister of Secondary Education, as of September 8, only 87% of students had enrolled in the tenth grade, with “13% remaining unregistered.”

According to Tasnim, citing Ministry of Education statistics, the number of students in the new academic year is around 9.2 million in elementary school, 3.8 million in lower secondary school, and 2.9 million in upper secondary school.

Resalat newspaper, which is close to the ruling faction, reported last September that the number of out-of-school children and adolescents had increased by more than 17% over six years.

The Iranian Teachers’ Organization and the Cultural Association, in a statement at the start of the previous academic year, attributed the rise in dropout rates to the widening class gap, poverty, and inequality in the education system.

177-Year Wait for Tehran Residents to Buy a Home If Prices Stay Stable for 200 Years

Sia Rajabi
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177-Year Wait for Tehran Residents to Buy a Home If Prices Stay Stable for 200 Years

The housing crisis in Iran has manifested as substandard housing and housing poverty in Tehran. Media reports indicate a 17% increase in prices in August, with the average housing price surpassing 880 million rials (approximately $1,466), and an estimated 177-year wait to purchase a home, assuming prices remain stable for the next two centuries.

On September 20, the state-run Tasnim News Agency reported: “While the average annual income for urban households has reached 2.56 billion rials (approximately $4,267), Tehran households can expect to become homeowners after 177 years if they save part of this income.”

Tasnim emphasized that the average housing price in Tehran has reached 885 million rials, and given this price, the wait for a Tehran household to purchase a 100-square-meter unit is about 177 years, assuming housing prices remain unchanged for the next two centuries.

The state-run ISNA news agency also reviewed housing prices in the Iranian capital, noting that District 18, with an average price of 420 million rials (approximately $700) per square meter, is the cheapest area in Tehran’s housing market.

ISNA added that District 1, with an average price of 1.79 billion rials (approximately $2,983) per square meter, is the most expensive area in the capital, with a 33% price increase over the past year.

The news agency added that in August of this year, the average price per square meter of housing in Tehran was 885 million rials, showing a 16.8% increase compared to the previous year and a 1.2% rise from the previous month.

According to some experts, over the past decade, housing has been on the path to becoming a major crisis for households.

In recent years, government promises to solve the housing problem have also gone unfulfilled.

During his election campaign and after assuming office, former regime president Ebrahim Raisi had promised to build one million homes a year. However, more than three years into his administration, and following his death, no significant progress has been made in this regard, and concerns about the continuation of the current trend persist under Massoud Pezeshkian’s government.

Political Prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Thani Sentenced to Death for Third Time

Esmaeil Mohades
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Political Prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Thani Sentenced to Death for Third Time

Reports from Mashhad indicate that political prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Thani has been sentenced to death for the third time. This political prisoner, a supporter of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the country’s largest opposition group, is also one of Iran’s boxing champions. Iran’s judiciary has sentenced Mohammad Javad Vafaei Thani to death for the third time due to his support for the PMOI.

Mohammad Javad, 29 years old, a champion and boxing coach at clubs in Mashhad, was arrested in March 2020 in Mashhad and subjected to severe physical and psychological torture. In January 2022, the fourth branch of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on charges of “corruption on earth, arson, and destruction of specific buildings, including the government’s Disciplinary Organization building.”

This sentence was referred to the second branch of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court by a branch of the Supreme Court in December 2022. In August 2023, this court sentenced Mohammad Javad to death for the second time. In June 2024, the Supreme Court referred the case to another court. On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, for the third time, two judges named Saadi Makan and Yazdan Khahar issued the death sentence, which was conveyed to Mohammad Javad in written form. This ruling was issued even though the regime’s judiciary laws were ignored in the process.

Earlier this week, the 26th branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced two PMOI supporters, Behrooz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, to death.

In an effort to suppress growing public outrage and in fear of the increasing youth support for the PMOI and resistance, the Iranian regime sees torture and execution as the only solution. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) on the UN High Commissioner, the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, the international fact-finding committee, the European Union, and its member states to take immediate action to free political prisoners and save the lives of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Thani, Behrooz Ehsani, Mehdi Hassani, and other prisoners facing execution.

The Central Bank of Iran: Economic Growth Has Halved This Spring

Mehdi Hosseini
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The Central Bank of Iran: Economic Growth Has Halved This Spring

In its latest report, the Central Bank of Iran states that the country’s economic growth in the spring was 3.2%, nearly half of the 2023 spring growth rate.

According to the Central Bank, the country’s economic growth in the spring of last year was 5.7%.

This sharp decline in economic growth is mainly attributed to the halving of the value-added from the oil sector, which was 16.5% in the spring of last year and about 9.5% this year.

Previously, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) along with the World Bank had predicted that Iran’s economic growth rate would slow significantly this year and continue to decline next year.

According to IMF estimates, Iran’s economic growth was 4.7% last year, but is expected to drop to 3.3% this year and 3.1% next year.

The relatively strong economic growth in Iran last year was due to a significant increase in oil production and exports, as well as a surge in government spending. Neither of these factors, however, has a direct impact on the welfare of the people or the prosperity of the market and industries.

On the other hand, OPEC data shows that Iran’s oil production growth has nearly stalled since mid-spring, meaning that the oil sector’s added value is expected to decrease significantly this summer compared to the same period last year.

The 12th and 13th Iranian administrations had set an 8% growth target in the Sixth Development Plan, which was not achieved. The Seventh Plan, which will be implemented for five years starting this year, once again emphasizes the need for 8% economic growth.

On August 31, Iranian regime President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that reaching an 8% economic growth rate would require $200 billion in investments.

Pezeshkian said, “The total money we have in the country is not more than $100 billion. Therefore, we need $100 billion in foreign investment, and this depends on our relations with the outside world, neighboring countries, and Iranians abroad.”

However, according to UN statistics, Iran attracted less than $1.5 billion in foreign direct investment last year.

Iranian Authorities Block Roads to Burial Site of Teenager Killed by Security Forces

Sia Rajabi
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Iranian Authorities Block Roads to Burial Site of Teenager Killed by Security Forces

On the occasion of the second anniversary of the death of Nika Shakarami, a teenage protester who died during the nationwide protests in Iran in 2022, her family reported that the roads leading to the cemetery where she is buried have been blocked.

According to these reports, officials are not even allowing Nika’s family to enter the cemetery and visit her grave.

Nika Shakarami was one of hundreds of protesters killed during the protests that erupted after the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police in 2022. Government authorities forced her family to bury Nika in a remote village near Khorramabad in the Lorestan province.

Similarly, on the second anniversary of the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, a comparable situation occurred at the Aichi cemetery in Saqqez, where she is buried, and officials prevented her family members from leaving their home to visit the grave and pay tribute to this young woman.

Seventeen-year-old Nika Shakarami disappeared on the night of September 19, 2022, during the first days of the nationwide protests, on Keshavarz Boulevard in Tehran, and her body was handed over to her family eight days later.

On May 10, 2024, BBC World Service reported that it had obtained a “highly confidential document” from the Iranian regime, indicating that Nika Shakarami was sexually assaulted and killed after being arrested by security forces.

The Iranian regime has a long history of sexually abusing political prisoners and using it as a tool to suppress protests and break the prisoners’ spirit.

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