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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.

Why Iran’s Governments Can’t Fulfill Their Responsibilities

Jubin Katiraie
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Why Iran’s Governments Can’t Fulfill Their Responsibilities

Hossein Raghfar, an economist in Iran, in analyzing the campaign slogans of candidates favored by the Guardian Council for succeeding regime president Ebrahim Raisi, highlighted the limitations of the president’s powers in the Iranian constitution. He stated that there are two governments in Iran’s ruling system: one that “has weapons and force” and whose actions affect people’s livelihoods, and another that “has no power.”

In an interview with the website Didban Iran published on June 25, Raghfar pointed to the limitations of “the powers within the president’s authority and the government formed by the cabinet.” Emphasizing the insignificance of appointing Raisi’s successor on the current situation, he said, “Right now, we have two governments. One is very powerful, and it has the resources. The actions it takes have a significant impact on the economy, livelihoods, and people’s lives, and it is accountable to no one. The other government has no resources and is held accountable, even though it lacks the necessary capability to fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to it.”

This economist, speaking about the campaign promises of candidates favored by the Guardian Council for the presidency, emphasized that the slogan of unifying the exchange rate given by the government candidates means “bringing the dollar to 2 million rials.”

This university economics professor also emphasized that the likelihood of restoring public trust in the stock market “is impossible” and “the revival of the stock market under the current economic conditions in the country is not feasible.” He added, “In these 12 years, every year has been named after production, but every year it has gotten worse because we have not adhered to the requirements of domestic production.”

According to him, “Adhering to the requirements of production” means that “banks should serve production, while banks are giving loans for importing cars” because “they are partners in it themselves,” and “their capital turnover happens in these areas” to “compensate for their resource deficits this way.”

Raghfar also added that “the government is in the pockets of powerful institutions” and “a significant part of the country’s economy is under the control of these powerful institutions, and then the government has to be accountable.”

Referring to the current Minister of Education’s statements that “99 percent of the budget” is only “spent on paying salaries,” he added, “A government that does not have the money to manage its own education system” “has no possibility of development at all,” and “the reason is that the country’s resources are spent elsewhere.”

The statements of this economist come as on the eve of the process to appoint Ebrahim Raisi’s successor, the emphasis on the injustice of government officials and the boycott of what critics call the “election circus” have become one of the central slogans in recent livelihood protests in Iran, with protesters saying, “We have not seen justice, we will no longer vote.”

The expansion of protests by various groups, including retirees, workers from different industries, teachers, those who lost their savings, and nurses and healthcare workers, indicates increasing livelihood problems in Iran and the indifference of Iranian regime officials.

Meanwhile, the Iranian regime spends the people’s financial resources on interventions and warmongering throughout the Middle East.

US Sanctions Money-Laundering Network of Iran’s IRGC Ministry of Defense

Sia Rajabi
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US Sanctions Money-Laundering Network of Iran’s IRGC Ministry of Defense

The United States imposed sanctions on nearly 50 entities and individuals on Tuesday, June 25, who are accused of transferring billions of dollars in favor of the Iranian regime’s armed forces.

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury website, the department stated in a press release that those sanctioned are part of a “shadow banking network” used by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Both the Ministry of Defense and the IRGC are under U.S. sanctions.

The U.S. Treasury said that this network helped Iran’s Ministry of Defense and the IRGC access the international financial system and process the equivalent of billions of dollars since 2020.

Wally Adeyemo, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, said in a statement that the United States is taking action against a broad shadow banking system that Iran’s armed forces use to launder billions of dollars in oil revenues and other illicit income.

The US treasury added that those targeted on Tuesday constitute a “shadow banking network” used by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both of which are under U.S. sanctions.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Treasury’s action on Tuesday targeted dozens of front companies in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, the Marshall Islands, and Iran.

The imposed sanctions block any assets these companies have in the United States and generally prohibit U.S. citizens from doing business with them.

Meanwhile, those who engage in specific transactions with them also risk future sanctions.

Iran: Prisoners Sentenced to “265 Years in Jail and Over 5,000 Lashes” Over Evin Prison Fire Incident

Jubin Katiraie
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Iran: Prisoners Sentenced to “265 Years in Jail and Over 5,000 Lashes” Over Evin Prison Fire Incident

A human rights organization reported that the judiciary of Iran’s regime sentenced the accused in the “Evin Prison fire” case to a total of “265 years” in prison and “over 5,000 lashes.”

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Monday, June 24, that Branch 1148 of the Tehran Criminal Court sentenced 40 defendants in the 2022 Evin Prison fire case to “imprisonment, lashes, and blood money.”

These prisoners, who faced charges following the Evin Prison fire on the night of October 15, 2022, are currently serving sentences related to previous cases in Greater Tehran and Ghezel Hesar prisons.

The fire at Evin Prison occurred amid heightened tensions in the prison in Tehran during the nationwide protests of 2022. During this fire, sounds of gunfire and explosions were heard, resulting in several prisoners being injured and killed.

According to this report, the 40 defendants faced charges including “destruction of property, disrupting prison order, defiance and disobedience of officials’ orders, and manslaughter.” For these charges, they were collectively sentenced to “265 years of imprisonment, 5,032 lashes, blood money, and expulsion from Iran.”

This human rights organization detailed the court verdict from June 18, stating that the defendants “Majid Roshan-Nejad, Loqman Amin-Pour, Meysam Dehban-Zadeh, Sina Mirzaei, Mohammad Sobhan Moazen-Zadeh, Ayoub Emami-Zadeh, Ahmad Reza Kounani, Sasan Zamani, Mohammad Garavand, Saeed Khodapour, and Alireza Vali” were each sentenced for “property destruction” to “six years in prison and 74 lashes,” for “disrupting prison order” to “16 months in prison and 74 lashes,” and for “defiance and disobedience of officials’ orders” to “16 months in prison.”

Additionally, “Mohammad Hossein Moradian, Masoud Hossein-Zadeh, Reza Haji, Nima Mohammadi, Alireza Eslami, Amir Hossein Yusefvand, Meysam Moradian, Sobhan Hayat-Pour, Reza Salman-Zadeh, and Mohammad Hossein Mousavi” were each sentenced to “five years in prison and 74 lashes,” for “destruction of property,” “one year in prison and 74 lashes” for “disrupting prison order,” and “one year in prison.” for “defiance and disobedience of officials’ orders.”

Furthermore, two other defendants in this case, “Nima Mohammadi and Alireza Eslami,” whose citizenship status is not specified in the report, were additionally sentenced to “expulsion from Iran.”

According to a previous HRANA report, the judge rejected the lawyers of these defendants and, during the court session on June 18, expelled Ramin Safarnia, the lawyer who represented several of the defendants, from the courtroom, opting only to accept written defenses from the defendants.

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